The Marlins are going to win this thing.

The Florida Marlins. A team that, prior to this year, had one winning season in its existence. A team that was 10 games under .500 at one point this year.

Take a deep breath. Exhale. Repeat.

That's pretty amazing. In fact, that's downright ridiculous. Sure the Angels were a surprise, but even those heavenly beings weren't a miracle. When Jack McKeon is standing next to Steve Lyons and Bud Selig as he gets to hold up that beautiful trophy with those thirty flags that represent each team, irony will enter the picture.

The Marlins shouldn't even have a flag on that trophy. Actually, they shouldn't be here. If Bud Selig had had his way, the team wouldn't have even been on the pre-season schedule.

Remember two winters ago when Selig tried to take away the Twins and the Fish?

He said they couldn't compete.

Take a deep breath. Relax. Laugh out loud at the man behind the curtain for he is a fool.

It's been two years since and the Twins have made the playoffs twice. The Marlins are going to win the World Series.

It turns out, how much you spend doesn't mean much. It's how you spend it.

The Royals, owners of baseball's second lowest payroll this year, were in the playoff hunt until the final two weeks of the season.

The Marlins' payroll is fifth from the bottom and look where they are.

The Oakland A's spent more money than only seven other teams and they won 96 games.

The White Sox almost won the AL Central and they barely spent more than Oakland.

So, of baseball's nine lowest paid teams, two made the playoffs, four were at least in contention and only three, the Devil Rays, Brewers and Tigers finished in last place.

The Mets and Rangers, two of the top eight teams in payroll, finished in last place.

Anyway, let's talk baseball.

What a post season! We saw the League Championship Series take place in three great ballparks and both matchups went seven games.

The Cubs and Marlins threw the game's best young hurlers at each other in a series that saw four games in front of the red-ivied, brick-backstopped national heirloom that is Wrigley Field.

And the ALCS. The Red Sox against the Yankees.

We saw Clemens against Pedro not once, but twice.

We truly were blessed. One matchup was in the cathedral that is Fenway Park and one on the best stage in the country, Yankee Stadium.

Sure, anyone with a soul -- this automatically excludes Yankees fans -- wanted to see a Cubs- Red Sox World Series.

What we wouldn't have given to see Sammy Sosa step in against little Pedro Martinez with Game Seven on the line.

Mark Prior and Kerry Wood having to deal with not just Nomar, but Manny and David Ortiz.

Alas, those Yankees won.

And the feisty Marlins won, too.

So we have a World Series that features Derek Jeter trying to get that ring he has been longing for his whole career.

Oh yeah, he's already got four. The Splendid Splinter and Ernie Banks have a combined NONE.

As good a guy as Jeter is, he doesn't need a fifth -- especially after those credit card commercials.

Derek Jeter stepped into the batter's box in game one to face the young -- albeit already former phenom -- Dontrelle Willis.

Willis brought his leg up to his chin, twirled and fired a shot just by Jeter's forearms.

And Jeter, the normally cool and collected key to the Yankees recent success, looked more familiar than he should have to this Phillies fan.

He looked like Pat Burrell.

He didn't know what to expect. It wasn't fear. He was overmatched.

Jeter struck out.

Bernie Williams, another Yankee staple doesn't look himself, either.

The man who was once the most graceful and smooth player on his team has gray stubble on his chin.

He's old. A step slower. His swing has more holes. His arm is even weaker than it once was.

And it becomes easy to realize.

Despite what people say, the Yanks are the underdogs in this series.

And an upset isn't in the cards.