The abrupt exit from the playoffs by the Red Sox has ended the Major League season locally, but with the American and National League championships being decided, here's a guide to follow those games, with reasons to root for and against each remaining team.

American League: New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which is in Southern California next door to Disneyland.

OK, so that's not exactly the full name of the American League California team still playing, but its long name is reason enough to root against the Angels. Here are some other reasons to boo the Angels:

Diss the Angels

They're the team that swept the Red Sox, and revenge would be sweet. The Angels must be stopped to prevent an all-Southern California World Series.

The fans are annoying when they wave those ridiculous red thundersticks.

Star pitcher John Lackey hates the Red Sox, and everything about Boston.

Back the Angels

The franchise, born in baseball's first wave of expansion in 1961 (they played their first game on April 11, 1961), has won only one World Series - a stirring comeback against the San Francisco Giants in 2002.

They're playing the Yankees, and any enemy of the Yanks should, in theory, be embraced by Red Sox fans.

Tori Hunter is a good guy, and deserves a championship.

They beat the Red Sox, and it'd look better for the good guys if the team that eliminated the Sox could go all the way.

There are, at least according to Disney, angels in the outfield.

Diss the Yankees C'mon, they're the Yankees. Enough said.

Alex Rodriguez is on the team.

Joba "The Hut" Chamberlain is on team, and he has it in for Red Sox first and third baseman Kevin Youkilis.

First baseman and superstar stud Mark Teixeria (and his wife) spurned the Sox in free agency for the big, bad Yankees.

It will not help humankind if the Yankees win a 27th World Series title.

Back the Yankees

Johnny Damon, one of the 2004 Red Sox "idiots," plays a key role on the team.

They haven't won a World Series since 2000.

Shortstop Derek Jeter is a hard-nosed player.

As long as the Sox already have been eliminated, it's worth having the Yanks win just to keep the peace in my household, and in others where the spouses' loyalties are divided between the Sox and Yanks.

National League: Los Angeles Dodgers (of Southern California) vs. the Philadelphia Phillies.

Diss the Dodgers

Say it again, with feeling: An All-California World Series must be stopped.

Do you really want a bunch of flaky Californians touting the virtues of a "Freeway Series?"

Manny Ramirez is on the team. Enough said.

They moved to the West Coast from the state of New York - where the Yankees are.

Back the Dodgers

They haven't won a World Series since the 1988 upset win over Oakland.

Wouldn't you love to see Dodger manager Joe Torre back in the World Series against his former team?

Former Red Sox infielder Mark Loretta is on the team.

They're one of baseball's historic franchises.

Diss the Phillies

They won last year; it's someone else's turn.

Philly cheese steak sandwiches are wicked bad for your health.

Philadelphia is the same town that the once-hated rivals of the Bruins (Flyers) and Celtics (76ers) are from.

Pedro Martinez, who refused to return to the Sox after the 2004 season, is pitching well for the Phillies.

Back the Phillies

The Red Sox play them on a regular basis during inter-league play.

Philadelphia shares a rich Colonial heritage with Boston.

No team has won back-to-back World Series titles since the Yankees took three straight (1998-2000).

Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling was a star pitcher for them.

LARRY KESSLER is a Sun Chronicle local news editor who can be reached at lkessler@thesunchronicle.com - but not in California.