Meatballs ALCS Coverage

In a Meatballs exclusive, here's a shot of A-Rod heading to the University of Miami baseball field to work out prior to the ALCS vs. Los Angeles.

-Jesse

Last week's recap

Playoff Predictions Update

My pick/ Actual pick

Yankees over Twins 3-1/ Yankees over Twins 3-0

-I thought one of the Yankee starters would falter, but just 3 ER over 19 IP, and the lowest ERA so far in the playoffs, I feel great about this club.

Red Sox over Angels 3-2/ Angels over Red Sox 3-0

-No comment, I couldn't be more wrong. Hopefully the Angels flipping the ownership of the Sox/Halos history is a pre-cursor for the same thing happening with the Pinstripes.

Dodgers over Cardinals 3-2/ Dodgers over Cardinals 3-0

-This might have been closer if not for Matt Monday. New nickname after that awful play, as good as holidays are, Mondays are just as bad.

Phillies over Rockies 3-0/ Phillies over Rockies 3-1

-Is Brad Lidge back? This guy has gone from awful to dominant as often as Oprah has gone from fat to skinny, I don't know what to expect, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about him closing my team's games.

Last week's NFL picks!

Three-for-three. I swept my picks, just like the Yankees swept the Twins. No idea why I didn't put the Giants game here since I picked it in real life, but, let's try to build this momentum into next week.

Cincinnati (+8.5) at Baltimore-- RIGHT

Minnesota (-10) at St. Louis-- RIGHT

Indianapolis (-3.5) at Tennessee-- RIGHT

Links

Imagine That, SLAM Mag takes a look at three possible destinations for King James.

Offensive Play, Malcom Gladwell makes an argument that football and dogfighting are not as different as you'd think?

Sporcle, Can you name all the #1 seeds in March Madness history?

No Hate for Kate, the Yankees told the players' wives and girlfriends to quit trash talking Kate Hudson. This is the playoffs, shut your mouths.

-Jesse

Post # 100!

For all the doubters, this is for you. For the haters, we made it to post 100!!!! Can't Nobody Hold Us Down. We are also quickly approaching our one year anniversary, setting a personal record for longest time running a blog.

This week's NFL picks:

Cincinnati (+8.5) at Baltimore--I've been sweating Carson Palmer all year and pegged the Bengals for nine wins, they won't win, but it'll be a one-score game. Who Dey has been in four of the most exciting games so far this season.

Minnesota (-10) at St. Louis-- St. Louis has been shutout twice and scored just 24 points in four weeks and 17 of them were in one game.

Indianapolis (-3.5) at Tennessee-- The Titans look worse each week and Indy keeps getting better.

Last week, I didn't do so hot. Let's take a look

Baltimore (+2) at New England-- WRONG

San Diego (+7) at Pittsburgh-- WRONG

Detroit (+10) at Chicago-- RIGHT

When I did the Meatball NFL preview, I straight picked each of the 256 games on the NFL schedule to make an attempt at accurate records of each team. Because I did this in the preseason, before anyone knew how bad some teams (St. Louis) are and how good other teams are (New York Jets), I am at a disadvantage compared to the guys who make picks week to week. That being said, someone give me some ESPN money because here's where I rank through the quarter mark of the season against ESPN's 'Experts.'

Mortensen: 48-14

Schefter: 46-16

Jaws: 42-16*

Jesse: 44-18

Golic: 43-18*

Schlereth: 43-19

Wickersham: 43-19

Hoge: 43-19

Allen: 39-23

*Jaws doesn't pick the MNF games he covers and Golic didn't pick the MNF opener he covered.

-Jesse

PLAYOFF BASEBALL TIME PEOPLE

Yankee Meatballs in the Morning

If my laptop wasn't screwed, I'd bring it out and do some live blogging with Joey O. and Pelle, but such is life.

Also, here's this fun picture of the Quest for 27 via LoHud.

UPDATE: This was not worthy of it's own new post, but is this 2009-10 Blue Jackets collectible poster a complete remake/re-imagining/copy/ripoff of this Season 6 Entourage poster or what?

Hint: The answer is not 'or what.'

Brassard is looking sort of away from everyone else, like Ari.

The guy with the beard (Nash/Turtle) has the biggest smile and is facing the table with his hands folded.

Mason has his arm up behind Nash, similar to Vince putting his arm behind Turtle.

Commodore and Johnna Drama are the main things that make the posters not identical.

Each poster finishes with the least important member pictured on the right side, Jared Boll/E, laughing and looking at something offscreen.

-Jesse

MLB Playoff Predictions

It's a joy to wake up every day this month and it be October, the greatest sports month of the year. Playoff baseball, Opening Night for hockey and basketball, the NFL starts to shake things out and conference play begins in NCAA football. What's not to love?

American League

ALDS Matchups

Twingers vs. Yankees

That started out as a typo, but I'm gonna leave it because it doesn't matter who the Pinstripes play, my prediction is the same: Yankees 3-1 to move on to the ALCS for the first time since 2004. Sabathia and A-Rod begin to squelch the demons of their postseasons past with strong performances in the opening series.

Red Sox vs. Angels

As much as the Angels own the Yankees in the playoffs, the Red Sox own the Angels, but more so. Varitek has an overcooked string of spaghetti attached to his right shoulder and V-Mart's isn't much better but that means nothing. The Angels could steal 25 bases in this series and I still can't pick them to beat the Sox until they do. Sox 3-2 to set up what the East Coast loves and makes the rest of America puke: Sox vs. Yanks for the pennant.

ALCS Matchup

Red Sox vs. Yankees

The season has been leading up to this as the two best teams in baseball go at it in the biggest stage they can. Much like the NBA's Western Conference Finals in the late 1990s/early 2000s you can argue that this is the real World Series as whoever wins this should win the 'Ship. The Sox straight clowned on the Yankees through the first eight games blowing them out, coming from behind, shutting them down, and so on. (/Stephen Smith Voice) HOWEVER, once it hit August, the Yanks turned the tide and won nine of the next 10 games to split the season series. To say the Yankees have momentum is an understatement. The Yankees have the biggest mental edge over Boston since the final out of Game 3 in the 2004 ALCS. They will hammer Boston's pitching and win the series 4-1.

National League

NLDS Matchups

Rockies vs. Phillies

Rocktober is soooooooo 2007. Hamels, Lee and Pedro are going to shut it down. 3-0 Phillies in the least competitive Divisional Series. Shame on the Rockies (and potentially the Twins) for ruining what could have been the prettiest postseason of all time as far as uniforms go. Even with the purple and black team, it is probably the most aesthetically pleasing playoff lineups in the Divisional Era.

Cardinals vs. Dodgers

It concerns me that the Dodgers are starting Randy Wolf, but then I thought about it with my mind instead of my heart and I found this nugget: Wolf has only allowed more than 3 ER once since June 29 and is 6th in the Bigs with 24 quality starts. Basically three out of every four times he picks up the ball, he gives his team a good chance to win the game. Two Cardinals starters, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter come in at 25 and 22 quality starts, respectively. I love the Dodgers league leading run differential of +169, but it worries me that their Pythagorean W-L record is FOUR games better than their actual record. This sounds like an unlucky team to me and in the playoffs you need luck just as much as you need good pitching and timely hitting. This series is the biggest toss up to me but I'll pick the Dodgers for home field purposes and the "Joe Torre knows how to win in October" factor. 3-2 Brooklyn.

NLCS Matchup

Phillies vs. Dodgers

In a rematch of 2008's ALDS, I see the same result as the Phillies are confident and better equipped for a series than the boys in blue. I like Howard, Utley and co. to win a second straight pennant and get the chance to defend their crown vs. the New York Yankees in an East Coast affair. Phillies 4-2.

World Series

Phillies vs. Yankees

Hamels and Lee vs. Sabathia and Burnett? Getcha popcorn ready. If you've read one paragraph on this blog, ever, you know both Meatballs are Yankees fans, so it would be against my nature to pick anyone but the Bronx Bombers in this matchup. Yankees 4, Phillies 1. The greatest franchise in the history of franchises or sports gets greater with 'Ship number 27. Ticker Tape parade down the Canyon of Champions, make some room for me.

-Jesse

This Week's Lines

Jeter celebrates being back in the playoffs.

This week's football picks that I love:

Baltimore (+2) at New England-- The Ravens are the best team in football as far as I'm concerned.

San Diego (+7) at Pittsburgh-- Pittsburgh is better than their record,but keeps games very close all year long.

Detroit (+10) at Chicago-- Jay "In the" Cutler is getting better each week and Da Bears should win by two TDs, easily.

Last Week Recap:

New Orleans(-6) at Buffalo--RIGHT

New York Giants (-7) at Tampa Bay--RIGHT

San Francisco(+6) at Minnesota--RIGHT
NCAAOle Miss (-4.5) at South Carolina-WRONG

South Florida (+14) at Florida State--WRONG

Miami RedHawks(+7) at Kent State--WRON

G

Guessing I should just stick to NFL from here on out...

Links and Such:

As much as I loathe OSU, this is very cool (via Deadspin):

This is Why You're Fat. If you haven't seen this site yet, it's deliciously hilarious and disgusting all at the same time.

Songs I've been bumping to lately include the following: Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi; Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z; Ragoo by Kings of Leon; Miami 2017 by Billy Joel; Everything, Everyday, Everywhere by Fabolous; Armageddon by Eminem; Forever by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem; I'm a Man by Black Strobe.

Yankees quest for 27 starts soon, so expect some frequent updates and hopefully some bragfests from both meatballs. Also, once the matchups are set for October, I'll make picks in each series. Coming later this week, I expose Tony Romo with stats, not feelings and opinions like everyone else has done this month.

-Jesse

This Week's Lines

NFL

New Orleans (-6) at Buffalo--I also like the over in this game (52).

New York Giants (-7) at Tampa Bay--they'll cover, easily.

San Francisco (+6) at Minnesota--could be close late and Favre might have to sneak the ball into triple coverage and you know what that means.

NCAA

Ole Miss (-4.5) at South Carolina--I can see the Ol' Ballcoach getting it taken to him.

South Florida (+14) at Florida State

Miami RedHawks (+7) at Kent State--this could be our only (chance at a) win this year.

How'd I do last week? Not great.

NFL

New England at New York (Jets) O/U 45 1/2--OVER--WRONG

Minnesota (-10) at Detroit-- Minny to cover--RIGHT

Carolina (+6) at Atlanta--Atlanta to cover--RIGHT

Seattle (+1 1/2) at San Francisco-- Seattle to win outright--WRONG

NCAA

Ohio State (-20 1/2) "at" Toledo-- Toledo will keep it closer than that--WRONG

Cincinnati (-1 1/2) at Oregon State- Cinci to cover--RIGHT

Boxing

Mayweather, Jr. to win fight in Rounds 4-6 at 7/1--WRONG

-Jesse