Archive for the ‘mlb’ Category

Tuesday Lunch: Twitter and the 24-hour News Cycle–How Media affects our Sports Viewing

Posted: July 5, 2011 in baseball, basketball, college football, english premier league, football, mlb, nba, ncaafb, nfl, professional sports, soccer, sports
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By Dylan Davis

 

I was surfing the worldwide interwebs the other day when I came across this article by Joe Posnanski. In it, Posnanski lays out 14 baseball stats that mean nothing in the larger scheme of things, but are interesting nuggets of information when laid out by themselves. For example, did you know that Aubrey Huff has more career doubles than Mickey Mantle does? That’s not to say that Aubrey Huff is a better player than Mick is, (he certainly is not) but his hitting style just happens to produce more doubles than Mantle. That was interesting, but the stat that caught my eye for a number of reasons had to do with Johnny Damon.

 

Damon has amassed 2,662 hits over his 17-year career, while Ted Williams only piled up 2,654. Now, Williams has batted over 1,500 fewer times than Damon over his career (he was sent off to war twice and didn’t have Damon’s incredible streak of 16 straight seasons with 140 games played) and by almost any other stat (batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, etc…) Williams is far superior baseball player. While we all know that Williams is one of the greatest pure hitters to ever grace a baseball diamond, my thoughts immediately shifted to Damon’s career. As I quickly perused Damon’s career stats (2,662 hits, 224 HR’s, 1,088 RBI, and almost 400 steals) I quickly came to the uneducated opinion that Johnny Damon is a Hall of Famer. Now, that sentence may look ridiculous because, let’s be honest, Damon is more well known for looking like Jesus on the 2004 Red Sox than he is for his incredible baseball career

 

As I thought about it some more, I came to realize that the reason why it seemed so preposterous for Damon to be a Hall of Famer is because I have never heard a single baseball pundit even mention the possibility of Damon in the Hall of Fame. Sure, Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez (minus the steroid allegations and centaur pictures) all have gaudier numbers than Damon, but that doesn’t exclude Damon from being a Hall of Famer himself. Like it or not, a majority of the day-to-day sports information that we get is twisted in some way by the media. Sure, you can look at box scores until you’re blue in the face if you want 100% unbiased information, but most people want to go deeper than that. Looking at purely stats led me to believe that Johnny Damon is a potential Hall of Famer, but a player’s legacy is more shaped by the media nowadays than ever before. In fact, let’s look at the ways media shapes the way we view sports today.

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Wednesday Lunch: The SACK Lunch’s Guide to Booing Etiquette

Posted: April 6, 2011 in mlb
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By Nick Gallaudet

MLB’s 2011 Opening Weekend is in the books, and as usual with sports, it was accompanied by a flurry of mixed emotions ranging from euphoria to frustration to disappointment. As an A’s fan, I experienced all these emotions on Opening Day: euphoria with Josh Willingham’s 1st inning homerun, frustration with the A’s defense as a whole (five errors in the season opener!?!?!), and disappointment as I watched Felix Hernandez become the A’s daddy. One thing I noticed watching that game, however, was that the A’s fans at the game had no problem expressing their emotions. I heard more boos at that game than I have ever heard at an A’s game, and this is coming from a guy who watches over 100 A’s games a year. The two instances in which I was embarrassed as a baseball fan to hear boos were when former Athletic Jack Cust stepped in the batter’s box for the Mariners and when A’s 3rd baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff made back-to-back errors in the top of the 4th. I didn’t think either of those instances called for boos, so I am going to take it upon myself, here and now, to give you the SACK Lunch Guide to Booing Etiquette.

The SLGBE is going to focus on baseball, but these rules can be used for any sport.

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Thursday Lunch: 30 Bold Predictions for the 2011 MLB season

Posted: March 31, 2011 in mlb
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By Nick Gallaudet

With the Major League Baseball season kicking off today, it’s my last chance to make outrageous predictions before the season starts, so here we go: 30 bold predictions about the 2011 MLB season, one for each team.


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>Wednesday Lunch: NL West Preview and Playoff Predictions

Posted: March 23, 2011 in mlb, world series
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By Nick Gallaudet

This week we finish our division-by-division look at Major League Baseball with the National League West, home of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants. This division is notoriously tough to pick and it seems like each of the last five years, it’s ended up the opposite of what everyone thought it would be, so let’s see if this year is going to be any different.

 

 

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Arizona finished dead last in the West last year by 15 games, and went into this offseason looking to complete the roster purge they began in the regular season. Since Opening Day of last year, the Diamondbacks parted ways with starting pitchers Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, and Edwin Jackson. On top of that, they also lost power bats Adam LaRoche and Mark Reynolds, but honestly, LaRoche and Reynolds really aren’t as good as everyone is making them out to be. LaRoche was replaced by the more than capable Russell Branyan. In the last two seasons in the American League, Branyan has over 50 homeruns in just over 200 games. Branyan has shown he can provide some pop when he’s in the lineup, but it’s kind of a lateral move, because he also has almost 300 strikeouts in that same span, around the same number LaRoche put up in more games.

 

The strengths in this Diamondbacks team rest in its youth, except I don’t know if you can call it youth anymore. SS Stephen Drew, CF Chris Young, and RF Justin Upton have had plenty of time now to adjust to the Major League game, but none of them have blossomed into what they were expected to be. All three of them put up decent numbers last year but none of them look like they’re capable of putting this team on their back and making them serious contenders, and the way this team has be shuttling people out the door, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two of these guys move this year if they don’t start winning.

 

The pitching staff is the one ray of hope on this team, albeit a little one. In the 11 games he started for the D-Backs last year, Daniel Hudson was 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA. Hudson, coupled with the promising, but still unproven Ian Kennedy make a solid core for their future rotation, but this year, the talent stops there. Joe Saunders was unimpressive last year, and Barry Enright showed signs of fatigue toward the end of the year. Even with the addition of J.J. Putz as closer, this bullpen isn’t much to worry about either, all things considered, this looks like another long year for the Diamondbacks.

 

COLORADO ROCKIES

Offensively, this team is pretty formidable. Aside from 1B Todd Helton, this team is young and very good. The only weaknesses in the lineup are on the right side of the infield where Eric Young Jr. and Todd Helton look to get the majority of the playing time It’s hard to believe, but Todd Helton has simply fallen off the face of the planet, statistically. In 118 games last year, Helton hit eight homeruns and drove in 37 while posting a .257 average. It’s a little disheartening to see a perennial All-Star play like that, but for the sake of his dignity; I hope he can pull out a decent season this year. Other than those two, though, this lineup sports slugging SS Troy Tulowitski, Triple Crown threat Carlos Gonzalez, and young studs like Dexter Fowler and Seth Smith. This team was third in the NL in runs scored last year, and will most definitely put up some runs this year, as well.

The Rockies pitching staff is a little more suspect. Anchored by flamethrower and first-half phenom, Ubaldo Jimenez, this rotation could be worse. Jimenez will be followed by Jorge de la Rosa, Aaron Cook, Jason Hammel, and Jhoulys Chacin, all four of which have potential. Luckily for them, this rotation will have a stellar bullpen to fall back on, with studs like Matt Lidstrom, Rafael Bettancourt, and Huston Street. This staff will get a lot of run support this year, so if they can get decent outings from their staff, this team could make a run for the NL West crown.

 

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The story of the Dodgers for the last season and a half has been instability. The McCourts, owners of the Dodgers, are going through a nasty divorce, manager Joe Torre retired, and don’t forget the whole Manny Ramirez saga. The mayhem culminated in an offseason where they had to sit and watch as their rival won the World Series. New manager Don Mattingly will look to stabilize this team and create an identity, and he may just have the talent to do so. The Dodgers offense certainly underachieved last year, finishing toward the back of the pack in most offensive categories, which is surprising given the talent they have. Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Rafael Furcal, and Casey Blake are all coming off years in which they all showed flashes of brilliance, but never really got it going consistently. If a couple of those guys can return to form and James Loney can continue his quiet consistency, and new addition Juan Uribe picks up where he left off with the Giants last year, there is no reason the Dodgers shouldn’t be able to compete offensively, even with the loss of catcher Russell Martin.

 

The Dodgers also look to improve their middle-of-the-pack rotation from last year. Again, this is going to be a case of proven veterans regaining their form. Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly, and Vicente Padilla have all proven they can play at the big league level. Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw have also proven to be formidable starters, and throw in Jon Garland on top of all this; the Dodgers definitely have options on the mound. The real problem for this pitching staff is in the bullpen. The Dodgers added Matt Gurrier to a sub-par pen from last year, and closer Jonathan Broxton looked human last year, blowing seven saves and posting a 4.04 ERA. Mattingly made it clear that no one’s spot is safe in the bullpen, and this group of relievers is going to be a huge factor in whether or not the Dodgers can compete in this division.

 

SAN DIEGO PADRES

The Padres ended last season with a devastating collapse, losing the division and wild card race in the last weekend of the season, and unfortunately for them, it just gets worse from there. The Padres lost their only real run producer from last year in Adrian Gonzalez as well as their shortstop, centerfielder, second baseman, and one of their top starting pitchers. The Padres managed to fill those gaps well, but they weren’t really able to upgrade any position other than Orlando Hudson replacing David Eckstein at 2B. Josh Bartlett is a decent replacement for Miguel Tejada and Cameron Maybin is kind of a lateral move from Tony Gwynn Jr., but Brad Hawpe is far from Adrian Gonzalez. It’s going to be hard for this team to do worse offensively than it did last year, but it may just be able to do it.

 

As far as the pitching staff that posted the second best ERA in the league last year, it’s looking like it may take a major step back. Jon Garland, who tied for the team lead in wins last year, is being replaced by a rapidly aging Aaron Harang. Harang, the ace of the Reds once-upon-a-time has been steadily declining these last couple years and is most definitely not the pitcher he used to be. With that being said, this is still largely the same staff from last year, with Mat Latos and Clayton Richard looking to repeat their solid season and young gun Tim Stauffer getting a larger workload. The bullpen is also largely the same and should supply manager Bud Black with plenty of option toward the end of the game. I’m really not expecting a lot from this team, but I said the same thing last year, and they almost made the playoffs.

 

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Giants pitching alone should be enough to get them back to the playoffs, but there is not a lot of room for error with this team. All it takes is one injury or one down year, and this team is vulnerable, because as good as their pitching is, their offense is mediocre. The Giants were dead last in hitting with runners in scoring position last year, and they didn’t do much to bolster their lineup. The Giants lost Juan Uribe and Edgar Renteria, but they shouldn’t feel it that much because replacement Miguel Tejada is a comparable replacement. Other than that, this lineup hasn’t changed much, but having C Buster Posey for a whole season should provide a little boost. On top of that, word on the street is that Fat Boy Sandoval has slimmed down a little and maybe might learn how to hit again. I just don’t have much faith in this offense, but with their rotation, it doesn’t really matter.

 

Even with Tim Lincecum coming off a “down” year, the Giants still posted the best ERA in the Bigs last year, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Barry Zito, and Madison Bumgarner make up what many are calling the best rotation in Major League baseball. On top of that, the Giants also sport one of the best bullpens in the NL anchored by closer Brian Wilson. I personally don’t think Wilson is going to be able to duplicate his 48 save performance from last year, but notwithstanding, the Giants are still the team to beat in the NL West

 

TEAM W-L

San Francisco Giants 91-71

Colorado Rockies 90-72

Los Angeles Dodgers 84-78

San Diego Padres 78-84

Arizona Diamondbacks 69-93

 

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS

AL East Red Sox NL East Phillies

 

AL Central White Sox NL Central Reds

 

AL West A’s NL West Giants

 

AL Wild Card Yankees NL Wild Card Rockies

 

ALDS NLDS

Red Sox over White Sox Phillies over Rockies

A’s over Yankees Giants over Reds

 

ALCS NLCS

Red Sox over A’s Phillies over Giants

 

WORLD SERIES

Phillies over Red Sox

 

There you have it, the Philadelphia Phillies will win the 2011 World Series. I don’t like the pick any more than you do, but that’s what it’s going to be. Go A’s.

>Thursday Lunch: NL East Preview

Posted: March 10, 2011 in mlb
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By Nick Gallaudet

With our American League preview in the books (NYY, Bos, Chi Sox, and A’s as my playoff teams) we’re making our way to the National League. We are going to start in the East, where major changes this offseason could make some differences this season as the Phillies look for their fifth straight division title.

 

ATLANTA BRAVES

It’s the end of an era, there’s no two ways about it. For the first time since like, 1939, the Braves will have someone other than Bobby Cox filling out the lineup card and being ejected. Everything I’ve heard about new manager, Fredi Gonzalez, is that he’s the only guy that could replace Cox. 3B and team grandpa Chipper Jones loves the guy, and an endorsement from Jones is good enough for me. As far as the way the team looks on the field, they’re a unique blend of young and old. The veteran leadership leaves little to be desired. Jones is a workhorse, granted he’s coming off of a season-ending knee injury, but he will go down as one of the top four or five switch-hitters in history, and he proved last year, he’s still got some gas left in the tank. The pitching staff is anchored by the underrated duo of Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe, followed up by Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson. If the Braves weren’t in the same division as Philly, these four starters would be getting a lot more attention, especially if Jurrjens can find a way to return to his 2009 form.

 

What is going to make or break this team are its youngsters. RF Jason Heyward still has some growing to do as a Major League hitter, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down and if he and rookie 1B Freddie Freeman can do what they’ve been doing their whole professional careers, this is going to be a fun team to watch. The addition of 2B Dan Uggla, coupled with C Brian McCann, OF Nate McLouth, and Martin Prado, the 2011 Braves could boast one of the more potent lineups, a far cry from the anemic offense that made an appearance in the 2010 postseason. This team is promising, sporting the best bullpen in the division, even with the retirement of closer Billy Wagner, but they’re slow, and their defense is still shaky, so that could create problems in the postseason…again.

 

FLORIDA MARLINS

Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez: the 2011 Florida Marlins. Outfielders Chris Coghlan, Logan Morrison, and Mike Stanton (the youngest everyday player in the Bigs) are superstars in the making, but right now, Johnson and Ramirez are the only Marlins worth paying to see right now. In a really tough division, the Marlins are just not good enough As a franchise, they find ways to win with up-and-coming talent, but I just don’t think they have enough this season. Ramirez is going to put up good numbers, but after that, they’re going to have to rely on the likes of Wes Helms and Omar Infante for a veteran presence, and while both those guys are decent role players. I just don’t think they have what it takes to be the focal point of a lineup. The only hope the Marlins have of competing is if the young trio of outfielders come flying out of the gate hitting like they’re expected to in a couple years.

 

The pitching rotation is a different story. After Johnson, the talent level falls off dramatically with Ricky Nolasco and his ERA over 4.4. It doesn’t get much better after that, either, their staff looks like a bunch of number four starters, and that’s just not going to cut it in the East. There is not a lot of young talent here, either, just a lot of proven mediocrity with Javier Vazquez, Anibal Sanchez, and Chris Volstad. The bullpen isn’t bad though, and if these starters can turn over decent outings to a revamped bullpen, they might have a shot. The reason the Marlins don’t have a whole lot of talent right now is because they mortgaged a lot of their talent to shore up their bullpen, trading away Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and Dan Uggla all to pick up some bullpen reinforcements. I just think, if they can get their starting pitching together, this is a team to be afraid of in 2013, not 2011, but I think this team is going to hover around the .500 mark all season long, if they can provide even a little offense, they’re definitely going to miss Dan Uggla this year.

 

NEW YORK METS

Unfortunately, right now the most important person related to the Mets is Bernie Madoff. The story about the Mets ownership woes has been covered to death, so I’m not going to bore you with the details again; this is about the players. If it was 2006, this team would win 150 games, but unfortunately for them, it’s 2011, and Jason Bay, David Wright, Adrian Beltre, Johan Santana (out until July), and Darryl Strawberry just aren’t as good as they used to be. Out of all of those players, I really think only David Wright is capable of bouncing back the way people expect all of them to. I know Bay was hampered by injury last year, but in almost 100 games, he only hit six homeruns…six! That’s like almost $3 million per homerun! This is a team in total disarray, and the Mets will most likely look to unload some of those big contracts this year and really put their focus on the future.

 

This year will probably have a similar feel to last year: just trying to get through the season and look forward to when they have $55 million in payroll come off the books. I hate to see a team be put in a position where it has no shot at competing, but unfortunately, this is where the Mets sit. They have an under-producing, over-priced lineup, landing in the bottom six of most major offensive categories last year, and an under-producing rotation (Santana is 24-18 in the last two seasons), although Mike Pelfrey and Jonathon Niese are a couple young guns that could work themselves to the top of that rotation soon. The poor production coupled with their revamped, but still underwhelming bullpen spells another tough season for the Mets.

 

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

On paper, this is the best rotation in the league with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee, but the game isn’t played on paper. I still think these guys are going to dominate the NL, but if the Miami Heat is any indication, sometimes things don’t work out the way they were supposed to. An under-covered storyline for this team is the fact that Jayson Werth meant more to this team than people realize. Philadelphia scored the second most runs in the NL last year, and Werth was a big part of that, scoring a team-leading 106 runs and driving in another 85. Werth led the supposedly potent lineup in slugging percentage and OPS, and was the postseason RBI leader for the Phillies. Losing Werth is going to put more pressure on 0-RBI-in-the-playoffs Ryan Howard, and I don’t know if he can handle it. I have to be honest, though, I’m really splitting hairs here, because the Phillies still have two MVPs in Howard and Jimmy Rollins, another MVP candidate in Chase Utley in their lineup, and two capable players in Ben Francisco and top prospect Dominic Brown waiting to take over for Werth. This team will put up runs and if this group of guys doesn’t win 95 games, I’ll be surprised, but mark my words: Werth’s absence will be missed in the playoffs.

 

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The two biggest stars for the Nationals are Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, and I can’t wait to see them contribute to this team! Too bad I have to wait at least another year. Strasburg may miss the whole season with Tommy John surgery and Harper is starting his season out in A-ball. Despite missing those two guys, though, this team is still decent. Their rotation is definitely not like the Phillies, but Livan Hernandez finds a way to win, and…actually, their rotation is like the opposite of the Phillies. They were last in the league in quality starts last year, and it’s probably going to be more of the same this year. Jason Marquis is their #2 pitcher, and his ERA last year was 6.60. Sorry Nationals fans, I hope you enjoy watching OF Jayson Werth and 3B Ryan Zimmerman try to rack up stats when you’re out of the playoff hunt around the All-Star break. There just isn’t enough here; C Ivan Rodriguez is too old and 1B Adam LaRoche is just not good. Like the Mets, this team is a couple of years from competing, but unlike the Mets, the Nationals have the young superstars to build around

 

Projected 2011 NL East Standing

TEAM                        W-L

Philadelphia Phillies    97-65

Atlanta Braves            90-72

Florida Marlins            81-81

New York Mets           77-85

Washington Nationals 66-96

>Thursday Lunch: AL East Preview

Posted: March 3, 2011 in mlb
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By Nick Gallaudet

The AL East was the division I dreaded previewing the most; this division is the most boring division in the bigs, but it gets the most attention. Every year, at least two teams come into the season already eliminated, and unfortunately, that number is at three this year. Without further ado, here is your 2011 AL East preview.

 

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

When I was talking about this team with my friend Danny, we agreed the only way to describe this team is “Rag-Tag.” In any other division, I would say the Orioles had a legitimate shot at putting together a possible run at the division title, but in the East, they don’t have a shot. The Orioles boast new additions 3B Mark Reynolds, 1B Derek Lee, DH Vladimir Guerrero, and SS J.J. Hardy. Those four teamed with 2B Brian Roberts, OF Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis make this seem like a fun team to watch. If manager Buck Showalter can recapture the effect he had on the team when he came in mid-season, they could find themselves over .500 for the first time in a long time, but that’s only if their pitching staff is any good, and with a staff anchored by, well, no one, it’s not looking good.

 

The Orioles staff is comprised of a bunch of no-names, but there is potential. I have seen what Justin Duchscherer is capable of, but don’t hold your breath O’s fans. He’s proven he has trouble staying healthy. That’s not to say all hope is lost, because the Orioles broke in some youngsters last year, and both Brad Bergensen and Brian Matusz showed they were capable of putting together decent outings. Again, don’t hold your breath, the Orioles just are not cohesive enough to compete in the East.

 

BOSTON RED SOX2008_409_0001_buckner_1080

The Red Sox are the clear favorite in this division, really only losing 1B/C Victor Martinez and 3B Adrian Beltre. Granted those are two big bats, but with the addition of 1B Adrian Gonzalez and LF Carl Crawford, I doubt they’ll miss them all that much, and coupled with the return of a healthy Dustin Pedroia, this lineup should be just fine. On top of that, they return with all five starting pitchers, and will boast one of the best top-to-bottom rotations in the league. Josh Beckett and John Lackey both had down years by their standards last year, so if even one of them can bounce back to their previous form, the Red Sox are a threat to win 100 games this year.

 

The only real question mark for this team this year is the closer situation. Jonathan Papelbon had a shaky season last year, and looks to be on the way out as the Red Sox closer, but they have Daniel Bard and Bobby Jenks waiting in the wings to pick up any slack, so they should be alright there, as well. There is no reason this team shouldn’t be one of, if not, the best team in the AL.

 

NEW YORK YANKEES

The main storyline regarding the Yankees this offseason has been their decline Jeter’s waaaay past his prime, Pettite retired, they lost out on the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, and Posada’s been relegated to DH. The alarmists have forgotten that the Yankees still boast one of the most balanced lineups in the league with three of the best hitters in the AL. Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Robinson Cano still make up the best offensive threesome in the game, and Nick Swisher, Posada, and Brett Gardner aren’t anything to sneer at. On top of all that, they added C Russell Martin, so offensively, I don’t think they have much to worry about.

 

The pitching staff is where the concern is warranted. The catchphrase “C.C. and Hughes, then we lose,” has been going around, but it’s not that bad. It seems like people have already forgotten about A.J. Burnett, and while he most definitely has not lived up to his contract, as a number three starter, you could do worse. After that, Freddy Garcia is serviceable, he’s quietly put together a couple decent seasons recently, and youngster Ivan Nova and oldsters Bartolo Colon and Mark Prior will also battle for starting spots. It’s definitely not an ideal rotation for the Yankees, but it’s definitely enough to get them into the playoffs. Expect them to make moves if necessary to nail down another pitcher in the stretch run, because everyone knows that this rotation won’t be enough come playoffs.

 

 

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Last year looked like it was going to be the Rays last shot at World Series glory for a while with the loss of Rafael Soriano, Matt Garza, Carlos Pena, and Carl Crawford during the offseason, but not so fast. The Rays boast one of the best farm systems in baseball, and still have their core of young talent (Upton, Longoria, and Price) locked up for a while. This looks like a pseudo-rebuilding year for the Rays, however, and as long as they don’t panic and bring their prospects along too quickly. They should be set in the future, it just doesn’t look like it’s in the cards for them this year.

 

With that being said, this team is still good. The addition of Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon are definitely stop-gap moves, but who knows, veterans have been revitalized by relocation before, maybe Manny and Damon still have a little of that ’04 magic in them…but don’t count on it. This is definitely going to be a new look team, but I think manager Joe Maddon is very capable of leading this team to a decent showing and if Jeremy Hellickson is what everyone thinks he can be, this team could be on top again very soon, but not this year, especially with that bullpen.

 

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Blue Jays are a very interesting team. They managed to hang around in the standings for a while last year before running out of steam toward the end of the season. I think dumping Vernon Wells contract on the Angels was also one of the best moves this offseason, and picking up a personal favorite in Rajai Davis made me take a closer look at this team. All this team did last year was drop bombs, led by Jose Bautista and his 54 homeruns. I doubt the Jays will be able to duplicate the fireworks from last year, but with a young staff led by Ricky Romero and the jewel of the Roy Halladay trade, Kyle Drabek, waiting to show what he’s capable of, this team is a better version of the Orioles. This is team that looks poised to make a run, but are in the wrong division.

This team is definitely headed in the right direction, but this may not be the year they breakthrough. There will be some pressure on first-year manager John Farrell, but according to my sources, he seems capable. The Jays could jump up a spot in the standings this year, but I just don’t think they have what it takes to make a long overdue appearance in the postseason.

 

Projected 2011 AL East Standings

Team                     W-L

Boston Red Sox    101-61

New York Yankees 94-68

Toronto Blue Jays   85-77

Tampa Bay Rays    80-82

Baltimore Orioles    70-92

>Wednesday Lunch: AL West Preview

Posted: February 16, 2011 in mlb, world series
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>By Nick Gallaudet

I’m trying to find a poetic and interesting way to describe my anticipation for the upcoming baseball season, but I can’t do it. Pitchers and catchers reported Tuesday, and I can’t think straight. I get this way every year, and that’s the beauty of baseball. The season is so long, and so much can happen that every team, except the Pirates, has a shot every year. Last year, my friend Alex bet Danny (of bowling fame) that the Giants would not finish above .500. Think about that for a second. That means that there was a, by most accounts, sane person out there that believed the Giants wouldn’t win 82 games, let alone win the World Series, and you know what, I was on Alex’s side. I didn’t think the Giants had nearly the talent required to win the Series, and they went out with their nasty beards and won the whole thing. That is why I get so excited every spring; anything can happen, and every team, except the Pirates, has a chance at a title. This week marks the first in a six week series in which I will take a look at every division in baseball and give you a look at what we can expect, and this week we start with the American League West.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
kendry-morales-injury-image-2347324827442The Los Angeles Angels are coming off of a down year, there’s no doubt about that; but was it a fluke? With the way this team is shaping up, it’s looking like the beginning of a trend. The Angels struggled to get on base last year, and those struggles could continue. Despite getting Kendry Morales back, they Angels weren’t able to upgrade their offense much. Sure they got Vernon Wells, but at $21 million, he’s more of a burden then a blessing. In fact, they lost their homerun leader to the Rangers (Mike Napoli) and OBP leader to the A’s (Hideki Matsui), so by losing some of their talent, they upgraded division rivals. The Angels are definitely going to have to rely on their pitching staff for wins this season.
 
The starting rotation for the Angels is pretty solid. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana can match up with the best in the league, but after that, there are some question marks. Scott Kazmir had a down year last year, but has shown flashes of brilliance, and the same can be said for Joel Pinero. Both of those pitchers have battled injuries throughout their career, though, and probably can’t be counted on for an entire season. The real issue for the Angels is their bullpen. They lost their closer, Brian Fuentes, to the A’s and look like they’ll be depending on Fernando Rodney to close out games. The bullpen looks super shaky, and that’s a recipe for disaster for a team that is going to have trouble scoring runs.
 
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
I am one of maybe 10 people in America that can name, off the top of their head, the AL walks leader last year. A’s first baseman, Daric Barton, led the league with 110 walks, 10 more than 2nd place finisher, José Bautista. Walks wasn’t the only thing Barton led the AL in either; the patient first baseman saw over 100 more pitches than any other player in the American League. The man is a manager’s dream in the #2 slot, but that’s where the A’s problems begin. Barton’s production as the 2 hitter coupled with his defensive prowess make him a vital piece of the A’s lineup, but that piece comes with little pop, as Barton is coming off a career-high in homeruns with 10. First base is a spot where teams expect a lot of power, but Barton is so good at what he does, he is forcing the A’s to find that power elsewhere, something they weren’t able to do in 2010. The A’s only hit 109 homeruns last year, good for 13th out of 15 AL teams, and only eight ahead of Seattle. That power outage was a huge factor to the A’s poor run production last year and something they are looking to fix this year. With the acquisition of DH Hideki Matsui, OF David DeJesus, and OF Josh Willingham, the A’s should see improvement offensively. The new blood should solve some major problems, and the additions also create some depth the A’s have lacked recently. With DeJesus and Willingham both competing for outfield jobs, that makes six candidates for the three spots with Coco Crisp, Ryan Sweeney, Conor Jackson, and Chris Carter joining the competition.
 
The depth of the A’s doesn’t stop with position players, however. The A’s boast one of the youngest rotations in the AL with Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, and Gio Gonzalez all under 25 and only improved the pitching staff that led the AL in ERA last year. With the addition of Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes in the bullpen, and the return of Josh Outman, this pitching staff is going to be a force to be reckoned with. I hate to draw comparisons to the 2010 Giants because comparing this team to a World Series champion is definitely wishful thinking on my part, but they have a starting rotation and bullpen that will be among the best in the AL and revamped offense featuring past-their-prime veterans that may just produce enough to take advantage of their arms. Add on solid defense, and this team is definitely something to get excited about.
 
SEATTLE MARINERS
I would love to say something nice about the Mariners offense, but outside of Ichiro, there isn’t much to work with. Last year, the Mariners were dead last in the Majors in nearly every major category on offense. They picked up Jack Cust this offseason to add some pop, but take it from someone who watched a team depend on Cust to be their run producer for three years: It’s not going to help. Cust simply is not good enough to be the focal point of your offense and the Mariners will find that out soon enough. There just isn’t enough different about this team for me to have any hope for their offense, although, they can’t get much worse.

Like the A’s and Angels, the Mariners’ pitching staff is going to be their only shot at competing. Everyone knows about the unhittable King Felix, but Jason Vargas and Doug Fister are better than people realize. Both pitchers had some dominant outings last year and are most definitely capable of stringing together quality starts. Those quality starts probably won’t mean much, though, since the M’s bullpen is only slightly better than their offense. There just isn’t enough talent on this team to seriously contend, sorry Felix.
 
TEXAS RANGERS
Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Rangers come into 2011 with high hopes, but will they be able to equal their miracle run from last October? Their offense is clearly the most formidable in the West, but that’s not saying much. The addition of Adrián Beltré to an already potent lineup seems like a great move after the season he had last year, but people are quick to forget his numbers in Seattle. In five years in Seattle, Beltré topped a .268 average only once, and had an OPS hovering around the .675 mark, not what you want from a power bat. However, we all saw what he was capable of last year in the hitter friendly Fenway Park and should expect similar numbers this year. Beltré won’t be expected to carry this lineup and with protection in a hitter friendly park, but look for him to fit in well with this lineup. The major issue for the Rangers may be a chemistry one now that Beltré has arrived to take veteran Michael Young’s spot at 3rd base. Young doesn’t want to DH, but his glove is so weak, the Rangers simply cannot afford to have him play at 3rd or 2nd in place of Beltré or Kinsler, and they are reluctant to trade. I feel like this is an issue that needs to be resolved before the season, because I don’t see this ending well for the Rangers in the clubhouse.
 
Other than the Young drama, the Rangers look to have the makings of a contender. Granted, the loss of Cliff Lee hurts their rotation, but the fact is they have plenty of young arms to leave them in decent shape. On top of the established young guns like Colby Lewis and C.J. Wilson, they are contemplating moving AL Rookie of the Year Neftali Feliz from closer to the rotation. If the Rangers get similar production from their current rotation, and Brandon Webb can return to his Cy Young form, the Rangers could make a return trip to the playoffs, but that’s a big “if.”
 
I think the AL West race will end up a lot like the one it did last year, with one team pulling away around midseason and maintaining a fairly comfortable lead. Don’t expect a lot of fireworks from this division, and with that said, here is how I predict the final standings ending up:
 
TEAM              W-L
1. Oakland       92-70
2. Texas          88-74
3. Los Angeles 77-85
4. Seattle        62-100

>Wednesday Lunch: Jeter or Pujols – Who Deserves the Bank?

Posted: February 2, 2011 in mlb
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By Nick Gallaudet

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Major League Baseball offseason has not been particularly exciting this year. Aside from Cliff Lee’s surprise signing with Philadelphia and Adrián Beltré picking the Texas Rangers, there have not been many big names switching clubs. The main storyline of this offseason was the Yankees and their effort to re-sign SS Derek Jeter. Jeter was not the only big name to create a stir demanding a boatload of money, however. Recently, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, widely considered the best hitter in the game, asked for a 10 year, $300 million contract. At first glance, these situations are similar; the face of a historical franchise asking for a raise; Jeter has five rings and Pujols has one ring and three MVPs; and both are heroes in their city and fan favorites. The reality, however, is that these situations are very different. Jeter is 36 and towards the end of his career while Pujols is 31 and coming off one of his most productive seasons ever. Now, with that information, we’re going to play a little guessing game. I think one of these players should have gotten the money they were asking for (Jeter asked for a 4-6 year deal for $22-24 million/year), and one of these players is gouging his franchise. Conventional wisdom says pay the superstar that is still posting eye-popping numbers, but my wisdom has never been regarded as conventional. Pujols is holding St. Louis hostage and Jeter deserved the $100 million-plus contract and here’s why…

Derek Jeter was the captain of the teams that made the New York Yankees relevant again. The Yankees of the 1980’s and early ‘90’s were not what baseball fans had come to expect from Yankee teams. Those teams had the longest absence from the playoffs of any Yankees teams since 1921. Jeter was part of the young crop of talent that emerged in the mid-‘90’s that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years and made the franchise competitive again. Jeter made the Yankees relevant to a whole new generation of baseball fan and made the team millions of dollars in the process. The contributions made to the franchise by Jeter are incalculable. The fact that Jeter has done more for that franchise than any player has done for any other franchise today, coupled with the Yankees incredible worth and payroll means the man should have been paid.

 

The Yankees lead the league in payroll every year, tallying $200 million in salaries like it’s nothing, overpay overrated free agents, and generally throw money around like they’re playing Monopoly. Why did Yankees management pick this battle to fight? Why did they decide now was a good time to tighten their belts and cutback spending? Jeter earned the right to ask for that kind of money from the Yankees. If it was any other team, this would be a different story, but with a team that spends the way the Yankees spend, tying up $100 million for four years for a legend is not going to cripple the franchise. It is no secret that Jeter is destined for third base, the outfield, or the DH slot in the next couple years, but he didn’t deserve to get low-balled by the Yankees this offseason. Now, I know it’s ridiculous for me to defend a man who was disappointed with his three-year $51 million contract, but truly, the Yankees had no reason not to pay the man.

 

The Pujols situation is a lot different. Like the Yankees, St. Louis is one of the premier franchises in the league, but unlike the Yankees, they don’t print money. There is no question that Pujols deserves to be the highest paid player in the game, but demanding a 10 year contract is excessive. The Cardinals actually have a budget to work with, granted, it’s not as bad as Minnesota or Oakland, and cannot afford to tie up $30 million when Pujols is 40 years old and comes back down to Earth. Paying Pujols $30 million for the next four years is completely justifiable, but him demanding that much over ten years is selfish. No player in the post-steroids era is worth that much money after their 35th birthday. On top of that, it is impossible to pay one player A-Rod kind of money and compete if you’re not Boston or New York – just ask the Rangers. Baseball is the epitome of a team game: Pujols could hit 80 homeruns a season, but if there is no one on base when he hits those homeruns, and his pitchers are giving up eight runs a game, they’re going to lose.

Up to this point, Pujols has been a total class act and the guy goes out and performs offensively and defensively every day, rarely gets hurt, and puts up amazing numbers every year. You could not find someone who had more respect for Pujols than I did, but by him holding the Cardinals hostage with this contract dispute, saying he would veto any proposed trade, I can’t help but be turned off by his selfishness. He has given the Cardinals until the start of Spring Training to get his new deal in place, with 2011 being the final year of his current contract. It is really hard for me to believe that someone who has shown so much class, playing in one of the best baseball towns in America, is going to risk alienating his hometown fans out of greed. I understand the desire to be paid according to your skill level, but to ask to be paid like that when you will be well past your prime for a team that can’t afford it and has been nothing but loyal to you is disappointing. I really hope somebody lets Pujols know how unreasonable his demands are and he can get back to blowing up pitchers, not his bank account.

>Thursday Late Lunch: A Fan’s Essay

Posted: December 2, 2010 in college football, mlb, nfl
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>By Nick Gallaudet

Ok, I’m about to go to a deep, dark place with this article. I will be reliving some of the most upsetting and traumatic moments of my life in these next few paragraphs; but I feel that this needs to be addressed. If you’re anything like me, perhaps you’ve questioned your love of sports from time to time. It seems like it’s been happening to me more and more, recently, and I’m worried that my love of sports is doing more harm than good. The tipping point was the Cal/Oregon football game a couple weeks ago, but before I get into that, some other things need to be addressed. I feel an obligation to clarify my fandom before going any deeper into this article. I love sports. I have since I can remember. Playing, watching, it doesn’t matter, I can’t get enough. I remember going to A’s games with my dad, watching Braves games on TV, and my earliest memory is getting hit in the face with a waffle ball when I was two. Sports are simply a huge part of my life.

My teams are the Indianapolis Colts, Oregon State Beavers, and Oakland A’s. When I was young, I always liked the Tennessee Volunteers. Their orange and white checkerboard end zones reminded me of orange sherbet, so I rooted for them. When I was eight the Tennessee quarterback was Peyton Manning, and I loved watching him play. When he was drafted by Indianapolis in 1998, I was in the thick of my baseball and football card collecting days, and I came across a Peyton Manning rookie card, and it, along with my Mark McGwire rookie card, was one of my prized possessions, and since that year, I’ve been hooked on the Colts. My fandom for Oregon State is pretty simple: I went to school there, and loved every second of it, and my love of the A’s is a little less complicated. I grew up watching the A’s, my favorite players were Mark McGwire, Geronimo Berroa, and Rafael Bournigal. My dad took me to games every chance he got, and I just couldn’t get enough. I didn’t care that they were terrible in the late 90’s. They were my team, and they could do no wrong in my eyes. Lest you be mistaken, the A’s are my first love; I would trade both of Oregon State’s College World Series titles and the Colts 2006 Super Bowl for an A’s World Series run in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t even have to think about it. Now that you know where I stand on my teams, let’s get to the issue at hand.
I have a bad habit of letting my love for my teams turn into hatred for their rivals, or anyone who has done them wrong. My teenage years were riddled with sports disappointment. The Colts, despite consistently posting one of the best records year in and year out, were unable to translate that success to the playoffs, getting knocked out all six times they made the playoffs (in a seven year span). My frustration was mainly directed at the teams that had beaten my boys, and it usually helped, as those teams tended to lose soon after. It really became a problem, when, in 2003, the Colts lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. I was rooting against the Patriots with every fiber of my being. Some people say they prefer to lose to the eventual champion, but I don’t believe them. I don’t know if I’m super bitter, or if they just don’t care as much as I do, but when my team loses, the last thing I want is for the team that beat me to have any success. Anyway, the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl. To make matters worse, the Patriots beat the Colts in the playoffs again the next year, en route to another Super Bowl victory. I was despondent. I was angry, sad, frustrated, annoyed. I hated the Patriots, and here they were beating my team and winning consecutive Super Bowls, and there was nothing I could do about it. My hopelessness only worsened, as the Colts were again poised for playoff glory, only to fall. In 2005, the Colts reeled off 14 wins, and were the best team in the NFL, but after a heartbreaking (and I mean DEVASTATING) loss to the Steelers, I couldn’t even watch the Super Bowl. I remember sitting in my dorm room watching movies while everyone else was watching the Steelers win the Super Bowl because I couldn’t bear to look at the Black and Gold. Three years in a row, the team that knocked the Colts out of the playoffs went on to win the Super Bowl.
The football heartbreak was nothing compared to what the A’s did to me during that same stretch, though. Prior to 2000, I had never seen the A’s make any sort of postseason run. The last time they made the playoffs was in 1992, and I was too young to appreciate occasion. In 2000, though, the Moneyball A’s began their resurgence. The A’s won the AL West and made the playoffs, and I was beside myself. My dad got us tickets to the Division Series against the Yankees and I could not have been more excited. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. The A’s managed to win game four after falling down in the series 2-1 to force a decisive game five which they promptly lost, giving up six runs in the 1st inning. My pain was only worsened over the next three years, as the A’s made it to the playoffs all three years, only to blow 2-0, 2-1, and 2-0 series leads to the Yankees, Twins, and Red Sox, respectively, and I still am not over the game three “Jeter flip” against the Yankees (I still think Jeremy Giambi was safe, and I’ve never forgiven him for not sliding) or Eric Byrnes and Miguel Tejada forgetting how to run the bases in game three against the Red Sox*. All told, the A’s lost nine straight series-clinching games. Nine straight. I’m going to let you sit with that for a moment…nine straight…I truly thought I was over it, but writing this paragraph made my stomach hurt. Deeeeep breeeeeath…okay. Luckily, in 2006, the A’s avoided losing their tenth straight when they swept the Minnesota Twins, only to get swept by the Tigers in the AL Championship Series. But hey, a series win is a series win, right?
*On a side note, the 2003 loss to the Red Sox coupled with the 2003 Colts loss to the Patriots led to a completely irrational, but all encompassing hatred of everything to do with Boston. I hate the Celtics, and I don’t even care about basketball. I’ve never had a Sam Adams because it’s brewed in Boston, and I’ve also made a conscious choice to not eat Boston cream pie more than once, simply because it has Boston in its name. I wish I was joking.
The reason I told you all of that was to show you how I came to my current sports mindset. I truly feel that that era from 2000-2005 completely and irreversibly impacted the way I watch sports. The only two professional teams that I root for broke my heart every year for those five years, and I think that led to a cynicism and bitterness towards sports I’ll never get over. I find myself always bracing for the worst, and afraid of what is going to happen. In 2006, I wasn’t excited for game three of the Division Series against the Twins, because I was almost certain the A’s were going to lose. I couldn’t help but think of the nine straight losses to clinch a series, and I didn’t let myself celebrate until they recorded that last out. When I watch games, I know no lead is safe, I don’t relax for a minute, because I saw my teams beaten in every way they could be beaten, and now I find myself feeling relief instead of jubilation when my teams win. This brings me to my next point. The fact that I watched the Yankees, Steelers, Patriots, and Red Sox all go on to win championships the year (or in the Red Sox case, the year after) they beat my teams made it hard to feel good for their fan bases. I hated those teams (and still do) largely because I was mad at them and didn’t want them and took it personally that they went on to win. I didn’t want them to be happy, as selfish as that sounds. I don’t know what that says about me as a person, but my bitterness caused me to root against them for good. I don’t hate the Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets, or Twins the way I hate those other four teams, and I think that has to do with the fact that they didn’t win after beating my teams. They were in the same boat I was. They felt the same jealousy I did.
Now, back to that Cal/Oregon game I mentioned. I can’t stand Oregon. Their uniforms, their logo, their fans (even though a couple of my good friends went to U of O) all make me mad, so naturally, I never want them to win another game as long as I’m alive, but as we all know, that will never happen. But the way they’re playing, they look like they may never lose again, so add that to the list of things that make me mad. After Oregon barely pulled out a victory in the Cal game, I just knew they were going to win the national title. The only team standing between them and the BCS title game was my Oregon State Beavers, and the way they’ve been playing this season, I’m scared to even watch that game. It annoys me that I can’t be happy for my friends that are U of O fans, but at the same time, I’m disgusted with myself for wanting to be happy for them. After the last twp seasons in which Oregon has knocked Oregon State out of Rose Bowl contention, my hatred for the Ducks has never been worse; this is why I simply can’t bear to watch them play for the national title. I was rooting harder for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl against Oregon last year than I have ever rooted for a college team not named the Beavers, but I know, no matter how hard I root, Oregon is too good. They’re going to roll Oregon State this year, and I’ve become an Auburn fan simply because I think they’re the only team that can hand with Oregon for 60 minutes and they are the last team that gives me hope.
It is because of teams like Oregon that I question my love of sports. My bitterness has led me to root against some of the most successful teams in their respective sports, and this became disgustingly apparent this year during the MLB playoffs. The eight teams in the playoffs were the Rangers, Twins, Rays, Yankees, Phillies, Giants, Braves, and Reds. You know my feelings toward the Yankees and Twins, the Rangers are the A’s AL West rival, so obviously I can’t root for them, so the Rays were the only team in the AL I didn’t hate. As far as the National League is concerned, my father is a lifelong die-hard Braves fan, so since the A’s weren’t in it, I adopted them as my postseason team. This coupled with the fact that I have been raised to hate the Giants and Phillies, left me three out of the eight teams in the playoffs that I didn’t thoroughly dislike, and all three teams were eliminated in the first round. I had to sit and watch as the Giants, a team I have been groomed to hate since the infamous 1993 NL West race, win the whole thing, and worst of all, I had to listen to all of my friends throughout the whole thing. Living in NorCal, the Giants bandwagon was unbearable, and if there’s anything I hate more than Boston, it’s bandwagoners. The complete and utter disappointment I get from my teams losing and teams I don’t like winning is only compounded by the know-nothing bandwagon fans that sport their pink Red Sox hats and have no idea what ERA is.
As a fan, I feel as though I’ve earned the right to root for my team in the playoffs. I watch every game I possibly can; I constantly check box scores and news when I can’t. I check my teams’ websites every day during the off season looking for anything I can to get excited about next season. I put a lot of time and effort into rooting for my team, whether its game 16 or 162, I’m all about the A’s and my allegiance never wavers, so I guess I’m slightly insulted by bandwagon fans. They don’t put the time in that I do, so part of me feels like they don’t deserve it. This feeling of jealousy, bitterness, frustration, and hopelessness is not a good one, and while some of you out there may read this and think I take sports way too personally (and I’m pretty sure I do) I know some of you will read this and nod your head, because being a sports fan is a tough job, and it’s not always fun.     
I’ve spent a lot of time examining my fandom during the MLB playoffs and this football season, especially as the Colts have limped to 6-5, literally, I’ve asked myself many times, “is it worth it? Is it worth being a fan when I know that there will only be one team that ends the season happy? Knowing that since I don’t like 90% of the teams out there that there is a good chance one of them will win, why do I put myself through this?” The answer is simple. The 2006 Super Bowl. The 2006 and 2007 College World Series. The 2006 and 2007 Civil War. The 2006 ALDS. The joy I felt watching these events is why I watch sports. After the Colts won the 2006 Super Bowl, I felt like I won it. I was elated, I watched every sports show I could, just to see Peyton Manning hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy. I remember Marco Scutaro’s bases clearing double in game three of the ALDS to blow the game open, and I remember hiding behind the couch as Jonathan Stewart was stopped on 4th and 1 in double overtime of the 2007 Civil War. That is why I am a fan, because despite the fact that for every Mark Kotsay inside-the-park homerun, there seem to be ten Tracy Porter pick-sixes (which still rattles me, by the way), but that’s okay, because I saw how happy my diehard Giants fan friends were when they won the World Series (bandwagon fans clearly don’t count) and I know that I still have a lot of years left on this planet, and with the A’s pitching rotation, it’s only a matter of time until I get to see my team win. Good thing I’m not a Cubs fan…

>Thanksgiving/Black Friday Lunch: MLB Playoff Changes

Posted: November 26, 2010 in mlb
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By: Nick Gallaudet

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is notorious for being Bengie-Molina-fast in making changes. Steroids and replay are perfect examples of Selig’s inactivity, so why is he so eager to change the playoffs? If you haven’t heard, Selig said playoff expansion is something he wants to get done “as fast as we can.” My question is: “why?” Baseball has been taking a lot of criticism recently regarding the length of the playoffs. The Division and Championship Series are being juggled to allow for optimal TV coverage, but the result is unnecessary off days and excruciatingly long breaks between series. The World Series routinely ends in November now, and that’s not a good thing for a warm weather game. I love baseball, and even I, someone who considers the baseball playoffs the greatest time of the year, am upset with the way it is being run. I hate the unnecessary off days, unbearable waits between series, and the announcers (the last one isn’t really Selig’s fault). I’m not against change, after all, I did write an article in favor of replay, but this expansion cannot happen.

The proposed expansion to at least ten teams (five in each league) would create a big problem. Selig mentioned that there could be the addition of another wild card team, and that the wild card teams would face off against each other in a one or three game playoff to join the Division winners in the real tournament. This is absurd. The bye works in football, because it allows teams to heal, but baseball is the last sport in which a bye is beneficial. Baseball is a game of repetition. You play every day, you’re not meant to have long breaks between games, and you shouldn’t, especially when the championship is on the line. Baseball is about rhythm and timing and long breaks like that throw both of those things off for both pitchers and hitters. During the season, pitchers have very strict routines between starts, and when you start messing those patterns up, the result is noticeably worse for most of them. The perceived benefit of winning your Division would, in my opinion, really be a disadvantage. Aside from the time off for the Division winners, the two team playoff is a silly idea. The play-in game for the NCAA basketball tournament is widely disregarded, and not truly considered a part of the tournament, and I’m afraid this will be perceived similarly. This series will be seen as a novelty, and not really part of the playoffs.

Expanding the playoffs by one team in each league is a silly idea, and the only fair way to increase participation in the postseason is by adding more than one team to each league. That in itself creates a problem, though. Baseball is the last major American sport where you have to earn your playoff berth. With only eight of the 30 teams making the postseason, baseball has the lowest percentage of teams playing in the postseason. Football has 32 teams, 12 of which make the playoffs, and basketball has 30 teams, 16 of which make the playoffs. MLB teams have to earn their spot in the playoffs; something that I think is under appreciated. Rarely do teams sneak into the baseball playoffs with poor records, unlike the NFL and NBA where there are routinely teams hovering around the .500 mark making the playoffs. This lends meaning to the regular baseball season and adds honor to the title of playoff team. I think expanding the playoffs is a terrible idea and will really cheapen the baseball playoff experience.

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