Rant #1,763: We Play Today, We Win Today

L'Shana Tova to all my Jewish friends. I hope the New Year has started well for you, going into the holiest of days, Yom Kippur.

Anyway, normally I would take the day off today, but because of all the days I have taken off and will be taking off--Korea trip, cruise, dental surgery--I just cannot afford to take another day off now.

I think that would be somewhat selfish, as I would be taking advantage of the situation, so yes, today, I will be going to work.

I honestly don't think that God will mind, and the Supreme Being will understand why I am doing what I am doing.

Anyway, the baseball season ended yesterday, and congratulations to the Boston Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cleveland Indians and the Texas Rangers for making the playoffs in the American League, and the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets, the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants for making the playoffs in the National League.

It was an exciting season, and even though my team, the New York Yankees, didn't make the grade, they also provided lots of excitement for fans of the Bronx Bombers.

I still can't explain how they were still in this thing up until the last Thursday of the regular season, but they were, and they well exceeded expectations. Next season should be an interesting one, indeed.

But they went home after yesterday's game, the other teams remain.

What are my choices?

I think it will be a fun postseason, although with the Yankees out of there, I don't have a particular rooting interest.

I think in the American League, the two teams that are truly under the radar--the Cleveland Indians and the Texas Rangers--are the two teams to watch, and the way I look at it, the Indians are going to go to the World Series.

It seems to be Cleveland's year, what with the championship schneid broken by Lebron James and the Cavaliers, so why not have the Indians win it all in the American League this season?

In the National League, I don't see anyone beating the Chicago Cubs.

They simply have too much of everything--pitching, hitting, defense--and like the Indians, it is time to break the schneid.

With more than 100 wins under its belt this season, I feel the Cubs are almost a cinch for the World Series, their first appearance in generations.

So I believe it will be the Cubs vs. the Indians in the World Series.

And who will win the championship?

I think it is the Indians' turn. They haven't been champions in eons, and as I said, it appears to be Cleveland's year. I think it will be a tough Series, but I think the Indians--who really have been under the radar all season, even though they are an excellent team--will win out over the Cubs, sending them home without a championship for more than 100 years.

And yes, I can tie in Rosh Hashanah with baseball's postseason.

I remember as a kid, we used to go to synagogue, and then rush home to watch the World Series on TV, because the games then were on in the afternoon.

And, of course, there wasn't a multi-level playoff format back then, so the postseason was shorter, but no less exciting than it is now.

Whatever the case, it should be an excellent postseason, and since I am not a football fan, for me, it should lead right into the NBA season, where I have some high hopes for the New York Knicks, who this year, won't bore people if they can keep everyone healthy.

Let's see what transpires, but I can tell you that it should be fun.