Friday, April 17, 2009
Early Breakdown
It is early in the season, and the records now don't mean much. I mean, come on. The Royals are tied for first in the AL Central. They have some young talent, but it doesn't compare to the other teams in the division. The Blue Jays are leading the AL East. Now that is just ridiculous. The Blue Jays have very little talent, let alone enough to go all the way through the season staying ahead of the Yanks and Red Sox and Rays. NOT GONNA HAPPEN! In the AL West the Mariners lead. The Mariners can be dangerous and all, but not enough to take a playoff spot. The biggest shocker is the Marlins. Not that their leading the NL East, but that their 9-1! This team has a shot to make a run for a while and hold first place, but not go 9-1. There is no way this holds up all season. I don't think anyone thinks it will, but I'll confirm it. This is a 162 game season, and not many teams can stay hot that long. In a couple weeks, we'll probably start to see the teams meant to be at the bottom falling and the most talented teams rising. You can start a season feeling good and on a roll coming out of Spring Training, but it doesn't last very long. Soon Boston will step out of the basement in the AL East. The Twins and Indians will fight again in the AL Central. The Angels will come to form like the best team in the majors from last season. The Mets and Phils will take control of the NL East. The Brewers will find themselves competing again in the NL Central. The only division that hasn't seen much excitement is the NL West, going just the way people expected, for now.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Can it get any worse?
Well, I went to the Phillies game last night as they again took on the Braves. As you may know, the Phils were beat down 4-0 and the Braves took the lead on the first pitch on a HR by Kelly Johnson. On top of the fact that nothing really good happened for the Phils, it was cold enough to be football game weather. Seriously, I was wearing Under Armour, a t-shirt, a sweat shirt and a heavy jacket. And I was still cold! But, I won't lag on with that, lets talk about baseball!
Well, the Phils had a few bright spots. Raul Ibanez, the new man, threw a man out at home to save a run and the bullpen didn't give up a run after replacing Jamie Moyer. Now their offense showed no urgency. There were a few hits that made it near the wall, but were caught by the Braves. Other than that the Phils offense really struggled. Chipper Jones has had a good start to the year for the Braves, batting over .500. I know its early and that is a pretty easy feat, but he was the only one on the field able to boast that title. Other than that, there really wasn't anything interesting going on in the game.
Some side notes. I almost got a foul ball. It was about a seat over from me. You don't realize how scary it is to have that ball coming at you until it does. I wouldn't have been able to catch it if I tried, but I didn't. I kind of leaned away. My hands were freezing, and if that ball hit my hands, I probably wouldn't be typing this right now. Second, I made it onto the jumbo-tron! Second time in my short life this has happened. That was pretty much the highlight of the game for me.
Well, this was a waste of a posting, but hey, gotta write something!
Well, the Phils had a few bright spots. Raul Ibanez, the new man, threw a man out at home to save a run and the bullpen didn't give up a run after replacing Jamie Moyer. Now their offense showed no urgency. There were a few hits that made it near the wall, but were caught by the Braves. Other than that the Phils offense really struggled. Chipper Jones has had a good start to the year for the Braves, batting over .500. I know its early and that is a pretty easy feat, but he was the only one on the field able to boast that title. Other than that, there really wasn't anything interesting going on in the game.
Some side notes. I almost got a foul ball. It was about a seat over from me. You don't realize how scary it is to have that ball coming at you until it does. I wouldn't have been able to catch it if I tried, but I didn't. I kind of leaned away. My hands were freezing, and if that ball hit my hands, I probably wouldn't be typing this right now. Second, I made it onto the jumbo-tron! Second time in my short life this has happened. That was pretty much the highlight of the game for me.
Well, this was a waste of a posting, but hey, gotta write something!
Monday, April 6, 2009
101 or 0?
The Cubs have gone 100 years without a World Series title. Now they are for wins away from ending the streak. But the Yanks are hungry for a long awaited (for the Yanks, 8 years is like the Cubs 100 year wait) championship. This is the break down of the games.
Game 1
Zambrano Vs. Sabathia
Last year Sabathia didn't have a very happy playoff experience. This year is different. He throws an excellent game. Giving up only a few hits and one run in 7 innings of work. Zambrano's fatigued arm gets whacked. Only 5 innings of work where he gave up 5 runs on double digit hits. The bullpen holds the Cubs afloat, but still a butt whooping as the Cubs can't get their bats going (as usual).
6-2 Yankees
Game 2
Lilly Vs. Wang
Well, nothing much different in this match-up. Lilly has an off night and Wang is burning the cold Cub bats.
8-3 Yankees
Game 3
Harden Vs. Burnett
This time the Cubs get going. The bats are going, especially Milton Bradley's. The Yanks compete, but are kept from getting a sweep.
5-3 Cubs
Game 4
Dempster Vs. Sabathia
Zambrano is done, so they replace him with Dempster. Now Sabathia is licking his chops. But for some reason nobody is doing well. Batting is the key in this one. As well as Kevin Gregg striking out Mark Texeira in a game winning situation for the Yanks in the ninth.
10-9 Cubs
Game 5
Lilly Vs. Wang
Now pitching is prominent. Neither teams bats are going, and a Mariano Rivera save seems to be inevitable
2-1 Yankees
Game 6
Harden Vs. Burnett
Do or die for the Cubs. Knowing the Cubs they would pick die. But this one shows promise. Harden pitches a great 6 innings, giving up 1 run. Going into the 8th it's 1-1. Going into the 9th it's 2-2. Then Kevin Gregg blows it. He gives up 4 runs in the top of the ninth and Rivera closes the deal as the Yankees win in front of their home crowd at their brand new stadium.
6-2 Yankees
So I believe the Yankees will be World Series Champs this year, beating the Cubs 4 games to 2. So to answer the question 101 or 0, 101!
Game 1
Zambrano Vs. Sabathia
Last year Sabathia didn't have a very happy playoff experience. This year is different. He throws an excellent game. Giving up only a few hits and one run in 7 innings of work. Zambrano's fatigued arm gets whacked. Only 5 innings of work where he gave up 5 runs on double digit hits. The bullpen holds the Cubs afloat, but still a butt whooping as the Cubs can't get their bats going (as usual).
6-2 Yankees
Game 2
Lilly Vs. Wang
Well, nothing much different in this match-up. Lilly has an off night and Wang is burning the cold Cub bats.
8-3 Yankees
Game 3
Harden Vs. Burnett
This time the Cubs get going. The bats are going, especially Milton Bradley's. The Yanks compete, but are kept from getting a sweep.
5-3 Cubs
Game 4
Dempster Vs. Sabathia
Zambrano is done, so they replace him with Dempster. Now Sabathia is licking his chops. But for some reason nobody is doing well. Batting is the key in this one. As well as Kevin Gregg striking out Mark Texeira in a game winning situation for the Yanks in the ninth.
10-9 Cubs
Game 5
Lilly Vs. Wang
Now pitching is prominent. Neither teams bats are going, and a Mariano Rivera save seems to be inevitable
2-1 Yankees
Game 6
Harden Vs. Burnett
Do or die for the Cubs. Knowing the Cubs they would pick die. But this one shows promise. Harden pitches a great 6 innings, giving up 1 run. Going into the 8th it's 1-1. Going into the 9th it's 2-2. Then Kevin Gregg blows it. He gives up 4 runs in the top of the ninth and Rivera closes the deal as the Yankees win in front of their home crowd at their brand new stadium.
6-2 Yankees
So I believe the Yankees will be World Series Champs this year, beating the Cubs 4 games to 2. So to answer the question 101 or 0, 101!
AL Predictions
Sorry for the wait folks. I haven't had a lot of time to write lately. Anyway, Here are my AL predictions.
AL East:
This is easily the toughest division in baseball. Three teams in contention, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, all possibly taking 90 to 100 win seasons. Then the bottom two, the Blue Jays and Orioles, show some promise, both being not much below .500. Now the top three are extremely hard to choose from. Third will be the Rays. They have four great starters, but a shaky fifth starter will hurt them. Their offense will be fairly scary as they add Pat Burrell as their big bat.Still, with Upton on the DL early, they will have some trouble getting the ball rolling. Eventually, their few flaws will catch up to them. Not only that, but Scott Kazmir probably won't stay healthy. The Yankees and Red Sox are tough. I feel there will be tons of drama in NY as usual, but they have really paid their way out of the dark ages. With Texeira added to their post-season ready line-up with great batting and fielding, I say they got the AL East in hand. Not only that, but the best record in baseball. Still the Red Sox are ready for a post-season, so look out. Especially when John Smoltz gets worked into that rotation.
Winner: Yankees
Wild Card possibilities: Red Sox and Rays
AL Central:
Well I feel that the Twins are the most dangerous team in the central. But, they will struggle early on with Joe Mauer on the DL. This team has lots of young talent, especially in the outfield and in the rotation. Francisco Liriano will finally get to prove himself in the big leagues after two years or so of injuries. The Indians will certainly put up a fight as well. After acquiring Mark Derosa, their lineup gets a big boost. They also have a solid pitching rotation lead by Cliff Lee, who could have a fantastic year, or just drop a bomb. They will be interesting to watch, because they could be great or horrible. It's tough to tell. Now I struggle deciding whether the Tigers or the White Sox will pull into third. The Tigers choked last season, and this season start with Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrele Willis, two key pitchers, on the DL. Still they show promise and could catch fire and make some noise. The White Sox are iffy. A solid team all-around, but no real strengths. Just a solid baseball team. I would have to choose the Tigers, but it should be interesting. Last, the Royals. Shall I say more?
Winner: Twins
Wild Card possibilities: None
AL West:
Easiest division in baseball. The only team with any shot in October is the Angels. They have a great rotation, that is, once John Lackey and Ervin Santana come off the DL. They have a good lineup that can hit and field. They replaced K-Rod with another tough closer in Brian Fuentes. The only hole left from last year is first base, where Mark Texeira took the reigns. Now Kendry Morales (?) will start there. NO BRAINER! The A's, Mariners and Rangers are in the same place. Promising, but not ready. The Mariners adding Ken Griffey Jr. to the lineup, which could be scary, but they are still the worst in the AL West. The Rangers are just young. THIRD! Second will be the A's. Lead by a few big off season acquisitions in Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera, and Matt Holliday. They also have a young, promising pitching staff, so down the road watch out.
Winner: Angels
Wild Card possibilities: None
Wild Card:
The AL East will see the Wild Card crown. Now the decision is Red Sox or Rays? Red Sox. A better rotation when Smoltz gets put in, better offense and better defense all leads to the Red Sox taking the Wild Card spot. Sorry Rays!
Division Series:
1. Yankees
3. Twins
Yanks in 3
GET YOUR BROOMS! The Twins don't have anything to combat the fire power of the Yankees. Enough said.
2. Angels
4. Red Sox
Red Sox in 5
Rematch! Again, the Red Sox take it. They really have the second best record, even though they are the fourth seed. They prove they are obviously the better team. The Angels will hang in with their tough pitching, but the Red Sox prove too much for the Angels.
ALCS:
1. Yankees
4. Red Sox
Yanks in 6
Oh boy! Big rivalry with a spot in the World Series on the line. It should be very interesting. The Yanks will have gotten over all the drama, since now it is too important to let a game slip. The Yanks just have too much fire power. They have a rock solid rotation and great offense. The Red Sox defense won't be enough to propel them to a title.
So, Yankees, Cubs for the title. Who will win? Find out in the next posting.
AL East:
This is easily the toughest division in baseball. Three teams in contention, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, all possibly taking 90 to 100 win seasons. Then the bottom two, the Blue Jays and Orioles, show some promise, both being not much below .500. Now the top three are extremely hard to choose from. Third will be the Rays. They have four great starters, but a shaky fifth starter will hurt them. Their offense will be fairly scary as they add Pat Burrell as their big bat.Still, with Upton on the DL early, they will have some trouble getting the ball rolling. Eventually, their few flaws will catch up to them. Not only that, but Scott Kazmir probably won't stay healthy. The Yankees and Red Sox are tough. I feel there will be tons of drama in NY as usual, but they have really paid their way out of the dark ages. With Texeira added to their post-season ready line-up with great batting and fielding, I say they got the AL East in hand. Not only that, but the best record in baseball. Still the Red Sox are ready for a post-season, so look out. Especially when John Smoltz gets worked into that rotation.
Winner: Yankees
Wild Card possibilities: Red Sox and Rays
AL Central:
Well I feel that the Twins are the most dangerous team in the central. But, they will struggle early on with Joe Mauer on the DL. This team has lots of young talent, especially in the outfield and in the rotation. Francisco Liriano will finally get to prove himself in the big leagues after two years or so of injuries. The Indians will certainly put up a fight as well. After acquiring Mark Derosa, their lineup gets a big boost. They also have a solid pitching rotation lead by Cliff Lee, who could have a fantastic year, or just drop a bomb. They will be interesting to watch, because they could be great or horrible. It's tough to tell. Now I struggle deciding whether the Tigers or the White Sox will pull into third. The Tigers choked last season, and this season start with Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrele Willis, two key pitchers, on the DL. Still they show promise and could catch fire and make some noise. The White Sox are iffy. A solid team all-around, but no real strengths. Just a solid baseball team. I would have to choose the Tigers, but it should be interesting. Last, the Royals. Shall I say more?
Winner: Twins
Wild Card possibilities: None
AL West:
Easiest division in baseball. The only team with any shot in October is the Angels. They have a great rotation, that is, once John Lackey and Ervin Santana come off the DL. They have a good lineup that can hit and field. They replaced K-Rod with another tough closer in Brian Fuentes. The only hole left from last year is first base, where Mark Texeira took the reigns. Now Kendry Morales (?) will start there. NO BRAINER! The A's, Mariners and Rangers are in the same place. Promising, but not ready. The Mariners adding Ken Griffey Jr. to the lineup, which could be scary, but they are still the worst in the AL West. The Rangers are just young. THIRD! Second will be the A's. Lead by a few big off season acquisitions in Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera, and Matt Holliday. They also have a young, promising pitching staff, so down the road watch out.
Winner: Angels
Wild Card possibilities: None
Wild Card:
The AL East will see the Wild Card crown. Now the decision is Red Sox or Rays? Red Sox. A better rotation when Smoltz gets put in, better offense and better defense all leads to the Red Sox taking the Wild Card spot. Sorry Rays!
Division Series:
1. Yankees
3. Twins
Yanks in 3
GET YOUR BROOMS! The Twins don't have anything to combat the fire power of the Yankees. Enough said.
2. Angels
4. Red Sox
Red Sox in 5
Rematch! Again, the Red Sox take it. They really have the second best record, even though they are the fourth seed. They prove they are obviously the better team. The Angels will hang in with their tough pitching, but the Red Sox prove too much for the Angels.
ALCS:
1. Yankees
4. Red Sox
Yanks in 6
Oh boy! Big rivalry with a spot in the World Series on the line. It should be very interesting. The Yanks will have gotten over all the drama, since now it is too important to let a game slip. The Yanks just have too much fire power. They have a rock solid rotation and great offense. The Red Sox defense won't be enough to propel them to a title.
So, Yankees, Cubs for the title. Who will win? Find out in the next posting.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
NL Predictions
I have introduced the season. Now I get to predict the results.
NL East:
Phillies are very strong, but can they hold up against the mighty Mets. I know that every year the Mets seem to choke away the opportunity to get to the playoffs, but this year I think their bullpen is much stronger and can hold leads for them. The Phillies don't show me the fire power that can propel a team to a NL East title. Especially with that shaky #5 starting spot with Chan Ho Park. Now the Marlins will stay in the mix, but will never really get the chance to pull in front down the stretch. The Braves look like they might make some noise at times, but will never make anybody sweat. And the Nats, well, we know that story.
Winner: Mets
Wild Card possibility: Phillies
NL Central:
Well, this may show some bias. As a Cubs fan, I can't go against my team, especially after they have not won a title in 100 years. Still, team favorites set aside, they are all alone. Milwaukee now has a very shaky starting rotation. No Sheets or C.C. Their #1 starter this year is Yovani Gallardo, a young gun who is promising, but not stellar. Their offense is powerful enough to get them enough wins, though. The Cards are going to contest as well. They have Albert Pujols, arguably the best player in baseball. They have a strong offense, but missing pitching components. After the disappointing display for the Astros in the spring, I have high doubts about them. The Reds and Pirates are just not looking ready to contend yet. They've got a few years to grow.
Winner: Cubs, best in the NL
Wild Card possibilities: Cardinals, Brewers
NL West:
This division is pretty weak, but highly contested. I see Los Angeles running away with this down the stretch, but the D'Backs will give them a run for their money. The experience of Manny down the stretch is important for the success of the Dodgers, as well as the holding up of their pitching. They currently have a 8 man starting rotation that will be cut down, but it still shows they aren't exactly sure what they want to do. They balance young and experienced, which is very important. And frankly, they are just all-around better than the D'Backs. The only thing the D'Backs with threaten with is the strength of their starting rotation. The Giants and Rockies will battle for a wide open third place spot that could go either way. It all depends on who gets hot and who stays healthy. In a year, though, the Giants could be very dangerous. And the Padres, whew! They could be the worst team in the majors. Tons of holes that won't get filled easy.
Winner: Dodgers
Wild Card possibilities: no one
Wild Card:
It comes down to the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Cardinals. This race will come down to the wire. I think the Phillies are just to dangerous. They are a team that plays fairly consistent. Their players don't, but the players who get hot compensate for the ones who are cold. The Brewers and the Cardinals show long streaks where the whole team is hot or cold. That won't win you enough games.
Wild Card: Phillies
Division Series:
1. Cubs
4. Phillies
Cubs win in 5
The Phils are a dangerous team come playoff time, they've proofed that. The Cubs seem to choke it away. This year, though, they see another great hitter in Milton Bradley and they have a tough rotation and a solid bullpen. Just a little too strong for the Phils.
2. Mets
3. Dodgers
Mets in 4
The Dodgers are tough, but not tough enough. Once the Mets can get over the hump and get into the playoffs, they will play to the end. They will not let anyone take away their opportunity this time. The Dodgers can't hang on against a team with revenge on their mind.
NLCS:
1. Cubs
2. Mets
Cubs in 6
The Mets are a tough team, but they will run out of gas. We saw K-Rod choke up his greatest shot at a title with a struggling series vs. the Red Sox last year, and J.J. Putz will choke under the pressure that is new to him. The hitters will struggle against a varied Cubs rotation and bullpen, and the Cubs will tear up the starters for the Mets. It's a long shot, but the Cubs will have a shot to end a 100 year drought.
Look for my next article on my AL predictions. Then, I will have my World Series prediction. Can the Cubs end a 100 year drought, or will my AL champ keep that streak alive? Keep reading my articles to find out!
NL East:
Phillies are very strong, but can they hold up against the mighty Mets. I know that every year the Mets seem to choke away the opportunity to get to the playoffs, but this year I think their bullpen is much stronger and can hold leads for them. The Phillies don't show me the fire power that can propel a team to a NL East title. Especially with that shaky #5 starting spot with Chan Ho Park. Now the Marlins will stay in the mix, but will never really get the chance to pull in front down the stretch. The Braves look like they might make some noise at times, but will never make anybody sweat. And the Nats, well, we know that story.
Winner: Mets
Wild Card possibility: Phillies
NL Central:
Well, this may show some bias. As a Cubs fan, I can't go against my team, especially after they have not won a title in 100 years. Still, team favorites set aside, they are all alone. Milwaukee now has a very shaky starting rotation. No Sheets or C.C. Their #1 starter this year is Yovani Gallardo, a young gun who is promising, but not stellar. Their offense is powerful enough to get them enough wins, though. The Cards are going to contest as well. They have Albert Pujols, arguably the best player in baseball. They have a strong offense, but missing pitching components. After the disappointing display for the Astros in the spring, I have high doubts about them. The Reds and Pirates are just not looking ready to contend yet. They've got a few years to grow.
Winner: Cubs, best in the NL
Wild Card possibilities: Cardinals, Brewers
NL West:
This division is pretty weak, but highly contested. I see Los Angeles running away with this down the stretch, but the D'Backs will give them a run for their money. The experience of Manny down the stretch is important for the success of the Dodgers, as well as the holding up of their pitching. They currently have a 8 man starting rotation that will be cut down, but it still shows they aren't exactly sure what they want to do. They balance young and experienced, which is very important. And frankly, they are just all-around better than the D'Backs. The only thing the D'Backs with threaten with is the strength of their starting rotation. The Giants and Rockies will battle for a wide open third place spot that could go either way. It all depends on who gets hot and who stays healthy. In a year, though, the Giants could be very dangerous. And the Padres, whew! They could be the worst team in the majors. Tons of holes that won't get filled easy.
Winner: Dodgers
Wild Card possibilities: no one
Wild Card:
It comes down to the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Cardinals. This race will come down to the wire. I think the Phillies are just to dangerous. They are a team that plays fairly consistent. Their players don't, but the players who get hot compensate for the ones who are cold. The Brewers and the Cardinals show long streaks where the whole team is hot or cold. That won't win you enough games.
Wild Card: Phillies
Division Series:
1. Cubs
4. Phillies
Cubs win in 5
The Phils are a dangerous team come playoff time, they've proofed that. The Cubs seem to choke it away. This year, though, they see another great hitter in Milton Bradley and they have a tough rotation and a solid bullpen. Just a little too strong for the Phils.
2. Mets
3. Dodgers
Mets in 4
The Dodgers are tough, but not tough enough. Once the Mets can get over the hump and get into the playoffs, they will play to the end. They will not let anyone take away their opportunity this time. The Dodgers can't hang on against a team with revenge on their mind.
NLCS:
1. Cubs
2. Mets
Cubs in 6
The Mets are a tough team, but they will run out of gas. We saw K-Rod choke up his greatest shot at a title with a struggling series vs. the Red Sox last year, and J.J. Putz will choke under the pressure that is new to him. The hitters will struggle against a varied Cubs rotation and bullpen, and the Cubs will tear up the starters for the Mets. It's a long shot, but the Cubs will have a shot to end a 100 year drought.
Look for my next article on my AL predictions. Then, I will have my World Series prediction. Can the Cubs end a 100 year drought, or will my AL champ keep that streak alive? Keep reading my articles to find out!
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