Emergence of the Tampa Bay Rays, Closing of Yankee Stadium, Mets Collapse and More!

A few Random Thoughts from this season:

1. Joe Torre is a Great Manager.

• All I heard last year from the New York Yankees is it time for Joe Torre to go. For 13 straight seasons Torre was a key piece of the Yankees making the playoffs every year. A year after Torre left New York for the LA Dodgers, he continued his streak and made the playoffs for the 14th year in a row while the Yankees missed the playoffs in their first season post Joe Torre. Granted Torre greatly benefit from the economical resources the Yankees have but at the same time there could be something said for a manager who continues to make the playoffs year after year.

2. AROD is the real curse.

• I’m beginning to think that Alex Rodriguez is a baseball curse. He may well go down as arguably the most talented baseball player ever, but one thing is certain up to this point in his career. Any team he plays for doesn’t win. For example, let’s look at his Yankee career. AROD has been a New York Yankee since 2004 and to be frank, the team has got worse every single year. ARODs first year as a Yankee saw the Boston RedSox come back from a 3-0 lead in the playoffs and completely reverse the curse and they have not looked back since while on the other hand the Yankees have not got past the first round of the playoffs.

3. The Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay.

• While their luck ran out in the World Series, I think it’s safe to say that the Tampa Bay Rays are not going away anytime soon. The Rays are one of the youngest teams in baseball and have one of the best pitching staffs in the game. Everyone in baseball kept expecting them to fade away at some point throughout the season and they never did. The Rays have served notice to the New York Yankees and the Boston Redsox that the NL East is not a two team race anymore.

4. Heart and Hustle > Talent

• As a New York Mets fan, this comment hurts but its the truth. Heart and Hustle Trump Talent any day of the week. I think if you stack the Philadephia Phillies vs the New York Mets roster, pound for pound the Mets have a much more talented roster but there are two reasons why the Phillies are baseball champions and the Mets choked for the second straight year: 1) Heart and 2) Hustle. Two qualities the Phillies are full of and the Mets have absolutely none. In 2009 the Mets need to focus more on being a team with a killer instinct and less about creating new handshakes and dances.

5. Fan Cost Index

• Dispite the country in an economic recession, the cost to go to a baseball game will continue to climb. According to Team Marketing Research, if some average guy out there wants to take his family of four to a game it would have cost him about $112 in 2008. And that is just for four tickets (upper deck) and parking. That’s not factoring in food, drinks and beer. Your looking at $200 easily to enjoy a saturday afternoon at the ball park with your family. While I go to my fair share of games every year I have to wonder if the prices will level off sooner or later. I mean things are going to get to a point where people are going to have to start decide, do I go to a few games this year or take my family on vacation, no?

 VS

So here we are for the 2008 Baseball World Series, Phillies vs Rays. My post season predictions were totally wrong. I stink but I got a good feeling about this one. I am picking the Rays to win in 6 and here are five reasons why:

1. Home Field Advantage: Thanks to the All-Star Game, Tampa Bay has home field advantage and the Rays were an MLB best 57-24 at home during the regular season and 4-2 in the playoffs.
2. Rust Factor: The Phillies have been sitting at home for a week now with nothing to do. We saw what happened to the Colorado Rockies last year when they had a lot of time off. I think the Rays will jump out to an early 1 or 2 game lead and by the time the Phillies shake off the rust it will be too late.
3. Fearless: I think we have seen all season long that this young Tampa Bay team is not afraid of anything and time and time again they continue to fight back. They won the tough AL East, beat the battle tested Whitesox’s and Redsox’s in the playoffs. I don’t see why they can’t finish it off and beat the Phillies too.
4. Game Management: I think at some point in this series Charlie Manuel will either make a critical mistake or just flat out get out managed by Joe Maddon. This is always a concern of Phillies fans and at some point Manuel will cost them.
5. X-Factor: As he did in the ALCS, I think David Price will play an important role for the Rays. If there was one question mark going into the play-offs about this team it was late inning pitching. Price has shown he can come into a game and be that stopper the Rays so desperately need.

World Series MVP: B.J. Upton

AMERICAN LEAGUE ALDS:

Chicago Whitesox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

• Rays in 4. The Rays starting pitching will be key here.

Boston Redsox vs. LA Angels

• I like the Angels in 5. I think the Redsox’s will hang tougher then most people expect but I think this is the Angels year and I just love how they play the game.

AMERICAN LEAGUE ALCS:

Tampa Bay Rays vs. LA Angels

• The Rays have had a great year but in the ALCS they will get a stern smacking from the Angels. Look for the Angels to win in 5.

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadephia Phillies

• Phillies in 4. Last year the Phillies ran into a hot Rockies team and were swept in the first round. This year I think their starting pitching and bullpen will be too much for the young Brewers. Sabathia will probably only get one start in this series and that will be the only game the Brewers win.

LA Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

• Dodgers in 5. Cubs fans will have to continue to suffer. I think the Cubs have too many question marks in their starting pitching. We don’t know what they will get from Zambrano or Harden. I think Manny will have an excellent playoff run and carry the Dodgers.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NLCS:

Philadephia Phillies vs. LA Dodgers

• I like the Dodgers in 6. Manny puts the team on his back and Joe Torre will out coach Charlie Manuel.

WORLD SERIES:

LA Dodgers vs. LA Angels

• It’s a California affair and the Angels will win in 6. The Angels have been the best team in baseball all year long. They do it with starting pitching, bullpen, speed and power. I pick the Angels at the beginning of the season and I’m sticking with them until the end.