Cleveland vs. Seattle

        Records: Mariners 116-46, AL West champions; Indians 91-71, AL Central champions.

        Season series: Mariners won 5-2.

        Managers: Lou Piniella is 747-642 (.538) in eight years with the Mariners, 11-13 (.458) in the postseason; Charlie Manuel is 181-143 (.559) in two years with the Indians, 0-0 in the postseason.

        Pitching matchups: Game 1 — RHP Bartolo Colon (14-12, 4.09) vs. RHP Freddy Garcia (18-6, 3.05); Game 2 — LHP Chuck Finley (8-7, 5.54) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (20-6, 3.43); Game 3 — LHP C.C. Sabathia (17-5, 4.39) vs. RHP Aaron Sele (15-5, 3.60).

        On the spot: After hitting .350 to claim his eighth straight batting title — the first seven came in the Japanese Pacific League — Mariners RF Ichiro Suzuki is on display for all the world. It's nearly impossible for him to live up to the hype, but he'll try.

        Series keys:

        • 1. Indians sluggers Jim Thome and Ellis Burks struggled against the Mariners this year. 1B Thome went 4-for-25 (.160) with 11 strikeouts while RF Burks went 3-for-22 (.136) with no RBI.

        • 2. Sabathia, a rookie who turned 21 in July, was the youngest player in the majors for much of the year. He has yet to face the Mariners but went just 1-3 with a 13.74 ERA against other playoff teams (Yankees, A's and Cardinals).

        • 3. With SS Carlos Guillen sidelined for the first round with tuberculosis, the Mariners turn to veteran Mark McLemore. The 37-year-old actually posted a higher fielding percentage at shortstop than Guillen this year, but McLemore is 9-for-60 (.150) in his playoff career.

        Worth noting: Rematch of the 1995 ALCS, won in six games by the Indians. ... Moyer missed the 2000 postseason with a hairline fracture of his kneecap. He went 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against Cleveland this year. ... The Mariners' win total tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for most in history... Despite a lineup featuring several left-handed hitters (Suzuki, 1B John Olerud, LF Al Martin), the Mariners went 31-14 (.689) against lefty starters, best in the majors. ... Mariners fell to the Yankees in six games in last year's ALCS. They have never reached the World Series since their inception in 1977.

        Prediction: Mariners in three.

        Oakland vs. New York Yankees

        Records: Yankees 95-65, AL East champions; A's 102-60, AL wild card.

        Season series: A's won 6-3.

        Managers: Joe Torre is 582-387 (.601) in six years with the Yankees, 46-15 (.754) in the postseason; Art Howe is 497-474 (.512) in six years with the A's, 2-3 (.400) in the postseason.

        Pitching matchups: Game 1 — LHP Mark Mulder (21-8, 3.45) vs. RHP Roger Clemens (20-3, 3.51); Game 2 — RHP Tim Hudson (18-9, 3.37) vs. LHP Andy Pettitte (15-10, 3.99); Game 3 — LHP Barry Zito (17-8, 3.49) vs. RHP Mike Mussina (17-11, 3.15); Game 4 — RHP Cory Lidle (13-6, 3.59) vs. RHP Orlando Hernandez (4-7, 4.87).

        On the spot: Mulder missed last year's playoffs with a bad back, but still got the Game 1 nod ahead of Zito. This was surprising considering Mulder is 0-2 with a 12.10 ERA at Yankee Stadium, while Zito is 0-1 with a 1.96 ERA in three starts in the Bronx, not including a Game 4 win in last year's Division Series.

        Series keys:

        • 1. The first game of any series is important, but particularly when it comes to Clemens, close to automatic much of the season. The A's beat him twice in last year's playoffs, and Clemens is 14-14 in his career against the A's, the only AL team he doesn't have a winning record against.

        • 2. A's closer Jason Isringhausen blew nine of 43 save chances and had a generally uneven season. If the A's are to spring the upset, he'll have to match the annual excellence of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

        • 3. The A's took the Yankees to the wire last year, and Oakland was a young team making its playoff debut. after winning the West on the season's final day. This year, the A's clinched with a week to go and have been the majors' best team for nearly three months.

        Worth noting: A's began the year 8-18 but roared back to claim their second straight playoff berth. They led the majors with a 58-17 (.773) mark after the All-Star break, the second-best second half ever. Only the 1954 Indians (.775) closed faster. The A's won 29 of their last 33 games, including their final six. Zito has won his last nine starts, posting a 1.37 ERA in that span. ... Yankees David Justice (groin) and Paul O'Neill (foot) are fighting nagging injuries that could limit both to DH duties.

        Prediction: A's in four.

New math: Turning 47 into 40 New club seats going on sale Baseball readies for wild postseason Maddux, Mariners and maybe McGwire begin playoff quest Baseball playoff schedules American League playoffs overview National League playoffs overview

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