Challenges Along The Santa Ana Freeway

I'll make this quick: The New York Yankees fly west to Orange County thinking they have their Los Angeles Angels problem solved. They took the first two inside the New Cathedral headed for the Big A. Game Three of the ALCS is a Monday afternoon affair designed to halt the progress of office workers from Buena Park down to San Clemente and, possibly, out to Indio.

If the Yankees take the Angels out of this game, the water cooler will be an unhappy place to meet up at with a few minutes to go before jumping on the freeways.

Speaking of freeways, the Los Angeles Dodgers took a split in Chavez Ravine into chilly Philadelphia tonight for Cliff Lee and the Phillies. The chill froze the Dodgers offense. Cliff Lee has been pitching a shutout through eight. Chad Durbin closed it out - without the save designation. Still, the Phils took control form start to finish sending a statement that the Dodgers will have a tough time taking the NL's flag into the World Series as long as the air is cold and the home bats are hot.

If perchance we do not get a Freeway Series and neither of the Southern California teams makes it, then we will have a rematch of the 1950 World Series. The Yankees swept the Phillies back then. I doubt this will be a repeat if this match-up happens.