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"Global Warming"- Up in the Bullpen? |
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Friday, March 28, 2008 |
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O.K. We're halfway through the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. We've already played two MLB regular-season games...and the rest of the teams will start their seasons early next week. The NHL regular-season is about to end. Easter has come and gone. ENOUGH WITH THE SNOW ALREADY! Here in the Capital Region this morning we all woke-up
to a snow storm - a couple of inches on the ground...a few more on the
way. Ridiculous.
As for the NCAA's...UCLA gave those of us who
have them winning it all another scare last night...nearly blowing
another huge lead. No surprises on the night (since I loved Xavier) and
that's usually the case in this round. Traditionally the clock strike
midnight for the Cinderellas in the regional semi-finals...so expect
more of the same tonight...with the possible exception of Davidson.
"The Law" Predictions:
Kansas -12
Texas -2
Michigan St +4 1/2
Davidson + 4 1/2
***** Fran McCaffery Watch *****
The Siena coach is STILL the Siena coach. And
should be for awhile. But look for his name to continue to be
brought-up by writers and announcers as a possible candidate to fill
the dozens of openings that will emerge over the next several weeks. It
seems logical that McCaffery would want to stick around in Loudonville
for at least one more year ...considering the Saints will be the
unanimous pre-season favorite to win the MAAC and get bacl to the
NCAA's next year. But...sometimes fate plays it's hand at mysterious
times...and in a "too good to be trure" offer comes his way...don't
begrudge the coach for taking it.
Monday: MLB Predictions
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Monday, March 31, 2008 |
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It’s Opening Day of the MLB season (if you don’t count those two games played on foreign soil last week, which I don’t). This appears to me to be the most balanced the leagues have been in a awhile, with at least a half-dozen team in both the NL and AL who could win the pennant, and not just the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets. I’ll go with the Yankees in the AL East…because I like their young arms over the Red Sox aging arms.
AL Central: The Tigers are going to score so many runs that it’s tough to go against them…though the Indians will make them work for it.
AL West: It’s time for the Mariners to reemerge.
AL Wild Card: Boston
The National League East will be a battle. The Phillies have the best
hitting team. The Mets…if Santana dominates (and he should) will likely
have the best pitching (though I’d be worried about Pedro holding-up
for 6-months). But it’s The Braves who will win it because they have
the best combination of the two.
NL Central: The Cubbies
NL West: As much as I hated the way Joe Torre was made into a martyr
for the way things were handled in New York in the off-season…I’ll be
shocked if he can’t get the Dodgers to the playoffs.
NL Wild Card: The Rockies
World Series: Braves – Tigers
1+1+1+1= 4
As for all four #1 seeds making it to the Final Four for the first
time…I’m not sure this proves anything. My 10 year old nephew knew that
UCLA, UNC, Memphis and Kansas were the four best teams in college
basketball heading into the tournament. All these teams needed to do
was put together 4-game winning streaks over a two week period. Each of
them had tougher stretches than this during the regular season. And all
the blow-outs we saw this past weekend proves that point.
I’m still alive in one of my pools with UCLA. And I like the Bruins on
Saturday because they are the one team still alive that can dominate
TEMPO.
But more on the hoops later in the week. This day belongs to baseball.
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