The MLB playoffs kick off today, unfortunately without the Tigers who had a kick to the nether regions of their own to deal with last night. So with the Tigers out, the question is who do you root for (provided you can stomach a Tigerless playoff)? So here's cases for and against all 8 teams.
Minnesota Twins
Hate them for: Nick Punto, the damn Metrodome, and that fact that they just won't die
Root for: AL Central loyalty, their fans are pretty cool, the underdog factor
New York Yankees
Hate them for: They're the Yankees, do I really need to list things?
Root for: Revenge for the Twins beating the Tigers I guess...uh...Derek Jeter's from Michigan, right?
Boston Red Sox
Hate them for: Being the only group of fans more obnoxious than Yankee fans, Kevin Youkilis, months of smug Bill Simmons columns if they win
Root for: Fenway Park to collapse. There is nothing redeemable about this team
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Hate them for: The fact the official team name is "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim", the Rally Monkey, Vlad Guerrero's pine tard helmet
Root for: Winning for Nick Adenhart, a Red Sox loss.
Philadelphia Phillies
Hate them for: Winning last year, Philly fans
Root for: Ryan Howard seems like a cool guy, the potential reappearance of Pedro Martinez's little person.
Colorado Rockies
Hate them for: Wearing purple, the good chance their fans are also Avalanche and Bronco fans
Root for: Todd Helton to finally win the big one, the fact their best pitcher is named Ubaldo.
St. Louis Cardinals
Hate them for: the way media slobs over them for having the "best fans", the stupid Budweiser song, Joe Buck
Root for: Albert Pujols, and the fact Jim Leyland is probably rooting for them too
Los Angeles Dodgers
Hate them for: Manny being a cheater, employing Jeff Weaver, the fact that dumb Randy Newman song will be played ad nauseam during their games
Root for: Gratuitous screen shots of superfan Alyssa Milano
So there they are pick your side. Me I'm just hoping for some good games
As for how the playoffs are going to turn out, here's my thoughts:
Twins vs. Yankees
Yankees in 4
I don't think there's anyway the Twins can win today after last night's brutal 12 innings. The Twins won't go out without a fight, but the Yankee bats are just too much
Angels vs. Red Sox
Angels in 5
Both teams are pretty equal, but I just think the way the Angels seem to fly around the basepaths at home will be the difference in game 5
Phillies vs. Rockies
Phillies in 4
As long as the Phillies keep it out of Brad Lidge's hands they should be able to out hit the Rockies
Cardinals vs. Dodgers
Cardinals in 4
This may go 5, but the fact the Dodgers may have to beat Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright 2 out of 4 times makes me pick the Cards
ALCS
Yankees over Angels in 6
I think the Yankee starters are a little better than the Angels, and Mariano Rivera is light years ahead of Brian Fuentes
NLCS
Phillies over Cardinals in 7
Other than Pujols and Holliday there really isn't a dangerous bat in the Cards lineup. While the Cards may have the best 2 pitchers in the NL, Philly's rotation is a bit deeper and that will make the difference in a 7 games series
World Series
Yankees over Phillies in 6
It's going to be a bunch of 7-6 games, and it's going to come down to who can get the last three outs. Rivera vs Lidge. My money's on Mariano.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Damn
One of the greatest games I have ever seen. Too bad about the outcome. I've lost 3 pounds sweating, and I'm sure most of my hair has turned gray. Good luck the Twins
Game 163: The Biggest Game Of The Year
Some stuff went down these past few days. Some good (Justin Verlander), some bad (Miguel Cabrera). But like Mark McGwire said, I'm not here to talk about the past.
I'm here to talk about the biggest game for the Tigers this season. They face the Twins today in Satan's Butthole (aka the Metrodome), with most people expecting the Twins to win. Well I for one think 83 games is way too many for the Metrodump and think the Tigers can make it be the last one played there.
If the Tigers do these things victory is assured:
1) Score first, preferably in the first inning. A big first inning would theoretically take the crowd out of the game and let Kid Rick focus on just pitching, not trying to win the game singlehandedly.
2) Work the pitch counts. Other than Joe Nathan, no one on the Twins is an all-world pitcher. Make them throw tons of pitches, get them tired, and drive their mistakes into the stands.
3) No free baserunners. There will be a decent number of ground balls. The Tigers can't afford to allow the turf to beat them.
4). Miguel must atone. He let his team, his fans, and his city down this weekend. A key hit or two would do a lot more for his image than a form letter apology
5) Assume Joe Nathan will be out in the 8th inning. So they need to have a lead by the 7th.
6). Hits from the bottom of the order. If the 7-8-9 hitter drive in runs, the Tigers will win.
7) Last one is a simple one. Play better baseball than the Twins. Any one team can beat the other team on any given day. The Washington Nationals won a series against the Yankees this year. It doesn't matter where the game is, top to bottom the Tigers are a better team than the Twins. If the team that showed up on Sunday shows up today...bring on the Yankees.
Thank god for DVR as I won't get out of work until 5:30, and thanks to Atlanta traffic at my house around 6:30. Regardless of what happens tonight I hope to have a playoff preview up tonight. I'm really looking forward to typing up a Tigers-Yankees preview.
I'm here to talk about the biggest game for the Tigers this season. They face the Twins today in Satan's Butthole (aka the Metrodome), with most people expecting the Twins to win. Well I for one think 83 games is way too many for the Metrodump and think the Tigers can make it be the last one played there.
If the Tigers do these things victory is assured:
1) Score first, preferably in the first inning. A big first inning would theoretically take the crowd out of the game and let Kid Rick focus on just pitching, not trying to win the game singlehandedly.
2) Work the pitch counts. Other than Joe Nathan, no one on the Twins is an all-world pitcher. Make them throw tons of pitches, get them tired, and drive their mistakes into the stands.
3) No free baserunners. There will be a decent number of ground balls. The Tigers can't afford to allow the turf to beat them.
4). Miguel must atone. He let his team, his fans, and his city down this weekend. A key hit or two would do a lot more for his image than a form letter apology
5) Assume Joe Nathan will be out in the 8th inning. So they need to have a lead by the 7th.
6). Hits from the bottom of the order. If the 7-8-9 hitter drive in runs, the Tigers will win.
7) Last one is a simple one. Play better baseball than the Twins. Any one team can beat the other team on any given day. The Washington Nationals won a series against the Yankees this year. It doesn't matter where the game is, top to bottom the Tigers are a better team than the Twins. If the team that showed up on Sunday shows up today...bring on the Yankees.
Thank god for DVR as I won't get out of work until 5:30, and thanks to Atlanta traffic at my house around 6:30. Regardless of what happens tonight I hope to have a playoff preview up tonight. I'm really looking forward to typing up a Tigers-Yankees preview.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Game 158 Recap
Another big game, another big win for the Tigers. The 2009 Tigers, exactly the opposite of the 2008 version.
Eddie Bonine, the September call-up, the 4 option for a starter behind Jarrod Washburn, Armando Galarraga, and Nate Robertson, had himself another great game on the mound for the Tigers tonight. His 3rd start in September (4th of the year 9th of his career) was the magic one, as Bonine picked up his first career win. It wasn't easy though, as the Twins had him on the ropes in the first. Down 2-0 with the bases loaded, Bonine got a huge play from Placido Polanco to turn a double play and end the inning. He allowed only 4 more Twins to reach base in the next four innings and had himself another great start in a pressure packed situation.
Last time out Bonine was out of luck as he drew Jake Peavy to try to outpitch. This time he went up against a guy that had been pitching like a Cy Young winner against the Tigers. This time they figured him out. It all started with a pair of singles from Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez. Carlos Guillen drew a five pitch walk and the bases were loaded for Brandon Inge. Inge continued his hot hitting from yesterday, by driving a double to the gap in left center which brought in two. Ramon Santiago drove in Inge and Guillen with a single to center and the Tigers took the lead and never looked back.
The Tigers had the bases loaded again in the 5th. Miguel Cabrera at the bat, one pitch weak pop out. Here we go squandering again, right? Wrong. Magglio Ordonez took his first pitch and drove it deeper in the same part of the field that Inge's when for a bases clearing double, making the game 7-2. Zach Miner took over for Bonine, and while he wasn't as dominant as he was yesterday afternoon, he didn't allow a run to score in 2.1 innings pitched. Brandon Lyon bounced back from his wild performance yesterday (Closer mentality...hint, hint Mr. Dombrowski) as he struck out both batters he faced with runners at 1st and 2nd to end the 8th. Fernando Rodney showed he can in fact pitch a 1-2-3 inning to end the game.
A fact blurbed on "Baseball Tonight", no team has ever come back from 3 games back with 4 to go. The Tigers win tomorrow and they win the AL Central for the first time. Go do it Tigers.
Tigers 7 Twins 2
W: Bonine (1-1)
L: Pavano (13-12)
Tigers Record
W - L
85 - 73
1st Place AL Central (3 games ahead of Minnesota)
MAGIC NUMBER: 2
Eddie Bonine, the September call-up, the 4 option for a starter behind Jarrod Washburn, Armando Galarraga, and Nate Robertson, had himself another great game on the mound for the Tigers tonight. His 3rd start in September (4th of the year 9th of his career) was the magic one, as Bonine picked up his first career win. It wasn't easy though, as the Twins had him on the ropes in the first. Down 2-0 with the bases loaded, Bonine got a huge play from Placido Polanco to turn a double play and end the inning. He allowed only 4 more Twins to reach base in the next four innings and had himself another great start in a pressure packed situation.
Last time out Bonine was out of luck as he drew Jake Peavy to try to outpitch. This time he went up against a guy that had been pitching like a Cy Young winner against the Tigers. This time they figured him out. It all started with a pair of singles from Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez. Carlos Guillen drew a five pitch walk and the bases were loaded for Brandon Inge. Inge continued his hot hitting from yesterday, by driving a double to the gap in left center which brought in two. Ramon Santiago drove in Inge and Guillen with a single to center and the Tigers took the lead and never looked back.
The Tigers had the bases loaded again in the 5th. Miguel Cabrera at the bat, one pitch weak pop out. Here we go squandering again, right? Wrong. Magglio Ordonez took his first pitch and drove it deeper in the same part of the field that Inge's when for a bases clearing double, making the game 7-2. Zach Miner took over for Bonine, and while he wasn't as dominant as he was yesterday afternoon, he didn't allow a run to score in 2.1 innings pitched. Brandon Lyon bounced back from his wild performance yesterday (Closer mentality...hint, hint Mr. Dombrowski) as he struck out both batters he faced with runners at 1st and 2nd to end the 8th. Fernando Rodney showed he can in fact pitch a 1-2-3 inning to end the game.
A fact blurbed on "Baseball Tonight", no team has ever come back from 3 games back with 4 to go. The Tigers win tomorrow and they win the AL Central for the first time. Go do it Tigers.
Tigers 7 Twins 2
W: Bonine (1-1)
L: Pavano (13-12)
Tigers Record
W - L
85 - 73
1st Place AL Central (3 games ahead of Minnesota)
MAGIC NUMBER: 2
Games 156 & 157
I spent all of the first game, trapped at work and wearing down my phone's battery for updates. After Lyon's performance my phone was almost the third wild pitch of the afternoon. As if the stress of month-end wasn't enough, the work day ended with the Tigers clinging on to a minuscule one game lead in the AL Central.
I spent most of the second game vomiting uncontrollably. It could of been from the fish I had at lunch. But more than likely it was caused by Nick Punto.
All in all yesterday was two games that kicked started my emotions into playoff mode. I nervous, agitated, surly, and I love it.
Tonight, dual Tiger killers are in effect. Carl Pavano is on the mound and the game is on ESPN. Maybe they will cancel each other out. And I think karma owes Eddie Bonine his first win anyway.
I spent most of the second game vomiting uncontrollably. It could of been from the fish I had at lunch. But more than likely it was caused by Nick Punto.
All in all yesterday was two games that kicked started my emotions into playoff mode. I nervous, agitated, surly, and I love it.
Tonight, dual Tiger killers are in effect. Carl Pavano is on the mound and the game is on ESPN. Maybe they will cancel each other out. And I think karma owes Eddie Bonine his first win anyway.
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