When we predicted with such assurance that the Angels and Dodgers would have competitive seasons, we probably forgot to mention that the season was spring.
No matter. Baseball went on without the slightest regard for clubhouse revolts on Gene Autry Way or gross insubordination in Chavez Ravine.
Indeed, local entrants aside, the game thrived. Now begin the playoffs, and reporter Tim Brown has more predictions to make.
National League
Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves
Braves
THE ARMS: Some trivia about the man who will win two games in the series: Greg Maddux's favorite TV show is Get Smart. The batter he least likes to face is his brother, Mike, a pitcher for the Dodgers. If he weren't playing baseball, he'd be: a lion tamer.
THE BATS: The Braves' offense was supposed to take the season off along with Andres Galarraga, but instead thrived thanks to Chipper Jones' MVP-type season. Brian Jordan had 115 RBIs. Middle infielders Jose Hernandez and Bret Boone combined for 39 homers and 125 RBIs. And the Braves scored a franchise-record 840 runs.
WHO'S HOT: Chipper Jones hit 15 of his 45 home runs from the right side, a huge improvement from at-the bats past, when teams beat the Braves by bringing in left-handers to pitch to him. Also, Tom Glavine beat the Mets twice in six days last week for his first back-to-back wins since the end of June, then beat the Florida Marlins on Sunday.
WHO'S NOT: Brian Jordan, who has a sore wrist and supposedly feels sorry for himself as a result, recently has been traveling with trainer Bobby Kersee, Jackie's husband. Apparently, it helps.
HOUSTON ASTROS
THE ARMS: It got a little hairy at the end for Larry Dierker--a condition wholly unrelated to the seizure, incidentally--who watched in horror a September road trip in which Mike Hampton, Jose Lima and Shane Reynolds had six starts and won none of them. On top of that, Billy Wagner has a twinge in his left elbow, the one that helped get him 38 saves in 41 tries. Dierker went to his bullpen 339 times, fewest in the majors.
THE BATS: The Bs, again. With the Astros, it's always the Bs. Jeff Bagwell is the second player with two 40-homer, 30-steal seasons. After all these years, Craig Biggio still has some catcher in him. He had 56 doubles and no triples.
WHO'S HOT: Reynolds, who will oppose Randy Johnson in Game 1, has never won a playoff start, but has a 2.77 ERA in the postseason. Hampton, whose 22 wins were a franchise record, batted .311 during the regular season.
