I found this on the interweb, it's apparently the staff from some bar in Arizona. Is this what you were talking about?
All the World News that's unfit for print.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Hey nj!
I found this on the interweb, it's apparently the staff from some bar in Arizona. Is this what you were talking about?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
World Series -- Season 7
And here we go, down to the final two squads. From the National League, the number one seed Oakland Ownage, who won 109 games this season, just one win behind Albuquerque from the AL. From the American League, we get the New York Yankees, who entered the playoffs as the number three seed. The Yankees won their division for the 7th season in a row, but with their lowest win total in those seven seasons (89), putting themselves in a situation where both wild card teams had more wins than this division winner.
Despite their regular season dominance and first round bye, Oakland has struggled in the playoffs, going the full five games in the divisional series, and then the full seven games in the NLCS. The pitching staff posted a regular season best 3.59 ERA, and while that number has not exactly ballooned, it is certainly higher during the playoffs, as they sport a 3.91 ERA during those 12 games. Meanwhile, the Yankees are going the other direction. A 4.43 regular season ERA has dropped to 3.43 in 13 games this fall. The Yanks made short work of Memphis in the Play-in Series, then did the same with number two seed Kansas City, and it only took them five games to oust Austin after they had upset number one seed Albuquerque. So despite having to play an extra series, the Yankees' staff only has one more game under their belt than that of Oakland, so there should be no tired arms when the series gets going.
When it comes to hitting, NY and Oakland were top five in the world in almost every relevant category during the regular season. Batting avergae, OPS, runs scored, etc. But in the playoffs so far, NY has dominated. An .820 OPS, 27 HR's, 79 runs scored, they are just killing the ball. Oakland is not exactly slouching either, as they have posted a .776 OPS, 18 HR's, and 64 runs scored, but the Yankee offense is the talk of the town.
At press-time, NY is showing that they will throw out Kazuhiro Lim (11-14, 4.88 ERA regular season -- 1-0, 4.34 ERA postseason) for their game one starter, while Oakland has tentatively announced Brandon Carter (20-5, 2.78 -- 3-0, 3.05) as their starter.
In their series with Jackson, Oakland won their home games and lost all of their away games. Against Jacksonville, they were 2-2 at home, while managing to take 2 out of 3 on the road. On the other side, NY has been 4-2 at home, while sporting an amazing 6-1 record on the road, including three in a row to seal the series with Austin. The World Series opens with Oakland playing two at home, then we go to New York for (theoretically) three games, before possibly playing the final two in Oakland.
So how does this play out? New York has shown that they don't care where they play, they are going to score runs. They scored 9 runs in two games at Memphis, which is very much a pitcher's park, while only allowing the home team to knock in two runs. Granted, Memphis does not have the same sort of pitching staff as Oakland. But I think the New York pitching staff and batters are better than that of Jackson and Jacksonville, and those two teams took Oakland the distance. It's going to be a good series.
I think the teams split the two games in Oakland, then New York wins two of three at home, and then they get one of the final two in Oakland. New York wins in either 6 or 7 games.
Despite their regular season dominance and first round bye, Oakland has struggled in the playoffs, going the full five games in the divisional series, and then the full seven games in the NLCS. The pitching staff posted a regular season best 3.59 ERA, and while that number has not exactly ballooned, it is certainly higher during the playoffs, as they sport a 3.91 ERA during those 12 games. Meanwhile, the Yankees are going the other direction. A 4.43 regular season ERA has dropped to 3.43 in 13 games this fall. The Yanks made short work of Memphis in the Play-in Series, then did the same with number two seed Kansas City, and it only took them five games to oust Austin after they had upset number one seed Albuquerque. So despite having to play an extra series, the Yankees' staff only has one more game under their belt than that of Oakland, so there should be no tired arms when the series gets going.
When it comes to hitting, NY and Oakland were top five in the world in almost every relevant category during the regular season. Batting avergae, OPS, runs scored, etc. But in the playoffs so far, NY has dominated. An .820 OPS, 27 HR's, 79 runs scored, they are just killing the ball. Oakland is not exactly slouching either, as they have posted a .776 OPS, 18 HR's, and 64 runs scored, but the Yankee offense is the talk of the town.
At press-time, NY is showing that they will throw out Kazuhiro Lim (11-14, 4.88 ERA regular season -- 1-0, 4.34 ERA postseason) for their game one starter, while Oakland has tentatively announced Brandon Carter (20-5, 2.78 -- 3-0, 3.05) as their starter.
In their series with Jackson, Oakland won their home games and lost all of their away games. Against Jacksonville, they were 2-2 at home, while managing to take 2 out of 3 on the road. On the other side, NY has been 4-2 at home, while sporting an amazing 6-1 record on the road, including three in a row to seal the series with Austin. The World Series opens with Oakland playing two at home, then we go to New York for (theoretically) three games, before possibly playing the final two in Oakland.
So how does this play out? New York has shown that they don't care where they play, they are going to score runs. They scored 9 runs in two games at Memphis, which is very much a pitcher's park, while only allowing the home team to knock in two runs. Granted, Memphis does not have the same sort of pitching staff as Oakland. But I think the New York pitching staff and batters are better than that of Jackson and Jacksonville, and those two teams took Oakland the distance. It's going to be a good series.
I think the teams split the two games in Oakland, then New York wins two of three at home, and then they get one of the final two in Oakland. New York wins in either 6 or 7 games.
Friday, November 27, 2009
LCS predictions
ALCS - New York Yankees vs Austin Argonauts
After Austin got rid of the number one seed Albuquerque squad, anything can happen here. Wilfredo Mesa only pitched once in that series, and it looks like he will get the nod in game 1 of the ALCS, while the Yanks are most likely starting their ace, Kazuhiro Lim. Since I have to make a pick here, I'll go with the Yankees winning the series in 6 games.
NLCS - Oakland Ownage vs Jacksonville Jimmies
We nearly got #1 vs #2, but Jacksonville edged out Buffalo by one run in the final game of their series. And the Jimmies are no push-over. They won 95 games during the regular season, swept Cincy in the first round, then beat the number two seed. Meawhile, Oakland cruised through the regular season, but were then forced into five games against the number five seed in the divisional series. With all of that said, I think Oakland is just too much, they'll hit their stride in this series, and they'll take out Jacksonville in just five games.
After Austin got rid of the number one seed Albuquerque squad, anything can happen here. Wilfredo Mesa only pitched once in that series, and it looks like he will get the nod in game 1 of the ALCS, while the Yanks are most likely starting their ace, Kazuhiro Lim. Since I have to make a pick here, I'll go with the Yankees winning the series in 6 games.
NLCS - Oakland Ownage vs Jacksonville Jimmies
We nearly got #1 vs #2, but Jacksonville edged out Buffalo by one run in the final game of their series. And the Jimmies are no push-over. They won 95 games during the regular season, swept Cincy in the first round, then beat the number two seed. Meawhile, Oakland cruised through the regular season, but were then forced into five games against the number five seed in the divisional series. With all of that said, I think Oakland is just too much, they'll hit their stride in this series, and they'll take out Jacksonville in just five games.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
NJ's Division Championship Series Picks
AL #1 Albuquerque 66ers vs AL #5 Austin Argonauts
After averaging nearly 6 runs per game in the first round against Montreal, Austin showed that their offense is ready to get it done when the pitching fails. Albert Cairo lead that offense, batting .300 with 4 HR's in the series. Will Ward and Rico Arias both batted over .450 in the series, to lend Cairo a hand.
Facing the Argonauts will be the often criticized Albuquerque franchise, who played sub .400 baseball in the league's first two seasons, before rising from the ashes and earning a playoff spot in the fifth season. The team missed the playoffs in season six, but showed the world this season that they are not to be messed with, as they posted a whopping 110 wins, almost as many as seasons one and two combined. Led by five batters who drove in more than 100 runs each, the offense is no joke. The heart and soul of the team is Lance Morris, who was the 6th overall pick in the second season. The pitching staff is clearly led by McMillon and Alcantara, who combined for 36 wins and a sub 4.00 ERA this season. Defensively, they are no slouches either. Willing to give up some offense in order to have good enough defense in the right spots, Albuquerque will not give up dumb errors.
Prediction - Albuquerque in 4
AL #2 Kansas City ***gots vs AL #3 New York Yankees
Memphis tried to give NY a run for their money, but in the end the Yankees pitching staff was just too much. Only giving up 3 runs per game in the four game series, the Yankees staff made up for the general lack of offense (just over 4 runs per game), as only two batters managed to hit over .300 for the series.
Making the playoffs each of the first five seasons, last year KC missed out for the first time. So they made no mistake this year, winning 95 games and winning the division. Led quite obviously by their amazing tandem of Paul Harris and Jumbo Long, who won a combined 38 games this season, the pitching staff is the highlight of the team. Offensively, they try to spread what little wealth there is, as 7 players drove in 50 or more runs this season. Other than lacking a true SS, the defense is more than good enough to get the job done.
Prediction - This really could go either way. Don't expect any big offensive explosions, and if I have to pick someone, I'll take the Yankees in 5.
NL #1 Oakland Ownage vs NL #5 Jackson Generals
Wichita gave Jackson a hard time in the first round, but the Generals pitching staff was just too much. With only one hitter who was consistent during the first round (Jermaine O'Rourke - .421 avg, 2 HR's and 4 RBI's), the pitching staff had to take it up a notch, as they only gave up 4.5 runs per game during the series.
In the other dugout is an Oakland franchise that won 100+ games for the second consecutive season, and the third time in four seasons. But with the highest payroll in the entire league, nobody is shocked that the Ownage have the number one seed in the National League. Led offensively by Hall, Hornsby and Baez, the entire team hits for power and average, while also having some speed on the base paths. On the mound, their top three are Carter, Lombardi, and Wayne, who combined for 48 wins this season. In the field, they do enough to not hurt themselves, but the infield is not what we would call "sound."
Prediction - Oakland is on a mission, and is just too much for Jackson. The Ownage in 4 games.
NL #2 Buffalo Wooden Nickel vs NL #3 Jacksonville Jimmies
The Jimmies made short work of Cincy, sweeping the Red Thumpers, and giving the pitching staff an extra day or two off. Scoring 6 runs per game, despite Julius Neal being very quiet, the offense got the job done. The pitching staff only gave up 8 runs in the three games, and Cincy committed 7 errors. Those numbers are all that you really need to sum up this series.
Buffalo has slowly improved since BBMogul took over, posting nearly 100 wins this season. Led by Bohanon and Crawford at the plate, with Dolan and Matthews on the mound, the Wooden Nickel's have played very quietly over the years. Maybe the best part of the entire team is their bullpen. Both Dolan and Matthews are getting older, and can't go 9 innings every night. The bullpen might be what carries them to the next level.
Prediction - This is Buffalo's season (or at least their series), the WN win it in 4 games.
After averaging nearly 6 runs per game in the first round against Montreal, Austin showed that their offense is ready to get it done when the pitching fails. Albert Cairo lead that offense, batting .300 with 4 HR's in the series. Will Ward and Rico Arias both batted over .450 in the series, to lend Cairo a hand.
Facing the Argonauts will be the often criticized Albuquerque franchise, who played sub .400 baseball in the league's first two seasons, before rising from the ashes and earning a playoff spot in the fifth season. The team missed the playoffs in season six, but showed the world this season that they are not to be messed with, as they posted a whopping 110 wins, almost as many as seasons one and two combined. Led by five batters who drove in more than 100 runs each, the offense is no joke. The heart and soul of the team is Lance Morris, who was the 6th overall pick in the second season. The pitching staff is clearly led by McMillon and Alcantara, who combined for 36 wins and a sub 4.00 ERA this season. Defensively, they are no slouches either. Willing to give up some offense in order to have good enough defense in the right spots, Albuquerque will not give up dumb errors.
Prediction - Albuquerque in 4
AL #2 Kansas City ***gots vs AL #3 New York Yankees
Memphis tried to give NY a run for their money, but in the end the Yankees pitching staff was just too much. Only giving up 3 runs per game in the four game series, the Yankees staff made up for the general lack of offense (just over 4 runs per game), as only two batters managed to hit over .300 for the series.
Making the playoffs each of the first five seasons, last year KC missed out for the first time. So they made no mistake this year, winning 95 games and winning the division. Led quite obviously by their amazing tandem of Paul Harris and Jumbo Long, who won a combined 38 games this season, the pitching staff is the highlight of the team. Offensively, they try to spread what little wealth there is, as 7 players drove in 50 or more runs this season. Other than lacking a true SS, the defense is more than good enough to get the job done.
Prediction - This really could go either way. Don't expect any big offensive explosions, and if I have to pick someone, I'll take the Yankees in 5.
NL #1 Oakland Ownage vs NL #5 Jackson Generals
Wichita gave Jackson a hard time in the first round, but the Generals pitching staff was just too much. With only one hitter who was consistent during the first round (Jermaine O'Rourke - .421 avg, 2 HR's and 4 RBI's), the pitching staff had to take it up a notch, as they only gave up 4.5 runs per game during the series.
In the other dugout is an Oakland franchise that won 100+ games for the second consecutive season, and the third time in four seasons. But with the highest payroll in the entire league, nobody is shocked that the Ownage have the number one seed in the National League. Led offensively by Hall, Hornsby and Baez, the entire team hits for power and average, while also having some speed on the base paths. On the mound, their top three are Carter, Lombardi, and Wayne, who combined for 48 wins this season. In the field, they do enough to not hurt themselves, but the infield is not what we would call "sound."
Prediction - Oakland is on a mission, and is just too much for Jackson. The Ownage in 4 games.
NL #2 Buffalo Wooden Nickel vs NL #3 Jacksonville Jimmies
The Jimmies made short work of Cincy, sweeping the Red Thumpers, and giving the pitching staff an extra day or two off. Scoring 6 runs per game, despite Julius Neal being very quiet, the offense got the job done. The pitching staff only gave up 8 runs in the three games, and Cincy committed 7 errors. Those numbers are all that you really need to sum up this series.
Buffalo has slowly improved since BBMogul took over, posting nearly 100 wins this season. Led by Bohanon and Crawford at the plate, with Dolan and Matthews on the mound, the Wooden Nickel's have played very quietly over the years. Maybe the best part of the entire team is their bullpen. Both Dolan and Matthews are getting older, and can't go 9 innings every night. The bullpen might be what carries them to the next level.
Prediction - This is Buffalo's season (or at least their series), the WN win it in 4 games.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Drew's Picks - The Whole Shebang
First Round Winners - AL: Montreal, New York -- NL: Jackson, Jacksonville
Divisional Winners - AL: Albuquerque over Montreal (sorry mira), New York over Kansas City -- NL: Oakland over Jackson, Jacksonville over Buffalo
ALCS - Albuquerque over New York
NLCS - Oakland over Jacksonville
World Series - Oakland over Albuquerque in 6 games, "totally crushing camden's fragile ego."
Divisional Winners - AL: Albuquerque over Montreal (sorry mira), New York over Kansas City -- NL: Oakland over Jackson, Jacksonville over Buffalo
ALCS - Albuquerque over New York
NLCS - Oakland over Jacksonville
World Series - Oakland over Albuquerque in 6 games, "totally crushing camden's fragile ego."
S7 First Round Predictions
Is it too late to make first round predictions? No, of course not. Especially when "anything can happen in a short series." Camden can't make any predictions, since he's in the playoffs, so someone has to step in and give his unsolicited two cents.
AL #4 Montreal Maroons vs AL #5 Austin Argonauts.
After losing 100+ games in each of their first four seasons, Montreal flirted with .500 in Season 5, hit right on it in Season 6, and posted a franchise record 83 wins this season. Generally, this information would not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, until you look at the team's payroll over those years. With subpar owners those first three seasons, the team's payroll rose and rose, until 21mira21 took over in Season 4. Since then, the team's payroll has been between $14-28M each season, with this season marking a new "low" as the team has only spent a little over $14M in player salaries. There are 7 individual players in the world making that much money or more. Chew on that for a minute. Montreal has three or four good SP's that can make a difference, and they also have potential ROY in Max Singleton, who drove in a whopping 165 runs this season. Offensively they are sound, defensively they are above average, and the pitching is pretty solid.
Historically, Austin is the exact opposite of Montreal. Their payroll has gone up and up over the last five seasons, while they have only had one sub .500 season in seven attempts. Unfortunately, they are in one of the toughest divisions in the world, where winning 90+ games doesn't mean a whole lot. Led by 4-time MVP Albert Cairo, the team has plenty of offense, with four players driving in 80+ runs, and five scoring 80+ runs. The starting pitchers are not amazing, but are more than good enough for a short series.
Prediction - Austin in 4 games.
AL #3 New York Yankees vs AL #6 Memphis MAD DOGS
Is anyone else tired of the Yankees? Seven time division champs. This season was the franchise's first season with less than 95 wins. Three World Series appearances, with one championship to their name. $112M in salary, the third year in a row that the team has gone over $100M. A decimated minor league system that posted an overall record of 145-507. What's funny is that if this team had any other name, I probably wouldn't care about any of this. With stud hitters to spare, and pitchers with tremendous control, their only potential weakness is the team's defense.
Memphis has been a powerhouse since the world's inception, and continued that trend this season, winning 90+ games for the seventh consecutive season. Another big spender, with franchise payroll going over $100M for the fourth season in a row, the squad has five or six batters who scare every pitcher they come up against. The pitching isn't bad, but it's not elite either. Defensively, they're in the same situation as NY, where nobody is horribly out of place, but there aren't too many players who have to worry about finding space in their living room for a Gold Glove award.
Prediction - NY in 5 games.
NL #4 Wichita Thunder vs NL #5 Jackson Generals
Winning their division for the 5th year in a row, Wichita is another example of "if you spend it, we will win." With a hair under $108M in salary, the team won 95 games, making up for last season's sub .500 record. Led offensively by Francisco Santos and Dave Wilkerson, the team also sports possibly the best pitching staff in the playoffs. Edgar Frias is a potential Cy Young winner, and the other three pitchers who are hoping to get a starting nod in this first round all have ERA's of 3.50 or less. Seriously, this pitching staff is unreal, and worth every penny that the team has spent on them. Defensively, Kevin Sandberg is a bit of a liability at 3B, but otherwise they are very sound.
After not making the playoffs last season, Jackson roared back in Season 7, winning 93 games and earning the top wild card spot. This also marked the first year that the team went over $100M in salary, as they topped out at $109M, nearly $20M more than what the team spent last year. It seemed to work out, as three players drove in 100+ runs and hit 30 or more bombs. On the mound however, the team is lacking. Only two guys won 10 or more games, and the team gave 7 different pitchers a start during the season. Jermaine O'Rourke and Orval Sullivan have been absolute disasters on the left side of the infield, and could be a major liability during these playoffs.
Prediction - Wichita in 4 games.
NL #3 Jacksonville Jimmies vs NL #6 Cincinnati Red Thumpers
The defending world champs had a tough go of it this season, "only" winning 95 games en route to their second consecutive division title. Could this be due to the team cutting $18M in salary from last season to this one? Maybe, maybe not. The team still has Julius Neal and Rick Halama and Don Krivida, and their .925+ OPS. On the mound, Blake and Calles continue to prove their worth, while recently acquired Brad Evans went 9-0 for his new squad, with a sparkling 2.21 ERA. Like many other teams in the playoffs this season, Jacksonville is trying to prove that defenses don't necessarily win championships, as their D leaves a little to be desired.
Owner statman527 has quietly put together a strong franchise, as the Red Thumpers make the playoffs for the second year in a row. Art Walker, Flash Bass, and Joel Bichette put up huge numbers this season, anchoring an offense that gives more than enough support to a constantly improving pitching staff. Defensively they have some holes in the infield, which could prove fatal. Can the offense do enough to keep the pitching staff ahead of the game, and let the defense off the hook if/when they make a mistake?
Prediction - Jacksonville in 4 games.
AL #4 Montreal Maroons vs AL #5 Austin Argonauts.
After losing 100+ games in each of their first four seasons, Montreal flirted with .500 in Season 5, hit right on it in Season 6, and posted a franchise record 83 wins this season. Generally, this information would not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, until you look at the team's payroll over those years. With subpar owners those first three seasons, the team's payroll rose and rose, until 21mira21 took over in Season 4. Since then, the team's payroll has been between $14-28M each season, with this season marking a new "low" as the team has only spent a little over $14M in player salaries. There are 7 individual players in the world making that much money or more. Chew on that for a minute. Montreal has three or four good SP's that can make a difference, and they also have potential ROY in Max Singleton, who drove in a whopping 165 runs this season. Offensively they are sound, defensively they are above average, and the pitching is pretty solid.
Historically, Austin is the exact opposite of Montreal. Their payroll has gone up and up over the last five seasons, while they have only had one sub .500 season in seven attempts. Unfortunately, they are in one of the toughest divisions in the world, where winning 90+ games doesn't mean a whole lot. Led by 4-time MVP Albert Cairo, the team has plenty of offense, with four players driving in 80+ runs, and five scoring 80+ runs. The starting pitchers are not amazing, but are more than good enough for a short series.
Prediction - Austin in 4 games.
AL #3 New York Yankees vs AL #6 Memphis MAD DOGS
Is anyone else tired of the Yankees? Seven time division champs. This season was the franchise's first season with less than 95 wins. Three World Series appearances, with one championship to their name. $112M in salary, the third year in a row that the team has gone over $100M. A decimated minor league system that posted an overall record of 145-507. What's funny is that if this team had any other name, I probably wouldn't care about any of this. With stud hitters to spare, and pitchers with tremendous control, their only potential weakness is the team's defense.
Memphis has been a powerhouse since the world's inception, and continued that trend this season, winning 90+ games for the seventh consecutive season. Another big spender, with franchise payroll going over $100M for the fourth season in a row, the squad has five or six batters who scare every pitcher they come up against. The pitching isn't bad, but it's not elite either. Defensively, they're in the same situation as NY, where nobody is horribly out of place, but there aren't too many players who have to worry about finding space in their living room for a Gold Glove award.
Prediction - NY in 5 games.
NL #4 Wichita Thunder vs NL #5 Jackson Generals
Winning their division for the 5th year in a row, Wichita is another example of "if you spend it, we will win." With a hair under $108M in salary, the team won 95 games, making up for last season's sub .500 record. Led offensively by Francisco Santos and Dave Wilkerson, the team also sports possibly the best pitching staff in the playoffs. Edgar Frias is a potential Cy Young winner, and the other three pitchers who are hoping to get a starting nod in this first round all have ERA's of 3.50 or less. Seriously, this pitching staff is unreal, and worth every penny that the team has spent on them. Defensively, Kevin Sandberg is a bit of a liability at 3B, but otherwise they are very sound.
After not making the playoffs last season, Jackson roared back in Season 7, winning 93 games and earning the top wild card spot. This also marked the first year that the team went over $100M in salary, as they topped out at $109M, nearly $20M more than what the team spent last year. It seemed to work out, as three players drove in 100+ runs and hit 30 or more bombs. On the mound however, the team is lacking. Only two guys won 10 or more games, and the team gave 7 different pitchers a start during the season. Jermaine O'Rourke and Orval Sullivan have been absolute disasters on the left side of the infield, and could be a major liability during these playoffs.
Prediction - Wichita in 4 games.
NL #3 Jacksonville Jimmies vs NL #6 Cincinnati Red Thumpers
The defending world champs had a tough go of it this season, "only" winning 95 games en route to their second consecutive division title. Could this be due to the team cutting $18M in salary from last season to this one? Maybe, maybe not. The team still has Julius Neal and Rick Halama and Don Krivida, and their .925+ OPS. On the mound, Blake and Calles continue to prove their worth, while recently acquired Brad Evans went 9-0 for his new squad, with a sparkling 2.21 ERA. Like many other teams in the playoffs this season, Jacksonville is trying to prove that defenses don't necessarily win championships, as their D leaves a little to be desired.
Owner statman527 has quietly put together a strong franchise, as the Red Thumpers make the playoffs for the second year in a row. Art Walker, Flash Bass, and Joel Bichette put up huge numbers this season, anchoring an offense that gives more than enough support to a constantly improving pitching staff. Defensively they have some holes in the infield, which could prove fatal. Can the offense do enough to keep the pitching staff ahead of the game, and let the defense off the hook if/when they make a mistake?
Prediction - Jacksonville in 4 games.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)