2012-2013 NBA Eastern Conference Preview

2012-2013 NBA Eastern Conference Preview

The 2012-2013 NBA season is only a few days away, which means that it’s time for my official predictions! I’m splitting it up like this: Eastern Conference first, followed by the Western Conference, and then one final complete preview with playoff predictions as well. There are many headlines for the Eastern Conference this season, such as: Can the Heat repeat as champions? Can the Celtics still compete at a high level? With the Nets moving to Brooklyn, who is the best team in New York? Can the 76ers take the next step with Andrew Bynum at center? Who will grab the last two spots in the playoffs? Will the Bobcats win double digit games this year? All these questions will be answered here. Here’s my predictions for the Eastern Conference standings this year, from top to bottom.

1. Miami Heat: 58-24

The question is not whether or not the Miami Heat will be the number one seed in the East; it is whether or not they can break 60 wins. I say no; there is too much talent in this conference and in the NBA for that too happen. The Heat will be playing lots of primetime games against quality opponents and they still have a huge target on their backs. LeBron James is the easy frontrunner for the MVP award, but I’m not handing out awards just yet. With the acquisitions of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, this team is very deep and filled with veterans. The road to the NBA Finals goes through South Beach, and we’ll see how Miami defends their title. I think that they are the undoubted number one seed in the conference.

        2. Boston Celtics: 55-27

Some people say the Celtics are too old; I say those people are foolish. Doc Rivers is second to none in the coaching business, and this team got even better in the offseason. Boston replaced Ray Allen with Jason Terry and Courtney Lee; Jeff Green is returning from his injury; they got bigger up front by drafting Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo; and of course, they still have the core of KG, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo. I think Rondo is going to have an MVP quality season, but that’s for another time. The Celts are still the biggest threat to Miami in the East, and they could be due for another Eastern Conference Finals this year.

        3. Indiana Pacers: 54-28

This team is legit. They are young, deep, talented, and hungry. They had a chance to put away the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs last year but were not ready to put their feet down. Some say that Danny Granger will be involved in trade talks, but for now he is still on the roster and still a threat to drop 20 every night. The success of this team rests on the growth of Paul George, who has the talent to soar in this league. I think 16-6-4 are realistic numbers for him (points, rebounds, assists). We’ll see if they can step up and advance to the ECF this time around.

        4. New York Knicks: 52-30

This is a heart pick, not a head pick. Apparently the offseason approach for the Knickerbockers was to call the NBA nursing home and sign anyone who could still walk. This team has talent all around, and we’ll see how many minutes Carmelo Anthony sees at power forward this season, a place where he loves being. Amare’s health is a concern, as is the inconsistency that is JR Smith, but his team has explosive potential, which is why I have them at the 4 spot in the East.

        5. Philadelphia 76ers: 51-31

The 76ers made a franchise-changing move in the offseason when they participated in the trade to send Dwight Howard to the Lakers. Here’s what they did, in a nutshell: dump Andre Iguodala and receive Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson. I thought it was a really good trade; Philly traded away an aging wing player to make room for their budding stars, picked up a 3-point stud, and got Bynum, who is immediately the best center in the Eastern Conference. Combine them with Spencer Hawes, Jrue Holiday, and Evan Turner (who I really like this year, picture a 15-6-3 stat line) and this team is an instant contender to maybe even challenge Boston for the Atlantic division crown. The only reason I put them below the Knicks is because of the health issues of Bynum. Even if he is healthy, I think he can be contained by Tyson Chandler, anyway. But this team is looking up.

        6. Chicago Bulls: 46-36

        Not having Derrick Rose for most of the season is going to kill the title hopes for this team in 2012-2013, but even without their superstar they still have enough talent to make the playoffs. The backcourt is iffy, naturally, but this team is built around defense and their frontcourt. Luol Deng (my boy!) will be looked at to carry the scoring load, something I think he can do. Carlos Boozer (possible trade target?), Taj Gibson, and Joakim Noah are three big men who can control the paint, and have decent scoring ability. Quick toss-up: what’s uglier, Noah or his shooting motion? I picked this team to go all the way last season which obviously didn’t work out, but they went 50-16 with a banged up Rose, so they know how to win without him.

        7. Brooklyn Nets: 44-38

I’m not buying all the hype. This team has a very good starting five, but not much else after that. In a loaded Eastern Conference, they will definitely hold their own and be able to compete with the best, but their ceiling can only be so high. I’ve never been a Deron Williams guy, and he would barely crack my top five PG in the NBA right now. Joe Johnson to me has always sort of underachieved, and I think his days of 20+ points per game are over. Wallace is a horse who can affect the game in multiple ways, Humphries is a rebounding machine, and Lopez is a good low post scorer, but none of them are studs. There’s just something about this team that turns me off. They will make the playoffs no doubt, but I think they are only the 4th best team in the Atlantic.

        8. Milwaukee Bucks: 42-40

And the winner for the 8-seed of the East is...Milwaukee! Fear the deer! I think they barely beat out Atlanta to sneak into the playoffs. You can make arguments for the Hawks, the Cavs, the Raptors, and others to get this spot, but I’m feeling the Bucks. In their first full season together, the backcourt of Jennings and Ellis is going to be lethal. I can see them combing for 35-10-15 (pts, reb, ast) on a regular basis. Gooden and Dalembert are proven big men, but the guy I like to complete this team is Ersan Ilyasova, who is a threat to average 15 and 10 with good percentages. He fits kind of like a Luol Deng, the prototypical sidekick who does everything well.

        9. Atlanta Hawks: 41-41

I don’t think .500 is going to get into the playoffs in the East this year. The Hawks made multiple moves in the offseason, the biggest of which was getting rid of Joe Johnson’s contract and getting a lot of quality pieces from the Nets. They swung Marvin Williams for Devin Harris, and signed Lou Williams to be a scoring threat in the backcourt. However, this team is going to have to run through Josh Smith and Al Horford, who are both great players, but what happens when one or even both of them have an off-night? I don’t think there is anyone else to fill that void. That’s why I have them missing the playoffs.

        10. Cleveland Cavaliers: 38-44

Cleveland has become Kyrie Nation, as young point guard Kyrie Irving has immediately become the best player on this team. Irving had a great rookie year, and if he avoids the sophomore slump with heightened expectations, all signs are pointing to an all-star season. The potential is there for 20 points and 7 assists with solid percentages, and contributions with rebounds and steals as well. Irving is a superstar already, and has the potential to be the second best point guard in the Eastern Conference this year, behind Rajon Rondo. Besides Kyrie, the Cavs have a melting pot of role players, who I think will play well enough as a unit to make a solid improvement in wins this season. It won’t be long before this team is pushing for a playoff spot; they have a clear plan going into the future.

        11. Detroit Pistons: 35-47

It wasn’t too long ago that the Pistons were making the Conference Finals every year, but that team is long gone. Only Tayshaun Prince remains of the team that won the title in 2004, and he looks to be on his way out. Detroit has a young backcourt with talent in Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey. Greg Monroe is a very solid big man, and if Andre Drummond matures into a force down low, this team could make the playoffs as soon as next year. Role players like Jonas Jerebko and Corey Maggette are going to have to play well for this team to make a push, but they just don’t have enough talent right now to make legitimate noise in this conference.

        12. Toronto Raptors: 33-49

This team has more talent than people give them credit for, but I think more than anything they suffer from being in a loaded division (potentially four of the top six teams in the East). Kyle Lowry could be a breakout candidate this year and could put up 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists on a regular basis. Terrance Ross and DeMar DeRozan are their two young wing players who will be responsible for putting up a lot of points, something I don’t know if they can do. Andrea Bargnani is a nice piece but does not rebound well, and Jonas Valanciunas is going to have a chance to prove what he can do at center. This group could finish in second place in the Southeast division, but they are going to have to go through the gauntlet if they want to make a push in the Atlantic.

        13. Washington Wizards: 29-53

Wow, how bad is the bottom of the Southeast division? They have the three worst teams in the conference! You know it’s bad when the one credible player for this team (John Wall) is going to be out for at least a month and they are still projected third in their division. Bradley Beal is going to have to step in and be a scoring threat, immediately. This team is not good. At all. But they are still better than these last two sorry excuses for basketball teams.

        14. Charlotte Bobcats: 22-60

BREAKING NEWS: THE BOBCATS WILL NOT BE THE WORST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA THIS YEAR. THEY WILL NOT EVEN FINISH AT THE BOTTOM OF THEIR OWN CONFERENCE. THEY WILL BE ALMOST NOT EMBARRASSINGLY AWFUL. ALL HAIL KEMBA WALKER. THAT IS ALL.

        15. Orlando Magic: 19-63

I hope this team will be this bad. They should not be allowed to win any games. It is embarrassing how they handled the Dwight Howard saga. After letting him drag the franchise around for over a year, making more left turns than a NASCAR race, he finally got his wish and was traded to the Lakers. The Magic had previously turned down a deal for Bynum straight up. They had turned down a package from the Nets for Brook Lopez, other pieces, and a world of draft picks. So the deal they got must have been incredible to justify turning down those other offers, right? I hope the Orlando PA announcers announce their new starting shooting guard like this on Opening Night: “Ladies and gentlemen, the centerpiece of the deal that your front office got for getting rid of Dwight Howard, the new face of this Magic franchise, the shooting guard out of ULCA...Aaaaaaaaaron Afflalooooooooooooo!!!!!!” ......what? The Orlando Magic traded away Dwight and got Aaron Afflalo? I do not want to live on this planet anymore. I hope that the Magic have unheard amounts of bad karma brought to them this year for the trade they made. This was pathetic. They will be the favorites to win the lottery. They will lose it, and whoever they pick is going to be a bust. I’m calling it right now. Orlando will be awful.

Coming up next: Western Conference predictions! Comments appreciated.

NFL Week 8 Preview

Week 8 Preview

Week 7 was average at best in terms of excitement and importance. The early games provided some spark, with the headline game being the battle between RGIII and the clutch machine that is Eli Manning. The nation witnessed a mighty effort from the Jets in New England during Sunday evening, but couldn’t hold off Tom Brady at the end to complete the huge potential upset against the Patriots. Besides that, we learned a little bit: the Bears defense is not going to be pushed around, by anyone; Houston is the unquestioned best team in the AFC right now; the Panthers, Bills, and Jaguars all stink. A lot of the top teams were on bye last week, but Week 8 sports some can’t miss action. Starting with...

TB vs MIN (-6.5) - The Buccaneers have shown some bright spots even though they are only 2-4; Vincent Jackson has been beastly the last few weeks. However, they are running into a Vikings team that is playing very well, and is a home team on Thursday Night. I think that this game follows the trend that its predecessors have left before it: a close, low-scoring game, with the home team coming out on top. Give me the Bucs and the points, but the Vikes win this one straight up. After the Tampa secondary got burned last week, look out for Percy Harvin. Tampa Bay 17, Minnesota 23.

CAR vs CHI (-7.5) - I thought Cam Newton would take the next step this season. I was wrong. The Panthers look horrible, and will probably be getting a top 7 draft pick next April. Meanwhile, I loved the Bears coming into this season, and that prediction is spot on. Chicago is playing as well as anyone in the NFL, and I think they roll in this one, easily. And Over on .5 defensive TDs. Carolina 14, Chicago 31.

SD vs CLE (+2.5) - I have made it well known that I think the Browns will have the number one pick in next year’s draft. However, Brandon Weeden has been a pleasant surprise. I’m not backing off my prediction, but I did call Cleveland’s first and only win of the season against the Bengals a couple of weeks ago. And I’m calling this one as well. Upset Special baby! The Chargers are in hibernation mode as far as I’m concerned; we’ve seen this script far too many times, and I’m jumping on tradition here. Win number two for the Browns, on a Dawson FG. 43 yards. San Diego 21, Cleveland 23.

SEA vs DET (-2.5) - Another pick I will give myself credit for: the fall of the Lions. They were embarrassed on Monday Night by the Chicago defense. Now, on short week, they face the gauntlet that is the Seahawk D. Even though Seattle is not as sharp away from home, I think that this team is legit enough to get a wild card spot, and I am taking them in this game as a “this team is superior but we don’t know if they are for real or not yet so they are technically the underdogs” upset. Seattle 20, Detroit 13.

JAC vs GB (-13.5) - Huge lines scare me. So even though the Pack will roll, I’m not putting money on two TDs (actually I’m not putting money on this either way if I were you). Rashad Jennings runs well enough to control the clock and the Jags score a garbage time TD and Rodgers takes it easy and coasts to the finish line. Give me the Jaguars and the points. Jacksonville 20, Green Bay 31.

IND vs TEN (-3.5) - I’m an Andrew Luck fan. However, the Colts aren’t the same team on the road, and the Titans are playing with momentum, finally looking like the team I picked to go 8-8. The Colts showed against the Jets that they cannot defend the run, and say what you want about Chris Johnson, but he’s coming off a 195 yard, 2 TD game. CJ2K returns to form in this one as well. And no, I’m not just saying that because he’s on my fantasy team. Indianapolis 24, Tennessee 30.

NE vs STL (+6.5) - The Rams play surprisingly well at home, but facing the Patriots’ offe......wait, this game is in London? The NFL hasn’t scrapped that yet? Really? Ok. So...I think the Pats can win by a touchdown, don’t you? Tough luck for the people of St. Louis, they could have used a good football game to get over the sting of their baseball team choking. New England 31, St. Louis 13.

MIA vs NYJ (-2.5) - The Dolphins are underrated and rested. The Jets missed an opportunity to grab this division by the balls up in New England and need this game going into the bye. 4-4 is much better than 3-5. I think they can get the job done. They showed some good signs last week. At least Tebowmania has died down so far for the most part, right? Miami 20, New York 23. Another possible OT game.

ATL vs PHI (-2.5) - Nothing like the only undefeated team in the NFL getting picked as underdogs against a collapsing, desperate team, right? Something has got to give in this game: the Falcons’ undefeated record, or Andy Reid’s 13-0 mark coming off a bye, which is still ridiculous. I don’t trust the Falcons, and if the Eagles can’t win this game, then they will not make the playoffs. There’s not more time for excuses for this team. FREE SHADY, Andy! Please! Atlanta 27, Philadelphia 31. Big time win.

WAS vs PIT (-5.5) - This is a very intriguing game. Nothing like an offensive juggernaut being led by the phenom going up against the historically intimidating Steeler D in a game which the loser could very well be knocked out of playoff contention. And you know what? I like RGIII in this game. Pittsburgh is not the same without Polamalu in the line-up, and I think that will cost them. If the Redskins defense can force a couple of turnovers, its game over. Upset Alert number two for this week (and I’m still not done!). Washington 27, Pittsburgh 23.

OAK vs KC (-1.5) - Brady Quinn. That’s what it’s come down to for the Chiefs that I thought would make the playoffs. They have just been absolutely atrocious this year. But you know what? Notre Dame is undefeated. Golden Tate was the face of the Fail Mary. Harrison Smith had a pick-6 last week for the Vikings. This might just be some crazy Notre Dame voodoo year or something where good things happen. And the Raiders were incredibly lucky that the Jaguars suck, because they should have lost last week. If the Chiefs can’t win this one, they should be excommunicated or something. Off a bye, I think Jamaal Charles is going to run wild. Oakland 20, Kansas City 26.

NYG vs DAL (+1.5) - The Giants have been waiting for this game for a long time. They know what Jerry Jones said before the season about kicking the Giants’ asses when they came to Big D. They know they lost at home to this team Week 1. They know that the Cowboys are beatable and self-destructive. They know that LB Sean Lee is out for the season, and DeMarco Murray will not be there to run the football. They know that they have NEVER LOST IN THIS STADIUM. And they know the whole country is going to be watching them because it will be the nationally broadcasted Sunday evening game on FOX. Hammers shall be dropped. I heard that there is a 20% chance of rain in Big D, with an 100% percent chance of salsa. New York 34, Dallas 19.

NO vs DEN (-6.5) - The Saints have won two in a row after their 0-4 start and get interim coach Joe Vitt back this game. But they are going into the lion’s den. Last time we saw Peyton Manning, he was wiping away 24 point leads on Monday Night Football, and has had a week of rest since then. You think he doesn’t know that it was the Saints who beat him in the Super Bowl a few years ago? You think he doesn’t know that Who Dat nation is in a world of hurt right now? You think he doesn’t know that this Saints defense has the chance to be the worst, ever? This game is first to 40. And I never bet against Peyton Manning. However, I also never bet that Drew Brees will be outscored by a full touchdown. New Orleans 35, Denver 41.

SF vs ARI (+6.5) - Time for my third Upset Special of Week 8! Yes, I do think that the 49ers are better than the Cardinals, and that they will make the playoffs while Arizona will not. However, crazy things happen between these two teams on Monday Night. The Cardinals have lost three in a row, and they need a win to keep their season from falling apart. They are at home. Against a division rival. In a must-win scenario. With a really good defense. On national television. Remember, John Skelton did go 7-2 down the stretch with this team last year. A touchdown line is way too high, no matter who you think is going to win this game. I think the Cards put up one final stand and keep their season alive. San Francisco 23, Arizona 24.

NFL Week 7 Preview

Week 7 Preview

Week 5 might have been the best week of the season so far, with seven games being decided by 3 points or less. There were epic comebacks and collapses, some devastating injuries (to my Super Bowl pick!!!!!!!), and some dominating performances (NYG at SF, Aaron Rodgers’ 6 TD). The entire AFC East is 3-3, and the AFC as a conference has looked horrible, with only two teams above .500: the Texans who got humiliated on Sunday Night at home, and the Ravens who just lost Ray Lewis. The NFC has been dominant, with teams like the Seahawks, Vikings, and Redskins all greatly improved. With so many teams hovering at 3-3, Week 7 is the week when the world will see who are contenders, and who are pretenders. There are some intriguing teams on bye this week: the Chargers, who just blew a 24 point halftime lead to the Broncos, also on bye; the Eagles, who blew a late 10 point lead at home and panic-fired Juan Castillo; and the undefeated Falcons, who have escaped with wins for three straight weeks now. Even with these polarizing teams off, there are still plenty of wild match-ups. Let’s take a look at them.

SEA vs SF (-7.5) - Thursday Night games are always crazy, and we’ve seen that for two straight weeks now (Rams over undefeated Cardinals, Titans over Steelers). What’s the common denominator in these games? The unexpected winners were at home. Home teams win on Thursday Night. So I’m picking the 49ers here. However, a 7.5 spread is ridiculous. This is a Seahawk team with arguably the best defense in the league, facing off against the best defense from last year. They just beat the Patriots, albeit at home. This is going to be a tough, physical match-up, and I think that the first team to 20 points wins the game. Whoever comes out of this game on top will have the inside track to the division title and possibly a first round bye. It would be a huge statement to the NFL if the Seahawks are victorious. No way San Fran beats the 7.5; give me the Seahawks and the points. Seattle 16, San Francisco 20.

TEN vs BUF (-3.5) - The Titans are coming off a last-second Thursday Night win over the vaunted Steelers to improve their record to 2-4, and we finally have a Chris Johnson sighting! The Bills, meanwhile, proved last week that they can win on the road by beating the Cardinals in overtime, while the defense looked much better. Buffalo is 3-3 and have a home game against an inferior opponent. If they want to take the next step as a team, these are the kind of games you have to win. I’m taking them, and if the Bills lose this game, they are officially pretenders. Tennessee 21, Buffalo 28.

CLE vs IND (-3.5) - The Browns got their first win of the season last week (as predicted by me), and now come to Indy. The Colts may have been emotionally drained after their dramatic win against the Packers, because they went to New York and got smacked down by the Jets. This run defense has been horrid, so if Trent Richardson is healthy, he could be due for a big day. However, I think that the Colts will be back to normal and fired up in front of the Indy fans, and Andrew Luck will have a nice bounce-back game. Chuckstrong. Cleveland 20, Indianapolis 30.

GB vs STL (+5.5) - So here’s our first home dog...being given 5.5 points against a Packers team that looked impressive for the first time last week in their win against Houston. The Rams are 3-0 at home, beating the Cardinals, the Seahawks, and the Redskins. As much as I would like to take the Rams and the points, I find it hard to believe that Aaron Rodgers can’t go into St. Louis and outscore Sam Bradford by a touchdown. This game makes me a little nervous, but I’m still going to ride with the pack. 10 point game: Green Bay 24, St. Louis 14.

ARI vs MIN (-5.5) - This is a match-up of a couple of surprising 4-2 teams coming off losses. The winner will be 5-2 and have a real shot at the playoffs; the loser will be 4-3 and looks like they are falling back to earth a little bit. I’m more of a believer in the Vikings. Christian Ponder is better than John Skelton, AP is light years ahead of whoever the Cards have at RB, and Percy Harvin has been a beast. There are two solid defenses in this game, but the Vike’s defensive line at home will be juiced up to get after this Arizona offensive line that has looked like tissue paper. Vikings win, and they cover the spread. Arizona 19, Minnesota 27.

WAS vs NYG (-6.5) - This is a very questionable line. The Giants went into San Francisco and dominated the 49ers on Sunday, but Big Blue should NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be favored to win by a touchdown or more at home. Especially against a division rival. Especially when the opposing team beat the Giants twice last year. With Rex Grossman. The quarterback for the Redskins is Robert Griffin the Third. I don’t have an upset special this week, but if I had to choose an upset, this is the game that makes the most sense. I’m taking the Giants to win. But there is no way I have them by a touchdown or more. This is what the G-men do: look incredible on the road against a top team, and then come home and struggle as the favorite. At least 1 rushing TD for RGIII, 350+ yards for Eli. Washington 27, New York 31.

NO vs TB (+2.5) - Before the season, this game looked like a potential huge match-up in the NFC South: a test for the decimated Saints on their path to stick it to the commissioner, and a statement game for the young Bucs looking to prove themselves. Now, this game doesn’t really have any playoff implications, as the Falcons are in control of the division, and these teams both have losing records. I want to take the Buccaneers in this battle, but I don’t have the stones. Give me Brees after a bye week. But watch out for Vincent Jackson. New Orleans 27, Tampa Bay 20.

DAL vs CAR (+2.5) - I thought that Cam Newton and the Panthers would take the next step this year and even push to win the division. Early in the season, I already have no hope for them. They look ugly. This team did have a win in Atlanta all but locked up before blowing it in heartbreaking fashion. It’s Cam or bust, and he has not performed well in his sophomore season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys had an improbable win in their grasp against the Ravens, and choked it away as only they could. That began a five game stretch that includes at CAR, vs NYG, at ATL, at PHI. I think that they will only win one of those games, and it’s this one. The Panthers have completely underwhelmed in 2012, and this Dallas team needs a win. They’ll get it here. With no Murray, Romo is due for a big game. Cowboys get TDs, Panthers get FGs. Dallas 28, Carolina 16.

BAL vs HOU (-6.5) - I had this game starred as the most important match-up of the 2012 NFL season. These are absolutely the two best teams in the AFC, and the winner of this game will be the number one seed (in my opinion). Both teams have suffered enormous losses lately: Ray Lewis and LaDarius Webb for the Ravens, and Brian Cushing for the Texans. Haloti Ngata is also banged up, but there are rumors that T-Sizzle might play in this game. The return of Terrell Suggs was the reason I picked the Ravens to win the Super Bowl this year, but if Ray Lewis is out...yikes. I’ve got the Texans at home in this one straight up but not with the spread; give me the Ravens and the points. This has the makings of the top game of the week. Baltimore 24, Houston 27.

JAC vs OAK (-4.5) - This is the ugliest game of the week, so I’ll make it fast. The Jaguars stink. They are traveling across the country. The Raiders are at home. Carson Palmer should have a big game. Taking the silver and black. Jacksonville 13, Oakland 19.

NYJ vs NE (-10.5) - Really? Ten and a half points? The Patriots are a better team than the Jets and are at home coming off a loss, but I think this game stays in the single digits. The Jets are going to pull out all the stops and will do anything possible to win this game. These teams hate each other, and it is going to be a fight from beginning to end. I’m taking the Pats to win this game because they are superior, but do not count the Jets out. This one is coming down to the 4th quarter. New York 23, New England 27.

PIT vs CIN (+2.5) - I have made it clear that I am not a believer in the Bengals. I have also made it clear that I did not think that the Steelers would make the playoffs. I’m hoping this one is a tie, because I don’t want either of these teams to win. There is still no Polamalu for Pittsburgh, and AJ Green is tearing up the league. You can make the case that the Bengals will win this game and move to 4-3. I hope they do win, because they won’t be great in the long run, and I want the Steelers as down as possible. But I don’t see it. This game will be nasty, it will be close, and I think it comes down to Big Ben performing his third down magic and keeping the Bengals defense on the field. Give me Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20.

DET vs CHI (-5.5) - I LOVE the Bears this year, and I have ever since the Brandon Marshall trade. I’m down on the Lions. I think you know where this one is going. The Bears own Monday Night, and this team will be ready after a bye to dominate and show the league their potential. Cover city. Detroit 17, Chicago 31.

NFL Week 6 Preview

Week 6 Preview

There are five weeks in the books of the 2012 NFL season and things are starting to take shape regarding the layout of the league and which teams are true playoff contenders. There were some wild games last week, none of which topping the Indianapolis Colts upsetting the mighty Packers and getting a win for their coach Chuck Pagano, who is currently battling leukemia. The Manning-Brady bowl wasn’t much of a thriller but was filled with the tension of the Broncos always being in striking distance. They would have been right there if they didn’t commit three turnovers (two inside the Pats’ 25), and didn’t give up 250 yards rushing. Drew Brees broke the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (48) and led the Saints to their first win of the season against the Chargers. This week, there are some more intriguing contests, including the NFC Championship rematch between the Giants and 49ers, and the Sunday Night match-up of Green Bay and Houston, which is a potential Super Bowl match-up. Let’s take a look at these games, and try to bet right.

PIT vs TEN (+5.5) - The Pittsburgh Steelers are obviously the premiere team in this Thursday Night game. However, they will be without Polamalu and Woodley for this game, which is a blow to the defense. Tennessee will be starting Matt Hasselbeck, and we still don’t know where Chris Johnson has been this season. This has the makings of a very ugly game. I think the Steelers will win on talent alone, but crazy things happen for the home team on these Thursday Night games, so therefore...give me the Titans and the points! Four-point win for the Steelers. Pittsburgh 21, Tennessee 17.

OAK vs ATL (-8.5) - So...the Raiders are 1-3 and bone-headed, traveling to the East Coast to take on the undefeated, well-coached, multi-dimensional Falcons who are nearly unbeatable at home...give me the Raiders! Just kidding. I don’t like big spreads, but this will be a double digit game. Oakland 20, Atlanta 31.

CIN vs CLE (+2.5) - Welcome to the “awful division battle between two bad teams that will be close and exciting but no one will care because it won’t mean anything” game. Browns fans get ready...this is my Upset Special of the Week! Cleveland gets their first win of the season against the overachieving Bengals! I still think they will get the first pick in the 

draft next year though. Cincinnati 13, Cleveland 17.

STL vs MIA (-3.5) - The Dolphins play pretty well at home. The Rams do not play well on the road. I kind of think this will be a field goal game which makes me nervous about taking the 3.5 but I’m confident enough that Miami will win to worry about the possibility of not covering. So give me the Dolphin clap. St. Louis 16, Miami 24.

IND vs NYJ (-3.5) - This is the turning point game of the week, for each team. I am going on record right now that if the Colts win this game, they will make the playoffs as a wild card. Meanwhile, if the Jets lose this game at home against a rookie quarterback, you can pretty much book that Tim Tebow will start after the Week 8 bye sitting at 2-5 (after they lose to NE next week). And I don’t think he will turn the season around. The Jets played surprisingly well against Houston on Monday Night which is a positive, but I think that Indy wants it more for their coach. In an emotional, desperation game, they come out on top. Indianapolis 27, New York 21. And a playoff spot for Luck and the Colts.

DET vs PHI (-5.5) - I don’t like either of these teams. The Lions are the NFC’s Raiders with the lack of maturity. The Eagles are a turnover machine that have won their three games by a combined four points, which right now looks like luck. That being said, I’m taking the Eagles in a semi-blowout at home. Philly is too fast for the Lions. Watch out for the pass rush against Vick though. If they ride LeSean McCoy, they’ll be good to go in this one. Detroit 20, Philadelphia 34.

KC vs TB (-3.5) - This one hurts. Right before the season started, I predicted the Chiefs to win the AFC West. I did not think Matt Cassel would have 13 turnovers in five games, and that the defense would crumble. I thought they would beat the Ravens last week and they game close, and were a Cassel fumble at the 1 yard line away from winning. Now they travel to a rested, hungry Buccaneers team. I want the Chiefs to win with Brady Quinn starting, but I don’t see it. I’m still picking them with points out of hope. Bucs in a tight one, but don’t cover. Kansas City 19, Tampa Bay 21.

DAL vs BAL (-3.5) - Well, the Cowboys needed a strong start with the gauntlet of a schedule that’s coming, but instead they went 2-2 and look bad on offense. Now they have the Ravens on the road to start a stretch of at CAR, vs NYG, at PHI, at ATL. Wow. That’s why I picked them to finish 6-10. Baltimore always has those games where they struggle, and they didn’t disappoint last week, as they only beat the Chiefs 9-6. They won’t have two of those in a row. They dominate at home. Give me Baltimore, big. Maybe, next year, Dallas. Again. Dallas 17, Baltimore 34.

BUF vs ARI (-4.5) - Let’s take a moment of silence to mourn the loss of the Buffalo defense........ok, now we can get to business. They suck. In their three losses, they have allowed 48, 52, and 45 points. You don’t need to be a genius to understand those numbers. Now they go to Arizona, and although the Cardinals don’t sport a high-octane offense, they are great at home, and you can bet that this defense will force turnovers from Ryan Fitzpatrick. I thought the Bills would make the playoffs this season. Not my best prediction. Cover city. By the way, how about Daryl Washington, the Cardinals’ middle linebacker? Underrated stud. Buffalo 17, Arizona 27.

NE vs SEA (+3.5) - We’ve seen what happens to top offenses when they play this Seattle defense. Now put them at home. In that stadium. Against a great but flawed and banged up New England offense. With a team that can control the clock with the legs of Wilson and Lynch. This game will be tight. I’m picking the Seahawks to win straight up because I hate the Patriots, but even if the Pats win, it will be by a field goal. Going against the odds and taking Seattle, in an unofficial upset. Let’s see what the Seahawks are made of. This defense is no joke. Not to self-promote, but...I did have Seattle having a top five defense this year. Check my Seahawks preview. They force at least two turnovers, with one possibly going back to the house. New England 20, Seattle 23.

NYG vs SF (-5.5) - Really? The 49ers are getting six points against the best road team in the NFL and the same guys who just came into this stadium and beat this team in the NFC Championship Game last year? No one is picking the Giants on the road, and that’s when they do their best. Unfortunately, neither am I. Not without Hakeem Nicks at full strength. That being said, 5.5 points is a lot in this game, so while I will be rooting for the G-Men to win, I have to pick the 49ers at home. But they don’t cover; this is a three-point game, no matter who wins. New York 24, San Francisco 27.

MIN vs WAS (-2.5) - The key to this game is RGIII’s health. Does he play coming off a concussion? If he is not on the field, or not as effective as he can be, then Minnesota is going to win this game. The Vikings are in my opinion the biggest surprise in the NFL this year, and they have the recipe to win: run the ball, play solid defense, QB moves the chains and can extend plays with his legs. I’m not going to predict a playoff spot for them, but they win this game to move to 5-1. Minnesota 23, Washington 17.

GB vs HOU (-3.5) - What a Sunday Night game this will be. Packers-Texans was a very popular Super Bowl pick for this season (I picked neither of these teams), and I think this game will live up to expectations. How about the Pack, who, after a 15-1 season last year, can potentially fall to 2-4? The Texans could be the most complete team in football, as proven by their 5-0 record. This will be a defensive struggle, and Houston wins those kind of games. Green Bay can’t run the ball or play good defense. What are the Texans’ strengths?...Oh. Right. Gotta go with the Texans in this one...this is not the year of the Packers. 2-4, ouch. Green Bay 20, Houston 27.

DEN vs SD (-2.5) - This game scares me. I do not like the Chargers. I love Peyton Manning. Denver is 2-3. San Diego is 3-2. We all know what happens if San Diego wins this game. Peyton is very bad against the Chargers (6 INT, ring a bell?), so a Monday Night game would perfectly showcase his inabilities. So...Broncos win. Because they have to, for my sake. This is a toss-up game. Are the Chargers for real or not? Will Peyton start out 2-4? No, I don’t see it. On Tuesday morning, both of these teams will be 3-3. The Chargers take naps sometimes. It’s a shootout! Denver 31, San Diego 27.

2012 MLB Playoff Predictions

2012 MLB Playoff Predictions

October baseball is arguably the best month of one sport that we have in America, along with March Madness for college basketball and the four weeks of playoff football. It is the climax of America’s pastime, when one team will rise up and win a gauntlet of short series to reach the ultimate goal of winning the World Series. Baseball is truly a game of inches and in the randomness and chaos of playoff baseball, nothing is truly surprising. Sure, there are miraculous individual performances and unlikely comebacks, but in baseball there is never a sure thing, and we would not be surprised if any of these ten teams would go on to win the World Series. After all, last year’s Cardinals were dead to rights after August but got hot, made the playoffs in Game 162, and the rest is history. This year there are two teams with magic on their side: the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics. We’ll see if either of these franchises will shock the world. My preseason predictions on playoff teams were pretty respectable in my opinion. I nailed four of the six division winners (Yankees, Tigers, Reds, and Giants), with the two I got wrong both winning wild cards and making the playoffs anyway (Rangers, Braves). My ALCS and NLCS picks were Yankees over Tigers and Giants over Braves, respectively. All these teams made the playoffs and with how the match-ups are set up, both of these scenarios can still happen. I am going to keep my preseason World Series pick the same, but I’ll get to that later. October is simply a magical month for baseball fans, when heroes are born and history is written. There will be screams, cheers, curses, tears, excitement, devastation, and finally, the thrill of being crowned champions of the world. And of course, if we’re lucky, we will get to experience the two most intriguing words in all of sports: Game Seven. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the 2012 Major League Baseball playoffs. It’s impossible to predict, but I’ll do my best.

American League Wild Card Game: BAL vs TEX

This is an incredibly interesting game for many reasons. It’s the classic David vs Goliath story, except with the drama of a one-game loser-goes-home setting. The Orioles are the team with fate and destiny on their side; they just completed their first winning season since 1997 and did so without any true stars. Everyone kept waiting for this team to fall back to Earth, but they just kept winning, to the tune of a 93-69 record. Meanwhile, the Rangers have been the AL representative in the World Series in each of the last two seasons but have nothing to show for it. They controlled the AL West all season long, and spectacularly found a way to choke it away on the last day of the season, putting themselves in this win-or-go-home setting. Experience and talent are both on Texas’s side. But momentum and a sense of fate favor the O’s. All the pressure is on the Rangers while the Orioles are young, confident, and ready to fly. So I’m going to go against conventional wisdom in this one and call the upset. Baltimore 6, Texas 4. Jim Johnson nails down the save, and the O’s get a date with the mighty Yankees.

National League Wild Card Game: STL vs ATL

This is a revenge game for the Braves. They faltered down the stretch of 2011 and had their wild card spot stolen from them by the Cardinals, who promptly went on to win the World Series. If last year’s rules were still in place, the Braves would already be in with no worries; but with the rule change, they still have to win one game to officially make the NLDS, and who do they have to play? That’s right, St. Louis. The Cards are incredibly good in games like this and have the experience to stay calm and prepared. Kyle Lohse is a big game pitcher and even though St. Louis lost their best player and their manager this offseason, they have not missed a beat. Meanwhile, the Braves send out Kris Medlen, and his record 23 straight starts without a loss for Atlanta. Can this streak hold up? Atlanta seems to have a clear advantage in this game; they were a better team all season long, have dominant pitching, and a good-enough offense. But the Cardinals know how to win when they have to, and they can get big hits with runners in scoring position, they make the right fundamental plays, and they do not beat themselves. With all that said...I’m going with the Braves. While the Cards have surprised me this year, I had the Braves winning the NL East and being in the NLCS and I do not think that their time to be knocked out is here. They will not let St. Louis beat them two years in a row. At least I hope not. I’m putting my money on Atlanta to close this deal at home, with Kimbrel closing the door on the Cardinals. I’ve got a pitcher’s duel in this one, with Jason Heyward coming through with a big hit late. But how great would it be if the big hit was made by Chipper? It will be St. Louis 3, Atlanta 5. Max. Could be 3-2 as well. But the Braves win a close one and will advance to play their division rival, the Washington Nationals.

ALDS - NYY vs BAL:

While I love the new wild card rule, I do not understand the new home-field playoff format in the Division Series, with the 2-3 format. Why should the better team during the season play the first two games on the road and risk going down 0-2? The one compliment I will give to it is that it makes sure that if an underdog is going to win the Division Series, they have to close out on the road, no matter what. We’ll see how it plays out. Anyway, this match-up is great because these two teams battled down the stretch for the AL East crown, and the Yankees won that race. Now, Baltimore gets another chance not only to beat the Yankees, but to send them home and get that much closer to the World Series. It’s one of those “lose the battle but win the war” kind of things. New York, obviously, prides itself on the long ball, which becomes less of a factor in October because of the cold weather and better pitching. Are the Orioles’ pitchers good enough to tame the Yankee bats? Baltimore does have a distinct advantage in one area: getting big hits. The O’s were a miraculous 29-9 in one-run games this season, which seems impossible and somewhat flukey, but it shows that they are able to win tough, close games. They also won 16 straight extra-inning games this year, so the Yankees better close this team out in 9. New York, meanwhile, is absolutely dreadful in clutch situations, outside of Derek Jeter and Raul Ibanez. Going down the line-up, everyone sucked this year in big moments: Swisher, A-Rod, Teixeira, Granderson, Martin...who do you trust? As a lifelong Yankee fan, I’ll answer that question for you...no one. You close your eyes and pray to whatever you believe in. In order to win the World Series this year, the Yankees are going to have to win close games and get clutch hits when they matter most. Which means that I have all the expectations of winning but zero confidence. This series would be a dog fight from beginning to end, with teams scratching and clawing for any advantage they can get. However, when it’s all said and done, I feel that the Yankees will just be too much for Baltimore to handle. They had a fantastic season and exceeded all expectations, but the time has come for them to bow out, because they just don’t have the talent to compete with the Evil Empire in a playoff series. I’ll take the Yankees to advance in 4 games.

ALDS - OAK vs DET:

I think everyone outside of the Motor City wants the A’s to win this series. They are a classic underdog, even more so than the O’s. This team starts 5 rookie pitchers and have no dominant offensive players outside Cuban Yoenis Cespedes. Yet somehow they won the AL West over the mighty Rangers and Angels and have three home games against Detroit. Whoever wins Game One will win this series. I think Oakland needs to win one game in Detroit, and if they can steal Game One on the road against Verlander, then they will demoralize this Tigers team. However, I don’t see it. The A’s don’t have the firepower, and I think Miguel Cabrera is good enough to power the Tigers through this series. It will be a great test for the Athletics to see if they truly belong as an elite team in 2012. As much as I would love for this team to win, I don’t think they have it in the tank. I think a lot of their emotional energy went into topping the Rangers. However, there is no doubt that they are hot, and I think this series will go the distance. Final verdict: Tigers advance in 5 games and use Verlander in the close-out game, meaning that he will not be ready to go for the beginning of the ALCS against the Yanks.

NLDS - ATL vs WAS:

Shutting down Strasburg is going to backfire. The Nationals have put up an extraordinary 2012 campaign, jumping from the gutter to the best record in all of baseball. The Braves will win the first two games at home before the Nats know what happened. Washington takes Game Three but it’s too little too late. I think that the Atlanta pitchers will perform better than Washington’s because the Braves are simply on a mission to be great this year, while Washington is still very young and I don’t think they are as hungry as the Braves will be in this series. No disrespect to the Nationals, who I think are the frontrunners to win the division again next year, but I just think that they will be outplayed by a veteran, more determined team. I’ll take the over on 1.5 rampage outbursts by Bryce Harper in this series. I’m just not sold yet on this team, especially not with Strasburg spearheading that rotation. Atlanta advances in 4.

NLDS - CIN vs SF:

How is it that this series seems to not be talked about even though it is probably the most even and competitive match-up out of the four? I think that this series has to go 5 games. These teams are just that good. The pitching edge has to go to San Francisco, especially if they can get contributions from Lincecum and Zito. Even with Melky being suspended, the Giant offense has still been productive, with players like Pence, Scutaro, Posey of course, and the Panda (who would definitely be on an all-sports nickname team). The Reds were quietly only one game behind the Nationals for best record in the major leagues, even with Joey Votto missing extended time. This team has the leadership and the poise to make a run deep into this playoffs. I would have had them beating Washington if that was the match-up. I really like this team but I picked the Giants to make the World Series this season and I’m not backing down. I have Matt Cain winning Game 5 on the road for San Francisco to advance.

ALCS - DET vs NYY:

This is a match-up of superstars: Verlander, Cabrera, and Fielder facing Sabathia, Jeter, and Cano. The Yankees line-up is deeper than Detroit’s is top to bottom, and I think their rotation is as well. New York just has a superior roster to Detroit, but the game isn’t played on paper. I thought the same thing last year when these two teams faced off in the ALDS, but the Tigers were able to win a Game 5 in Yankee Stadium. That scares me. But I have the Yankees win. They will not be defeated twice by the Tigers. Again, the fate of the Yankees in these playoffs depends on their situational hitting. They have not gotten the job done this year. If New York can make the winning plays and get clutch hits along with their usual power and pitching ability, they will walk to the title. But if they keep continuing their trend of coming up short in those situations, then they will fall short of their goal. I think the comeback of Brett Gardner and the trade for Ichiro will be huge for them in this series; it gives them an element of speed that they have lacked for so long. This series goes 6 games. The Yanks will lead 3-2, and they won’t let this series get to 7 games. Because they have a very good chance of losing a Game 7. The New York Yankees will get enough clutch hits to get by, and advance to another World Series, where they are usually dominant. I picked the Tigers before the year to have the best record in baseball during the regular season so I have high regard for them. But October is when champions are born, or in the Yankees’ case, when they return. The Bombers will have fire in their eyes, and will not settle for losing, because the Bronx is starving for another championship. It’s been three years for heaven’s sake! 6 games for this series, and the Yankees are going back to the promised land.

NLCS - ATL vs SF:

My preseason pick for this series was an old-fashioned 7 game war, and I’m sticking with that. Both these teams sport great pitching and underrated offenses. The tipping point of this series will be the postseason experience for the Giants from winning the World Series two years ago, coupled with the fact that Game 7 would be in San Francisco. I think that this is the postseason of Matt Cain, and he will be dominant. I liked the Braves this year to get to this point, but all great things have to come to an end, meaning their season along with the Hall of Fame career of Chipper Jones. I think the Atlanta hitters will struggle in this series, and the Giants hitters will get the job done when it counts. There will be no easy wins in this series, and I expect a lot of hard-fought 4-3 type of games. This battle will go the distance, but the San Francisco soldiers will stand victorious on their way to their second World Series in three years.

World Series - NYY vs SF:

Here we go! There’s nothing like watching the Fall Classic, especially if your favorite team is involved. What could be better than eating hot dogs and wings, etc. with friends and family wondering if your team will be crowned champion? I’ll tell you what: not having to listen to the droning of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, but that’s first world problems for you. This series is a battle of two different dynamics: The power of the Yankees against the pitching and manufacturing offense of the Giants. Unfortunately for me, the style of San Francisco tends to win more titles than just trying to out-muscle your opponent, because pitching wins championships. Also unfortunately, the National League won the All-Star Game this year, so the Giants will have home-field advantage, meaning that the middle three games in the Bronx are crucial. However, the last time the Yankees were in the World Series and did not have home-field advantage, what resulted was my favorite moments in sports history. If you’ve never seen the clips of the 2001 Games 4 and 5, find them. However, New York did lose that series, but this time they will not have to face Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson twice. My preseason pick was the Yankees over the Giants in 6 games, which would be awesome, except that we wouldn’t be able to win in front of the greatest fans in the world at home. So I’m sticking with that pick. New York will get their heads out of their asses in crunch time and step up. If Curtis Granderson can get one clutch hit I will be so happy. But really, did you expect I wouldn’t pick my Yankees? Some say I’m unbiased, but when your team is in the playoffs every year but one since 1995, I’d say they have a pretty good chance of winning every year, so it justifies me picking them. In what has already been a wild season, the playoffs will end how they are supposed to end: with the New York Yankees storming the field and lifting the championship trophy above their heads with World Series Championship number 28. Enjoy the playoffs everyone. I live for this.

2012 MLB Season Review

2012 MLB Regular Season Review

That sound you hear is me giving Bud Selig a standing ovation for adding that second wild card to the playoff picture this year. That rule change led to an incredibly exciting finish to the season. There wasn’t the craze of Game 162 from 2011, but the entire month of September had a similar feel, with every game feeling like a must-win and division races coming down to the absolute last day. 2012 was filled with spectacular stories, from surprising teams making huge leaps, to individuals making history, to some massive disappointments and lost seasons (Red Sox fans nodding sadly). With all the hoopla from football and the Summer Olympics, it seems as a lot of these baseball stories haven’t been appreciated; this tends to happen when ESPN lives up the Jets’ ass, right next door to Skip Bayless’s apartment on Tebow Avenue. Whether you are a casual fan or a hardcore aficionado, everybody has to be aware of the greatness that we witnessed in 2012. Baseball may be rapidly dropping down to the third most popular sport behind football and basketball, but this season had everything that we could have hoped for, and hopefully the playoffs will have more in store for us.

The 2012 season brought more shocks in terms of surprising team success than any year in recent memory. Raise your hand if you had Baltimore, Oakland, and Washington all making the playoffs. That sentence might as well have read, “raise your hand if you’re a liar”, because there’s no way anyone predicted that one. The National League was pretty simple to navigate all year, because there wasn’t really a race that was in jeopardy down the stretch, but there will still some pleasant surprises. I thought the Washington Nationals were one year away from success but they proved me wrong. Not only did the Nats take the next step forward as a team, but they took the MLB by storm and finished the season with the best record in all of baseball, even with Steven Strasburg being shut down for the last month of the year. They had a 21-game winner in breakout star Gio Gonzalez and had a potent offense led by Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Morse, and Ian Desmond. This team is young, and ready to win right now, but we’ll see if the decision to shut down Strasburg will backfire or not. Either way, they ride into their first postseason in forever with home field advantage throughout the playoffs and in the World Series as well, if they make it there. Washington will play the winner of the playoff game between wild cards Atlanta and St. Louis, and we’ll see how they perform. 

Now to the American League surprise teams, and I’ll start with a question: How do you decide who wins AL Coach of the Year between Bob Melvin and Buck Showalter? They both coached their asses off and led projected last-place teams into the playoffs on magical runs that never struck midnight. The Orioles play in the gauntlet that is the AL East, with perennial contenders in New York, Tampa Bay, and Boston. If either of the other two teams were going to take a leap forward, I thought it would be Toronto. Either way, the Orioles were supposed to finish in last place, but they defied the odds. Baltimore finished with 93 wins, taking the chase for the AL East crown down to the final game of the season with the Yankees. The Rays, winners of 90 games, didn’t even get one of the two wild cards. The O’s still don’t even have that great of starting pitching, but they had a horse closing out games in Jim Johnson, who finished with 51 saves in 54 opportunities. Baltimore was able to win so many games because of their offense, led by Adam Jones. They had an incredible amount of luck as well, winning 16 straight extra-inning games (what?!) which shows that while being very fortunate, they absolutely have the clutch gene as a team that you need to win in October. The Orioles will play in the wild card play-in game against the Texas Rangers on the road, which is no small task, but if any team can pull off a miracle this year, why not the O’s?

Maybe even MORE surprising than the O’s, if that’s possible, is the A’s, the other vowel of the MLB. The Oakland Athletics had no business competing in the AL West this year, in a division with the two-time defending AL champ Texas Rangers, and the completely reloaded Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (still the worst name in sports besides anything named “Cleveland”). I picked Oakland to finish in last place in that division and expected nothing from them. Their two best offensive players were Yoenis Cespedes, an unproven free agent from Cuba and Josh Reddick, a first-time starting outfielder acquired from Boston in a trade. Their starting pitching was mediocre at best to begin the year, and by the end of the year they had a rotation made up of five rookies. Five rookies??? Somehow they made things work, and after being 13 games back on June 30th, Oakland went 68-33 to end the season and steal the division from the mighty Rangers on the final day of the season. They finished the year 94-68, the second best record in the American League, and clinched their first playoff berth since 2006. My first thought when Cespedes signed with the A’s was: why would he CHOOSE to play with Oakland and never win anything in his life? It turns out that he became the leader of the team, hitting .292 with 23 home runs and also had 16 stolen bases while playing a great center field, all in only 129 games. This team also got several other unforeseen contributions, such as 32 homers from Reddick and 21 more from Brandon Moss along with a .291 average in only 84 games. Coco Crisp had 39 steals, and although only two players hit over .270 during the whole season, five players hit at least .280 in the second half. Those rookie pitchers I mentioned were fantastic, all of whom posted ERAs under 4.00 and showed composure beyond their years. They ended the season 8-1 while Texas finished 2-7, wiping out a 5-game deficit in the final week and a half. This 2012 Oakland club will always be remembered in the bay area for the heart that they displayed. They will face the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS, and if they can somehow beat Verlander in Game 1, then the Athletics could find themselves in the ALCS. These three organizations shocked the world in 2012 and hopefully their stories will continue. After all, legends are born in October. (Note: The White Sox and the Pirates would have been on this list as well if they didn’t self-destruct in the second half).

Lost in the wildness of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season were some spectacular individual seasons put up by some surprising players. I think 2012 might have been the year of the closer, because there were some amazing performances. Jim Johnson was a bulldog for Baltimore with 51 saves, and he was probably only the 4th best closer in the league. Third best was Aroldis Chapman of the Reds, who started maximizing on his talent this year. The flamethrower had 38 saves with a minuscule 1.51 ERA, and 71.2 innings, had a whopping 122 strikeouts. In my opinion, the second best finisher was Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel, who almost put up what could have been the best season ever for a closer. Kimbrel saved 42 games in 45 opportunities, and had only 14 walks to an amazing 116 strikeouts, while putting up only a 1.01 ERA. He faced a total of 233 batters this year, which means that he struck out half of the hitters he faced this season, and had a record 0.65 WHIP. He could very well win the NL Cy Young this year, and his performance out of the bullpen could only be topped by the heroics of Fernando Rodney down in Tampa Bay. Rodney set an all-time record with a sparkling ERA of 0.60. In 75 innings of work he only allowed 5 earned runs and converted 48 out of his 50 save opportunities. He was simply automatic, and it’s a shame he couldn’t continue his run through the postseason as well. 

As for the non-closers...how about Edwin Encarnacion for the lowly Blue Jays? Even though he had a weak finish to the season, he had to carry this team with the absence of Jose Bautista, and he delivered with 42 home runs, 110 RBIs, and finished with a solid .280 batting average. Meanwhile, we have a Padres sighting! Chase Headley led the entire NL in RBI this year with 115. He also had 31 HR, 17 SB, and a .286 batting average. Headley was absolutely a top 5 National League hitter. As for breakout pitchers, I picked Jered Weaver to win the AL Cy Young this year, and while he probably won’t, he did finish 20-5 to prove that he does belong among the game’s elite. Kris Medlen for the Braves was 10-1 with a 1.57 ERA. Atlanta has won a record 23 consecutive games started by Medlen, so this wild card game seems to be a lock, right? I also have to bring up RA Dickey, the soon-to-be 38-year-old knuckleballer put together a season for the ages, and I honestly hope that it ends in a Cy Young award. He finished the season 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA, three shutouts, a 1.05 WHIP, and a National-League-leading 230 strikeouts. He showed the world that a knuckleball can get the job done, and he had a season for the ages.

Now, for the three big splashes of the 2012 season, beginning with Bryce Harper. The 19-year-old phenom had his struggles in his first season but for the most part looked like a star-in-making. His stats for this season were respectable; in 139 games, he hit .270, 22 HR, 59 RBI, and 18 SB, while displaying one of the strongest arms in the league. There are reasons to love and hate Harper, besides his talent. He is already infamous for being a hothead, and proved it, yelling at umps and throwing helmets down, etc. One thing he should be commended for, however, is hustling on every play, giving 110% of his heart on the field. He’s kind of like the extremes of Robinson Cano, who rarely shows bad emotions but also doesn’t know how to bust his ass down the first base line, either. Harper has a bright future, and is the offensive face of the franchise to go along with Strasburg’s pitching. 

The other incredible rookie has a chance to win the AL MVP, the Fish himself, Mr. Mike Trout. Trout has exploded onto the scene in his first year, and is already regarded as the best player in the game at only 21 years old. He put up historic numbers, including a .326 batting average, 30 home runs, 83 RBI, and 49 stolen bases. He had a .399 OBP and scored 129 runs, which is 20 more than any other player in the MLB and he did all this in 139 games. He became the first rookie ever with 30 home runs and 40 stolen bases and almost made that number 30-50. Trout also made an impact defensively, robbing three home runs while scaling the fences like one of those flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz. For all the saber-metric freaks out there, Trout also led the MLB with a 10.7 WAR this season, the highest by far, ahead of Robinson Cano who finished second with an 8.3 WAR. He is already drawing comparisons to Mickey Mantle, who many consider the greatest all-around baseball player who ever lived. We don’t know where Mike Trout will end up in the future, but he will undoubtedly be the best player in the league sooner rather than later.

Finally, the biggest year of them all, goes to my MVP pick of last year, Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera made history this season being the first player to win the Triple Crown award since 1967. Miggy led the American League with a .330 batting average and led the world with 44 home runs and 139 RBI as well, accomplishing one of the rarest feats in all of sports. He simply put up one of the most prolific offensive seasons ever, and better get the AL MVP award because of that. I know Trout is the new Prom King of the league and can run and play defense, but Cabrera carried the Tigers down the stretch and led them to a division title, while Trout was surrounded by superstars and couldn’t lead his team to even a wild card. Cabrera gets rubbed because of his lack of great defense, but remember, he did sacrifice for the team and moved over to third base with the signing of Prince Fielder, and played pretty decently this year anyway. He was absolutely the best player in the game this year, and we’ll see if he can lead his Detroit Tigers to the promised land this year and get himself a second ring.

Now the sad part of the review, to the disappointments. First, the Boston Red Sox. Their team got ripped apart in every way possible, and they had their worst winning percentage since 1965. Bobby Valentine was a one-year wonder, as in everyone will wonder how this team could have possibly been this bad. They gave Bobby V the boot, finally, and will begin looking for a new manager ASAP. To be fair, though, everyone on this team was hurt. I think they had more people on the DL at least once than not on the DL at all this season. The Red Sox gave up toward the end of the season, and traded away Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, and other pieces to the Dodgers to cut away $250 million in salary. Which brings us to our next disappointment, the LA team who doesn’t have Mike Trout. They made trades for Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, and Adrian Gonzalez to add to Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier in that line-up, and from that day on got worse, and completely fell out of the NL West picture as the Giants rode on to victory. They could have won the second wild card, but didn’t play well enough to catch the Cardinals, and missed the playoffs altogether, except now with over $250 million in salary to deal with. What the hell happened to them? They were supposed to be the superpower of the West coast, mirroring the Yankees and Red Sox. The Dodgers were an embarrassment down the stretch, but hopefully they will be able to turn things around next year. The Phillies and the Marlins were projected by many to be the top two teams in the NL East...they weren’t. Then there is the atrocity that is the lower part of the NL Central. This division had not one but TWO teams finish with over 100 losses: the Chicago Cubs (61-101) and the Houston Astros (55-107). The Astros are simply awful. As for Cubs fans...does anyone suffer more then them? The draught is at 104 years and judging by the Cubs’ performance this year, that streak will last quite a bit longer. There were plenty of disappointments this year, but hopefully they will all improve next year to get back on track. Everyone except the Red Sox, anyway.

The 2012 Major League Baseball season was one that contained many wild rides and stories that kept huge fans like me enthralled until the end. From the team success of the Orioles and Athletics to individual history of Trout and Cabrera, 2012 will be remembered for several reasons. As far as I’m concerned, these playoffs should be just as memorable as well. Whoever wins the World Series will be a deserved champion, which is only fitting after such another fantastic season of our national pastime. Playoff preview coming up tomorrow, hope you enjoyed everything!

NFL Week 5 Preview

Week 5 Preview

Week 4 of the NFL season came and went, without much controversy under the regular referees (they did dodge a bullet on the missed Darren Sproles fumble in the Saints-Packers game, though). There weren’t really any true upsets but there were plenty of exciting close games that were decided in the final minute (congratulations Falcons and Eagles). There are some more intriguing match-ups this week again including the battle for Pennsylvania, the Manning-Brady bowl (Broncos edition), and a battle of two explosive offenses in the Falcons and Redskins. There is not a single game between two teams with losing records which means that there will be good match-ups and possible playoff implications. Let’s see what’s in store.

ARI vs STL (+1.5) - How about those Cardinals? A very surprising 4-0 start has them among only two other undefeated teams in the entire NFL. They have not necessarily looked that impressive on offense but Kevin Kolb has made the plays when he has had to which has led to three of their four wins being decided in the fourth quarter or later. Meanwhile, the Rams have been up and down but they are 2-0 at home and they might be able to sneak in an upset on a Thursday night game. This game will be close, and if the spread was +3.5 then I might have gone with the Rams, but at only +1.5 I’ll take the Cards to cover and win by a field goal. Arizona 20, St. Louis 17.

MIA vs CIN (-4.5) - Ryan Tannehill has looked much more impressive than I thought he would, but has only one win to show for his efforts. His time will come, but for now he is facing a tough Bengals team on the road, and I think it will be too much for him to overcome. No way Hartline goes for 253 again. Meanwhile, I’m not high on Cincy either but I think they make enough plays to squeak out a one-possession win. Two words: AJ Green. Two more words: barely cover. Miami 23, Cincinnati 28.

GB vs IND (+7.5) - The Packers have looked less than stellar this year, although they should obviously be 1-3. Their defense is much-improved which is a good sign, but the bad news is that Aaron Rodgers has shown weakness. They are a better team than the Colts and should be able to take care of a rookie quarterback, but I think Indy will put up more of a fight than expected. They are coming off a bye and are playing a vulnerable team at home. The spread says its a two-score game, but I don’t think so. I can’t go upset special on this game, but look out. Green Bay 31, Indianapolis 24.

BAL vs KC (+4.5) - I picked the Chiefs to win this game before the season started, even though I have the Ravens winning the Super Bowl. Baltimore has looked great, which is no surprise to me. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have looked like garbage. 6 turnovers against the Chargers??? What are you doing??? I will be rooting for the Ravens to win this game, but I’m going to back up my pick from preseason and put this down as the upset game of the week. Ravens will recover from it. But the Chiefs are desperate for a win and they’ll get it. Flacco 50+ throws. Baltimore 24, Kansas City 27.

CLE vs NYG (-9.5) - This is one of those classic games in which the Giants struggle, kind of like the Seattle game last year: going up against an inferior opponent at home. The odds should be on the Browns’ side to at least beat the spread. However, these are circumstances; the G-men have holiness on their side. Remember folks, God hates Cleveland. Weeden has been ok, but this isn’t the game for their first win. I’ll take Big Blue covering up the Browns. Cleveland 16, New York 31.

PHI vs PIT (-3.5) - When will the Eagles freaking lose a close game? The Browns, Ravens, and Giants all have not been able to seal the deal against Philly. Their three wins have been by a combined four points. They will not be able to keep this up, and I’m not saying that because I hate the Eagles. This week they run into a rested, angry, hungry 1-2 Steelers team, and although I’m also down on Pittsburgh this year, I think Big Ben plays his heart out. This is a huge game for them, and they will get it done against a tough team at home. Close, but coverable. Philadelphia 20, Pittsburgh 24.

ATL vs WAS (+3.5) - God damn Atlanta Falcons. Leave it to the Panthers to not be able to close the deal and finally give the Falcons their first loss. But Atlanta keeps winning, and are still undefeated. They bring their 4-0 record into Washington, land of the RGIII. There are a lot of home underdogs this week, and the Redskins are probably in the best position to pull off the upset. However, I made my upset pick already, and that means I do have the Falcons winning this game. I have a new philosophy: I want them to win as much as possible; that way, when they lose their first playoff game again, the loss will sting all the more. Atlanta 31, Washington 26. Close cover.

SEA vs CAR (-3.5) - What are you doing Carolina??????? How do you blow a game that you had the winning first down then lost it then stuck Atlanta on their own 1 yard line with under a minute and no time outs then give up a huge play and some other pass plays that set up the winning field goal then give up said field goal to a division rival resulting in being 1-3 and three games back after only four games of the season which is really four counting the tiebreaker....(hold on, gotta catch my breath). Meanwhile, the Seahawks have a great defense, no offense, and can’t win on the road yet. That said...Panthers win and cover (he said with no confidence). Seattle 16, Carolina 21.

CHI vs JAC (+5.5) - How about those Bears? I had them topping the Cowboys on Monday night, but I didn’t see that beatdown coming. They looked like the dominant team that I envisioned they would be at the end of the year. I feel confident. On the other hand, I do not feel confident in the Jaguars. Chicago 27, Jacksonville 13.

TEN vs MIN (-5.5) - Two pieces of good news: First, we have a Chris Johnson sighting! Second, I completely nailed that Viking win over Detroit last week. Just a little bit of self-promoting there. Anyway, to the game...Tennessee has no defense and no passing game and until very recently no running game. Minnesota has all of those things. Tennessee 17, Minnesota 27. Over/Under .5 return TDs for the Vikes?

DEN vs NE (-6.5) - Why couldn’t this game be in Denver? The Broncos would have more of a chance. I love those Peyton-Brady annual battles. Favorite player against least favorite player. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this Denver team is good enough to go into Foxborough and take on the Pats. One bright spot is that Aaron Hernandez, who imposed his will in that playoff game last year, will not be able to torch this Denver D again. The odds point to the Patriots winning this game by a touchdown. I want the Broncos to win. I’ll go halfway. Pats win, but don’t cover. That way if Denver can somehow pull off the upset, you’ll still win the match-up. Let’s see if Peyton Manning is truly back, and if he can once again take down his nemesis. Denver 24, New England 27.

BUF vs SF (-9.5) - How about that Buffalo defense in the second half last week? How about that 49ers defense giving up 48 points fewer to the Jets than the Bills allowed to them? No-brainer here. Buffalo 17, San Francisco 31.

SD vs NO (-3.5) - Is this it? Will the Saints finally get their first win of the season? I say YES! Geaux Saints! Who Dat? Woooo! 1-4! All the ingredients are there: Superdome, primetime game, “us against the world”, coming off a tough road loss, Brees and Sproles going against former team, this team is 3-1 but is notorious for taking naps and not living up to potential...San Diego 20, New Orleans 34. Dropping hammers.

HOU vs NYJ (+7.5) - The fact that this is only a 7.5 point spread is embarrassing to the Texans. They are the best team in the league right now. The Jets...are not. How are they supposed to score? They won’t. The Tebow chants will rain down in Metlife Stadium. Cover city all day, coming from a very ashamed New Yorker. Houston 27, New York 6. And it really won’t be that close. The Texans will virtually be able to take knees for the entire fourth quarter. Let’s see what Mark Sanchez is made of.