Deep pitching makes Red Sox the team to beat

Here's what we know about the American League field of four: The wild card is coming out of the East, where the league's three best teams reside.

And, these aren't your usual Angels — at least not on the mound, where they are an astoundingly low 12th in the AL in ERA.

That said, we'll stick with Mike Scioscia to find a way to win another division title — but the Rangers probably aren't going away. (The Mariners and their -18 run differential probably will fade, however).

Just a hunch — and for the sake of some change between now and Oct. 4 — we'll pick the pesky and usually-fast-finishing Twins to overtake the Tigers and win the Central. But it's not going to happen unless Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano turn around their seasons.

As for the East? Boston's in. Their pitching is deep enough to survive the prospect of perhaps not getting enough from Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Smoltz or Brad Penny.

That leaves the Yankees and Rays in a dogfight for the wild card — both teams improving as the season wears on. There is nothing clear-cut about this choice — as there are just enough issues to lend doubt about both.

But it's the Yankees by a very-narrow margin, probably leading to a Red Sox-Yankees ALCS, and we all know what that could mean. But the Red Sox have had the Yankees' number all season, and we'll say that continues over a potentially seven-game series.

The NLCS could be equally captivating: Dodgers-Giants. The latter will be tough in a five-game series, but their bullpen could be a bit exposed over seven games.

That leaves a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series, complete with the Mannywood sideshow. But on the field, the AL still clearly is the better league, with the better overall competition. That and another round of home-field advantage will help the Red Sox take another title.