The New York Yankees will not win the World Series in 2009. They have the management. They have the coaching. They have the talent. What they don't have right now, is competition. A few weeks ago it was obvious that the Yankees could put on the afterburners and just coast into October. That seems to be just what they're doing. The Yankees are just walking into the postseason right now, and they will not win the World Series.
Sunday night I watched as Johnny Damon caught a fly ball in the outfield. He then proceeded to turn and throw the ball into the stands. This would have been completely acceptable if there had been three outs in the inning and it would not have allowed one of the Orioles runners to score from second base. Normally I would not think much of this. Damon has done this before, it's just a mental mistake that is part of his game. But there are a plethora of many things the Yankees are doing that are causing me to question their playoff spirit.
The next night Melky Cabrera cost the Yankees a run when he ran into Angels third baseman, Chone Figgins. Big bats got the Yankees through the game and eventually got them the win but the mental mistakes are beginning to add up, and this is not the time for that to happen.
The brawl from last night just about sums it up. If you're Jorge Posada you have to expect that you are going to get thrown at in that situation. Two of the Blue Jays players had just been hit, and the Blue Jays have nothing to lose. The Yankees on the other hand have everything to lose. An injury could have occurred in that brawl, your manager got punched in the face, and not to mention your starting catcher is going to be suspended. To me, having anything throw you off in the final two weeks of the regular season doesn't seem like a good thing.
The Red Sox (the team the Yankees will more than likely play in the first round) seem to have everything going for them, and the timing could not be better. With the strong outing from Daisuke Matzuzaka last night, and the incredible hot streak they have been on, matched up with the extreme pressure the Rangers are placing on them in the Wild Card Race, i have no doubt that the Red Sox will be geared up and ready to go for the Yankees in the American League Division Series.
The New York Yankees will not win the World Series.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Make or Break
Its every college football teams dream to complete and undefeated season and win a BCS National Championship. For some of those teams that undefeated dream has come to an end already but as we have seen in the past you can make the national championship. So in light of the Oklahoma debacle this past weekend i have come up with each Top 25 team's possible make or break game this season.
1. Florida Gators vs (18) Florida State Seminoles November 28
I was disappointed to discover that the Gators wont get their shot at revenge against the Ole Miss Rebels (not that i thought they would pull that off anyway) this season. I see Florida rolling through weakened LSU and Miami teams until the last week of the season when they match up in the in-state rivalry with Florida State.
2. Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears November 14
Yeah Baylor has never finished higher than 10th in the Big 12. Yeah when you think of Baylor you don't even think of sports much less football. But it seems like year after year for some reason the Longhorns seem to struggle against the Bears, especially now that the Bears actually have some talent and the game is in Waco. I see the Horns beating a weakened OU squad and a very tough Oklahoma State team, so if they can get past Baylor they may walk into the National Championship.
3. Oklahoma Sooners vs Tulsa Golden Hurricanes September 19
Since the Sooners have already taken a big loss to BYU they can ill afford another one. If they are fortunate enough to get healthy and beat the Horns and the Cowboys of OSU, the other game that could be trouble is Tulsa. The in-state rivalry has gotten pretty exciting over the past few years with the Hurricanes throwing the football all over the place.
4. USC Trojans vs Oregon State Beavers October 24
Lets face it, the Trojans are going to get everyones' best effort week in, and week out, but they manage to pull off most of those games. The last few years have been a little different when they have played the Beavers. JaQuizz Rodgers has the Trojans number and looks to give them a call this coming season.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers November 27
First of all this game is in Auburn. Second of all Auburn has dominated this rivalry over the past few years. Auburn doesn't have quite the team they've had in the past but Alabama has a Quarterback who has never started a game in the rivalry.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines November 27
The Ohio State Buckeyes have dominated this rivalry in the last 5 years including last years defeat which was the largest deficit since the 60's. That string has to end sometime though and the Wolverines have vastly improved with the addition of Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. They will still be tough to beat behind Terrelle Pryor but look for this game to be a lot closer.
7. Virginia Tech Hokies vs (21) North Carolina Tar Heels October 29
The Hokies like the Sooners have already suffered a loss this year. They have a pretty tough road to the National Championship now but it eventually will lead through UNC. A vastly improved team under Butch Davis, the Tar Heels have posted Top 15 recruiting classes each of the last two years.
8. Ole Miss Rebels vs Tennessee Volunteers November 14
Without playing Florida I really could not find a game where I thought Mississippi had a chance to lose this season. They play LSU but I just couldn't see the Tigers pulling that one off. So i went with a flat out hunch and picked Lane Kiffin to lead a tough UT team to victory.
9. Penn State Nittany Lions vs (6) Ohio State Buckeyes November 7
Barring a Penn State slip up and a Buckeye loss to USC next week, these two team should be undefeated coming into this ballgame. Penn State is a very solid football team but Terrelle Pryor is out for revenge after taking a tough loss last year in a defensive heavy football game.
10. Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Missouri Tigers October 17
This to me is just like Ole Miss but a lot more ifs. If OSU can get past (2) Texas and (3) Oklahoma then the game that could keep them from an Undefeated season would be the Missouri game. Once again just on a hunch.
11. LSU Tigers vs Vanderbilt Commodores September 12
12. California Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins October 17
13. Georgia Bulldogs at (15) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets November 28
14. Boise State Broncos vs Nevada Wolfpack November 27
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs Wake Forrest Demon Deacons November 7
16. Oregon Ducks vs (19) Utah Utes September 19
17. TCU Horned Frogs vs (20) BYU Cougars October 24
18. Florida State Seminoles vs Miami Hurricanes September 7
19. Utah Utes at (20) BYU Cougars November 28
20. BYU Cougars vs (19) Utah Utes November 28
21. North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Miami Hurricanes November 14
22. Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa State Cyclones September 12
23. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Michigan State Spartans September 19
24. Nebraska Cornhuskers at Missouri Tigers Oct 8
25. Kansas Jayhawks at Colorado Buffaloes October 17
1. Florida Gators vs (18) Florida State Seminoles November 28
I was disappointed to discover that the Gators wont get their shot at revenge against the Ole Miss Rebels (not that i thought they would pull that off anyway) this season. I see Florida rolling through weakened LSU and Miami teams until the last week of the season when they match up in the in-state rivalry with Florida State.
2. Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears November 14
Yeah Baylor has never finished higher than 10th in the Big 12. Yeah when you think of Baylor you don't even think of sports much less football. But it seems like year after year for some reason the Longhorns seem to struggle against the Bears, especially now that the Bears actually have some talent and the game is in Waco. I see the Horns beating a weakened OU squad and a very tough Oklahoma State team, so if they can get past Baylor they may walk into the National Championship.
3. Oklahoma Sooners vs Tulsa Golden Hurricanes September 19
Since the Sooners have already taken a big loss to BYU they can ill afford another one. If they are fortunate enough to get healthy and beat the Horns and the Cowboys of OSU, the other game that could be trouble is Tulsa. The in-state rivalry has gotten pretty exciting over the past few years with the Hurricanes throwing the football all over the place.
4. USC Trojans vs Oregon State Beavers October 24
Lets face it, the Trojans are going to get everyones' best effort week in, and week out, but they manage to pull off most of those games. The last few years have been a little different when they have played the Beavers. JaQuizz Rodgers has the Trojans number and looks to give them a call this coming season.
5. Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers November 27
First of all this game is in Auburn. Second of all Auburn has dominated this rivalry over the past few years. Auburn doesn't have quite the team they've had in the past but Alabama has a Quarterback who has never started a game in the rivalry.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines November 27
The Ohio State Buckeyes have dominated this rivalry in the last 5 years including last years defeat which was the largest deficit since the 60's. That string has to end sometime though and the Wolverines have vastly improved with the addition of Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. They will still be tough to beat behind Terrelle Pryor but look for this game to be a lot closer.
7. Virginia Tech Hokies vs (21) North Carolina Tar Heels October 29
The Hokies like the Sooners have already suffered a loss this year. They have a pretty tough road to the National Championship now but it eventually will lead through UNC. A vastly improved team under Butch Davis, the Tar Heels have posted Top 15 recruiting classes each of the last two years.
8. Ole Miss Rebels vs Tennessee Volunteers November 14
Without playing Florida I really could not find a game where I thought Mississippi had a chance to lose this season. They play LSU but I just couldn't see the Tigers pulling that one off. So i went with a flat out hunch and picked Lane Kiffin to lead a tough UT team to victory.
9. Penn State Nittany Lions vs (6) Ohio State Buckeyes November 7
Barring a Penn State slip up and a Buckeye loss to USC next week, these two team should be undefeated coming into this ballgame. Penn State is a very solid football team but Terrelle Pryor is out for revenge after taking a tough loss last year in a defensive heavy football game.
10. Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Missouri Tigers October 17
This to me is just like Ole Miss but a lot more ifs. If OSU can get past (2) Texas and (3) Oklahoma then the game that could keep them from an Undefeated season would be the Missouri game. Once again just on a hunch.
11. LSU Tigers vs Vanderbilt Commodores September 12
12. California Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins October 17
13. Georgia Bulldogs at (15) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets November 28
14. Boise State Broncos vs Nevada Wolfpack November 27
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs Wake Forrest Demon Deacons November 7
16. Oregon Ducks vs (19) Utah Utes September 19
17. TCU Horned Frogs vs (20) BYU Cougars October 24
18. Florida State Seminoles vs Miami Hurricanes September 7
19. Utah Utes at (20) BYU Cougars November 28
20. BYU Cougars vs (19) Utah Utes November 28
21. North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Miami Hurricanes November 14
22. Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa State Cyclones September 12
23. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Michigan State Spartans September 19
24. Nebraska Cornhuskers at Missouri Tigers Oct 8
25. Kansas Jayhawks at Colorado Buffaloes October 17
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