There's still three weeks left in the season, and anything can happen. My analysis is based on what I am seeing happen to date, and I will admit that I am partisan to the Yanks, which are my home team. If you disagree or have counterpoints, feel free to state them...
With the stretch drive entering into it's final period, the post-season picture is beginning to emerge:
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Rangers
Wild Card: Red Sox
Remaining Contenders: Angels and Rays, the latter being the longest of longshots at this point.
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Diamondbacks
Wild Card: Braves
Remaining Contenders: Giants and Cardinals, both longshots.
ALDS: Yanks in four over Rangers. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
ALDS: Tigers in five. Chalk two up for Verlander, the rest of this series is up for grabs.
NLDS: Phils in five over D'Backs. That starting quartet will prove to much for the D'Backs, though they will make a game effort of it!
NLDS: Braves over Brewers in five. Could go either way, though.
ALCS: Yanks in six over Tigers. They'll beat Verlander once, and that will be enough.
NLCS: Phils in five over Braves. Far better pitching, plus a battle tested offense, will give them an easy victory.
World Series: Yanks in 7. They are my favorite team, WTF else would you want me to say? We beat them two years ago, and will again. Won't be easy, though...
Reason: Yanks now firing on all cylinders, and have been rolling. Despite the Phillies advantage in starting pitching, it's bullpens that decide the fate of games now, and the Yanks are better in that department.
AL MVP: Jacoby Ellsbury
NL MVP: Matt Kemp. May yet win the triple crown.
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw
but not really that far off IMO.
I just don't see anybody beating the Phillies, and this is coming from an Atlanta fan. FWIW I doubt the Yanks will win their division or come any where near the WS this year, I'd put it between Texas and Boston, and I give the edge to Boston.
In the NL, I see the Phillies winning it easily, UNLESS Atlanta big guns get back into the form they showed earlier this year, Hudson is the only one of Atlanta's big guns still firing on all cylinders, but even if Jurrjens and Hanson are back in the lineup, and healthy, the Braves are still outgunned in every department except the bullpen.
I see a Philly-Boston WS with the Phillies winning in a romp.
The thought of the Phillies winning it all gives me a massive headache. It's hard enough to living as a Boston fan in Philly, although shoving the Bruins in their faces does help a lot, lol. I don't see the Yanks getting anywhere this year and I'm not saying that as someone who hates them. They just don't seem to be totally cohesive even with all that talent.
As for my boys, our pitching is so uneven. If only all our players played with the heart and soul of Pedroia...Go Red Sox! I am a little fearful of the post-season. I hope Beckett isn't out for too long...
Ellsbury for MVP! Gonzo has been magnificent as well and takes the sting out of having Crawford doing nothing all freaking year.
At least I will definitely have ONE MAGNIFICENT day in October when the banner is raised at the Garden and the Flyers are the visiting team. Good times!
glove in baseball plus look at his powerful numbers and if he goes on streak watchout. cleanup best player in history of baseball is rested and due for an amazing playoff. take a deep breathe Mr. Cano might be best player in baseball, avg, HR, rBI,or like my announcer said cano dont you know, Now you are done with my top 5, Montero who is going to be a phenom who is an amazing hitter, just watch all of baseball deal with him. than you have swisher, russell martin mr, muscle my announcer calls him, and gartner fastest player in game. thats just the offense, Look at my defense, brett and granderson aMZING SPEED, arod and jeter solid, and cano and tex sick on defense. Look on how improved at catcher this year on defense, look at starting pitching cc is back on track, and nova is pitching mvp like on mission to be ace of staff, we have 2 studs or aces on our staff, 17 wins amazing, how many wins for lester mr, unimpressive. Colon only needs to pitch 1 solid game of 5 innings andthrow it too hughes, soriano, robertson, and mariano best closer in history of game, I will take my team against anyone, lets see if mr. halliday or johnny halladay fastball can strikeout, grandyman,tex,arod,cano, and montero, will see, we are streaking and sox are crumbling beneath our eyes. beckett is missing next start, lackey is getting shelled like he is walking on eggshells, buckwheat is done and player from japan is done for year, plus your main middle relief guy is out for year, be careful, keep on losing and rays will catch you behind, i am dead serious its very possible tampa bay will catch sox. if beckett is hurting you guys are down to 1 PITCHER, AND I MEAN 1 PITCHER, THAT IS AMAZING, WE YANKEES HAVE 6 PITCHERS COUNT THEM HEALTHY, BURNETT MR. BATTING PRACTICE ONLY NEEDS 1 GOOD GAME FOR 5 INNINGS IN PLAYOFFS AND WE SAY IN NYC THE PARTY IS OVER TURN OFF LIGHTS JUST LIKE HOW MY JETS EMBARASSED TOM BRADY OR SOME ACTOR LOOKALIKE, ROCK ON BOSTON.
this shit is downright painful to read.
I got through the first couple of sentences before my eyes started burning.
Would anybody else like to chip in for a remedial writing class for liorr? Consider it a public service donation.
BTW you can chalk up any typos I have made to "posting under the influence" lol
-- Modified on 9/6/2011 6:57:54 PM
and they still manage to post in complete sentences, and somehow manage to use reasonably proper grammar, no matter how shit faced they get.
and please don't tell me a grown man is still getting drunk on Southern Comfort, that shit is nasty. I didn't know anyone over the age of 14 still drank that stuff. lol
Cano is sizzling, granderson mr. mvp, montero is going to kick ass just watch. Did you remember batting practice burnett, what did he do to lester the fester of bad news. beckett out for a while with bad back, can we say buckwheat out for yr. japanese pitcher out for year. lackey mr 6.11 era. another reliever for sox out for year. nova is on fire, cc on top of his game, we only need 1 good game for colon and we can say, repeat of phillies world series where we defeat cliff lee phillies twicw in a row. i love it. rays are coming strong on redsox tail, how priceless if rays catch sox. boston is down to 1 pitcher, can i say choke. its funny how quiet red sox fans are, they cant talk the talk, at least i am here 24 7 win or lose. i dish it out but ican take it in mouth if you know what i mean. crazy did hit it, yankees will celebrate #28, whoever wants me meet and greet in boston pm me. until my next post, what an awesome weekend i had boys and girls. gagamber sorry this is a yankee board, your red sox will gag again.
I never said I "hoped" any of this would happen, just that it was the most likely scenario.
Where you stand on September 6th doesn't mean anything compared to how you stand a month from now, The Yankees have great talent, but only a die hard fan could really expect them to even be in the WS, much less win it.
I hate the thought of the Phillies winning it all, but their pitching lineup should be fucking illegal. They are legitimately six deep, and they can hit the ball as well.
and FYI, I couldn't care less about the Sox, If I get my wish the Rangers will win the AL, but I am not putting much money on it. I also will say right now the winner of the NLCS will be the real WS, just like last year.
Care to make a small wager?
BTW I have it on good authority that if you make a SENSIBLE post on P&R it might just not get pulled this time.
There's still three weeks left in the season, and anything can happen. My analysis is based on what I am seeing happen to date, and I will admit that I am partisan to the Yanks, which are my home team. If you disagree or have counterpoints, feel free to state them...