Anybody but the Sox. Either color Sox.

So the playoff matchups are now finalized. None of the teams will garner much love from me, especially the AL teams. I'm not nearly as invested into the NL, but still have some hateration to dish out. First, though, the AL...

I hate the Red Sox. I really hate Johnny Damon and Curt Schilling. I think Terry Francona sucks. Yeah, I sorta like David Ortiz, David Wells, Kevin Youkilis ("The Greek God of Walks") and Tim Wakefield, but the hatred for Damon and Schilling overwhelms them. Then, there's the fans... oh god, the fans.

And, I hate the Yankees. I hate Derek Jeter (I actually played against him in southwest Michigan growing up; I couldn't stand the fact that he wanted to be a Yankee and not a Tiger even though the Tigers were better than the Yankees when he - and I - were growing up in MI) and Gary Sheffield. Yeah, I sorta like ARod (I know, I know), Mariano Rivera (best relief pitcher... ever?), and Tom Gordon (dude's been playing since I've been watching baseball). But overall, I don't like them. Then, there's the fans...

Lastly, I hate the White Sox, probably more than the others this year. I especially hate Ozzie Guillen and their announcer, Hawk Harrelson. Yeah, I sort of like Mark Buehrle and Frank Thomas. But that manager... ugh. You call one of my Detroit Tigers a "Venezuelen piece of shit," and I'll hate you for the rest of your days.

So I guess that leaves the Angels who I'm rooting for. They're alright. I like Mike Scioscia. I like Vladdy. Go, Angels.

As for the NL, I usually go for the midwest team, and that would be St. Louis. I like Albert Pujols a lot; he's the best player of his generation, I think. I respect Atlanta. I sort of like the fact that the Padres made it with just 82 wins; they would be a fun upset. Plus, they have Rob Fick, one of my favorite ballplayers of the last five years or so. As for Houston, I hate Roger Clemens and Phil Garner. So I guess in the NL I'm rooting for anyone but the Astros.

So that means I'm rooting for an Angels vs. Anyone-but-the-Astros World Series. Go Angels! Go Anyone-but-the-Astros!

But, mostly, no socks. Either white or red. Then I'll be happy.

This, folks, has been the musings of a bitter baseball fan. It's not who I'm rooting for, it's who I'm not.

And you should see the Carlos Pena arguments I've gotten into tonight on the Detroit Tigers forum. Bitter, bitter, bitter.