To assauge the request of one reader (of which there are of course many) , I will attempt to talk about something other than sports for a minute. Since the most productive thing I have done all fall in my mind has been read, I will attempt to rate the books that I read (both past and future) and if I'm really ambitious, write something about then.
The scale will be from 1-10 with decimals, possibly only at the .5s but maybe getting into smaller intervals if I feel it necessary later on. Basically, if a book is higher on the scale than a second book, it means, if you have a choice, you should read the first book instead of the second book. If a book is rated at higher than 5, it means that you should read the book instead of nothing, where as a 5 exactly means, you should be indifferent between reading the book or nothing. Because the books are prescreened by me to be books I'm likely to enjoy, very few if any will probably be at 5 or lower. But it's nice to have just in case. Soon, I will follow with actually book ratings. Look forward to them!
Friday, October 27, 2006
Now, if I was smart I would just claim that I had not made a World Series prediction, because my picks are so bad, that it would be unfair to the team I picked.
If I was even smarter than that, I would pick St. Louis in 4, because I wanted Detroit to win, and a pick for St. Louis, let alone the sweep, should just about guarentee this.
However, I'm going to reveal to you my actual pick. Now, of course I could be making this up right on the spot, but since my pick can't even happen, after four games, I think even I would be capable of making up a better prediction.
Detroit in 6 (gulp) - I'm not even going to try to explain except I thought Detroit would hit a little, and not make stupid fielding miscues (I'm looking at you, Curtis Granderson and Fernando Rodney.)
Alas, I had to set the bar low in predictions, so that I can improve upon it in the future...exactly. Well, I can't get worse.
If I was even smarter than that, I would pick St. Louis in 4, because I wanted Detroit to win, and a pick for St. Louis, let alone the sweep, should just about guarentee this.
However, I'm going to reveal to you my actual pick. Now, of course I could be making this up right on the spot, but since my pick can't even happen, after four games, I think even I would be capable of making up a better prediction.
Detroit in 6 (gulp) - I'm not even going to try to explain except I thought Detroit would hit a little, and not make stupid fielding miscues (I'm looking at you, Curtis Granderson and Fernando Rodney.)
Alas, I had to set the bar low in predictions, so that I can improve upon it in the future...exactly. Well, I can't get worse.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
All right. Man, my picks in the baseball playoffs have been terrible so far. Time to make excuses.
Justin Verlander's own mother didn't have them beating the Yankees. But the A's, well, she probably had them beating them. But the A's pitching looked so sharp! And Frank Thomas and Nick Swisher! Alas, even the best among us are wrong sometimes. And so am I.
So goes the Twins, and the Pads as well. At least I got the Mets, albeit, not in the right number of games. Now let's just see if the Mets can validate me in one of the two LCSs.
How about the NFL this week? Or tonight most notably, when the Cards blow one big time to the Bears - blame it on the kicker, Neil Rackers, blame it on the offense, blame it on the special teams. It's strange how sports work in that, if you said before the game, that the Cardinals would lose by just 1 to the Bears, you'd say spectacular effort, that's all you could ask from them. But the way it went down, with the Cards in control of the whole game, you've got to finish it out. Exciting for viewers, but ugly. Goes back to old school Bears form with the Defense pretty much singlehandedly winning the game, with an assist from the special teams, but none from the offense.
On to Hockey. I've been trying to watch a bit more this year, but won't get fully into it 'til baseball ends. What I love though, is the idea of awarding the best players in any particular game "stars" - a first, second and third. Why doesn't every sport do it? Something to think about, Bud Selig, Roger Goodell, David Stern.
Justin Verlander's own mother didn't have them beating the Yankees. But the A's, well, she probably had them beating them. But the A's pitching looked so sharp! And Frank Thomas and Nick Swisher! Alas, even the best among us are wrong sometimes. And so am I.
So goes the Twins, and the Pads as well. At least I got the Mets, albeit, not in the right number of games. Now let's just see if the Mets can validate me in one of the two LCSs.
How about the NFL this week? Or tonight most notably, when the Cards blow one big time to the Bears - blame it on the kicker, Neil Rackers, blame it on the offense, blame it on the special teams. It's strange how sports work in that, if you said before the game, that the Cardinals would lose by just 1 to the Bears, you'd say spectacular effort, that's all you could ask from them. But the way it went down, with the Cards in control of the whole game, you've got to finish it out. Exciting for viewers, but ugly. Goes back to old school Bears form with the Defense pretty much singlehandedly winning the game, with an assist from the special teams, but none from the offense.
On to Hockey. I've been trying to watch a bit more this year, but won't get fully into it 'til baseball ends. What I love though, is the idea of awarding the best players in any particular game "stars" - a first, second and third. Why doesn't every sport do it? Something to think about, Bud Selig, Roger Goodell, David Stern.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Notes from yesterday's games:
- Hindsight is always 20/20, but the biggest question for me in the Twins game is not why they couldn't get runners over in a couple of key spots, but why they didn't bring in Joe Nathan in the top of the ninth - this being a home game, he would never have a chance for a save situation - and while you're still very much in the game with a one run defecit, why not make sure it stays that way. Unlike, say, Mariano Rivera, Nathan doesn't need to worry about pitching consecutive days, and even pitched on four days in a row in late September. If you're the Twins, you want to hold on to those Santana games anyway you can.
- When will people learn to pitch around Albert Pujols? The man is a machine. San Diego burned, like so many teams before them, when, with a runner on, they threw it right at him. Sure, the Cards scored a couple more runs, but that Pujols homer really set the pace. When a guy is that head and shoulders above the rest of the lineup, no reason to let him beat you.
- I think I got just about what I expected from the Yankees-Tigers game. Yankees winning, putting the most runs on the board, but the Tigers scoring a few as well. Not a blowout, making the Tigers at least seem competitive, but the Tigers didn't show enough to make me thing they're going to take any games in this series yet. We'll see if Verlander can harken back to his stuff from July, when he had a 1.01 ERA. I hope this gets interesting.
- The team that I think needs to be least worried after their loss is San Diego. The Cardinals really need to win each time Carpenter steps to the mound. The Padres can wait on their pitching depth, and the bats are plenty likely to come around against the rest of the Cards' rotation.
- Hindsight is always 20/20, but the biggest question for me in the Twins game is not why they couldn't get runners over in a couple of key spots, but why they didn't bring in Joe Nathan in the top of the ninth - this being a home game, he would never have a chance for a save situation - and while you're still very much in the game with a one run defecit, why not make sure it stays that way. Unlike, say, Mariano Rivera, Nathan doesn't need to worry about pitching consecutive days, and even pitched on four days in a row in late September. If you're the Twins, you want to hold on to those Santana games anyway you can.
- When will people learn to pitch around Albert Pujols? The man is a machine. San Diego burned, like so many teams before them, when, with a runner on, they threw it right at him. Sure, the Cards scored a couple more runs, but that Pujols homer really set the pace. When a guy is that head and shoulders above the rest of the lineup, no reason to let him beat you.
- I think I got just about what I expected from the Yankees-Tigers game. Yankees winning, putting the most runs on the board, but the Tigers scoring a few as well. Not a blowout, making the Tigers at least seem competitive, but the Tigers didn't show enough to make me thing they're going to take any games in this series yet. We'll see if Verlander can harken back to his stuff from July, when he had a 1.01 ERA. I hope this gets interesting.
- The team that I think needs to be least worried after their loss is San Diego. The Cardinals really need to win each time Carpenter steps to the mound. The Padres can wait on their pitching depth, and the bats are plenty likely to come around against the rest of the Cards' rotation.
Monday, October 02, 2006
So - the other motivation for getting this done by today was that so I could put to record my predictions for this year's baseball playoffs. I will probably regret this when these forecasts go awry, but that's part of the fun I suppose.
Yankees v. Detroit
Well, most likely the biggest mismatch of the playoffs. I will be furiously supporting the Tigers in their first postseason action since 1987, but their young pitching (though average age is still probably above thirty due to the geriatric Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones) will have more than they can likely handle in a Yankees line up in which the 9th place hitter, Robinson "Robby" Cano hit .340 this season. Not to mention the top two of the Yankee rotation, Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina are coming off quality seasons, meaning that even one of the Yankees key weaknesses, the bottom of their rotation won't be a factor. In regard to the bullpen, the Yanks will do anything in takes to get it to Rivera, as messy as that could be, but might not matter if they're up by 7 runs. Detroit has to get itself together big time. Is it possible? Anything's possible. Is it likely? Not really.
Yanks in Three
Oakland v. Twins
This might as well be a one word review: Santana. That's what really matters here. Sure, the Athletics rotation has a lot more depth, especially if Rich Harden is as good and healthy as he looked in the three inning sneak preview he has a week or so ago. Dan Haren's there, and Esteban Loaiza, after making us all question Billy Beane's judgment, has been lights out in August and September. Unfortunately, they can't hit. Sure, they've got as a candidate for comeback player of the year as any with Frank Thomas, who no one would predicted would come up with 39 home runs, and Nick Swisher, who put up a solid if not spectacular year, with a lot of walks and a lot more strike outs and a solid .864 to boot. After that, though, the cubbard's empty. Eric Chavez had the third most RBIs on the team after those two guys with 72 and he hit a measely .241. At least the Twins have some hitters to back up Santana, with a couple of MVP candidates in Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, and Torii Hunter after returning from injury has been red hot, hitting a career high 31 home runs on the season. If the Twins can get anything from Boof Bonser and Brad Radke, they should be able to get past the As.
Twins in Five
Mets vs. Dodgers
The Mets have been the class of the league all year, but have struggled of late, while the Dodgers have turned in on, held back only by the Padres concurrent hot streak to keep from the West title. The Mets have hands down the best line up in the league, including three 100 RBI sluggers in Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright and a spark a top their line up in Jose Reyes, who led the majors with 64 stolen bases, and is a threat and a distraction everytime he gets to first base. Even the old retread Jose Valentin had 18 dingers. The trouble there is in the rotation which has no more Pedro, and sees a mediocre Steve Trachsel starting Game 3. The Dodgers line up is solid as well, if not up the the Mets' standard, with a couple of oft-injured players coming up big in Nomar Garciaparra and battery man JD Drew and a couple of young kids in Andre Either and Russell Martin. Their rotation is good with Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Chih-Hong Kuo and Brad Penny, but I'm not sold that it can shut down the explosive Mets.
Mets in 4
Padres v. Cardinals
The Cardinals have collapsed more than the Tigers down the stretch, nearly blowing a double digit lead and making the last game count. Manager Tony LaRussa smartly held ace Chris Carpenter out for Game 1 of the playoffs; two starts for him is the only way the Cardinals make it out of this series, with nothing much else out of their starters with Anthony Reyes and Jeff Weaver sporting ERAs over 5, and a mediocre Jeff Suppan as their second best option. Their line up is almost a one-man show as well, with Albert Pujols doing it all by himself. Jim Edmonds is injured and may not play, and Scott Rolen has slowed down after having a strong comeback year for the first four months. The Padres sport a combonation of youth and experience in their rotation with young studs Chris Young and Jake Peavy and time tested vet David Wells, and a fairly weak line up themselves with Brian Giles and Mike Cameron tied to lead the team with 83 RBIs.
Padres in 5
Yankees v. Detroit
Well, most likely the biggest mismatch of the playoffs. I will be furiously supporting the Tigers in their first postseason action since 1987, but their young pitching (though average age is still probably above thirty due to the geriatric Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones) will have more than they can likely handle in a Yankees line up in which the 9th place hitter, Robinson "Robby" Cano hit .340 this season. Not to mention the top two of the Yankee rotation, Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina are coming off quality seasons, meaning that even one of the Yankees key weaknesses, the bottom of their rotation won't be a factor. In regard to the bullpen, the Yanks will do anything in takes to get it to Rivera, as messy as that could be, but might not matter if they're up by 7 runs. Detroit has to get itself together big time. Is it possible? Anything's possible. Is it likely? Not really.
Yanks in Three
Oakland v. Twins
This might as well be a one word review: Santana. That's what really matters here. Sure, the Athletics rotation has a lot more depth, especially if Rich Harden is as good and healthy as he looked in the three inning sneak preview he has a week or so ago. Dan Haren's there, and Esteban Loaiza, after making us all question Billy Beane's judgment, has been lights out in August and September. Unfortunately, they can't hit. Sure, they've got as a candidate for comeback player of the year as any with Frank Thomas, who no one would predicted would come up with 39 home runs, and Nick Swisher, who put up a solid if not spectacular year, with a lot of walks and a lot more strike outs and a solid .864 to boot. After that, though, the cubbard's empty. Eric Chavez had the third most RBIs on the team after those two guys with 72 and he hit a measely .241. At least the Twins have some hitters to back up Santana, with a couple of MVP candidates in Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, and Torii Hunter after returning from injury has been red hot, hitting a career high 31 home runs on the season. If the Twins can get anything from Boof Bonser and Brad Radke, they should be able to get past the As.
Twins in Five
Mets vs. Dodgers
The Mets have been the class of the league all year, but have struggled of late, while the Dodgers have turned in on, held back only by the Padres concurrent hot streak to keep from the West title. The Mets have hands down the best line up in the league, including three 100 RBI sluggers in Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright and a spark a top their line up in Jose Reyes, who led the majors with 64 stolen bases, and is a threat and a distraction everytime he gets to first base. Even the old retread Jose Valentin had 18 dingers. The trouble there is in the rotation which has no more Pedro, and sees a mediocre Steve Trachsel starting Game 3. The Dodgers line up is solid as well, if not up the the Mets' standard, with a couple of oft-injured players coming up big in Nomar Garciaparra and battery man JD Drew and a couple of young kids in Andre Either and Russell Martin. Their rotation is good with Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Chih-Hong Kuo and Brad Penny, but I'm not sold that it can shut down the explosive Mets.
Mets in 4
Padres v. Cardinals
The Cardinals have collapsed more than the Tigers down the stretch, nearly blowing a double digit lead and making the last game count. Manager Tony LaRussa smartly held ace Chris Carpenter out for Game 1 of the playoffs; two starts for him is the only way the Cardinals make it out of this series, with nothing much else out of their starters with Anthony Reyes and Jeff Weaver sporting ERAs over 5, and a mediocre Jeff Suppan as their second best option. Their line up is almost a one-man show as well, with Albert Pujols doing it all by himself. Jim Edmonds is injured and may not play, and Scott Rolen has slowed down after having a strong comeback year for the first four months. The Padres sport a combonation of youth and experience in their rotation with young studs Chris Young and Jake Peavy and time tested vet David Wells, and a fairly weak line up themselves with Brian Giles and Mike Cameron tied to lead the team with 83 RBIs.
Padres in 5
Okay, I guess I'm going to attempt to start a blog here. My real goal in starting a blog was to actually purchase my own domain name and host and make it all nice like that, and while I'd still like to do that, the technical mumbo jumbo confuses me and putting it off is just another way for me to be lazy and keep from making myself write anything.
This blog, at least for now, will be about sports, movies, music, tv, books, trashy news and general pop culture.
Please comment, so I can pretend that people care about what I have to say. It makes me feel good about myself. Let's begin.
This blog, at least for now, will be about sports, movies, music, tv, books, trashy news and general pop culture.
Please comment, so I can pretend that people care about what I have to say. It makes me feel good about myself. Let's begin.
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