I know what some of you are thinking: That “general sports blog named after a baseball reference” (which makes no sense to be general, right? “Focus on baseball!” Yeah I get that sometimes) really sucks for not posting about the NY status in each of the NHL and NBA playoffs. Well folks, you’re in for some treat then. I needed a day to calm down, realize they are both still only sports (and one of which I didn’t care about all that much since #33 played center for them) and yes, the “This guy will not pay my rent” principle still holds fast. By the way, the "this guy" game is still on. If you don’t write here, and can figure out all of the “this guy” pictures, you win something (to be named later). Last week’s article, I got zero replies, so I don’t expect much from you idiots. Impress me!
Blogging 101 – most bloggers who have 50 readers or less (a very generous number for us because on our busiest days we are around 30-50 unique views) write purely for themselves (therapy) and a few other die hard friends (in this case other writers I already talk sports with - group therapy). I’m fine with that – this will help me center my chi. Unless of course more of you jerks post all over my facebook page about how my teams suck and yours rule. I will find, and kill you. This is therapy for me, not anger management. (Just kidding! Bring it! But not like this guy did his last fight, I mean really bring it!)
Okay, enough prequel. Dammit the NY teams completely shit the bed! As you all know, basketball is not my forte. I watched the Knicks 8 times this year (including all 4 playoff games, not in entirety). This is 8 more times than the last 5 years combined, and probably the last 10 as well. It is time to relax for Knicks fans for a change. The only thing they’ll miss from that blockbuster trade to get Melo are the draft picks. You now have 2 superstar players to put pieces around. If CP3 REALLY signs after next season, they will be a true big 3. Aside: I hate that – “big 3.” You know, in basketball we have had a big 3, a new big 3, a fab 4, the twin towers, etc… you know what they called Jordan’s bulls? Kobe’s Lakers? Nothing I can think of... except the word DYNASTY has bounced around a lot. Sorry, I digress. The front office needs to insert a few people to the team are not on the current team at all. You know the kind who have actual talent and poise (minus a select VERY few who can stay). Bottom line – the road looks better ahead. The Knicks have screwed the pooch before though, just ask the garden faithful if they like this guy anymore. So don’t completely relax, just relax a bit.
DISCLAIMER: (This next section may get long winded as this was my favorite team in awhile this year and I am sad to see them go – skip it and just look for a clue if you’re playing “this guy.” You’ve been warned if you hate hockey talk.)
I have read every NY Rangers article under the sun since their game 5 bounce a day before the Knicks’ exit. Some are way too negative, some are way too positive. I am going to tell it how it is in my eyes. Our coach John Tortorella was just reportedly given a 3 year extension. I really like this front office move. Torts is able to extract all of the talent from these kids that is possible. This is HIS team. He shows patience with them, and seems to put them in a position to succeed, only to demand perfection and settle for a hard work ethic. He knows what he is working with – in fact at the exit interviews, he simply said the words at one point: “We need more talent.” However, this is not to say the team didn’t earn all 44 of their regular season wins. Arguably, they “should have won” at least 1 other game against the Caps as well (and gotten me to game 6 at MSG!). I’m not all for “we beat ourselves” as much as I am for “we let them beat us,” but the series is over, and Ovechkin is still a piece of Russian trash - like this guy (character name is fine in the movie). This team of line 2 to line 4 forwards (with the exception of 1 and maybe 1/2) and a group of good and young defensive defenseman with a WORLD of potential in front of them, achieved more than what a lot of people pegged them for. If Gabby can right himself for next season, and everyone else progresses naturally and can stay major injury free for next season, we are looking at a 2-3 round dive into these same playoffs. There is speculation they will be (and perhaps should be) in the Brad Richards bidding war. Torts coached him to a cup with Tampa, and will want him to anchor the Gabby line at center (since no one else at center can do it). Richards can be a playmaker and put the puck in the net – he would be a great first line guy to pair with Gaborik and someone like Dubi or Callahan (if you want to break them up as a solid second line). This changes the team instantly. However, the team must also bring back Cally & Dubi, presumably on raises (be about 5-6 mil of the 16 mil total cap space), A.A. would be smart to resign as well, and guys like Boyle, Sauer and Fedotenko are FA as well. What will be interesting is who stays and goes next season. A team in surplus of middle of the pack players will ditch some of them. I'm sure someone won't be here that we all will miss (Gilroy? Christensen? Boyle?). And don’t forget Boogy’s contract that was on the IR the entire season (seemingly) after getting rocked in the head a few times in a fight. Need to clear way for that waste of money don’t we? Especially if we want to go after Richards for real. This guy should be crucified for that contract as well as many others. Long story a bit shorter: this season, while disappointing we couldn’t play upset to a true contender like I had hoped, the Rangers ended up pretty much where I expected them. Check here (http://sterlingshakers.blogspot.com/2010/09/breaking-ice.html) if you don’t believe me. Just read the last paragraph of that post. It was my first ever SS post, and it is proving that I am more of a prophet than a blogger. I am awesome and will not grant you any wishes unless you play the "this guy" game. Oh, for the record, I am very happy with the season as a whole for the NYR, and think they can honestly only better themselves from here. Watching these kids progress in their careers has been a treat and I really just hope it amounts to something in the future soon.
A short conclusion to this whole mess: Garden faithful alike, both on ice and the hard wood, have the future to look forward to for each team. Will we ever see 1994 again? I’m not sure, but in the near future, we have plenty to be hopeful for. Heck, maybe they’ll say 1994 was a joke compared to 201*. When it all boils down to it, at least we’re not this guy or his team’s fans. We’d have a lot more to bitch about.
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
This Guy - First Edition
The ball season is now in swing for 2 weeks, the NHL playoffs kicked off last night, and the NBA playoffs are about to start. I figure it is about time I cover some topics briefly that are trending. Instead of going with my allerative term "trending topics" I went with a surprise because I am in a good mood today. I think I will call this segment “this guy” and see if it catches on. If you know the names of all of “these guys” – please feel free to name them all in the comments section or on facebook/twitter. The first to do so will win something fun pertaining to Sterling Shakers. No, you can’t be a writer here and participate you jerks.
The Red Sox are awful. Not even the people who predicted they won’t win the AL East (who are rarer than perfect March Madness brackets it seems) could predict they’d start this bad. Is it really early? Yes. Does this pose a long term problem for the club? Not entirely at all. If we need to revisit this topic again in June, they have problems then. Personally, I’m also shocked at how the “AL’s Best Rotation” (as dubbed by others) is shitting the bed, and Carl Crawford hasn’t done anything noteworthy. The talent will come around if it is really there, and there is no denying that it is. Boston is probably screaming for another series against the Yankees ASAP (it always brings out the best in them). Hey Sox fans, at least this guy isn’t your manager anymore.
The Rays are (by their record) slightly less awful. I would actually take, with good odds for you, pretty much any wager you want to make that the Red Sox finish with a better record than at least the Rays. That isn't what I am here to talk about. Manny Ramirez is the most famous quitter since this guy. I could have went so many ways (there were great baseball pics of him)– but the 45 NBA jersey was like “Really man?” Anyways, let’s not pretend Manny was at his prime like the first retirement of "that guy", or like Barry Sanders in 1999 (in case you're confused as to who "that guy" is - if so please play in traffic). He had a great second half 2 or 3 years ago with LA, but that was the last anyone saw of Manny's awesome bat. The fact is that if his 50 game suspension a few years back didn’t do it, this definitely put him on a lot of people’s S-lists for the history books. And with no explanation other than “I don’t wanna be suspended, or prove them wrong (cause I can't), so I quit.” Tell me you believe Manny just wasn’t in it for the money and personal gain any more and I have a bridge for sale.
The NY Rangers (it will be brief) are down 0-1 in their series against #1 ranked Washington. Ovechkin (read as: fuckfacedouchebag) and his mates outmatched the Rangers last night but still only won by an OT goal. I love the way this Rangers team plays defense, (think kamikaze style at the puck), and if Hank can be that solid in net, we have a great chance still to play upset to Washington. We just need to wake up the sticks and put some pucks in the net. Perhaps we can talk this guy into getting us his secret recipe to wake up his bats to use on the sticks. (character name please, not his real name).
Lastly, my Yankees are doing better than I pegged them to out of the gate. AJ is 3-0 through 2 and ½ really shaky outings – but we’ll take it. Our bullpen only completely imploded once (twice perhaps - your call) so far so I’m happy about that. I will not make many specific comments to avoid going on too too long, but I am happy and extremely excited for their pen all season. I hoped Russell Martin would contribute to the offense and he has so far. Tex, Posada, and Jeter are all seemingly without a hit again for their last 200 at bats (if you listen to the media - but they're struggling a bit at the dish). The pen with Logan being useless right now and Feliciano out for a bit longer has still held up okay - but we'll be better against lefties with everyone back in form and health. They've STILL managed to win games despite the individual struggles. The team is producing as a team. When things come around and really click, you have to love the way the team will look. I’m out, like this guy. (both names please)
The Red Sox are awful. Not even the people who predicted they won’t win the AL East (who are rarer than perfect March Madness brackets it seems) could predict they’d start this bad. Is it really early? Yes. Does this pose a long term problem for the club? Not entirely at all. If we need to revisit this topic again in June, they have problems then. Personally, I’m also shocked at how the “AL’s Best Rotation” (as dubbed by others) is shitting the bed, and Carl Crawford hasn’t done anything noteworthy. The talent will come around if it is really there, and there is no denying that it is. Boston is probably screaming for another series against the Yankees ASAP (it always brings out the best in them). Hey Sox fans, at least this guy isn’t your manager anymore.
The Rays are (by their record) slightly less awful. I would actually take, with good odds for you, pretty much any wager you want to make that the Red Sox finish with a better record than at least the Rays. That isn't what I am here to talk about. Manny Ramirez is the most famous quitter since this guy. I could have went so many ways (there were great baseball pics of him)– but the 45 NBA jersey was like “Really man?” Anyways, let’s not pretend Manny was at his prime like the first retirement of "that guy", or like Barry Sanders in 1999 (in case you're confused as to who "that guy" is - if so please play in traffic). He had a great second half 2 or 3 years ago with LA, but that was the last anyone saw of Manny's awesome bat. The fact is that if his 50 game suspension a few years back didn’t do it, this definitely put him on a lot of people’s S-lists for the history books. And with no explanation other than “I don’t wanna be suspended, or prove them wrong (cause I can't), so I quit.” Tell me you believe Manny just wasn’t in it for the money and personal gain any more and I have a bridge for sale.
The NY Rangers (it will be brief) are down 0-1 in their series against #1 ranked Washington. Ovechkin (read as: fuckfacedouchebag) and his mates outmatched the Rangers last night but still only won by an OT goal. I love the way this Rangers team plays defense, (think kamikaze style at the puck), and if Hank can be that solid in net, we have a great chance still to play upset to Washington. We just need to wake up the sticks and put some pucks in the net. Perhaps we can talk this guy into getting us his secret recipe to wake up his bats to use on the sticks. (character name please, not his real name).
Lastly, my Yankees are doing better than I pegged them to out of the gate. AJ is 3-0 through 2 and ½ really shaky outings – but we’ll take it. Our bullpen only completely imploded once (twice perhaps - your call) so far so I’m happy about that. I will not make many specific comments to avoid going on too too long, but I am happy and extremely excited for their pen all season. I hoped Russell Martin would contribute to the offense and he has so far. Tex, Posada, and Jeter are all seemingly without a hit again for their last 200 at bats (if you listen to the media - but they're struggling a bit at the dish). The pen with Logan being useless right now and Feliciano out for a bit longer has still held up okay - but we'll be better against lefties with everyone back in form and health. They've STILL managed to win games despite the individual struggles. The team is producing as a team. When things come around and really click, you have to love the way the team will look. I’m out, like this guy. (both names please)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
4 Sport Buffet
I know it has been awhile. I have broken my new year’s resolution to you all, but for it to have lasted this long was a miracle. I simply haven’t had the time or inspiration at work to hammer one of these out. If I feel like I’m forcing something, it probably isn’t much fun to read either. I actually had an article typed about my views on the NCAA tournament, but I do realize a lot of you that follow it religiously would have laughed at my weak knowledge. So here are my four extended blurbs for the day.
NCAA hoops prove to be the most entertaining thing around for most sports fans right now. Somehow in one of my brackets I picked 12 of these sweet 16 teams, and have a pretty high potential to score a lot more points having my final 4 intact. I think my personal best before this was 9 or 10 with 3 teams in the FF left. If anyone wants to see my bracket, I will gladly send them an autographed copy. Okay fine, I know it isn’t world record winning, but for a guy who starts watching college ball in late February and ends at the end of the tourney, I bet a lot of you are jealous with your busted brackets.
Speaking of the New York Rangers (snuck that in there) – they are on a 5 game win streak after a gritty 1-0 win last night against the Florida Panthers. King Henrik pitched his NHL leading 10th shutout of the season last night and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Rangers need these wins to assure they at least maintain a #7 ranking going into the playoffs, but ideally can move up to #6 in order to avoid the 1 and 2 seeds in the first round (Flyers and Caps as it stands now - a point away from each other). Rangers hockey isn’t pretty hockey, but the last 5 games they have really woken up and played as a team. I am excited to see if they can upset one of these higher seeds moving towards the postseason.
Baseball is right around the corner. Opening day is happier than Christmas for me and lacks the snow… okay USUALLY lacks the snow. The Yankees are limping in hurting a bit with Granderson most recently straining an oblique. Also, Cervelli broke a foot and won’t be there to start the year as backup. I can imagine Posada being the only backup on the roster to start the season unless Montero shows he can hit in these next few games. I was really looking forward to seeing what this kid Montero was going to look like at the dish only to be disappointed with a bad average and only 2 doubles and 0 HR all spring. I am not too scared as it will work itself out for the club this year. Watch out for Jeter’s game to rebound, Cano to get better as he hits his true prime, and the rotation to exceed expectations (which aren’t that high) – among other things.
Lastly, the NFL is making noise. No, we have no confirmed 2011-12 season yet, BUT we have “fixed” a few things. We will now see more touchbacks due to moving up the kickoff spot (and I’m pretty sure the guys with big legs will be making the occasional "field goal"). Nice work guys – almost got that new CBA worked out I see. The last thing I want to hear as I’m dozing off on my couch is Joshua Cribbs and Devin Hester complaining via cell phone about how they won’t get as many chances to return a kickoff anymore. They had to be C- students at best. I do agree with them, I love kickoff returns - but mostly for those brusing hits they usually take when caught with nowhere to go. Why not just let teams with big leg kickers place the ball on the 20 for the other team and save the time. Oh right, commercial time before and after the kick. Lastly, it has also been said that there is no desire for replacement players if the lockout continues into the regular season. Aw man! I was looking forward to seeing this guy under center again some day.
NCAA hoops prove to be the most entertaining thing around for most sports fans right now. Somehow in one of my brackets I picked 12 of these sweet 16 teams, and have a pretty high potential to score a lot more points having my final 4 intact. I think my personal best before this was 9 or 10 with 3 teams in the FF left. If anyone wants to see my bracket, I will gladly send them an autographed copy. Okay fine, I know it isn’t world record winning, but for a guy who starts watching college ball in late February and ends at the end of the tourney, I bet a lot of you are jealous with your busted brackets.
Speaking of the New York Rangers (snuck that in there) – they are on a 5 game win streak after a gritty 1-0 win last night against the Florida Panthers. King Henrik pitched his NHL leading 10th shutout of the season last night and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Rangers need these wins to assure they at least maintain a #7 ranking going into the playoffs, but ideally can move up to #6 in order to avoid the 1 and 2 seeds in the first round (Flyers and Caps as it stands now - a point away from each other). Rangers hockey isn’t pretty hockey, but the last 5 games they have really woken up and played as a team. I am excited to see if they can upset one of these higher seeds moving towards the postseason.
Baseball is right around the corner. Opening day is happier than Christmas for me and lacks the snow… okay USUALLY lacks the snow. The Yankees are limping in hurting a bit with Granderson most recently straining an oblique. Also, Cervelli broke a foot and won’t be there to start the year as backup. I can imagine Posada being the only backup on the roster to start the season unless Montero shows he can hit in these next few games. I was really looking forward to seeing what this kid Montero was going to look like at the dish only to be disappointed with a bad average and only 2 doubles and 0 HR all spring. I am not too scared as it will work itself out for the club this year. Watch out for Jeter’s game to rebound, Cano to get better as he hits his true prime, and the rotation to exceed expectations (which aren’t that high) – among other things.
Lastly, the NFL is making noise. No, we have no confirmed 2011-12 season yet, BUT we have “fixed” a few things. We will now see more touchbacks due to moving up the kickoff spot (and I’m pretty sure the guys with big legs will be making the occasional "field goal"). Nice work guys – almost got that new CBA worked out I see. The last thing I want to hear as I’m dozing off on my couch is Joshua Cribbs and Devin Hester complaining via cell phone about how they won’t get as many chances to return a kickoff anymore. They had to be C- students at best. I do agree with them, I love kickoff returns - but mostly for those brusing hits they usually take when caught with nowhere to go. Why not just let teams with big leg kickers place the ball on the 20 for the other team and save the time. Oh right, commercial time before and after the kick. Lastly, it has also been said that there is no desire for replacement players if the lockout continues into the regular season. Aw man! I was looking forward to seeing this guy under center again some day.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
NHL Game Tonight - Rangers vs. Bruins AKA The First "Meet the Writers for a Drink" Night
Grau Geist and I will be at tonight's Rangers' game at Madison Square Garden. We'll be sitting in Sec. 119 and enjoying pre-game beers at Stout. Stout is across 7th Ave. from the Garden on 33rd. St - the address is 133 W 33rd (giving away advertising - bad strategy). The puck will drop a little after 7PM, so if you actually want to catch us at the bar, we'll be there until about 6:55.
I promise anyone to come up to me and mention this blog, I will buy you a drink. Yes, you read correctly. I repeat, I will buy you a drink of your choosing just for saying you are a fan. You don't even have to prove it (but I'll quiz you on past posts anyway). If you're looking for who and where we are, just comment on this article and I will make sure to comment back when we arrive. Share with all your friends in the Midtown area. If this works out and we actually get more people to read us, I will definitely do it again and perhaps even post a ticket or two here for the first to find me in a stated place near the Garden.
So, while I have you, I figure I'll give you a little preview of the game. The Rangers are on a 3 game win streak, and an inconsistent offense to start the season seems to finally be settling down. After putting up a touchdown and a two point conversion against the Edmonton Oilers this past Sunday (or hit two grand slams), they came out with some last minute game tying heroics Monday from Marc Staal, and a picture perfect OT goal from (my boy)Ryan Callahan to edge out a great Penguins team. The perfectness is a reference to Callahan's steal, give and go, and then Dubinsky's 2 on 1 pass back to him for a chip in one timer. This homegrown backbone has made this team look like a bright future is ahead as they only seem to be getting better.
As for the Bruins, they're coming off a shutout win against the league worst (or second worst, the Isles still are a hockey team after all) New Jersey Devils. Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, recorded his 4th shutout of the season and has easily been the league's most dominant rubber stopper in the early going. Despite all of Boston's weapons in guys like Horton, Bergeron, Lucic, and Chara's nasty slapshot, don't underestimate Henrik in net for the Rangers either.
I expect a relatively low scoring match; a true grindfest. The Rangers love to keep the puck low below the net in the offensive zone and pound out their chances. "The King" also seems to play out of his mind against this Bruins team, so don't be surprised to see him outplay the best goalie in the league so far in Thomas. I think a 3-2 Rangers victory is in store and they will make it four straight wins. Even if you aren't going to the game - come hangout at Stout for a bit and meet some die hard fans. At least show up and tell us we suck, I'll still even buy you a drink.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fall Ball
I was looking through some old magazines yesterday and I came across a 2010 Baseball Preview issue. With the regular season coming to an end, I thought I would check up on the experts to see how their picks turned out. To put it simply, they were not good. The only division winner they picked correctly was the Phillies. Of their five other picks for division winners, only one of those teams (the Yankees) is even in the playoffs. The Tigers, Angels, Dodgers, and Cardinals all slipped into mediocrity, with the Seattle Mariners, these experts' pick for the AL Wild Card, finished with the worst record in the American League, losing 101 games. They did pick the Braves for the Wild Card in the NL, so there's a feather in their cap. They picked both the Giants and the Reds to finish 4th in their respective divisions, and the Rangers and Rays to be 3rd place finishers. The perennial under-the-radar Minnesota Twins won the AL Central, defying the writers who had them coming up short and finishing in 2nd place in that division.
Now that I have properly dissected everything that is wrong with baseball predictions, here's my October preview. We'll start in the American League:
New York Yankees (95-67) vs. Minnesota Twins (94-68)
The Yankees swept the Twins out of the playoffs in the 2009 ALDS. As a matter of fact, including the regular season, the eventual World Champs were a perfect 10-0 against the Twinkies last year. This season, the Twins managed to pick up a win in the finale of each series against the Yanks, with Nick Blackburn getting the W in both games. The problem for the ALDS, however, is that Blackburn is not slated to pitch until Game 4, and by then it might be too late. CC Sabathia goes up against Francisco Liriano in Game 1. While Liriano made a nice comeback this season, getting close to the dominance he had in 2006, Sabathia is a legitimate Cy Young candidate, notching 21 wins against only 7 losses. With Justin Morneau out for the Twins and Joe Mauer still feeling the pain in that left knee, CC will overpower the Twins and steal Game 1 on the road.
Game 2 is up in the air, with former Yankee Carl Pavano facing one of the Yankees' current young guns, Phil Hughes. It could go either way, but with Pavano having a career ERA of almost 5 against the Yankees, I would give the slight edge to the Yanks. Game 3 features Andy Pettitte vs. Brian Duensing and it looks to be another toss-up. Pettitte has not looked sharp since coming off the DL on September 19 and Duensing has put together a nice season, going 10-3 in 13 starts this season. The edge in Game 3 goes to the Twins, even though Pettitte has had great success in the playoffs and the game will be played in Yankee Stadium.
Game 4 brings the return of CC Sabathia. He'll face off against Nick Blackburn at the Stadium next Sunday. The stage is set for Blackburn to improve to 3-0 against the Yankees, but I think he'll hit a very large bump in the road in CC and the Yankees hitters will finally figure him out. Yanks take the series, 3 games to 1.
Texas Rangers (90-72) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (96-66)
Aside from former top-pick David Price, the Rays starting pitching has been shaky at best. Going up against a 1-2 like Lee and Wilson could prove to be a challenge for the AL East Champs. Of course the Rays have the home-field advantage in this series, and throughout the AL playoffs, but if they continue to fill only 52% of the seats at the Trop, that home-field advantage ends at catwalk ring A.
Having Lee and Wilson going against the Rays is a huge lift for the Rangers. The Rays' offense goes into hibernation at times, evidenced by the fact that they were no-hit twice this season, one of those being Dallas Braden's prefect game in Oakland. Don't forget that Mark Buehrle also had a perfecto last season against basically the same Rays lineup. If Carl Crawford can go on a tear and steal some bases, the Rays will have a real shot. Otherwise, the fair-weather fans in Tampa-St. Pete might just sink back to the cellar with Crawford likely leaving for Anaheim this off-season.
A big question mark for the Rangers will be Josh Hamilton. Will his broken ribs prevent him from being a true offensive threat? And if so, will Michael Young, Nelson Cruz, and Vladimir Guerrero be able to pick up the slack? I think so, and I think they will be too much for Rays pitching. Rangers shock the world, sweep the Rays.
ALCS: Yankees vs. Rangers
Yankees defend AL crown, win 4-2
Atlanta Braves (91-71) vs. San Francisco Giants (92-70)
Both teams are back in the playoffs for the first time in a while after battling with the Padres for a place in the sun. The young Giants are looking to make a statement while the fighting Coxes will try to “win one for the Gipper.” In Cox's final season as Braves manager, he led the team to the NL Wild Card, despite losing team leader Chipper Jones to a knee injury that might end his career. A nice sub-plot of this series will be the production of rookies Jason Heyward (Atlanta) and Buster Posey (San Francisco). Both have a great chance to take Rookie of the Year honors (my vote goes to Posey).
This series is a lot like the Rangers-Rays. Up and down the rotation, los Gigantes have great pitching. Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and the reincarnation of Barry Zito always give the Giants a chance to win. I think the Braves will win one in Atlanta, but the Giants' pitching will be too much for them to handle. Not even the sentimental value of winning it for Bobby will be enough. Giants win, three games to one.
Cincinnati Reds (91-61) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (97-65)
The two-time reigning National League Champions earned home-field throughout the playoffs since they had the best record in the NL and because the Senior Circuit finally knocked off the AL in the All-Star game (see, this one does count) even though Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard were the only Phils to actually play in the game. The Cinderella Reds got back into October baseball after winning the NL Central for the first time since 1995, and while they are not quite the Big Red Machine, they have a nice balance of young talent with a veteran presence. Hats off to Walt Jocketty and Dusty Baker, who should win GM and manager of the year, respectively.
The Phillies' rotation has two playoff-proven pitchers in Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. Don't forget about the other Roy, either. Halladay is probably in line for his second Cy Young award after going 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA in his first season with the Fightin' Phillies. The atmosphere in Philadelphia is electric (Scott Rolen might remember that) and the Reds should consider themselves lucky if they leave Pennsylvania with all of their limbs intact. Phillies take the series easily, three games to zero.
NLCS: Giants vs. Phillies
Giants get back to World Series, take down the Phillies in 7.
World Series: Yankees vs. Giants
The Yankees and Giants face off in the World Series for the first time since 1962. Just like that year, the series will go seven games, with the Yankees coming away winners.
There are my predictions. Who knows, they could all be wrong, but at least I got all the playoff teams correct.
Now that I have properly dissected everything that is wrong with baseball predictions, here's my October preview. We'll start in the American League:
New York Yankees (95-67) vs. Minnesota Twins (94-68)
The Yankees swept the Twins out of the playoffs in the 2009 ALDS. As a matter of fact, including the regular season, the eventual World Champs were a perfect 10-0 against the Twinkies last year. This season, the Twins managed to pick up a win in the finale of each series against the Yanks, with Nick Blackburn getting the W in both games. The problem for the ALDS, however, is that Blackburn is not slated to pitch until Game 4, and by then it might be too late. CC Sabathia goes up against Francisco Liriano in Game 1. While Liriano made a nice comeback this season, getting close to the dominance he had in 2006, Sabathia is a legitimate Cy Young candidate, notching 21 wins against only 7 losses. With Justin Morneau out for the Twins and Joe Mauer still feeling the pain in that left knee, CC will overpower the Twins and steal Game 1 on the road.
Game 2 is up in the air, with former Yankee Carl Pavano facing one of the Yankees' current young guns, Phil Hughes. It could go either way, but with Pavano having a career ERA of almost 5 against the Yankees, I would give the slight edge to the Yanks. Game 3 features Andy Pettitte vs. Brian Duensing and it looks to be another toss-up. Pettitte has not looked sharp since coming off the DL on September 19 and Duensing has put together a nice season, going 10-3 in 13 starts this season. The edge in Game 3 goes to the Twins, even though Pettitte has had great success in the playoffs and the game will be played in Yankee Stadium.
Game 4 brings the return of CC Sabathia. He'll face off against Nick Blackburn at the Stadium next Sunday. The stage is set for Blackburn to improve to 3-0 against the Yankees, but I think he'll hit a very large bump in the road in CC and the Yankees hitters will finally figure him out. Yanks take the series, 3 games to 1.
Texas Rangers (90-72) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (96-66)
Aside from former top-pick David Price, the Rays starting pitching has been shaky at best. Going up against a 1-2 like Lee and Wilson could prove to be a challenge for the AL East Champs. Of course the Rays have the home-field advantage in this series, and throughout the AL playoffs, but if they continue to fill only 52% of the seats at the Trop, that home-field advantage ends at catwalk ring A.
Having Lee and Wilson going against the Rays is a huge lift for the Rangers. The Rays' offense goes into hibernation at times, evidenced by the fact that they were no-hit twice this season, one of those being Dallas Braden's prefect game in Oakland. Don't forget that Mark Buehrle also had a perfecto last season against basically the same Rays lineup. If Carl Crawford can go on a tear and steal some bases, the Rays will have a real shot. Otherwise, the fair-weather fans in Tampa-St. Pete might just sink back to the cellar with Crawford likely leaving for Anaheim this off-season.
A big question mark for the Rangers will be Josh Hamilton. Will his broken ribs prevent him from being a true offensive threat? And if so, will Michael Young, Nelson Cruz, and Vladimir Guerrero be able to pick up the slack? I think so, and I think they will be too much for Rays pitching. Rangers shock the world, sweep the Rays.
ALCS: Yankees vs. Rangers
Yankees defend AL crown, win 4-2
Atlanta Braves (91-71) vs. San Francisco Giants (92-70)
Both teams are back in the playoffs for the first time in a while after battling with the Padres for a place in the sun. The young Giants are looking to make a statement while the fighting Coxes will try to “win one for the Gipper.” In Cox's final season as Braves manager, he led the team to the NL Wild Card, despite losing team leader Chipper Jones to a knee injury that might end his career. A nice sub-plot of this series will be the production of rookies Jason Heyward (Atlanta) and Buster Posey (San Francisco). Both have a great chance to take Rookie of the Year honors (my vote goes to Posey).
This series is a lot like the Rangers-Rays. Up and down the rotation, los Gigantes have great pitching. Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez, and the reincarnation of Barry Zito always give the Giants a chance to win. I think the Braves will win one in Atlanta, but the Giants' pitching will be too much for them to handle. Not even the sentimental value of winning it for Bobby will be enough. Giants win, three games to one.
Cincinnati Reds (91-61) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (97-65)
The two-time reigning National League Champions earned home-field throughout the playoffs since they had the best record in the NL and because the Senior Circuit finally knocked off the AL in the All-Star game (see, this one does count) even though Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard were the only Phils to actually play in the game. The Cinderella Reds got back into October baseball after winning the NL Central for the first time since 1995, and while they are not quite the Big Red Machine, they have a nice balance of young talent with a veteran presence. Hats off to Walt Jocketty and Dusty Baker, who should win GM and manager of the year, respectively.
The Phillies' rotation has two playoff-proven pitchers in Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. Don't forget about the other Roy, either. Halladay is probably in line for his second Cy Young award after going 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA in his first season with the Fightin' Phillies. The atmosphere in Philadelphia is electric (Scott Rolen might remember that) and the Reds should consider themselves lucky if they leave Pennsylvania with all of their limbs intact. Phillies take the series easily, three games to zero.
NLCS: Giants vs. Phillies
Giants get back to World Series, take down the Phillies in 7.
World Series: Yankees vs. Giants
The Yankees and Giants face off in the World Series for the first time since 1962. Just like that year, the series will go seven games, with the Yankees coming away winners.
There are my predictions. Who knows, they could all be wrong, but at least I got all the playoff teams correct.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Breaking the Ice
I figured this would be a fitting title with it being the first post of our little collective here AND it be about the upcoming hockey season. This is what we aim to do here - spare your time with some efficiency.
So how 'bout them Rangers huh? No, not the AL West Champs, the New York uh, Hockey Rangers. I know I probably just lost half of my readers (read as: half of zero to ten) to the little "X" in the top right hand corner, but WAIT! If you're still reading give this a chance. I'm a realist. I know I will not convince the majority of you wanting to stop reading right now to love, like, moderately dabble in, or even keep hockey on the tube as background noise. Much like you can't put me down in front of a premier league soccer game and expect me not to begin A) slitting my wrists or B) making fun of your primitive brain. BUT, those of you that are leaving because of heartbreak after heartbreak season at MSG, I will inform you of what is so great about this year's team.
For those learning the sport, or who are simply casual fans, let me catch you up quickly. The Rangers were the hottest team to start last season, and finished it equally as hot. I won't bore you with stats or the hole in my heart from their play in a good chunk of the middle, but the team missed the postseason by one game, losing to the Philly Flyers in the last game of the season. The Flyers actually went all the way to finish as first losers in the Stanley Cup to the Chicago Blackhawks.
This offseason, after some non-resignings, and a recent waiving of the contract of Wade Redden, a lot of new faces have shown up at training camp. However, unlike previous years, these faces are not overpaid veterans at the end of their career ropes that general manager Glen Sather plucked from the free agent market. In fact, the Rangers are one of the younger teams in the NHL this year. A couple of guys have come into the preseason competing for jobs that were once slated to be theirs. For salary cap room, the team was willing to bury Redden's 6 million dollar hit in the minors. Because of some other departures via free agency or trade, there are some spots still open for competition. This of course leads to what some would call "no name players" competing for regular spots on an NHL roster. However, with the highly touted (by fans and scouts, not just one or the other) minor leaguers, and a few key role playing veterans signed - competition has been surprisingly high. For the first time in several seasons, I still have no idea who will fill out the roster of this team.
Coach John Tortarella has already designated a few hopefuls to the minors to start the season, but two notable rookies Ryan McDonagh (D) and Derek Stepan (C) are still with the team and playing their hearts out. These kids are young enough to have been in “The Mighty Ducks,” if their acting talent was as good as their hockey talent - and they're both from Minnesota too, go figure. While spots are not guaranteed or even projected for these two young guns, it is refreshing to see the intensity, finesse, and hockey sense they provide to the group they're skating with each shift they've taken. It is good to know the team has the depth and luxury of young ones either with the team or in the minors in case of injury or flat play. You can tell they are taking advantage of every opportunity they are getting to impress, and that characteristic is going to stay with them as they mature as hockey players.
The last thing I’m going to cover are the two sophomore defensemen Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy, who seem to have taken great strides after their first season with the Blueshirts. Del Zotto as a 19 year old rookie last year, ran point most times of the team’s inconstant power play attack, and Gilroy logged mostly third and sometimes second pairing minutes as an even strength/penalty killing player. He was a healthy scratch down the stretch, showing a steep decline in play. Both of these guys showed tons of promise, but also made an equal amount of tons of rookie mistakes. Like the team’s play in general, they would show up for a few games, look brilliant, and then would disappear into the boards, only showing up blowing a key assignment, or misplaying the puck in the defensive/neutral zone. So far, in the small sample of four preseason games, both have looked pushed by the competition and have stepped up to answer the bell. Del Zotto and Gilroy have skated very well together and apart on the power play, and it should be a fun thing to watch all season how these guys are utilized to maximize their growth as players, and talent to help the club.
So you’re thinking, we read this far, where the hell are your predictions for the team? Well I had to get you to the bottom of the article somehow didn’t I?
While the Rangers are pretty hard to call a cup contending team, it is hard to root against these kids out on the ice, or look past all of the potential that is skating together out there. Barring any ridiculous front office moves, this team is built to gain strides in the season(s) to come, and it starts now. My prediction: Rangers are back in the postseason, but are lucky to get out of the first round if they play a team like Washington or Pittsburgh. If they manage a higher seed and don’t have to face these teams until later, you can expect them to be a prime candidate to upset a favorite. Their best player after all is between the pipes in King Henrik. However, even with what I will call improved scoring (improvement from hardly any isn’t too hard to call, I know it’s a question of how improved), and an all around defensively good, gritty team, these guys on the Penguins and Capitals just simply overpower any depth the Rangers might have in terms of heart and youth with pure scoring ability.
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