The MLB playoffs have begun. I do love baseball, and this is a great time of year, even if my beloved Mariners were eliminated in May.

In a way, the MLB playoffs are a lot like the Chase for the Sprint Cup. There are some exciting moments that will be remembered forever. In each game or race, teams can probably overcome one mistake, but a second mistake makes winning nearly impossible. In addition, the long, arduous season can be quickly undone by a series of mistakes or bad luck over the course of a playoff series or a few races.

No one has personified that final scenario more than Kyle Busch. He racked up the wins and great finishes in NASCAR's "regular season," but when the Chase started, Busch proceeded to have mechanical problems and some bad luck that have all but officially removed him from the title chase. Now, last week I predicted that Busch would bounce back and win some races, and I thought that would begin at Kansas, seeing as how he had won at Chicagoland, a very similar track. But another poor finish at Kansas Speedway has any more wins by Busch in doubt.

This week, the Sprint Cup boys head to Talladega, a restrictor-plate track. In three plate races so far in 2008, Busch has won two of them, and he finished fourth in the Daytona 500. So what is a Stock Car Challenge owner to do? Well, judging by those three results, he is the clear favorite. But the results of his past three races paint a picture of a driver who has been snakebitten and is just as likely to get caught up in the "big one" on Sunday as he is to finish in the top 10. That kind of risk, at this late date, is just too much to take a chance on. I ranked Busch 10th, because it seems like he should be good, but I can't trust him enough to place him where he probably deserves. For my SCC team, I'm going to say thanks but no thanks. It wouldn't surprise me if he won, but there's far too much risk involved with starting him right now. … MORE

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