Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
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As you probably don’t recall, before this NBA Season started we paid 4 experts an exorbitant amount of money to offer their predictions for the season. Those 4 experts were myself, the Burnside Writers Collective’s Jon Adams, Chad Gibbs (of Two Majors fame), and my then 4-year old son, Parker.
Now that the playoff teams have been set, I thought this would be a good time to look back at our predictions to see who’s in the best shape.
Here’s your Playoff Teams, followed by our predictions:
The East: BOS, DET, ORL, CLE, WAS, TOR, PHI, ATL
Bryan - [6 of 8] CHI, DET, BOS, WAS, ORL, CLE, NJ, TOR
Jon - [5 of 8] CHI, TOR, BOS, CLE, WAS, MIA, DET, NJ
Chad - [3 of 8] BOS, DET, MIA, CHI, NJ, IND, CHA, ATL
Parker - [2 of 8] NJ, NYK, MIL, MIA, IND, DET, CHI, BOS
The West: LAL, NO, SA, UTA, HOU, PHX, DAL, DEN
Bryan - [7 of 8] HOU, SA, DAL, DEN, UTA, PHX, POR, N.O.
Jon - [7 of 8] SA, DAL, PHX, HOU, DEN, UTA, GS, LAL
Chad - [7 of 8] PHX, UTA, NO, DAL, DEN, LAC, HOU, SA
Parker - [4 of 8] POR, HOU, PHX, DEN, MEM, MIN, SA, SAC
I’ve got the edge right now with 13 of 16 playoff teams chosen correctly. Jon had 12, Chad had 10, and Parker only 6 of 16 correctly. He will be grounded for a week.
By the way, these were our Finals picks:
Bryan - Phoenix over Boston
Jon - Boston over Dallas
Chad - Phoenix over Boston
Parker - Chicago over Phoenix
I’d say Jon is in the best shape right now. If I had a redo, I’d probably take Boston over San Antonio in the Finals (or maybe Detroit over the Lakers). I do think the East will win, unless LeBron somehow gets the Cavs back to the Finals. (FYI…Boston went 25-5 against the “mighty” West this year.)
We’ll revisit this again when the NBA Finals are over. So…see you again in a few months.
Tags: NBA, predictions
Posted in NBA, reviews | 4 Comments »
Monday, March 31st, 2008
Why is it that we like to make predictions for an upcoming sports season?
To sound smart? To say “told you so” if our guesses turn out to be right? To convince ourselves that our team has what it takes? To me, making predictions is about hope. Not necessarily about the hope of an individual team, just the hope of a new season.
In my opinion, each new sports season is great because it’s like getting your hands on the newest book in your favorite series of books. Major League Baseball has been around for a while, so this year’s book has got to be Volume 158 or something like that. (I’ll let my editor do the research)
(editor’s note: I have no editor)
Those of us who are baseball fans all read the last book that came out in the series called “The 2007 MLB Season”. It was a great book. There were good guys, bad guys, plot twists, historic moments, mysterious events that changed the course of the book (remember those flying midges on Joba Chamberlain’s neck in Cleveland?), and of course, a big finish.
Not everyone loved the way the last book ended of course, but that’s the beauty of a new season. There will be new characters introduced to go along with the ones we love and love to hate (world, meet Evan Longoria), there will be pages of comedy, tragedy, and plenty of moments that inspire (like on Page 1 of this year’s book when Ryan Zimmerman hit a game winning homer in the Nationals brand new park). Inevitably there will be plot twists we never saw coming and ultimately there will be a big ending that maybe, just maybe, will be the one you are hoping for.
With that in mind, I give my predictions for how this book, “The 2008 MLB Season”, will play out. While I’m not a baseball expert, the reality is I’m not much different than Peter Gammons, Jayson Stark, Buster Olney, or Atreyu. They don’t know how this book will end any more than I do. And even though they know the previous books in the series a lot better than I do - seeing as how it’s what they do for a living - in the end we’re all just guessing.
OK, enough with the overworked analogies and Neverending Story pics…here’s how I think this will play out
13 Predictions for 2008
1. The Yankees will win the AL East - do I really think this is going to happen? I don’t know. I’m torn between the Sox and the Yankees. While I’m not sold on Girardi as the right manager for this team, I do think the pinstripers are going to have another monster season at the plate. Cano might win the batting title, Giambi is in a contract year, Matsui and Jeter will be as solid as ever, and A-Rod will probably put up MVP numbers again. Most folks think it will come down to their young arms, and I tend to agree. So I guess what I’m saying is that Joba, Phil, and Ian might all be the real deal.
2. The Mets will win the NL East - Without Santana I’d be picking the Phillies or Braves here, but Johan will be strong in September when they need him most.
3. The Diamondbacks and Angels win the Wests - I see the Rockies regressing, and I don’t see the Mariners living up to the hype. If the Big Unit (worst.nickname.ever.) can get healthy and give the D-Backs 12-15 quality starts, he’ll be a great compliment to Haren and Webb. Over in Seattle, I’m with the chorus of experts who think the M’s won’t score enough runs to keep pace with the Angels.
4. Ryan Howard will lead the NL in homers this year - rounding out the top 5 will be Ryan Braun, Adam Dunn, Alfonso Soriano, and Matt Holliday. In the AL it will be A-Rod, Manny, Carlos Pena, Miguel Cabrera. and Big Papi who make up the top 5.
5. The Cubs will win the NL Central - and it has nothing to do with the 100-year anniversary thing. I’d consider picking the Reds as a sleeper over the Brewers to keep it close, but my buddy Geof would probably kill me. This is the one pick that most experts seem to agree on, which is probably bad news for the Cubs.
6. The Houston Astros will finish in the bottom 3 of their division - I only add this to the list because Cliff Young and Jeff Miller of Caedmon’s Call were adamant with me last month that the Astros had a shot at winning their division. I think they’ve been smoking some of their 40 Acres.
7 - The worst record in baseball will belong to the Orioles - Not only are they bad, but the rest of the division is great. I’m not as high on the Blue Jays as many are, but I’m predicting the Orioles will fare no better than a 6-13 record against any of their division foes this year.
8. The Tigers will not win their division - But they will win the AL Wild Card. Their lineup is great, and so is Verlander. But Bonderman, Willis, Rogers, and Robertson? I’m not ready to write them in for 100 wins yet. I’m going with the Indians in the AL Central, but I think it’ going to be close. These two teams might finish 1-2 record-wise in the AL.
9. The Cy Young awards will go to Santana and Halladay - I like Roy and Johan to win 21 games each and walk away with some hardware. I was tempted to pick Kazmir in the AL, but his recent elbow issues scared me off.
10. The final playoff spots will be won by the Phillies and Tigers - the fightins’ will hold off the Dodgers and Braves for the Wild Card, and the Tigers will eliminate the Red Sox in the last week of the season.
11. The Yankees and Indians will meet in the ALCS - The Yankees will out-hit the Tigers and the Indians will out-everything the Angels to meet in the ALCS. Without the midges, I think the Yankees will come out on top.
12. The Diamondbacks and Cubs will face off in the NLCS - Unless the Mets can figure out how to clone Johan this summer, they will fall to the D-Backs in 6 games. Same goes for the Phillies, who will wish they had a few more Cole Hamels when they lose to the Cubs. I like the Cubs to take care of business in the NLCS, not because I think they have a better club than the D-Backs, but because I have no desire to see a Yankees-Diamondbacks matchup in the World Series.
13. The Yankees will beat the Cubs in the World Series - If you think this whole thing was me trying to jinx the Yankees, you’re crazy. (not that I would complain if that happened). I just think Jeter, Posada, and company have one more title run in them before they start to fade into Bolivian. I hope I’m wrong. Wicked wrong.
OK, one more creepy Neverending Story pic.
Falcor says, “Enjoy Opening Day, everyone!”
(I originally posted this piece on my personal blog)
Tags: baseball, MLB, predictions
Posted in MLB, previews | 6 Comments »
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
On his blog All Growns Up, reader Aaron Lewis convened a few baseball experts (and by “experts”, I mean “not really experts”) to share some thoughts on the upcoming MLB Season. Here were my answers:
1) Who is your favorite team?
The Red Sox (i was born and raised in Massachusetts)
2) What is your prediction for your team’s record and how far will they advance in the playoffs (if they make it)?
I’ll say 93-69, and first place in the AL East. I think they can repeat as champs, so I’ll predict that they will. I’ll also say that if they fail to make the World Series it will be at the hands of the Indians.
3) Give me one player to watch from your team and one player to watch from the league at-large.
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Clay Buchholz - With Schilling on the shelf, Clay looks like the man for that 5th spot in the rotation. He is projected to be a #1 starter someday, and with a MLB no-hitter already under his belt, it will be interesting to see if he can live up to some of that hype at the age of 23.
Joba Chamberlain - Even if he is as dominant as a starter as he was as a reliever, will the Yankees blow enough late leads to consider this a mistake? The Joba/Rivera combo kept the Yankees from crumbling last year, and one has to wonder if it will be their demise in a loaded American League.
4) In any order, name three players you would consider for the number one overall fantasy draft pick.
Hanley Ramirez, A-Rod, Jose Reyes
5) Who are your three favorite baseball writers?
Peter Gammons - because he ALWAYS has the most information.
Buster Olney - because his blog on the four-letter is an amazing resource
Sean McAdam - Providence Journal writer who covers the Red Sox and contributes to ESPN.com
6) Would you like the leagues to establish the same rule with regard to the DH? Which way, pitcher batting or DH?
I’m biased because I follow an American League team, but I like the DH and think both leagues should adopt it. Would football be better or worse if the Kicker had to play QB every tenth drive? Sure, there might be more strategy involved if that was the case, but it would not make for a better product.
7) Describe Scott Boras, A-Rod, and Joe Morgan in one word or term.
Scott Boras - boring
A-Rod - too intense
Joe Morgan - Muteworthy
8] What non-favorite team do you like to watch play?
Yankees, because i enjoy their losses almost as much as Red Sox wins.
9) On-going PED investigations - important or ready to move forward?
PED investigations should only stop when the game is cleaned up…which it’s not. I just wish it would focus more on the present/future than on the past. Trying to pretend PEDs are a past problem will put us in the same position 15 years from now.
10) Who is best and worst GM in the game?
While I love Theo Epstein, he does have the 2nd highest payroll to work with. I think Billy Beane is among the best, for the way he keeps the A’s competitive every year. Mark Shapiro seems to know what he’s doing in Cleveland as well. As far as the worst, I’ll say Ed Wade of the Astros based on the things he did with the Phillies over the last decade and the questionable moves he’s already made in Houston.
You can read everyone’s responses here.
If you want to share your answers to some or all of these questions, fire away in the comments.
Tags: MLB 2008, predictions
Posted in MLB, previews | 8 Comments »
Monday, November 5th, 2007
So, professional basketball is back. Some of you care. Many of you don’t.
Here at Prayers for Blowouts we see this as one more opportunity for us (and you) to show the world just how smart we are. We’ve compiled an elite panel of NBA experts that will offer their predictions on which teams will make the playoffs, and which team will win it all.
First let’s meet our panel:
Bryan Allain - As a 4th-grader, he celebrated the 1986 Boston Celtics Championship by marching around his block with a makeshift drum, screaming “We are the Champions!” These days he watches about 15 NBA regular season games and maybe the first round of the playoffs. Yes, he is an expert.
Jon Adams - The sports editor of the Burnside Writers Collective, Jon is a Toronto Raptors fan who loves hockey and gambling on American Gladiator reruns. You bet, he is an expert.
Chad Gibbs - A former janitor and frequent contributor to the Burnside Writer’s Collective, Chad claims to have shot a 73 this summer on the golf course, though he was not able to produce a signed and notarized scorecard when asked. He loves Auburn, but don’t hold that against him. Has he ever been called an NBA expert? Not until today.
Parker Allain - He’ll be 5 years old in December, and up until last week had never watched a minute of an NBA game in his life. He has a teddy bear named Freddy and he can say his ABCs (though he sometimes forgets T-U-V). He made his predictions based on which logos he liked better. Is he an expert? Sure, why not?
Let’s get to the predictions:
Eastern Conference Playoff Teams
Bryan - CHI, DET, BOS, WAS, ORL, CLE, NJ, TOR
Jon - CHI, TOR, BOS, CLE, WAS, MIA, DET, NJ
Chad - BOS, DET, MIA, CHI, NJ, IND, CHA, ATL
Parker - NJ, NYK, MIL, MIA, IND, DET, CHI, BOS
Western Conference Playoff Teams
Bryan - HOU, SA, DAL, DEN, UTA, PHX, POR, N.O.
Jon - SA, DAL, PHX, HOU, DEN, UTA, GS, LAL
Chad - PHX, UTA, NO, DAL, DEN, LAC, HOU, SA
Parker - POR, HOU, PHX, DEN, MEM, MIN, SA, SAC
NBA Finals
Bryan - Phoenix over Boston
Jon - Boston over Dallas
Chad - Phoenix over Boston
Parker - Chicago over Phoenix
We know you don’t care about the NBA, but we want your predictions anyway. Include them as a comment and at the end of the season we promise we’ll give props to whomever was the most psychic, whether it’s a panel expert or commenter.
Tags: basketball, predictions
Posted in NBA, previews | 2 Comments »
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
Will the Rockies stave off elimination? Will the Red Sox break out the swiffers?
Let’s make some pre-game post-game comments:
1. When the Rockies scored in the first inning, they knew they had a chance to win this one.
2. How about that one inning where Pedroia made all 3 outs?
3. Manny’s hits > Hawpe’s hits + Helton’s hits.
4. The Red Sox put up runs in more innings than the Rockies did
5. Not surpisingly, the Rockies used more pitchers than the Red Sox.
6. Also not surprisingly, the Red Sox saw more pitches than the Rockies.
7. Tulowitzki’s total bases > Lugo’s TB + Lowell’s TB
8. Double Double Toil and trouble, the Red Sox out-doubled the Rockies again.
9. Jon Lester gave up more runs than he had strikeouts.
10.Joe Buck impaling Tim McCarver in the temple with his microphone was fascinating, if only for the sound.
11. Amazingly, the second out recorded in both halves of the sixth inning was on fly balls to center field.
12. The Rockies will have more 2-out RBI than the Red Sox have HRs
13. The number of half innings in which 0 runs were scored will be less than 10.
14. The Rockies were running from the get-go, stealing more bases than the Red Sox.
15. Manny Ramirez’s helmet fell off his head while running the bases, tripping the runner behind him and causing Tim McCarver’s brain to explode out of his head.
16. The Rockies will leave more runners on base than the Red Sox have hits.
17. Aren’t back to back homers fun?
18. Can you believe the Patriots took the field in the 9th inning and outscored the Rockies 28-0?
19.The Red Sox walked more times and struck out more times than the Rockies.
20. The Red Sox are your World Series Champions!
Tags: baseball, predictions
Posted in MLB, previews | No Comments »
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
We’re about an hour from the first pitch in Game 2 of the World Series, which means that by the time you read this post, the game will probably be over. So how was it for you?
Instead of providing you with predictions and insight that will be obsolete in 4 hours, I’m going to make 20 post-game statements before the game even starts. We’ll see how many of these I can nail perfectly.
Pre-Game Post Game Thoughts on Game 2:
1. Schilling’s line wasn’t bad…4 earned runs over 5 and 2/3 innings.
2. Who would have thought Brad Hawpe and Willy Tavares would combine for more hits than Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez?
3. Manny’s helmet flew off his head again. Dude needs to switch to a L from that XL.
4. Thank you Willy Tavares for earning me a free taco on October 30th with that stolen base in the 6th inning.
5. Ubaldo Jimenez was throwing some laser beams, hitting 100 MPH on the gun more than once.
6. Boston outhit Colorado for the second straight game.
7. Jiminez not only struck out more batters than Schilling, he also walked less. Nice outing for the rookie.
8. That catch by Ellsbury was amazing.
9. The Red Sox laid down more bunts than the Rockies tonight.
10. Ellsbury stealing third caught everyone off guard…including me.
11. Big Papi’s home run almost landed in Colorado.
12. Manny wasn’t really hustling on that play.
13. I never thought I’d see that day that Manny Corpas would walk out of the bullpen with no pants on.
14. Papelbon struck out more batters than he left on base.
15. Can you believe John Kerry streaked naked onto the field like that?
16. Matt Holliday busted for using a corked bat? Who would have thought.
17. J.D. Drew’s Strikeouts + Mike Lowell’s Walks = Torrealba’s base hits + Helton’s doubles
18. Varitek hit for the cycle! amazing!
19. Garret Atkins should be suspended for all of next year for tripping Pedroia as he rounded third. He should be suspended for 5 years after that for pulling out a tazer and tazing Dustin multiple times in the small of his back.
20. The team with the most runs won the game.
Tags: baseball, predictions
Posted in MLB, previews | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007
The fun begins tonight around 8pm, when the Rockies return to action against the Red Sox of Boston.
Five Thoughts on this series, and a prediction:
1. Anything bad that happens to the Rockies in Game 1, whether it’s errors in the field or poor at-bats, will be blamed on “rust”. While I agree that 8 days is a long time off when you’ve been playing baseball 6 days a week since March, let’s not go crazy with this. It’s not like their coming back from Christmas Break and have been off for two weeks eating candy canes and ham. They’re professional ballplayers who have waited all their lives for this. Let’s take it easy on the rust.
2. That said, I’ll tell you right now that if the Rockies lose in Game 1, I’m betting it will have more to do with Josh Beckett than with the layoff. In that regard, there might be more pressure on Boston to win this first game. With Beckett on the mound they’re expected to win, and if they fall into a 0-1 hole after a Beckett start, there will be a lot of people jumping onto the Colorado bandwagon.
3. If Joe Buck says the word “jub-jub” during one of the telecasts, Conan O’ Brien will donate 1000 to a charity of Buck’s choice.
4. Will Leitch over at Deadspin has been playfully calling the Rockies “God’s Team” every chance he gets lately. I wonder if the FOX announcing team will touch on the subject at all? I’ll also be interested in seeing how the Rockies’ handle post-game interviews. Personally, I’m hoping those on the team that are Christians don’t go for the “out of context Jesus namedrop” just because they are on TV, that always rubs me, and most everyone else, the wrong way.
5. Anyone who tells you that they know what to expect from the Rockies in this series is dreaming. Never has a team been this hot before at the right time, layoff or no layoff. The Red Sox are the better team because of their pitching, but Colorado can slug you to death (like they did to Boston earlier this year). It’s one of the toughest championship matchups to get a feel for in a long time, which should make for some riveting games.
My Prediction:
Red Sox in 7 games.
leave your prediction in the comments and the winner will receive a robot sister like that girl from the Small Wonder TV show.
Tags: predictions, world series
Posted in MLB, previews | 5 Comments »
