It was a McDonald's hot apple pie. They're not kidding. It was hot.

Without the Cardinals in it, I've not followed baseball much this post-season, expect to watch the Cubs get swept in the first round.

However, I've been quite impressed with the Colorado Rockies, who have won 22 of their last 23 (including the end of the regular season). They are a RED HOT team, I mean they're like McDonald's hot apple pie hot!

But they're starting a 7 game series on the road against the Boston Red Sox.

Can the Rockies, the hottest team, beat the Red Sox, perhaps the best overall team?

I think they can, but Game 1 plays a key role in the outcome of the series.

I don’t want to overstate the importance of Game 1, but I really think it could crush the Rockies if they lose it.

They didn’t expect to get to the playoffs, let alone the World Series.

When a team already feels it has overachieved, losing Game 1 could be tragic.

Remember STL in 2004? If they beat Wakefield in Game 1, that thing is a whole other series. They lost a close game and got swept in the series.

If STL would have lost in Detroit in Game 1 in 2006, I think they go out with a whimper, already stoked and shocked to have beat the Mets. Instead, they win Game 1 and head to St. Louis having secured a split on the road. They never went back to Detroit.

My prediction: If the Rockies lose Game 1, they AT BEST lose the series 4-1.

BUT … if they win Game 1 in Boston … I think they win the whole thing.

Shoot! And I said I wasn’t going to overstate the importance of Game 1.