Regional rivalries may decide destiny of MLB World Series
Territorial skirmishes between old and new adversaries may determine World Series champs as opening rounds of postseason MLB games start
From the east to the west coast and all points in between, the Major League Baseball postseason starting Wednesday morning (Hong Kong time) provides tantalising possibilities of a regional rivalry determining the World Series champions.
From a possible "Freeway series" in Los Angeles between the Dodgers and cross-town rivals the Angels, to a "Beltway series" near the nation's capital featuring the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, local fans dream of a territorial skirmish.
There is also a chance for a "Bay Bridge series" between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics or an "I-70" clash in the American heartland between the St Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.
Such showdowns could reveal some of baseball's best from Angels' Mike Trout and Albert Pujols to the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and Yasiel Puig, and strikeout artist Stephen Strasburg, of Washington, to Baltimore's home run leader Nelson Cruz.
Those notions, however, are well down the road as three levels of play-offs must be hurdled first, starting with a pair of do-or-die wild-card clashes in Kansas City and Pittsburgh.