Monday, October 28, 2013

NBA preseason predictions 2013-14

It’s the beginning of another NBA Season. The 2013-14 NBA season promises to be another amazing year with so many teams in contention for a title, it’s actually ridiculous. The storylines are off the hook as so many teams come into this season looking to make a new. How will the return of Derrick Rose impact the already loaded Bulls? Is Carmelo Anthony hungry enough for a tittle run? Are the Spurs going to stay at their ridiculous level of consistency? Will Brooklyn live up to the hype? Will Miami 3-peat? This season has so many questions but I’m not going to answer them all, I’m just here to give you a prediction, and if it’s anything like my postseason prediction before the playoffs in April, you better believe I’ll be close to the target. So here we go. Predictions away!

Eastern Conference Playoffs
Lottery
1.      Miami Heat 59-23
9. Washington Wizards 34-48
2.      Indiana Pacers 56-26
10. Cleveland Cavaliers 30-52
3.      Brooklyn Nets 54-28
11. Boston Celtics 28-54
4.      Chicago Bulls 53-29
12. Milwaukee Bucks 25-57
5.      New York Knicks 51-31
13. Charlotte Bobcats 22-60
6.      Atlanta Hawks 42-40
14. Philadelphia 76ers 21-61
7.      Detroit Pistons 40-42
15. Orlando Magic 15-67
8.      Toronto Raptors 39-43



The top five teams in the east have a legit shot at competing for a title this season and they might all be within the top eight in the NBA when it comes to talent. I think the Heat will not be as good as they were a season ago, their supporting cast is especially thin this season and they are banking on guys like Greg Oden and Michael Beasley to help carry the load off the bench, there is no way they are anywhere near the team they were last season. People forget that last season they had one of the best teams of all-time and there is no way they come close to that output this season. The Pacers are on the rise and I see them being in serious contention as one of the top overall teams in the NBA especially with the comeback of Danny Granger and the stardom of Paul George on the rise. Brooklyn is for real. Yes, they just assembled this team over the offseason, but they carry some serious swagger as Kevin Garnett will turn the intensity of this team 180 degrees from a year ago, making them a legitimate threat. The Bulls, they are solely contingent on the success of Derrick Rose. They will still be a good team if he has any setbacks, but the play of Rose is the spurt they need to get over the top especially in the east. The Knicks have an outside shot in this conference and it depends on how much Carmelo Anthony really wants it. The Knicks remind me of the Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Manning at the helm, a flashy team in the regular season with so much potential, but they need to step it up in the postseason if they want an opportunity to be considered in the discussion with the other top four teams, but they are still elite. Dark horse teams I see taking leaps for this season are the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. These teams have two explosive play makers in Josh Smith (Signed this offseason with the Pistons) and Rudy Gay (Joined the Raptors midseason in last year) who can seriously make these teams legit threats in the east of any of the other 5 teams slip up. Two teams that I picked to finish outside of the playoff race could be better than I predicted them to be. The Celtics are in full rebuilding mode, but do not be surprised if they win 30 or more games this year with the budding Brad Stevens as their head coach and a young nucleus that could do some serious damage near the end of the season if Rondo doesn’t decide to screw things up. The Wizards could also improve this season if they get all their pieces healthy and John Wall decides to step up his game as a teammate. Wall is a beast, but he needs to distribute the ball better for the Wizards to be relevant this season. I don’t see it happening quite yet, but you never know.

I’ll do postseason predictions after I break down the Western Conference Predictions for the regular season. Here they are:

Western Conference Playoffs
Lottery
1.      San Antonio Spurs  56-26
9. Dallas Mavericks 43-39
2.      Los Angeles Clippers 55-27
10. New Orleans Pelicans 33-49
3.      Golden State Warriors 51-31
11. Portland Trailblazers 31-51
4.      Oklahoma City Thunder 50-32
12. Los Angeles Lakers 30-52
5.      Houston Rockets 49-33
13. Utah Jazz 26-56
6.      Memphis Grizzlies 47-35
14. Sacramento Kings 22-60
7.      Minnesota Timberwolves 46-36
15. Phoenix Suns 20-62
8.      Denver Nuggets 44-38



This conference is wide open when it comes to dominant teams and I honestly think the top 5 teams could finish with the top spot if they really put their full potential together. I have to put the Spurs up top because the Clippers are Lob City and all they did was add Doc Rivers, who is a fantastic coach, but how much is he really going to improve this team when they were already a top ten team a year ago? I think he’ll make them better next year, but this upcoming year, he won’t do much when it comes to impact. The Warriors are on the up an up and have a legit shot of winning the title this year, especially with the addition of Andre Iguodala making them a legit force in the NBA and potentially a top three team. The Thunder are going to dip strictly because of their weak bench and because they let go of another star in Kevin Martin. They also cannot rely on Russell Westbrook especially with his score first mentality and hectic attack to the basket. The Houston Rockets added a 7’0 two year old that will find ways ruin his squads potential of reaching the mountain top for years to come. They will be good enough to make the playoffs every year because of James Harden, but other than that it all comes down to how the two year old (Dwight Howard) decides to act on and off the court. I don’t know why people don’t think the Memphis Grizzlies are going to fall off the map just because they let go of their coach. Yes, they will lose some wins, and not play as well as last year, but they won’t all of sudden drop out of the playoff hunt in the west and Marc Gasol won’t all of sudden stop playing defense. The T’wolves are the dark horse in this year’s western conference, they have a legit shot at making a run deep into the playoffs if they can stay healthy. Honestly, whoever takes the 8th spot in the west I don’t have a clue, but considering the ability of Denver to run the floor they can slip in there ahead of Dallas which I would not be shocked if either one of those teams took the last spot in the west. The Lakers are a mess, they will be lucky to win 40 games this season and if they do I will be shocked. If Kobe can come back then maybe they have an outside shot at a playoff push, but that’s about it. Everybody else in the west within the Lottery portion of my prediction quite frankly sucks too much to really discuss doing anything important this season.

Alright, who’s ready for a postseason prediction for the ages? Everybody will hate me after this because of obvious reasons, but if you know me, you know I have to pick who I’m picking for a reason so here goes nothing.

Eastern Conference Playoffs
1MIA 4 vs 8TOR 0
2nd Round
East Finals
4CHI 4 vs 5NYK 3
1MIA 4 vs 4CHI 2
3Brooklyn Nets 4
3BKN 4 vs 6ATL 1
2IND 3 vs 3BKN 4
1Miami Heat 2
2IND 4 vs 7DET 1
ECF: 1MIA vs 3BKN
ECC: BKN


This is where most people will think I’m crazy and turn off my blog because they think that I actually picked the Brooklyn Nets to make it to the NBA Title over the Miami Heat. It’s ok, I understand your incompetence and that you can’t accept change, but I would like to remind people that last year it took the Heat seven games to beat the Pacers and a miracle in game 6 to take the Spurs to a 7th and deciding game to clinch their 2nd title. They barely got by with their mediocre bench play and with their deteriorating Dwayne Wade and terrible Chris Bosh, LeBron has to play like superman to get them to the next level. With the bench of the Miami Heat getting worse in the offseason and with how hard it was for them to win the title last season, there is no way they can beat Brooklyn with the bench that Brooklyn possesses. Honestly, the Eastern Conference Championship I feel will be between the Pacers and Nets in the 2nd round where both teams are so balanced it’s stupidly ridiculous. So, I think this is the year that everything clicks for Brooklyn and they pull through to get to the NBA title to face…

Western Conference Playoffs
1SAS 4 vs 8DEN 1
2nd round
West Finals
4OKC 2 vs 5HOU 4
1SAS 4 vs 5HOU 2
3Golden State Warriors 3
3GSW 4 vs 6MEM 3
2LAC 3 vs 3GSW 4
1San Antonio Spurs 4
2LAC 4 vs 7MIN 1
WCF: 1SAS vs 3GSW
WCC: SAS


You guessed it! OHHH and here comes every homer call in the book! I’m not picking my team because I’m a homer, but people forget the spurs only lost 2 games in last year’s Western Conference postseason and who were they too? The team I picked them to play in the Western Conference Finals this year. The Golden State Warriors are really… really good. They will beat Lob City in the 2nd round and give San Antonio a run for their hard earned dollars and could even beat them with their ability to space the floor. That Western Conference Finals matchup might be the best playoff matchup of the year and it’s not because my team will be involved, it’s because that’s how evenly matched these teams are. San Antonio is better than last season though, and with Kawhi Leonard having an entire year under his belt, he’ll be that good.

So here we go, the NBA Finals 2014. Spurs and Nets. KG vs Duncan… Pierce vs Leonard… Deron Williams vs Tony Parker… the matchups are nuts. I honestly think the Nets have the better matchups, especially with Brook Lopez having the clear advantage over Tiago Splitter. I think that talent wise and experience wise (which is weird to say) I think the Nets have more than San Antonio… BUT… the one thing the Nets don’t have is “Championship Swagger” that the Spurs have and with the Spurs just coming off of a finals appearance and on the verge of winning a fifth title, they will snag their fifth title this season in a Black/White classic (both teams wear black and white). Prediction: Spurs 4 Nets 3


The MVP will have to be Tim Duncan for he will retire after this season if the Spurs win the title. Popovich will also leave as well, and the Spurs will start a new going into 2014-15. Ok, now that my credibility is shot for being such a homer in my pick, I will run away into the night and see you again next week… but no honestly I do really think the Spurs could win it all and Brooklyn could defeat the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals as team play will be clearly evident in next year’s season. Toddles! Enjoy the season!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Tim McCarvers last hurrah

So I’m sitting here getting ready to watch the worst Monday Night Football to date, and my Minnesota Vikings have the only win between the two teams, and they are not favored. Gives you an example of how ridiculous this matchup is tonight, but I am so glad there is something more important to talk about such as the World Series matchup which is a rematch of the 2004 World Series, the one in which the Red Sox broke their 86 year curse of the bambino. This time it’s much different, there is no Albert Pujols, there is no Manny Ramirez, and the nickname for the Red Sox is completely different today than it was in 2004. Either way, both these franchises are ready to build upon their legacies and ready to win a third world series in the last decade plus.

It’s been a tumultuous October for baseball this year as the unexpected has occurred more often than not. The Tigers gave up 2 grand slams in two games started by the eventual Cy Young Award winner in Max Scherzer, the Dodgers were beaten by an infielder by the St. Louis Cardinals nobody has heard of, and 2 pitchers have won their respective League Championships MVP’s. This World Series should be filled with some spice and I could see this one going 7 and becoming one of the best series in the last decade plus. That is saying something considering the 2011 World Series was possibly one of the best World Series of the Century, but this one could live up to the hype and I think it will. I’m going with the team of destiny in the Boston Red Sox especially in the way they have been playing. I think they will win it in 7 and they will get the Cardinal off balance in their ability to manufacture runs. I could see it going either way with the Cardinals pitching and the Red Sox offense, but I see the Red Sox offense prevailing after the way they handled the Tigers pitching staff in the ALCS and they can do the same with the Cardinals way of pitching. Boston in 7 games, it’s going to be a classic. I hope so especially considering it’s Tim McCarver’s final World Series he will ever call.

The NBA is back up in a week, who’s excited? I sure as heck am, especially since Derrick Rose and LeBron James will be tipping it off next Tuesday night. I know many people are football fans who read this blog or (from what it seems) baseball fans, but this should be one of the best seasons for NBA hoops in a long time. David Stern will be gone after February, LeBron James is going for his 3rd ring and could be going elsewhere at the end of the season, the Brooklyn Nets are the new Lakers of a year ago, and the West is wide open. I will be posting the best games on here and breaking down the games and the performances that I will be seeing. Just like last season, the suspense will not waver on this blog!

I’m not going to post college football news on here anymore at least until they decide to figure out their crap when it comes to their own off the field situations. I won’t cover a sport till they decide to let young men feel like men instead of children. Either way, there were tons of upsets this weekend and Florida State again is worth top two contingency as they again blew out a top 25 opponent and they are now lined up to play Alabama in the final BCS National Championship. I think it will happen, and Alabama will win their 3rd Championship and close out the BCS Titles in grand fashion as they decide to open up final four bracket for college football in 2014.


O.K. I’m out of here I’ll see you next week and hopefully the World Series won’t be over early unlike last season.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Fire

This week’s blog will be a personal vendetta against somebody who told me I would never be anything, somebody that never really did care about me. He lives in his own world, a world that I once enjoyed when I was in my undergraduate heyday only a couple years ago, but he’s enjoying it now almost at the age of fifty. If anybody knows who I’m talking about (which will most likely be family) then you will understand the ugly in this personal letter. I could care less if the world read this letter for it is an embarrassment for a human being to treat a human being the way this shmuck has especially towards his own son. Hence the name of this blog will be called fire, for it is pure truth and despair that I have for this human being for he hasn’t talked to me in a year. So here we go.

Dear Child Care Provider est. 1992-2013,
           
            I don’t want to say anymore that needs to be said for that this letter should be vindication for how I know you truly feel about me. When you left my mother the way you did, had the audacity  to think I hated you after she divorced you, and then assume that our bridge had burned before I hit my teen years. I was 12 years old in 2003, the year I decided to call you and remind you that I love you, that I miss you, that I hadn’t seen my child care provider in way to long of a time. We bonded from the beginning. We talked about sports first thing, football and the crazy baseball memories from your high school days. We got along as if we were long lost friends and it was something I cherished and I was so glad I could rekindle a bridge that needed repairing. I came down to visit during spring break while you were in San Antonio and I remember you introducing me to the San Antonio Spurs, how much you told about the greatness of Time Duncan, the Flare of Manu Ginobili and the youth and dash of the 21 year old Tony Parker. A connection was seriously bonding between the two of us and I could feel us growing closer as though we could make this work. We talked more and more about my little league experiences through middle school, we chatted constantly about the spurs, and you would inspire me to push my limits even when I didn’t think I could do so.

High school started and you pushed me to pursue the most difficult of challenges, play sports, and give me some sort of motivation to get into college while attaining an honor graduate diploma in high school. You sat me down in New Orleans and gave me the speech of doing so well on the SAT and ACT and figuring my shit when it came to my after school plans. You opened my eyes similarly to how my mom opened my eyes before I started high school and those things are only more than impressionable on a teenage boy than you can ever imagine. I remember when I was going through senior year of high school and you were so pumped that your first son was going to a private liberal arts college unlike so many people that I went to school with. You were so stoked you changed your profile picture and nearly made me the center of your world with how proud you were of my accomplishments. I couldn’t have been prouder of my dad and how far we had come through our relationship.

Then college came and you became a totally different animal. You saw that my grades dipped below where I had planned to have them, you saw that I joined a fraternity, and you saw that I didn’t have a job. Your perceptions changed for the worse as if I had become a demon child and that I was “throwing away my life” because I had joined a fraternity. My brothers are more family then you ever have been and all they did was promote a sense of family along with a sense of scholarly improvement that I so desperately needed, but your media driven air force miniature brain couldn’t get its head out of its own ass to realize the extra curricula’s I was doing to boost my chances of getting a job and then eventually graduate from college with a more well-rounded background then I could ever imagine. But you never really came around. You supported me, you would listen, you would even lend me a helping hand if I ever needed it, but at the end of the day, your views had changed of your own son because your world was not getting attended to. The bridge began to lose its stability.

The summer of 2012 came and I decided to take on the ultimate test of independence as a college student. Living in a home where I was working to pay my own rent, food, and gas and I would let you know how I was doing as often as I could because I knew it would take you and mom to help me every once in a while. You stopped answering your calls, you stopped answering my emails, and you completely lost faith in my ability to have what it took to become an adult. My senior year started and my hours got cut from work, I was basically in the most dire of situations when it came to my financial situation. I never asked for money in the past and this was the only time I ever wanted to ask you. You flat out denied me and ignored all of my messages, ignored anything your own son asked of you. Then the phone call that changed our relationship forever.

I call you the day before my 22nd birthday and we discussed my situation of moving out of that house I was living in. You called my decision moronic, brought up every worst case scenario your little mind could think of and you ignored all of my answers to your questions. If there was a definition of ass hole in this conversation, you displayed every feature. You corrected me as if you had lived my life the past 3+ years not providing the positive feedback I had expected like you did in high school, you didn’t give me the opportunity to explain why everything was going to be ok, all you did was give your side of the story and bitch me out like I was a 16 year old sheep. A year ago today you hung up on me when all I did was try to explain my side of the story when all you did was explain to me your perspective, never allowing me to provide mine, the definition of narrow-mindedness. Ever since that day, I haven’t owed you an apology, I haven’t done anything wrong to make you mad at me, it’s your world that has seeped out and poisoned that people that love you. Your family, they love you, but you push them away, your first wife, she cares about you as a person, but you bitch her out too. Your 3 children, you find ways to bury them in the dust just to get your ego to prevail (believe me, I have that same feeling, it’s genetic, I get it, but it doesn’t mean you need to extract it onto other people). Most of the things you do dad, I have already done and I completely understand your thought process, you forget I am your son, and I know exactly why you feel the way you do about your family, but does that mean the disrespect and the one-upping needs to occur constantly so you don’t have to compensate for something we all know you lack? Dad you’re a fucking failure at life, you disrespect your son, you hang out with 23-26 year old graduate students and take pictures of young women like you are living your college days in your late 40’s. What makes you think this is cool? What makes doing something so youthful at such a gross age is so cool in your arrogant stubborn world that you live in? Apparently all the things I did to build our relationship to what it became prior to college was just another outlet for you to display your puny world that you call Jim Allen.

Fuck you dad, this bridge will never be fixed until you owe me an apology, till you admit your wrong doings to me and why you acted in your childish ways and how you still do. You are not a man if you can’t follow through with your commitment to your children and you are definitely not one if you have to stoop down to the level of a 6 year old girl in a candy store who doesn’t get her way. I’m done with you dad, I will always take a sincere apology, but I’m not jumping back to fix a relationship that I decided to sew back up in 2003. I’m not doing it again 10 years later when you’re the one acting like your brain hasn’t fully developed. I thank you for the 20 years of child support and also trying to get your way out of paying the last 6 months of it because you were fed up with paying for a “failing college student.” Let’s see, what have you missed in the past year that I should bring up, Oh yeah, I graduated from college, got a job working with Autistic kids and then moved into the Recovery field to help kids. I’m doing something with my major right out of college and you couldn’t give 2 shits. Well here’s my letter to you, let me know when your ready to apologize because I hope it’s before your 70 and need depends to hold your own shit.

Sincerely your child support bill


See you all next week.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Define Blowout

Today marks the 97 year anniversary of the biggest blowout in NCAA History, and it’s not even close. Georgia Tech and Cumberland played a game on October 7th 1916 where Georgia Tech won the game by a score of (yes this is real life) 222-0. So with this day, I will officially claim it as National Blowout Day as there couldn’t be a better way to describe a blowout. Think about it, 222 points? You couldn’t do that in a video game if you tried, and if you were playing in the park I’m sure if you scored 100 points the other team would forfeit. How is this possible? Well factor in the popularity of American Football in the 1910’s and there is your answer. It wasn’t on Americas radar in terms of popularity and with the amount of people that went to go watch the game back in those days, you might as well have a club rugby team trout out there to attract more followers. The National Football league wasn’t even a thing, and baseball was in its dead ball era as Ty Cobb was racking up benchmark records for modern day players to marvel at. 222 points? Even Peyton Manning couldn’t score that many points against my old University of Puget Sound football squad who is a division III bottom dweller. That should give you the perspective of this game and understand how ridiculous 222-0 should be. Since this is the day of the blowout, let’s look at some blowouts of the week to celebrate the momentous occasion.

Brian Hoyer blew out his ACL after only a couple starts of sheer brilliance as he seemed to be the savior for the Cleveland Browns. Granted, it was only a couple starts, but the way he powered this team to a 3-0 start after the Trent Richardson trade, is truly Tom-Brady-like. Unfortunately, a blown ACL will have to hold him back from taking the top off the terrible franchise the browns have put together for the past 20+ years.

A blown call was heralded as well as Dee Gordon of the Dodgers was called out in the 9th inning a clear steal of second base. He was trying to get himself into scoring position as the Dodgers were down 1 to the Braves. This was one of those calls that clearly irked instant replay to make an appearance ASAP and it was a real gut turner if you are a fan of the dodgers. Every play is critical in the postseason in Major League Baseball, and for this to happen was another travesty to the sport, but it does celebrate the Blowout because of the blown call.

Now the conventional celebration of the blowout has to be the Florida State/ Maryland matchup in college football this past weekend. A matchup of two top 25 teams and Florida State made sure Maryland never sniffed the top 25 for the rest of 2013. 63-0. It’s definitely not 222-0 but can we be clear that when one top 25 team does this to another, it’s a clear sign that maybe national attention is not quite ready to step foot in Maryland anytime soon. What a gutless performance by the Terps and I hope they recognize their performance was on par with the 1916 performance of Cumberland.

 There is also one game on the horizon when it comes to blowouts we need to discuss quickly before I go back to watching Postseason baseball. The Denver Broncos might actually put up 100 points on the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend and I honestly don’t think it’s that out of the question. The overall line for the game is -28 heading into the beginning of this week and that could cause a stir for becoming the biggest spread in NFL history. To be honest, if you don’t take the points, do you really think the Jaguars can score 30+ points against the Broncos, because I honestly think 70 is an automatic for the Broncos offense that is definitely scoring 600 points this season (which would be the most in NFL history by a long shot). If you think the Jaguars can score more than 30 points this upcoming weekend, then maybe you need to be checked out into a mental hospital, or maybe you just played for Cumberland back in 1916 and for some reason are an old fart still living at the age of 120.

I’ll see y’all next week! And remember to embrace the blowout!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

2013 MLB Playoff Predictions

It’s October and there is literally only one thing I really care about when it comes to this time of month: MLB Postseason. This past regular season was quite interesting and teams that should not have entered the playoffs are in! The Pittsburg Pirates are into the playoffs for the first time in 20 years and will be playing a team that has won 2 World Series since they last joined in the St. Louis Cardinals. The NL Playoffs this year have matchups that should make a grown man cry with the Dodgers and Braves facing each other in the other NL Divisional Series. The best team in the NL all season in the Braves facing the midseason fire squad in the LA Dodgers should be the best matchup of the entire postseason and honestly should be the NL Championship matchup.

In the AL we have the Red Sox who came out of nowhere after the barn burning season of 2012. They finished first in the AL East and did it with ease as the Blue Jay reloaded, Orioles were destined to make a playoff appearance, and Tampa Bay Rays were close on their heels. Speaking of the Tampa Bay Rays, didn’t they have themselves quite a last couple of games having to win game 163 and the wildcard game just to make it to the big dance. Speaking of matchups how about Tigers and Oakland A’s. Who here really thinks this Oakland A’s team is for real? I think they are probably the worst team in the postseason because of the salary cap they throw out on the field every single season, but they have again proven that money means nothing when it comes to winning ball games. The defending AL Champion Detroit Tigers will definitely be looking to capture a world series title, one that has evaded them in 2006 and 2012, and hopefully they can have a less than 100% Miguel Cabrera to carry them. Anyways let’s get to these predictions shall we?

I skipped the Wild-Card matchups because if somebody lost in one of these games it would completely change the outcome of my prediction which is why this is going up immediately after the AL Wildcard matchup game. I called the World Series winner in 2010 with the Giants winning the series and have been miserable at predicting ever since but I do think my prediction should be the legitimate winner in this year’s fall classic. Reason being they have been the best team in baseball all year and almost nobody knows it because of other teams taking the spotlight, but here we go! Here are your 2013 MLB Playoff Predictions.

AL Divisional Playoffs

With the Tigers coming into the playoffs hungry for another shot at the AL Crown, I think the Oakland A’s picked the wrong team to play in the first round. It’s not their fault that they finished as the #2 seed, but seeding isn’t going to help them win ballgames especially against a powerhouse such as Detroit. I see the Tigers coming in with their 21 game winner and Verlander taking care of business sending Oakland back to their dump of a city and starting the process of Detroit heading back to the World Series. Prediction: DET 3 OAK 0

Considering how these two teams know each other I could seriously see this series going either way. I think with the experience the Rays have and their ability to play in close games (which they have shown the past two games) if they play the way they have the past two games, the Red Sox will have no chance. But I do see the Red Sox putting up a great run and making a solid effort at getting to the next round. I think the Red Sox will get it done and take their beard show to Detroit. Prediction: BOS 3 TB 1

NL Divisional Playoffs

This is the matchup of the postseason whether we like it or not, the best team in baseball versus the hottest team in baseball. Yes I know, the Dodgers haven’t been hot as of late, but from June till September this was the best team in baseball. The only difference is that the Atlanta Braves have been the best team in baseball from April till the last week of the season when St. Louis took the #1 spot in the NL. I think there is some strategy in the Braves ability to get the #2 seed instead of the #1 seed because the wildcard has generally caused headaches over the past decade and I don’t think the Braves wanted to face the magical Pirates. I see this being a 5 game classic and honestly whoever wins this series will be a strong contender in the World Series. But I see it being the braves due to their strong consistency throughout the ENTIRE season. Prediction: ATL 3 LAD 2

I honestly have always been a big Cardinal supporter especially when Albert Pujols was in his prime but the magic of the Pirates is really hard not to root for. I could see this series going either 5 games or being a straight rout from either side. Both these teams have played each other a ton this season and honestly they know each other like the back of their hands. Matchups in this will really not matter because both teams know each other so well, so I could see this going the distance. I think the Cardinals will come out on top but I wouldn’t be shocked either way. Prediction: STL 3 PIT 2

ALCS

Detroit will not be stopped in this series and here’s why. The Red Sox do not have the drive like the Tigers to put their head to muzzle and gut out a win to make it to the World Series. I want you to give me a reason as to how this team a year ago who had less than 70 wins will beat the last years AL Champions who got swept in the World Series. The motivation factor for the Red Sox will not be their like it will be for the Tigers and as long as Miguel Cabrera is healthy, this team will be too hard to beat. Prediction: DET 4 BOS 2

NLCS

C’mon… this game is way too easy to predict. The Cardinals have made it through the regular season and after the Pirates series I see them being worn down a little bit. Although, they do have some serious playoff experience with David Frees and his ability to do anything that is magical. But this Braves team is just so stacked I can’t see how the Cardinals beat them. With how gutty the Cardinals are, I definitely see it being a series, but with the powerful bullpen the Braves have, I just don’t see how they get it done. Prediction: ATL 4 STL 2

2013 World Series


The Atlanta Braves are the best team in Baseball, there is no doubt and I think the Tigers are just not strong enough in their bullpen to keep up with the abilities of Atlanta. The Braves don’t just have a great pitching staff, they have a batting lineup that they have built through their farm system with a couple of guys through free agency the past couple of seasons. They are set to really make a big time statement in October and I could see the Tigers winning the World Series as well, but this is Atlanta’s year. They were so good in one of the games I saw when they played in Seattle in 2012, I had a feeling that they had a chance to win a couple World Series in this new window for themselves. They are back to being the divisional powerhouse I think they can become and everybody in that division needs to look out over the next 5 years. Detroit, I’m sorry, but you just can’t match Hotlanta this postseason. Prediction: ATL 4 DET 2