As we head from the dog days of August into the final weeks of the season it is time to look at the playoffs and teams that will have an impact in the post-season. There will be a new team crowned this October as the San Francisco Giants have fallen off the map and are enduring a big hangover from last season.
Top 5 storylines:
1) Pittsburgh Pirates ready for the Post-Season?
2) Terry Francona & the Cleveland Indians
3) Alfonso Soriano returns home
4) AL Wild Card Battles
5) The NL Central
5)The NL Central has gone from the weakest division in the league to possibly the most competitive gone. With the Houston Astros moving to the AL West there leaves five teams up for the division, three of which are within two games of each other. The other two the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are a few years away from competing. The St.Louis Cardinals lead the division and Mike Matheny has done a superb job in keeping things competitive after Tony La Russ stepped down. The Cardinals have just a one game lead on the Pittsburgh Pirates who will have their first winning season in over 15 years. After two years of looking close to making a run the Pirates have finally put it togeather in 2013 with veterans Francisco Liriano and A.J. Burnett leading the rotation. They added veterans John Buck, Marlon Byrd and most importantly former AL MVP Justin Morneau. The Pirates sold playoff tickets for the first time in 21 years but that may be short lived if they can't take the division and forced to play the Cincinnati Reds in a 1-game playoff. The Reds go under the radar all season but Dusty Baker has his team playing great ball. With studs like Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips manning the right side of the infield the Reds will always be in contention and with 100mph Aroldis Chapman in the 9th this team does a good job of playing with the lead. Advantage goes to the team that can take the division while the other two fight it out.
4) Over the last few weeks the AL Wild Card battles have opened up faster then a Ferrari F50 down a highway. It has gone from a two team race into six teams within two games of each other. Texas, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, New York, Kansas City and Cleveland are all up for the grabs with the leading Rangers and Rays stumbling in their last 10; both are (3-7). Texas should be in the playoffs or at least the division which could open up the possibility of Oakland stumbling. The other spot is really anyones games, but if I was a betting man I would go with Baltimore. Despite Tampa Bay having the pitching to surely take them into the post-season it would be an utter waste to see Chirs Davis's magical season to come to an end. The Orioles have a very potent lineup and with some late additions to the bullpen they will surely be battling to the final game.
3) Alfonso Soriano is a curious case. He was signed as a un-drafted free-agent by the New York Yankees where he played from 2000-2003. It was in the final years that he had his best season he signed with the Texas Rangers. After two season in Arlington he went to the Nationals and had his best year professionally with 46 home runs. He finally cashed in with an 8-year 136 million dollar contract with the Chicago Cubs, and just like the Cubs over the last seven years have been mediocre at best. In his final year of his contract he is traded from the Cubs back to where it started in New York and since have helped the Yankees into a post-season run. Something that looked very gloom a month ago. He's hit 15 home runs and drove in 46 RBI's in 43 games since joining the team. He's also played some strong defence which is surprising for the 37-year old. If he continues to play at this level he will help the Yankees make it close in the Wild-Card and as we have seen in the past anything can happen in baseball.
2) Terry Francona went from a mess in Boston to the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball crew with Dan Shulman. It was only a matter of time to see the once Montreal Expo behind the bench but it was uncertain with what team. Once he chose the Cleveland Indians there was instantly a new spark in that organization I.E. Chip Kelly with the Philadelphia Eagles. Francona took the average Indians into a playoff looking team, and just two games out of a Wild-Card will surely make these last few weeks entertaining. Francona's presence helped the team land prized free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn making the team very versatile. Francona has a lineup that is very consistent up and down this is seen visably with the team lacking a power hitter. Carlos Santana leads the team with 18 long bombs and Jason Kipnis leads the team with 76 RBI's that's the Catcher and Second Baseman respectively. He's also gotten his best pitcher and lone Jamaican in the MLB Justin Masterson to pitch at his very highest.
1) For the first time in 21 years the Pittsburgh Pirates were selling playoff teams. They are also ensured an above .500 record after winning their 82nd game last week. As mentioned earlier it will be up to the Pirates to take the division away from both the Cardinals and Reds and it won't be an easy task. That being said Andrew McCutchen has put togeather another MVP season and the additions of Morneau, Byrd and Buck will help down the stretch and into the post-season. On the mound Francisco Liriano leads the team with 16 wins while A.J. Burnett and a pair of newcomers in Jeff Locke and Gerrit Cole are ancohring the back half of the rotation. If the baseball gods are looking down on them then they will need help to take the division, a one game playoff with the Reds would be disastrous. However, it would be one more playoff game then they have had in 20 or more years. Pirates will make the playoffs but its uncertain if it'll be as the NL Central Division winner or as one of the two Wild-Card Spots.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Around the Bases #7: Prediction Time.....
With the trade deadline come and gone teams are ready to either contend or prepare for a long off-season. The Boston Red Sox have played well under new manager John Farrell and the addition of Jake Peavy at the deadline will improve their starting rotation but will it be enough to get into the post-season? While the Dodgers have been lights out since Yasiel Puig has come onto the scene.
NL MVP Winner TBD: This is the most wide-open award right now with no clear cut winner. No one wants to separate themselves from the pack. The man who may be in the lead is Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt leads the NL in RBI's with 91 and is one homerun behind Pedro Alvarez for the lead and batting a respectable .297 average. Should a player win the MVP if his teams does not qualify for the post-season.? That is the million dollar question. If thats the case then Goldschmidt would be ruled out. So who would follow.... It could be Brandon Phillips or Joey Votto in Cincinnati, maybe it's the Pirates captain Andrew McCutchen. If I had a vote though, I'd probably vote for Freddie Freeman in Atlanta. He's been consistant all season with a .319/14Homeruns/79RBI's.
NL CY YOUNG Winner Clayton Kershaw: The 2011 NL CY Young Winner, 2011 NL Pitching Triple Crown Winner and 2011 strikeout leader is at it again. Clayton Kershaw has been the ace for the Dodgers for a few years now but he is rounding out into arguably the games best pitcher. Kershaw is (11-7) which by league standards is average but that is because for most of the first half of the season the Dodgers were unable to produce for Kershaw. He leads the MLB in both ERA and WHIP with unprecedented numbers. His 1.88 ERA and 0.87 WHIP are out of this world and his 39 walks is also an impressive stat. The only person who could come close to taking it away from Kershaw would be New York Mets ace Matt Harvey but one plays for a playoff team while the other will be done after game 162.
NL ROY Winner Jose Fernandez: It's hard to look past what Jose Fernandez is doing in Miami. Despite playing for a team that scores less than two runs a game. Fernandez gives his team a chance to win every time he steps on the mound. Over his last 3 starts Fernandez has recorded 32 strikeouts over 21 innings while giving up 2 runs. His (8-5) record is good in Miami and will surely see votes, but the sexy pick is Yasiel Puig. Puig has come up and done nothing but hit the ball and help the Dodgers win. Since being called up on June 3rd, Puig is batting .376/11Homeruns/26RBI'S and 7 Stolen Bases. The Dodgers are (42-18) since hes been called up. Matt Harvey does not qualify for this award!
NL PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. St.Louis Cardinals
WC1: Pittsburgh Pirates
WC2: Cincinnati Reds
AL MVP Winner Miguel Cabrera: The reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown Winner is on pace for his best season to date. He currently leads the league with a crazy .365 average which is .40 points higher than 2nd place Mike Trout. He is at 36 homeruns which is six behind leader Chris Davis and leads the MLB in RBI's with 110. Chris Davis may be the sexy pick here because he's come out of the blue, while Cabrera has been doing this for over a decade. Davis leads the MLB with 42 homeruns and is one RBI behind Cabrera. His .300 average puts him in the category of MVP. It will all come down to the final week of the season between these two and whoever has the better end to the season will win the award.
AL CY YOUNG Winner Max Scherzer: With Bartolo Colon as the closest runner up, and the fact that he has been suspended with the Biogenesis Suit coming forward, Scherzer is the unanimous choice for AL CY Young. His 17 wins are an MLB best and boasts an impressive (17-1) record. His 175 Strikeouts puts him 3rd in the AL behind Yu Darvish of Texas and Felix Hernandez of Seattle and his current 2.84 ERA has him 5th in the AL. Scherzer is part of a great rotation in Detroit along the likes of Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister and Rick Porcello and will surely help lead the Tigers to another AL Central Division Title
AL ROY Chris Archer: The Tampa Bay Rays are surely in love with their 2013 rookies. Both Chris Archer and Will Myers were acquired in trades in previous years and are now paying dividens. Archer was the centrepiece in the Matt Garza deal. Garza went from the Rays to the Cubs. While Myers was acquired last year as the centrepiece in the James Shields to Kansas City deal. The only reason Myers won't win the award is because even if he plays in the last 49 games of the season he will have only logged 90 games. While Archer has been pitching for longer. Archer's stats are good enough to help back him up for this award. Archer is (6-4) with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He's also pitched two complete game shutouts against Houston and at Yankee Stadium.
AL PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
1. Texas Rangers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Tampa Bay Rays
WC1: Baltimore Orioles
WC2: Oakland Athletics
NL MVP Winner TBD: This is the most wide-open award right now with no clear cut winner. No one wants to separate themselves from the pack. The man who may be in the lead is Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt leads the NL in RBI's with 91 and is one homerun behind Pedro Alvarez for the lead and batting a respectable .297 average. Should a player win the MVP if his teams does not qualify for the post-season.? That is the million dollar question. If thats the case then Goldschmidt would be ruled out. So who would follow.... It could be Brandon Phillips or Joey Votto in Cincinnati, maybe it's the Pirates captain Andrew McCutchen. If I had a vote though, I'd probably vote for Freddie Freeman in Atlanta. He's been consistant all season with a .319/14Homeruns/79RBI's.
NL CY YOUNG Winner Clayton Kershaw: The 2011 NL CY Young Winner, 2011 NL Pitching Triple Crown Winner and 2011 strikeout leader is at it again. Clayton Kershaw has been the ace for the Dodgers for a few years now but he is rounding out into arguably the games best pitcher. Kershaw is (11-7) which by league standards is average but that is because for most of the first half of the season the Dodgers were unable to produce for Kershaw. He leads the MLB in both ERA and WHIP with unprecedented numbers. His 1.88 ERA and 0.87 WHIP are out of this world and his 39 walks is also an impressive stat. The only person who could come close to taking it away from Kershaw would be New York Mets ace Matt Harvey but one plays for a playoff team while the other will be done after game 162.
NL ROY Winner Jose Fernandez: It's hard to look past what Jose Fernandez is doing in Miami. Despite playing for a team that scores less than two runs a game. Fernandez gives his team a chance to win every time he steps on the mound. Over his last 3 starts Fernandez has recorded 32 strikeouts over 21 innings while giving up 2 runs. His (8-5) record is good in Miami and will surely see votes, but the sexy pick is Yasiel Puig. Puig has come up and done nothing but hit the ball and help the Dodgers win. Since being called up on June 3rd, Puig is batting .376/11Homeruns/26RBI'S and 7 Stolen Bases. The Dodgers are (42-18) since hes been called up. Matt Harvey does not qualify for this award!
NL PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. St.Louis Cardinals
WC1: Pittsburgh Pirates
WC2: Cincinnati Reds
AL MVP Winner Miguel Cabrera: The reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown Winner is on pace for his best season to date. He currently leads the league with a crazy .365 average which is .40 points higher than 2nd place Mike Trout. He is at 36 homeruns which is six behind leader Chris Davis and leads the MLB in RBI's with 110. Chris Davis may be the sexy pick here because he's come out of the blue, while Cabrera has been doing this for over a decade. Davis leads the MLB with 42 homeruns and is one RBI behind Cabrera. His .300 average puts him in the category of MVP. It will all come down to the final week of the season between these two and whoever has the better end to the season will win the award.
AL CY YOUNG Winner Max Scherzer: With Bartolo Colon as the closest runner up, and the fact that he has been suspended with the Biogenesis Suit coming forward, Scherzer is the unanimous choice for AL CY Young. His 17 wins are an MLB best and boasts an impressive (17-1) record. His 175 Strikeouts puts him 3rd in the AL behind Yu Darvish of Texas and Felix Hernandez of Seattle and his current 2.84 ERA has him 5th in the AL. Scherzer is part of a great rotation in Detroit along the likes of Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister and Rick Porcello and will surely help lead the Tigers to another AL Central Division Title
AL ROY Chris Archer: The Tampa Bay Rays are surely in love with their 2013 rookies. Both Chris Archer and Will Myers were acquired in trades in previous years and are now paying dividens. Archer was the centrepiece in the Matt Garza deal. Garza went from the Rays to the Cubs. While Myers was acquired last year as the centrepiece in the James Shields to Kansas City deal. The only reason Myers won't win the award is because even if he plays in the last 49 games of the season he will have only logged 90 games. While Archer has been pitching for longer. Archer's stats are good enough to help back him up for this award. Archer is (6-4) with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He's also pitched two complete game shutouts against Houston and at Yankee Stadium.
AL PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
1. Texas Rangers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Tampa Bay Rays
WC1: Baltimore Orioles
WC2: Oakland Athletics
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Around The Bases #6
The weather is heating up as is the pennant races. The division races are closer than ever with a lot to be decided as the All-Star break is upon us. The mid-season classic is the halfway point in the season with mid-season predictions coming soon. Here are this weeks top 5 storylines.
Top 5 Storylines:
1. Yasiel Puig
2. Detroit Tigers entire pitching staff
3. Miguel Cabrera
4. Will the real Washington Nationals please step up!
5. Kirk Gibson’s Arizona Diamondbacks
5) The Arizona Diamondbacks have been up to the challenge so far as they compete with the defending World Series champion SF Giants (who are tied with the Chicago Cubs in terms of wins....ouch), the Dodgers, and two up and coming teams in the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. The Diamondbacks head into July 11th with a 1.5 game lead over the surging Dodgers. With the off-season trade of Justin Upton many thought that the Diamondbacks would see a major decline but Kirk Gibson has his team playing great baseball and getting contributions up-and-down the lineup. Lefty Patrick Corbin (10-1) will turn 24 on July 19th and is emerging as the team's ace and a star in this league. Leading the way offensively is Paul Goldschmidt with a .311/21HR/and a league leading 76RBI’s. The second half will be very interesting with all five teams in this division having a legitimate chance at taking it.
4) After last year’s monumental collapse in the playoffs, at home, the Washington Nationals have had everything set up for 2013. Stephen Stratsburg returns from being benched at the end of season, in hopes to play a full season. 21-year old Bryce Harper has a year under his belt. Dan Haren and Rafael Soriano were added to improve the rotation and bullpen respectively. But as they head towards the all-star break manager Davey Johnson and his squad have to be considered as “under-achievers.” They are (47-44), 5-games back from division leading Braves and 4-games back from the wild card held by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. A recent streak has gotten them back into contention but the Nationals have high expectations with a playoff or bust mentality. However, with the Braves being as strong as they are and holding down 1st place, a division playoff spot looks tough, which only leaves the wild card. Jordan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez have been a mainstay at the top of the rotation while Haren has been placed on the DL after a terrible start to the season. We will know a lot more about this team in the next coming weeks.
3) Triple Crown Winner. AL MVP. World Series Champion. Going to his 9th-All Star game this year and Miguel Cabrera is only 30 years. Chris Davis is in BEASTMODE this year, and Mike Trout is off to a strong sophomore season but is there any question that Cabrera is the toughest out in all of baseball? and the mid-season AL MVP? He’s so intimidating at the plate with the ability to spray the ball to any part of the diamond that pitchers feel like the walk is the only way he wont do damage; he leads the AL in walks with (55). 2012 was no fluke! Cabrera became the first player since Carl Yastrezemski did it in 1967 to win the Triple Crown*. It also helps to have guys like Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez batting after him and hitting machine Tori Hunter in front of him. In 2013 Cabrera is on pace to DESTROY all his numbers from 2012. With a week before the All-Star break Cabrera is on yet another Triple Crown pace. .366/29HR/93RBI/.456OBP. What is even more impressive, is that every year since he entered the MLB with the then Florida Marlins in 2003 his offensive numbers have always improved. Each year he ends up with a batting average over .300 and has finished with 100+RBI’s in every season but his rookie season which he put up 62. Cabrera will reach the triple digit mark in RBI’s this season and it might still come in the first half of the season. Move over Albert Pujols you have been replaced as the best and purest hitter in the game by Cabrera.
2) Sticking with the Detroit Tigers their pitching staff has been nearly flawless leading the Majors in strikeouts. It starts with Justin Verlander who by no means is having a “Verlander-Esque” type of a year but is still the leader of the group and can win without pitching his best stuff. Verlander (9-6) has a 3.71 ERA and a 122 strikeouts. Clearly these are not the Verlander stats we are used to but when one person is down another picks up the pieces and in this case it's Max Scherzer. Scherzer is having a CY Young caliber season with a perfect (13-0) start and a WHIP** of (0.95). But it’s not just Scherzer and Verlander pitching well in the rotation but Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister are also in the top-20 for strikeouts, a big reason why the Tigers lead the AL Central....and Miguel Cabrera of course. The rotation has been tasked with going deep into game with the bullpen being very problematic this season for Jim Leyland’s Tigers. To put into perspective Jose Valverde leads the team with 9-saves and has not pitched since June 19th.
1) Since coming into the MLB on June 3rd no one has been under the spotlight as much as Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. In his second profssional game Puig had 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in against the San Diego Padres. The 22-year old Cuban has hit .394/8HR/19RBI/.428OPS in 2 months since being called up and was a candidate to be in the All-Star Game next weekend from Citi Field but lost out to Freddie Freeman. If it were up to this writer then Puig should be no doubt the final selection for the NL Team (sorry Freddie Freeman) but Puig is a bolt of energy, just like Mike Trout is in the AL. The MLB is heading in a new direction with young players like Stratsburg, Bryce Harper, Trout and Manny Machado dominating the game and the these young phenom’s should be showcased on baseball's brightest stage, an All-Star game without Puig is a huge mistake! Puig has sparked the Dodgers back into contention with a lineup that features Hanley Ramierez, Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez to round out the top-4. Puig will not be in the contention for the NL MVP, however the NL Rookie Of the Year is still a strong possibility. The best part of Puig is that he plays the game with such confidence. His jersey number is 66 which is a very unusual baseball number unless your a reliever or a call-up but it reminds me of Manny Ramierez and the #99, and on ground ball singles he flicks his bat like he has just hit a no doubt home run. Sports Science did a feature on Puig on his ability to Hit, Steal and Throw out base runners it is simply one of the coolest things I have seen recently and am very excited by his potential.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GZ3OFzB9c8)
Games To Watch:
1) Texas Rangers (53-39) @ Detroit Tigers (50-41)
- Friday to Sunday
- Two of the best teams in the MLB going at it to wrap up the first half
- Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander will both pitch in the series.
2) Cincinnati Reds (51-40) @ Atlanta Braves (52-39)
- Two of the best teams in the NL
- A very possible NLCS come this October
- Both teams have electric rotations and bullpens
3) Toronto Blue Jays (44-47) @ Baltimore Orioles (50-42)
- Friday-Sunday
- Jays have a possible chance of climbing within 5 games of a playoff position
The last time these two teams met the Jays swept all 3 from the Rogers Centre, despite two of the games being 1-run wins.
Index:
*Triple Crown: is awarded to a player who leads HIS league in Batting Average, Home Runs and Runs Batted In
** WHIP: Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched
Top 5 Storylines:
1. Yasiel Puig
2. Detroit Tigers entire pitching staff
3. Miguel Cabrera
4. Will the real Washington Nationals please step up!
5. Kirk Gibson’s Arizona Diamondbacks
5) The Arizona Diamondbacks have been up to the challenge so far as they compete with the defending World Series champion SF Giants (who are tied with the Chicago Cubs in terms of wins....ouch), the Dodgers, and two up and coming teams in the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. The Diamondbacks head into July 11th with a 1.5 game lead over the surging Dodgers. With the off-season trade of Justin Upton many thought that the Diamondbacks would see a major decline but Kirk Gibson has his team playing great baseball and getting contributions up-and-down the lineup. Lefty Patrick Corbin (10-1) will turn 24 on July 19th and is emerging as the team's ace and a star in this league. Leading the way offensively is Paul Goldschmidt with a .311/21HR/and a league leading 76RBI’s. The second half will be very interesting with all five teams in this division having a legitimate chance at taking it.
4) After last year’s monumental collapse in the playoffs, at home, the Washington Nationals have had everything set up for 2013. Stephen Stratsburg returns from being benched at the end of season, in hopes to play a full season. 21-year old Bryce Harper has a year under his belt. Dan Haren and Rafael Soriano were added to improve the rotation and bullpen respectively. But as they head towards the all-star break manager Davey Johnson and his squad have to be considered as “under-achievers.” They are (47-44), 5-games back from division leading Braves and 4-games back from the wild card held by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. A recent streak has gotten them back into contention but the Nationals have high expectations with a playoff or bust mentality. However, with the Braves being as strong as they are and holding down 1st place, a division playoff spot looks tough, which only leaves the wild card. Jordan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez have been a mainstay at the top of the rotation while Haren has been placed on the DL after a terrible start to the season. We will know a lot more about this team in the next coming weeks.
3) Triple Crown Winner. AL MVP. World Series Champion. Going to his 9th-All Star game this year and Miguel Cabrera is only 30 years. Chris Davis is in BEASTMODE this year, and Mike Trout is off to a strong sophomore season but is there any question that Cabrera is the toughest out in all of baseball? and the mid-season AL MVP? He’s so intimidating at the plate with the ability to spray the ball to any part of the diamond that pitchers feel like the walk is the only way he wont do damage; he leads the AL in walks with (55). 2012 was no fluke! Cabrera became the first player since Carl Yastrezemski did it in 1967 to win the Triple Crown*. It also helps to have guys like Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez batting after him and hitting machine Tori Hunter in front of him. In 2013 Cabrera is on pace to DESTROY all his numbers from 2012. With a week before the All-Star break Cabrera is on yet another Triple Crown pace. .366/29HR/93RBI/.456OBP. What is even more impressive, is that every year since he entered the MLB with the then Florida Marlins in 2003 his offensive numbers have always improved. Each year he ends up with a batting average over .300 and has finished with 100+RBI’s in every season but his rookie season which he put up 62. Cabrera will reach the triple digit mark in RBI’s this season and it might still come in the first half of the season. Move over Albert Pujols you have been replaced as the best and purest hitter in the game by Cabrera.
2) Sticking with the Detroit Tigers their pitching staff has been nearly flawless leading the Majors in strikeouts. It starts with Justin Verlander who by no means is having a “Verlander-Esque” type of a year but is still the leader of the group and can win without pitching his best stuff. Verlander (9-6) has a 3.71 ERA and a 122 strikeouts. Clearly these are not the Verlander stats we are used to but when one person is down another picks up the pieces and in this case it's Max Scherzer. Scherzer is having a CY Young caliber season with a perfect (13-0) start and a WHIP** of (0.95). But it’s not just Scherzer and Verlander pitching well in the rotation but Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister are also in the top-20 for strikeouts, a big reason why the Tigers lead the AL Central....and Miguel Cabrera of course. The rotation has been tasked with going deep into game with the bullpen being very problematic this season for Jim Leyland’s Tigers. To put into perspective Jose Valverde leads the team with 9-saves and has not pitched since June 19th.
1) Since coming into the MLB on June 3rd no one has been under the spotlight as much as Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. In his second profssional game Puig had 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in against the San Diego Padres. The 22-year old Cuban has hit .394/8HR/19RBI/.428OPS in 2 months since being called up and was a candidate to be in the All-Star Game next weekend from Citi Field but lost out to Freddie Freeman. If it were up to this writer then Puig should be no doubt the final selection for the NL Team (sorry Freddie Freeman) but Puig is a bolt of energy, just like Mike Trout is in the AL. The MLB is heading in a new direction with young players like Stratsburg, Bryce Harper, Trout and Manny Machado dominating the game and the these young phenom’s should be showcased on baseball's brightest stage, an All-Star game without Puig is a huge mistake! Puig has sparked the Dodgers back into contention with a lineup that features Hanley Ramierez, Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez to round out the top-4. Puig will not be in the contention for the NL MVP, however the NL Rookie Of the Year is still a strong possibility. The best part of Puig is that he plays the game with such confidence. His jersey number is 66 which is a very unusual baseball number unless your a reliever or a call-up but it reminds me of Manny Ramierez and the #99, and on ground ball singles he flicks his bat like he has just hit a no doubt home run. Sports Science did a feature on Puig on his ability to Hit, Steal and Throw out base runners it is simply one of the coolest things I have seen recently and am very excited by his potential.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GZ3OFzB9c8)
Games To Watch:
1) Texas Rangers (53-39) @ Detroit Tigers (50-41)
- Friday to Sunday
- Two of the best teams in the MLB going at it to wrap up the first half
- Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander will both pitch in the series.
2) Cincinnati Reds (51-40) @ Atlanta Braves (52-39)
- Two of the best teams in the NL
- A very possible NLCS come this October
- Both teams have electric rotations and bullpens
3) Toronto Blue Jays (44-47) @ Baltimore Orioles (50-42)
- Friday-Sunday
- Jays have a possible chance of climbing within 5 games of a playoff position
The last time these two teams met the Jays swept all 3 from the Rogers Centre, despite two of the games being 1-run wins.
Index:
*Triple Crown: is awarded to a player who leads HIS league in Batting Average, Home Runs and Runs Batted In
** WHIP: Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched
Monday, June 17, 2013
NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: STANLEY CUP FINAL
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (4) Boston Bruins
Summary: If the first two games are anything like the rest of the series than it will be one of the most epic Cup finals in recent memory. Two Original Six teams battling for Lord Stanley, needing a total of 16 wins. The President Trophy Chicago Blackhawks cruised by Minnesota in 5, needed a dramatic 3-to-1 series comeback win against the Detroit Red Wings and dethroned the Los Angeles Kings in five. Jonathan Toews has been surprisingly quiet, he did however set up Patrick Kane’s Series Clinching goal. He needs to produce more on the score sheet to be successful. Corey Crawford has had a coming out party in these 2013 playoffs. Along with Rask he was not the goaltender when the team won their cup. Anti Niemi was the goalie in 2010 while Tim Thomas was the goalie for the Bruins in 2011.
While the Bruins and all of their Boston Strong Faithfull’s needed a miraculous game 7 comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they have been on a roll ever since. They soared past the New York Rangers in 5 before surprisingly sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tukka Rask has been the key story and along with David Krejci’s line has been the story for the B’s. Krejci leads all scores in points and if the Bruins win the cup should be up there with Rask as Conn Smythe worthy.
Blackhawks will win if… Their speed can out weight the physicality of the Bruins. The Blackhawks like most teams in the NHL cannot match the physicality that Milan Lucic and Zedeno Chara bring to the table, the only person that lights any torch to them is forward Brian Bickell. But the Blackhawks are a fast and crafty team. They have the ability to beat you in so many ways because of all the talent they have. The thing that will lead them to another Cup will be their ability to convert on special teams. In game 1 they were 0-for-2 on the Power Play and gave up their first powerplay goal at home in the post season, and they won that game. In game two they held Boston without a power play goal on three attempts but also could not score on two attempts. They will need to take one game at least in Boston and a good PP would help silence the loud Boston crowd.
Bruins will win if… Tukka Rask does not have some mental collapse in the remaining what I believe will be five games. The defense in front of him has been superb all season and surprisingly the Bruins are getting timely goals, something they could not do all season. With the timely goals factored in, it will be up to Rask to be up the challenge and so far so good. Him and Crawford will most likely duke it out for the Conn Smythe and both are deserving of it. Jaromir Jagr has yet to score a goal and he is playing for the Cup.
X-FACTORS
Chicago:
-Dave Bolland
-Jonathan Toews
-Duncan Keith
-Andrew Shaw
Boston:
- Tyler Seguin
- Patrice Bergeron's ability to win faceoffs
-Zedeno Chara
- Daniel Paille & the 3rd line
Conn Smythe Possbilities:
-Boston: David Krejci, Tukka Rask, Milan Lucic
- Chicago: Patrick Kane, Corey Crawford, Patrick Sharp
Prediction: Blackhawks in 7
Summary: If the first two games are anything like the rest of the series than it will be one of the most epic Cup finals in recent memory. Two Original Six teams battling for Lord Stanley, needing a total of 16 wins. The President Trophy Chicago Blackhawks cruised by Minnesota in 5, needed a dramatic 3-to-1 series comeback win against the Detroit Red Wings and dethroned the Los Angeles Kings in five. Jonathan Toews has been surprisingly quiet, he did however set up Patrick Kane’s Series Clinching goal. He needs to produce more on the score sheet to be successful. Corey Crawford has had a coming out party in these 2013 playoffs. Along with Rask he was not the goaltender when the team won their cup. Anti Niemi was the goalie in 2010 while Tim Thomas was the goalie for the Bruins in 2011.
While the Bruins and all of their Boston Strong Faithfull’s needed a miraculous game 7 comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they have been on a roll ever since. They soared past the New York Rangers in 5 before surprisingly sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tukka Rask has been the key story and along with David Krejci’s line has been the story for the B’s. Krejci leads all scores in points and if the Bruins win the cup should be up there with Rask as Conn Smythe worthy.
Blackhawks will win if… Their speed can out weight the physicality of the Bruins. The Blackhawks like most teams in the NHL cannot match the physicality that Milan Lucic and Zedeno Chara bring to the table, the only person that lights any torch to them is forward Brian Bickell. But the Blackhawks are a fast and crafty team. They have the ability to beat you in so many ways because of all the talent they have. The thing that will lead them to another Cup will be their ability to convert on special teams. In game 1 they were 0-for-2 on the Power Play and gave up their first powerplay goal at home in the post season, and they won that game. In game two they held Boston without a power play goal on three attempts but also could not score on two attempts. They will need to take one game at least in Boston and a good PP would help silence the loud Boston crowd.
Bruins will win if… Tukka Rask does not have some mental collapse in the remaining what I believe will be five games. The defense in front of him has been superb all season and surprisingly the Bruins are getting timely goals, something they could not do all season. With the timely goals factored in, it will be up to Rask to be up the challenge and so far so good. Him and Crawford will most likely duke it out for the Conn Smythe and both are deserving of it. Jaromir Jagr has yet to score a goal and he is playing for the Cup.
X-FACTORS
Chicago:
-Dave Bolland
-Jonathan Toews
-Duncan Keith
-Andrew Shaw
Boston:
- Tyler Seguin
- Patrice Bergeron's ability to win faceoffs
-Zedeno Chara
- Daniel Paille & the 3rd line
Conn Smythe Possbilities:
-Boston: David Krejci, Tukka Rask, Milan Lucic
- Chicago: Patrick Kane, Corey Crawford, Patrick Sharp
Prediction: Blackhawks in 7
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Around The Bases #5
As we start the month of June and with the summer around the corner, there are still 100+ games to be played. With the new Wild Card format, more teams have a chance of playing meaningful games into September. The top story lines from the last few weeks include the Los Angeles Dodgers last in their division, Domonic Brown's emergence, and the Pittsburgh Pirates hope to finish above .500 for the first time in 20 years.
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Pittsburgh Pirates
2) Domonic Brown
3) Underachievers
4) Umpires and Video Review
5) Tampa Bay Rays early standouts
5) The Tampa Bay Rays are used to having a #1 ace in their rotation but with James Shields traded to the Kansas City Royals in the off-season and Daivd Price struggling mightily, it is finally time for the young pitchers that the Rays have gushed about to step up. While Price is the leader of the rotation, he has not been able to find the strike-zone, cue Alex Cobb and Matt Moore who is off to a wicked (8-0) start. Cobb and Moore are holding down the fort with Price injured, but James Loney's bounce back season has him as the frontrunner for the "Comeback Player of the Year." Loney was the most notable acquisition this past-off season for the Rays, despite struggling in his last two years in LA and his half season in Boston. After being traded in the monster deal between the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers last year, Loney signed with the Rays for a mere $2 million one-year deal with the Rays.He was a 1st round pick of the LA Dodgers back in 2002 and had high expectations, but never panned out. Despite a few seasons with 90 RBI’s, Loney has never been as affective as he is now. He is finally living up to his potential and the Rays are reaping the benefits. Heading into June, Loney was in the top-5 in batting average and a reason why the Rays sit just 2.5 games back of division leading Boston.
4) If 2013 is the year in which the MLB finally looked at the “Challenge” or added usage of video replay, than it was because plays like this.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OIBcTE2DlA)
Or maybe it’s the home run that was not called in a game between the Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Indians that would have tied the game in the bottom of the 9th .
(http://bit.ly/13xAS3H)
It’s really been a gong show on the part of the umpires. We have the technology these days to make sure that these things don’t happen. Yes, baseball is a long game, and yes if their were 10-15 minute delays in a Yankees/Red Sox 4-hour marathon it would probably be a little irritating and end up being a 6-hour event, but the right call needs to be made. Hockey has people waiting in Toronto, reviewing every game and every goal. Football has the challenge flag, which allows coaches to reverse a play they feel is unfit with the help of a video review. Even Tennis players have challenges! Baseball must finally adopt a new format because it is getting way out of hand and this argument that baseball needs to have the human element is bogus. Take a look at a slideshow that Fox Sports did of all the umpire gaffes in 2013 so far… (http://on-msn.com/1anP8OQ)
3) If you had to summarize the first two months of the season for the Dodgers, Angels and Blue Jays, you could bunch them together and label them as “Underachievers”. The Jays for all the moves they made sit last in the AL East 10.5 games behind division leading Boston Red Sox and 8 games back from the final wild card spot held by the Baltimore Orioles. The Angels are 7 games behind .500 and are showing no signs of the team that people expected with a lineup of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Josh Hamilton. The biggest disappointment though is the Los Angeles Dodgers. They play in a weak NL West and have both the hitting and the pitching to win a division title. Clayton Kershaw leads the team with a (1.85) ERA but can’t get any run support. In all five of his wins his team has not scored more then four runs. Adrian Gonzalez is having a very respectable season so far, but Matt Kemp is in the worst slump of his career and currently sits on the disabled list. To put things into perspective, Gonzalez leads the team with 41 RBI’s, Kemp is second on the team with a measly 17. The lack of offensive production has caused the team to start a “Fire Don Mattingly” Facebook group. These teams on paper should all be on the road to the playoffs, but at this rate none of them will be playing meaningful games in September.
2) Some players just take the league by storm. Mike Trout did it last year in his rookie debut, and the early star to the 2013 season belongs to Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown. Brown was a nobody in April, with just 3-homeruns, a batting average around .250, he and the Phillies were off the map. It wasn’t until May that things started to click. Brown hit 12-home runs in the month of May and one already in June, becoming the NL leader in long bombs to this point. Brown leads the team in batting average (.282), homeruns (16) and RBI’s (40) and is on pace for (46) homeruns and (120) RBI’s. That coupled with the recent play of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have put the Phillies back on the grid.
1) Is this the year? The year the Pittsburgh Pirates finish with a record above .500. The last few seasons the Pirates have flirted with having an above average season but each time they have trailed off in August and September and out of the playoff hunt. Last year they led their NL Central division at the All-Star break only to finish (79-83) and 18 games back. This year they are red hot at again to start the season (35-23). They are playing great ball and getting production up and down a very young lineup. They currently sit behind St.Louis and Cincinnati in their division, but the Pirates are no longer cellar dwellers. The thing that’s amazing is how young their players are. Pedro Alvarez(26) 11hr/30rbi,Andrew McCutchen(27).284/28rbi/14sb, Starling Matre(25).291/36runs/15sb and pitcher Jeff Locke(26) 5-1/2.25 ERA, will all be on this team for a long time. This team has continued to progress under manager Clint Hurdle and has become one of the most exciting teams in all of baseball. After years of having the worst record in baseball the tide is changing, and the Pirates are on the path to making their first playoff appearance since 1979, a span of 33 seasons.
Games To Watch:
1) St.Louis Cardinals (38-19) @ Cincinnati Reds (36-22)
- Friday June 6th to Sunday June 8th
- ESPN's game of the week. Sunday Night 8:10
- Cardinals (20-9) on the road Reds (21-7) at home... Something has to give
- Yadier Molina is batting (.350) and has become one of the toughest batters in the game to retire.
2) LA Angels (25-33) @ Boston Red Sox (35-23)
- Friday June 6th to Sunday June 8th
- Clay Buchholz (8-0) starts Saturday
- Albert Pujols is struggling but has good numbers at Fenway Park
- A series win or sweep for the Angels would go along way
3)Tampa Bay Rays (31-25) @ Detroit Tigers (30-25)
- Tuesday June 3rd to Thursday June 5th
- Wednesday pitching matchup TB: A.Cobb (6-2) vs. DET: D.Fister (5-2)
- Last year's AL MVP Miguel Cabrera is on fire
- TB (7-3) in last 10. DET (4-6)
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Pittsburgh Pirates
2) Domonic Brown
3) Underachievers
4) Umpires and Video Review
5) Tampa Bay Rays early standouts
5) The Tampa Bay Rays are used to having a #1 ace in their rotation but with James Shields traded to the Kansas City Royals in the off-season and Daivd Price struggling mightily, it is finally time for the young pitchers that the Rays have gushed about to step up. While Price is the leader of the rotation, he has not been able to find the strike-zone, cue Alex Cobb and Matt Moore who is off to a wicked (8-0) start. Cobb and Moore are holding down the fort with Price injured, but James Loney's bounce back season has him as the frontrunner for the "Comeback Player of the Year." Loney was the most notable acquisition this past-off season for the Rays, despite struggling in his last two years in LA and his half season in Boston. After being traded in the monster deal between the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers last year, Loney signed with the Rays for a mere $2 million one-year deal with the Rays.He was a 1st round pick of the LA Dodgers back in 2002 and had high expectations, but never panned out. Despite a few seasons with 90 RBI’s, Loney has never been as affective as he is now. He is finally living up to his potential and the Rays are reaping the benefits. Heading into June, Loney was in the top-5 in batting average and a reason why the Rays sit just 2.5 games back of division leading Boston.
4) If 2013 is the year in which the MLB finally looked at the “Challenge” or added usage of video replay, than it was because plays like this.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OIBcTE2DlA)
Or maybe it’s the home run that was not called in a game between the Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Indians that would have tied the game in the bottom of the 9th .
(http://bit.ly/13xAS3H)
It’s really been a gong show on the part of the umpires. We have the technology these days to make sure that these things don’t happen. Yes, baseball is a long game, and yes if their were 10-15 minute delays in a Yankees/Red Sox 4-hour marathon it would probably be a little irritating and end up being a 6-hour event, but the right call needs to be made. Hockey has people waiting in Toronto, reviewing every game and every goal. Football has the challenge flag, which allows coaches to reverse a play they feel is unfit with the help of a video review. Even Tennis players have challenges! Baseball must finally adopt a new format because it is getting way out of hand and this argument that baseball needs to have the human element is bogus. Take a look at a slideshow that Fox Sports did of all the umpire gaffes in 2013 so far… (http://on-msn.com/1anP8OQ)
3) If you had to summarize the first two months of the season for the Dodgers, Angels and Blue Jays, you could bunch them together and label them as “Underachievers”. The Jays for all the moves they made sit last in the AL East 10.5 games behind division leading Boston Red Sox and 8 games back from the final wild card spot held by the Baltimore Orioles. The Angels are 7 games behind .500 and are showing no signs of the team that people expected with a lineup of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Josh Hamilton. The biggest disappointment though is the Los Angeles Dodgers. They play in a weak NL West and have both the hitting and the pitching to win a division title. Clayton Kershaw leads the team with a (1.85) ERA but can’t get any run support. In all five of his wins his team has not scored more then four runs. Adrian Gonzalez is having a very respectable season so far, but Matt Kemp is in the worst slump of his career and currently sits on the disabled list. To put things into perspective, Gonzalez leads the team with 41 RBI’s, Kemp is second on the team with a measly 17. The lack of offensive production has caused the team to start a “Fire Don Mattingly” Facebook group. These teams on paper should all be on the road to the playoffs, but at this rate none of them will be playing meaningful games in September.
2) Some players just take the league by storm. Mike Trout did it last year in his rookie debut, and the early star to the 2013 season belongs to Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown. Brown was a nobody in April, with just 3-homeruns, a batting average around .250, he and the Phillies were off the map. It wasn’t until May that things started to click. Brown hit 12-home runs in the month of May and one already in June, becoming the NL leader in long bombs to this point. Brown leads the team in batting average (.282), homeruns (16) and RBI’s (40) and is on pace for (46) homeruns and (120) RBI’s. That coupled with the recent play of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have put the Phillies back on the grid.
1) Is this the year? The year the Pittsburgh Pirates finish with a record above .500. The last few seasons the Pirates have flirted with having an above average season but each time they have trailed off in August and September and out of the playoff hunt. Last year they led their NL Central division at the All-Star break only to finish (79-83) and 18 games back. This year they are red hot at again to start the season (35-23). They are playing great ball and getting production up and down a very young lineup. They currently sit behind St.Louis and Cincinnati in their division, but the Pirates are no longer cellar dwellers. The thing that’s amazing is how young their players are. Pedro Alvarez(26) 11hr/30rbi,Andrew McCutchen(27).284/28rbi/14sb, Starling Matre(25).291/36runs/15sb and pitcher Jeff Locke(26) 5-1/2.25 ERA, will all be on this team for a long time. This team has continued to progress under manager Clint Hurdle and has become one of the most exciting teams in all of baseball. After years of having the worst record in baseball the tide is changing, and the Pirates are on the path to making their first playoff appearance since 1979, a span of 33 seasons.
Games To Watch:
1) St.Louis Cardinals (38-19) @ Cincinnati Reds (36-22)
- Friday June 6th to Sunday June 8th
- ESPN's game of the week. Sunday Night 8:10
- Cardinals (20-9) on the road Reds (21-7) at home... Something has to give
- Yadier Molina is batting (.350) and has become one of the toughest batters in the game to retire.
2) LA Angels (25-33) @ Boston Red Sox (35-23)
- Friday June 6th to Sunday June 8th
- Clay Buchholz (8-0) starts Saturday
- Albert Pujols is struggling but has good numbers at Fenway Park
- A series win or sweep for the Angels would go along way
3)Tampa Bay Rays (31-25) @ Detroit Tigers (30-25)
- Tuesday June 3rd to Thursday June 5th
- Wednesday pitching matchup TB: A.Cobb (6-2) vs. DET: D.Fister (5-2)
- Last year's AL MVP Miguel Cabrera is on fire
- TB (7-3) in last 10. DET (4-6)
Sunday, June 2, 2013
NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: CONFERENCE FINALS
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins VS. (4) Boston Bruins
The Skinny: After an opening round that featured a sluggish Penguins team narrowly escaping an early exit at the hands at the New York Islanders, Dan Bylsma has his team clicking on all cylinders as they knocked off the Ottawa Senators in just five games. Now they go up against their toughest opponent yet, the Boston Bruins. Despite getting shutout at home in game one of the ECF (3-0) the Penguins are playing their best hockey right now, and one game does not determine who will win the series. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are at the top of the playoff scoring for a reason, and if they are unable to find the net or at least contribute in some fashion, the Penguins will NOT win this series. On the other hand the Bruins, after a miraculous comeback in game seven against the Toronto Maple Leafs have been rolling along. They skated pass Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers and now face the team that took Jarome Iginla from them, or was it Iginla who chose the Penguins over the Bruins. If game one is any indication of how the series will play out then it should be a dandy.
Penguins win if... Tomas Vokoun can remain solid between the pipes. There is no denying that this is a potent lineup that has the ability to score on each shift. However, their defensive play and goaltending will be the key. The most anticipated matchup is between Crosby vs. Chara. It's quite simple, if Crosby can produce regularly like he has so far in the playoffs, the team will follow and win the series. But if the 7-foot Slovakian shuts down #87 then it will be up the other players like James Neal, Iginla and Evgeni Malkin to step up. To be blunt though, it won't be enough. Brooks Orpik and Kris Letang are guys that also needs to stand out. They will usually be up against the top line of Lucic-Krejci-Horton and in game one that line scored all 3 Bruin goals, finishing a combined minus (-3). Expect coach Bylsma to make the necessary changes throughout the series, and perhaps a change at the goaltending position if things get a little out of a hand.
Bruins win if.... They continue to get great goaltending from Tukka Rask. While he is no Tim Thomas, Rask has looked in fine form ever since beating the Leafs in seven. The defense in front of him is also one of the stingiest in the league and coach Claude Julien has his team playing like they did win the cup in 2010. Forwards are back-checking, timely scoring, killing crucial penalties and hard hitting. Overall this Bruins team has not changed much in the last few years so most of the players are used to each others tendancies on the ice. Vokoun is not an elite goaltender and is very beatable. In fact I'd argue that goaltending is the Penguins biggest weakness against a Bruins team who takes shots from all over the ice. This is the Bruins biggest task yet, and Jaromir Jagr hasn't even scored a goal all playoffs.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (5) Los Angeles Kings
The Skinny: The Chicago Blackhawks cruised past the Minnesota Wild in 5 and then needed to comeback from 3-1 to beat the Detroit Red Wings at home in overtime of game 7. The Blackhawks for some reason tried a different approach against the Red Wings then what made them this year's President Trophy winners. They weren't getting in front of the net, shots were not being redirected in, and their defensive play was sluggish to say the least. To and outsider it seemed that this team had pulled a "Jekyll and Hyde" sort of thing. But in game five things started to click again and after winning both games five and six they needed a Brent Seabrook overtime winner to vault them to the conference finals. It will be no easy task de-throning the defending champs but if there is a team that can do it, it's Joel Quenville's Blackhawks. The Los Angeles Kings had a tougher road to get to where they are, they needed to get past two of the toughest teams in the West. First they needed some brilliance to comeback from 0-2 and beat the St.Louis Blues and their defensive-minded team in six games, taking the next four. Then it was the battle of California against the San Jose Sharks and had it not been for finishing with two more points in the regular season, they may have lost the series. The reason for that is because each game was won by the home team and the Kings played game seven at home. Jonathan Quick once again has decided to take matters into his own hands by stealing games and making spectacular saves at key moments. TSN's James Duthie referred to Quick as being in a "Dominik Hasek world." In four of the seven games the Kings played against the Sharks, the outcome was 2-1. The same was the case in game one between these two teams with the Blackhawks coming out victorious.
Blackhawks win if... They can continue to shut the door down on the penalty kill. In these playoffs the Blackhawks are an outstanding 42/43 on PK attempts. The defense goes as far as Duncan Keith takes them but the supporting cast of Seabrook, Johnny Odyua, Niklas Hjalmarsson round out a very solid top-4. Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp have been playing very well, but in order to beat the Kings in a seven game series they will need Marian Hossa (GWG in game 1) and Jonathan Toews to step up. Also the emergence of Brian Bickell has made the team's first line even more dangerous with his ability to hit, score, and screen the goalie. Cory Crawford has been nearly perfect at home in the playoffs with a record of (7-1).
Kings win if... Jonathan Quick remains the best goalie in the NHL. Last year he rose to stardom with his tremendous play, a Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe trophy to boot. This year the pressure's still on to repeat the same performance and he is not backing down. After struggling in the first two games of the playoffs against the Blues, Quick has regained his form, and due to his lateral abilities has made him the toughest goalie to beat. The Kings and the Blackhawks are similar in many ways; including the strength of the top-4 defenseman. Drew Doughty, Robyn Regher, Slava Voynov and Matt Greene's ability to shut down the best of them. But besides Quick, Mike Richards, Doughty, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown have to be better then the top players of the Blackhawks. Both teams hit but the Kings are a tougher and bigger team, and to beat Chicago they will need to hit everyone, every time they can.
Prediction: Kings in 7
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins VS. (4) Boston Bruins
The Skinny: After an opening round that featured a sluggish Penguins team narrowly escaping an early exit at the hands at the New York Islanders, Dan Bylsma has his team clicking on all cylinders as they knocked off the Ottawa Senators in just five games. Now they go up against their toughest opponent yet, the Boston Bruins. Despite getting shutout at home in game one of the ECF (3-0) the Penguins are playing their best hockey right now, and one game does not determine who will win the series. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are at the top of the playoff scoring for a reason, and if they are unable to find the net or at least contribute in some fashion, the Penguins will NOT win this series. On the other hand the Bruins, after a miraculous comeback in game seven against the Toronto Maple Leafs have been rolling along. They skated pass Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers and now face the team that took Jarome Iginla from them, or was it Iginla who chose the Penguins over the Bruins. If game one is any indication of how the series will play out then it should be a dandy.
Penguins win if... Tomas Vokoun can remain solid between the pipes. There is no denying that this is a potent lineup that has the ability to score on each shift. However, their defensive play and goaltending will be the key. The most anticipated matchup is between Crosby vs. Chara. It's quite simple, if Crosby can produce regularly like he has so far in the playoffs, the team will follow and win the series. But if the 7-foot Slovakian shuts down #87 then it will be up the other players like James Neal, Iginla and Evgeni Malkin to step up. To be blunt though, it won't be enough. Brooks Orpik and Kris Letang are guys that also needs to stand out. They will usually be up against the top line of Lucic-Krejci-Horton and in game one that line scored all 3 Bruin goals, finishing a combined minus (-3). Expect coach Bylsma to make the necessary changes throughout the series, and perhaps a change at the goaltending position if things get a little out of a hand.
Bruins win if.... They continue to get great goaltending from Tukka Rask. While he is no Tim Thomas, Rask has looked in fine form ever since beating the Leafs in seven. The defense in front of him is also one of the stingiest in the league and coach Claude Julien has his team playing like they did win the cup in 2010. Forwards are back-checking, timely scoring, killing crucial penalties and hard hitting. Overall this Bruins team has not changed much in the last few years so most of the players are used to each others tendancies on the ice. Vokoun is not an elite goaltender and is very beatable. In fact I'd argue that goaltending is the Penguins biggest weakness against a Bruins team who takes shots from all over the ice. This is the Bruins biggest task yet, and Jaromir Jagr hasn't even scored a goal all playoffs.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (5) Los Angeles Kings
The Skinny: The Chicago Blackhawks cruised past the Minnesota Wild in 5 and then needed to comeback from 3-1 to beat the Detroit Red Wings at home in overtime of game 7. The Blackhawks for some reason tried a different approach against the Red Wings then what made them this year's President Trophy winners. They weren't getting in front of the net, shots were not being redirected in, and their defensive play was sluggish to say the least. To and outsider it seemed that this team had pulled a "Jekyll and Hyde" sort of thing. But in game five things started to click again and after winning both games five and six they needed a Brent Seabrook overtime winner to vault them to the conference finals. It will be no easy task de-throning the defending champs but if there is a team that can do it, it's Joel Quenville's Blackhawks. The Los Angeles Kings had a tougher road to get to where they are, they needed to get past two of the toughest teams in the West. First they needed some brilliance to comeback from 0-2 and beat the St.Louis Blues and their defensive-minded team in six games, taking the next four. Then it was the battle of California against the San Jose Sharks and had it not been for finishing with two more points in the regular season, they may have lost the series. The reason for that is because each game was won by the home team and the Kings played game seven at home. Jonathan Quick once again has decided to take matters into his own hands by stealing games and making spectacular saves at key moments. TSN's James Duthie referred to Quick as being in a "Dominik Hasek world." In four of the seven games the Kings played against the Sharks, the outcome was 2-1. The same was the case in game one between these two teams with the Blackhawks coming out victorious.
Blackhawks win if... They can continue to shut the door down on the penalty kill. In these playoffs the Blackhawks are an outstanding 42/43 on PK attempts. The defense goes as far as Duncan Keith takes them but the supporting cast of Seabrook, Johnny Odyua, Niklas Hjalmarsson round out a very solid top-4. Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp have been playing very well, but in order to beat the Kings in a seven game series they will need Marian Hossa (GWG in game 1) and Jonathan Toews to step up. Also the emergence of Brian Bickell has made the team's first line even more dangerous with his ability to hit, score, and screen the goalie. Cory Crawford has been nearly perfect at home in the playoffs with a record of (7-1).
Kings win if... Jonathan Quick remains the best goalie in the NHL. Last year he rose to stardom with his tremendous play, a Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe trophy to boot. This year the pressure's still on to repeat the same performance and he is not backing down. After struggling in the first two games of the playoffs against the Blues, Quick has regained his form, and due to his lateral abilities has made him the toughest goalie to beat. The Kings and the Blackhawks are similar in many ways; including the strength of the top-4 defenseman. Drew Doughty, Robyn Regher, Slava Voynov and Matt Greene's ability to shut down the best of them. But besides Quick, Mike Richards, Doughty, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown have to be better then the top players of the Blackhawks. Both teams hit but the Kings are a tougher and bigger team, and to beat Chicago they will need to hit everyone, every time they can.
Prediction: Kings in 7
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: SECOND ROUND
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
The Skinny: The Pittsburgh Penguins were challenged in six games by the pesky New York Islanders, but ultimately came out on top. Marc-Andre Fleury was taken out in game 4 after a terrible start to the series. Backup Tomas Vokoun came in and won the final two games and closed the series down. While the Senators dismantled the Montreal Canadiens in five with superb goaltending and timely goals. Craig Anderson was the best goaltender in the first round by far and the Senators will need the same if they want to beat the Penguins. The young forwards for the Senators did a good enough job of creating space and capitalizing on their chances. The big storyline in this series is if the Penguins can regain their form that made them so dominant in the season. If they can’t then look for the Senators to take it the distance and possibly win the series and oh yeah, don’t forgot the Matt Cooke-Erik Karlsson storyline.
Penguins win if... Whomever plays goalie, plays well. I said in my predictions of round one that a good series against a good offensive team for Fleury would be huge down the road. Instead there are more questions about Fleury then ever. Pulled in favour for Tomas Vokoun after a horrendous game 4. Vokoun has taken the ropes and ran with it. He is (2-0) so far in the playoffs and has looked good. Sidney Crosby was quiet despite finishing with (3G, 6A), he will need to have a bigger impact for the Penguins to beat Anderson and take the series
Senators win if... Craig Anderson is well Craig Anderson. This guy is a puck-stopping machine. 50+ saves in game 1 against the Canadiens and is a big reason why the Senators won that series. They also continue to get contribution from all four lines. During the series with the Canadiens the Senators had 12 different players put the puck in the net, that trend will need to continue.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (6) New York Rangers
The Skinny: Both teams were taken to the brink but both won in different fashions. The Bruins lost 2 at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs and almost lost 3-in-a-row and the series had it not been for Game 7’s craziness. The big bad Bruins did not look so big and bad. In fact, they looked pretty normal. Tukka Rask is not Tim Thomas. Their blue line is banged up with Redden, Ference and Seidenberg all missing game 7 due to injuries. For the Rangers they lost the first two in Washington before taking four of the final five games, including, two shutouts in Game 6 and Game 7. Goaltending will be the key and with the way that “King” Henrik Lundqvist is playing, it will surely be tough to beat him.
Bruins win if... They resort back to being the tough-to-play Bruins. Big. Mean. In your face type hockey that has opponents cringe when they face up against them. The line of Milan Lucic-David Krejci and Nathan Horton were unstoppable in the first round, they will need to continue to produce. Also they will need more out the future HOF Jaromir Jagr who was held without a goal against the Leafs.
Rangers win if... Henrik Lundqvist continues his hot play. There is no question that you need goals to win games but when the other team can’t score, it gives the Rangers the ability to win games 1-0. Rick Nash is finally into the second round of the NHL playoffs but he has been held to just 2 assists. He will need to step up as will Brad Richards. After seven games Derek Brassard leads the team in scoring with (2G, 7A).
Prediction: Rangers in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
The Skinny: The Chicago Blackhawks cruised to an easy series win in five games against the Minnesota Wild. Corey Crawford was solid behind the NHL’s stingiest defensive team. Jonathan Toews only had two assists in the first round and the Hawks will need more production out of him going forward. For the Red Wings they were able to come from behind and beat the Anaheim Ducks on the road in Game 7. The team has not made it look pretty, nor do they resemble Red Wings teams of the past, but they still manage to win games. The team flows through Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg and they will need to explode offensively to beat the Blackhawks.
Blackhawks win if… All four lines continue to contribute. So far Joel Quenville has been able to role four lines effectively and there are holes for them to exploit against the Red Wings. On paper this team is better then the 2013 Red Wings in every way, but they can't look past the experience of this team or they will be out of the playoffs. It’s one of the two Original Six matchup of the second round and it should be a highly contested series.
Red Wings win if… They keep games close. They were in four overtimes against the Ducks, so their ability to keep games close will be key. Mike Babcock will have his team prepared but it looks like it’s the end of an era for one franchise while another one is on the rise. The Red Wings age will be a key as the young Blackhawks will feed on the tired legs. Jimmy Howard has to be a force in net for there to be any chance at the Wings winning the series.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 5
(5) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
The Skinny: California Dreaming. The Los Angeles Kings opened their playoffs looking to become the first NHL team to go back-to-back since the Detroit Red Wings did in 97-98. Winning in consecutive years has been one of Sport’s toughest achievements. The 09-10 Los Angeles Lakers were the last team to do it in the “Big Four”. The Kings lost both games on the road to open their series with the St.Lous Blues. However, the result was the same as last year, with the Kings winning four straight and taking the series. The San Jose Sharks made quick work of the Vancouver Canucks in four and dominated in every facet of the game. You have to face the best teams eventually, but this writer think the Sharks would have preferred a Ducks series win and a match with them then the defending champions.
Kings win if… Jonathan Quick continues to play outstanding. After his game 1 gaffe against the Blues and a lousy goal in game two that resulted in the winner, Quick has been nearly flawless. The team also has the league's most formidable forecheck and they will have to continue to lean on that against the Sharks.
Sharks win if… Logan Couture takes this team all the way. Yes, guys like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau are important, but Couture has taken the next step in becoming an all-star like Claude Giroux.
Sorry to rub it in Leafs fans but (http://bit.ly/eK1cEz) he could have been yours .
Prediction: Kings in 6
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
The Skinny: The Pittsburgh Penguins were challenged in six games by the pesky New York Islanders, but ultimately came out on top. Marc-Andre Fleury was taken out in game 4 after a terrible start to the series. Backup Tomas Vokoun came in and won the final two games and closed the series down. While the Senators dismantled the Montreal Canadiens in five with superb goaltending and timely goals. Craig Anderson was the best goaltender in the first round by far and the Senators will need the same if they want to beat the Penguins. The young forwards for the Senators did a good enough job of creating space and capitalizing on their chances. The big storyline in this series is if the Penguins can regain their form that made them so dominant in the season. If they can’t then look for the Senators to take it the distance and possibly win the series and oh yeah, don’t forgot the Matt Cooke-Erik Karlsson storyline.
Penguins win if... Whomever plays goalie, plays well. I said in my predictions of round one that a good series against a good offensive team for Fleury would be huge down the road. Instead there are more questions about Fleury then ever. Pulled in favour for Tomas Vokoun after a horrendous game 4. Vokoun has taken the ropes and ran with it. He is (2-0) so far in the playoffs and has looked good. Sidney Crosby was quiet despite finishing with (3G, 6A), he will need to have a bigger impact for the Penguins to beat Anderson and take the series
Senators win if... Craig Anderson is well Craig Anderson. This guy is a puck-stopping machine. 50+ saves in game 1 against the Canadiens and is a big reason why the Senators won that series. They also continue to get contribution from all four lines. During the series with the Canadiens the Senators had 12 different players put the puck in the net, that trend will need to continue.
Prediction: Penguins in 6
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (6) New York Rangers
The Skinny: Both teams were taken to the brink but both won in different fashions. The Bruins lost 2 at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs and almost lost 3-in-a-row and the series had it not been for Game 7’s craziness. The big bad Bruins did not look so big and bad. In fact, they looked pretty normal. Tukka Rask is not Tim Thomas. Their blue line is banged up with Redden, Ference and Seidenberg all missing game 7 due to injuries. For the Rangers they lost the first two in Washington before taking four of the final five games, including, two shutouts in Game 6 and Game 7. Goaltending will be the key and with the way that “King” Henrik Lundqvist is playing, it will surely be tough to beat him.
Bruins win if... They resort back to being the tough-to-play Bruins. Big. Mean. In your face type hockey that has opponents cringe when they face up against them. The line of Milan Lucic-David Krejci and Nathan Horton were unstoppable in the first round, they will need to continue to produce. Also they will need more out the future HOF Jaromir Jagr who was held without a goal against the Leafs.
Rangers win if... Henrik Lundqvist continues his hot play. There is no question that you need goals to win games but when the other team can’t score, it gives the Rangers the ability to win games 1-0. Rick Nash is finally into the second round of the NHL playoffs but he has been held to just 2 assists. He will need to step up as will Brad Richards. After seven games Derek Brassard leads the team in scoring with (2G, 7A).
Prediction: Rangers in 7
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
The Skinny: The Chicago Blackhawks cruised to an easy series win in five games against the Minnesota Wild. Corey Crawford was solid behind the NHL’s stingiest defensive team. Jonathan Toews only had two assists in the first round and the Hawks will need more production out of him going forward. For the Red Wings they were able to come from behind and beat the Anaheim Ducks on the road in Game 7. The team has not made it look pretty, nor do they resemble Red Wings teams of the past, but they still manage to win games. The team flows through Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg and they will need to explode offensively to beat the Blackhawks.
Blackhawks win if… All four lines continue to contribute. So far Joel Quenville has been able to role four lines effectively and there are holes for them to exploit against the Red Wings. On paper this team is better then the 2013 Red Wings in every way, but they can't look past the experience of this team or they will be out of the playoffs. It’s one of the two Original Six matchup of the second round and it should be a highly contested series.
Red Wings win if… They keep games close. They were in four overtimes against the Ducks, so their ability to keep games close will be key. Mike Babcock will have his team prepared but it looks like it’s the end of an era for one franchise while another one is on the rise. The Red Wings age will be a key as the young Blackhawks will feed on the tired legs. Jimmy Howard has to be a force in net for there to be any chance at the Wings winning the series.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 5
(5) Los Angeles Kings vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
The Skinny: California Dreaming. The Los Angeles Kings opened their playoffs looking to become the first NHL team to go back-to-back since the Detroit Red Wings did in 97-98. Winning in consecutive years has been one of Sport’s toughest achievements. The 09-10 Los Angeles Lakers were the last team to do it in the “Big Four”. The Kings lost both games on the road to open their series with the St.Lous Blues. However, the result was the same as last year, with the Kings winning four straight and taking the series. The San Jose Sharks made quick work of the Vancouver Canucks in four and dominated in every facet of the game. You have to face the best teams eventually, but this writer think the Sharks would have preferred a Ducks series win and a match with them then the defending champions.
Kings win if… Jonathan Quick continues to play outstanding. After his game 1 gaffe against the Blues and a lousy goal in game two that resulted in the winner, Quick has been nearly flawless. The team also has the league's most formidable forecheck and they will have to continue to lean on that against the Sharks.
Sharks win if… Logan Couture takes this team all the way. Yes, guys like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau are important, but Couture has taken the next step in becoming an all-star like Claude Giroux.
Sorry to rub it in Leafs fans but (http://bit.ly/eK1cEz) he could have been yours .
Prediction: Kings in 6
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND
(1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (8) Minnesota Wild
The Skinny: The Chicago Blackhawks are the President Trophy winners, in large part because of their 24-game point streak. The Blackhawks finished with a (+51) goal differential allowing just (102) goals all season. The Minnesota Wild for all the moves they made in the last nine month including: signing Ryan Suter, Zack Parise and trading for Jason Pominville at the deadline, barely made the playoffs. The Wild made the playoffs on the last game of the season after beating the lowly Colorado Avalanche to hold off the Columbus Blue Jackets. If game one was anything of what the rest series should shape up as, then it should be a closely contested game between the two teams.
Blackhawks win if… They continue to be the best defensive team in the league. The Blackhawks finished first in the league giving up just (2.02) games with Ray Emery and Corey Crawford shutting the door. Crawford looked a bit shaky at times in game one but prevailed with the win, making key saves in the 3rd period and overtime. So much offensive depth with Patrick Kane as the key playmaker.
Wild win if… Niklas Backstrom can return from a freak injury he sustained in the warm-ups before game one. While Josh Harding looked like a suitable backup, playing extremely well, Backstrom led the team with wins (24) and a G.A.A. of (2.48). Also can Ryan Suter play the same type of minutes that he did in game one. To put in perspective he led all players in time with 41:08, he had over 30 minutes after three periods.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 5
(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings
The Skinny: The Detroit Red Wings took two of three from the Anaheim Ducks during the season, with both coming on the road. After taking game one, on home ice, the Ducks must be feeling good about themselves. Jonas Hiller played well and they have Viktor Fasth if things get bad. The Red Wings had a great home record through the season and should be able to take things the distance with the Ducks.
Ducks win if… The line of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan take control of the series. This line surely can with all the talent, but in game one it was Nick Bonino and the everlasting Teemu Selanne that scored instead of the big three. The Ducks play an up-tempo game under Bruce Boudreau, so their main focus has to be on containing the Red Wings, which the did perfectly in game one.
Red Wings win if… Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Nik Kronwall overmatch the big three of the Ducks. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are great two-way players and can be a force on the penalty kill as well as the power play. They will need to take one at the Honda Centre in Anaheim to win this series.
Prediction: Ducks in 7
(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) San Jose Sharks
The Skinny: The San Jose Sharks took all three games between the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks are a force at home and took two of the games at the HP Pavilion Centre in California. This is probably the last go around with the core players for the Sharks. An early playoff exit would probably mean the end for guys like: Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton as Sharks. They have Brent Burns as a winger, which seems weird, and it is, but he is playing decent down the stretch. The Canucks are in the same boat, but starting Roberto Luongo in game one, with Cory Schneider nursing an injury, is worriesome. Luongo’s job and career can be encapsulated in this first start of the playoffs. If he gets blown away, he’s washed up and done as a Canuck, but if he were to succeed, coach Alain Vigneault may have a conundrum on his hands.
Canucks win if… Henrik and Daniel Sedin can find the chemistry they have had in the past and have success with it. For the most part they are pretty healthy with Derek Roy and Ryan Kesler down the middle. Their defense is a little worrisome, and they must excel on the power play. As in all cases it comes down to goaltending so whomever it may be, must play very well.
Sharks win if… They take game one of the series. I truly believe that the Sharks are a good enough team to surprise people and make a deep run. They are pretty dominant and home so winning game one would set the tone and put them in the drivers seat. Key Player: Joe Thornton. It all flows through him.
Prediction: Sharks in 6
(4) St.Louis Blues vs. (5) Los Angeles Kings
The Skinny: The St.Louis Blues want revenge on the Los Angeles Kings for knocking them out last season. The Kings would end up winning the Stanley Cup while the Blues sat on their couches. The first step was getting bigger on the blue line, check, then it was grabbing home-ice advantage, which they did. Then it was taking game one after being swept last year, which they also did thanks to Jonathan Quick’s epic blunder. Check. Check. Check.
Blues win if… They can maintain their stingy defense. Brian Elliott is the goaltender for the Blues going forward, and with goals coming at a premium he will have to be up to the task. On the blue line the Blues dominate everyone with guys like: Shattenkirk. Leopold, Bouwmeester, Polak and Pietrangelo. Forward Jaden Schwartz is a players to watch.
Kings win if… Jonathan Quick can put the blunder behind him and bounce back. Quick is the reigning Conn Smythe trophy winner and looked sharp in game one (despite the blunder). Forwards have to be able to get deep into the Blues zone and work their cycle game.
Prediction: Kings in 7
NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) New York Islanders
The Skinny: The New York Islanders are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. John Tavares led his team in goals (28) and points (47) while Evgeni Nabokov was solid for the most part of the season. Unfortunately, they draw the potent Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. Even without Sidney Crosby for game 1 (and possibly longer), the Penguins outmatch and outgun the Islanders on every front. Marc-Andre Fleury will be tested with the Islanders PP and a good series for him could go along way, especially after last year's debacle against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Islanders cannot take any dumb penalties.
Penguins win if… They do everything they’ve done so far this year. They clinched the number one seed in the East for their ability to run four lines backed up by solid goaltending. The addition of Crosby in the next week or so will play huge for a team that already has Iginla, Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, Sutter and Dupuis.
Islanders win if… The hockey gods are looking down on them. Evgeni Nabokov has never been a good playoff performer and it's going to be up to him to stop the Penguins. There is no question that he has to be the best player for his team. They also have to neutralize the Penguins scoring ability and find ways to score on 5-on-5.
Prediction: Penguins in 4
(2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (7) Ottawa Senators
The Skinny: Despite pumping the brakes in the last two weeks of the season the Montreal Canadiens showed what they have done all year, utilizing their speed in back-to-back road wins against Winnipeg and Toronto to finish the season. Both games had playoff-like atmospheres, so the Canadiens and Carey Price look to be in playoff mode. For the Senators they won on the last game of the season to avoid the Penguins, hand the Canadines the division, and set-up the only all-Canadian matchup of the first round. The Senators have played the Canadiens hard all season splitting the season series (2-1-1). The Senators have used strong goaltending from the combination of (Bishop, Anderson and Lehner). Erik Karlsson’s return was a huge boost for this team who are still without the services of Jason Spezza.
Canadiens win if… Carey Price finds his game back. If he does he is arguably one of the toughest goalies to beat. The last time Price played was against Winnipeg a full week before game one, so he will be well-rested. The Canadiens will also need to beat the Senators in the special teams game (PP/PK). Need all four lines clicking, and have the defense pick up its intensity without Alexi Emelin.
Senators win if… Craig Anderson puts on a show. He’s played very well in big games dating back to his playoff games with Colorado and last year with Ottawa. The Senators combat the duo of Subban/Markov with the power play unit of Gonchar and Karlsson. The young forwards for the Senators step up and Daniel Alfredsson is a big factor.
Prediction: Canadiens in 6
(3) Washington Capitals vs. (6) New York Rangers
The Skinny: These teams met last year and went the distance. Expect the same in this series as the Capitals are surging into the playoffs as the Rangers squeezed in. Rick Nash is back in the playoffs and he’ll go head-to-head with 2013 Rocket Richard winner Alex Ovechkin. This series will come down to who plays better in net. Will it be Braden Holtby or Henrik “King” Lundqvist?
Capitals win if… Alex Ovechkin continues his hot scoring. This is the third series between the two teams and Ovy has had been able to put behind Lundqvist in the past. Braden Holtby will need to steal game or two like he did against Boston last season.
Rangers win if… Rick Nash and Brad Richards find some chemistry. You don’t have to worry about Ryan Callahan’s play or the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist but these two are the catalysts if the Rangers want to make a deep playoff run. Defense is a little suspect with the loss of Marc Staal but Dan Girardi and company has figured how to keep it all together in a short season.
Prediction: Rangers in 7
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) Toronto Maple Leafs
The Skinny: Despite losing the last game of the season and failing to clinch the division the Bruins must be licking their chops with a series against the Leafs. The Bruins have lost once to the Leafs in the last 15 games and in most games have dominated the Leafs in every aspect. This time however, there is now Tim Thomas. For the Leafs they are back in the playoffs for the first time since before the lockout . James Reimer has played spectacular hockey down the stretch and will need to be amazing against the pesky Bruins. Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel (who will hear a lot of boo’s) will also need to factor in.
Bruins win if… They play their hard-nose defensive game. Zdeno Chara will always be up against the Leafs first line. They have to hit the Leafs every chance the can and Tukka Rask has to avoid giving up the weak goals.
Maple Leafs win if… They show their strength in dominating the Bruins and outhitting them in every game. James Reimer steals the series away with some great goaltending and the defense plays well. The combination of Kadri, Kessel, JVR and Lupul will take the Leafs as far as they go. If all four men play to their potential we could be in for quite a series. Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren have big impacts
Prediction: Bruins in 6
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Around The Bases #4
As the month of April wraps up so to does the first month of the season and there are some early surprises and disappointments. The Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies are off to great starts. While the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers with all their hype, have been struggling.
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Colorado Rockies surge
2) Angels sweep Tigers
3) Kansas City Royals
4) J.P. Arencebia and John Buck
5) Reigning AL MVP at it again
5) Miguel Cabrera is off to another terrific start to his season .375 BA and 26 RBI’s . He has hit 30+ home runs in 11 of his 12 seasons with the only blemish coming in his rookie year. He won a World Series with the (then) Florida Marlins back in 2003 and then signed an eight year 154 million dollar deal with the Tigers in 2008. He and the Tigers appeared in the championship last year but fell to the San Francisco Giants in four games. Despite being swept in the WS, the Tigers are showing resilience and a will to return to the dance and make another run. I chose Prince Fielder to win MVP but it is the triple-crown winner Cabrera leading the Tigers to a (14-10) record and in first place in their division.
4) Both J.P. Arencebia and John Buck were members of the Toronto Blue Jays at some point during the off-season, that was until Alex Anthopoulos sent Buck as part of a deal to acquire starting pitcher R.A. Dickey. Buck has been tremendous so far for the New York Mets. He leads all catchers with nine home runs. While he is hitting just .250 he has driven in 25. Buck has never hit more then 20 home runs in a season, with his largest output coming in 2010 as a member of the Blue Jays. J.P. Arencebia is struggling as well with a low batting average at (.245) but his eight home runs is one off the AL Lead.
3) The Kansas City Royals were a team that I believed would be a year away from contending, but in a weak AL Central that includes the Twins, White Sox and the Indians the Royals are legitimately the second best team in their division behind Detroit. At (13-10) they sit 0.5 GB from the division leading Tigers at the end of April. There are still five months left in the season so it will be interesting to see the development of this team going forward. But as of now with guys like Alex Gordon who is batting .337 and the strong pitching from both off-season acquisitions Ervin Santana and James Shields, this team has remained in close games. Personally, I think it’s still early to call the Royals as a playoff caliber team, but they are showing a glimpse of what will come in the future.
2) Last week one of the big series I featured was the Detroit Tigers against the vulnerable Los Angeles Angels. While the Angels did not face Justin Verlander they beat Jim Leyland’s squad handedly. I truly believe this could be the ALCS when it is all said and done, but both teams have major holes that need to be fixed down the stretch. For the Tigers they must decide who will close out games while the Angels power lineup still lacks consistency.
1) The Colorado Rockies are THE story so far in the early 2013 MLB Season. With a (15-10) record they sit tied atop the NL West division with the Arizona Diamondbacks. I remember the Rockies team of 2007 that snuck into the playoffs with one of the most miraculous runs in September ]. They would sweep the first two series between (Philadelphia and Arizona) before losing to Boston in the World Series in four. The 2013 version of the Rockies remind me of this team a lot, and playing in the high altitude of the Rockies is definitely a home field advantage. A big part of their early success is the emergence of Dexter Fowler. The speedy outfielder not known for his power is hitting the ball well. He is hitting .295 and has seven home runs to boot. The young core of players around Fowler include infielders: Josh Rutledge, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. They have a no-name pitching staff with guys like Jorge De La Rosa, Juan Nicasio, Canadian Jeff Francis and their number one, who's on the disabled list Jhoulys Chacin.
Games To Watch:
1) Los Angles Dodgers (12-12) @ San Francisco Giants (14-12)
- Friday to Sunday
- Always bad blood between these two teams
- Division Matchup
- Game of the week (ESPN)
2) Boston Red Sox (18-7) @ Toronto Blue Jays (9-17)
- Tuesday to Thursday
- Division Matchup
- Blue Jays are struggling while John Farrell’s Red Sox are soaring
- Blue Jays need to improve in all areas, their (5-8) home record is a good place to start
3) NY Mets (10-14) @ Atlanta Braves (16-9)
- Friday to Sunday
- Division Matchup
- Matt Harvey (NYM) vs. Justin Upton (ATL)
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Colorado Rockies surge
2) Angels sweep Tigers
3) Kansas City Royals
4) J.P. Arencebia and John Buck
5) Reigning AL MVP at it again
5) Miguel Cabrera is off to another terrific start to his season .375 BA and 26 RBI’s . He has hit 30+ home runs in 11 of his 12 seasons with the only blemish coming in his rookie year. He won a World Series with the (then) Florida Marlins back in 2003 and then signed an eight year 154 million dollar deal with the Tigers in 2008. He and the Tigers appeared in the championship last year but fell to the San Francisco Giants in four games. Despite being swept in the WS, the Tigers are showing resilience and a will to return to the dance and make another run. I chose Prince Fielder to win MVP but it is the triple-crown winner Cabrera leading the Tigers to a (14-10) record and in first place in their division.
4) Both J.P. Arencebia and John Buck were members of the Toronto Blue Jays at some point during the off-season, that was until Alex Anthopoulos sent Buck as part of a deal to acquire starting pitcher R.A. Dickey. Buck has been tremendous so far for the New York Mets. He leads all catchers with nine home runs. While he is hitting just .250 he has driven in 25. Buck has never hit more then 20 home runs in a season, with his largest output coming in 2010 as a member of the Blue Jays. J.P. Arencebia is struggling as well with a low batting average at (.245) but his eight home runs is one off the AL Lead.
3) The Kansas City Royals were a team that I believed would be a year away from contending, but in a weak AL Central that includes the Twins, White Sox and the Indians the Royals are legitimately the second best team in their division behind Detroit. At (13-10) they sit 0.5 GB from the division leading Tigers at the end of April. There are still five months left in the season so it will be interesting to see the development of this team going forward. But as of now with guys like Alex Gordon who is batting .337 and the strong pitching from both off-season acquisitions Ervin Santana and James Shields, this team has remained in close games. Personally, I think it’s still early to call the Royals as a playoff caliber team, but they are showing a glimpse of what will come in the future.
2) Last week one of the big series I featured was the Detroit Tigers against the vulnerable Los Angeles Angels. While the Angels did not face Justin Verlander they beat Jim Leyland’s squad handedly. I truly believe this could be the ALCS when it is all said and done, but both teams have major holes that need to be fixed down the stretch. For the Tigers they must decide who will close out games while the Angels power lineup still lacks consistency.
1) The Colorado Rockies are THE story so far in the early 2013 MLB Season. With a (15-10) record they sit tied atop the NL West division with the Arizona Diamondbacks. I remember the Rockies team of 2007 that snuck into the playoffs with one of the most miraculous runs in September ]. They would sweep the first two series between (Philadelphia and Arizona) before losing to Boston in the World Series in four. The 2013 version of the Rockies remind me of this team a lot, and playing in the high altitude of the Rockies is definitely a home field advantage. A big part of their early success is the emergence of Dexter Fowler. The speedy outfielder not known for his power is hitting the ball well. He is hitting .295 and has seven home runs to boot. The young core of players around Fowler include infielders: Josh Rutledge, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. They have a no-name pitching staff with guys like Jorge De La Rosa, Juan Nicasio, Canadian Jeff Francis and their number one, who's on the disabled list Jhoulys Chacin.
Games To Watch:
1) Los Angles Dodgers (12-12) @ San Francisco Giants (14-12)
- Friday to Sunday
- Always bad blood between these two teams
- Division Matchup
- Game of the week (ESPN)
2) Boston Red Sox (18-7) @ Toronto Blue Jays (9-17)
- Tuesday to Thursday
- Division Matchup
- Blue Jays are struggling while John Farrell’s Red Sox are soaring
- Blue Jays need to improve in all areas, their (5-8) home record is a good place to start
3) NY Mets (10-14) @ Atlanta Braves (16-9)
- Friday to Sunday
- Division Matchup
- Matt Harvey (NYM) vs. Justin Upton (ATL)
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Around The Bases #3
The second full week of the season was overshadowed by the brawl between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres from Petco Park earlier in the week. Pitcher Zack Greinke threw inside and hit Carlos Quentin of the Padres and immediately words were said and the hitter went right after the pitcher. It resulted in Greinke breaking his collarbone and Quentin was suspended 8 games.
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Dodgers/Padres brawl
2) Oakland Athletics leading the charge in AL West
3) Boston sweeps Tampa Bay
4) The Incredible Matt Harvey
5) Chris Davis continues his hot start to the season
5) Chris Davis was selected in the 5th round of the 2006 draft by the Texas Rangers. In 2011 he was traded from the Rangers to the Baltimore Orioles as part of a package deal and had his breakout season last year, with 33 home runs and 85 RBI’S. His 33 long bombs last year were more then he had in the last three years combined. This season he’s continued his hot streak and is off to the best start in his career. In 13 games Davis has 6 home runs 19 RBI’S and currently owns a .350 batting average (BA). His strong play has gotten the Orioles to a (7-6) record.
4) Once R.A. Dickey was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays this past off-season it instantly focused all the attention for the N.Y. Mets towards their top pitching prospect Matt Harvey. The 2007 draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels made the jump to the bigs last season and finished with a (3-5) record over 10 games. This season he’s off to a tremendous start and is a big reason to why the NY Mets are playing well early into the season. Harvey has won his first three starts against (San Diego, Philadelphia and Minnesota), and is averaging 8 strikeouts per nine with a miniscule ERA of 0.85. At this rate Harvey looks as a CY Young candidate.
3) The John Farrell experience in Boston, is going a lot better early on then it ever did as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. It is hard to say that the 2013 Boston Red Sox are better then the 2011 and 2012 versions of the Blue Jays but it looks like Farrell is more instinctive with his new team, his "dream job". After opening the season with series wins against division rivals the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays (both on the road) they returned back home last week for their home opener. After dropping the series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox finished their first cycle in the AL East with a series sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox have used solid starting pitching to vault them to an (8-4) record, something they lacked the last two years.
2) In a division that has the dynamic duo of Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols in LA and the formidable Yu Darvish in Texas it’s Billy Beane’s Oakland Athletics in first place in the AL West after 2 weeks of the season at (11-4) . After dropping the first two game of the season the A’s went on a 9-game winning streak the featured series sweeps of Houston and Los Angeles (both on the road). The Athletics are showing that making the playoffs last year was no fluke. Coco Crisp is the catalyst at the top of the lineup with the young pitchers maturing over another full season.
1) The LA Dodgers prized free-agent Zack Greinke will be out for the foreseeable future with a broken collarbone after this mayhem occurred at Petco Park in San Diego…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/12/dodgers-padres-brawl-greinke-quentin-video_n_3066278.html
Carlos Quentin got really heated with Greinke after being hit, and charged the mound resulting in the injury. Baseball is not known for it’s brawls but every once in a while, the benches will clear, punches will be thrown and players will get fired up. Look at the Canada/Italy World Classic brawl a month ago that resulted in both teams landing some nasty punches. Greinke is the lone player to suffer anything severe from that play and Quentin has been suspended 8 games.
Games To Watch:
1) Kansas City Royals (7-6) @ Boston Red Sox (9-4)
- Friday to Sunday
- Hearts are heavy as people around the world are still reeling from the tragic events from the Boston Marathon.
- Should be a very emotional series at Fenway
2) Detroit Tigers (8-5) @ Los Angeles Angels (4-10)
- Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera come to town as the struggling Angels search for 1st series win
- Pujols and Hamilton need to step up in a big way for this team after all the money was dished out for them.
3) San Diego Padres (4-10) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (7-7) (04/17/13)
- Kershaw hits the mound in search for his 3rd win
- Teams meet again with the brawl fresh in their mind
Top 5 Storylines:
1) Dodgers/Padres brawl
2) Oakland Athletics leading the charge in AL West
3) Boston sweeps Tampa Bay
4) The Incredible Matt Harvey
5) Chris Davis continues his hot start to the season
5) Chris Davis was selected in the 5th round of the 2006 draft by the Texas Rangers. In 2011 he was traded from the Rangers to the Baltimore Orioles as part of a package deal and had his breakout season last year, with 33 home runs and 85 RBI’S. His 33 long bombs last year were more then he had in the last three years combined. This season he’s continued his hot streak and is off to the best start in his career. In 13 games Davis has 6 home runs 19 RBI’S and currently owns a .350 batting average (BA). His strong play has gotten the Orioles to a (7-6) record.
4) Once R.A. Dickey was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays this past off-season it instantly focused all the attention for the N.Y. Mets towards their top pitching prospect Matt Harvey. The 2007 draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels made the jump to the bigs last season and finished with a (3-5) record over 10 games. This season he’s off to a tremendous start and is a big reason to why the NY Mets are playing well early into the season. Harvey has won his first three starts against (San Diego, Philadelphia and Minnesota), and is averaging 8 strikeouts per nine with a miniscule ERA of 0.85. At this rate Harvey looks as a CY Young candidate.
3) The John Farrell experience in Boston, is going a lot better early on then it ever did as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. It is hard to say that the 2013 Boston Red Sox are better then the 2011 and 2012 versions of the Blue Jays but it looks like Farrell is more instinctive with his new team, his "dream job". After opening the season with series wins against division rivals the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays (both on the road) they returned back home last week for their home opener. After dropping the series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox finished their first cycle in the AL East with a series sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox have used solid starting pitching to vault them to an (8-4) record, something they lacked the last two years.
2) In a division that has the dynamic duo of Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols in LA and the formidable Yu Darvish in Texas it’s Billy Beane’s Oakland Athletics in first place in the AL West after 2 weeks of the season at (11-4) . After dropping the first two game of the season the A’s went on a 9-game winning streak the featured series sweeps of Houston and Los Angeles (both on the road). The Athletics are showing that making the playoffs last year was no fluke. Coco Crisp is the catalyst at the top of the lineup with the young pitchers maturing over another full season.
1) The LA Dodgers prized free-agent Zack Greinke will be out for the foreseeable future with a broken collarbone after this mayhem occurred at Petco Park in San Diego…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/12/dodgers-padres-brawl-greinke-quentin-video_n_3066278.html
Carlos Quentin got really heated with Greinke after being hit, and charged the mound resulting in the injury. Baseball is not known for it’s brawls but every once in a while, the benches will clear, punches will be thrown and players will get fired up. Look at the Canada/Italy World Classic brawl a month ago that resulted in both teams landing some nasty punches. Greinke is the lone player to suffer anything severe from that play and Quentin has been suspended 8 games.
Games To Watch:
1) Kansas City Royals (7-6) @ Boston Red Sox (9-4)
- Friday to Sunday
- Hearts are heavy as people around the world are still reeling from the tragic events from the Boston Marathon.
- Should be a very emotional series at Fenway
2) Detroit Tigers (8-5) @ Los Angeles Angels (4-10)
- Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera come to town as the struggling Angels search for 1st series win
- Pujols and Hamilton need to step up in a big way for this team after all the money was dished out for them.
3) San Diego Padres (4-10) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (7-7) (04/17/13)
- Kershaw hits the mound in search for his 3rd win
- Teams meet again with the brawl fresh in their mind
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Around The Bases #2
In a season which spans over 162 games it is too early to call teams serious contenders or pretenders after just six.
But this is what we do know after Opening Week:
Top 5 Storylines:
1) The Upton Brothers connect in Atlanta
2) 20-year old Bryce Harper is batting 3rd in the Nationals Lineup
3) Yu Darvish comes as close to perfection as you can
4) R.A. Dickey struggles inside the Rogers Centre
5) Josh Hamilton is really hated in Texas
5) Plain and Simple, Josh Hamilton followed the money this past fall. The former Texas Rangers outfielder signed a 5-year 125 million dollar contract with division rival Los Angeles Angels. Hamilton said he wanted to play with the likes of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and help the Angels win a World Series. That was after making it to the WS in two of the past three seasons with the Rangers. Hamilton struggled in the opening series against the Cincinnati Reds but what was even worse was his return to Texas later in the week. Not only was he booed (which he must have expected) but it got so bad that his wife had to call for security.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/04/06/josh-hamilton-wife-rangers-security-ballpark-in-arlington/2058899/
I know fans are passionate about their teams but sometimes fans will cross the line, and this case was evident of that. After the first week of the season the Angels have matched their record from last year after six games at (2-4).
4) R.A. Dickey is telling the fans not to worry because he is not worried. Baseball is a long season with ups and down, but no one could have for seen Dickey starting from the bottom and having to work his way up. After last year’s magical season that resulted in an NL CY Young with the NY Mets, Dickey was given the tag “Opening Day” starter for the Blue Jays. The first game was against the Cleveland Indians, a team that struggles to put up runs. On opening night the Tribe hit Dickey up for 4 runs over six innings. The Jays bats were silenced as they fell 4-1 and Dickey picked up the loss. Then for his second start last Sunday, this time against Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox, he was tagged for five runs in the first inning. His final stat line was 8 earned runs, 10 hits over four and two-thirds. The knuckleball looked flat but the 38-year old remains confident.
“I think you try to draw from some of the past experiences and know that a day like today is the anomaly, not the norm," Dickey said. "I've traditionally gotten off to pretty slow starts in the past. I'm not sure why, that's just the way it has been.”
3) The Houston Astros and their minor league lineup moved from the National League to the hard-hitting American League this season. A lot of experts predicted that a no-hitter or a perfect game will be thrown against the lowly Astros but no one said it would come during opening week. Well, Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers came within an out away of a perfect game, on just the second day of the season. He held the Astros bats at bay and struck out a career high 14 batters. Darvish was way over the 100 pitch mark by the ninth inning (usually spelling the end for a starting pitcher) but his manager Ron Washington could not pull him. That was until a man by the name of Marwin Gonzalez (the 9th batter in the Astros lineup) hit a single up the middle. After the hit, Darvish was shown smiling and laughing, before he got pulled from the game, probably because he realized how close he had come to perfection. After the game he remained optimistic, and with this guys talent, he will probably have more of these chances in the future.
"I think my teammates were more disappointed than I was, he said through a translator.”
2) My birthday is December. 13, 1992. Bryce Harper’s birthday is October.16,1992. We are both turning 21 years old and there is no question this guy is a phenom. Just take a look at his opening day performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd8PMRewLq0
Harper became the first 20-year old to hit a pair of home runs on opening day all while batting 3rd in the Washington Nationals line-up. The Las Vegas native is off to a great start in his first full season in the bigs. Through the first week he has 3 home runs, 5 RBI’s and is batting .360. If Harper stays healthy, he should be a candidate for the NL MVP. Right now he is on pace for an absurd 80 home runs. It is highly unlikely that will happen, but at this rate he should finish with over 30 home runs though. Not too shabby.
1) When Justin Upton joined his older brother B.J. in Atlanta, it instantaneously made the Braves a World Series contender. Upton has been a force with the Arizona Diamondbacks for years and brought the power the Braves have lacked. If the opening week is and indication of how the brothers season will pan out, then it should be exciting. Justin has 5 homeruns and 7 RBI’s while B.J. has just one of each but has stolen 3 bases. They also did this on April 6th…
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26078615&topic_id=11493214&c_id=mlb
Games to Watch:
The second week of the season has some intriguing games.
1) Oakland Athletics (5-2) @ Los Angels Angels (2-4)
- Tuesday to Thursday
- Last year’s AL West champs face Josh Hamilton and the Angels.
2) Atlanta Braves (6-1) @ Washington Nationals (4-2)
- Friday to Sunday
- These two teams should be battling all season for the NL East
3) Baltimore Orioles (3-4) @ New York Yankees (3-4)
- Friday to Sunday
- A rematch of last year’s AL Divisional Series
- O’s 1st baseman Chris Davis is off to an impressive start (4HR, 17RBI)
But this is what we do know after Opening Week:
Top 5 Storylines:
1) The Upton Brothers connect in Atlanta
2) 20-year old Bryce Harper is batting 3rd in the Nationals Lineup
3) Yu Darvish comes as close to perfection as you can
4) R.A. Dickey struggles inside the Rogers Centre
5) Josh Hamilton is really hated in Texas
5) Plain and Simple, Josh Hamilton followed the money this past fall. The former Texas Rangers outfielder signed a 5-year 125 million dollar contract with division rival Los Angeles Angels. Hamilton said he wanted to play with the likes of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and help the Angels win a World Series. That was after making it to the WS in two of the past three seasons with the Rangers. Hamilton struggled in the opening series against the Cincinnati Reds but what was even worse was his return to Texas later in the week. Not only was he booed (which he must have expected) but it got so bad that his wife had to call for security.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/04/06/josh-hamilton-wife-rangers-security-ballpark-in-arlington/2058899/
I know fans are passionate about their teams but sometimes fans will cross the line, and this case was evident of that. After the first week of the season the Angels have matched their record from last year after six games at (2-4).
4) R.A. Dickey is telling the fans not to worry because he is not worried. Baseball is a long season with ups and down, but no one could have for seen Dickey starting from the bottom and having to work his way up. After last year’s magical season that resulted in an NL CY Young with the NY Mets, Dickey was given the tag “Opening Day” starter for the Blue Jays. The first game was against the Cleveland Indians, a team that struggles to put up runs. On opening night the Tribe hit Dickey up for 4 runs over six innings. The Jays bats were silenced as they fell 4-1 and Dickey picked up the loss. Then for his second start last Sunday, this time against Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox, he was tagged for five runs in the first inning. His final stat line was 8 earned runs, 10 hits over four and two-thirds. The knuckleball looked flat but the 38-year old remains confident.
“I think you try to draw from some of the past experiences and know that a day like today is the anomaly, not the norm," Dickey said. "I've traditionally gotten off to pretty slow starts in the past. I'm not sure why, that's just the way it has been.”
3) The Houston Astros and their minor league lineup moved from the National League to the hard-hitting American League this season. A lot of experts predicted that a no-hitter or a perfect game will be thrown against the lowly Astros but no one said it would come during opening week. Well, Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers came within an out away of a perfect game, on just the second day of the season. He held the Astros bats at bay and struck out a career high 14 batters. Darvish was way over the 100 pitch mark by the ninth inning (usually spelling the end for a starting pitcher) but his manager Ron Washington could not pull him. That was until a man by the name of Marwin Gonzalez (the 9th batter in the Astros lineup) hit a single up the middle. After the hit, Darvish was shown smiling and laughing, before he got pulled from the game, probably because he realized how close he had come to perfection. After the game he remained optimistic, and with this guys talent, he will probably have more of these chances in the future.
"I think my teammates were more disappointed than I was, he said through a translator.”
2) My birthday is December. 13, 1992. Bryce Harper’s birthday is October.16,1992. We are both turning 21 years old and there is no question this guy is a phenom. Just take a look at his opening day performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd8PMRewLq0
Harper became the first 20-year old to hit a pair of home runs on opening day all while batting 3rd in the Washington Nationals line-up. The Las Vegas native is off to a great start in his first full season in the bigs. Through the first week he has 3 home runs, 5 RBI’s and is batting .360. If Harper stays healthy, he should be a candidate for the NL MVP. Right now he is on pace for an absurd 80 home runs. It is highly unlikely that will happen, but at this rate he should finish with over 30 home runs though. Not too shabby.
1) When Justin Upton joined his older brother B.J. in Atlanta, it instantaneously made the Braves a World Series contender. Upton has been a force with the Arizona Diamondbacks for years and brought the power the Braves have lacked. If the opening week is and indication of how the brothers season will pan out, then it should be exciting. Justin has 5 homeruns and 7 RBI’s while B.J. has just one of each but has stolen 3 bases. They also did this on April 6th…
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26078615&topic_id=11493214&c_id=mlb
Games to Watch:
The second week of the season has some intriguing games.
1) Oakland Athletics (5-2) @ Los Angels Angels (2-4)
- Tuesday to Thursday
- Last year’s AL West champs face Josh Hamilton and the Angels.
2) Atlanta Braves (6-1) @ Washington Nationals (4-2)
- Friday to Sunday
- These two teams should be battling all season for the NL East
3) Baltimore Orioles (3-4) @ New York Yankees (3-4)
- Friday to Sunday
- A rematch of last year’s AL Divisional Series
- O’s 1st baseman Chris Davis is off to an impressive start (4HR, 17RBI)
Monday, April 1, 2013
Around The Bases #1
Spring is upon us. The weather is getting warmer, the trees are in bloom and the MLB is back for another exciting season. Their were some major headlines over the break, so in case you missed it, this is what happened.
In the American League the Toronto Blue Jays blew up the trade front and acquired a team that closely resembles the team that won it in ’92, ironically it was the last year the Blue Jays made the post-season. The Red Sox got a new manager in John Farrell who came over in a very rare “manager-trade” from the aforementioned Jays. Josh Hamilton left the Texas Rangers and joined Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in Los Angeles. The Houston Astros moved from the National League to the American League. Justin Verlander signed a 7 year 180 million dollar deal making him the highest paid pitcher ever and those were just the major headlines from the American League.
In the National League Justin Upton joined his brother B.J. Upton after a trade brought him to Atlanta. Steven Stratsburg is back at 100 percent after being forced to sit out the playoffs. Reigning NL MVP Buster Posey signed a nine year 167 million dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants. The “other” LA team the Dodgers will have a full season with their new lineup showcasing Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.
For now here are my predictions for the 2013 campaign.
American League:
East:
(D) Toronto Blue Jays (95-67) – What Alex Anthopoulos did in the off-season really showed that this is the year for the Blue Jays to erupt on the scene and make the playoffs. Anything less then that would be considered a bust, especially when you consider the cast of players they brought in: Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, R.A. Dickey, Melky Cabrera, Emilio Bonafacio. Add in the fact that Jose Bautista looks fully recovered from the wrist injury that saw him miss most of the second half of the season.
(WC) Tampa Bay Rays (92-70) – Despite this team losing 2011 All-Star James Shields in a trade with the Kansas City Royals and B.J. Upton to the Braves they are filled with young players coming up including pitching prospects Alex Cobb and Matt Moore. Joe Maddon is one of the most undervalued Managers in the game, and year in and year out finds ways for his team to win a large amount of games.
New York Yankees (88-74) – The 2013 New York Yankees are not the same run of the mill Yankees that were World Series favourite every year for the last two decades. Injures have decimated a team that is already up on age. The greatest closer to ever play the game Mariano Rivera already announced his retirement at the end of the season. They picked up Vernon Wells in what looked like a desperate move by GM Brian Cashman. C.C Sabathia is still good for 19-20 wins.
Baltimore Orioles (85-78) - The Orioles used a magical run last season in which they won more 1-run and extra innings than anyone else in the league to make the playoffs. Adam Jones and Matt Wieters are a fearsome duo in the middle of the lineup but their lack of pitching should cost them dearly.
Boston Red Sox (81-81) – John Farrell may have moved to his dream job as the manager for the Red Sox but the team he came into is not that strong. In fact outside Dustin Pedroia they are lacking stars. Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury will need to rebound, and newly acquired Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster should not factor in to a team that will finish last in their division.
Player to watch: R.A. Dickey. Dickey’s knuckleball has seemed untouchable the last three years, we shall see what moving from the NL to the AL will mean for Dickey and if he can keep up his outstanding play.
Central:
(D) Detroit Tigers (92-70) – Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder and reigning AL MVP and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera. Enough said.
Cleveland Indians (84-78) – New manager Terry Francona will have his fingers all over the team and the acquisitions of Drew Stubbs and Michael Bourn make them deadly on the base paths. Pitching is still an issue with Ubaldo Jimanez needing a bounce back year.
Chicago White Sox (79-83) – Chris Sale is now the star pitcher on this team after one superb season. Paul Konerko remains a dominant force at 37.
Kansas City Royals (78-84) – Additions of James Shields and Ervin Santana make this a better rotation than in previous years. Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez are still a year away, but this team is on the rise.
Minnesota Twins (71-91) – Outside Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau (if he comes back and plays like he can) this team is the weakest in the entire American League.
Player to watch: Prince Fielder. It is going to be interesting to see how Prince Fielder reacts after his buddy Miguel Cabrera won MVP last year. In some people's minds Fielder had a “down-year” and still finished with 30 homeruns 108 RBI’s and batted over .300 for the first time in his career. Can the Tigers win 3 MVP’s in a row??
West:
(D) Los Angeles Angels (102-60) - The Angels have the most potent lineup in league with Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and newly acquired Josh Hamilton. The rotation really needs to step up.
(WC) Oakland Athletics (88-74) – The magic of money ball continues. Billy Beane yet again finds a way to build a winner on a low payroll. Young pitching is their key and their future.
Texas Rangers (86-76) – Losing Josh Hamilton will leave a gapping hole in the lineup. Yu Darvish has his 2nd year in the bigs. Will hitters start to figure him out like they did with Daisuke Matsuzaka?
Seattle Mariners (79-83) – Outside of Felix Hernandez and Jesus Montero this team has a whirlwind of problems.
Houston Astros (76-86) – Astros transition to the AL with DH should benefit to a better finish than in recent years.
Player to Watch: Is there any question that the player to watch is Mike Trout. Arguably the most excting player in the game!
National League:
East:
(D) Atlanta Braves (96-66)- The Braves had all the pitching in the world last year but when it came down to timely hitting they came up short. They have now added the Upton brothers for some power to join Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward. Their bullpen and rotation remain the strengths of this team.
(WC) Washington Nationals (93-69)- Steven Stratsburg and Bryce Harper have come up with a lot of expectations and so far they have exceeded everyones imagination. The addition of Rafael Soriano will help close games.
Philadelphia Phillies (82-80) - Roy Halladay looks to have missed the boat on a World Series with the Phillies. Cliff Lee and the Doc are getting up in age and with a lot of question marks regarding Ryan Howard, Michael Young and Chase Utley they will wind up watching the playoffs from their couches.
New York Mets (71-91) - Losing Dickey was a big subtraction for the team but they will continue to build around All-Star David Wright.
Miami Marlins (68-94) - The Marlins traded their best players to the Jays. All that remains is the hard hitting Giancarlo Stanton. Who is unhappy to be part of the team.
Player to watch: Steven Stratsurg. A lot of people are talking about CY Young for the hard throwing righty.
Central:
(D) Cincannati Reds (88-74) - Joey Votto and Aroldis Chapman are the keys to this team that is filled with depth up and down their roster.
St. Louis Cardinals (85-77) - The Cardinals always find ways to win, with guys like David Freese and Alan Craig stepping up in leadership positions. The loss of Chris Carpenter and Kyle Loshe are huge.
Pittsburgh Pirates (83-79) - Andrew McCutchen is becoming a bright star in the game but his team struggles rely mostly on the mound. Should finish over .500 for first time in over two decades.
Milwaukee Brewers (77-85) - Ryan Braun is the only bright side to this team.
Chicago Cubs (70-92) - Rebuild. Rebuild. Rebuild.
Player to watch: Andrew McCutchen. The ceiling for this player is huge and keeps expanding each year.
West:
(D) San Francisco Giants (95-67) - Pitching is the key for this team that does not score a ton of runs but they do score a lot of timely runs.
(WC) Los Angeles Dodgers (89-73) - Magic Johnson has build a contender with Grienke, Kershaw, Kemp leading the charge.
Colarado Rockies (80-82) - Josh Rutledge is an up and coming star for this team that is still a few years away from competing.
Arizona Diamondbacks (78-85) - Just doesn't match up to the Dodgers and Giants, will have a down year with the loss of Upton hurting them big.
San Diego Padres (75-87) - Another team on the rise, just a few years away.
Player to watch: Matt Kemp. Kemp has shown his abilities of a 30/30 campaign and possibly reaching 40 in both. Health will be the key for him.
AL MVP: Mike Trout (LAA)
NL MVP: Justin Upton (ATL)
AL CY YOUNG: R.A. Dickey (TOR)
NL CY YOUNG: Steven Stratsburg (WSH)
WORLD SERIES: Los Angeles Angels over Washington Nationals
In the American League the Toronto Blue Jays blew up the trade front and acquired a team that closely resembles the team that won it in ’92, ironically it was the last year the Blue Jays made the post-season. The Red Sox got a new manager in John Farrell who came over in a very rare “manager-trade” from the aforementioned Jays. Josh Hamilton left the Texas Rangers and joined Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in Los Angeles. The Houston Astros moved from the National League to the American League. Justin Verlander signed a 7 year 180 million dollar deal making him the highest paid pitcher ever and those were just the major headlines from the American League.
In the National League Justin Upton joined his brother B.J. Upton after a trade brought him to Atlanta. Steven Stratsburg is back at 100 percent after being forced to sit out the playoffs. Reigning NL MVP Buster Posey signed a nine year 167 million dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants. The “other” LA team the Dodgers will have a full season with their new lineup showcasing Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.
For now here are my predictions for the 2013 campaign.
American League:
East:
(D) Toronto Blue Jays (95-67) – What Alex Anthopoulos did in the off-season really showed that this is the year for the Blue Jays to erupt on the scene and make the playoffs. Anything less then that would be considered a bust, especially when you consider the cast of players they brought in: Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, R.A. Dickey, Melky Cabrera, Emilio Bonafacio. Add in the fact that Jose Bautista looks fully recovered from the wrist injury that saw him miss most of the second half of the season.
(WC) Tampa Bay Rays (92-70) – Despite this team losing 2011 All-Star James Shields in a trade with the Kansas City Royals and B.J. Upton to the Braves they are filled with young players coming up including pitching prospects Alex Cobb and Matt Moore. Joe Maddon is one of the most undervalued Managers in the game, and year in and year out finds ways for his team to win a large amount of games.
New York Yankees (88-74) – The 2013 New York Yankees are not the same run of the mill Yankees that were World Series favourite every year for the last two decades. Injures have decimated a team that is already up on age. The greatest closer to ever play the game Mariano Rivera already announced his retirement at the end of the season. They picked up Vernon Wells in what looked like a desperate move by GM Brian Cashman. C.C Sabathia is still good for 19-20 wins.
Baltimore Orioles (85-78) - The Orioles used a magical run last season in which they won more 1-run and extra innings than anyone else in the league to make the playoffs. Adam Jones and Matt Wieters are a fearsome duo in the middle of the lineup but their lack of pitching should cost them dearly.
Boston Red Sox (81-81) – John Farrell may have moved to his dream job as the manager for the Red Sox but the team he came into is not that strong. In fact outside Dustin Pedroia they are lacking stars. Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury will need to rebound, and newly acquired Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster should not factor in to a team that will finish last in their division.
Player to watch: R.A. Dickey. Dickey’s knuckleball has seemed untouchable the last three years, we shall see what moving from the NL to the AL will mean for Dickey and if he can keep up his outstanding play.
Central:
(D) Detroit Tigers (92-70) – Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder and reigning AL MVP and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera. Enough said.
Cleveland Indians (84-78) – New manager Terry Francona will have his fingers all over the team and the acquisitions of Drew Stubbs and Michael Bourn make them deadly on the base paths. Pitching is still an issue with Ubaldo Jimanez needing a bounce back year.
Chicago White Sox (79-83) – Chris Sale is now the star pitcher on this team after one superb season. Paul Konerko remains a dominant force at 37.
Kansas City Royals (78-84) – Additions of James Shields and Ervin Santana make this a better rotation than in previous years. Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez are still a year away, but this team is on the rise.
Minnesota Twins (71-91) – Outside Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau (if he comes back and plays like he can) this team is the weakest in the entire American League.
Player to watch: Prince Fielder. It is going to be interesting to see how Prince Fielder reacts after his buddy Miguel Cabrera won MVP last year. In some people's minds Fielder had a “down-year” and still finished with 30 homeruns 108 RBI’s and batted over .300 for the first time in his career. Can the Tigers win 3 MVP’s in a row??
West:
(D) Los Angeles Angels (102-60) - The Angels have the most potent lineup in league with Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and newly acquired Josh Hamilton. The rotation really needs to step up.
(WC) Oakland Athletics (88-74) – The magic of money ball continues. Billy Beane yet again finds a way to build a winner on a low payroll. Young pitching is their key and their future.
Texas Rangers (86-76) – Losing Josh Hamilton will leave a gapping hole in the lineup. Yu Darvish has his 2nd year in the bigs. Will hitters start to figure him out like they did with Daisuke Matsuzaka?
Seattle Mariners (79-83) – Outside of Felix Hernandez and Jesus Montero this team has a whirlwind of problems.
Houston Astros (76-86) – Astros transition to the AL with DH should benefit to a better finish than in recent years.
Player to Watch: Is there any question that the player to watch is Mike Trout. Arguably the most excting player in the game!
National League:
East:
(D) Atlanta Braves (96-66)- The Braves had all the pitching in the world last year but when it came down to timely hitting they came up short. They have now added the Upton brothers for some power to join Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward. Their bullpen and rotation remain the strengths of this team.
(WC) Washington Nationals (93-69)- Steven Stratsburg and Bryce Harper have come up with a lot of expectations and so far they have exceeded everyones imagination. The addition of Rafael Soriano will help close games.
Philadelphia Phillies (82-80) - Roy Halladay looks to have missed the boat on a World Series with the Phillies. Cliff Lee and the Doc are getting up in age and with a lot of question marks regarding Ryan Howard, Michael Young and Chase Utley they will wind up watching the playoffs from their couches.
New York Mets (71-91) - Losing Dickey was a big subtraction for the team but they will continue to build around All-Star David Wright.
Miami Marlins (68-94) - The Marlins traded their best players to the Jays. All that remains is the hard hitting Giancarlo Stanton. Who is unhappy to be part of the team.
Player to watch: Steven Stratsurg. A lot of people are talking about CY Young for the hard throwing righty.
Central:
(D) Cincannati Reds (88-74) - Joey Votto and Aroldis Chapman are the keys to this team that is filled with depth up and down their roster.
St. Louis Cardinals (85-77) - The Cardinals always find ways to win, with guys like David Freese and Alan Craig stepping up in leadership positions. The loss of Chris Carpenter and Kyle Loshe are huge.
Pittsburgh Pirates (83-79) - Andrew McCutchen is becoming a bright star in the game but his team struggles rely mostly on the mound. Should finish over .500 for first time in over two decades.
Milwaukee Brewers (77-85) - Ryan Braun is the only bright side to this team.
Chicago Cubs (70-92) - Rebuild. Rebuild. Rebuild.
Player to watch: Andrew McCutchen. The ceiling for this player is huge and keeps expanding each year.
West:
(D) San Francisco Giants (95-67) - Pitching is the key for this team that does not score a ton of runs but they do score a lot of timely runs.
(WC) Los Angeles Dodgers (89-73) - Magic Johnson has build a contender with Grienke, Kershaw, Kemp leading the charge.
Colarado Rockies (80-82) - Josh Rutledge is an up and coming star for this team that is still a few years away from competing.
Arizona Diamondbacks (78-85) - Just doesn't match up to the Dodgers and Giants, will have a down year with the loss of Upton hurting them big.
San Diego Padres (75-87) - Another team on the rise, just a few years away.
Player to watch: Matt Kemp. Kemp has shown his abilities of a 30/30 campaign and possibly reaching 40 in both. Health will be the key for him.
AL MVP: Mike Trout (LAA)
NL MVP: Justin Upton (ATL)
AL CY YOUNG: R.A. Dickey (TOR)
NL CY YOUNG: Steven Stratsburg (WSH)
WORLD SERIES: Los Angeles Angels over Washington Nationals
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Four Downs: SUPER BOWL SUNDAY
Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers (-4) Sun. Feb. 3 6:30 (CBS)
While the Four Downs segment may be coming to an end (until September) it will not go without a classic Defense vs. Defense Super Bowl breakdown. This is the first time in a decade that the Super Bowl will not be played by a Manning, Rodgers, Brady or Roethlisberger. Instead it will be Joe Flacco’s Baltimore Ravens against Colin Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers (my SB pick). There are so many storylines with the Harbaugh brothers sticking out like a sore thumb, but it goes beyond that. Jim’s eldest son Jay is a coach on the Ravens. Can you imagine the next time they sit at the dinner table and Jay is wearing a ring and his dad Jim has to look at it every time. I would not want to be living in that household if that happened. If Jim wins then I think Jay could deal with it a lot better. All kidding aside it seems that after the joint press conference, first time in NFL history that both coaches had a joint press conference that both brothers truly care for each other, and regardless who wins the other will be happy for him…sort of. Here are the breakdowns of what I believe are the four most crucial matchups heading into Super Sunday.
First Down: Joe Falcco vs. Colin Kaepernick
One does it with his arm, the other does it with both his arm and his legs. Joe Flacco has finally reached the pinnacle of his career (and right before a new contract too) and Colin Kaepernick has been the wildcard since he stepped in on week 11 and beat the Chicago Bears handedly. Since then Kaepernick has been nearly flawless especially in the playoffs where he torched the Packers defense on the ground and then came back from 17 down in the second half to beat the Atlanta Falcons on the road. However, as impressive as that might be Flacco’s path to the Super Bowl was a statement made to the entire NFL. Flacco beat Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. In all the games it was clear that Flacco was the better quarterback and has yet to throw an interception all playoffs. The key’s to both being successful will rely on how much time their offensive lines can give them. If Flacco has time he can throw a deep ball to either Torrey Smith or Anquan Boldin. For Kaepernick it is a little more tricky because he can decide to take off and break a 50-yard run. Both quarterbacks have trusty receivers. For Baltimore Anquan Boldin has been on this stage before and Torrey Smith has been solid. The 49ers have the combination of the young Michael Crabtree and old Randy Moss.
Edge: 49ers
Second Down: Ray Lewis vs. Patrick Willis
This matchup I find the most intriguing. Who will have a bigger impact? One of the best linebacker’s to ever play the game? Or the guy that will assume the roll as best linebacker in the game next year? Patrick Willis is a young Ray Lewis but Ray Lewis is Ray Lewis. Both men bring the intensity every game, every play and on the biggest stage it should be fun to watch. Lewis has been a beast throughout the playoffs leading the team in tackles every game. Willis has led his team in tackles as well in both playoff games but it’s Lewis who has played the more inspiring football. While the two men are the headliners on defense the supporting cast will have to do their part. For the Ravens and 49ers their safeties of Ed Reed and Benard Pollard and Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner are the best in the game, so they cancel out. Kaepernick will have to be sharp with his decisions because if he decides to throw deep, there is a good chance that Reed will be waiting there and if he decides to run he better be smart, because this guy Pollard hits really hard. On the outside Terrell Suggs and Aldon Smith will be counted on to get the opposing quarterbacks and Haloti Ngata and Justin Smith will be tasked to stop the run.
Edge: Ravens
Third Down: Ray Rice vs. Frank Gore
Ray Rice and Frank Gore are both respected running backs in the NFL who finished with 1,000 + yards this year on the ground. For Gore, he is more of a threat in the pistol offense, even if it has been a change for him from the I-Form formation. Gore is given more holes because teams are too worried about Kaepernick running, shown by the Flacons in NFC Championship game. Rice works out of the generic I-Form formation and his 4th and 30 yard performance (Best Play of the Year Awarded last night) shows exactly what he can do. He’s pound for pound able to go with every guy in the game and is an excellent blocker like Gore is in the passing game as well. Both Backup running backs Bernard Pierce and LaMichael James should also play a factor.
Edge: 49ers
Fourth Down: Jim vs. Jon Harbaugh
Cut from the same cloth and born from the same mom as well Jon and Jim Harbaugh will be the first brothers to oppose one another in a championship game in NFL,NBA and MLB history. Both men have done extraordinary jobs with their teams to get them to this point. Every one points at Jim for being the better one, because of his move from Smith to Kaepernick. However Jim is a play-caller where Jon is not. I think in that case of big calls where it’s 4th and 2 and they decide to go for it both men will be risky and gamble at times but Jim’s play calling may suffer if a big play does not go his way. It didn’t seem to rattle him in the comeback win despite his emotions on the sidelines but in a game of this magnitude it will be up to who can keep their emotions in check. Jon has been the calming influence on the sideline and a good manager of the game.
Edge: Even
Prediction: Overall, these teams are almost mirror images of each other. Even though they met last year it’s clear that both teams have changed a lot. The Ravens are more of a threat on offense and Colin Kaepernick is in for Alex Smith. I do not think this will be a high scoring game because of how well the defenses have played to this point but there is a possibility that it becomes a shootout and in which case it will be which team can make the timely stop. I think the 49ers are built to be here for a while, but the Ravens have this one-year. I have said they are a “Team of Destiny” and the best way to show Ray off is with a Super Bowl win.
Baltimore Ravens 20 – San Francisco 49ers 17
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Four Downs: The Road to the Super Bowl (Conference Championships)
From eight we are now down to four, with last week’s divisional games arguably some of the best you will ever see in your life. Baltimore stunned Peyton Manning and the Broncos, Colin Kapernick had his coming out party, the Falcons won their first playoff game in years…..barely and Tom Brady is still the best. Here is a thorough breakdown of the two championship games
First Down: San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons Jan. 20 3pm (FOX)
Colin Kapernick has made Jim Harbaugh look like a genius. Jim Harbaugh has made Colin Kapernick look like a genius. After an early interception that resulted in a pick-six, Kapernick responded by breaking the rushing record for most yards by a QB in a playoff game. Kapernick had 4 total touchdowns (2 Rush) and looked in complete control after the interception. Aaron Rodgers was left hapless with his defense unable to get Kapernick off the field and the same should happen on Sunday. Atlanta barely came away with a win against the Seattle Seahawks after a 20-0 lead going into half. The Falcons will have the crowd behind them but the 49ers defense will be just too much for Matt Ryan to handle. The Seahawks were unable to get any pressure to Ryan but Aldon and Justin Smith will change that and Navvaro Bowman and Patrick Willis can cover Tony Gonzalez perfectly.
49ers 35- Falcons 17
Second Down: Key Mathcup- Matt Ryan vs. Patrick Willis and 49ers defense
Albeit the 49ers were playing at home where the defense looks 10 times faster, in reality their defense is actually that fast. Ryan was not sacked once in the game against the Seahawks and was still picked off twice. With the 49ers ability to stop the run the Falcons will be forced to be a pass first team. It will be a classic matchup between defense and offense.
Third Down: Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots Jan.20 630pm (CBS)
There is nothing scarier then a team of “destiny” and no I’m not talking about Tom Brady's Patriots. The Baltimore Ravens have played extremely hard since their fearless leader Ray Lewis said he would retire at the end of the season. After an easy win against Andrew Luck and the Colts, the Ravens took part in one of the best games I have ever seen. Joe Flacco looked like a premiere quarterback outdueling Peyton Manning in a double overtime win. The Ravens defense battled and battled and managed to force Manning into three turnovers. Now they find themselves in the exact same position as last year, with a better kicker and better receivers. Lewis and the defense know Tom Brady very well, and had it not been for a dropped touchdown catch and a missed field goal the Ravens would have been in the Superbowl LAST YEAR. This will be another epic battle between two of the greats but with destiny on their side I’ll take Ray Lewis and the Ravens to win. One last shot for Lewis to win another Super Bowl and go out in fashion.
Ravens 31- Patriots 28
Fourth Down: Key Matchup- Ray Lewis vs. Tom Brady
You can make an argument for either guy to have the upper edge. Brady has been cruising even without Rob Gronkowski while Lewis has the entire team playing for him. The Ravens begin and end with Ray Lewis, and his team is giving him every reason to keep going. In last week’s double overtime craziness Lewis had 17 combined tackles, giving him 30+ tackles in 2 payoff games. Brady never seems to skip a beat even with Rob Gronkowski out of the lineup. The Final Act between Brady and Lewis should be one to remember.
Bold Prediction: Ray Rice has 150+ yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.
It should be another great weekend of football as we gear up for the Super Bowl on February 3rd. There are many possible storylines but I think the most intriguing one would be a battle between the Harbaugh Brothers dubbed a "Harbaugh Bowl". Defense vs. Defense. There is nothing better then some hard hitting football, playing for the most prized trophy.
First Down: San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons Jan. 20 3pm (FOX)
Colin Kapernick has made Jim Harbaugh look like a genius. Jim Harbaugh has made Colin Kapernick look like a genius. After an early interception that resulted in a pick-six, Kapernick responded by breaking the rushing record for most yards by a QB in a playoff game. Kapernick had 4 total touchdowns (2 Rush) and looked in complete control after the interception. Aaron Rodgers was left hapless with his defense unable to get Kapernick off the field and the same should happen on Sunday. Atlanta barely came away with a win against the Seattle Seahawks after a 20-0 lead going into half. The Falcons will have the crowd behind them but the 49ers defense will be just too much for Matt Ryan to handle. The Seahawks were unable to get any pressure to Ryan but Aldon and Justin Smith will change that and Navvaro Bowman and Patrick Willis can cover Tony Gonzalez perfectly.
49ers 35- Falcons 17
Second Down: Key Mathcup- Matt Ryan vs. Patrick Willis and 49ers defense
Albeit the 49ers were playing at home where the defense looks 10 times faster, in reality their defense is actually that fast. Ryan was not sacked once in the game against the Seahawks and was still picked off twice. With the 49ers ability to stop the run the Falcons will be forced to be a pass first team. It will be a classic matchup between defense and offense.
Third Down: Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots Jan.20 630pm (CBS)
There is nothing scarier then a team of “destiny” and no I’m not talking about Tom Brady's Patriots. The Baltimore Ravens have played extremely hard since their fearless leader Ray Lewis said he would retire at the end of the season. After an easy win against Andrew Luck and the Colts, the Ravens took part in one of the best games I have ever seen. Joe Flacco looked like a premiere quarterback outdueling Peyton Manning in a double overtime win. The Ravens defense battled and battled and managed to force Manning into three turnovers. Now they find themselves in the exact same position as last year, with a better kicker and better receivers. Lewis and the defense know Tom Brady very well, and had it not been for a dropped touchdown catch and a missed field goal the Ravens would have been in the Superbowl LAST YEAR. This will be another epic battle between two of the greats but with destiny on their side I’ll take Ray Lewis and the Ravens to win. One last shot for Lewis to win another Super Bowl and go out in fashion.
Ravens 31- Patriots 28
Fourth Down: Key Matchup- Ray Lewis vs. Tom Brady
You can make an argument for either guy to have the upper edge. Brady has been cruising even without Rob Gronkowski while Lewis has the entire team playing for him. The Ravens begin and end with Ray Lewis, and his team is giving him every reason to keep going. In last week’s double overtime craziness Lewis had 17 combined tackles, giving him 30+ tackles in 2 payoff games. Brady never seems to skip a beat even with Rob Gronkowski out of the lineup. The Final Act between Brady and Lewis should be one to remember.
Bold Prediction: Ray Rice has 150+ yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.
It should be another great weekend of football as we gear up for the Super Bowl on February 3rd. There are many possible storylines but I think the most intriguing one would be a battle between the Harbaugh Brothers dubbed a "Harbaugh Bowl". Defense vs. Defense. There is nothing better then some hard hitting football, playing for the most prized trophy.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
PREMIUM RUSH
In a shortened 48-game season nothing is certain. Teams that may usually fade over an 82 game season, have the chance to jump out to a hot start and surprise while an early cold streak may be the difference in teams making or not making the playoffs. Here are the 5 things to look for in the 2013 Season:
5. Jordan and Eric Staal
Very rarely do you see siblings in the NHL that both have a Stanley Cup ring and play for the same team. The Carolina Hurricanes snatched Jordan Staal from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade on June 22nd. Jordan’s addition places 3 of the 4 Staal brothers’ in the Hurricanes organization (Eric, Jordan and Jarred). Only time will tell if Eric and Jordan can find the same sort of magic that Henrik and Daniel Sedin have in Vancouver, but I am sure all those years of playing hockey in their backyard will help.
4. Steven Stamkos
The kid from Markham Ontario was the NHL’s lone 60-goal scorer last year and the first since Alex Ovechkin achieved the feet in 2008. In a shortened season it will be interesting to see if Stamkos can score a goal per game and reach the 50-goal mark plateau. If Stamkos can put 50 goals on the board in a 48 game season and he can, it will be as impressive as when Wayne Gretzky scored 50 goals in 49 games in 1984.
3. Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division has become the toughest division in the NHL with the Rangers, Flyers, Penguins and Devils all in to win it. The Rangers have arguably the best 1st line in the league with Marion Gaborik, Brad Richards and newly acquired Rick Nash. The Flyers, have Claude Giroux and a solid young core, the Devils have Martin Brodeur while the Penguins have superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. All the four teams on paper should make the playoffs but which team stands out the most, will be something to watch out for.
2. Sidney Crosby
The Atlantic Division is home to the best player in the game and the face of the league. Sidney Crosby has been vocal over the lockout about the return of a season and now that the season is back, Crosby has assured everyone that he is concussion free and feels 100 %. That is great news for Sid the Kid, but bad news for the rest of the league. Crosby came back last year and played just 22 games but managed 37 points, all being done while he was not at full health. Now that he is at full health, and has had all this time to rest, Crosby should be at his best and the league’s MVP.
1. Playoff Push
There is a saying that goes: “Life is a marathon, NOT a sprint.” Well referring to this shortened NHL season, I would flip the saying and say that this season is an absolute SPRINT. From game one, every point, every shootout loss will be huge as teams will only play within their conference. Nothing’s more exciting in sports then following a playoff push, especially when it is right from the get go.
Anyway you slice it hockey is back and this season should have all the action and excitement that it is had in years past, just this time it’s on a shorter scale.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Four Downs: The Road to the Super Bowl (Divisional Weekend)
Last week three of the four home teams won and I went 3 for 4 in my picks. The Wild-card weekend did not really live up to the hype of previous years. Houston won a boring game against Cincannati, Green Bay trounced the Vikings, Ravens smothered the Colts while RGIII was not 100% and lost it for the Redskins. This week we are in the Divisional Rounds, with Denver, New England, Atlanta and San Francisco all come off their bye weeks. Here's a look at the 4 Divisional games.
First Down: Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos Jan 12 4:30pm (FOX)
Last week Ray Lewis and company did not disappoint in a 24-9 win. Lewis had a team high 9 tackles while nearly intercepting a pass. His defense did not allow a single touchdown and kept Andrew Luck and the offense in check. Their offense was no slouch either, with Bernard Pierce and Ray Rice combining for 170 yards on the ground and Anquan Boldin's 5 catches for 145 yards, all in the second half. However, this is not the Colts defense and this is not in Baltimore. Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil will cause constant havoc for Joe Flacco who will need to squeeze everything out of Ray Rice as he can. This week the Ravens travel to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos. While the players around Manning has changed, he has not, and it will be interesting to see how he fairs in the cold Denver weather. Manning and Lewis will meet for the final time with both knowing the other very well. I think the advantage goes to Baltimore because as good as Demeryius Thomas and Eric Decker are they are not Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. Also last time these two met the Broncos blew out the Ravens by running the ball, which will NOT be the case this week, Lewis will make sure of that. However, if Joe Flacco has one of those days and throws 5 interceptions Lewis's play won't matter.
Final Score: Ravens 31 Broncos 28
Second Down: Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers Jan 12 8:00pm (CBS)
Another team that is looking to avenge an earlier loss in the season is the Greenbay Packers. The Pack lost in week 1 to the 49ers who were led then by an Alex Smith quarterbacked team. Smith has since been moved to the bench and Colin Kapernick has emerged. The bright lights might be too big for the kid out of Nevada who will make his playoff debut. Kapernick has shown great signs this year but he will have to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers and company. DT Justin Smith is coming back at half speed after a torn tricep. While Aldon Smith, Navvaro Bowman and Patrick Willis will have to keep Rodgers under pressure to have any chance. The 49ers will look to run the ball a good amount and if Kapernick can't get away it'll be a great day for Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson. At the end of the day you always go with the better quarterback, who no doubtly will look to show up the team that snubbed him the draft years ago.
Packers 24 49ers 17
Third Down: Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons Jan 13 1:00pm (FOX)
In what I believe is the most intriguing game of the week the under-the-radar high flying Seattle Seahawks face a team who has everything to prove. Atlanta won the NFC and clinched 1st overall, but that means nothing to everyone outside of Georgia. The Falcons lost to New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa Bay (at home) and their offense has struggled as of late. Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez will have to step up but the X-Factor will be Jacquizz Rodgers and his ability to convert 3rd downs. Seattle has the number one scoring defense which is a scary stat on paper and their ability to run the ball well with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson gives them the edge in my mind. Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner will play "contract-making games" as they neutralize the Falcons pass offense.
Seahawks 28 Falcons 21
Fourth Down: Houston Texans @ New England Patriots Jan 13 4:30 (CBS)
The final game of the weekend is a rematch between the Texans and the Patriots. Last week Houston struggled to get anything going on offense at home, and on the road in Foxborough in the playoffs is nearly impossible for opponents to play in. However, due to mother nature we should not be accustomed to the snow and flurries at Foxborough as they are expecting clear skies and +15 weathers. Tom Brady has his buddy Rob Gronkowski who is almost unguardable. The Texans hope to keep it close and have a chance at the end and not go down 21-0 early in the first like last time. In the end the Patriots are the better team and it will be a huge shock if the Texans defense is able to stop him. I don't think that will be the case as New England will win.
Patriots 35 Texans 21
Bold Prediction: Rob Gronkowski has 3 touchdowns and over 200+ yards receiving.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Baltimore @ New England
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME #FAILMARY
Seattle @ Green Bay
First Down: Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos Jan 12 4:30pm (FOX)
Last week Ray Lewis and company did not disappoint in a 24-9 win. Lewis had a team high 9 tackles while nearly intercepting a pass. His defense did not allow a single touchdown and kept Andrew Luck and the offense in check. Their offense was no slouch either, with Bernard Pierce and Ray Rice combining for 170 yards on the ground and Anquan Boldin's 5 catches for 145 yards, all in the second half. However, this is not the Colts defense and this is not in Baltimore. Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil will cause constant havoc for Joe Flacco who will need to squeeze everything out of Ray Rice as he can. This week the Ravens travel to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos. While the players around Manning has changed, he has not, and it will be interesting to see how he fairs in the cold Denver weather. Manning and Lewis will meet for the final time with both knowing the other very well. I think the advantage goes to Baltimore because as good as Demeryius Thomas and Eric Decker are they are not Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. Also last time these two met the Broncos blew out the Ravens by running the ball, which will NOT be the case this week, Lewis will make sure of that. However, if Joe Flacco has one of those days and throws 5 interceptions Lewis's play won't matter.
Final Score: Ravens 31 Broncos 28
Second Down: Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers Jan 12 8:00pm (CBS)
Another team that is looking to avenge an earlier loss in the season is the Greenbay Packers. The Pack lost in week 1 to the 49ers who were led then by an Alex Smith quarterbacked team. Smith has since been moved to the bench and Colin Kapernick has emerged. The bright lights might be too big for the kid out of Nevada who will make his playoff debut. Kapernick has shown great signs this year but he will have to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers and company. DT Justin Smith is coming back at half speed after a torn tricep. While Aldon Smith, Navvaro Bowman and Patrick Willis will have to keep Rodgers under pressure to have any chance. The 49ers will look to run the ball a good amount and if Kapernick can't get away it'll be a great day for Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson. At the end of the day you always go with the better quarterback, who no doubtly will look to show up the team that snubbed him the draft years ago.
Packers 24 49ers 17
Third Down: Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons Jan 13 1:00pm (FOX)
In what I believe is the most intriguing game of the week the under-the-radar high flying Seattle Seahawks face a team who has everything to prove. Atlanta won the NFC and clinched 1st overall, but that means nothing to everyone outside of Georgia. The Falcons lost to New Orleans, Carolina and Tampa Bay (at home) and their offense has struggled as of late. Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez will have to step up but the X-Factor will be Jacquizz Rodgers and his ability to convert 3rd downs. Seattle has the number one scoring defense which is a scary stat on paper and their ability to run the ball well with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson gives them the edge in my mind. Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner will play "contract-making games" as they neutralize the Falcons pass offense.
Seahawks 28 Falcons 21
Fourth Down: Houston Texans @ New England Patriots Jan 13 4:30 (CBS)
The final game of the weekend is a rematch between the Texans and the Patriots. Last week Houston struggled to get anything going on offense at home, and on the road in Foxborough in the playoffs is nearly impossible for opponents to play in. However, due to mother nature we should not be accustomed to the snow and flurries at Foxborough as they are expecting clear skies and +15 weathers. Tom Brady has his buddy Rob Gronkowski who is almost unguardable. The Texans hope to keep it close and have a chance at the end and not go down 21-0 early in the first like last time. In the end the Patriots are the better team and it will be a huge shock if the Texans defense is able to stop him. I don't think that will be the case as New England will win.
Patriots 35 Texans 21
Bold Prediction: Rob Gronkowski has 3 touchdowns and over 200+ yards receiving.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Baltimore @ New England
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME #FAILMARY
Seattle @ Green Bay
Friday, January 4, 2013
Four Downs: The Road to the Super Bowl
We have finally reached the playoffs after another grueling, exciting, injury-plagued season. We went from 32 teams down to the final 12, with the top 4 seeds (Denver, New England, Atlanta and San Francisco) all having byes. Here’s a look at the 4 Wild-Card Weekend Games.
First Down: Cincannati Bengals @ Houston Texans Jan 5 4:30 (NBC)
The game that will start the weekend off is the exact game that started us off last year. The Bengals and Texans met last year in the playoffs and a guy by the name of T.J. Yates led Houston that day to a win. Tomorrow it will be Matt Schaub who for most part of the season was not only leading his team to number 1 in the AFC but also legitimizing himself as a premiere quarterback. However, 3 losses in their last 4 games has costed them a bye week and has put the pressure back on Matt Schaub. The Texans lost two tough road games against New England and Indianapolis while they were shutout at home by the Minnesota Vikings in week 16, their final home game of the season. The Bengals will no doubt try to follow what the Vikings did, but they will have to neutralize “J.J Swatt and Co.” Andy Dalton has been good but not consistent. They lost four and then won four in a row but since a home loss to the Cowboys in week 14 the Bengals have played dominant defense in 3 wins against (Philly, Pitt and Baltimore). Geno Atkins will have to get to Schaub and shutdown the play-action game with Arian Foster. Last year was a blowout (31-10) and I don’t think that will be the case this year. All games this weekend should be close but this will be the highest margin of victory.
FINAL SCORE: Texans 31 Bengals 21
Second Down: Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers Jan. 5 8:00 (NBC)
Very rarely do you see two teams in the NFL face each other three times in a season including in back-to-back weeks. However, since the NFL adopted the new change in the schedule a few years ago that week 17 will be all division games, we should expect these rivalries more on in the playoffs. Nothing says rivalry like a good Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings football game. Gone are the days of Favre; on both teams and now the new wave of talent led by Aaron Rodgers and my vote for MVP Adrian "AD" Peterson have stepped in and have made their mark. The reigning MVP Rodgers did not have a terrible season, but by no means was it an MVP season. Yet with a defense that somehow manages to make a play at key moment and an offense that can score at will the Pack are in every game. Especially when it comes against the Vikings. Both the meetings this season were close including week’s 17 epic game that saw the Vikings win on a last second FG and get into the playoffs. The Packers haven’t been able to stop AD in either game as he’s averaging two touchdowns and 200 yards on the ground. For the Vikings their defense has been superb during a 4 game win streak. Road wins against St.Louis and Houston on the road show that they Vikings can stay in games with their defense and Peterson on the road. If Peterson has an awful game their’s no chance they win but with the Lambeau weather and the strong foot of Blair Walsh, I am leaning towards the Vikings.
FINAL SCORE: Vikings 27 Packers 24 (Blair Walsh wins it again on a FG)
Third Down: Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens Jan.6 1:00 (FOX)
It’s arguably the game of the week with the story of the year (Colts) against one of the greatest to ever play the game (Ray Lewis). There are so many storylines from Chuck Pagano returning not only from Leukemia but now against his former team the Baltimore Ravens. Bruce Arians’s name has been swirling around in Head Coaching jobs. Ray Lewis said this past week it’s his final year and will retire. Andrew Luck has led a squad of rookies to an unprecedented 11 win season and the Ravens know they have probably one last shot at this with the core they have. Let’s start with the Colts who after already clinching the number 5 seed played their butts off against a Houston team desperate for a bye and a win. Pagano's return energized the players and the crowd and made it nearly impossible for the Texans to hear anything. However, with Ray Lewis back and on the other side lines Andrew Luck should be in for a whole lot of pain. Luck has showed arm strength, and speed to avoid bad sacks but his 18 interceptions and 24 turnovers say something else. If Luck plays will and the duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis keep knocking down Flacco it should be a nail biter. The Ravens are just too tough at home and there are no doubts the Ravens will play their tail off for Ray Lewis.
FINAL SCORE : Ravens 28 Colts 20
Fourth Down: Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Redskins Jan.6 4:30 (CBS)
Although all 4 games are great this might be the marquee of the four and it is the last one on the wild-card docket. Two rookie, athletic, African American quarterbacks Russel Wilson (SEA) and Robert Griffin III (WSH) have gone leaps and bounds over what anyone could have imagined. NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin kept throwing the Seahawks in the garbage but Pete Carroll’s team took it literally and went a perfect 8-0 at home. They beat good teams and they lost to bad teams, but the one thing this is going against them the most is History. The Seahawks have not won a road playoff game since 1993 and will need Marshawn Lynch to have a big day. For Washington they beat Dallas in week 17 to win the NFC East and have been playing "playoff-like" games since October. It’s the first time the Redskins will have a home playoff game in nearly 15 years and it’s all because of rookie’s Robert Griffin, Alfred Morris and veteran London Fletcher. Since starting the season at 3-6 the Redskins were heading towards another long off-season until they beat the Cowboys on thanksgiving day and turned their fortunes. They won their final 6 games but the one thing the Redskins have to worry about is their defense. While it has played better, the high octane Seahawks offense have shown teams they can score and thats not just on Buffalo and Arizona. Also the last time Seattle played option teams like Carolina and San Francisco, they held both to just 1 touchdown. It should be the game of the week with Seattle squeaking away the win.
Final Score: Seahawks 24 Redskins 23
Bold Prediction: Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson wil combine for 300+ rushing yards.
If my predictions are correct the Division Weekend should see
AFC:
Houston @ New England
Baltimore @ Denver
NFC
Minnesota @ Atlanta
Seattle @ San Francisco
First Down: Cincannati Bengals @ Houston Texans Jan 5 4:30 (NBC)
The game that will start the weekend off is the exact game that started us off last year. The Bengals and Texans met last year in the playoffs and a guy by the name of T.J. Yates led Houston that day to a win. Tomorrow it will be Matt Schaub who for most part of the season was not only leading his team to number 1 in the AFC but also legitimizing himself as a premiere quarterback. However, 3 losses in their last 4 games has costed them a bye week and has put the pressure back on Matt Schaub. The Texans lost two tough road games against New England and Indianapolis while they were shutout at home by the Minnesota Vikings in week 16, their final home game of the season. The Bengals will no doubt try to follow what the Vikings did, but they will have to neutralize “J.J Swatt and Co.” Andy Dalton has been good but not consistent. They lost four and then won four in a row but since a home loss to the Cowboys in week 14 the Bengals have played dominant defense in 3 wins against (Philly, Pitt and Baltimore). Geno Atkins will have to get to Schaub and shutdown the play-action game with Arian Foster. Last year was a blowout (31-10) and I don’t think that will be the case this year. All games this weekend should be close but this will be the highest margin of victory.
FINAL SCORE: Texans 31 Bengals 21
Second Down: Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers Jan. 5 8:00 (NBC)
Very rarely do you see two teams in the NFL face each other three times in a season including in back-to-back weeks. However, since the NFL adopted the new change in the schedule a few years ago that week 17 will be all division games, we should expect these rivalries more on in the playoffs. Nothing says rivalry like a good Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings football game. Gone are the days of Favre; on both teams and now the new wave of talent led by Aaron Rodgers and my vote for MVP Adrian "AD" Peterson have stepped in and have made their mark. The reigning MVP Rodgers did not have a terrible season, but by no means was it an MVP season. Yet with a defense that somehow manages to make a play at key moment and an offense that can score at will the Pack are in every game. Especially when it comes against the Vikings. Both the meetings this season were close including week’s 17 epic game that saw the Vikings win on a last second FG and get into the playoffs. The Packers haven’t been able to stop AD in either game as he’s averaging two touchdowns and 200 yards on the ground. For the Vikings their defense has been superb during a 4 game win streak. Road wins against St.Louis and Houston on the road show that they Vikings can stay in games with their defense and Peterson on the road. If Peterson has an awful game their’s no chance they win but with the Lambeau weather and the strong foot of Blair Walsh, I am leaning towards the Vikings.
FINAL SCORE: Vikings 27 Packers 24 (Blair Walsh wins it again on a FG)
Third Down: Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens Jan.6 1:00 (FOX)
It’s arguably the game of the week with the story of the year (Colts) against one of the greatest to ever play the game (Ray Lewis). There are so many storylines from Chuck Pagano returning not only from Leukemia but now against his former team the Baltimore Ravens. Bruce Arians’s name has been swirling around in Head Coaching jobs. Ray Lewis said this past week it’s his final year and will retire. Andrew Luck has led a squad of rookies to an unprecedented 11 win season and the Ravens know they have probably one last shot at this with the core they have. Let’s start with the Colts who after already clinching the number 5 seed played their butts off against a Houston team desperate for a bye and a win. Pagano's return energized the players and the crowd and made it nearly impossible for the Texans to hear anything. However, with Ray Lewis back and on the other side lines Andrew Luck should be in for a whole lot of pain. Luck has showed arm strength, and speed to avoid bad sacks but his 18 interceptions and 24 turnovers say something else. If Luck plays will and the duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis keep knocking down Flacco it should be a nail biter. The Ravens are just too tough at home and there are no doubts the Ravens will play their tail off for Ray Lewis.
FINAL SCORE : Ravens 28 Colts 20
Fourth Down: Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Redskins Jan.6 4:30 (CBS)
Although all 4 games are great this might be the marquee of the four and it is the last one on the wild-card docket. Two rookie, athletic, African American quarterbacks Russel Wilson (SEA) and Robert Griffin III (WSH) have gone leaps and bounds over what anyone could have imagined. NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin kept throwing the Seahawks in the garbage but Pete Carroll’s team took it literally and went a perfect 8-0 at home. They beat good teams and they lost to bad teams, but the one thing this is going against them the most is History. The Seahawks have not won a road playoff game since 1993 and will need Marshawn Lynch to have a big day. For Washington they beat Dallas in week 17 to win the NFC East and have been playing "playoff-like" games since October. It’s the first time the Redskins will have a home playoff game in nearly 15 years and it’s all because of rookie’s Robert Griffin, Alfred Morris and veteran London Fletcher. Since starting the season at 3-6 the Redskins were heading towards another long off-season until they beat the Cowboys on thanksgiving day and turned their fortunes. They won their final 6 games but the one thing the Redskins have to worry about is their defense. While it has played better, the high octane Seahawks offense have shown teams they can score and thats not just on Buffalo and Arizona. Also the last time Seattle played option teams like Carolina and San Francisco, they held both to just 1 touchdown. It should be the game of the week with Seattle squeaking away the win.
Final Score: Seahawks 24 Redskins 23
Bold Prediction: Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson wil combine for 300+ rushing yards.
If my predictions are correct the Division Weekend should see
AFC:
Houston @ New England
Baltimore @ Denver
NFC
Minnesota @ Atlanta
Seattle @ San Francisco
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