Why I Just Don't Care About the World Series
11/02/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
Soapbox Moment for the Day: I really don't care about the World Series at all and won't be impressed in the least when the Yankees win it. They have a payroll $52 million higher than the next closest team, they SHOULD win it. A-Rod, Jeter, and Teixeira combine to make more per year than 13 different clubs' entire rosters... And before the Yankees fans start hollering that "it's not our fault other team's won't spend the money" and "if your team did it, you wouldn't care", you're dead wrong. My team is the 5th highest payroll in the league (though still only about half of what the Yankees spend) and I don't like it. The fact is, baseball is broken. Why do you think the same clubs (and sure, a few change each year, but mostly it's the same) are in the playoffs year after year? The big market teams can shell out the money for free agents and MANY other teams simply cannot. Why are the Pirates, Royals, Orioles, Reds, etc always near the bottom? They simply can't dish out $20 million + per player. Meanwhile the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, and Phillies are back year after year. The whole system sucks and the game has become increasingly more tainted because of it. Forget steroids, this is the biggest problem in baseball as far as I'm concerned.And yes, I'm fully aware they still have to play the game and that if this were strictly true, the Yankees would win every year, but year in and year out it's the same teams at the top competing for it with a handful of midrange teams thrown in the mix. Unsurprisingly I was able to pick all 6 division winners before the year even started because there is no true competition. Money buys you wins in baseball with few exceptions... the ineptitude of the Mets and Cubs aside. Baseball was already low on my totem pole of entertaining sports, but it just sinks more and more with each passing year.
Labels:
LCS Preview and Predictions
10/15/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
I managed to pick 3 out of 4 winners in the first round of the playoffs, my lone mistake was picking the Cardinals over the Dodgers. The afternoon that I posted my picks, I spoke with my father on the phone and he told me that the Dodgers would take the series and return to their stronger earlier season form, looks like he had that pegged. Thus far we've seen some impressive performances from the Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers, all sweeping their opposition in the first round. Philadelphia took an extra game to dispatch of the Rockies, but looked solid in doing so as well. Now we progress to the League Championship Series for both sides and some intriguing matchups in the process. Let's take a look at the NL first, which gets started this evening.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
This is a rematch of the NLCS from last year, which Philly took in 5 games on their way to winning the World Series. The Dodgers seek some measure of revenge and have home field advantage on their side this time, for whatever that might be worth. Los Angeles won the regular season series between the two clubs, 4 games to 3, including back to back walk off wins, thanks in large part to Andre Ethier, as well as Brad Lidge, who blew saves in both games. The Dodgers certainly appeared as the better of the two teams in the first round, sweeping the Cardinals with relative ease, while the Phillies battled in some close games to beat the Rockies in 4. The good news for Philly fans is that Brad Lidge seemed a little more solid than he did most of the season, getting saves in Games 3 and 4.
Starting pitching seems to be the big question mark for Philadelphia. Cliff Lee through a complete game and nearly had the shutout before surrendering a run with 2 outs in the 9th in his first career postseason start. He was solid again in Game 4 and looks to be the ace of the staff moving forward. Last season's World Series MVP Cole Hamels has been the concern however. He has been unable to capture last season's magic and was responsible for the lone loss in the NLDS against Colorado. He'll need to get better quickly in order to deal with LA. Philadelphia has not announced their full rotation for the NLCS yet, but Cole Hamels looks to get back on the mound in Game 1, and Cliff Lee likely won't see his next start until Game 3. The bottom line is that the less Philadelphia has to rely on Brad Lidge to save games, the better off they'll be. Lidge was masterful last season, but has returned to shaky form this year, and the pressure only gets greater from here on out.
The Dodgers rotation has been determined and will see Clayton Kershaw facing Hamels in Game 1, while Vincente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda, and Randy Wolf after that. Kershaw did not fare well against the Phillies this year, going 0-2 with an ERA over 5, but was great in a Game 2 duel with Adam Wainwright against the Cardinals in the first round. Padilla pitched very well in Game 3 against the Cardinals, giving up 4 hits and no runs in 7 innings of work. Kuroda returns after missing the NLDS and the end of the regular season with a neck injury and in his lone appearance against Philadelphia this year, he threw 6 shutout innings but didn't get the decision. Wolf struggled a bit in Game 1 against St. Louis, but it was of no matter as the Dodgers still found a way to win the game. Starting the 4th game means he'll likely get just the one appearance in this series however.
As far as the bats go, both teams have some firepower at their disposal. For the Dodgers, Ethier and Matt Kemp provide the biggest power and run producing threats. The team as a whole isn't loaded with home run ability, but they are effective at putting up runs and were tied for the NL lead in batting average at year's end. Kemp and left fielder Juan Pierre also help the cause with their base stealing abilities, as both had 30+ in the regular season. Manny Ramirez has been quiet thus far in the postseason, but he does have a flair for the dramatic, and with the spotlight growing, we might see some more out of him in this round.
The Phillies scored more runs than any other team in the NL this year and have 4 guys who hit 30 or more home runs this year. Ryan Howard of course leads the way with 45 on the season to go along with 141 RBIs. In the first round against Colorado, Howard didn't homer, but he did bat .375 with 6 runs batted in. The team had 6 guys hit .300+ in the first round and certainly hopes the bats will stay hot against LA. Philadelphia certainly has the better top to bottom batting order in this series, and if they can get to the Dodger pitching early, it will do a lot for their chances. With guys like Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez surrounding Howard, there isn't much option of picking and choosing who to pitch to.
I see this series shaking out as follows. The Dodgers will likely have the best of the pitching matchups in Games 1 and 2 at home, and as long as their bats continue to produce, they should take both games. The Phillies head home for 3 after that and have Cliff Lee on the mound in Game 3, which I would expect them to win fairly easily. I expect Randy Wolf to struggle in Game 4 as well against the Philly bats and can see them jumping out to a big early lead in that one. That would tie the series at 2-2 and bring us back around to Hamels vs. Kershaw again, this time in Philadelphia. This will be the pivotal game in my eyes, and I think whoever wins Game 5 will take the series. I think Hamels will fare better at home, but I can't pick against my dad again. I'll take the Dodgers to win the key Game 5 and head back to LA to finish off the series. Cliff Lee pitches well again in Game 6, but Brad Lidge blows the save to end the Phillies season and send the Dodgers to their first World Series since Kirk Gibson's famous home run en route to winning the 1988 championship.
LA Dodgers in 6 Games
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. New York Yankees
The Angels finally got over the hump and beat Boston in the playoffs. Not only did they beat the Red Sox, they swept them in relatively easy fashion. At home, the Angels took care of Boston by scores of 5-0 and 4-1, getting dominant pitching in both games. Game 3 went to Fenway Park and while the Angels weren't as stifling, they still managed to get the win 7-6, scoring 3 runs in the 9th as Jonathan Papelbon blew the save for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, the Yankees looked equally impressive in dispatching of the Minnesota Twins via a sweep as well. The Yankees utilized solid pitching as well, but ultimately, in typical Yankee fashion, it was the long ball that got the job done for New York. Two home runs in each game helped propel the Yankees out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Angels and Yankees split 10 games over the course of the regular season, and for the most part, there were no shortage of runs scored. The scoring might come down a little in the postseason, but I'd still expect to see some fireworks at some point in this series.
The Angels rotation for the ALCS sees John Lackey get Game 1, followed by Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver, and Scott Kazmir. Saunders didn't pitch in the 1st round, but brings a 16-7 record to the table. He gets the start in Game 2 mostly due to being a lefty and the short right field fence in Yankee Stadium. Weaver also has a much better record at home, so pushing him to Game 3 seems a smart choice for the Angels. Lackey and Weaver both through very well against Boston, and while Kazmir struggled a bit at Fenway, ultimately, the Angels proved able to overcome it and won anyways. Regardless of who is pitching in what games, the starters will have their hands full when it comes to the Yankees lineup and the power that lies within it.
The big talk this week has been focused on the Yankees looking to utilize a 3 man rotation for this series. It's not a traditional move, and it would concern me a bit if I were a Yankees fan. There is a reason pitchers no longer get just 3 days rest between starts and it's because they become much less effective once they do. The Yankees look to throw C.C. Sabathia first, followed by A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, the same rotation they went with against Minnesota. The goal is to get two starts out of Sabathia, and a third if they need it. Looking back at last year, the Brewers tried this approach down the stretch to get themselves into the postseason and again once they got there. Sabathia wore down quickly and began to struggle near the end and this should be a concern to the Yankees. I can understand the strategy being used in the World Series, but the ALCS seems risky to me, because then the effects might be seen if the team does in fact make it to the final round. Of course, the best way to alleviate any worries is to win the series quickly, which will make the whole idea null and void.
The Angels lineup didn't provide a ton of production against Boston in the first round, but it didn't really need to either. The pitching was strong and the Angels' bats did just enough to provide the run support necessary to get bye. Much like their LA counterparts, the Dodgers, the Angels aren't loaded up with home run power, but instead rely on all around solid hitting and quickness on the base paths to manufacture runs. The Angels were 2nd only to the Yankees in runs scored, but easily lead the AL in batting average during the course of the regular season. Bobby Abreu's 5/9 batting performance coupled with 4 runs scored lead the way for the Angels in the first round, while Vlad Guerrero and Erick Aybar were also solid against Boston. The bats will need to continue to perform to keep up with the Yankees in the ALCS.
One look at the Yankees lineup and it's easy to see how they were the only team to clear 900 runs scored in the regular campaign. They also had 20 more home runs and 40 more RBIs than the next closest teams, and were only slightly behind the Angels when it came to batting average. 7 different players cleared 20 home runs and 80 RBIs on the year for the Bronx Bombers, so there really is little relief top to bottom in their lineup. Alex Rodriguez finally seems ready to shed his title as a postseason choke artist after his first round dominance against Minnesota. A-Rod hit .455 with 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, and 4 runs scored in 3 games. Captain Derek Jeter didn't disappoint either, hitting .400 and scoring 4 runs of his own. Simply put, if the Yankees continue at this level of production, stopping them is going to be nearly impossible.
Looking at these two teams, one thing is crystal clear: Offense is plentiful. Both teams can hit and score, and have proven it multiple times over. So then, it comes down to the pitching, as is almost always the case in postseason baseball. I'm leery of the 3 man lineup the Yankees have elected to go with and I think the Angels have the better rotation over all. However, the Yankees have the guys that are more capable of putting in a dominant performance and coming as close as possible to shutting down the other team's offensive abilities, primarily with Sabathia. With the offense that will be on display, odds are the bullpens will be used heavily, and I certainly give that edge to the Yankees as well. New York is so scared of putting Joba Chamberlain in the starting rotation that it caused them to go with 3 guys instead, but Chamberlain is far more effective out of the bullpen from what I've seen anyways. Brian Fuentes has proved himself a capable closer for the Angels, but Mariano Rivera in the postseason is about as close as you can come to a sure thing in the closer role.
Again, I'm not at all confident with the Yankees choice to go with 3 starting pitchers, but I think that ultimately their offense is going to outperform that of the Angels and nullify the pitching battles anyways. I expect the Yankees to grab Game 1 with Sabathia throwing and while Game 2 might be a close one, the Yankees just have too much power in such a small stadium and will head to LA up 2. I like Weaver to get the Angels a win over Pettitte in Game 3, but I think it's the only one they're going to manage. In the end, the offense is too much to contain and the Yankees are finally heading back to the World Series, much to the delight of their fans everywhere... and much to the dismay of the rest of us who can't stand listening to said Yankees fans. I can't stand the Yankees and never will, but I can freely acknowledge that they are the team to beat this year.
New York Yankees in 5 Games
Devin's Picks:
Los Angeles Dodgers in 7 games
New York Yankees in 6 games
MLB Playoffs - AL Divisional Round
10/07/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
In case you somehow missed it, Devin already previewed the National League and made his picks, you can check it out HERE. Way back at the beginning of April, I previewed the 2009 season for the American League, and much to my surprise, I actually picked all 3 division winners correctly. I did miss out on the wild card however, as I expected the Rays to make a return to the postseason, and in fact, the World Series. That clearly didn't work out, but I'll take 3 out of 4 and be happy. Enough patting myself on the back, let's take a look at the series matchups, which get under way this evening.
Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees
It took the Twins 163 games and a few extra innings, but they made it to the postseason just the same. No team was hotter down the stretch than Minnesota, winning 17 of their last 21 games and erasing a very large Detroit Tigers lead on the AL Central. Along the way, the Twins had winning streaks of 6, 5, and 5, proving that they are capable of playing big time baseball when it counts. The issue now is that they've hurt themselves badly in the pitching department just trying to get to the playoffs, coupled with the fact that they have to face a Yankee team they went 0-7 against this season.
With Scott Baker pitching last night and Carl Pavano on just 3 day's rest Sunday, tonight's game 1 start falls to Brian Duensing (5-2). Duensing had a respectable 3.64 ERA on the season, but he's never pitched in a game this big. He's facing the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in October and the nerves will be in full gear. Not to mention this C.C. Sabathia (19-8) guy is starting for the Yankees. Last I checked, he's good... even if he does look like he's wearing pajamas on the mound. It's going to be a rough start for Minnesota, who is likely drained from the emotion of last night's game, going up against a fresh and rested Yankees club.
The Yankees finished up the regular season with the best record in baseball and as the only team to win over 100 games this year. They also scored 915 runs in the process, also easily best in the Majors. Offense is the key for the Yankees, but it tends to be dominant pitching that gets the job done in the postseason. Sabathia is certainly dominant, but after that, the starting rotation gets questionable. A.J. Burnett (13-9) has a tendency to be erratic from time to time and could be a concern deeper in the playoffs, but he pitched well against Minnesota earlier this year. Andy Pettite (14-8) has been there, done that when it comes to playoff baseball, but is he still the big game pitcher he was once known to be? I don't think so, but I also don't believe he has to be at this point.
The Yankees probably have the best bullpen in the playoffs this year. Phil Hughes has transitioned well into his role as the setup man for closer Mariano Rivera, who is simply the best to ever fill that role. If the game is in New York's favor in the last few innings, I like their odds of holding on for a win. That's exactly how I expect this series to go too. With favorable pitching matchups, and much more offensive power on the Yankees side, I see them jumping out to early leads and then managing to hold on late. I see the Yankees dominating game 1 tonight and winning a tight battle in game 2. Minnesota may steal one once they get back to the Metrodome, but I don't think they have enough left in the tank to keep up with a dominant Yankees squad.
New York in 4 games
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
It's been 6 months since I did the A.L. preview, and it still feels ridiculous to type that out, so for the sake of brevity and sanity, we'll go with LAAoA from here on out. Boston has beaten the Angels in this round twice in a row coming into this season, and looks to continue that trend from the wild card spot this year. The Red Sox finished up a respectable 95-67, but were still 8 games back of the Yankees for the AL East crown. It was still good enough to send them to the playoffs for the 6th time in 7 years however, and we've seen what they can do as the wild card team in the past.
The Red Sox lost the season series between themselves and the Angels, sporting a 4-5 record, but Boston tends to find another gear once October hits. Jon Lester (15-8) gets the nod in Game 1 and brings his 3.41 ERA to the West Coast. Lester didn't face the Angels at all this season, so it's difficult to know what to expect. The Angels have John Lackey (11-8) to counter, who did face Boston earlier this year and got a loss, despite throwing a solid game, allowing just 2 earned runs in 7.2 innings.
Hitting may be the issue in this series however, as both teams can put runs on the board. The Angels and Red Sox were 2nd and 3rd respectively in runs scored, trailing just the Yankees in the regular season. For the Red Sox, Jason Bay lead the way with 36 HRs and 119 RBIs on the year, while Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Dustin Pedroia also had solid years, hovering right around .300 batting averages. It's hard to forget about David Ortiz as well. Despite a dreadful start to the year, he still finished up with 28 HRs and 99 RBIs, not to mention he's quite known for performing in the clutch.
The Angels got a career year out of 1st baseman Kendry Morales, who put up 34 HRs and 108 RBIs in his first season of full time duty. Juan River, Bobby Abreu, Erick Aybar, Torii Hunter, and Chone Figgins all had very solid years as well for a well-rounded Angels lineup. Figgins and Abreu combined for 72 stolen bases, so the team can run as well.
The Angels were 97-65 and coasted to another AL West division win, finishing 10 games ahead of the Rangers. It was the 3rd straight division title for the LAAoA, and the 5th in 6 years. The Angels starting rotation is solid and has depth, which could pay off should they advance, but in the first round, it's more about having the one or two dominant guys. The game 2 matchups will have the Angels throwing Jared Weaver (16-8) against Boston's Josh Beckett (17-6), while game 3 is set to be Scott Kazmir (10-9) for LA, up against Clay Bucholz (7-4) for Boston.
If Lackey can steal game one for the Angels, I like their odds in this series. Beckett figures to take game 2 in my opinion, but then the Angels have the upper hand I think. Either way, I thoroughly expect this to be a tight series from top to bottom. Boston has the more powerful lineup, hitting 212 home runs to the Angels 173, but I think LA has a more well rounded group of hitters, with a .285 average trumping Boston's .270. My guess is that whoever wins game 1 will take the series, and I have a feeling it's going to be the Angels.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 5 games
As Devin mentioned, we have some ridiculous need to compete whenever possible, so I'm going to go ahead and pick the NL series as well and we shall see who comes out on top.
Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Phillies in 4
I think Philly's pitching will hold out against Colorado and definitely give the lineup edge to them as well
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Cardinals in 4
I simply don't trust the Dodgers pitching, and they showed why down the stretch. Oh yeah, and St. Louis has that Pujols guy... he's a solid ball player in my estimation.
MLB Playoffs – NL Divisional Round
10/07/2009 | Posted by
Devin
If there is one thing I know, it's Major League Baseball. Do you know how I know this? The team I predicted to represent the NL in the World Series before the season started finished with the best record in the NL during the regular season. Don't believe me? Here, take a look. Oh, and please don't pay attention to how I missed on the other three playoff teams.
Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies
The Rockies were pushed hard by my Atlanta Braves but they managed to hang on and secure the wildcard for the second time in three years. They face a very stiff challenge in the first round as they take on the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies themselves had a great year as they pretty much cruised to their third straight NL East crown.
In Game One, we'll see Ubaldo Jimenez take the mound for Colorado while trade deadline acquisition Cliff Lee gives it a go for Philadelphia. Lee was almost an afterthought as Philadelphia pushed hard for Toronto's Roy Halladay but eventually refused to give up the huge package that Toronto was demanding. That move seemed to be a good one for Toronto. Lee then proceeded to win his first give games for the Phillies in dominating fashion before falling back down to Earth. He eventually finished 7-4 in the NL and 14-13 overall for the season. The NL record is a good one for Lee but some people might be concerned with the fact that he lost his last two starts. Amazingly enough, this will be Jimenez's first time facing Philadelphia this season. Lee faced Colorado just after his trade to Philadelphia going seven innings, striking out nine, and only allowing one earned run.
Game Two appears to be an advantage for Colorado as Aaron 
Some people might be inclined to pick Philadelphia because they are a division winner and Colorado simply won the wild card, but let's relax on that sentiment my friends. The Phillies finished the season 93-69 which is only one game better than Colorado at 92-70. Along with their records, most of their statistics were identical. The Rockies had the better team batting average at .261 to .258. The Phillies had more runs per game at 5.1 to 5.0. And the ERA was also better for Philadelphia, 4.16 to 4.22.
Simply put, this is a very tight series and appears to be going five games. I'm going with the Phillies for the simple reason that they are the defending champs and that has to mean something once playoff baseball starts.
Philadelphia in 5
St Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers
I know I picked the Dodgers to represent the NL in the World Series, but it isn't happening. Postseason baseball comes down to one huge factor and that factor is pitching.
In Game One, we have Chris Carpenter (17-4) going against Randy Wolf (11-7). Since going 2-3 in the month of June, Carpenter has tallied an impressive record of 12-1. Included in those wins are two victories against the Dodgers. On July 27th, Carpenter pitched seven innings of one run baseball in a 6-1 victory for St Louis. Then on August 17th, he pitched eight innings of two run baseball to get the Cardinals another victory, 3-2. This isn't meaning to be a slight against Wolf, I just think Carpenter is that good. Wolf was the starting pitched for LA on that July 27th game against Carpenter but he only lasted six innings and took the loss. He hasn't faced St Louis at any 
Game Two pits another pitching matchup heavily in favor of St Louis as Adam Wainwright (19-8) goes against Clayton Kershaw (8-8). Wainwright faced the Dodgers twice this season, going 1-0 and pitching at least seven innings in each game. Just for the record, in the game where he got the no decision, the Cardinals did win the game 3-2. Kershaw faced the Cardinals twice as well but got a no decision in each contest. It should be a point of interest that the Dodgers did lose both of those games 3-2 and in one of them, Kershaw only lasted 3.2 innings.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love for the Dodgers to win the NL (and possibly face Boston in the World Series) but I just don't see it happening. They may have finished with the best record in the NL, but I am not quite sure that they are the best team. Before actually winning their last two games against Colorado to seal the NL West crown, the Dodgers lost five games in a row and seven out of nine. That isn't exactly the best swing of momentum as they hit the most important part of the season. On top of that, St Louis won the season series against Los Angeles 5-2.
St Louis in 4
Scott will be posting his breakdown and predictions for the AL series tomorrow before these series get started. Because we're overly competitive with picking things, I'll post my predictions for the AL series below so that we can keep track and see who does the best.
Boston Red Sox vs California Angels
Yes, I know they aren't the California Angels. I just refuse to write out that ridiculously long name.
Red Sox in 4
Twins vs New York Yankees
The Yankees are good…really good.
Yankees in 3
(Cue the rivalry footage)
Random Ramblings from the Sports World
6/01/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
The Dodgers and Manny Ramirez
Let me start by saying that while the Detroit Tigers are surely my favorite baseball team, I've also always followed the Dodgers and would consider them my NL team. Usually all that leads to is a Yankees type syndrome where I wonder why they spend a ton of money on guys and then inevitably come up short late in the year or the postseason. This year has been different however. While they have spent some money, many of the guys contributing for the team right now aren't exactly household names. They came out of the gates firing and haven't looked back despite the suspension of Manny. He's half way through his 50 games already, but Juan Pierre has stepped in admirably, and LA is going to be faced with an interesting decision when Ramirez comes back. I'd also like to say that I love what Joe Torre has done. How many Yankee fans out there now are still saying "it wasn't Torre, it was the team he had". I think he's proven he knows what he's doing and up until about 2-3 weeks ago, the Yankees probably would have been dying to have him back.
The French Open
I realize most people don't give a damn about tennis, and I don't generally care all that much myself, however the streak of Rafael Nadal has to be noted. The man finally lost on the clay at Roland Garros yesterday, for the first time EVER! He had won 4 straight French Opens and won 31 consecutive matches, which for the record is ALL of the ones he had played there. That's a phenomenal accomplishment and one not likely to be matched there, or anywhere else anytime soon. Roger Federer is struggling this morning as well, maybe American Andy Roddick will finally have a chance at a Grand Slam title?
LeBron James
A couple of points to be made here. Let's just say I'm a bit disappointed in his behavior after Game 6 and I think it's kind of disrespectful to walk off and not even congratulate the Magic on winning the series. Now I understand that the guy is ultra competitive and he probably felt like "his" year was ruined at that point. Everything pointed to the Cavs at the very least making the finals, and quite likely winning the championship after collecting the best regular season record and sweeping 2 straight opponents in the playoffs, but they couldn't solve Orlando. Now, LeBron is usually one of the most respectful and genuinely nice guys you see in the NBA, so I'll give him a pass this one time, but I hope this doesn't signal some sort of change in him. Unhappy and upset as he may have been, and no matter how much he disliked getting beaten, he still needs to show the proper respect and congratulate the opposition as the better team. Additionally, the next year is going to be incredibly annoying, as we have to listen to all this discussion of where he might end up for 2010 nonstop. Many people are going to be very turned off and I'm betting there is some sort of backlash, more so than has already begun, towards James throughout the year, even though it's not exactly his fault.
Stanley Cup Finals
Thus far the Red Wings just have too much depth for the Penguins to do anything about. Detroit has done a fairly good job of neutralizing Crosby and Malkin while also getting scoring from all over their own roster. Marc-Andre Fleury has not looked particularly sharp thus far either, allowing some weak goals along the way. He'll obviously need to turn it around big time heading back to Pittsburgh if the Penguins want to make this a competitive series. As for Malkin's antics last night and the league's subsequent actions, I think it's a complete and total joke. Malkin did what needed to be done in showing some fire and trying to get his teammates to turn up the intensity heading into Game 3, but how he did it was stupid. He basically snuck behind the net and went at Henrik Zetterburg from behind, and the first punch he threw in their "fight" was with his stick still in his hand.
At the time he was given an intstigator penalty, which I think was clearly the right call, he literally is the one that started a fight out of what was just a small scrum (caused by a Penguin poking at Chris Osgood when he clearly had control of the puck, something you just don't do). The problem with that was that if a player is called for an instigator penalty in the last 5:00 of a game, it's an automatic suspension for the following game. Well, the NHL quickly reviewed the incident after the game and deemed that the call was wrong, and that Malkin's penalty would be rescinded, therefore no suspension. Wow, doesn't sound like the league just wants one of their top stars to be playing in the Finals and wants the Penguins to have a shot at getting back in the series at all does it? A complete farce in my opinion and I think most people other than Penguin fans would agree. It's bad enough Sidney Crosby already gets the Golden Boy treatment and is pretty much allowed to do whatever he wants, but I find this quick change by the NHL to be appalling. I was already against Pittsburgh from the outset, but now I think my dislike has grown even more.
ESPN
Now, I've steadily like the network less and less for awhile now, but it just keeps getting worse. Sportscenter is more or less a joke these days with highlights and stats being secondary more often than not (I suggest ESPNews if that's what you're looking for). Now a show looks more like this: NBA Finals coverage, baseball highlights, LeBron did this, tennis highlight (during a grand slam event only of course), Dwight Howard wants to win a title, baseball highlight, Kobe ate dinner, NHL highlight (60 seconds maximum, only for the Cup Finals, and only if Crosby/Malkin are involved), stupid fabricated story, etc. They only care about whatever sports are on their network and the biggest market teams at this point. Even 5 years ago things were much better. Add to this the fact that college softball has been all over their networks for the past week, which I'm sure must be a ratings juggernaut, though, it's still better than marathons of the World Series of Poker all weekend long, and you can see what I'm saying. I know this is the slow time of year in the sports world, and it only gets worse once the NBA and NHL wrap up, but the channel as a whole has become mostly unwatchable to me.
2009 MLB Season: AL Preview
4/01/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
As with Devin's preview, this is just a general overview of each of the teams, nothing too in depth. My personal predictions are at the end of the article and if you happen to decide to pull a Pete Rose and head to Vegas, make sure you send me my cut.
AL EAST:
Tampa Bay Rays - The Rays were the talk of last season as they came out of nowhere to end up representing the American League in the World Series. They fell a little short of winning it all, but most of the same roster returns along with a few additions. Most notably, Pat Burrell comes over from the team that defeated them for the championship. Burrell will DH for the Rays after hitting 33 HRs and driving in 86 runs last year in Philly. Rookie of the Year Evan Longoria hopes to avoid a sophomore jinx and take Tampa back to the postseason.
Boston Red Sox - The Red Sox return pretty much the exact same roster that took those Tampa Rays to 7 games in the 2008 ALCS after an offseason suprisingly void of moves. Their starting rotation one of the more solid lineups in MLB as they bring a 1-5 of Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, Wakefield, and Brad Penny. Add in closer Jonathon Papelbon and the only possible question mark for the Sox bullpen is their middle relief. The AL East will be a battle again this year and Boston will contend as has become the norm over the past several years.
New York Yankees - The Yankees apparently didn't enjoy missing the postseason for the first time in 14 years. That combined with opening a new stadium this year contributed to the Yankees opening up the bottomless wallet for the two biggest free agents on the market this offseason. C.C. Sabathia and Mark Texiera are now significantly wealthier and ready to don the pinstripes this season. Those two will need to make an impact right off the bat as the Yankees look to move past an offseason focused on Alex Rodriguez admitted steroid use, coupled with a hip injury which will keep him out of the lineup until May at the least. Like the Red Sox, the Yankees have plenty of starting pitching and perhaps the best closer ever, but their middle relief remains a question mark.Toronto Blue Jays - The Blue Jays finished 11 games back in the division last season and didn't do much to improve themselves in the offseason either. They lost starting pitcher A.J. Burnett and added no significant acquisitions at all. While Toronto did allow the fewest runs in the MLB last year, they'll continue to have trouble scoring runs as well. Roy Halladay is a perrenial Cy Young candidate, but he can't do it alone. Standing pat will keep the Blue Jays sitting in the 4 hole in this division.
Baltimore Orioles - Quick, everybody that isn't an Orioles fan, name me 3 players off their roster. Baltimore turned over a large number of players from their roster in this offseason, problem is, the new names aren't anymore familiar than the old ones. The worst starting pitching in the AL, has been hopefully bolstered by bringing in Koji Uehara from Japan, but on the brightside, you can't get any worse than last. Baltimore's elevator only has one button on it, and it's marked B for basement.
AL CENTRAL:
Chicago White Sox - The Central's defending champs have given their roster a bit of a facelift heading into 2009, particularly in the pitching department. Gone is Javier Vazquez from the rotation, replaced by the aging Bartolo Colon, who started only 7 games last year for Boston. Veterans Joe Thome, A.J. Pierzynski, and Paul Konerko hope to lead the offense to a repeat postseason appearance, but Chicago will likely struggle to get as many wins as they enjoyed last year.
Minnesota Twins - Minnesota missed the playoffs by the slimmest of margins last year, losing a tiebreaking 163rd game against the White Sox to determine the division winner. The Twins expect to remain in the hunt this season. They made few moves in the offseason, but adequately filled holes, including bringing over Joe Crede from Chicago to play 3rd base as well as adding Luis Ayala to the bullpen to replace Dennys Reyes. The Twins have one of the best young rotations around if they can stay healthy and perform up to their capabilities, with Scott Baker and Francisco Liriano as the anchors. I think they have what it takes to move past Chicago to the top of the division in 2009.Cleveland Indians - Cleveland struggled with injuries last year and despite being one of the favorites to win the Central, only managed a .500 record. The front office brought in a good deal of help to try and get the Indians to bounce back in '09. Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez need to return to the form they are capable of to help Cleveland's offense, but the Indians' biggest concern has to be focused on their pitching. Cliff Lee is a solid ace, but Fausto Carmona needs to produce again along with questionable offseason addition Carl Pavano. Speaking of question marks, the Indians signed Kerry Wood to be their closer this year, and I think it's safe to say that everyone is quite aware of his injury history. If things fall the right way in Cleveland, the Indians will be back in contention for a spot in the playoffs.
Kansas City Royals - Generally speaking, the Royals are the AL's equivalent to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL. They don't retain their talent and they never really compete. They just kind of exist to help fill out everybody else's schedules. The most notable pickup this offseason for the Royals was Coco Crisp in centerfield, which is a bonafied upgrade. Kyle Farnsworth was added to the bullpen and he's shown flashes of brilliance in the past, but tends to be inconsistent more often than not. The Royals' all right handed starting rotation is lead by Gil Meche and Zach Greinke, both of whom had winning records and sub 4.00 ERAs last year. KC won't contend for the postseason, but they may be an improved team from 2008.
Detroit Tigers - Thank God for 2006, otherwise my entire existence as a Tigers fan would be mired in complete misery. After making huge moves in the 2008 offseason, Detroit was predicted to battle for not only the AL Central title, but quite possibley the AL and MLB titles. Instead, they managed to return to form and finish last in their division. Gone are Edgar Renteria, Pudge Rodriguez, and more recently, and surprisingly, Gary Sheffield. Gerald Laird and Adam Everett should be upgrades defensively over Rodriguez and Renteria respectively, and that's where the Tigers need the most help. The team scored runs last year, but their pitching was pretty much awful. Justin Verlander desperately needs to return to form and Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney need to be healthy this year to avoid another disasterous year from the bullpen. The Tigers should certainly improve over last year's poor effort, but it's doubtful they'll be battling for a spot in the playoffs.
AL WEST:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - The Angels had the best record in baseball last season and were the only team to make it to 100 wins. Despite those facts, the LAAoA (as I like to refer to them) were unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs by the Red Sox in 4 games. Added to that, Mark Texiera and Frankie Rodriguez are now in NY, for the Yankees and Mets respectively. Rodriguez broke the MLB record with 62 saves last season and that's not going to be easily replaced. Brian Fuentes and his 30 saves come over from Colorado to take over the closer role. The Angels also signed Bobby Abreu in an attempt to regain some of the offense lost by Texiera heading East. The best new for the LAAoA is that they won their division by a ridiculous 21 games last season, so they have some breathing room. They'll likely repeast as West champs, but the real question is will they make it out of the first round of the playoffs.Texas Rangers - The '08 Rangers scored the most runs of any team in the American League. The problem lies in the fact that they gave up the most runs in the Majors. The Rangers seem to be going with the gameplan of coasting through 2009 and waiting for their very deep farm system to payoff in the future. The Rangers have one of the best up and comers in the league in Josh Hamilton, who hit for a .304 avg, 32 HRs, and 130 RBIs in 2008. Texas will be relying on some very young pitching this year to get innings under their belt and build for the future. They will likely be a middle of the road team in the AL, which seems to be fine with management.
Oakland Athletics - GM Billy Beane has altered his normal plan a bit coming into 2009. The A's had the worst offense in the league last season but have provided help in signing Jason Giambi and Matt Holiday in the offseason. Holiday brings his .321 batting average along with 25 HRs and 88 RBIs over from Colorado, but the obvious question everybody has is how will he fare away from Coors Field and some possibly inflated numbers. At any rate, he's a far superior hitter to anybody else Oakland has to offer. The A's pitching is made up of guys you wouldn't exactly consider household names, but they may prove serviceable enough with the upgraded offense.
Seattle Mariners - Seattle brought back a very familiar face in Ken Griffey, Jr. this offseason. Jr. will likely end his career right where it started and if healthy, should provide a decent pop to the offense alongside fellow offseason pickup Russell Branyan. Several of the Mariners big name players are in contract season, which might help them boost their performances, though it's questionable where it'll leave Seattle next year. Adrian Beltre, Erik Bedard, and reliever Miguel Batista will all be playing for bigger paydays in 2010. The Mariners should improve on their 61-101 performance from last year, but will still be floundering near the bottom of the American League.
Predictions:
AL East - New York Yankees
AL Central - Minnesota Twins
AL West - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Wild Card - Tampa Bay Rays
First Round: Yankees over Twins
First Round: Rays over Angels
AL Champion: Tampa Bay Rays
--We’ll be posting our picks round by round for the NHL playoffs and encourage you to participate as well. Email either of us with your picks, or leave them in the comment section prior to the start of the first series and we will also post your results along with ours. This will be done on a round by round basis and the full rules and details will be posted at season's end.
We’ll also be doing the same thing with the NBA playoffs, so if anybody is interested, the same rules will apply.
We also have a public group at ESPN.com for “Streak for the Cash” and invite anybody and everybody to join. You can join right here.--
2009 MLB Season: NL Preview
4/01/2009 | Posted by
Devin
Today we’re going to take a look at the teams in the NL and what they are bringing to the table in the 2009 MLB Season. I have no doubt that I left some things out when discussing each team, but this isn’t meant to be an in depth look at each team, but more of a quick look and some predictions at the end.
NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies are the defending champs and head into this season looking
just as strong, if not stronger. They lost outfielder Pat Burrell to the AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays, but replace him with former Seattle Mariner Raul Ibanez. Last year with Seattle, Ibanez hit .293, 23 home runs and 110 RBI’s. I expect those numbers to actually be better this year now that he has some talent surrounding him. The real question is how Cole Hamels will hold up this season and how the Phillies as a team will bounce back after a championship season.New York Mets – The Mets suffered a second straight epic collapse near the end of the season to miss the playoffs, thanks in large part to their horrible bullpen. During the off-season the Mets did their best to correct that problem but signing K-Rod from the Angels, fresh off his record setting season, and traded for J.J. Putz to serve as the set-up man. On paper this should finally solve their problems, but that is why they play the games.
Atlanta Braves – After missing the post-season once again, the Braves decided to make several changes this off-season. They signed Derek Lowe to anchor the rotation and acquired Kenshin Kawakami (Japan) and Javier Vazquez (White Sox). Combine that with youngster Jair Jurrens and Tom Glavine in the fifth spot, and the Braves have a pretty solid rotation set-up. If they can get production out of some more up and coming young players, I expect Atlanta to challenge for the division that they once owned.
Florida Marlins – Florida is stocked with plenty of young talent, but I don’t think it will be enough to make them playoff worthy. Fantasy stars Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez will do their best to carry the lineup, but they will require more help from their supporting cast, which they most likely won’t get.
Washington Nationals – The biggest news coming from the Nations this off-season was the signing of left fielder Adam Dunn. Other than that, they look like a solid shot to finish in the basement once again. If you’re making a wager on the amount of Adam Dunn home runs vs. Nationals wins, I’d take the wins, but not by much.
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs – The Cubs celebrated their 100th season last year by dominating the regular
season and coming out flatter than a month old open bottle of Coke in the playoffs. To their fan’s credit though, they continue to follow their team like no other. The Cubs return another strong roster this season and have the services of pitcher Rich Harden for the entire season, instead of half the season like last year. If he can stay healthy for the duration of the season, I see the Cubs making another post-season appearance.Houston Astros – Excuse me while I crack up at the thought of Houston signing Mike Hampton. If there has ever been a player guilty of holding a franchise hostage and stealing money from them, Hampton would be that guy. I imagine Hampton going into his contract negotiations with Atlanta years ago with a ski mask and a gun, which makes me seriously question why the Astros have signed the guy. The Astros look like they always do to me. A team that has some pieces, will struggle for the bulk of the season, and make noise in September but come up just short.
Milwaukee Brewers – The Brewers lost out on C.C. Sabathia this off-season, as if anybody actually expected him to sign in Milwaukee. They still return a pretty solid lineup with Prince Fielder at first base and slugger Ryan Braun in left field. If they can get solid production from their rotation and new closer Trevor Hoffman (who starts the season on the DL), they will be in the discussion in September for the second straight season.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Ooohhhh…the Pirates. Where do I start? In the immortal words of Dennis Green, “They are who we thought they were!” That could very well be the slogan for the Pirates going into ever season. They shoot for .500 as they trade away anybody with potential. I see nothing that will change that this season.
St. Louis Cardinals – The overall make-up of the Cardinals lineup doesn’t impress me, besides slugger Albert Pujols. If he can get some help from Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Yadier Molina, the Cardinals could possibly challenge for a wild card spot. Then again, nobody picked Tampa Bay last year so anything can happen once they take the field.
Cincinnati Reds – The Reds have some potential, at least from a fantasy standpoint. Brandon Phillips stars at second base, Jay Bruce is in right field and Francisco Cordero comes in to close the games. They might be a decent team, but I don’t see any post-season in their future.
NL WEST
San Diego Padres – The Padres survived a mini fire sale this off-season when they were openly shopping ace pitcher Jake Peavy. I don’t see how that can possibly help the team and I don’t see how Peavy can be happy pitching for San Diego this season. They also lost the staple of their bullpen, closer Trevor Hoffman, which opens up the spot to Nintendo Wii star Heath Bell. I’d predict a near bottom of the division finish for the Padres if they weren’t in the NL West, however I still don’t see them being very competitive this season.
San Francisco Giants – Much like the Padres, I’m not overly impressed with the Giants roster, but they stand a chance because of the division they are in. They have Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum pitching which gives them a solid chance to make some noise. They signed aging pitcher Randy Johnson as well. If they can get solid production out of him it will definitely help and getting anything out of Barry Zito will be a plus as well.
Colorado Rockies – The Rockies had a disappointing season in 2008 after going to the World Series the prior year. They have a pretty solid lineup featuring the likes of Chris Iannetta, Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins and Troy Tulowitzki. Despite that, if they don’t get major run production from that lineup I’m seeing a middle of the division finish for Colorado.
Los Angeles Dodgers – After all the drama during the off-season, the Dodgers finally locked
down Manny Ramirez. Depending on which Manny the Dodgers get, they are my early favorites to win the NL West. Along with Ramirez, the Dodgers lineup consists of Russell Martin, Orlando Hudson, Casey Blake, Arizona Diamondbacks – Arizona was leading the way last season until they fell apart (and the Dodgers acquired Manny Ramirez). I really see Arizona as the only competition with LA for the division, so that should at least make things interesting. They return Brandon Webb and Dan Haren to anchor the rotation which will definitely make some noise during the season.
Predictions
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
Wildcard: Atlanta Braves
First Round: Braves over Cubs
First Round: Dodgers over Mets
NL Champion: Los Angeles Dodgers
--Don’t forget to e-mail us about picking the NHL playoffs once the regular season is finished. We’ll be posting our picks round by round and will also post the results of any readers who picked the games. We will pick round by round, not the whole playoff bracket, and more rules will be explained next week.
We’ll also be doing the same thing with the NBA playoffs, so if anybody is interested, the same rules will apply.
We also have a public group at ESPN.com for “Streak for the Cash” and invite anybody and everybody to join. You can join right here.--
All Star Games: Does Anybody Care?
2/13/2009 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
Devin mentioned in a recent article how the NFL Pro Bowl is being moved in an attempt to attract more attention to what has become a virtually meaningless game. Football simply doesn't work well in an environment where defense is largely ignored and most players are trying to go half speed. Injuries are always a major concern in football and nobody wants to see the league's best go down in a game where nothing is on the line. Quite simply put, trying to remove the aggressive aspects out of perhaps the most physical and violent of the 4 major sports makes for something just short of awful to watch. It's nice for the NFL to recognize the league's best players and send them to Hawaii (though that idea is now out the window) to relax a bit at the end of the year, but the competition is what makes football the most popular sport in the United States, and once it's removed, there's little reason to watch. Next year's move to have the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl in the host city is only going to further weaken the game. It seems fairly natural to think that the teams in the AFC and NFC championship games are going to have a large number of the best players on their rosters, and now you're taking them out of the equation with the placement of the game. Essentially, you're further watering down a very bland game, so I'm not quite sure how the NFL feels it's going to re-energize the Pro Bowl in this manner.
Other sports seem to have better success with their showcases though, and a variety of reasons could have something to do with it. The biggest difference is that all 3 of the other major sports hold their contests in the middle of their season. Clearly this won't work for the NFL as again, there is simply too much risk of injury in football and they don't want their stars going down halfway through the year. Taking a break in the middle of the year when people are already bound to be more interested in the sport lends itself naturally to people actually looking forward to an All Star game as well.
In addition, each of the other sports helps build the attraction to the game with various competitions that are paired up with the All Star game itself. For instance, look at Major League Baseball. I would dare say that the Home Run Derby held the night before the All Star game has become the bigger attraction. I know I generally have little interest in the actual game since it's hard to have any flow when you're constantly changing players at every position and trying to juggle a roster full of pitchers, but I almost always watch the Home Run Derby. People love home runs, it's really just that simple, so people are always going to tune in to the Home Run Derby. Even when the big names don't want to participate, people tend to check out the competition to see some up and coming talent try to smash the ball as far as humanly possible. Similarly, the NHL has it's skills competition the night before the All Star game each year and it too seems nearly as popular as the game itself. The NHL has a far smaller audience base in the United States than the other sports, but that could be a whole article itself. Still, I think many regular NHL fans tend to watch the All Star weekend festivities, and while they know there will be no defense and no hitting in the game itself, hockey can still get away with it at a higher level than the NFL can. The pure skill of NHL players is on full display during the All Star break and the offensive wizardy of some of the league's best players can be quite fun to watch.
Finally, we have the NBA's All Star weekend, which is now upon us with the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge taking place tonight, the Slam Dunk and 3 Point Shootout Competitions tomorrow, and the game itself this Sunday. If any sport was made for an All Star celebration it is basketball, and the NBA in particular. The league's biggest draw is it's star players. While surely there are many fans out there that live and breathe for a team in particular, I think there are also a great many people like myself that are fans of specific players more so than of any one team. The NBA in general has become more and more focused on individual efforts on a nightly basis than it has on team basketball, which means people love to tune in to the All Star break and see those superstars shine.
In recent years, the Slam Dunk contest and the 3 point shootout had seemingly lost some of it's luster for a variety of reasons. Gone were the days of the top players battling out with matchups like Jordan vs. Dominique, or Larry Bird dominating the competition. The NBA's top players continually declined invites to participate in the dunk contest for fear of injuries, which furthered hindered the success of the contest. However, last year, much of that seemed to change as Dwight Howard brought the contest back to full national prominence with a fury. He'll look to defend his crown this year as well, so perhaps it will attract many viewers. As for the game itself, basketball without defense can still be rather entertaining and the All Star game essentially turns into a back and forth, can you top this?, sort of excercise featuring the most talented offensive players on the planet. Even though the NBA tends to be towards the lower end of my list of favorite sports to watch, I regularly check out their All Star Weekend because I rarely find myself not being entertained. All Star games still have some relevance in today's sporting world and I don't think they are going to disappear anytime soon, but some just work out better than others. The NFL's Pro Bowl seems to be continually heading towards obscurity and if one of these events does eventually go away, that would be my pick as the first to vanish. At their basis, these games are meant to be a showcase for the fans more than anything else, and despite the grumblings of a few, many fans will continually check out the games year in and year out. The key is to remember not to take it so seriously, so sit back this weekend and enjoy watching Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and many others do their best to put breakaway rims to the test.
Follow Us
