PLAYOFF PREVIEW Division Series

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston vs. Oakland
Schedule: Game 1, Wednesday, at Oakland (10:06 p.m., ESPN); Game 2, Thursday, at Oakland (4:06 p.m., ESPN2); Game 3, Saturday, at Boston (TBA); x-Game 4, Sunday, at Boston (TBA); x-Game 5, Monday, at Oakland (TBA). (x-if necessary.)
Season series: Oakland won 4-3.
Projected Lineups
Red Sox: CF Johnny Damon (.273, 12 HRs, 67 RBIs, 30 steals,) 2B Todd Walker (.283, 13, 85), SS Nomar Garciaparra (.301, 28, 105, 120 runs), LF Manny Ramirez (.325, 37, 104), DH David Ortiz (.288, 31, 101), 1B Kevin Millar (.276, 25, 96), RF Trot Nixon (.306, 28, 87), 3B Bill Mueller (AL-leading .326, 19, 85), C Jason Varitek (.273, 25, 85).
Athletics: 2B Mark Ellis (.248, 9, 52), DH Erubiel Durazo (.259, 21, 77, 100 BBs), 3B Eric Chavez (.282, 29, 101), SS Miguel Tejada (.278, 27, 106), 1B Scott Hatteberg (.253, 12, 61), C Ramon Hernandez (.273, 21, 78), LF Jose Guillen (.311, 31, 86 for Cincinnati and Oakland), RF Jermaine Dye (.172, 4, 20 in 221 ABs), CF Eric Byrnes (.263, 12, 51).
Projected Rotations
Red Sox: RH Pedro Martinez (14-4, 2.22 ERA, 206 Ks), RH Tim Wakefield (11-7, 4.09), RH Derek Lowe (17-7, 4.47 ERA), RH John Burkett (12-9, 5.15 ERA).
Athletics: RH Tim Hudson (16-7, 2.70), LH Barry Zito (14-12, 3.30, 231 2-3 IP), LH Ted Lilly (12-10, 4.34).
Relievers
Red Sox: RH Byung-Hyun Kim (8-5, 3.18, 16/19 saves after Arizona traded him in late May), RH Jeff Suppan (3-4, 5.57, acquired from Pittsburgh), LH Alan Embree (4-1, 4.25, 1), RH Mike Timlin (6-4, 3.55, 2), RH Scott Williamson (0-1, 6.20, acquired from Cincinnati), LH Scott Sauerbeck (0-1, 6.48, acquired from Pittsburgh), RH Bronson Arroyo (0-0, 2.08, 1, 6 games) or RH Todd Jones (2-1, 5.52).
Athletics: RH Keith Foulke (9-1, 2.08, 43/48), LH John Halama (3-5, 4.22), RH Chad Bradford (7-4, 3.04, 2), LH Ricardo Rincon (8-4, 3.25), RH Jim Mecir (2-3, 5.59, 1), RH Rich Harden (5-4, 4.46).
Minnesota vs. New York Yankees
Schedule: Game 1, today, at New York (1:06 p.m., ESPN); Game 2, Thursday, at New York (8:18 p.m., FOX); Game 3, Saturday, at Minnesota (TBA); x-Game 4, Sunday, at Minnesota (TBA); x-Game 5, Monday, at New York (TBA). (x-if necessary).
Season series: New York won 7-0.
Projected Lineups
Twins: LF Shannon Stewart (.307, 13 HRs, 73 RBIs, 44 doubles with Toronto and Minnesota), 2B Luis Rivas (.259, 8, 43, 17 steals), 1B Doug Mientkiewicz (.300, 11, 65), DH Matthew LeCroy (.287, 17, 64), RF Jacque Jones (.304, 16, 69), CF Torii Hunter (.250, 26, 102), 3B Corey Koskie (.292, 14, 69), C A.J. Pierzynski (.312, 11, 74), SS Cristian Guzman (.268, 3, 53, 14 triples).
Yankees: 2B Alfonso Soriano (.290, 38, 91, 114 runs, 35 steals, 130 Ks), 1B Nick Johnson (.284, 14, 47, 70 BBs in 96 games), SS Derek Jeter (.324, 10, 52), DH Jason Giambi (.250, 41, 107, 129 BBs, 140 Ks), C Jorge Posada (.281, 30, 101), CF Bernie Williams (.263, 15, 64), LF Hideki Matsui (.287, 16, 106, 42 doubles), 3B Aaron Boone (.254, 6, 31, 8 steals in 54 games with Yankees; .273, 18, 65, 15 steals in 403 at-bats with Cincinnati), RF Juan Rivera (.266, 7, 26, 14 doubles in 173 at-bats).
Projected Rotations
Twins: LH Johan Santana (12-3, 3.07 ERA, 169 Ks in 158 1-3 IP), RH Brad Radke (14-10, 4.49), RH Kyle Lohse (14-11, 4.61).
Yankees: RH Mike Mussina (17-8, 3.40, 195 Ks in 214 2-3 IP), LH Andy Pettitte (21-8, 4.02), RH Roger Clemens (17-9, 3.91, 190 Ks), LH David Wells (15-7, 4.14, 20 BBs in 213 IP).
Relievers
Twins: LH Eddie Guardado (3-5, 2.89, 41/45 saves), RH LaTroy Hawkins (9-3, 1.86, 2), LH J.C. Romero (2-0, 5.00), RH Juan Rincon (5-6, 3.68), LH Eric Milton (1-0, 2.65 in 3 starts), LH Kenny Rogers (13-8, 4.57 in 33 games, 31 starts).
Yankees: RH Mariano Rivera (5-2, 1.66, 40/46 saves), RH Jeff Nelson (4-2, 3.74, 8, in 70 games with Seattle and New York), LH Felix Heredia (0-1, 1.20 in 12 games with Yankees; 5-2, 3.00, 1, in 57 games with Cincinnati), RH Jose Contreras (7-2, 3.30 in 18 games, 9 starts), LH Gabe White (2-1, 4.38 in 12 games with Yankees; 3-0, 3.93 in 34 games with Cincinnati), LH Chris Hammond (3-2, 2.86, 1).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta
Schedule: Game 1, today, at Atlanta (8:18 p.m., FOX); Game 2, Wednesday, at Atlanta (7:06 p.m., ESPN); Game 3, Friday, at Chicago (8:06 p.m., ESPN); x-Game 4, Saturday, at Chicago (TBA); x-Game 5, Sunday, at Atlanta (TBA). (x-if necessary.)
Season series: Atlanta won 4-2.
Projected Lineups
Cubs: CF Kenny Lofton (.296, 12 HRs, 46 RBIs, 30 steals for Pittsburgh and Chicago), 2B Mark Grudzielanek (.314, 3, 38), RF Sammy Sosa (.279, 40, 103, 143 Ks), LF Moises Alou (.280, 22, 91), 3B Aramis Ramirez (.272, 27, 106 for Pittsburgh and Chicago), 1B Randall Simon (.275, 16, 72 for Pittsburgh and Chicago), SS Alex Gonzalez (.228, 20, 59, 123 Ks), C Damian Miller (.233, 9, 36).
Braves: SS Rafael Furcal (.292, 15, 61, 130 runs, 25 steals, 10 triples), 2B Marcus Giles (.316, 21, 69, 49 doubles), RF Gary Sheffield (.330, 39, 132), LF Chipper Jones (.305, 27, 106), CF Andruw Jones (.277, 36, 116, 125 Ks), C Javy Lopez (.328, 43, 109), 1B Robert Fick (.269, 11, 80), 3B Vinny Castilla (.277, 22, 76).
Projected Rotations
Cubs: RH Kerry Wood ( 14-11, 3.20 ERA, NL-leading 266 Ks), RH Carlos Zambrano (13-11, 3.11), RH Mark Prior (18-6, 2.43, 245 Ks), RH Matt Clement (14-12, 4.11).
Braves: RH Russ Ortiz (21-7, 3.81), LH Mike Hampton (14-8, 3.84), RH Greg Maddux (16-11, 3.96), LH Horacio Ramirez (12-4, 4.00).
Relievers
Cubs: RH Joe Borowski (2-2, 2.63, 33/37 saves), RH Antonio Alfonseca (3-1, 5.83), RH Kyle Farnsworth (3-2, 3.30, 92 Ks in 76 1-3 innings), LH Mike Remlinger (6-5, 3.65), LH Mark Guthrie (2-3, 2.74), RH Dave Veres (2-1, 4.68, 1), LH Shawn Estes (8-11, 5.73).
Braves: RH John Smoltz (0-2, 1.12, 45/49 saves, 73 Ks and 8 BBs in 64 1-3 innings), LH Kent Mercker (0-2, 1.95, 1), LH Ray King (3-4, 3.51), RH Kevin Gryboski (6-4, 3.86), RH Will Cunnane (2-2, 2.70, 2), RH Roberto Hernandez (5-3, 4.35), RH Jaret Wright (2-5, 7.35, 2).
Florida vs. San Francisco
Schedule: Game 1, today, at San Francisco (4:06 p.m., ESPN); Game 2, Wednesday, at San Francisco (4:06 p.m., ESPN); Game 3, Friday, at Florida (4:06 p.m., ESPN2); x-Game 4, Saturday, at Florida (TBA); x-Game 5, Sunday, at San Francisco (TBA). (x-if necessary).
Season series: San Francisco won 5-1.
Projected Lineups
Marlins: CF Juan Pierre (.305, 1 HR, 41 RBIs, major league-leading 65 steals, 204 hits), 2B Luis Castillo (.314, 6, 39, 21 steals), C Ivan Rodriguez (.297, 16, 85), 1B Derrek Lee (.271, 31, 92, 21 steals, 131 Ks), 3B Miguel Cabrera (.268, 12, 62), RF Juan Encarnacion (.270, 19, 94, 19 steals), LF Jeff Conine (.282, 20, 95 for Baltimore and Florida), SS Alex Gonzalez (.256, 6, 18).
Giants: 2B Ray Durham (.285, 8, 33), 1B J.T. Snow (.273, 8, 51), SS Rich Aurilia (.277, 13, 58), LF Barry Bonds (.341, 45, 90, major league-leading .749 slugging percentage and .529 on-base percentage), 3B Edgardo Alfonzo (.259, 13, 81), C Benito Santiago (.279, 11, 56), CF Marquis Grissom (.300, 20, 79), RF Jose Cruz Jr. (250, 20, 68, 102 BBs).
Projected Rotations
Marlins: RH Josh Beckett (9-8, 3.04 ERA, 152 Ks in 142 IP), RH Brad Penny (14-10, 4.13), LH Mark Redman (14-9, 3.59), LH Dontrelle Willis (14-6, 3.30).
Giants: RH Jason Schmidt (17-5, 2.34, 208 Ks), RH Sidney Ponson (17-12, 3.75 for Baltimore and San Francisco), LH Kirk Rueter (10-5, 4.53), RH Jerome Williams (7-5, 3.30).
Relievers
Marlins: RH Ugueth Urbina (3-4, 2.81, 32/38 saves for Texas and Florida), RH Braden Looper (6-4, 3.68, 28/34 saves), RH Chad Fox (3-3, 3.12, 3 for Boston and Florida), RH Carl Pavano (12-13, 4.30), LH Michael Tejera (3-4, 4.67, 2), RH Rick Helling (8-8, 5.17).
Giants: RH Tim Worrell (4-4, 2.87, 38/45), RH Jim Brower (8-5, 3.96, 2), RH Joe Nathan (12-4, 2.96), RH Felix Rodriguez (8-2, 3.10, 2), RH Matt Herges (1-0, 2.31), LH Jason Christiansen (0-0, 5.19), LH Scott Eyre (2-1, 3.32, 1).