So yea, the title might be a little deceiving, but I do have 4 tickets to Game 4 of the World Series. The 3 extra tickets have been sold, but I am willing to listen to offers still!!
The 2010 World Series features the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants. It does not sound like a "sexy" matchup or a ratings grabber, but these are 2 very solid baseball teams. If you like great pitching then this series is for you. Both teams have pitched their way to this series in the postseason. The Rangers posted a 2.40 ERA against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS while the Giants posted a 1.66 ERA against the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. Both teams had a 3.06 ERA against their LCS opponents. The matchup in Game 1 puts Cliff Lee, who has one 1 Cy Young award, against Tim Lincecum, who has won the last 2 National League Cy Young awards. C.J. Wilson has had a great season for the Rangers in his first year as a starting pitcher. Jonathan Sanchez posted 9.5 strikeouts per game for the Giants. Matt Cain and Colby Lewis have been impressive this season as well. Each team has a great bullpen. Neftali Feliz and Brian Wilson are 2 of the best closers in the game, with Feliz saving 40 games for the Rangers and Wilson saving 47 for the Giants.
This series will come down to which team can get some runners on and move the runners over. Although the Giants are the National League team, I believe the Rangers have a big advantage in getting runners on and moving them over. Manager Ron Washington has shown all season that his team runs the bases aggressively. The Giants are not a team that steals a bunch of bases, and to me that may be the difference in this series. Look for the Rangers to test out the young Giants catcher Buster Posey when they get on base. Every run will be important in this World Series and the Texas Rangers will play National League style baseball to put runs on the scoreboard.
Cody Ross (who is from my hometown and a year older than me!) has shown he don't care who is pitching. He hit 2 homeruns off of Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS. Unfortunately for Cody, the Rangers now know who the NLCS MVP is and will shut down Cody in the World Series. The Giants just aren't a very good hitting team. They put up a .244 batting average against the Phillies in the NLCS, which was only good enough because the Phillies hit .216. The Rangers are a much better hitting ballclub, and despite the Giants great pitching, they will easily win this series.
Look for me during Game 4 of the World Series Halloween night in the bleachers at the Ballpark in Arlington. The atmosphere is going to be unlike anything i've ever experienced (provided the Rangers are in control of the series). If you want to experience Game 4 and a possible World Series sweep then leave a comment!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
MLB Playoffs: NLDS Preview
The 2010 NLDS features the Philadelphia Phillies who have won the past 4 NL East championships and have been to the World Series the past 2 seasons. The other 3 teams haven't made a postseason apperance since 2005. Let's see how the teams matchup.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are back in the postseason for the 4th straight season and are looking to go to their 3rd straight World Series. The Reds are making their first playoff appearance since winning the NL Central in 1995. Unfortunately for the Reds, the Phillies have 3 #1 starters leading their pitching staff. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels are as good as it gets. Halladay will be amped to pitch in the playoffs after spending many miserable years in Toronto. Oswalt has been great since joining the team, going 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA. OFfensively, the Phillies are led by Ryan Howard whose power numbers are down slightly this season. The Reds led the NL in homeruns this season. Joey Votto had a breakout season and hit 37 homers. If the Reds can hit some homeruns and get some decent pitching from Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, and Johnny Cueto, then they could make this series interesting. I don't see that happening though.
Prediction: Phillies win in 4 games
Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
So if you don't know me, I am a huge Braves fan. I watched them on TBS when I was a little kid and they are the reason I am in love with baseball. The last playoff game that the Braves were in has haunted me for the past 5 years. I watched every minute of the 5 hour 50 minute game against the Astros and tears came to my eyes when Chris Burke hit the walk-off homerun against Joey Divine. I remember that game like it was yesterday and I hope these playoffs can ease the pain of the 2005 playoffs.
The 2010 Braves won 91 games and led the NL East most of the season, until a late season run by the Phillies. The Braves are without their clubhouse leader Chipper Jones in these playoffs. Omar Infante and Martin Prado filled in nicely for Chipper, as both hit over .300 for the season. Prado was injured in late September and is out for the entire postseason. The strong point of this team is pitching, just like it was when the team won 14 straight division titles in the 90s and 2000s. Tim Hudson had a brilliant season, winning 17 games with a 2.83 ERA. Tommy Hanson posted a 3.33 ERA in only his second season. The bullpen was magnificent this season and Billy Wagner saved 37 games.
The San Francisco Giants won the NL West and are making their first playoff appearance since 2003. They led the NL in ERA with a 3.36 ERA. Tim Lincecum had a subpar season for his standards, but still won 16 games. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez posted lower ERAs than Lincecum and combined to win 26 games. Their bullpen was great and they have a great closer in Brian Wilson, who led all of baseball with 48 saves. The problem with the Giants is their mediocre offense. Their 697 runs scored is the lowest of any playoff team. They were led by rookie of the year candidate Buster Posey, who hit .305 with 18 homeruns in just 108 games. Aubrey Huff hit 26 homers and Juan Uribe, who swings harder than anyone in baseball, hit 24 homers. If the Giants can score runs, then they matchup well with anyone. If their pitching falters, then it could be a long series for the Giants.
Prediction: Braves win in 4 games
Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are back in the postseason for the 4th straight season and are looking to go to their 3rd straight World Series. The Reds are making their first playoff appearance since winning the NL Central in 1995. Unfortunately for the Reds, the Phillies have 3 #1 starters leading their pitching staff. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels are as good as it gets. Halladay will be amped to pitch in the playoffs after spending many miserable years in Toronto. Oswalt has been great since joining the team, going 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA. OFfensively, the Phillies are led by Ryan Howard whose power numbers are down slightly this season. The Reds led the NL in homeruns this season. Joey Votto had a breakout season and hit 37 homers. If the Reds can hit some homeruns and get some decent pitching from Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, and Johnny Cueto, then they could make this series interesting. I don't see that happening though.
Prediction: Phillies win in 4 games
Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
So if you don't know me, I am a huge Braves fan. I watched them on TBS when I was a little kid and they are the reason I am in love with baseball. The last playoff game that the Braves were in has haunted me for the past 5 years. I watched every minute of the 5 hour 50 minute game against the Astros and tears came to my eyes when Chris Burke hit the walk-off homerun against Joey Divine. I remember that game like it was yesterday and I hope these playoffs can ease the pain of the 2005 playoffs.
The 2010 Braves won 91 games and led the NL East most of the season, until a late season run by the Phillies. The Braves are without their clubhouse leader Chipper Jones in these playoffs. Omar Infante and Martin Prado filled in nicely for Chipper, as both hit over .300 for the season. Prado was injured in late September and is out for the entire postseason. The strong point of this team is pitching, just like it was when the team won 14 straight division titles in the 90s and 2000s. Tim Hudson had a brilliant season, winning 17 games with a 2.83 ERA. Tommy Hanson posted a 3.33 ERA in only his second season. The bullpen was magnificent this season and Billy Wagner saved 37 games.
The San Francisco Giants won the NL West and are making their first playoff appearance since 2003. They led the NL in ERA with a 3.36 ERA. Tim Lincecum had a subpar season for his standards, but still won 16 games. Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez posted lower ERAs than Lincecum and combined to win 26 games. Their bullpen was great and they have a great closer in Brian Wilson, who led all of baseball with 48 saves. The problem with the Giants is their mediocre offense. Their 697 runs scored is the lowest of any playoff team. They were led by rookie of the year candidate Buster Posey, who hit .305 with 18 homeruns in just 108 games. Aubrey Huff hit 26 homers and Juan Uribe, who swings harder than anyone in baseball, hit 24 homers. If the Giants can score runs, then they matchup well with anyone. If their pitching falters, then it could be a long series for the Giants.
Prediction: Braves win in 4 games
MLB Playoffs: ALDS Preview
The days and nights are getting cooler after a hot summer. Autumn is definitely not my favorite season. But the MLB Postseason is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. All the hard work and perseverance has paid off for 8 teams. Let's take a look at how I think the 2010 American League Division Series matchups will go down.
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Texas finally has some decent arms after a 10 year stretch of very mediocre pitching. I think their top 3 starters are potentially the best of any of the 8 playoff teams with Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, and Colby Lewis. Their bullpen has been one of the best in all of baseball all season long. If the Rangers can get decent outings from their starters then I can see them going all the way to the World Series. The Rangers .276 batting average is the best in the American League. Tampa Bay also has a very good pitching staff. David Price has had a great season and is the ace of the staff. The problem with the Rays is their bats. They had a perfect game and a no hitter thrown against them during the season. Their batting average of .247 ranks 13 out of 14 American League teams. If the Rangers can overcome their struggles of winning a game at Tropicana Field, where they didn't win during the regular season, I see them winning this series.
Prediction: Rangers win in 4 games
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
This is a playoff matchup that has not worked out well for the Twins in recent years. Last season the Twins were swept by the Yankees in the ALDS. In 2003 and 2004 the Yankees won the series 3 games to 1. During the 2010 season the Yankees owned the Twins winning 5 of their 7 games. Looking at the season stats, the Twins seem to have the edge in this series. The Twins rank 5th in the AL in ERA while the Yankees rank 7th. The Twins are 3rd in batting average while the Yankees rank 7th. Don't be deceived though. The Yankees are first in On-base percentage, as they are very patient at the plate. The Yankees pitching staff intrigues me. Sabathia will probably pitch the Yankees to a victory in Game 1, although Francisco Liriano has been great this season as well. I'm not sure what the Yankees will get out of Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes. If they don't pitch well this could be bad for the Yankees, as their bullpen isn't as strong as it has been in previous playoff runs. The Twins have a very good bullpen and hit very well at their new home, Target Field. I like the Twins in a high scoring, entertaining series.
Prediction: Twins win in 5 games
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Texas finally has some decent arms after a 10 year stretch of very mediocre pitching. I think their top 3 starters are potentially the best of any of the 8 playoff teams with Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, and Colby Lewis. Their bullpen has been one of the best in all of baseball all season long. If the Rangers can get decent outings from their starters then I can see them going all the way to the World Series. The Rangers .276 batting average is the best in the American League. Tampa Bay also has a very good pitching staff. David Price has had a great season and is the ace of the staff. The problem with the Rays is their bats. They had a perfect game and a no hitter thrown against them during the season. Their batting average of .247 ranks 13 out of 14 American League teams. If the Rangers can overcome their struggles of winning a game at Tropicana Field, where they didn't win during the regular season, I see them winning this series.
Prediction: Rangers win in 4 games
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
This is a playoff matchup that has not worked out well for the Twins in recent years. Last season the Twins were swept by the Yankees in the ALDS. In 2003 and 2004 the Yankees won the series 3 games to 1. During the 2010 season the Yankees owned the Twins winning 5 of their 7 games. Looking at the season stats, the Twins seem to have the edge in this series. The Twins rank 5th in the AL in ERA while the Yankees rank 7th. The Twins are 3rd in batting average while the Yankees rank 7th. Don't be deceived though. The Yankees are first in On-base percentage, as they are very patient at the plate. The Yankees pitching staff intrigues me. Sabathia will probably pitch the Yankees to a victory in Game 1, although Francisco Liriano has been great this season as well. I'm not sure what the Yankees will get out of Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes. If they don't pitch well this could be bad for the Yankees, as their bullpen isn't as strong as it has been in previous playoff runs. The Twins have a very good bullpen and hit very well at their new home, Target Field. I like the Twins in a high scoring, entertaining series.
Prediction: Twins win in 5 games
Saturday, October 2, 2010
TexasTech Football
Imagine this...it's a warm 65 degrees on a beautiful November Saturday. Your Texas Tech Red Raiders take the field in front of 10,000 fans?! Maybe 10,000 is too much? That is a scenario that unfortunately could be in the works.
I was mad when Mike Leach was fired. I was okay with the hiring of Tommy Tuberville. I didn't know what to expect coming into the season except that the defense was supposed to be better and the offense was supposed to look the same as it has during the Leach era. Well after 4 games the defense has looked better (except for tonight against Iowa St.) and the offense has not looked like the offense of Leach. This "Nascar" offense is too predictable. Most passes are screen passes and the team lines up fast and runs another screen pass or a run to the outside. Where are the runs up the middle? I guess a lot of it has to do with the offensive line not being as good, but this team is not performing offensively as it should be. I know a lot of people say that Sheffield should be qb. I think even if Sticks was playing qb the results would unfortunately be similar. The running game is too predictable. The passing game is predictable now. And the o-line, which used to always be a strength, is mediocre.
Tuberville is stressing the run game and has the backs to have a better-than-average running game, but I just don't think the o-line is good enough. Also I think Neal Brown needs to change his gameplan somehow. All the screens worked when he was offensive coordinator at Troy. The Big 12 Conference is a major step up from the Sun Belt Conference. It showed last week when Texas stopped anything and everything we ran to the outside. The defenses in this league are just too fast to be running screens all day with no running game.
I will continue to be a supporter of Tech football through the rough times. I hope that Tuberville gets things turned around and does whatever he has to do to put a winning program back on the field. It may take a while unfortunately. This team has great talent but something isn't right. The streak of being bowl eligible every year since the Big 12 came into existence is in serious jeopardy of coming to an end. I hope there are more people at the Jones during November games than there were at the Spring Game. But if things continue the way they are going, i'm not so sure that's going to happen...
I was mad when Mike Leach was fired. I was okay with the hiring of Tommy Tuberville. I didn't know what to expect coming into the season except that the defense was supposed to be better and the offense was supposed to look the same as it has during the Leach era. Well after 4 games the defense has looked better (except for tonight against Iowa St.) and the offense has not looked like the offense of Leach. This "Nascar" offense is too predictable. Most passes are screen passes and the team lines up fast and runs another screen pass or a run to the outside. Where are the runs up the middle? I guess a lot of it has to do with the offensive line not being as good, but this team is not performing offensively as it should be. I know a lot of people say that Sheffield should be qb. I think even if Sticks was playing qb the results would unfortunately be similar. The running game is too predictable. The passing game is predictable now. And the o-line, which used to always be a strength, is mediocre.
Tuberville is stressing the run game and has the backs to have a better-than-average running game, but I just don't think the o-line is good enough. Also I think Neal Brown needs to change his gameplan somehow. All the screens worked when he was offensive coordinator at Troy. The Big 12 Conference is a major step up from the Sun Belt Conference. It showed last week when Texas stopped anything and everything we ran to the outside. The defenses in this league are just too fast to be running screens all day with no running game.
I will continue to be a supporter of Tech football through the rough times. I hope that Tuberville gets things turned around and does whatever he has to do to put a winning program back on the field. It may take a while unfortunately. This team has great talent but something isn't right. The streak of being bowl eligible every year since the Big 12 came into existence is in serious jeopardy of coming to an end. I hope there are more people at the Jones during November games than there were at the Spring Game. But if things continue the way they are going, i'm not so sure that's going to happen...
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