E.K. NATION

A very surprising sweep. Surprising, that is, if you aren't reading this and have no idea what to expect. ANGELS in 3 games.

Pitching is the key here, and the Sox have more consistent pitching. White Sox, that is. Chicago will be the team that gets to continue with "Soxtober." WHITE SOX in 5 games.

The question here is whether the young stars on the Braves have enough naivete to get them to see past the pressure and get right down to winning ballgames when it matters most. Our guess? Yes, indeed. The Astros' offense has let Roger Clemens down too often; they can be lackluster. Meanwhile, Andruw Jones can be counted on to produce. BRAVES in 4 games.

Easiest prediction since guessing the sun would come up again today. CARDINALS in 1 1/2 games, maybe 2 at the most.

Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago White Sox: ANGELS in 6 games. Series MVP: Vladimir Guerrero.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves: BRAVES in 6 games. Series MVP: Chipper Jones.

Los Angeles Angels vs. Atlanta Braves: Our pre-season pick, Yankees and Marlins, can't happen. We're not used to that here at E.K. Nation. First time that not both of our W.S. picks made it to the playoffs. So, abandon ship! Anyway, the Braves, with 14 straight division titles and just one World Series ring to show for them all, are usually lightly regarded come October these days. Just watch. Series MVP: Andruw Jones. BRAVES in 5 games.