A couple of random weight loss, baseball observations (and I already know the topics are not related)

I don't know about you, but I am constantly bombarded about weight-loss programs. Most of them wind up in my spam e-mail box, which is where they belong, but weight-loss advertisements seem to proliferate on television, radio, newspapers, magazines. I wouldn't be that surprised if one of them snuck through on my I-Pod.

I am also overly sensitive about the subject because, frankly, and I am overweight and could stand to lose a pound or two or a couple hundred here and there. Regardless, I am suspicious about all the come ons.

Well, I found one that works. I am not making this up because I have outside authorities who can confirm this -- I lost 16 pounds in less than 24 hours yesterday and today. Can't say too much more about it except that most of this weight wound up in a series of plastic jars that was disposed off by trained Hasmat specialists. Ooops! Excuse me -- I've got to rid myself of some more pounds right now. Back in a second.

OK, better now, which means I can concentrate on baseball. It may not turn out that way, but the upcoming American League series between the Yankees and the Angels has the potential to be one of the best in baseball's history. The Yankees have the more powerful lineup, while the Angels have a more proficient one (I can't remember ever seeing a team that could start nine .300 hitters). Where the Yankees have the edge is in post-season experience and their bullpen, so I'm going with the Yankees to win a thrilling series.

I like the Phillies to win the National League, although I have some concerns about Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels. As I understand it now, Hamels will start Game 1 for Philadelphia, so my actual pick to represent the NL in the World Series is the team that wins Game 1 of the Phillies-Dodgers playoffs. I have heard that Philadelphia is shielding the world from the fact that some nagging injury is bothering Hamels. If that is true and Hamels is not at full strength, it's going to be up to the rest of the Phillies lineup to step it up. They proved they could do it in their series against the Rockies and Philadelphia has the grit to win a game Hamels pitches even if he is not at 100 percent. Whether they will do it is another matter. That's why I'm convinced Game 1 will tell the story of this matchup.