The Good & the Bad from Yankees v. Orioles (April 7-9 2017)

Two series down, two series victories and 1 game short of back-to-back sweeps to begin the season.  It’s been an impressive start to the 2017 season for the Baltimore Orioles, a lot of good and some bad.  Time to take a look back at the weekend series against the New York Yankees and see what went right and what went wrong.

GOOD: Comeback birds

In both wins for the Orioles in this series they had to come back.  In game 1 on Friday night it was a 5-1 deficit, and in game 2 it was 4-1.  Manny Machado got things going on Friday night with his first home run of 2017 then new Oriole Seth Smith gave the O’s the lead they would never relinquish.  In game 2 Machado again began the comeback in the 5^th inning and the O’s would win 5-4.  If nothing else this looks like the same Orioles who won’t give up, no matter the score.

BAD: Starting pitching

I think it’s safe to say that the main point of concern for the Orioles heading into 2017 was their starting pitching.  Well against the Yankees it was definitely a weak point.

Ubaldo Jimenez – 4.1 IP, 7 hits, 5 ER, 5 strikeouts

Kevin Gausman – 4.2 IP, 8 hits, 4 ER, 4 strikeouts

Wade Miley – 5 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 5 strikeouts

Don’t let Wade Miley’s line fool you.  He only lasted 5 innings because he had 100 pitches and SEVEN walks.  The Orioles have to get better outings from their starting pitchers.  The bullpen may be the club’s strength but if they are pitching 4-5 innings a game they will wear out quick.

GOOD: Zach Britton

Zach Britton was able to save both wins for the Orioles and in doing so was starting to look like his dominant self of 2016.  Britton pitched in both games of the opening series against Toronto but struggled despite not giving up any runs.  He even loaded the bases in game 2 before getting a game clinching double play.  Against the Yankees he was much better.  Friday night he retired the Yanks 1-2-3 while only throwing 9 pitches.  Saturday he had a scare with a long fly ball, but again was incredibly efficient facing 4 batters and needing only 11 pitches.

BAD: J.J. Hardy’s rough start at the plate

This probably pains more than most of you think.  I’ve always been a huge fan of JJ Hardy ever since he’s been an Oriole, but I have to call them like I see them.  Hardy has been struggling hard at the plate this season.  Against the Yankees he went 2 for 9 with 4 strikeouts and only 1 RBI.  His season batting average is only .125 after 5 games.  Lucky for Hardy he still plays gold glove caliber defense.  Unfortunately the injuries and his age might be too much for him to be the player he was from 2011-2013.

Other notes from the Yankees series.  Seth Smith had a good two games going a combined 4-9 and hitting the game winning HR on Friday night.  Also what happened to the Orioles pitching in general on Sunday?  O’s pitchers walked 11 Yankees on Sunday with Wade Miley and surprisingly Darren O’Day being the biggest culprits.

All in all it was a good weekend series for the Orioles.  They have played 5 games in 2017 and are 4-1, all against AL East teams.  Up next for the birds is another AL East opponent, a favorite of many pundits to win the AL East, the Boston Red Sox.  It will be another short 2 game series before they head north of the border to face Toronto again.

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The Good and Bad from Blue Jays v. Orioles (April 3 & 5 2017)

I love this time of year more than any other, IT'S BASEBALL SEASON!!! Now if you have read any of the pre season predictions for the Orioles, it's not good.  But who cares what they think the season is here and the Orioles are undefeated.  Let's take a look back at the very short opening series against division rival, Blue Jays.

GOOD: SWEEEEEPP
So what it's only two games.  You played an AL East rival and you beat them in both games.  Anytime you sweep a division rival it's a very good thing.

BAD: Average with RISP
Now when you only play two games and you win both, anything bad is kind of nitpicking, but here we go.  The Orioles only went 2-9 (.222) with runners in scoring position in the two game series.  Surprisingly, in Game 2 they never had a chance, they didn't have a runner on second or third the entire game and still somehow won, you won't see that too often.  Again it's early but the Orioles have to get better than that .222 average when they have the opportunities to score.

GOOD: Chris Davis' defense
I don't think this gets mentioned nearly enough but Chris Davis has become a really good first baseman defensively.  Most of the talk around Davis is his hitting, and rightly so when you pay a guy over $150 million to hit and he doesn't hit to your standards, he's ripe for criticism.  However, numerous times in the first 2 games Davis dug balls out of the dirt to get key outs.  On opening day there was a critical double play turned in the 9th inning that Davis saved with his glove, and I know Manny Machado made a great diving play in the 11th, but without Davis' scoop on the back end the great play by Manny means nothing.  It's not why the Orioles pay Davis the amount of money they do but it's also a part of his game we shouldn't overlook.

BAD: Base running
Again, nitpicking but twice Orioles players were thrown out at second base in the two games trying to stretch singles into doubles.  On Opening Day Chris Davis was thrown out at second in the third inning, he did drive in a run in the process but could've killed a big inning.  In game 2 Wellington Castillo was thrown out at second by Kevin Pillar.  Some might like the aggressiveness and to an extent I do as well.  You have to pick and choose when you go, sometimes that can cost you a game.

GOOD: Dylan Bundy
I was going to make this a combined good with Gausman & Bundy, but Gausman's struggles near the end of his outing made me change my mind.  Dylan Bundy however was fantastic through his 7 innings in game 2 against Toronto.  Bundy in those 7 innings only gave up 4 hits (3 of which came in one inning), 1 ER, and struck out 8.  Bundy had a very potent lineup guessing and off balance all night.  Dylan Bundy looks primed to take that next step in his career.

One more thing I'd like to mention is Zach Britton.  He pitched in both of the first two games but wasn't his dominant self.  He gave up multiple hits and in game 2 he needed a double play with the bases loaded to seal the win.  I'm not concerned but it's something to watch in his next few outings.

Follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks , I'll try and keep this updated as much as possible, this guy has been slacking.

The Good and Bad from the Orioles-Red Sox series (April 17-20)

Hard to imagine that we are about a week from the end of the first month of the season.  It feels like you wait forever for a season to start and before you know it, it just flies by.  So I'm requesting that Major League Baseball slow the season down so we can enjoy it more.  Before I even begin let me just say i mention Adam Jones now because he just keeps mashing the ball.  Adam Jones is on another level when it comes to hitting, so he gets honorable mention before I even begin my post.

GOOD: Jimmy Paredes
Jimmy Paredes made his season debut on Saturday coming off the disabled list and he looked great.  In 3 games, Paredes went 7 for 13 and scored 4 runs.  Paredes can be a nice little utility player filling in when needed, and if keeps hitting like this he'll find his way in the lineup more and more.  Now of course you cant expect Paredes to continue hitting at this pace but, for someone coming off the DL it's nice to see him making an impact immediately.

BAD: Alejandro De Aza
As refreshing as Paredes performance was, De Aza's was a little disappointing.  I might of jinxed De Aza, a few posts back I praised De Aza's strong start to the 2015 season.  Well, De Aza might be the happiest Oriole to be leaving Fenway Park.  De Aza played in 3 of the 4 games in the series and he went 0 for 11.  Not exactly what you want or expect from your lead off hitter.  I'll chalk this up to a minor slump and hopefully De Aza rebounds in Toronto.

GOOD: Ryan Flaherty
I may be one of this guy's biggest critics.  I'll put it bluntly, I'm not a fan of Ryan Flaherty, I believe he's an average hitter and fielder, not special at either.  However, when the guy plays well you have to give credit where credit is due.  Flaherty stepped in for the injured Jonathan Schoop and had at least 2 hits in every game.  Flaherty went 6 for 11 had 1 home run and 2 RBIs.  My biggest problem with Flaherty is consistency, now with Schoop out for the foreseeable future it will be interesting to see how Flaherty plays as the Orioles every day second baseman.

BAD: Orioles defense
Year after year the Orioles routinely have one of the best defenses in baseball.  In fact the last time the Orioles didn't have multiple gold glove winners was in 2010.  This weekend in Boston wasn't their best defensively.  Although most of the damage was done in one game.  Wei-Yin Chen gave up 5 runs in their rain shortened loss on Monday, all 5 were unearned due to 3 errors.  This is much more of an anomaly than anything ill ever post, but the Orioles did end the series with 5 errors in 4 games.  That's never good to have more errors than games played.

Orioles are now 7-6 after 13 games, all against AL East opponents and they make their first trip north of the border to tangle with the Blue Jays for the second time this season.

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Brett Lawrie vs. Kansas City Royals

What a very interesting and unfortunate weekend it was at Kaufman stadium over the weekend.  A lot of early season excitement for the defending American League Champions as they started the season 7-0.  Then this past weekend they played the team they beat in last year's wild card game to start their improbable run to the World Series.  What should have been a weekend series promoting great baseball between two very good squads, it was marred in injured players, throwing at hitters and bench clearing incidents.

It all started Friday night at second base.  There was a ground ball to third baseman Mike Moustakas and he flipped it to second for the out.  Brett Lawrie came in hard and took out Royals SS Alcides Escobar.  After watching the replay, Lawrie went in hard, really hard and he had his spikes up, it wasnt a good slide.  Even though I feel that it was a bad slide, I'm a little hesitant to call it dirty.  Calling a play or player dirty to me is kind of a slippery slope.  No doubt about it Lawrie showed poor technique on his slide, but I'm not convinced that it was done on purpose or that he had any malicious intent to injure Escobar, if he did then it would constitute a dirty play to me.  Lawrie seemed apologetic after the slide, realizing that he had hurt Escobar.  Needless to say Kansas City was none to pleased with the slide and it set into motion a chain of events that hung over the entire weekend series.

It was to no one's surprise that the very next day Kansas City would retaliate.  Even Lawrie himself had to expect to be hit at some point, it's part of the game whether you like it or not.  So Oakland was ahead 5-0 in the fourth inning and Yordano Ventura felt this was as good a time as any to retaliate, oh and Ventura can hit triple digits on the radar gun.  The most interesting part of this situation to me was the reactions after Ventura hit Lawrie.  Ventura seemed anxious for a fight, after he hit Lawrie he walked right up to Lawrie almost begging him to make a move so he could start a brawl, I found that odd.  It seemed like Ventura felt like he had to teach Lawrie a lesson for what he did, it was extremely childish.  Lawrie however kept his composure stared straight ahead and calmly walked to first base.  So most people would logically think it's over right? wrong.

The next night another Royals pitcher who flirts with triple digits on the radar gun felt Lawrie hadn't paid
enough for his sins.  Kelvin Herrera decided to throw a 100 MPH fastball behind Bret Lawrie causing an immediate ejection.  As Herrera was walking off the field he pointed to his head, indicating that's where the next pitch to Lawrie would be.  This is taking it a little too far.  Throwing a baseball that fast is dangerous if it's in the strike zone but trying to hit someone in the head, it's completely inexcusable.  Herrera should be suspended for those actions.  Royals players wanted to respond to their teammate getting injured and I understand that, but to me they lost focus and decided to head hunt Brett Lawrie.  There is no room in baseball for those type of actions.  Lawrie was just playing the game, and we could argue if the slide was dirty or not but it was still done in the flow of the game.  Kansas City pitchers made it a point to throw at Lawrie not once but twice with two of the hardest throwers in Major League Baseball.  The Royals in my opinion should be ashamed of how they acted this weekend and I'd be shocked if some suspensions weren't handed out because of this display.

These two teams don't meet again until June, however I seriously doubt either will forget this weekend.  It will make their next series one of the most anticipated matches but for all the wrong reasons.  Oh and if anyone cares Kansas City took 2 out of 3 in this series.

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The Good and Bad from the Orioles-Yankees Series (April 13-15)

I think we can officially say we are in the baseball season.  Three series under most teams belts, before you know the end of April will be here and we will start separating the contenders and pretenders.  The Orioles have had an OK start to the 2015 season, like I've said many times before, not getting too excited not getting too worried about anything happening on the field.  That being said let me overly dissect this past series where the Orioles took 2 out of 3 against the hated Yankees.

GOOD: Miguel Gonzalez

Wow, what else can you say about Miguel's performance on Tuesday night.  Miguel pitched 7 strong innings giving up just 1 run on 4 hits and struck out a career high 10.  Gonzalez always seems to perform well against the Bronx bombers and Tuesday was no different.  Gonzalez after just two starts has an ERA of 1.42.  It was also nice to see him get through seven innings, that needs to happen more form the Orioles pitching staff.

BAD: Tommy Hunter

Mr. Hunter did not have a very good series against the Yankees.  Hunter only pitched 2 innings in the series but in those 2 innings he gave up 5 hits and 6 earned runs.  In game 1 of the series he gave up a grand slam that proved to be the difference.  In game 3 he turned a Orioles 4 run lead into a 2 run lead, even the outs he was recording in game 3 were hit hard.  Again too early to panic but if Tommy Hunter wants to stay in the late inning role he's been a custom to, 6 earned runs in 2 innings wont cut it.

GOOD: Caleb Joseph

Let's give some love to the catcher for the Baltimore Orioles.  One of the main topic of discussions for Orioles fans is when is Matt Wieters coming back.  Well if Joseph keeps playing like he did against the Yankees, fans wont be so quick to rush Wieters back.  Caleb Joseph registered 7 hits in 11 at bats scored a run and drove in 2 in the 3 game set.  Now Joseph isn't as good at throwing guys out like Wieters is but, cant complain with how Joseph is holding his own while the all star backstop gets healthy.

BAD: Inconsistent Chris Davis

Oh Chris Davis what are we going to do with you.  Chris Davis for me might be turning into one of the most frustrating players on the ball club.  The first 2 games of the series Davis went 0 for 7 with 6 strike outs, and some of those strike outs he looked really, really bad.  Then Wednesday comes around and he drives in 3 runs including a huge 2 run double that gave the Orioles the cushion they needed for the win.  Even with the 2 hits and 3 RBIs last night, he still struck out 3 times.  I'm not asking for 2-3 hits every night from Davis but it would be nice to see him be a little more productive, you can still make an out and have it help your ball club, not much help can come from striking out 9 times in three games.

GOOD: Adam Jones staying hot

I mentioned Adam Jones in my last post about how he played in the Blue Jays series.  Well he continued hitting the ball extremely well hitting home runs in games 1 and 2 and having at least 1 hit in every game of the series.  It's tough to argue that anyone in baseball right now is seeing the ball better than Adam Jones.  Oh yea, and he's playing gold glove caliber defense as well, Tommy Hunter should thank him for Wednesday night.

Up next for the birds is a 4 game series in Boston against the Red Sox.

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The Good and Bad from the Orioles-Blue Jays series (April 10-12)

The Orioles start the season with 19 consecutive games against AL East opponents.  It's hard to say that the first 19 games are one of the most important stretches in the season, but it would also be nice as defending division champs to make a strong statement to start the 2015 campaign.  This past weekend the Toronto Blue Jays came to Oriole Park and showed that maybe just maybe, they might be able to make some noise in the east.

GOOD: Ubaldo Jimenez
After last season I never though i would say this, Ubaldo Jimenez looked great.  Ubaldo has been the target of a lot of criticism since he signed a 4 year $50 million deal, and then posted a 4.81 ERA his first season in Baltimore.  We kept hearing the Jimenez had a very good spring, sometimes you have to take that with a grain of salt because of some of the lineups you face in March.  Well, at least for start number 1, Ubaldo was great.  He pitched 7 innings only giving up 1 hit, 8 strikeouts and more importantly only 1 walk.  I don't expect Ubaldo to pitch like this every start, but if he can be more consistent it will be a huge boost for the pitching staff.

BAD: The Rest of the pitching staff
When you take away Ubaldo's performance and a couple relief appearances here and there, it wasn't a good weekend for Orioles pitchers.  Take away the 7 scoreless Ubaldo threw Saturday night, Orioles pitchers gave up 23 runs in 20 innings, that's not good.  Bud Norris might have had the most disappointing performance of all.  Norris only lasted 3 innings giving up 8 runs on seven hits on his Friday start.  Chris Tillman who looked so good opening day, couldn't get through 3 innings on Sunday.  Now it wasn't all bad, there was one point on Sunday where 12 straight Blue Jays were retired, but all in all a bad weekend for Orioles pitchers.

GOOD: Adam Jones
The only way to describe Adam Jones this weekend is impressive.  Jones was the Orioles main offensive weapon, he went 7 for 10 scored 5 runs, hit 2 home runs and drove in 5.  Adam has been a model of consistency during his entire time here in Baltimore, which is why I scratch my head when fans give him so much grief.  He's a multiple time all star and gold glove winner, and barring any kind of injury you can pencil him right now to bat .280, hit 25-35 home runs and drive in 85-100.  As much as we talk about other players, this Orioles team runs through Adam Jones, 2015 should not be any different.

BAD: Manny Machado
Manny is one of my favorite Orioles, but doesn't mean he is exempt from any criticism.  The start of the 2015 season has been a tough one for Machado.  He did go 1 for 4 in Sunday's loss and he even had a stolen base.  Unfortunately, that one hit on Sunday was so far his only of the season.  Manny has started the season 1 for 19, not very good.  There is one positive from Machado however, his defense seems as strong as ever.  Machado is a great young talent and while the 1 for 19 start is concerning, I'm willing to chalk this up as just an early season slump.

The Orioles tour around the AL east continues tonight when the last place New York Yankees (yes I know it's only 6 games, it just feels nice to say) travel to Baltimore to start a 3 game series.  Be sure to check out my good and bad from this series as well.

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The Good and Bad from the Orioles-Rays series (April 6-8)

Well it's finally here baseball is back, thankfully.  After a rather unique off season in Baltimore with players leaving and the General Manager wanting to get a job with another team in the division.  We can finally put that all aside and focus on whats important, the on the field play.  There were plenty of good and some bad things from the opening series in Tampa.  The great thing about baseball is there is plenty of time to fix whats ailing you, it's also way too early to panic about anything.

GOOD: Orioles win series
It might be the most simple, but it's the one thing you need the most.  Sweeps are nice and can really spring you into a long winning streak.  However, if you continue to take 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4, getting 90 wins for the season gets a whole lot easier.  Also, when it comes to playing teams like Tampa, winning series are a must.  The Rays are not expected to do a lot in the AL east this season so just about every time you play them, if you're the Orioles you should win the series.

BAD: Chris Davis goes hit less, strikes out 3 times
Again I cant say this enough, it is extremely early in the season but in the 2 games Davis played he was really quiet.  Davis has a lot of pressure on him to perform this season, after the down year in 2014 and the suspension Davis has a lot to prove.  He's got permission to take Adderall this season so it will be interesting to see what his numbers will be in 2015.  Hopefully for Orioles fans his first two games aren't going to be the norm this year.

GOOD: Steve Pearce
Steve Pearce came to play to start 2015.  He hit home runs in the first 2 games, last two Orioles to do that to start a season both led the league in home runs by the end of the season (Davis in 2013, Cruz in 2014).  I don't think Steve Pearce will lead the league in home runs, but I do think he'll have a really good year if he plays consistently.



BAD: Orioles Starters not going deeper
Before I start my analysis, I'll be the first to admit that I'm kind of nitpicking here.  However, Chris Tillman was the only starter to pitch more than 6 innings in the opening series.  Wei-Yin Chen only lasted 4 and a third, and even though Miguel Gonzalez only allowed 1 run, he couldn't get through the 6th.  The Orioles bullpen might be the strongest aspect of the club but, you cant use 3-5 pitchers from the bullpen every game and expect them to perform well all season.  I'm willing to give a slight pass because it's early in the season but it needs to get better.

GOOD: Travis Snider's first impression
As good as Steve Pearce was in the opening series, Travis Snider was better.  Just look at opening day alone.  Travis Snider drove in the first run of the season, made a diving catch in the outfield and threw out someone at the plate.  He followed that up with another RBI in game 2 and he was on base 4 times.  Travis Snider will very quickly endear himself to Orioles fans if he continues to play this hard.  I'm not saying he'll make us forget Nick Markakis, just make the break up hurt a little less.

The most important thing to realize is that baseball is not a sprint it's a marathon.  After three games for the Orioles there is nothing that is getting me overly excited, but there is also nothing that has me overly worried either.  The birds took 2 out of 3 and now head home for the first time this season to face the Blue Jays on Friday.  Did I mention I love baseball???

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Top 5 Moments from Division Series

It's been a  very exciting MLS postseason.  In the American League we have two teams that haven't been to a World Series in 30 years.  In the National League we have two teams that are making a habit of playing in the NLCS.  None of the division series went to a full 5 games.  The last time that happened was in 2009.  There were plenty of terrific, edge of your seat moments but for me there are 5 that stood out above the rest.

5) Clayton Kershaw loses Game 1 after being spotted a 6-1 lead

For most people who watched baseball this season there was no doubt who the best pitcher in baseball was.  Clayton Kershaw was outstanding, You could almost guarantee a win every time he took the mound this season for the Dodgers.  So when LA gave Kershaw a 6-1 lead in Game 1 of the NLDS, most figured the Dodgers would easily go up one game to none over St. Louis.  Then, the 7th inning happened.  The Cardinals exploded for 8 runs, 6 of which were attributed to Kershaw.  Matt Carpenter delivered the fatal blow with a bases clearing double and that 6-1 lead for the Dodgers turned into a 7-6 deficit.  St. Louis would win the game 10-9 and it seemed like the Dodger never could quite recover from the shocking game 1 defeat.

Cardinals 8 Run 8th Inning

4) Kansas City Royals extra inning magic

Not many people gave Kansas City much of a chance just to get past Oakland in the wild card game.  So once they did that there was no way they would beat the team with the best record in baseball, right.  Well not only did they beat the Angels they swept them.  In the first 2 games of the 3 game sweep the Royals needed extra innings to notch victories.  They also did it with the long ball, KC only hit 95 home runs in the regular season, but in the postseason they made it look easy.  Its those extra inning wins made America fall in love with this Kansas City squad.

Eric Hosmer 11th Inning HR

3) Yusmeiro Petit throws 6 scoreless in 18 inning marathon

This postseason gave us the longest game in postseason history and Petit's performance stole the headlines from Jordan Zimmerman who at one point retired 20 Giants in a row.  The Nats lost game 1 at home and desperately needed this game to not go down 0-2 heading to San Francisco.  Petit came into the game in the 12th inning and in his 6 innings of work he allowed just 1 hit walked 3 and struck out 7.  The Nats could not get anything going against him, and then in the top of the 18th Brandon Belt hit the deciding HR that basically ended the series.

Petit's Scoreless Relief

2) Matt Adams' 3 Run HR in Game 4

Sorry Dodger fans but one teams heartbreak is another teams great moment.  Game 4 the Dodgers sent Kershaw back to the mound in a must win game.  Game 4 really didn't go much differently than game 1.  Kershaw looked good early, the Dodgers gave him a lead, and he couldn't hold onto it.  Now you can debate whether or not Don Mattingly should've take him out in either game 1 or 4.  But lets be honest, is there a better pitcher in the bullpen that you would put in over a guy like Kershaw, probably not.  Well he didnt and maybe that's why the Dodgers aren't moving on.

Matt Adams go ahead HR

1) Delmon Young's bases clearing double

This could be looked at as extremely bias, but I don't care.  For most of Game 2 the Orioles were trailing the Detroit Tigers and it looked like the Tigers were about to tie the series up heading to Detroit.  Then, the Tigers bullpen made an appearance and it was all over for Detroit.  Steve Pearce singled in a run, then JJ Hardy walked to set the stage for Delmon Young.  Young had great postseason numbers and he didnt wait long to send Detroit fans into a deep depression.  With the crowds response and what the hit meant to the outcome of the series, Delmon Young's 3 run double was for me the top moment of the Division Series.

Delmon Young 3 run double

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NFL Week 4 Predictions

Just like some teams in the NFL, my predictions are an up and down fiasco.  After a rough week 2 going 7-9 I rebounded with an 11-5 week mark.  This is our first bye week of the season and six teams will be off in week number 4 including the impressive 3-0 Cincinnati Bengals.  Let's not waste any more time, here are my week 4 predictions.

Giants (1-2) @ Redskins (1-2)
Both team are in desperate need of a win with the way Philadelphia is playing.  Kirk Cousins played great last week putting up huge numbers.  Short weeks always favor the home side, should be the same here, Cousins could be gaining more steam as the Redskins QB.
PREDICTION: Redskins

Bills (2-1) @ Texans (2-1)
I wanted to believe in the Bills but last week at home they looked bad against the San Diego Chargers.  Houston is playing over their heads right now and though I believe they will win, I don't think Houston can keep this good start going.
PREDICTION: Texans

Packers (1-2) @ Bears (2-1)
Green Bay is one of the frustrating teams of the 2014 season.  How they only managed 7 points against the Lions is still head scratching.  Chicago has 2 wins but not sure how impressive they are yet.  Green Bay needs this more than Chicago, Rodgers gets it right this week.
PREDICTION: Packers

Lions (2-1) @ Jets (1-2)
The Jets are the Jets, they probably had a good chance to beat the Bears last week, but Geno Smith's ineffectiveness led to a loss.  Its feels weird believing in the Lions, but its more stable than the Jets.
PREDICTION: Lions

Titans (1-2) @ Colts (1-2)
After a nice week 1 win I thought Tennessee might have a decent season but back to back tough losses have them in a little tailspin.  The Colts got right by playing Jacksonville, but then again which team doesn't.  Could be another cake walk for Andrew Luck and the Colts.
PREDICTION: Colts

Dolphins (1-2) @ Raiders (0-3)
Miami is another squad who had an impressive week 1 win but has since cooled off.  The Raiders have not looked good but that's not surprising to anyone.  Miami should get back to .500.
PREDICTION: Dolphins

Buccaneers (0-3) @ Steelers (2-1)
Tampa is off to a horrendous start, which is a little surprising I thought Tampa would put up a little more fight.  Pittsburgh is coming off a demolition of the Carolina Panthers and this week shouldnt be any different.
PREDICTIONS: Steelers

Panthers (2-1) @ Ravens (2-1)
Steve Smith Sr. playing against his former team should be must see TV.  Especially since Smith is playing some really good football with the Ravens.  Friendly suggestion, if you have Steve Smith Sr. on your fantasy team you might want to play him this week.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Jaguars (0-3) @ Chargers (2-1)
Unfortunately, every week Jacksonville plays I'm going to predict a big win for the opposition.  No difference this week, San Diego big in this one.  Although I do like that Bortles will be the starter for the rest of the season.
PREDICTION: Chargers

Falcons (2-1) @ Vikings (1-2)
The Vikings have been all over the headlines but not because of football.  Teddy Bridewater is now the guy after Matt Cassel went down with an injury.  Atlanta destroyed Tampa 10 days ago, giving the Falcons extra time to prepare could be dangerous for Minnesota.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Eagles (3-0) @ 49ers (1-2)
San Francisco is in desperate need of a win after losing to the Cardinals last week.  Philly has been a pleasant surprise to start the season.  Philly however has had to overcome at least a 10 point deficit in every game, eventually that's going to catch up to them.  SF can't afford to start 0-2 in their brand new stadium.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Saints (1-2) @ Cowboys (2-1)
New Orleans is better than their 1-2 record and I don't think Dallas is as good as their 2-1 record.  I like to think that Drew Brees and the Saints offense will have a field day with Dallas' poor defense.
PREDICTION: Saints

Patriots (2-1) @ Chiefs (1-2)
So far it doesn't look like the same old Patriots despite the 2-1 start, and their struggles against Oakland last week raised some eyebrows.  KC got a much needed win over Miami last week who have given New England its only loss this season, so because of that, why not I like KC at home on Monday night.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Week 3 Record: 11-5

Overall Season Record: 29-19

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NFL Week 3 Predictions

Well, last week was a rough one as far as predictions go.  After a pretty strong 11-5 in week 1, last week was a very sub par 7-9.  Just goes to show you that there probably isn't any tougher sport to predict than the National Football League.  Ill try my best to rebound, hopefully any of you who read these don't bet, you could lose a lot of money.

Buccaneers (0-2) @ Falcons (1-1)
Its been a tough start for the Buccs to begin 2014, especially last weeks lost to a Rams team on their third string quarterback.  Minor setback for the Falcons in week 2, this should be a get good week for them at home.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Chargers (1-1) @ Bills (2-0)
Both teams coming off impressive week 2 wins.  Buffalo went to 2-0 after beating the Dolphins at home while San Diego figured out Seattle's vaunted defense.  Buffalo may have the slight edge with San Diego traveling cross country.  The Bills at 3-0??? That's what I'm predicting.
PREDICTION: Bills

Titans (1-1) @ Bengals (2-0)
The titans had the most head scratching week 2 games.  Coming off a huge win in KC, they come home only to lose to what I feel is a mediocre Dallas squad.  Cincy has had two nice wins to begin the season and may be the team to beat when it comes to the AFC North.
PREDICTION: Bengals

Ravens (1-1) @ Browns (1-1)
Baltimore had a nice win over Pittsburgh and the team, especially the offense looked totally different.  Cleveland had maybe the shocker of week 2 sending the Saints to an 0-2 start.  Cleveland will be pumped with Baltimore coming to town, but the extra rest should play in Baltimore's favor.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Cowboys (1-1) @ Rams (1-1)
Dallas had a nice rebound win in Tennessee last week that they desperately needed.  I'm still not sure how St. Louis won, maybe the Buccs are worse than I thought.  Cowboys should win easily, but then again it is the Cowboys.
PREDICTION: Cowboys

Packers (1-1) @ Lions (1-1)
Green Bay's offense woke up last week against the Jets and showed what they were capable of.  Detroit disappointed last week after an impressive week 1 win over the Giants.  Green Bay will start the show it's dominance over the NFC North.
PREDICTION: Packers

Colts (0-2) @ Jaguars (0-2)
Didn't really expect this to be a game of two 0-2 squads.  The Colts have played pretty well in the first 2 games but are scoreless in the win column.  Jacksonville is well Jacksonville and you wonder when they make the move to start Blake Bortles.
PREDICTION: Colts

Raiders (0-2) @ Patriots (1-1)
Not really much to say about this one.  The only way I see New England losing is if somehow Tm Brady and Rob Gronkowski don't play.  Even then it would be tough for Oakland to win.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Vikings (1-1) @ Saints (0-2)
A lot or turmoil swirling around the Minnesota Vikings this week, who know have made the decision not to play Adrian Peterson.  That and the fact they are playing a team desperate for a win, could be a long day for the Vikings.
PREDICTION: Saints

Texans (2-0) @ Giants (0-2)
Well, I wont make the same mistake this week.  I thought maybe the Giants would play a tad bit better at home but boy was I mistaken.  Along side the Bills, Houston is a pleasant surprise to start the 2014 season.
PREDICTION: Texans 

Redskins (1-1) @ Eagles (2-0)
The Kirk Cousins era has begun in Washington.  And though I believe Cousins will do extremely well for the Redskins, the Eagles are playing great football right now, should be an entertaining game.
PREDICTION: Eagles

49ers (1-1) @ Cardinals (2-0)
Another surprising 2-0 squad in the Cardinals play hot to a division rival who's first game in their new stadium didn't end the way they had hoped.  San Francisco is too good of a team to lose 2 in a row.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Broncos (2-0) @ Seahawks (1-1)
It's Super Bowl rematch time!  Denver is 2-0 but I see flaws in their game, especially on defense.  The Hawks are practically unbeatable at home, so unfortunately for Denver fans you wont get your revenge on this day.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Chiefs (0-2) @ Dolphins (1-1)
Both teams are coming off week 2 losses.  KC had Denver on the brink while Miami was handled by Buffalo.  Kansas City needs this win if they want any chance at the playoffs, I feel they get it.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Steelers (1-1) @ Panthers (2-0)
Plain and simple the Steelers looked bad last week in Baltimore.  The defense looked old and the offense looked lost.  The Panthers can win with Cam Newton and without him.  Might be a long night for Steeler nation.
PREDICTION: Panthers

Bears (1-1) @ Jets (1-1)
Big props to the Bears for the huge win in San Francisco,  The Jets are probably lucky they arent 0-2.  Chicago wins this one big.
PREDICTION: Bears

Week 2 Record: 7-9

Overall Season Record: 18-14

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NFL Week 2 Predictions

Week 1 was a pretty good week, I went 11-5 in my picks.  It probably would've been better but with the typical first week upsets, its hard to pick the NFL anymore, but it sure is fun.  No more time to waste week 2 starts tonight lets get to it.

Steelers (1-0) @ Ravens (0-1)
The Ravens have had a tough week, not only losing to Cincinnati but the growing investigation into the Ray Rice scandal.  This may be a homer pick but I feel the Ravens have a strong performance tonight, because if they don't this season could start to spin out of control.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Falcons (1-0) @ Bengals (1-0)
Both of these teams had impressive week 1 wins over division opponents.  Only thing that worries me about Cincy was their lack of producing touchdowns.  Matt Ryan wont throw for over 400 yards again, but I don't think he'll need to.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Dolphins (1-0) @ Bills (1-0)
Another match up of surprising week 1 winners.  Miami shutout Brady and the Pats in the second half and Buffalo beat a talented Bears squad.  This could be a sleeper pick for potential game of the week.
PREDICTION: Bills

Saints (0-1) @ Browns (0-1)
Cleveland showed a ton of fight last week in Pittsburgh, but still came up with the loss.  New Orleans weren't able to out shoot Atlanta in their high scoring affair.  I find it hard to believe that New Orleans could drop to 0-2 on the season.
PREDICTION: Saints

Cowboys (0-1) @ Titans (1-0)
Week 1 was tough for the Cowboys, their stadium was taken over by 49er fans and Tony Romo threw 3 interceptions.  The Titans however looked very good in a first week upset over Kansas City.  Could be another long season for Cowboy fans.
PREDICTION: Titans

Lions (1-0) @ Panthers (1-0)
Detroit had an impressive, dominating performance against the Giants on Monday.  Carolina also got a win and Cam Newton should be ready to suit up on Sunday, good for the Panthers but you got to believe he'll be a tad bit rusty.
PREDICTION: Lions

Patriots (0-1) @ Vikings (1-0)
I don't hang a lot on Minnesota's win over St. Louis in week 1, they are a dumpster fire right now.  New England had a rare week 1 loss, kind of like New Orleans, I can't fathom a legitimate Super Bowl contender dropping to 0-2.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Cardinals (1-0) @ Giants (0-1)
This might be my craziest pick of the week.  The Giants looked awful in week 1, Eli Manning only completed about 50% of his passes and threw 2 picks.  No reason to think they can rebound but maybe the home crowd throws some much needed energy their way.
PREDICTION: Giants

Jaguars (0-1) @ Redskins (0-1)
I have to give kudos to the Jags, they took a big lead on Philly and had them on the ropes for most of the game in week 1.  Washington looked bad, RGIII needs to start playing better because if he throws up another stinker against the Jags, trouble will be a brewing.
PREDICTION: Redskins

Rams (0-1) @ Buccaneers (0-1)
Not much to build on with either of these teams after week 1.  St. Louis will continue to struggle with no answer at QB.  Tampa should be better and with this game at home, definitely have to give the edge to them.
PREDICTION: Buccaneers

Seahawks (1-0) @ Chargers (0-1)
Seattle looked like they were ready to successfully defend their Super Bowl championship with the opening nigh demolition of Green Bay.  Things probably wont end well for San Diego here but I guess anything is possible.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Chiefs (0-1) @ Broncos (1-0)
Not a good week for Kansas City to try and get their first win of 2014.  Jamaal Charles was a complete non factor in their week 1 loss.  That can't happen again if they want any chance of beating Denver.
PREDICTION: Broncos

Jets (1-0) @ Packers (0-1)
Yes, the Jets won their opener but it was a very sloppy performance and it was against the lowly Oakland Raiders.  Last week for the Packers was just a minor speed bump in their season, we see the typical Aaron Rodgers this week.
PREDICTION: Packers

Texans (1-0) @ Raiders (0-1)
Tough break for the Texans to not have Clowney for the next month or so, even worse that he blamed his injury on the NRG Stadium turf.  I liked what I saw from Derek Carr in week 1 but it will still be a season's worth of growing pains for him and the Raiders.
PREDICTION: Texans

Bears (0-1) @ 49ers (1-0)
San Francisco opens it's new stadium coming off an impressive win at "Jerry's World" last week.  Chicago might be one of the most disappointing teams from week 1.  Too much emotion in the stands for this nationally televised game for Chicago to overcome.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Eagles (1-0) @ Colts (0-1)
Both teams mounted huge comebacks in their week 1 battles.  One succeeded, and one did not.  Indianapolis is a dark horse pick for a Super Bowl this season, that pick could take a huge hit with an 0-2 start.
PREDICTION: Colts

Week 1 Record: 11-5

Season Record: 11-5

Dont forget to follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks, and happy football watching everybody.

2014 NFL Week 1 Wrap Up

Week 1 of the NFL season is officially over.  There was some great games some mild surprises and an unfortunate story that occurred off the field, that wont go away any time soon.  This post however will be about every thing that happened on the field of play.  So, here are my top 5 and worst 5 performances of Week 1.

TOP 5 BEST OF WEEK 1:

1) Seattle Seahawks - It's hard to include an entire team unless you saw what the Seahawks did on Thursday night.  Seattle looked like they were ready to pick up right where they left off from last season in their domination of Green Bay.

2) Matt Ryan - 448 yards passing 3 TDs - Matty Ice as people like to call him looked fantastic on Sunday.  It probably helped that Jones and White were healthy and if he can look half as good as he did on Sunday, the Falcons will be tough to beat this season.

3) Knowshon Moreno - 134 yards rushing 1 TD - Nice little debut for Moreno with his new club, as he helped the Dolphins provide one of the surprising results of the opening weekend.

4) Calvin Johnson - 7 rec 164 yards 2 TDs - No doubt about it, Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in football.  This stat line seems like a ho-hum performance for him.

5) Derek Anderson - 230 yards passing 2 TDs - Numbers dont necessarily jump out at you but to win a game on the road against a division opponent, as a back up, pretty impressive.

TOP 5 WORST OF WEEK 1:

1) Tony Romo - 3 INTs - Sorry Cowboys fans but Romo looked bad against the 49ers.  Also totally unrelated but what was with all the red in the crowd almost seemed like a niner home game.

2) Ravens WRs - I probably noticed this because i watched the whole game but there were way too many dropped passes, at least 4 by newcomer Steve Smith.  Even with all the drops Flacco still threw for 345 yards.

3) Rams QB Situation - Sam Bradford lost for the season and Shaun Hill injured in week 1.  With those issues the Rams could only muster 6 points at home, going to be a long season in St. Louis.

4) Jamaal Charles - 19  yards rushing, 15 yards receiving - For a guy who is considered one of the top running backs in the league and game with that stat line is completely unacceptable.

5) Eli Manning - 163 yards passing 2 INTs - Since 2004, Manning has thrown at least 2 interceptions in a game 47 times, more than any other QB during that time span.

Week 1 is officially done and now since the NFL has to have a Thursday night game all season.  Week 2 is right around the corner and so are my predictions.  Follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks.

NFL Week 1 Predictions

It's that time again the NFL season is finally here.  And like every other season before that predictions need to be made.  So I'm not going to waste anymore time, here is how I think Week 1 will pan out.

Packers @ Seahawks
The Thursday night game gives a potential NFC Championship game preview.  I have high hopes for both of these teams but tonight is Seattle's night.  I expect a high scoring entertaining game but one that sees the defending champs edge the Packers.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Saints @ Falcons
Unfortunately for Saints fans most of the pre season was spent on whether or not Jimmy Graham is a WR or a TE, and it sort of took away from how good this team really is.  Atlanta looks to have a bounce back season and should with Jones and White both healthy.  However the Saints are the class of this division and should win this game, perhaps by double digits.
PREDICTION: Saints

Bills @ Bears
The Chicago Bears have the potential to be one of the most explosive offenses in all of football.  It will however like it always does rest on the arm of Jay Cutler, which isn't a sure thing.  Not much going on in Buffalo, although if Sammy Watkins can stay healthy, he's my early choice for offensive rookie of the year.
PREDICTION: Bears

Bengals @ Ravens
This might be one of the tougher games to pick for me.  The Ravens new look offense might take a couple weeks to gel, and with no Ray Rice for the first two games no way to predict what they get out of their running game.  The Bengals right now are the better team but they haven't won in Baltimore since 2009.  It pains me to say but I think the Bengals take this in a close one, FG or less.
PREDICTION: Bengals

Browns @ Steelers
I cant help but think that the only thing Browns fans care about is how quickly Johnny Manziel takes over the starting job from Brian Hoyer.  Luckily for the Browns this game is on the road because even the slightest mistakes and the Cleveland faithful would turn quick on Mr Hoyer.
PREDICTION: Steelers

Titans @ Chiefs
It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs can build on their 11-5 mark of a year ago.  They just signed Alex Smith to an extension and Jamaal Charles is a top 5 running back in the NFL.  With having one of the best home field advantages in football on their side, cant say I expect much of a fight from Tennessee.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Raiders @ Jets
Cant imagine even the fans of these two teams want to watch this game.  I guess there is one intriguing aspect, two very young QBs.  Geno Smith beat out Michael Vick for the Jets, and for once Oakland made the right move in going with Derek Carr.  Honestly, whoever the home team was in this game that's who I was going with.
PREDICTION: Jets

Vikings @ Rams
Another game that brings lackluster interest, well at least to me it does.  Shaun Hill will quarterback the Rams after another injury to Sam Bradford.  Matt Cassell on the other side isn't much better but if Adrian Peterson is ready to go it might be a long day for the Rams.
PREDICTION: Vikings

Patriots @ Dolphins
As much as it pains me to say I really don't see anyone in the AFC East, really putting a scare into the New England Patriots.  Rob Gronkowski said he's good to go for the opener, might not be much of a factor in week 1 but it should be enough.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Jaguars @ Eagles
This game has the potential to be the blowout of the week.  The Eagles look to repeat as NFC East champs while Jacksonville just cant seem to get out of its own way.  Why Blake Bortles isn't starting Week 1 is a complete mystery to me.  Good luck with Chad Henne.
PREDICTION: Eagles

Redskins @ Texans
If you are a Redskins fan you are probably going to be holding your breath this entire game.  JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney chasing RGIII all day.  I still like the Redskins in this match up but it wont be easy or pretty.
PREDICTION: Redskins

49ers @ Cowboys
This game should be fun.  The Niners are favorites once again to compete for a Super Bowl.  The Cowboys offense is always fun to watch and with some key pieces missing from the 49ers D, the Cowboys should be able to put some points up.  Unfortunately I don't see them stopping San Francisco too often.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Panthers @ Buccaneers
Cam Newton lost so much of his help this past off season.  I guess there is one good thing that will come out of this, we'll be able to see just how good Newton is.  Tampa will be better and Mike Evans could potentially have a good year.
PREDICTION: Panthers

Colts @ Broncos
The road to redemption starts for the Denver Broncos.  Although they did suffer a blow not having Wes Welker for the first 4 games, Peyton will be Peyton.  The Colts have a really good team but they will struggle in the tough week 1 match up.
PREDICTION: Broncos

Giants @ Lions
Im setting the over/under for interceptions in this game at 10.  Two of the most turnover prone QBs in the league take center stage on Monday night.  If nothing else it should be really entertaining.
PREDICTION: Lions

Chargers @ Cardinals
Week 1 ends with a pretty intriguing game of two teams looking to take the next step.  Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers had bounce back type seasons in 2013.  I feel the Cardinals take this one at home, but it could be a good year for both teams.
PREDICTIONS: Cardinals

Well that's it for my week 1 predictions, you can follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks and Happy Opening Week!!

How far can the 2014 Orioles go?

So August is quickly coming to a close and the baseball pennant races are heating up.  However when you look to the AL East the race is far from close.  As we stand right now (Aug 22) the Baltimore Orioles, yes the Baltimore Orioles have the largest division lead in all of baseball.  Even the most die hard of Orioles followers couldn't have imagined this at the beginning of the 2014 season.  But here we are with about 35-38 games left and that's where we are.  So now the question arises, just how good is this Baltimore Orioles club and is a deep postseason run in their future?

When July 31st came and went ill admit I was a tad disappointed that the Orioles didn't add a big name.  In my opinion the Orioles were maybe one front line starting pitcher away from being a real serious World Series contender.   Instead the birds traded for Andrew Miller, a relief pitcher.  Not necessarily a name that would make you run to the box office and start demanding playoff tickets.  However, Miller has pitched extremely well.  In 8 games with the Orioles he's pitched 7.1 innings and has allowed only 1 earned run equaling a 1.23 ERA.  The two teams that made the biggest splashes at the trade deadline were Oakland and Detroit.  The A's picked up Jon Lester from Boston and Detroit added to their already stellar pitching staff by acquiring David Price from Tampa Bay.  Oh but how baseball can turn on you in a heartbeat.  Both guys have pitched well for their new ball clubs so that's not the issue.  When both teams made those trades they were in first place in their respective divisions.  Now, both teams are trailing and if the season ended today they would face each other in the Wild Card game.  When you look at the Orioles they only led the AL east by a game and a half on July 31st, now its 9.  Sometimes you don't need to add to your team, sometimes the team you have is plenty good enough to get where you need to go.  Some would argue that the AL East is down this season, and maybe that's true.  In a recent stretch against the Angels, Athletics and Mariners, all who were playing great baseball, the O's went 10-6, not too shabby.

So how are the Orioles doing it?  Well for one its not just one guy carrying the load.  It's easy to look at Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones with their numbers and say they are the reason the Orioles are 21 games over .500, and it's tough to argue that.  But so many other guys have contributed in big win.  Caleb Joseph has 8 home runs and set an Orioles record for a catcher by hitting home runs in 5 straight games.  Jonathan Schoop, though the average is disappointing he's homered 12 times and had a huge bases clearing double against the White Sox a few nights ago.  Old reliable Nick Markakis looks to be fully healthy as he has 11 bombs and his hitting his usual .292 at the top of the Orioles lineup.  Steve Pearce, who has had to play a lot his year because of injures, is hitting above .280 with 13 home runs.  JJ Hardy's power numbers are a tad down this season but he has his best batting average since 2008 and is still playing gold glove defense.  Even Chris Davis who cant seem to break .200 still has 21 home runs and 60 RBIs.  When Manny Machado has been on the field he's shown why he should be considered one of baseball's brightest stars.  Everybody who has picked up a bat this season has helped the Orioles win, which take a ton of pressure off the pitching staff.

Speaking of the pitching, as great as the hitting has been its the pitching that have gotten the Orioles to where
they are at right now.  Three Orioles starters have 10 wins or more, and only 1 starter has an ERA above 4 and as of yesterday he's no longer a starter.  The Orioles pitching was one of the biggest questions marks coming into 2014 but they have answered the challenge, especially in the second half.  Since the all star break the Orioles are 21-11 as a team and have posted a 2.93 ERA, nearly a run less than the first half of the season.  Wei-Yin Chen might be having the best season of all of them, he's 13-4 with a 3.76 ERA.  Chris Tillman seems to have rebounded from some struggling starts and has the best ERA among starters.  Kevin Gausman, in his first extended time as a starter as shown the top 10 draft pick promise we were all hoping for.  Then when the starters are done they throw it over to perhaps the best bullpen in baseball.  I mentioned earlier how good Andrew Miller has been since the trade.  Darren O'Day is my sleeper pick for Orioles MVP.  I know its tough to give it to a reliever especially if its not a closer.  However, any time you can have a guy on your staff with a sub 1 ERA, and he pitches in the most critical spots, 7th inning or later.  That is a huge weapon for any team.  Zach Britton has turned into a pretty damn good closer.  He's had some hiccups along the way but 27 out of 30 is awesome for a guy who has never closed in the big leagues.

I hate to use this phrase but barring a major collapse the Baltimore Orioles will not only make the playoffs but be winning their first division title since 1997.  If I would've wrote this blog a month ago my most feared teams would be Oakland and Detroit.  Both of those teams are struggling and might not make it past the Wild Card game.  So, if you're an Orioles fan do you fear anybody in the American League?  Not to sound cocky, but I don't think so.  Look, as I mentioned earlier in this post in the Orioles toughest stretch of the season they went 10-6.  Other than maybe the Tigers (who they are 1-5 against this season), the Orioles have shown they can compete with and beat any team in baseball.  For the Orioles its all about staying consistent.  I don't believe that teams can peak too early, this Orioles squad is a damn good team.  If somehow Chris Davis breaks out of his season long slump (highly unlikely I know), then teams should really watch out.  Injuries play a huge role and so far the Orioles have weathered that storm as well, Wieters is done for the season and Manny Machado is on the DL for the second time this season.  The last thing is this club believes they can win.  That might seem childish but if you truly believe that you can win every game in which you take the field that goes a long way.  Anything less than an appearance in the ALCS would be a huge disappointment for this club, and saying those words make the previous 15 years almost bearable.

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Things I'd do as MLB Commissioner

Well we have a few more days until baseball gets back into the swing of things and we start the postseason push.  I love baseball, it is by far my favorite sport to play and watch, always has and always will be.  That being said the game I love isnt without its problems.  It's probably because of these problems that baseball is not nearly as popular as it once was.  So it got me thinking, how can we make the game better, more watchable, more enjoyable, and what decisions could be made just in general to make baseball better.  Now, ill be the first to admit, im not a genius (just ask my friends), but i think most people who love baseball can agree that Bud Selig has not been the best commissioner the sport has ever had.  Some of my suggestions you might think are great others not so much, just saying these are thing i would change.

1) All Star Game goes back to being just an exhibition

This one might be the simplest but the the one that at least to me makes the most sense.  The fact that home field advantage is being decided at the All Star Game is completely moronic.  This was a panic move made by Bud Selig after the 2002 All Star game ended in a tie.  So of course you cant have a game that means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things end in a tie can you????  There are a couple reasons why the All Star Game shouldn't decide home field advantage.  First, the managers still treat this like an exhibition.  If you are really trying to win a baseball game you don't bring in a different pitcher every inning, you ride the starter as long as you can and only go to the bullpen only when needed.  Also if this game counts, discontinue the rule that every team needs to be represented.  I'm sure Anthony Rizzo (Cubs), Jose Altuve (Astros) or Paul Goldschmidt (D-Backs) really don't care if their league gets home field advantage in the World Series.  Here is a simple solution, the two teams that are in the World Series, the one with the better record gets home field advantage, I know its crazy talk.

2) Going back to a more balanced schedule

Having to play each team in your division 18-19 times can be an unfair situation for some teams.  If a team is playing in a much weaker division they can beat up on all of their division rivals and play mediocre ball against everyone else and still win the division easily.  It can be unfair when you play in a very competitive division as well.  Last year the AL East had 4 of the 5 teams finish above .500, the only division to do that last season.  So obviously playing in the AL East last year was tougher than say the NL West, whose only above .500 team was the division champ LA Dodgers.  My proposal would be going down to 12 games.  You still play enough within your division that the games still mean something but also open it up to potential new rivalries and playing more teams from the other league.

3) Expand Instant Replay

Baseball purists are going to hate me for this one but why have the technology if you are not going to use it to its fullest capacity.  First of all Major League Baseball still has no idea what they are doing with instant replay.  They don't seem to differentiate between challenges by the manager and just a plain review by the umpires.  The fact that some plays aren't review-able is crazy and ill give you an example.  Watching an O's-Red Sox game earlier this season and the Red Sox won the game on a sac fly.  In the heat of the moment it was unsure if Dustin Pedroia left third base too early.  Replay showed he did but he also went back to the bag just to make sure, so it didn't really matter.  However the broadcasters said even if Pedroia did leave early the play is not review-able, that's insane.  Can you imagine if a team clinches a pennant on a sac fly but replay shows he left early but the umps cant review it?  In my opinion, everything except balls and strikes should be review-able.  Some would argue that it would slow down the game even more, I disagree if you plan properly.  If you have a station at every ballpark and they are watching the game and can see every replay angle available, no reason why a quick decision cant be made.

4) Install some kind of pitch clock (like a shot clock in basketball)

People complain that baseball is far too long and honestly its hard to argue that point.  There is no reason why a 2-1 game should take 3 1/2 to 4 hours to complete.  It might take adjusting for the players but basically what I would propose is once the pitcher has the ball he has 10-12 seconds (whatever you want to make it) to throw the ball or you add a ball to the pitch count.  Same goes for the hitter because i know at times the batter is the one who holds up the game.  Now ill admit this so called pitch clock might take some adjusting but again something has to be done about the length of some of these games.

5) Reinstate Pete Rose

This one has nothing to do with the on field play but it might be the most controversial.  Pete Rose is arguably the greatest hitter to ever play the game and for him not to be in the Hall of Fame is a travesty.  Yes, he bet on baseball and yes he lied about it for a very long time, but before we condemn Pete lets look at other guys in sports Hall of Fames.  Ty Cobb, the record Rose broke for most all time hits, was a horrible racist and there are stories of him running into the crowd and getting in fights.  O.J. Simpson is still in the pro football hall of fame.  My point is guys have done a lot worse than betting on baseball and it didnt affect their status among their sports elite.  The sad thing is even if Pete Rose was reinstated, there is no guarantee he'd get in .  The baseball writers are a bunch of bitter old men, some who wont vote for a guy because no one deserves 100%, or they wont vote for someone on their first ballot because in their minds that certain player shouldn't be a first ballot hall of famer.  Bottom line is Pete Rose did this to himself but still being able to vote for him should be an option.

That's all i could think of right now, im sure as the season rolls on I'll think of my situations and things I would change about the sport I love more than any other.  Also, i'll try to update this blog more often, it's been way too long since my last entry.

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15 Years in the Making: My Postseason experience at Camden Yards

The magical season that was the 2012 Baltimore Orioles came to an abrupt and disappointing end on Friday night in the Bronx.  A season that literally came out of nowhere.  A season that most thought would end like any other, with 90-98 losses or even more.  However something was different in Baltimore this season and as the months went by and the momentum built the city of Baltimore become more and more anxious with anticipation that this might be the year.  Not only did the Orioles end the 15 years of losing they also clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1997.  I was 11 years old when the O's were last in postseason and trust me the way the O's were going it didn't seem like they would ever get back.  Once the Orioles announced they were selling playoff tickets I jumped all over the opportunity to be a part of that atmosphere.  Just like all season the Orioles didn't make it easy on themselves and they had to win a 1 game playoff against the 2 time defending AL champs on the road, which they did and it set up a tremendous homecoming.

Starting Lineups for Game 1

So its the morning of Game 1 and of course the night before I couldn't sleep.  The game was scheduled for 6 pm, I woke up at 9 am, 9 hours before first pitch.  This day was the slowest day ever, but finally the time came when we headed to the ballpark.  The minute we entered Oriole Park you could feel the excitement, the fans of Baltimore were ready to unleash 15 years worth of frustration, then the heavens opened up.  It almost seemed like a cruel joke mother nature was playing on Baltimore.  Fifteen years we had to wait and the rain was making us wait more.  Finally after 2 and a half excruciating hours they were ready to play ball.  The wait didn't temper the enthusiasm of the Baltimore crowd, the game could've started at 2 am and the reaction would've been the same.  I would be re missed if I didn't mention the first pitch ceremony.  Perry Hall student Daniel Borowy, the special needs student who was shot on the first day of school, threw out that first pitch not many dry eyes in the house.  Then the towel waving began (they handed them out before the game) and playoff baseball was back.  It was everything I imagined and more, I have been to dozens of games over the years and never have I been part of a crowd that hung on every pitch.  Game 1 in the ALDS was like every other O's-Yanks game, hard fought and down to the wire.  Nate McLouth's go ahead 2 run single in the 3rd sent to crowd into a frenzy.  The Yanks quickly tied it up and it stayed that way for most of the game.  The loudest the crowd got in my opinion was the top of the 7th.  Troy Patton started the inning by walking the first two guys and it looked bleak for the birds.  Darren O'Day came into an impossible situation especially after Jeter's sac bunt.  But O'Day got the next 2 outs without a run scoring that included a strikeout against A-Rod that ended the inning, wow is all I can say about the noise of the crowd.

Here is a link to O'Day's escape in Game 1 http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25357305&c_id=mlb

Game 1 didn't end the way O's fans wanted it to with a 7-2 loss but despite the loss the crowd, the atmosphere and just seeing playoff baseball back in Baltimore was so special, but I had Game 2 on the horizon.

Johnson reacting to the O's Game 2 Win

Game 1 was disappointing which made Game 2 all that more important for the Orioles.  Yet again mother nature did her best to piss off Orioles fans, the delay wasn't nearly as long but enough to irritate us.  Game 2 started and you could feel the sense of urgency in the crowd.  Game 2 nearly followed the same script as Game 1.  The Yankees took a first inning lead after a nifty little move by Ichiro to avoid a Matt Wieters tag.  The Orioles would respond with a 2 run third inning after a Chris Davis single.  The only difference was the Yankees never tied or took the lead back.  However that didn't make the game any less stressful.  You would think after all of the one run games and extra inning wins that id be used to it by now.....nope.  The Yankees threatened in the 6th, 7th and 8th and only mustered one run, so we headed into the 9th with the O's up 3-2.  Usually this is automatic for Baltimore since Jim Johnson had 51 saves, but he got hammered the night before and maybe a little doubt crept in.  It also wouldn't be easy with the top of the Yankees lineup hitting.  Johnson however did what he did all year, shut it down.  It came down to a 3-2 pitch to A-Rod and swing and miss ball game over, the first home playoff win in 15 years and it kind of felt like they won the World Series.  The fireworks started going off, im slapping high fives with random people and yelling at the top of my lungs.  For at least a brief moment all the heartache of 15 years gone and forgotten.  Baseball was back in Baltimore and it felt fantastic.

Chris Davis' 2 Run Single to put the O's up for good http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25364151&c_id=mlb

Jim Johnson gets the Save and tied the ALDS at 1-1 http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25365099&c_id=mlb

Maybe the most enjoyable part of these two games was enjoying it with my family.  Its amazing what affects sports have on you and I saw that first hand in those 2 games.  The city of Baltimore has been aching for a winner and in 2012  they got one.  Will this lead to more winning seasons?  Only time will tell but being excited for next baseball season is a weird and wonderful feeling.  No the Orioles didn't win the World Series and some would argue they should have actually won that series against the Yanks, none of that matters.  The Orioles gave the city of Baltimore a season none of us will soon forget.

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Maryland witnessing a Baseball revival

There are a lot of people who live in the state of Maryland, and among the masses a lot are baseball fans.  To be brunt baseball fans have not had a lot to cheer for in recent years.  Well forget cheering its been down right embarrassing to say you were a fan of either the O's or Nats.  However something has changed in 2012, and for some reason the baseball gods have smiled down on this region.  Unless you have been living under a rock you know that the Orioles and Nationals are playing some of the best baseball all year.  As of now the Orioles are 81-62 tied for first and the Nats have a 8 1/2 game lead in the NL East with a 89-54 mark.  I don't know how long it will last or if even both teams will even make the playoffs but damn this has been a fun ride.

Since the Nats moved from Montreal you could say that they have been mediocre at best (81-81 being best record until this year).  Then in back to back drafts they were lucky enough to land Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, both being huge parts of their success this season.  They traded for Gio Gonzalez in the off season, signed free agent Edwin Jackson and there was a buzz about this team.  Not many thought they would be this good but playoffs was not out of the question.  At times the Nats hitting has struggled, however when nobody in your starting rotation has an ERA above 4, you don't need to score a lot.  Other than maybe the Reds no other team has played better and more consistent than the Nationals.  The Nats caught fire early starting 14-4 and have never really looked back.  It's unfortunate that for the majority of this season the "Strasburg Shutdown" has been the main topic of conversation when it comes to the Nats.  I look at it this way, Strasburg pitches once every five days and even though he is a great pitcher, baseball is not a one man game and Strasburg is not the only reason the Nats are in first place.  That being said if the Nats fall short in the post season the shutdown will be questioned for a long time.

One of my favorite Orioles Moments

Now for the Orioles, just like everybody else I really don't know how they are playing as well as they are.  In a game where stats are more important than any other sport, the stats tell you the Orioles should really be in last place.  They have a negative run differential, which I hate talking about but its true, 16th in runs, 21st in batting average, and 18th in team ERA, and they are 19 over .500.....huh??  Now I know those numbers aren't great but the O's do have some impressive stats.  They are 27-7 in one run games which is the best in MLB history, and they have won 13 straight extra inning games.  Not to mention a bullpen that ranks top 3 in ERA in the American League.  The best way to describe the Orioles in 2012 is the song Orioles Magic.  "Every day there's a different star, that's the magic of Orioles baseball".  Its true, just look at the recent 3 game series against Tampa.  Game 1, JJ Hardy had 4 hits and 5 RBIs, Game 2 Nate McClouth game winning hit in the 9th, Game 3 Manny Machado game winning hit in the 14th.  This truly is a team that believes it can win every single game and through 5 1/2 months who's to argue with them.

The best thing about these teams playing well is the fans coming back to the ballparks.  Both for numerous reasons have struggled drawing fans over the past few seasons, with neither cracking the 2 million fan mark.  The last time the Nats had over 2 million was 2008 (first year of Nats Park), for the O's 2007 was their last time over 2 million.  In fact the O's and Nats have only drawn over 2 million in the same season twice, 2005 and 2006, well 2012 might be that year as well.  As of now (Sept 14) the Nats have already hit the 2 million mark with 2,078,208.  The Orioles have some work to do, right now its at 1,893,421 with 7 home games left.  Is it doable, i think so as long as they average 15,200 fans a game they will hit 2 million, and with Boston coming to Baltimore and Brooks Robinson statue being handed out, it should happen.  Bottom line its nice to see excitement for baseball in Maryland.

In a region that is mostly dominated by football with the Ravens and Redskins, baseball is making a strong push, of course this hinges on the O's and Nats playing well consistently and not being one year wonders.  You know what would really help, a battle of the beltways World Series.  What?? it could happen, and just remember when it does you heard it here first.

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No More Excuses, O's Fans need to fill Camden Yards

Fourteen years, that's how long its been since the Baltimore Orioles last had a winning season. Its a very long time, I was 11 years old in 1997, I'm 26 now. So obviously all the years of losing and a very good football team right across the street attendance numbers are sure to take a hit. The one constant I always heard however is that as soon as they start winning again the fans will come back. Well, as I write this its August 21st and the Orioles are 10 games over .500 and own the second wild card spot. Yet during the last home stand their biggest crowd was 25,000 plus, well actually the paid attendance for Eddie Murray's statue game was 40,000 but a three hour rain delay chased people away. So Baltimore your O's are winning where are you?

So lets get into to the excuses a lot of Orioles fans make.  Maybe the most popular is its too much money.  Now look the last thing I'm going to do is judge people on what they decide to do with their hard earned money and if you don't want to go that's fine but don't tell me its too expensive.  The most expensive single game ticket is $65 and that's right behind home plate.  A little steep yes but you don't have to sit behind home.  A favorite spot of mine is the Center field seats, where the O's have the "2110 Eutaw Street" promotion.  Tickets out there are $15.  Now the one thing ill agree with most O's fans are the extra charges for tickets.  For instance if you buy a ticket the day of the game its usually 4-6 dollars more than if you bought it a few days earlier, it might stop people from deciding a few hours before to go to the game.  The second charge is for prime games (Red Sox and Yankees), however this happens at pretty much every ballpark so if you want to see the better teams you will have to pay.  Still there are plenty of promotions and deals that should help you save a buck if you want to go to the ballpark.

Another popular complaint is the price of food and drinks at the game.  Ill be the first to admit I think beer and food are way too expensive but nothing says you have to buy refreshments at the game.  Oriole park may be the only ballpark that at least I know of that allows you to bring food and drinks into the ballpark.  Of course there are restrictions but at least the give you the option.  Another way to avoid the high prices at the game is real simple eat before you go.  There are plenty of restaurants either in the Baltimore area or from where you are coming to eat at and save some money.

This is the only thing that I wont meet the Orioles fans half way on, not going to O's games because of who they are playing.  Maybe 3 or 4 years ago, OK I get it but this year who cares who the Orioles are playing, you should be going to watch the Orioles, especially now.  Adam Jones is having a career year, Manny Machado making his debut, Matt Wieters, JJ Hardy and the way this pitching staff is performing.  There I gave you plenty of reasons to watch your own team, it shouldn't matter if the Rays or Royals or the Yankees are in the other dugout.  In fact when they play lesser teams you should want to go more, better chance of seeing an Oriole victory.

One last thing I'll comment on is the ownership of the team.  Now I work at a Baltimore radio station and have heard several fans say that as long as Peter Angelos is the owner they wont support the O's.  Now I understand that the radio audience is a small portion of the entire Baltimore area but I tend to think a lot of people think that way.  Angelos does not have a great track record as the O's owner but an owner alone shouldn't keep you away.  Look right down the street, Dan Snyder might be the most hated owner in sports but Redskins fans still support the team.  I know football and baseball are completely different but supporting your team is universal.  Why would you deprive yourself of maybe witnessing something special because of your hate for a man I'm sure most of you have never met?  Don't punish Jones, Wieters, Hardy, Markakis, Machado and others over something so silly.

It has been a long time since the O's won and maybe that's a large part of it.  I understand it I just don't like it too much.  The Orioles are averaging a little over 25,000 a game, which is actually about 4,000 above last years average and that's definitely something to be proud of.  I guess just a large part of me aches for the day that a ticket to Oriole park is actually hard to get.  I want 40,000 to be the rule more than the exception.  I will also practice what I preach when the O's come back home I plan on going to a handful of games on that home stand.  I just don't want to miss a moment of what might turn out to be a special season, hopefully the rest of Baltimore feels the same way and soon.

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