Tonight the baseball world stopped. The New York Yankees began a very crucial three-game series at Boston. The Yankees came in as winners of six straight games, three back of the Tampa Bay Rays. Joba Chamberlain was matched up against Josh Beckett in a much-hyped pitching matchup.
The duel lived up to the hype. Both Beckett and Chamberlain pitched very well; Chamberlain in particular was stellar. To go into a very hostile environment like Fenway Park and pitch that well (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K) is a testament to Chamberlain's toughness.
New York Yankees' Joba Chamberlain pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chamberlain sent a message loud and clear to the Red Sox: we have our mojo back. He kept buzzing Kevin Youkilis inside, at one time playing chin music. Youkilis hit the deck on a high, inside heater. What was lost in all this is that he is fearless. However, the Red Sox could very well retaliate by plunking a key Yankee like Robinson Cano or Derek Jeter.
The lone run of the game came on a two-out Little League infield single by Jason Giambi. The Red Sox shifted, and Giambi cue-balled his grounder to the vacant area that the shortstop would normally occupy. This came on the heels of consecutive two-out singles.
New York Yankees' Jason Giambi leaves the batter's box on an RBI single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
The star of this game undoubtedly was Chamberlain. He basically told the rest of the Yankees, "Come up here on my shoulders and I'll carry you." The Yankees SORELY needed not only this game, but that kind of performance in a place like Fenway, with that much on the line.
Boston Red Sox's J.D. Drew walks back to the dugout after striking out to New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Now they have won seven in a row and are breathing down both the Red Sox and Rays' necks. Mariano Rivera came in with one out in the eighth inning and shut down a potential Sox rally. Then he notched his 26th save of the season. Rivera is still money in these types of situations: big game on the road, check. Need five outs for the save, check. Shut down the opposition, check.
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday July 25, 2008. The Yankees won 1-0 and Rivera earned a save.
For this game, at least, the Yankees have their mojo back. If they end up sweeping the Red Sox, they definitely have it back. They should expect the Red Sox to retaliate for the chin music Chamberlain made. Nothing like a good old-school rivalry like the Yankees-Red Sox, especially when both teams are among the elite in MLB.
I will be doing a team by team breakdown by division. Tonight I start with the National League West.
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season.
What they must do: be more consistent on the road, particularly against NL Central teams. Another arm besides Haren and Webb needs to step up. They also need a consistent run producer. In my opinion, they sorely miss their former closer Jose Valverde, who was lights out last season.
Prognosis: they will be in contention, but will fall short. A second-place finish is likely.
Current record (as of July 3): 43-43, 1st place.
Los Angeles Dodgers: they have been decimated with injuries since the start of spring training. Jason Schmidt. Rafael Furcal. Nomar Garciaparra. Hiroki Kuroda. Juan Pierre. Andruw Jones. Scott Proctor. Gary Bennett. Tony Abreu. Brad Penny. These are some of the players that have spent time on the DL this season. You play the hand you're dealt with, and frankly, the Dodgers have been dealt a crappy hand. Joe Torre has done a great job with this crappy hand, guiding the youngsters as they get more playing time. Takashi Saito has been stellar again this season, aside from a couple of outings. The bullpen, when healthy, is among the best in baseball. The starting pitching is in flux. The youngsters need as much playing time as possible. Blake DeWitt has been a revelation at 3B, winning Rookie of the Month honors twice this season. It's going to be very hard to take playing time away from him once the veterans return. One possibility is playing Garciaparra at SS, a position he hasn't played full-time since 2005.
What they must do: get healthy, and quick. The All-Star break couldn't have come at a better time. Fortunately, Arizona has fallen back to the pack after their hot start. The starting rotation must stabilize. They may not need to make a blockbuster deal. They could use someone with pop, like an Adam Dunn.
Prognosis: the Dodgers stand pat, perhaps making a minor deal. They get healthy and go on a tear at some point in the year. That will be enough to win the division.
Current record (as of July 3): 41-44, 1 1/2 games back.
San Francisco Giants: Bruce Bochy is doing perhaps his best managing job of his career. This team was expected to lose around 100 games. There's no Barry Bonds to provide offensive firepower. Tim Lincecum has become a bonafide Cy Young contender, leading the majors in ERA at 2.38 with a 9-1 record. Bengie Molina is hitting above .300 and is a legit All-Star candidate. Brian Wilson has come out of nowhere to lead the NL in saves with 23.
What they must do: Zito needs to step his game up and be at least a .500 pitcher in the second half, and they need another power bat in the lineup. Could Adam Dunn help? Sure he can. What would they give up to get him? Do they have the prospects to give to the Reds? If they want Dunn bad enough, they'll find the prospects.
Prognosis: while this team is better than I thought at the start of the season, it's still a below .500 team. A 72-90 record is realistic as they continue to struggle in the second half.
Current record (as of July 3): 38-48, 5 GB.
Colorado Rockies: this team is one year removed from an amazing run to the World Series. What could go so wrong in that span? For one, they overachieved. They went on a once in a lifetime winning streak. They came back down to earth big time. Todd Helton is mired in the midst of a horrific slump. While Matt Holliday is having a superb year, it's not like it was last year. Now there is talk of the Rocks trading both Holliday and Garrett Atkins. Jeff Francis, a 17-game winner last year, went on the DL.
What they must do: find the magic that propelled them to winning 21 of 22 leading into the World Series. Fortunately, this division is weak, and if they get on that type of run where they win games in bunches, they could very easily get back into contention. Helton must break out of his slump and drive in runs consistently. The front office must NOT panic and trade Holliday and Atkins in a knee-jerk move.
Prognosis: I expect Helton to break out of his slump and start driving in runs consistently. That in turn will help Holliday and Atkins. However, the pitching must come around. While I think the Rockies will be a better team in the second half, I think it will be too little, too late. They will leapfrog the Giants and finish third.
Current record (as of July 3): 35-51, 8 GB.
San Diego Padres: how far the Pads have fallen! It wasn't that long ago they were a consistent playoff contender. Now they have become one of the worst teams in baseball. The starting rotation is in shambles, apart from Jake Peavy. Trevor Hoffman clearly isn't the closer he used to be. He's lost zip on his fastball. There is absolutely NO pop in the lineup, apart from Adrian Gonzalez.
What they must do: become sellers in a big way. Apart from Gonzalez and Peavy, everyone else is tradeable. It's better to bite the bullet now and ensure long-term success by acquiring prospects this season. Trade Greg Maddux to the Cubs.
Prognosis: very poor, at least for this year. It depends on what moves the front office makes for the next couple of seasons. Do they let go of Bud Black? I say give him one more season. While they may not lose 100 games this season, they'll come close. A 64-98 record is realistic.
Sports fans, it's that time again to call out those idiots, miscreants, and all around dumbasses that so #### you off. I KNOW you have several that you want to throw under the Bus! Call them out for their idiocy. This is your forum to throw these idiots under the Bus. Remember, you can call out a player, coach, team, owner, a team's fans, or any sports personality and throw them under the Bus. I know I have my share!
NFL
Brett Favre: ENOUGH about coming back already! You made your decision to retire, stick with it!! Brett, I loved watching you play, you were one of my all-time favorite players, but when you made the decision to retire, it was time to move on. Aaron Rodgers is ready to helm the Packers' ship. Just by HINTING at a comeback, you threw Rodgers under the bus. Now it's Rodgers' turn to throw YOU under the Bus.
Reagan Mauia: this will most likely be the only time in the history of the world that Mauia and Favre will show up on the same blog. For those who don't know who Mauia is, he is the Miami Dolphins' starting FB. This bozo punched a man in the face without provocation and fled the scene. A witness took a picture of Mauia's license plate with his phone. Mauia was tracked down and arrested. I don't have to wait for more information to throw Mauia under the Bus.
NBA
Detroit Pistons: losing to the New York Knicks is bad enough, but at HOME? You lost to the Knicks when you ABSOLUTELY had to WIN in order to stay alive for home court advantage? AND on a night where the all-time greats of the Pistons franchise was honored? For all that, you get thrown under the Bus not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times! Hopefully we won't hear the worst chant in the history of the world, "Detroit Basketball!" in the Finals when the Celtics work you.
New York Knicks: they have begun the annual Save Isiah campaign. Donations are accepted. They are playing their BEST basketball of the season in order to Save Isiah. I imagine there are buildings all over New York that say, "Save Isiah." (Much like in the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, there were signs painted all over Chicago that said, "Save Ferris.") The Knicks get thrown under the Bus.
Miami Heat: just quit already. D-Wade has. Oh wait, he's out for the year with injuries. Pat Riley has. He spent the NCAA Tournament scouting Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. He hearts D-Rose. He hearts him MUCH more than coaching the band of misfits known as the Heat. Mercifully, the season will end this week for the Heat. Until then, the Heat get thrown under the Bus yet again.
MLB
Tampa Bay Rays: for all the hype that went into the Rays this year, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Rays are looking up at the FREAKING Orioles this year. For that matter, they're looking up at everyone else in the division. This was supposed to be their breakout year. It also doesn't help when a veteran pitcher like Al Reyes gets into a fight in a bar. On his birthday, no less. Some veteran leadership there, Al. He not only got into a fight, he got his #### kicked. Then he got Tasered TWICE. Reyes gets his #### kicked, gets Tasered, AND gets thrown Under The Bus all in the same week. The Rays get thrown under for letting us down.
Fox Sports: for treating the NASCAR fans of this nation to a slap in the face. Yes, it wasn't your fault that the Yankees-Red Sox was delayed by rain. But you could have switched the game to FX and kept the NASCAR fans and the baseball fans somewhat happy. But NOOOOOOOOO, you had to milk the Yankees-Red Sox for every moment AND you had the game SIMULCAST on FX!! AND you pre-empted the NASCAR pre-race show! Because it was Yankees-Red Sox, you cut into the ACTUAL RACE. Ryan Newman was going into Turn 3 of the first lap of the race when Fox switched from the game to the race. For poor planning and for pissing a LOT of race fans off, Fox Sports goes under the Bus.
Yankees-Red Sox rivalry: yes, I get that it's a historically bitter rivalry. Yes I get that both teams are good. But they're not the only two teams in baseball!! It's an endless and breathless hype machine! For my money, the NL West rivalry is just as good, if not better, than Yankees-Red Sox. Yankees-Sox rivalry goes under the Bus.
NCAA
#### Vitale haters: been drinking the anti-Dickie V grape-flavored Haterade again? There was one guy (Fox Sports' own Mark Kriegel) that got drunk on it. Love or hate #### Vitale, his contributions to college basketball as a commentator and ambassador to the game cannot be denied. I admire Vitale's enthusiasm and passion for the game of college basketball (even though he's too much of a Duke homer). All the Dickie V haters (Kriegel included) are to be thrown under the Bus of Dickie V's choice.
Jeff Ehrhardt, QB, Murray State: this genius was charged with second-degree robbery for "a prank gone bad." So now that's what we call pushing and assaulting a campus police officer and taking his book away, a "prank gone bad"? If it were up to me, dude would be in the clink for a MINIMUM of five years. He won a $20 bet for the "prank gone bad". Sure hope that $20 was worth it, E. My bet is that he skates like Dorothy Hamill. He'll probably be suspended for the first play of the season. For such a #### prank, Ehrhardt gets thrown under the Bus.
Even though the season "started" already in Japan, I am offering a brief prediction for the 2008 MLB season.
AL EAST
Boston Red Sox: this team figures to be strong all season, Curt Schilling's injury notwithstanding. They have outstanding pitching, above-average hitting, and superb defense. About the only thing separating them from their third title in five years will be health. Predicted record: 100-62.
New York Yankees: this is a team in transition. Gone is Joe Torre as manager, replaced by Joe Girardi. Mike Mussina is a back of the rotation starter at this stage in his career. Fortunately the Yanks do have some young stud pitchers. And they won't have Torre to blow out their arms. Offensively, they will be potent again. Predicted record: 90-72.
Tampa Bay Rays: don't laugh, but I think this team has what it takes to not only escape the cellar, but their rotation could do some great things this year. They have a good mixture of youngsters and veterans. This will be the year they have their first winning season in team history. Predicted record: 84-78.
Toronto Blue Jays: this team is the biggest enigma in baseball. Just when you want to buy stock in them, they fall flat on their faces. I'm not buying stock in them this year. Aside from Roy Halladay, their rotation is suspect. Predicted record: 76-86.
Baltimore Orioles: as long as Peter Angelos remains owner of this once-proud and revered franchise, there is no escaping the cellar. While they have some good young arms, they are that, young. They will be the doormat of this division for the foreseeable future. Predicted record: 60-102.
AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Indians: Sabathia and Carmona. TWO front-line starters that are capable of Cy Young winning seasons. Came within one game of going to the World Series. They're a year older and a year better. Predicted record: 97-65.
Detroit Tigers: I'm not buying into the hype. I'm just not. Yes, they are a good team. Aside from Justin Verlander, I'm not sold on this staff. They didn't improve their bullpen. And playoff teams have an outstanding 'pen. They did have a great pen in 2006, but this isn't 2006. Still, they are good enough to be a wild-card team. Predicted record: 93-69 (wild card).
Minnesota Twins: something tells me not to sleep on the Twins this year. While I won't, this division is too good now. Give them a couple of years. Predicted record: 85-77.
Chicago White Sox: it seems like they won the World Series way back in the day instead of in 2005. This team is too inconsistent to seriously contend. Could this be Ozzie Guillen's last year in Chicago? Possibly. Predicted record: 79-83.
Kansas City Royals: they're still the Royals. But they won't lose 100 games this year. Brian Bannister is a stud, and a legitimate ace. They will threaten to have a winning season, but fall short. Predicted record: 78-84.
AL WEST
Anaheim Angels: best team in the worst division in the American League. And that's not saying much. Health is the key issue, particularly in the postseason. If they're healthy in the postseason, they could do damage. Predicted record: 96-66.
Seattle Mariners: if they had another stud starter they could threaten to topple the Angels from their perch. J.J. Putz is a stud closer, perhaps the best in the bigs. While the Mariners are a decent team with a LOT of heart, I think they fade down the stretch. Predicted record: 90-72.
Texas Rangers: the chasm between this team and the Angels is almost as big as the Grand Canyon. They will finish double digits behind the Mariners. Predicted record: 70-92.
Oakland Athletics: gone are the days when they were a perennial contender. The front office has made some gross errors in judgment. They have traded away all their best players. They have become the Baltimore Orioles West, minus the terrible owner. Predicted record: 64-98.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies: their amazing comeback last season has given them lots of confidence entering this season. They could have their third different MVP in as many years in Chase Utley. This team has a lot of heart, but they ran out of gas in the postseason last year. Predicted record: 95-67.
New York Mets: I'm not buying into the Johan Santana hype. While Santana is a two time Cy Young Award winner, he won them while in the American League. I think he'll do well at first, but Santana alone won't carry the Mets past the Phils. Pedro Martinez is on his last legs. Unlike last year, this team will get into the postseason as a wild card. Predicted record: 93-69 (wild card).
Atlanta Braves: with a few breaks, this team could sneak into the postseason. They will be in contention for most of the season but fade at the tail end. Predicted record: 90-72.
Washington Nationals: they'll be moving into a gleaming new ballpark. Too bad this will be the best part of the team. Too little talent on this team to threaten the big boys. At least they're not the Marlins. Predicted record: 74-88.
Florida Marlins: the worst mistake they made was firing Joe Girardi after the 2006 season. The second worst was Jeffrey Loria not selling the team. This is a AAA team masquerading as a major league team. Predicted record: 52-110.
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs: the best team in the worst division in baseball. They will have the worst record of a division champion this season. Predicted record: 86-76.
Milwaukee Brewers: I'm not counting on Ben Sheets being healthy for a full season. IF he is healthy for the whole season, they could overtake the Cubs. Predicted record: 83-79.
Cincinnati Reds: IF their pitching holds up, they could leapfrog both the Cubs and Brewers. Perhaps in another year. Predicted record: 82-80.
Houston Astros: because they are in the Central, they have a chance. A slim chance. Miguel Tejada is older, and will have to adjust to a new league and new pitchers. I don't see it happening for the 'Stros. Predicted record: 74-88.
Pittsburgh Pirates: they will finally break their death grip on the NL Central cellar. At some point they will get hot and play like the We Are Family Pirates. Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny will help the Bucs out of the cellar. Predicted record: 72-90.
St. Louis Cardinals: how time has passed since they christened the new Busch Stadium with a World Series championship. They are an eroded shell of that 2006 team. Their pitching is a shambles, Albert Pujols is hurt, and if he is shut down for the season, they will lose more than 100 games. Pujols is a gamer and a stud, but to ask him to carry that team is asking way too much. Predicted record: 66-96.
NL WEST
Los Angeles Dodgers: the pitching is outstanding, but what could hurt them is a lack of offense. Depending on the lineup, they could be world beaters or also-rans. They could finish anywhere from first to fourth in the most competitive division in baseball. Predicted record: 93-69.
Arizona Diamondbacks: like the Dodgers, they have outstanding pitching. But they traded their all-world hammer in the bully, Jose Valverde. It's going to come back and bite them in the arse down the stretch. Predicted record: 91-71.
Colorado Rockies: they pretty much stood pat in the offseason while the rest of the division improved themselves. In this division, it means taking a small step back. And that will cost them a postseason berth. Predicted record: 90-72.
San Diego Padres: while Jake Peavy is a stud, and they still have Trevor Hoffman as that hammer in the pen, their everyday lineup has some question marks, most notably Jim Edmonds. And in a division as competitive as the NL West, that will be too much to overcome. They will still be good enough to have a winning record. Predicted record: 89-73.
San Francisco Giants: aside from a strong pitching staff, the everyday lineup is very weak. They won't score nearly as many runs as they did in the Barry Bonds era. They'll still be good enough to avoid losing 100 games. Predicted record: 66-96.
WHEW! My predictions in a nutshell! The NL West will be too competitive to have a wild-card.
PLAYOFFS
American League: Boston over Detroit; Cleveland over Anaheim. Cleveland over Boston in the ALCS.
National League: Philadelphia over Chicago Cubs; Los Angeles over N.Y. Mets. Los Angeles over Philadelphia in the NLCS
WORLD SERIES: Los Angeles over Cleveland, 4 games to 2. Chad Billingsley comes of age to win Series MVP.
Wow! Happy Rocktober!! We are in the midst of a hot streak of epic proportions, one that I have not seen in my lifetime. We have to go back to the 1920 New York Giants' 26-game winning streak to find a team that's been this hot at any point in the season. What makes this significant is that this streak started in mid-September with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers at home. They have only lost ONCE in that time. ONCE! The streak is now 21 of their last 22 games the Rockies have won. To sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS is utterly amazing.
A little insurance Matt Holliday is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies as the Rockies won Game 1 of their playoff series. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)
Anything but Rocky Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Division Series in Philadelphia. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)
What a sight Colorado Rockies fans cheer on their team during Game 3 of a National League Division Series playoff baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. (Bill Ross/Associated Press)
I can fly
Rockies' shortstop Troy Tulowitzki fires to first over the Phillies' Carlos Ruiz to complete a double play during Game 3 of its NLDS. (Will Powers/Associated Press)
The big hit Yorvit Torrealba #8 of the Colorado Rockies hits a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Fundamentally sound Colorado Rockies' Kazuo Matsui makes a sacrifice bunt in the third inning in Game 2 of the NLCS on Friday. (Eric ####/Associated Press)
On the board
Willy Taveras scores from third on a sacrifice fly by Todd Helton during the fifth inning in Game 2 of the NLCS. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)
Celebration
Matt Holliday and Kazuo Matsui celebrate after Holliday's three-run HR in Game 4 of the NLCS. The Rockies will play either Cleveland or Boston. For those who think the NL is the Junior Varsity of the MLB, think again. As a Dodgers fan, I have seen the Rockies PLENTY of times and know that they are worthy of being in the World Series. I will go on the record as saying that the Rockies will finish and beat Cleveland in five games.
This is a question that has been rummaging around my dome for some time. Currently there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball, 16 teams in the National League and 14 teams in the American League. Because there are so many teams, the schedule has often been cumbersome and unwieldy. Contracting two teams to create two 14-team leagues would be both logical and logistical. The two teams that would be contracted would both be in the National League. The teams I propose for contraction: the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals. AGAIN, this is hypothetical.
Here's why these two teams should be contracted:
Lack of fan support. Every time one sees highlights of Marlins home games on ESPN SportsCenter or Baseball Tonight, there are THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of empty seats masquerading as fans. The Marlins players deserve better. Yes, they won a World Series as recently as 2003, but they went on a fire sale immediately after the victory parade. The Nationals WERE the Montreal Expos; they left Montreal because of lack of fan support, plus Montreal had the worst stadium in MLB history. Even in Washington, they still lack fan support.
Ownership issues. It's more of an issue in Florida than in Washington. Jeffrey Loria ran off the National League Manager of the Year in Joe Girardi because of his oversized ego and the fact Girardi stood up to him (LA Dodgers, give Girardi a call if you decide to fire Grady Little.). Under Girardi, the Marlins were at least competitive and overachieved. While Washington's ownership is fairly stable, they don't have a competitive team.
In the American League, there would be a rearrangement of divisional alignment. The Central division would be eliminated and the league would go back to the old East and West divisions.
AL EAST
Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Baltimore, New York Yankees, Toronto, Tampa Bay.
AL WEST
Anaheim, Oakland, Seattle, Texas, Kansas City, Minnesota, Chicago White Sox. (the old AL West before the formation of the current three division format)
The National League would be drastically affected. Like the American League, there would be two seven-team divisions. The Central division would be eliminated, and the old East and West divisions would return.
NL EAST
Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York Mets, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis.
NL WEST
Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Arizona, Colorado, Houston, Milwaukee. (Poor Milwaukee, this would be their third division move in less than a decade, including a change of leagues!)
Under this proposal, there would be a little more talent dispersed among the 28 clubs. In the dispersal draft, the team with the worst record in the majors would select first, and so on, until all the players have been selected.
If you think this is a horse racing post, think again. It's a capsule preview of this weekend's series that affect the pennant chase.
AL EAST
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
This is a golden opportunity for the Yankees to tighten the AL East race. As of this post, the Red Sox are winning 7-2. Tonight's starting pitchers are Andy Pettitte for the Yankees and Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Red Sox. UPDATE: Yankees win, 8-7. Bruney gets the win, Papelbon gets the loss, Rivera notches his 27th save of the season. The probable matchups for the weekend:
Saturday: Josh Beckett vs. Chien-Ming WangWinner has the inside track for the Cy Young.
Sunday: Curt Schilling vs. Roger Clemens. Two old warriors who are going to leave it all out on the field. It's going to be interesting to see who comes out on top.
NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets
The Phillies drew first blood in the series, winning tonight's game 3-2 in 10 innings. Tom "Flash" Gordon got the win, while Aaron Heilman took the loss. The Phils are now 4 1/2 games behind the Mets and for now are 1 game behind San Diego in the NL wild card. Probable pitchers for the weekend:
Saturday: Pedro Martinez vs. Kyle Lohse. Martinez has been out most of the season. A healthy Martinez will be HUGE for the Mets, as he can still deal. Recently he notched his 3,000th strikeout, joining the elite pantheon of hurlers that have 3,000 strikeouts. Lohse has been up and down.
Sunday: Oliver Perez vs. Adam Eaton. Perez has pitched reasonably well and appears to be a late bloomer. I'm waiting for Eaton's potential to show up. Sometimes it does. For the Phillies' sake, Eaton needs to step up with a stellar outing.
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
The Cubs rose up for a HUGE win in St. Louis, further dimming the Cardinals' chances. Carlos Zambrano matched his career high in wins, winning his 16th. The final score: Cubs 5, Cardinals 3. The Cards are now six games behind the Cubs and fading fast. They can ill-afford to get swept. A Cubs' sweep will mean the Cardinals should start making tee times soon. A Cardinals win in the series and they are still alive for defending their championship. Probable starters:
Saturday: Braden Looper vs. Ted Lilly. Lilly has pitched very well in his first season in the National League. Looper is a converted reliever and for his first season as a starter has been serviceable.
Sunday: Mark Mulder vs. Jason Marquis. Mulder has spent most of the season on the disabled list, so this season is a wash. He's giving it his best shot. Marquis has pitched reasonably well this season. You think he wants to stick a fork in his old team that sent him to the scrap heap after the division playoffs?
NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers
This is one of the most pivotal series of the season for both teams. The Dodgers have to win this series in order to keep at least their wild card hopes alive. Brad Penny is on the bump tonight against Dodger-killer Doug Davis. Davis is #### against the rest of the league but always seems to get up for the Dodgers. As of tonight the Dodgers are 5 1/2 games behind the D-backs and for now a half game behind the Phillies. The probable starters for the weekend:
Saturday: Derek Lowe vs. Livan Hernandez. A key matchup of pressure pitchers that both own World Series rings, Lowe with the Red Sox and Hernandez with the Florida Marlins. Lowe is coming off an injured hand he sustained earlier in the week, causing him to miss a start.
Sunday: Esteban Loaiza vs. Edgar Gonzalez. Gonzalez is coming off a superb start against the Giants in which he was dealing. Not bad for his first start since late June. Loaiza had a bad outing after his first two outings went well. Loaiza has been on the DL most of the season and it's too soon to tell how effective he'll be. Let's hope the Loaiza of old emerges.
San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres
The Giants are officially eliminated from the divisional title race and are playing for pride (and a job next season). The Padres are leading in the wild card race by a game (for now) over the Phillies and a game and a half over the Dodgers. Let's hope the Giants don't mail it in and give a concerted effort to win (that's the Dodger cynic coming out of me). Tonight's starters are Barry Zito for the Giants and Chris Young for the Padres. The probable starters for the weekend:
Saturday: Brett Tomko (I'm snickering now) vs. Matt Cain. If the Padres are intent on going to the postseason, why did they pick up Tomko? Actually, I'm GLAD they picked him up!! He can burn down Petco Park like he did Dodger Stadium!! Cain is an up and coming stud that will be a mainstay of the Giants' rotation for the next few years at least.
Sunday (I'm still laughing at the Padres' acquisition of Tomko): Jake Peavy vs. Tim Lincecum. Peavy has the inside track for the NL Cy Young Award. Another stellar performance like his last start could go a long way towards wrapping up the Award. Lincecum is a future Cy Young Award winner. He'll be the ace of the Giants' rotation perhaps as soon as next season.
I can feel the pressure of the pennant chase from here. Five series that directly impact postseason hopes, including two in the Wild, Wild West. GO DODGERS!!!!!
After months and months of waiting and anticipation, it's HERE! College football makes its triumphant return to the sports scene.
Thursday: eleven games are scheduled with four ranked teams taking the field: #2 LSU (at Mississippi State), #10 Louisville (vs. Murray State), #16 Rutgers (vs. Buffalo--no, not the Bills!), and #24 Boise State (vs. Weber State).
Friday: only two games are scheduled--Navy at Temple and Washington at Syracuse.
Saturday: a full slate of games are scheduled. Out here on the west coast, the first game starts at 9 am and the last game won't end until after midnight because Hawaii is at home and they start at 9:05 pm PDT, hosting Northern Colorado.
Monday: two games are scheduled--Texas Tech at SMU in a matinee matchup at 4 pm EDT and the Bowden Bowl, Florida State at Clemson at 8 pm EDT.
NASCAR
The race this weekend is at California Speedway in Fontana. This has enormous Chase implications, as the field could be set before the final race before the Chase at Richmond. Currently Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 158 points behind Kurt Busch for the 12th and final spot in the Chase. That means he has to make up an ENTIRE RACE before the end of Richmond. His chances are not dead, but they are on life support. He HAS to win this race and hope Busch has a very bad finish. All Busch has to do is finish ahead of Dale Jr. and he's in. For that matter, all Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. have to do is finish ahead of Dale Jr. and they are in the Chase. The key is avoiding a HUGE mistake that would put a driver in a bad position.
NFL
The preseason winds down with 14 games on Thursday and two on Friday. The final week of preseason is often the worst, as teams typically play their scrubs for the final spots on the roster. Stellar play can make the difference between being on an NFL squad and driving for UPS or FedEx.
MLB
In the National League, the only series where contenders play each other is out in San Diego, when the L.A. Dodgers come to town for a huge three game series. This is where the spoilers can wreak havoc on the pennant contenders. There are no such series in the American League. Contenders vs. Spoilers. On Labor Day, the Dodgers begin a series in Chicago against the Cubs. San Diego and Arizona tangle in the desert.
Labor Day weekend means the overall intensity and drama in the sports world is amped up exponentially. The Chase in NASCAR. Pennant races coming down to the wire in MLB. College football starting up. And soon thereafter, the NFL begins. Can you feel it? CAN YOU FEEL IT? CAN YOU FEEL IT?
It's getting unbearable to watch the Dodgers play. Seems like they forgot how to play basic ball. They can't move runners over. They can't hit with runners in scoring position. They have an inning in a game where they give up five or more runs. And they haven't been able to hit their way out of a wet paper bag. I will give you reasons why the Dodgers are in a very deep funk and are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
INJURIES: with a 162-game schedule, injuries are bound to happen. It's inevitable. The key is sustaining as few injuries as possible and to keep your regulars fairly healthy. The Dodgers have been hit hard by injuries. Here's but a few:
Jason Schmidt: injured his shoulder very early in the season. He has one win this season. He's done for this year and maybe his career. He was counted on to be the innings eater of the rotation, the solid #3 that would give the bullpen an occasional rest. Without 200+ innings from Schmidt, it has taxed the pitching staff. Fortunately, Chad Billingsley has stepped in and become a solid #3. Billingsley did lose CONSECUTIVE 1-0 decisions during the Dodgers' slide.
Randy Wolf: he was counted on to be that lefty that was going to give the team a solid effort week in and week out. He hasn't pitched in nearly two months and may be done for the season.
Hong-Chih Kuo: was healthy for about a month this season (in which he hit a memorable home run off John Maine of the Mets; the bat flip was even better). Kuo has the tools to be a legitimate starter, if he ever stays healthy.
Yhency Brazoban: one of the game's best set-up men when he was healthy. He was never healthy all season and he's done for the season.
Nomar Garciaparra: he was put on the 15-day DL with a calf strain. He's getting older and as an older player it's harder to stay healthy.
HITTING: players will go through slumps at some point in the season. This is the first extended slump the Dodgers as a team have gone through this season. Luis Gonzalez started out slow, then went on a tear, now he's in a funk. Nomar was just starting to hit the ball like he did last year, now he goes on the DL. While Juan Pierre is hitting .284, I'd like to see him take a few more walks and get on base more often so he can utilize his blazing speed. I believe the Dodgers will break out of their funk, but it better happen soon or they'll be making tee times after September.
Overall, it's not quite time to panic yet, as I still believe that the Diamondbacks will hit a skid at some point and the Dodgers will go on a tear. No team can play .900 ball between now and the end of the season like the D-backs are. Everything evens out at the end. It's still going to be a three-team, maybe a four-team race at the end.
Now that Barry Bonds has hit #756 and surpassed Hank Aaron, we can put a bow on the HR chase, at least for another decade, when A-Rod obliterates Bonds' record.
PENNANT RACES
The most compelling races are found in the National League. As of this morning, the largest margin was 4.5 games in the NL East. In the NL West, the Arizona Diamondbacks are starting to put some distance on the rest of the division. There is a great race going on in the AL Central between Cleveland and Detroit. One half game separates the two teams. Don't look now, but the Yankees are looming larger in the Red Sox' rear view mirror. We could see an epic collapse by the Red Sox, one that would rival their 1978 meltdown. AND the Yankees AVOID C.C. Sabathia (possible AL Cy Young winner when it's all said and done) when they visit Cleveland this weekend. In fact, aside from Fausto Carmona, (who the Yankees will probably face on Friday night) the Yanks face the bottom of the Tribe rotation.
TRAINING CAMPS
NFL training camps are in full swing throughout the land. Fans are excited about the upcoming NFL season, as the NFL is king of the sports landscape. You can tell it's close to football season here on the blogs, as fans are blogging passionately about their teams, making bold and brash predictions, and in some cases, talking out of their @$$E$. With Brady Quinn's signing, that leaves two first round draft picks still holding out: JaMarcus Russell of the Raiders and Darrelle Revis of the Jets. (I had my money on Quinn being the LAST first-rounder to sign) The first full week of preseason games starts on Thursday, with Indianapolis at Dallas and Detroit at Cleveland.
NASCAR
There are five races left until the Chase to the Championship begins, and fifteen until the season ends. This week's race is on the road course at Watkins Glen. Kevin Harvick is the defending race champion. This race is where Harvick made his move in the Chase standings last year. He won four of the final fifteen races of the season and was in the hunt for the Nextel Cup title at Homestead, finishing fourth in the standings. He finished with a career-high five wins. Who will be this year's Kevin Harvick? Will it be his RCR teammate Clint Bowyer? Will it be Kurt Busch? Stay tuned.
Don't look now, but the Chicago Cubs are looming larger and larger in the Brewers' rear view mirror. With Ben Sheets out for a significant amount of time, the Brewers are starting to leak oil at a faster rate.
Michael Vick's federal indictment is not only for dog fighting, but for conspiracy and transporting pit bulls across state lines. Don't be surprised if Roger "The Hammer" Goodell lays down the law and suspends Vick for a significant amount of time. Atlanta, can you say "First pick of the 2008 NFL Draft?" (Hint: draft Brian Brohm)
There is an INORDINATE amount of NBA talk on the sports talk shows. At playoff time I can see that but since it's the NBA's off season, why?
The hype surrounding David Beckham arriving in L.A. to play for the Galaxy is both endless and breathless. Geez, stop the world, I want to get off!!
Daunte Culpepper was released by the Fins. A lot of people are throwing dirt on his NFL grave. I'm not one of them. He'd be a great fit in Atlanta, if only for one year. And this year is his second year back from major knee surgery. He came back too soon last year. He should have been placed on the PUP list. This is why the Dolphins suck--poor personnel management.
Now that Dwight Freeney has been signed to a long-term extension by the Colts, Julius Peppers is next. Peppers WILL get paid, perhaps by the beginning of the regular season. His current contract doesn't end until the end of next season, but Peppers' agent and the Panthers are already negotiating about an extension.
Regan Smith replaced Sterling Marlin in the 14 car for the balance of the season. Did Bobby Ginn bite off more than he could chew by going with three teams to start the year? From all appearances, yes. Aric Almirola will step into the 01 car part-time replacing Smith.
The NL West is still the most competitive division in baseball. It won't surprise me to see a one-game playoff at the end of the regular season.
The unofficial Second Half of the season will start on Thursday. A highly anticipated conclusion to the regular season and the crowning of a World Series Champion awaits in late October. At this point in the season, fans can generally separate the contenders from the pretenders. What are we going to see? Here are a few things that I think we'll see:
The Boston Red Sox will run and hide from the AL East.
It's going to be a dogfight in the AL Central between Detroit, Cleveland, and Minnesota. Minnesota wins the division, with Detroit getting the wild card.
Seattle is not going away. Having said that, they will make a run at the Angels, but come up short.
Atlanta will find a way to win the NL East (again!) Earlier I did say that the Mets would win, but as the grind of the season wears on, their pitching will come up short while the Braves' pitching will prevail. Philadelphia will make a run but come up short. The future is bright in Philly, though.
The NL Central is the most putrid division in baseball. When all is said and done, the winner will barely be above .500.
If either the Padres or the Dodgers get a big bat by the trade deadline, the team that does will run and hide. If the Dodgers get another starter without having to give up too much, they will hold off the Padres. Either way, runner up in the NL West wins the wild card.
Ken Griffey, Jr. will not be traded by the Reds and hit his 600th HR in a Reds' uniform. He's a lock for Cooperstown. If not for injuries, he'd be chasing 700 HR's.
There will be more managerial changes, including Tony La Russa leaving St. Louis. The Cardinals are (or should be) in a major rebuilding mode. My prediction: he'll end up where he started his managerial career: with the Chicago White Sox.
The NL West will end up tied and a one-game playoff will determine the division winner.
Like many fans, I'm looking forward to the second half of the season. I'm especially looking forward to the NL West race. GO DODGERS!!!!
We are at the unofficial halfway point of the MLB season. For fans of some teams, it's another season of "let's play our young players and see how they do in the second half" which is code for OUR TEAM SUCKS. Fans of other teams are taking a "wait and see" approach to the second half of the season. That's code for "Our team had a nice run the first half, but they'll fade like they always do in the second half." And for fans of a select few teams, they are amped up for their team to make the postseason and perhaps a World Series appearance.
Let's get the bad out of the way first:
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on their way to a 15th consecutive losing season. That won't change anytime soon, unless the current ownership has a sudden dose of clarity or has an epiphany and sells the team to someone like Mark Cuban. No wonder Barry Bonds wanted to leave Pittsburgh. He probably saw that far ahead and decided to bail early. That or the fact he'll forever be remembered for throwing a 15-hopper to the plate that Sid "Wheels" Bream beat out in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS to win the pennant for the Atlanta Braves.
As I write this , the Pirates are actually in FOURTH place. The Cincinnati Reds are dwelling in the NL Central cellar with the worst record in the bigs at 30-50. It's a mess in the Natti. Trade Ken Griffey Jr. back to Seattle and get some prospects.
Speaking of Bonds, the San Francisco Giants need to cut ties with him after this season, regardless of whether or not he breaks Hank Aaron's record. (As an aside, Hank Aaron used to be the very first name listed in the Baseball Encyclopedia. Do you know who is the first player listed now?)
The Texas Rangers are in a mess. While I like Ron Washington, and he's a good baseball man, he's not a good fit there. He's bringing an Oakland A's style of baseball to the Rangers. The Rangers have free swingers. Not a good fit for a manager that demands his hitters be patient.
Now for the good:
I'll start with the most competitive division in baseball: the NL West. The lead changes hands amongst the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks about every three days or so. The Rockies are fading fast. It's going to be a three team race until the very end of the season. Runner up in the division will get the wild card. I'm calling my shot: Dodgers win the division, with the Padres getting the wild card. Dodgers beat the Padres in a one game playoff at the end of the regular season.
While the NL East is fairly close (the Mets hold a four game lead currently) I think the Mets will have enough to hold off both the Phillies and Braves.
The Chicago Cubs could make a run in the second half. Maybe they overtake the Brewers. IF the Cubs are within three games of the Brew Crew by Labor Day, they will overtake the Brewers.
Boston is running away with the AL East. The NY Yankees are finished. Done. Kaput. Over. All the Red Sox have to do is play .500 ball the rest of the way and they still win 91 games. I can see them win around 102 games.
Before it's all said and done, the AL Central will be almost as competitive as the NL West. The Tigers and Indians, along with the Twins, will slug it out. I'm calling my shot: Minnesota wins the division, with the Tigers getting the wild card.
In the AL West, it's all about the Angels. Seattle will hang in there until the last week of the season, when the Angels clinch the division. I'd put Mariners fan under the "wait and see" label.
Here are my predictions for postseason:
ALDS: Detroit over Boston, Anaheim (they're NOT the Los Angeles Angels, and I REFUSE to acknowledge them as such) over Minnesota.
NLDS: Los Angeles over Milwaukee, San Diego over New York.
ALCS: Detroit over Anaheim, 4 games to 2. (a little sweet revenge from the Ducks' series win over the Red Wings)
NLCS: Los Angeles over San Diego, 4 games to 3.
World Series: Detroit over Los Angeles, 4 games to 2.
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season. 
What a sight Colorado Rockies fans cheer on their team during Game 3 of a National League Division Series playoff baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. 
Winner has the inside track for the Cy Young.