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Looking out for no. 1: the playoff picture is fuzzy, but this is clear: Chris Carpenter will be the most important player in the postseason and the reason the Cardinals win it all

Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005 by Stan McNeal

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Aaron Small, RHP, Yankees

The journey: 160 games for six teams since 1994. lie has spent the better part of five seasons in the minors and nearly made it to the playoffs as a September call-up with the Marlins last season.

Fight to the finish: As battered as the Yankees' rotation is, Small could end up as their No. 3 starter. He has earned his shot with a 7-0 record and 3.57 ERA in eight starts since being called up in July. Not bad for someone who went more than six years between big-league victories.

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Playoff memory:. "The Kirk Gibson home run (1988 World Series Game 1). I was a Dodgers fan living in Los Angeles at that time. I remember sitting on the couch, and my dad actually called that shot. He said, 'Kirk Gibson, he's going to come up and pinch hit a home run.' I said, 'Dad, how'd you know?' He said, 'Storybook ending. That's the way you're supposed to write it: I'll never forget that."

Jake Peavy, RHP, Padres

The journey: 105 starts over four seasons. Of course, that's nothing compared to teammates Joe Randa, Brian Giles and Mark Loretta, who have been in the majors since 1995 and never have made the postseason.

Fight to the finish: Peavy, the Padres' No. 1 starter, leads the club with a 13-7 record and has a 2.95 ERA. If San Diego makes noise in October, count on Peavy being the main reason, lie could get two starts in the best-of-five first round, reason enough to worry the Cardinals or whomever the Padres face.

Playoff memory: "I vividly recall Sid Bream sliding into home on the hit by Francisco Cabrera (:1992 NLCS Game 7). I also can remember being in Atlanta one year, and it was the year when Mark Lemke was carrying the Braves (1991). We walked in a store, and people were talking about Mark Lernke, and they started doing the Tomahawk Chop."

Carlos Delgado, 1B, Marlins

The journey: 1,561 games, a drought second only to Burnitz's. Delgado spent his first 12 seasons with the Blue Jays before signing with Florida this season.

Fight to the finish: Delgado is batting .306 and has topped 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for the seventh time. He and Miguel Cabrera have carried an offense that has underperformed to such a level that Delgado's streak of not making the playoffs was starting to look safe entering the week.

Playoff memory: "I try not to watch. Obviously you see some highlights, but it's nothing like I was there and I say, 'I remember when that happened" If I'm not playing, I just go do something else"

Jason Kendall, C, A's

The journey: 1,394 games over 10 seasons. Fight to the finish: Kendall is a leadoff hitter and old-school clubhouse leader who accepted a trade from the Pirates last offseason in large part because he wanted to play meaningful games in September. Even if the A's don't pass the Angels, he'll be on a winning team for the first time.

Playoff memory:. You might expect that it would be the 1978 Red Sox-Yankees playoff game, but it's not. Though Kendall's dad, Fred, played for the Red Sox, Kendall does not remember the game. Of course, he was only 4. Besides, he's more baseball player than fan: "If I'm not in there, I don't watch."

Looking out for no. 1: the playoff picture is fuzzy, but this is clear: Chris Carpenter will be the most important player in the postseason and the reason the Cardinals win it all

Sporting News, The, Oct 7, 2005 by Stan McNeal

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