San Diego Padres

tually captured their unprecedented 24th World Series championship after they swept the overmatched San Diego Padres in four decisive games.  

Ultimately, the Yankees won an amazing total of 125 games against a measly 50 losses.  

Continue reading "Philadelphia Does Not Deserve A Class ..."

He's a shoe in for the Hall of Fame. Mo notched 2 more saves in this series. San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers fans will ask, "What about Trevor Hoffman? Doesn't he have more career saves? My response is: "Who's got more postseason saves? Mo. Where's Trevor Hoffman been his whole career prior to this year? San Diego. Their last trip to the World Series? 1998. We all know what team dominated that year.

Continue reading "Mariners-Yankees: A Series of Milestones ..."

With the MLB playoffs set to begin, there is a subtle difference in the air compared to start of any other postseason. In the NHL, fans can potentially look forward to a great Canadians/Bruins series that is not only exciting, but has a historical kick to it. Likewise basketball fans always have the chance to see if the Suns can finally get past the Spurs and football fans love seeing the rivalry of the Eagles Vs the City of Philadelphia when the Eagles so much as get tackled for a loss.

Continue reading "The Ups and Downs of the MLB Playoffs"

Been a while since I posted, in part because I was out of town last week at a trade show in San Diego. Not a bad place to go for a working vacation, and a week ago we got to take in a game between the Padres and the D-backs. My dad's a rabid D-backs fan, beside which my fandom (or fanhood, as the ESPN ads call it) seems rather small. He brought his own logo-coordinated Arizona hat and shirt, having overcome his anger at their change in colors and logo, which seemed to him (correctly) to be an effort to boost merchandising sales.

Continue reading "A Night at PETCO"

It’s the annual midpoint of the baseball season, and for the brief span that is the All-Star break, all eyes are upon the Bronx. As everyone is well aware of, this campaign is the last go around for the world’s most famous, largest, and most prominent ballpark, Yankee Stadium. It seems hard to believe, and even more sacrilegious that this living legend’s days are numbered. Built in 1923 and christened by the greatest ballplayer to ever live, Babe Ruth, the cathedral of baseball will never truly be replaced. Although the Bombers will move a block to Yankee Stadium’s heir, the Mecca of America’s Pastime will still live on in our hearts. Whether you’re a diehard Yankee fan, or Yankee-hater, you still can respect the history and awe that the stadium brings. So when the All-Stars take the field Tuesday night, sit back on your couch, crack open a cold one and soak up the history of Yankee Stadium, as its final chapter is unveiled to all of us.

Continue reading "National League Looks to End Rut"

One of the All-Star Break traditions: Reassessing our predictions from the first half of the season. Some of mine have changed, some have stayed the same—and some were just damn wrong. Living in the West, I will take the contrarian position and roll from west to east in my choices.

Continue reading "Second Half Predictions"

All right. Are you ready for this? As the All-Star break approaches, the Tampa Bay Rays have the best record in baseball. That’s right. At 49-32, they’re a half-game ahead of Boston, the Cubs, and Anaheim. Whoa. Is this one of the signs of the apocalypse?

Continue reading "Hold On To Your Hats"

will likely have to rely more heavily on Kemp, Loney and Laroche then they might otherwise like.

San Diego Padres

Will Kevin Kouzmanoff preform at his pre or post All Star levels?

Kouzmanoff was added last year in a trade with the Cleveland Indians in hopes of providing some badly needed offense. Coming over as one of the more highly touted offensive prospects in the game, the thirdbaseman put up respectable numbers as a rookie hitting .275 with 74 RBI and 18 home runs in the cavernous Petco Park. Prior to the All-Star break, Kouzmanoff was hitting only .228 and was in danger of losing his job. He finally settled in and hit .317 along with 11 of his 18 home runs after the break.

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Preview Part One: National League West"

The San Diego Padres will remember last year as the season that got away.  They were one out away from winning the Wild Card when Tony Gwynn Jr. of the Brewers tripled off Trevor Hoffman.  The Padres went on to have a 2-run lead in extras against the Rockies in that wonderful play-in game before Hoffman again blew the lead.  This team should again contend for a playoff spot though.  They have a suspect line-up, which is led by Adrian Gonzalez.  They brought in Jim Edmonds to help in the middle of the order but they don’t scare many people.  Khalil Greene, Scott Hairston and Brian Giles just aren’t going to cut it.  The rotation is solid up front with CY Young winner Jake Peavy and Chris Young but after that I am not so sure.  Greg Maddux is not getting any younger or any better, Randy Wolf never became the pitcher people thought he would turn into and Mark Prior has question after question as their 5 starter.  Can he stay healthy and if so can he even come close to regaining the form he had back in 2003.  I don’t think this bullpen is very strong either.  Trevor Hoffman gets older and older and he continues to blow the biggest saves.  Everything will have to go this teams way if they are going to stay in this tightly contested division race.

Continue reading "Part III: NL West"