33 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

How about those Mets? They sweep the Gnats out of Queens and are tied for 1st now in the NLE.

 

Here's how it's shaping up:

 

ALE: Yankees with a 6 game lead

ALC: Royals with a 8 game lead

ALW: Houston with a 4 game lead (Angels 4 back)

ALWC: LAA (2.0 up) & Minnesota (1.0 up)

In the running:  Baltimore & Toronto (1.0 back); TB Rays & Texas Rangers (3 back); Tigers & White Sox (3.5 back)

 

NLE: Mets and Gnats tied

NLC: Cards with a 5.5 game lead

NLW: Dodgers with a 2.5 game lead (SF Giants)

NLWC: Pirates (4.0 up); Cubs/Giants tied for the 2nd spot

In the running: Nations/Mets 2.5 back of the 2nd WC spot

 

The best WC race is in the AL... 8 teams within 3.5 spots of the 2nd WC. (Including the Angels & Twins occupying the top 2 currently)

 

The best division race is the NL East. I don't think the loser is making the playoffs as a WC. The NL West has a chance to be really good, too. I think the Pirates have the 1st WC spot locked up in the NL. They won't catch the Cards, but they won't slip to the 2nd WC either. So we have the Cubs, Giants and Gnats/Mets (whoever loses that division) fighting for the 2nd WC. If the Giants make a run and the Dodgers slip, switch the Giants for Dodgers.

 

I love this time of year.

[Pedro Cerrano]

If you haven't discovered this yet, go check out Jim Breuer's page on Facebook.  After every Met game he posts a 1-2 minute video.  They're pretty funny.

[SBTarheel]

Another great thread from Ricker!! You're on fire, bro. 

I love this stuff too..

 

The Mets are a great story, even if the Nats have been somewhat decimated by injuries offensively all year. I still expect them to win the division, now that Rendon, Werth, and Zimmerman are working their way back into the lineup. IF New York gets into the playoffs, they're obviously a threat with that pitching. The Nats do seem uninspired watching them, maybe Nickle was onto something with Matt Williams this whole time, though the injury thing plays a huge part. Time will tell. 

 

Love the three teams in the NL Central, and hope they all make the playoffs. St Louis is unreal, lose Wainwright, lose Adams, lose Holliday, don't miss a beat. Burnett's injury could be huge in Pittsburgh..Cole is a beast, but will he be enough in a short series. Cubs probably still a year away, and need a third ace type to go with Lester and Arrieta. 

 

Dodgers will win the West. 

 

As for the other AL races, Kansas City is really good (sorry), and Houston made some great moves at the deadline, so I like their chances..Angels pitching doesn't do it for me. Would figure the Wild Card comes down to Angels, Jays, and O's. 

 

World Series pick for now:

La Dodgers over Kansas City

[Russ]

Agreed. Great thread.

The Yankees rotation was held together with duct tape and it's coming apart. They'll need a couple moves in August. They'll be there until the end but I think they've seen their largest lead. I think it's going to be a dogfight between the O's, jays, and yanks. Two of the three should make the playoffs, I think.

[Russ]

KC in the central, Houston in the West. I'm thinking the Angels are the other wild card. But there's more drama coming out of that clubhouse with the CJ Wilson injury. I wouldn't be too surprised if they tank.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The NL Central is unreal. Especially moving forward. A huge youth movement in that division.

 

My picks:

ALE - Yankees

ALC - Royals

ALW - Astros

ALWC - Angels, O's

 

NLE - Nationals

NLC - Cards

NLW - Dodgers

NLWC - Pirates, Giants

 

ALCS - Cards over Pirates

NLCS - Royals over Astros

 

World Series - Royals over Cardinals

 

*Subject to change.

 

*Will change

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Run Differential Playoff Race:

 

ALE - Toronto (+106)

ALC - KC (+59)

ALW - Houston (+86)

ALWC - NYY (+60), Baltimore (+47)

In the Running: LAA (+44), Oakland (+38)

 

NLE - Washington (+28)

NLC - St. Louis (+110)

NLW - LAD (+67)

NLWC - Pittsburgh (+52), Sf (+52)

In the Running: Chicago (+7), Arizona (+3), NYM (-2)

 

Jays barely fall to the Cards in a 7 game World Series.

[The Epic]

I’m debating on whether I feel the Yankees will fall apart because it’s likely that they will fall apart, or because I really, really want them to. It’s probably some combination of both. Either way, while I think they hold the lead going into September, one of the O’s or Jays (or maybe both!) will likely catch up to them as they get devoured by the AL East. I seriously don’t believe they make the playoffs at all. And yes, I know how crazy that sounds.

 

The Twins remind me of the Orioles, in that I fully expect them to fall well out of the race, but they…just…haven’t. I really like them as a team, too; it’s kinda like the Royals were last year, before they became such douchenozzles.

 

The Nats are a mess, and I think they tank by season’s end. I don’t think Matt Williams comes back next year. That team should be playing .580 ball just by walking on the field.

 

AL East – Jays, Orioles (WC1)
AL Central – KC
AL West – Astros (!), Angels (WC2, taking a one-game playoff from the Yankees)

 

Astros over Orioles in the ALCS

 

NL East - Mets
NL Central – Cardinals, Pirates (WC1), Cubs (WC2)
NL West – Dodgers (Odd year! ODD YEAR!)

 

Dodgers over Cardinals in the NLCS, then over the Astros in the WS.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Strong takes by The Epic. Love it.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The whole Kershaw in October thing baffles me. If I felt more confident about him in the playoffs, I'd probably have the Dodgers too.

[Matt_P]

My picks:

ALE - Yankees

ALC - Royals

ALW - Astros

ALWC -Twins, O's

 

NLE - Mets

NLC - Cards

NLW - Dodgers

NLWC - Pirates, Giants

 

NLCS - Cards over Dodgers

ALCS -  Yankees over Royals

 

World Series - Cards over Yankees

 

Predictions:

 

Black and Blue Tuesday - On August 25th, both Tulo and Bautista go down for the season with injuries. The Blue Jays, previously in control of their destiny and looking like they may just take the division, go 12-26 to end the season to go 79-83.

 

Meanwhile, the Angels lose another starter while Heaney regresses.

 

As for the playoffs, the Os (winning the WC with just 85 wins) get past the Twins behind a dominant start by Gausman but in a repeat of last year are unable to solve the Royals' bullpen. The veteran Yankee club, however finds a way past them by being patient and waiting for their pitches.

[Pedro Cerrano]

So, uh, the New York Mets are in sole possession of first place in the NL East. On August 3rd.

[RShack]

So, uh, the New York Mets are in sole possession of first place in the NL East. On August 3rd.

 

Now *that* is a team I'd love the O's to whoop in the WS...

[Matt_P]

So, uh, the New York Mets are in sole possession of first place in the NL East. On August 3rd.

 

My Mets fans friends are getting all excited. Why just yesterday, one of them was mocking a Nationals fan when it appeared clear that the Mets were going to take first. Except that he's a grown man (theoretically) and the fan he was mocking was a 13 year old.

 

Pathetic.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Mets are about to win, and the Nationals lose. Make that a 2.0 game lead for the Mets... and a problem brewing for an already mentally weak clubhouse in DC.

[Pedro Cerrano]

If the Nats miss the postseason Williams is dunzo.

[SBTarheel]

If the Nats miss the postseason Williams is dunzo.

The more I see them and their complete lack of a sense of urgency, the more I think Nickle may have been right about him. 

 

Dammit all to hell. 

[Pedro Cerrano]

Lots of injuries for them this year. Fister has stunk and Desmond is basically dead weight in a contract year.

[SBTarheel]

Lots of injuries for them this year. Fister has stunk and Desmond is basically dead weight in a contract year.

No doubt, Span, Zimmerman, Rendon, Werth...etc. Having them "only" 2 out might even be impressive. 

 

However, when you watch them, it's like watching people reading at a library. Besides Harper, they're really boring, and don't show much emotion.. I don't know, there's just something missing there. 

[bnickle]

Of course Im right. I know.