Ben Jacobs and Larry Mahnken have kept tabs on the Yankee-Red Sox feud all season long over at The Hardball Times with their column called “Rivals in Exhile.” (The reason for the title is that they both live in Rochester, New York.) Be sure to check out what they’ve got to say as the ALCS unfolds. And while you are at it, peep Mahnken’s separate preview–a study in objectivity–as well as Aaron Gleeman’s analysis.

For more predictions and pre-game hype, head on over to Baseball Think Factory’s “Newsstand,” for links to all of the papers in Boston and New York. I perused the New York papers this morning and came away uninspired. (The one bit of significant news is that Mariano Rivera is scheduled to return and be available to pitch in Game One.) The tabloids are pumping up the “Curse” nonsense, George Vecsey wants the Red Sox to win, Dave Anderson has obligatory piece about Washington Heights’ favorite son, etc. You know the routine.

Game time can’t come soon enough.