Baseball's final four are set

What a great finish in yesterday's series closing win for the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5 over the Colorado Rockies. The Rock's took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Phillies roared back for four of their own in the top of the ninth. Not sure I recall the last time three of the four divisional round series were over in three games. Shame they're waiting so long to get the next round started. One thing I know for sure: of the remaining squads, the New York Yankees bullpen is far and away the best of the bunch. Been a long time since that applied. And A-Rod has thankfully shut down a lot of critics. A close second for my first round highlites was seeing Johnathan Papelbon pitch the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs on Sunday.

Shocked. That's the only word I've got for not hearing these words today: "Dick Jauron has been relieved of his duties by the Buffalo Bills, effective immediately." That the Bills only gave up two completions to the lowly Cleveland Browns and still managed to lose a dull 6-3 game on Sunday should fire most coaches, nevermind one who is now 2-14 his last 16. Personally, I was hoping the Dallas Cowboys would lose their game at Kansas City on Sunday and see Wade Phillips hit the unemployment line. Not sure it is possible to hate a team I support more than I hate the Cowboys right now.

I never ever would have figured that Jon Gruden would turn out to be a glorified cheer leader on Monday Night Football. He's going to give Suck Chwirsky a run for biggest shill on a sports broadcast.

Don't look now, but the Prime Time Picks are at 5-6 on the year now and four of the last five.

So that plan for the Toronto Maple Leafs to be a tougher side physically and defensively to play against isn't exactly panning out to date, as the Leafs sit DFL - Dead Freaking Last - in the NHL and are winless to date. The Leafs were on the wrong end of a 7-2 curbstomping at the hands of the New York Rangers last night.

Have a great Tuesday.