Rays @ Red Sox - JMHO

Regardless of how much someone is arrogant and belligerent and refers to his picks as "Locks" or "100,000 Dime" or "Game of the Day, Week, Month, Year, Decade, Century or Millennium" all you are getting is his opinion. Most are not really very humble, but I will try to remain so.   IMHO - Maddon is taking a big chance tonight and it could backfire and cause him  to watch the World Series on TV from his easy chair instead of one of the benches in St. Petersburg or Philadelphia.   The Red Sox have THE very best projections versus a lefty pitcher in all of MLB at this time. By tossing a cold lefty like Kazmir at Fenway he is almost conceding this game in favor of a small perceived edge he thinks he will have with Shields at home on Saturday. At this point in time he has no control over what happens Saturday and can, realistically, play only to win today's game. Starting Kazmir tonight is akin to saying "we are going to NEED Shields Saturday. This is a matter of a manager going cerebral and trying too hard to think his way into the World Series instead of letting his team play their way in, with the very best they can put on the field. By now, if Maddon were supremely cerebral, Kazmir would be the "odd man out", the one the BoSox are most likely to beat, and therefore, out of the rotation.     Rarely does a baseball manager do anything that can be remotely regarded as genius. Most play "by the book" because that is the best way to pre... [More]

Paging Mr OPC - Paging Mr OPC - Come In Please

No thread to start the day? Well since my day is going to be very busy and I may not make it back, I will put it up here and you can copy and paste if you want.   5 Innings / Listed Pitchers   Dodgers +137 Lowe / Dempster   Both guys had admirable seasons but Lowe is even better at keeping the ball down and in the park than Dempster. With a 3.27 to 1 SO/W ratio and 2.35 to 1 GB/FB ratio he can keep his outfielders bored and his team in the game for a long time. Now add the "Manny" factor. The Dodgers got both better and looser after the Manny acqusition and can conyinue to play that way. Manny, love him or hate him, is a guy who has "been there, done that" and has no fear of the playoffs. He is the perfect guy to put the offense on his back and carry them. IMHO, this could be the deciding factor in the Cubs hopes of a World Series title. We don't know who comes out of the A.L., but I think the Cubs match up much better versus the Phillies or Brewers than they do against the Dodgers. This game is more critical for the Cubs than any other 1st round playoff matchup and I think they drew the wrong team on the wrong day.   I also have to like the UNDER, provided it comes out at no less than 7 for the game and 4 for the first 5 innings. Working with a computer you get some impossible numbers but rounded off I see no more than 2 runs the first 5 innings and no more than six runs total for the game. Good pitching domoinates good hitting and ... [More]