Post-Season Picks

Last night went according to form. Here are my picks going forward:

MLB Post-Season Picks

Series	Winner	Comments
Red Sox-Angels	Sox in 5	Home field plus better bullpen. Changing of the guard at catcher for the Red Sox. Ellsbury is the difference. Abreu re-surfaces.
Dodgers - Cards	Dodgers in 4	Torre manages better than LaRussa. Manny shines. Cards' Cy Young candidates are overrated.
Phils - Rockies	Phils in 4	Phils have the edge offensively. Rockies are riding their late-season rush (again) and may win one at home. Phils could almost play in the AL East. Almost.
Yankees- Twins	Yankees in 3	Biggest danger for the Yankees is to finish too soon and then have to wait for the war between Boston and LA to conclude.
League Championship Series
Yankees - Red Sox	Yankees in 5	It's been too long for Derek Jeter and company. This may be the best team he's played on. Girardi goes back to Posada behind the plate for every game, realizing he needs the extra bat. Burnett is on the spot.
Phils - Dodgers	Phils in 6	Manny does all he can. Then gets lost on the way to left field. Phils have too much depth, offense and pitching. And Howard.
World Series
Yankees - Phils	Yankees in 5	Phils almost have the power to compete with the Bombers. But not quite enough. Yankees have better pitching and the home field advantage. Sabbathia becomes a Yankee legend.

Bud Selig's Vision of Baseball

This is what 3-22 looks like

The Yankees and Red Sox are meeting this weekend in an epic meaningless series in the Bronx in front of a sold-out (except for the lower bowl) crowd.

In the meantime, in a galaxy far, far away the Pirates are doing their best to catch the Phillies. Not this year's Phillies. The all-time losingest Phillies.

Annual Events

The annual far-off sighting of spring: "Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training." But there's snow in the forecast. And we all know that it has snowed many times during the opening week(s) of the baseball season in April. So there's at least another month - or more - of winter in the New England.

Plenty of time to speculate on which month the Yankees will collapse this season.

Oh yeah, Yankees collapse. An annual event. Like spring.

The Fleecing Starts Today

The annual baseball free agent buying spree officially kicks off today. Teams are now free to overwhelm players with cash and considerations.

As a fan and let me state I'm a huge baseball fan, because I hate the NFL and can't stand the NBA, I hope all the owners choke on the money they toss around. You'd think some of these teams and I have to include my beloved Yankees as being in on the government bailout plan (TARP). Has anyone told these morons what it's really like out on the streets. Rich and poor alike are getting slammed. Who's going to think about laying down hundreds of hard earned dollars to catch a game next year? How many beers and hot dogs do they think they'll sell?

Let me answer that. No one. We are in a recession bordering on a depression and the Yankees are thinking of making a $140 Million offer to C.C. Sabathia. It's insanity and it had better stop quick or we'll have teams heading the way of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. Gone.

We can use more like him

Ok, I’ll admit I hate David Ortiz. He wears a uniform of the enemy. He was a nobody until he was claimed off the scrap heap from Minnesota and now that he’s in Boston he’s sold his soul to the Green Monster. Now, he’s a real “Godzilla” not to mention bearing a strong resemblance. Batting in front of who may arguably be one of the top five right handed hitter of all-time Manny Ramirez, they form an imposing challenge to anyone who toes the rubber. But remember I hate him.

But I have to take off my Yankee hat and stand and applaud this man. He chose to become an American citizen. He went all Red, White and Blue. He gets it. It’s great to see an athlete with some skill above the neckline. He’s not abandoning his native Dominican heritage; he simply has shown the understanding and appreciation what the United States has allowed him to accomplish both professionally and personally. In the fouled up sportsworld we live with, he’s providing a great sense of leadership. Keep it up and bring a few more in from the cold.

Next time though he digs in at the Stadium though…hard up and in.