|
| Standings
American League East
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox*
Toronto Blue Jays
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
American League Central
Cleveland Indians
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox
Kansas City Royals
American League West
Anaheim Angels
Texas Rangers
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
National League East
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
Washington Nationals
National League Central
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinatti Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
National League West
San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Dodgers*
Arizona Diamondbacks
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Postseason
ALDS
Anaheim Angels def. New York Yankees
Cleveland Indians def. Boston Red Sox
NLDS
New York Mets def. Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres def. Chicago Cubs
ALCS
Cleveland Indians def. Anaheim Angels
NLCS
New York Mets def. San Diego Padres
World Series
Cleveland Indians def. New York Mets
Awards
American League MVP
Alex Rodriguez - New York Yankees
National League MVP
Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals
American League Cy Young
Johan Santana - Minnesota Twins
National League Cy Young
Ben Sheets - Milwaukee Brewers
American League Rolaids Relief
Francisco Rodriguez - Anaheim Angels
National League Rolaids Relief
Trevor Hoffman - San Diego Padres
American League Rookie Of The Year
Daisuke Matsuzaka - Boston Red Sox
National League Rookie Of The Year
Steven Drew - Arizona Diamondbacks
Random Predictions:
- Alex Rodriguez will have a basic .300, 40+ HR, 20 SB season, edging out Travis Hafner and David Ortiz for the MVP. (As they would have similar seasons and they are both DHs.) With Cleveland winning the division, Hafner will no longer be underrated and unrecognized.
- Texas Con-man returns to Astros in June again.
- The NL Central will have four 80 + win teams, making the NL Central race interesting but mediocre to the end.
- A similar situation will occur in the NL West, but the D'Backs and Giants will tank closer to the end.
- The AL East will become the best division in baseball once again, as the Blue Jays are truly a competitive team.
- The AL Central will weaken as Cuddyer and Morneau do not repeat their performances for the Twins, the Tigers fall back a bit naturally, and the White Sox having their roster depleted over the off-season. However, Cleveland could really underperform like last year when I picked them to win the world series.
- J.D. Drew plays a "full-season" of 140 games.
- Papelbon's ERA TRIPLES!!!
- Gil Meche has an ERA between 4.5 and 5.0, is considered "not that bad" because we expect nothing from pitchers nowerdays.
- Cliff Lee or Jake Westbrook step up, Sowers becomes more mediocre. Cleveland survives having a revolving door at closer. (Borowski's 86 mph heat won't last)
- Robinson Cano hits .330 with 20 HR and is still unrecognized.
- Most of these predictions will be wrong but are fun anyway. | | |
| Updated with song links in case you never heard the real songs.
Government Lies (11/18/06)
sung to the tune of Warrant's Cherry Pie:
http://www.warrantweb.net/waxfiles/listen.asp?song=cherrypie
...aaaaaaAHHHHHHHH!!!!
Alex Jones built this city.
*killer guitar riff
The government always lies
same bullshit it's no surprise
tastes so bad makes a grown man cry
The government always lies
SPIN IT!!!
*sweet guitar riff
SPIN IT!!!
Spinnin' about oil and
Spinnin' about wars
Spinnin' about conspiracies
Because there's nobody’s informed
Spinnin' from the left
Spinnin' from the right
People will think about baseball
They'll spin it all night, yeah.
Whoever killed Kennedy
Did we land on the moon?
Who blew the Twin Towers
Illegals from Cancun
Now here comes Alex who's six foot four
he says "not gonna lie to the people no more"
THE GOVERNMENT always LIES
SAME BULLSHIT, IT'S NO SURPRISE!
tastes so bad makes a grown man cry
THE GOVERNMENT always LIES!
THE GOVERNMENT always LIES
PUTS A FROWN ON YOUR FACE THAT'S TEN MILES WIDE
looks so bad brings a tear to your eye
THE GOVERNMENT always LIES!
THE GOVERNMENT always LIES! THE GOVERNMENT ALWAYS LIIIII-EES!!!
*sweet guitar riff
SPIN IT!
Miami 2008 (11/11/06)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bf-P_1fUYbA
When the lights, went out in Austin
What a horrible day that was
No one could listen to the radio
No more Alex Jones
A lot more people saying “Homes”
When the lights, went out in Austin
It was the day that freedom DIED!
New World Order took the power down
That’s when the lights went out
Then the Police State would start to goooooo
Ooo-ooo-oo-eo
OOO-ooo-e-oeo
When the lights, went out in Austin
People surrendered without a fight!
They went to Wal-mart to buy more batteries
To put in their remote controls
Bunch of illegals from Mexico
They got the carrier out from Houston!
But it had nowhere to go!!!
They said Fort Worth could stay
They blew, Dallas away
And sank Corpus Cristi out to seaaaa
OOO-ooo-oo-oeo
OOO-OOO-e-oeo
When the lights, went out in Austin
That’s when half of us went to Boston
But now some of us are here in Florida
So god damn humid down here
We could have lived up North
Most of still remember the day
When things were no longer okay
When they took the power down
That’s when the lights went out!!!
Gotta keep Jones’ memory, aLIIIIIVE.
Alex
Jones (sung to "Meaning of Life" by the Offspring)http://youtube.com/watch?v=ltiDjgz-bNA
Life's a
waste, the end is coming -you
must make
haste, Bush is kind of crummy
got poor
taste, that Condi loving
that queer
baiting, man that we don't want
Does it
count? It is all the same
when it's
down. Oh what a shame those
White
Clowns. Satanist Mulloch loving
E-U men,
plotting to rule the world
- Oh make
it end! Let's get revenge!
- Walk
the walk, and listen to Alex Jones
- He'll
make it end! Jones' a Godsend!
- You
waited for him all your life
- Oh make
it end! Let's get revenge!
- It
is time to listen to Alex Jones
- But
here's what you'd really say...
- Thanks
but no thanks!
-----
A-Jones
song: (sung to "closing time")
http://youtube.com/watch?v=idyyGsNTqfI
Prison
time,
Time to put your hands up,
Your New World Order handlers are here.
Prison time,
We would like to leave but,
We have to stay here...
I don't know,
gotta listen to Alex Jones,
I don't know,
learn from Alex Jones,
I don't know,
there is no one who can teach us but,
Al-Ex Jones!
Alex
Jones (sung to the tune of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams/I walk alone")
Life is a lonely street
With lies from the illuminati
But I say what can I do
But there's someone I should listen to
***music***nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah
So I put the radio on
And log onto prisonplanet.com
Then I pick up the phone
I call Alex Jones, he's Alex Jones
*music
he's Alex Jones, he's Alex Jones
*music
he's Alex Jones, he's AL-EX
-chorus-
Al-ex Jones, is the man who walks beside me
Al-ex Jones, protects me from the illuminati
Al-ex Jones, maintains our rights that are known
His name is: ALEX JONES!!!
Alex Jones (sung to the
tune of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams/I walk alone") http://youtube.com/watch?v=RuP6MV-5las
Life is a lonely street
With lies from the illuminati
But I say what can I do
But there's someone I should listen to
***music***nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah
So I put the radio on
And log onto prisonplanet.com
Then I pick up the phone
I call Alex Jones, he's Alex Jones
*music
he's Alex Jones, he's Alex Jones
*music
he's Alex Jones, he's AL-EX
-chorus-
Al-ex Jones, is the man who walks beside me
Al-ex Jones, protects me from the illuminati
Al-ex Jones, maintains our rights that are known
His name is: ALEX JONES!!!
---
Alex Jones (sung to the tune of 18 and Life by Skid Row)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mMP7q-aPfGg
When Alex was a young boy
He had a heart of gold
But then he found out that, everything wasn't what what he known!
So Alex Jones grows up and-
Liberals say the war is about gasoline
So Alex keeps his motor running, becuase everything isn't what it seems to be!
BANG BANG! No more guns
THEY will take them away
But the public is so subdued that
The police will take, we say "okay!"
chorus:
Alex, our lives are callin'
We need Alex Jones!
We trusted our government and-
Alex, our lives will go!
Alex, our lives are callin'
We need Alex Jones!
We trusted our government and-
Alex, our lives will go!
> Alex Jones (sung to tune "Just Like You):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UnflYDsL1OI
> He wants you to see,
> He stops conspircies,
> his name is Alex Jones.
>
> You better not run,
> the fight isn't done,
> you must follow Alex Jones.
>
> We've gotta stop the illuminati,
> they are only in your way,
> we can only do that with alex jones.
>
> With their sacrifices to Molloch,
> they can only make you sick,
> let's expose them with alex jones.
>
> He needs you...he can't defeat them without you
> The illuminati hates you...alex can't stop them alone if he wanted
> to.
>
> Do the research and read,
> stop the global conspiracy,
> by listening to Alex Jones. | | |
| The 2006 Postseason was many things. It was dramatic, with upsets in both leagues. The 'unbeatable' Twins including the immortal Johan Santana were swept by the Oakland Athletics, who would be swept themselves in the next round and promptly fire their manager for no apparent reason. (Beane's smart, though NOW I'll give him credit for that Mulder trade. He was damaged goods.) The New York Yankees, who were as balanced as ever since 2002 suffered the same fate as 2002; being upset by a good team they were supposed to sweep. In the National League, the 83 win St. Louis Cardinals beat the favored San Diego Padres in 4 while the pitcherless Mets went on to topple the well-balanced Dodgers. So, things seem good. While the ALCS was a one-sided sweep, the NLCS was a seven game epic including a large market team (the Mets) and a well known middle-market team. (The Cardinals). So, the Cardinals, who have upset two teams (maybe three soon) and the Cinderella story Detroit Tigers face off in the World Series. Seems like ingredients for a great World Series. I mean, it proves that there is parity in baseball. Every season since 2000 there has been a different World Series Champion. No other sport can say the same. Also, while the Tigers and Cardinals aren't exactly poor small market teams they also proved that they didn't have to be 150 million dollar powerhouses (like the mortified NY teams) to make it to the World Series. So, is this the most hyped EPIC World Series ever?
No, no one really gives a shit. They are too busy waiting for new episodes of House or for that new Standoff show to be canned.
So, why does no one give a shit about the World Series? I'll go through a few reasons though you'll find out there's one OBVIOUS one.
Small Markets
What? Detroit and St. Louis are in the World Series? Where the hell are those places? Who the hell plays for them? Now I am going to go through why this is a bunch of bunk. (Mostly for St. Louis.) 1. The Cardinals are well known, people have seen them consistently on TV for years now. Also, the Cardinals have been major factors in the last three post-seasons. So it isn't like a casual fan didn't get the opportunity to see these guys and find out what they are all about. Also, the Cardinals have been in 2 out of the last 3 World Series. So, how about the players? Not like the Cardinals have Superstars!!! Other than the face of Major League Baseball, Albert Pujols. Then there's the reigning Cy Young award winner Chris Carpenter. Then there are those Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds guys. People know the Cardinals well (maybe not the new-look bullpen) so it isn't like the Cardinals are an unknown and unpopular team. So, how about the Tigers?
Fox
One could blame Fox for a variety of reasons. Everything from the late start times (to accomodate everyone on the West Coast that doesn't give a shit about baseball), the annoying pregame show, dancing robots/stupid bits and animations (which they have actually cut out in 2006), obnoxious in-game advertising (much less now), and of course the fact that Fox exposes namely two teams. The Yankees and the Red Sox. If it isn't the Yankees and the Red Sox, it is not important. Simply, if the network makes it this way will the fans be this way as well? Well, for starters, since the 2004 ALCS every other postseason match-up has been "Yawn" and "not important". So, does all of America really love this overhyped, finished, and washed up rivalry or is there something else at the root at this problem? Some one wisely brought up on Motown Tigers.com that no one cares about this World Series because Fox (and ESPN) did little to make people care about Detroit. This is true to an extent. How are people supposed to root for Curtis Granderson, Brandon Inge, Joel Zumaya, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Guillen if they don't even know they exist? The only marquee players for the Tigers are Magglio Ordonez (who never achieved Superstar status) and Ivan Rodriguez who seemed to fade into anonymity. (As evidenced by Jason Varitek out of all people getting a gold glove last year.) So, people don't care or root for these guys because they don't know them. That's a valid argument.
Parity
Football is soooooo much better than baseball because of that parity stuff. I mean, it's so fair that the Patriots win the Superbowl every year or that the Cardinals, Texans, Bills, and Lions will never stop sucking no matter what. I mean, Hank Williams gets the blood into my balls by saying ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? It isn't the salary caps or 'parity' of Football making it so popular, its the "I only going to give you the goods once a week" and gambling that make it so popular. Pretty much it's like being married in Vegas, and people eat it up. Football is accessible to the people, they simply aren't working when the games are on unlike baseball. Because of this, every single football game (definately the Superbowl) is an event despite not knowing a single player on a team sometimes. So, how about the parity? I mean, the Bears and Bengals magically stopped sucking, the Giants and Jets suck one year and make the playoffs on the next... So, does parity really have anything to do with it? Look at baseball, parity galore. So many different teams make the playoffs we're like "That team sucks, I don't care about that matchup." Pretty much, if you aren't the Yankees, you suck and you're some anonymous team. Different teams make the world series, championship series, and division series each year. To many people, these would be fair and good. In reality, people really don't get to know the teams well. Simply, people want baseball to be fair and have a salary cap yet they are steamed that teams they don't care about. After the 2003 and 2004 postseasons, if a big market embarrassment like the Red Sox or Cubs doesn't make the World Series, no one will care regardless. So, why don't people care?
The Wildcard
The "savior" of baseball. (Not as if that was STEROIDS). I mean, any one can be in it! It's the Wild Card! If the Pirates can get to .500 they have a shot! The wild card is good for the sport in my opinion. I mean, they are a ton of teams and with the wild card all the best teams typically make the playoffs. However, this does not bode well for the World Series. Before the Wild Card, the World Series was extremely important despite the matchups. I mean, a Braves-Twins (1991), Blue Jays-Phillies (1993), or even a Tigers-Padres matchup (1984) would be an impossible sell nowadays for baseball fans.
| Year |
Network |
Ratings |
Share |
| 2005 |
FOX |
11.1 |
19 |
| 2004 |
FOX |
15.8 |
25 |
| 2003 |
FOX |
12.8 |
22 |
| 2002 |
FOX |
11.9 |
20 |
| 2001 |
FOX |
15.7 |
25 |
| 2000 |
FOX |
12.4 |
21 |
| 1999 |
NBC |
16.0 |
26 |
| 1998 |
FOX |
14.1 |
24 |
| 1997 |
NBC |
16.8 |
29 |
| 1996 |
FOX |
17.4 |
29 |
| 1995 |
ABC-NBC |
19.5 |
33 |
| 1994 |
No Series |
-- |
-- |
| 1993 |
CBS |
17.3 |
30 |
| 1992 |
CBS |
20.2 |
34 |
| 1991 |
CBS |
24.0 |
39 |
| 1990 |
CBS |
20.8 |
36 |
| 1989 |
ABC |
16.4 |
30 |
| 1988 |
NBC |
23.9 |
39 |
| 1987 |
ABC |
24.0 |
41 |
| 1986 |
NBC |
28.6 |
46 |
| 1985 |
ABC |
25.3 |
39 |
| 1984 |
NBC |
22.9 |
40 |
| 1983 |
ABC |
23.3 |
41 |
| 1982 |
NBC |
28.0 |
49 |
| 1981 |
ABC |
30.0 |
49 |
| 1980 |
NBC |
32.8 |
56 |
| 1979 |
ABC |
28.0 |
51 |
| 1978 |
NBC |
32.7 |
56 |
| 1977 |
ABC |
29.9 |
52 |
| 1976 |
NBC |
27.7 |
48 |
| 1975 |
NBC |
29.0 |
53 |
| 1974 |
NBC |
25.6 |
47 |
| 1973 |
NBC |
30.7 |
57 |
| 1972 |
NBC |
27.5 |
58 |
| 1971 |
NBC |
24.2 |
59 |
| 1970 |
NBC |
19.4 |
53 |
| 1969 |
NBC |
22.4 |
58 |
| 1968 |
NBC |
22.8 |
57 |
Simply, the sport doesn't have the same importance to casual fans anymore. With the wildcard, when your team is out of it the season is over and it's time to watch your team go 7-9 in football. While initially ratings remained high, simply the culture was changing. Different teams started to consistently make the playoffs, and since they were so long the ultimate championship games lost their importance. Since the season now ends for many fans somewhere at the beginning of Septemeber, there is no room for importance left in October.
Baseball now banks on a Cubs-Red Sox matchup each year, otherwise, people won't care. Not even the Yankees can save World Series ratings, the Yankee 'Dynasty' also ushered in an era of lower baseball ratings. Simply, the wild card changed baseball culture and it will never be the same. At least for casual fans.
| | |
| To appease Ciara, I'll go through what I'm doing this week:
Monday- busting my 'toush'
Tuesday- "" watching baseball with Gay-Rod at 8:00
Wednesday- ""
Thursday- Catching up on all sorts of work, and being all down and stuff because that's an off-day for the Yankees. There will be two other games on but I don't have to pay as much attention to them.
Friday- Corey goes home, gets back by 6, pets Nebs and the gals, goes to Outback with Jay. (Listening to the Yanks in the car while watching the game at the restaurant)
Happy now?
Anyway, here are my postseason predictions:
ALDS
Detroit @ New York (Yankees in 3)
Oakland @ Minnesota (Twins in 5)
ALCS
Minnesota @ New York (Yankees in 6)
NLDS
Los Angeles @ New York (Mets in 5)
St. Louis @ San Diego (Padres in 4)
NLCS
San Diego @ New York (Mets in 5)
World Series:
New York NL @ New York AL (Yankees in 5)
| | |
| Pitchers (11)
SP Mike Mussina
SP Chien-Ming Wang
SP Randy Johnson
SP Corey Lidle
LR Jaret Wright
LR Ron Villone
MR Brian Bruney
LOOGY Mike Myers
SU Scott Proctor
SU Kyle Farnsworth
CL Mariano Rivera
Starting Lineup (9)
CF Johnny Damon
SS Derek Jeter
RF Bobby Abreu
1B Jason Giambi (hits better as a first baseman, fuck his health in October)
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
C Jorge Posada
DH Hideki Matsui
LF Melky Cabrera
(If Wang pitches, DH Giambi and put Guiel at 1B, if a lefty pitcher DH Williams)
Bench (5)
C Sal Fasano
1B/OF Aaron Guiel
IF Nick Green
RF Gary Sheffield (Pinch hit for Matsui against a lefty?)
OF/DH Bernie Williams
Comments:
- I like Miguel Cairo, but other than SBs (oddly), he has shown little this season. Nick Green quietly performed well as a Yankee, and despite a big error he is a better defender.
- Gary Sheffield gets to pick his ass on the bench. Torre shouldn't pinch hit Sheffield over Melky in the late innings though. Melky hits closers well.
- If Sheffield's bat speed does return, possibly Melky goes to the bench, as he is the team's only 'pinch runner type'. This is dumb, due to the fact Melky isn't that fast on the bases anyway.
- Villone should be a long reliever, it seems like he pushes himself way too hard in setup situations now. He's probably burned out, but Dotel really isn't healthy.
- What role will Wright have? I guess if someone is down before the third inning. Despite short starts, he has been effective.
- Craig Wilson has been a good acquisition, but, with enough ABs he did not show enough. Wilson is a better defender at 1B than Guiel, but Guiel can also play OF better, runs better, and is more patient. Wilson is the type to get owned by postseason pitching.
- I hope I never see Andy Phillips again.
----
Sorry to disappoint you Ciara, but no NEBS!
| | |
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