Shortstop Rafael Furcal has unexpectedly returned to the L.A. lineup, which makes the team much more formidable in the postseason.  While his presence might not equal the arrival of Manny Ramirez it probably comes just about as close as it can get. 

Furcal batted leadoff and played

The four teams with the best records in baseball all play in the American League (Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, and Indians). This has led many to dismiss the quality of play in the Senior Circuit, but as evidenced by the World Series a year ago, that would be a big mistake. While there was no dominant team in the National League this year, through the first two games of the playoffs there was clearly one dominant division: the NL West.

Matt Holliday is having a MVP season