coupla articles about late-season momentum, or the lack thereof:
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hardball times: "Some people will pick the hottest team (say, the Indians or Yankees) to win it all, because they have momentum on their side. Based on this study, I'd say that the postseason is still a relatively random event. . . . . Overall, momentum is less important than being good."
- baseball savant: "The Astros clearly are the hottest pitching team right now with respect to their top-4 starters. The Astros are going up against the Braves in the divisional series and the Braves look to be the 2nd hottest pitching staff. . . . The Padres are flat out terrible, and although I think it could get interesting if Peavy opens up Game 1 with a win over Carpenter, it's hard to imagine the Padres beating St. Louis."