Beside the Sox-Angels, one series I’ll be watching with great enthusiasm is the Dodgers-Cubs mash-up. Tonight, old pal D-Lowe–the subject of some bizarre rumors that have him possibly returning to Boston next season–takes the hill for game one, and L.A. is hoping for a little of his 2004 magic:

“This is a game when you must quickly forget what went wrong. You’ve got about 10 seconds between pitches. Sometimes you’ll see me just look up like I’m in la-la land, but it’s my way of letting it go and moving on.”

Also, that Ramirez feller will likely be a factor:

“I used to think that one hitter couldn’t make such a profound impact on a team,” closer Takashi Saito said. “But watching him, I’ve changed my opinion. He’s changed the way I think about baseball.”

Even though I bleed Sox red, if our boys falter on the way to the finish line, my support goes to the Cubs. Because some of my friends are Cubbies fans and I wouldn’t mind them experiencing the otherworldly joy I felt in 2004.

Playoffs start today, people. Strap in.

Thanks to my man Curtis for the photo.