Setting the Stage For October

Rays and Brewers and Cubs will battle in October. Even the Twins have a shot to crash the party. But the Yankees, Tigers, Mets, and their nine-figure payrolls failed to make the guest list.

Maybe not the party the networks were looking for. With the first Yankee absence from the playoffs since the strike and the second straight collapse of the Mets, Wall Street is not the only thing in New York that's upside-down. And the rest of the league is proving that money isn't everything. And that is a good thing, considering the rate it seems to evaporate these days. (I'm talking about Andruw Jones and Barry Zito, not the financial crisis. This is a sports column, isn't it? Besides, their contracts lost every bit as much of their market value as any home.)

Sportswriters and true fans have plenty to sink their teeth into in terms of storylines. The Rays exorcised the Devil from their name and the demons from their game, and now enter the postseason as the great unknown. They will meet the NL Central champion White Sox after they knocked off the Twins for a playoff spot that was supposed to come down to the Indians and Tigers.

The Phillies try to win their first World Series since 1980, which happens to be the last time a team from the title-starved city won a championship. The opposing Brewers somehow seem even more hopeless, not having even been to one since 1982, and enduring even fewer bearable years in the meantime.

Ex-Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez and ex-Yankee skipper Joe Torre team up to lead the Dodgers back to the postseason. If you can name a stranger combination of personalities, let me know, because I completely failed to come up with an analogy that did it justice. And speaking of title-hunger pangs, I think I read something about a 100-year anniversary of a certain playoff franchise's most recent title?

And with all the new and famished teams, the best team in baseball (Angels) faces off with the Red Sox, who take the Yankees' mantle of team for the nation at large to root against. After all, with the largest remaining payroll and two titles in the past four years, they aren't exactly the lovable losers of years past. That and their ubiquitous and rarely subdued fan base leave them as ready to carry the torch as anyone.

So while Hank Steinbrenner inexplicably whines about the wild card system being un-American and potentially Satanic (despite his team finishing third in his division), the non-New York baseball world can buckle up because with most of the teams either held back a bit by hitting, starters, bullpen, experience, or a 100-year monkey on its back, it should be a roller-coaster ride with more harrowing ups-and-downs than the stock market.

And now, my selections for awards...

MVP

(NL) Albert Pujols — Statistically, it doesn't get more clear-cut. And the Cardinals had a mish-mash pitching staff that lost its top two starters for much of the year, a relatively unimposing lineup around him (peaking with Ryan Ludwick and Troy Glaus), and a bullpen that blew 30 saves. That he kept them in the race for five-and-a-half months is incredible. Manny Ramirez is next up (you have to consider combined stats), but I don't see Ramirez staying focused like Pujols with that cast. Put Pujols in L.A. instead of Manny, though, and do you really think the Dodgers' playoff chances would be hurt any?

(AL) Carlos Quentin — By far the most complex and debatable choice. There aren't really any dominant players that stood out above all others. Quentin and Milton Bradley were the most dangerous hitters based on Sabermatics (plus a tremendous season from Kevin Youkilis), but neither could finish the season healthy. Alex Rodriguez again put up the quietest 104-35-103 season (plus 18 steals) possible, and also had great OPS and OBP. But the Yankees underperformed and A-Rod's clutchness remains questioned. Grady Sizemore posted a 30-30 season, but the rest of his numbers, while solid, don't establish separation.

Dustin Pedroia, the favorite of many to win, has been the Red Sox's do-it-all man, but he hit 19 fewer homers and an OPS over 100 points lower than Quentin. Quentin gets the nod because he came out of nowhere, led a surprising White Sox team to the playoffs, (him not being there down the stretch was a factor in it being so close), and hit 36 homers and drove in 100 despite playing in just 130 games. He was top four in the AL in OBP, OPS, and slugging. As good a choice as any.

Cy Young

(NL) Tim Lincecum — In every stat but wins and maybe height, the Giants ace stands above everyone. And with 17 wins, it should be enough. He was more dominant than a 22-win Brandon Webb, and had 5 saves blown for him. Webb had 1. Oh, and in five other starts, Lincecum allowed 1 run or less, and did not get a win. What else can the guy do?

(AL) Cliff Lee — And for the Indians' out-of-nowhere ace, it's not close.

Manager of the Year

(NL) Tony LaRussa — By a nose over Lou Piniella. The Cardinals finished 11.5 games back of the Cubs. They also had two fewer ace-caliber starters, an offense with equal or better hitters in just about every lineup spot, and some electric arms in the bullpen. You could argue the 30 blown saves are a knock on LaRussa's managing, but the point was that no one in the Cardinals' bullpen could get anyone out; his selections were irrelevant. Piniella will probably win, but LaRussa has never done a better job. Charlie Manuel also gets credit for keeping the Phillies atop the East.

(AL) Joe Maddon — If getting a team to play beyond expectations is your key barometer of a great managing job, as it is mine, the Rays' coach is a sure thing. Surprisingly close is the Twins' Ron Gardenhire. Johan Santana-less, Torii Hunter-less, reaching a playoff for the division was far beyond anything anyone could have asked from Minnesota.

Rookie of the Year

(NL) Geovany Soto — Mike Piazza was the only rookie catcher to have ever hit more than Soto's 23 homers. Soto was by every measure the top offensive catcher in the NL outside of Brian McCann, and also did a great job handling an excellent staff.

(AL) Evan Longoria — Rays third-baseman is even more of a no-brainer than Lee. On another plane.