2009 National League West Preview

April 1, 2009May 23, 2010Danny Vinik 3 Comments

On to the the NL West where the competition isn’t exactly as talented as in the NL East and NL Central:

Predicted Standings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Francisco Giants manny-dodgers
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres

Best Hitter: Manny Ramirez
Best Pitcher: Tim Lincecum

Dodgers

After managing to resign Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have the talent necessary to win this division. Nothing about this team is particularly special as even with Ramirez, the lineup is not overpowering, and the pitching staff is nothing to brag about. Besides Mannys, Russell Martin and Rafael Furcal lead the offense, which is one of the best in the NL West, though nothing compared to the rest of the league. Chad Billingsley leads the rotation, though he is not an overpowering ace, and he is followed by Hiroki Kuroda and Clayton Kershaw. They may get some outs, but the offense is going to have to carry a large load. In the bullpen, Jonathan Broxton leads a strong relieving core that is one of the reasons I am expecting the Dodgers to win this division. Continue reading “2009 National League West Preview” →

October is Approaching

September 19, 2007May 23, 2010Danny Vinik 1 Comment

The Major League Baseball season is coming to an exciting end. With less than two weeks remaining, division races are close and wild cards are up for grabs. The AL East is getting closer by the day as the Red Sox continue to free fall. The Yankees have destroyed Baltimore pitching to close to 2.5 games of the AL East. There are no games remaining between the two teams, but the Yankees recent hot streak combined with the Sox cold streak leaves this division up in the air. The AL Central and West are basically over as the Indians and Angels both have leads over seven games. If the Red Sox can start winning again, they will have to fight with the Indians and Angels for the American League’s best record. All three teams are within half a game of each other, so that competition will likely go down to the final day. Finally is the AL Wild Card, where the Yankees have all, but locked that one up too. Detroit is only behind the Yankees by five games, but the way the Yankees have played lately, the Tigers need to win the rest of their games. That is a quick overview of the American League. My prediction for the first round playoff matchups: Sox vs Indians, Yankees vs Angels Continue reading “October is Approaching” →

Catching Up…

September 1, 2007May 23, 2010Danny Vinik Leave a comment

It’s been two weeks since my last post so I have to catch up on a bunch of stories. Those include MLB playoff races, but let’s start with one that has filled the headlines recently though, Michael Vick:

After pleading guilty to federal conspiracy charges, Michael Vick could face up to five years in prison (though the sentence recommendation is between 12 and 18 months). The legal matter is complicated, so it is easier to look at the football side of things. As everyone waits to find out the length of his jail term, Vick must regain Americans’ trust before he even contemplates a return to the NFL. Vick must rebuild his character and show that he has changed. His apology after pleading guilty sounded sincere and honest, but was it? He lied to the public over and over again during the investigation, so why should fans believe that he is really going to change. Yes, the apology sounded genuine, but how much of it is Vick’s agent and lawyer dictating his speech. Did he write the apology or is he just reading someone else’s work? Even worse, does he even believe what he is saying? Fans can no longer trust Vick, and to regain that trust borders on impossible. Even if he is a perfect prisoner, apologizes again, and gives back to the community, most fans will never support Vick. If it is impossible for Vick to win over most fans, think about how hard it will be for him to win over a franchise. Continue reading “Catching Up…” →