by Mike Trovato
Miami Dolphins (2-4) vs. New York Jets (4-3)
The Dolphins are coming off of a brutal 46-34 loss at the hands of the undefeated New Orleans Saints in a game Miami once led 24-3. From that point on, the Saints went ballistic, scoring a touchdown with 0:02 left in the half, then unleashing hell after the break. New Orleans put up 36 points in the second half, including 22 in a fourth quarter in which Miami went scoreless. The Wildcat was still productive overall; the 'Fins scored four rushing touchdowns as Ricky Williams broke loose for 3 touchdowns and 80 yards on just 9 carries. Chad Henne came back down to earth after his crisp performance against the Jets two weeks ago, going 18 for 36 (50%) with two interceptions and no touchdown passes. Miami allowed 414 yards of total offense to the Saints, putting an abrupt halt to their two game winning streak.
The Jets' week 7 was the opposite of Miami's as New York put a stop to their three week nightmarish losing streak. The Jets posted a W on the road, forcing 3 turnovers in their 38-0 rout against the lowly Oakland Raiders. It was only a matter of time before JaMarcus Russell got benched; Bruce Gradkowski took over Oakland's sputtering offense with 5:45 remaining in the first half, without much better results. The Jets ran wild for the second straight week, falling two yards short of matching their 318 yard romp against Buffalo. Rookie Shonn Greene filled the void created by the devastating loss of Leon Washington, who is done for the season with a compound fracture of his lower right leg. Greene exploded for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns, one-upping Thomas Jones' 121 yard, 1 TD day. Mark Sanchez had a modest afternoon, but a much better showing than his previous three contests. His 9 for 15, 143 yard, 1 TD performance generated less noise than his impromptu fourth quarter hot dog snack, though one could argue that both were needed.
The Dolphins are 0-2 on the road, and the Jets will look to make that 0-3, retribution for the Monday Night Football loss handed to them down in Miami. The Jets have the best rushing attack in the NFL, and I expect them to persevere with that approach. Rex Ryan will need to be more creative in stopping the Wildcat, which burned the Jets to the tune of 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground the last time around. I can't foresee Henne having the same success as he did three weeks ago, nor can I foresee Rex Ryan pocketing his timeouts on any late game Dolphins drive with the assumption that Miami won't score. A costly learning experience in the national spotlight, the Jets should make up for it in front of their home crowd. Expect similar numbers from Sanchez, but take the under on hot dogs eaten on the sideline, no matter how low the number is.
Jets 28, Dolphins 20
Denver Broncos (6-0) vs. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
When the Denver Broncos started the season 3-0, it seemed they were pulling off wins with the help of some smoke and mirrors. Then they beat the New England Patriots. The same magic Josh McDaniels worked on Matt Cassel, the Belichick disciple is at it again, turning Kyle Orton into one of the league's top 10 passers. Orton's 9:1 touchdown to interception ratio is best in the league, and his 100.1 passer rating ranks him 7th, positioning him snugly between Brett Favre (102.2) and Tom Brady (99.9). Running back Knowshon Moreno is emerging from his slow start, and leads all rookie backs with 381 yards on the ground.
Joe Flacco's rookie season was spent handing the ball off to the three-headed rushing attack of Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and LeRon McClain. This season has been a different story. Baltimore can still run the ball, top 10 in the NFL with 124.8 yards per game. Flacco, however, after throwing for 2,971 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, has 11 touchdown passes through the first 6 games of 2009. The second year QB out of Delaware is on pace to pass for over 4,400 yards. In spite of their success on offense, the Ravens aging defense is sorely missing playmakers Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard, who defected to the Jets following Rex Ryan. Once a formidable force, the Ravens are allowing 21.7 points per game, are middle of the road (16th) in sacks with 14, and are in the bottom third of the league with 31 passes defensed. Denver's D, the surprise of the season, has looked more like the typical Baltimore defense, tops in points allowed (66) and second in sacks (21).
Broncos 24, Ravens 16
Houston Texans (4-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-4)
Houston is riding a two game winning streak after alternating losses and wins through the first five weeks of the season. Buffalo has a two game winning streak of their own, and Ryan Fitzpatrick has given them a boost since taking over for the concussed Trent Edwards against the Jets. The Texans have scored 21 or more points in every game but one, their 24-7 loss to the Jets the first week of the season. Buffalo's pass defense is 10th in the league, but they are last against the run. Steve Slaton has been heating up a bit, though much of his recent production has come through the passing game. This is just the matchup he needs to finally break out of his sophomore slump. Houston's offense should be able to cover the points their mediocre defense will allow.
Texans 28, Bills 20
Cleveland Browns (1-6) vs. Chicago Bears (3-3)
Don't ask me why, but I feel this game will end up being closer than it really should be. The Browns are absolutely terrible, but the Bears are struggling at the moment.
Bears 14, Browns 9
Seattle Seahawks (2-4) vs. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
Both teams have been inconsistent, but the Cowboys have found a playmaker in Miles Austin, and have the edge in their building.
Cowboys 31, Seahawks 27
St. Louis Rams (0-7) vs. Detroit Lions (1-5)
This game will be like looking in the mirror, as this year's Rams are last year's Lions- maybe worse. St. Louis has put up 60 points all season; the Patriots put up 59 against the Titans, in snow. Detroit not only doubles their win total here, they do it big.
Lions 27, Rams 7
San Francisco 49ers (3-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)
Alex Smith burst back onto the scene last week, coming off the bench to throw three touchdown passes to tight end Vernon Davis. The 49ers fell a field goal short of a complete comeback against Houston, but Smith earned himself the starting job back after nearly a year-long stint on the bench. This has upset potential, but the Colts defense is much better against the pass than the Texans, and Peyton Manning is still the better QB in this matchup.
Colts 27, 49ers 22
New York Giants (5-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
The Eagles are off the hook for their brutal loss to the Raiders, though last week's win did come against the Redskins, which in my opinion is one of the worst 5 or 6 teams in the league. Philadelphia will be without running back Brian Westbrook, who sustained a concussion last week in Washington. As for the Giants, after a 5-0 start, Big Blue was handily beaten by the New Orleans Saints, then by the reigning NFC Champion Cardinals last week at home. There's cause for concern here, and one has to wonder if Eli Manning's plantar fasciitis is more of an issue than he's letting on. Manning will play, though how well will be a question. Ahmad Bradshaw will also play, risking worse injury to the cracked bone in his foot. It's hard to see the Giants dropping three straight, but that may be the case if the Eagles D-line can hassle Eli.
Eagles 17, Giants 16
Oakland Raiders (2-5) vs. San Diego Chargers (3-3)
Let's cut to the chase here, the Raiders plain stink. LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles should run wild against an Oakland defense that just allowed 316 rushing yards to the Jets.
Chargers 34, Raiders 9
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-6)
The Jaguars have been an enigma this season, and already have a win under their belts against their division rivals. Vince Young will make his first start since Week 1 of 2008. The Titans are playing at home, and may use a healthy dose of Chris Johnson and LenDale White to ease Young back into the flow of the game. Jeff Fisher has had two weeks to prepare his team, a veteran squad, for this contest.
Titans 20, Jaguars 17
Minnesota Vikings (6-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-2)
This game should be a classic, and a full story may be coming on this one sometime this week, but for now I'll keep it simple. Brett Favre's return to Lambeau will be a bittersweet one, as the crowd that cheered him for 16 strong years will be split between Favre loyalists and Packers die-hards, who will boo him out of the building. Bottom line here, the Vikings defense has 25 sacks, Green Bay has allowed 25 sacks.
Vikings 17, Packers 13
Carolina Panthers (2-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
Jake Delhomme is not the quarterback he used to be. Kurt Warner may not be either, but the Cardinals have rediscovered their running game with the emergence of Beanie Wells, who seems to have surpassed Tim Hightower in the pecking order. The Panthers are mistake-prone, but regardless, the Cardinals are simply more talented.
Cardinals 21, Panthers 13
Atlanta Falcons (4-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (6-0)
If the win against the Giants wasn't convincing enough, last week's massive comeback against the Dolphins should be all the reassurance that you need. The Falcons are good, but Saints are the real deal.
Saints 31, Falcons 17
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
World Series Preview:
Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees
by Mike Trovato
2009 World Series
http://dealbreaker.com/2009/09/03/new_yankee_stadium.jpg
The stage is set for the 2009 World Series. After four days of waiting after clinching their second consecutive National League pennant, the Philadelphia Phillies finally have a World Series opponent, the $208 million New York Yankees. The Series begins Wednesday night at the brand new Yankee Stadium.
That $208 million number is not an exaggeration, in fact it's an understatement. In typical Steinbrenner fashion, the Yankees 2009 payroll totaled an astronomical $208,097,414. That's more than the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres and Oakland A's combined, more than the combined salaries of the Twins and Angels, the two teams the Bronx Bombers beat en route to their 40th World Series appearance.
Although a Yankees-Dodgers World Series would have been ratings friendly- the underlying Joe Torre/Manny Ramirez storyline, not to mention the storied history between the two franchises- the Philly-New York tilt has its own intrigue.
Historically, there are many differences between these two clubs. On the surface, the mascotless, overpaid Yankees with their clean-shaven babyfaces, their nameless jersey backs are the embodiment of class and tradition, or, depending on your perspective, pomp and arrogance. The Phillies are a cockier bunch, calling out division rivals in the preseason and making flat out predictions on television, but backing it up on the field, all while their mascot disrespects stereotypes of opponents between innings. Each team has their legendary voices. Derek Jeter is introduced by a recording of Bob Sheppard, the only Yankee who actively honors the voice of the Yankees. The Phillies hang a suit worn by the late Harry Kalas in their dugout during every game, and have an HK decal on the left-center field wall at Citizens Bank Park.
Beneath the surface, the way they go about their business sets them apart, and historically that shows as well. The New York Yankees are the winningest franchise in the history Major League Baseball, both in terms of championships and winning percentage. The Philadelphia Phillies, on the other hand, have the worst winning percentage of any franchise, discounting two younger clubs- the Tampa Bay Rays (1998) and Texas Rangers (1961). Yet, in all that separates the Phils from the Yanks, the similarities between them- their fans, their fields, and their play on those fields- cannot be denied.
True fans from both New York and Philadelphia are outspoken die-hards whose passion is unmatched by fans from any other baseball town. No matter how small the confines of Citizens Bank Park or New Yankee Stadium are, the fans came without fail; only the Dodgers put more local bodies in the hometown seats in 2009. The teams they came to see did not disappoint either, both winning their respective divisions, both leading their respective leagues in home runs, extra base hits, and slugging. Perhaps it's only fitting then that the defending champion Phillies are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Series since who else? The New York Yankees.
The similarities don't end there. In fact, there is an eerie similarity between the individual performances this season. Here's how the Phillies and Yankees match up stastistically:
The knock on the Phillies throughout the regular season and into the postseason has been their "weak" bullpen. However, in looking at the numbers it appears that the Philadelphia bullpen, though not what it was last year, is not as bad as people think. Many will point to the Phillies' blown saves, Mariano Rivera (right), likely the best closer ever to play the game, converted a remarkable 44 of 46 save opportunities, while Brad Lidge was the polar opposite of his perfect 2008 stats, blowing 10 saves with a 7.21 ERA. On the season, the Yankees blew just 15 saves to Philadelphia's 22, but New York's relievers led the majors allowing a whopping 72 home runs to the Phillies' 46.
Head-to-head this season, the Phillies took 2 out of 3 games from the Yankees in New York, which is impressive given the Bombers outstanding 57-24 home record. More impressive was th "troubled" Phils' bullpen, which without Brad Lidge's numbers was perfect, allowing 0 runs and just 5 base runners in 7 innings. Lidge was the lone disaster, giving up 4 earned runs in 1.1 innings of work, 3 of which came in a blown save that gave the Yankees their only win of the series.
Many analysts give the Yankees starting pitching the edge for the Fall Classic, but if the 3-game regular season series is any indicator, they may want to re-crunch those numbers. The Phillies faced New York's top 3 arms- Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte- during the regular season, tagging them for a total of 12 runs in 21 innings. Philly put 26 men on base against the $37 million worth of Bombers starters, including 10 in 6 innings against A.J. Burnett. The Phillies 3 starters- Hamels, Happ and Myers- walked a grand total of 0 Yankees, yielding 20 hits in 20 innings for a collective WHIP of 1.00.
http://lasemanadeportiva.com/semana/uploads/noticias/images/item/pedro-martinez-phillies.jpg
Granted, when the Phillies came to Yankee Stadium back in May, things were very different. The Yankees were in third place, a game and a half beind the first place Toronto Blue Jays, while the Phillies held just a 1.5 game lead over the second place New York Mets. The Yankees ended the regular season on an absolute tear, winning over 70 percent of their games (52-22) after the All-Star Break, and didn't lose more than 9 games in any month after June. The Phillies were not quite as hot, but made several huge acquisitions over the summer, trading for the reigning American League Cy Young Award Winner Cliff Lee and signing Pedro Martinez (left) at the bargain bin price of $1 million.
Both Lee and Martinez have been brilliant in Philadelphia; Lee contributed three complete games with a ridiculous 74 to 10 strikeout to walk ratio, posting a 7-4 record with his new club. Martinez, a 3-time Cy Young Award Winner, went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 starts for the Phils, were the only team willing to take a chance on him. That chance has paid massive dividends, adding not just depth, but quality depth to the Phillies pitching staff, along with a terrific presence in the clubhouse. After being unsigned for half the year, Martinez now finds himself back at the top of a World Series rotation, and will start Game 2 on Thursday for Philadelphia.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/poll/2009/oct/28/yankees-phillies-world-series-baseball
Both teams have their aces. The Yankees have Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter (right). The Phillies have their own solid home-grown nucleus. Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher, two Yankee catalysts during the regular season, have struggled in the postseason. The same goes for the Phillies Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins. Center fielders Melky Cabrera (.314, 4 RBI) and Shane Victorino (.361, 3 HR, 7 RBI) have been spectacular. Ryan Howard (.355, 2 HR, 14 RBI) has been on a tear throughout the playoffs. Alex Rodriguez (.438 5 HR, 12 RBI) has been even hotter, breaking his career-long October slump. In all of the fanfare surrounding those stars, perhaps the most overlooked player on either side has been Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz has batted .346 with 7 runs batter in, adding 7 walks for an absurd on-base percentage of .500. Only A-Rod has reached base at a higher rate (.548).
So, when the question "Who will win this year's World Series?" arises, the response is about as hard to determine as it is for a Mets fan to determine which to root for without jumping off of the Brooklyn Bridge. Here's how I see it playing out:
Game 1: Cliff Lee vs. C.C. Sabathia- A faceoff between the last two AL Cy Young Award Winners is a fitting way to kick off the 2009 World Series. The Phillies haven't played in a week, and while I think the rest will does well for Cliff Lee's arm, the Phillies bats may have a bit of waking up to do. C.C. gets the better of his former Indians teammate.
Yankees (1-0 NYY)
Game 2: Pedro Martinez vs. A.J. Burnett- Martinez returns to the "Who's your daddy?" chants at Yankee Stadium, and relishes in it. Since losing his father, Pedro has been brilliant, and is again brilliant in Game 2. Burnett struggles and with Molina in the lineup, Posada or Matsui get the short end of the stick.
Phillies (1-1)
Game 3: Andy Pettitte vs. Cole Hamels- Hamels, he 2008 World Series MVP, has had a down year. The trip back to the Fall Classic may rejuvenate him, but Pettitte has had a solid postseason and pitches better in 6+ innings here. However, anything less than 7 innings means Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, spelling a come from behind Phillies rally, a pivotal turn in the series.
Phillies (2-1 PHI)
Game 4: TBA, Sabathia vs. Lee- Down 2-1, Girardi takes no chances and turns to C.C., while Manuel retaliates with Lee. This time around the Phillies bats are alive and well, and Lee outshines the Yankees ace in Philadelphia.
Phillies (3-1)
Game 5: TBA, Burnett vs. Happ- As much as I'm inclined to think the Phillies would like to stick to their order and follow Lee with Martinez, I believe Charlie Manuel will throw lefty J.A. Happ at home, preserving Martinez for a more pressure-filled road start, if necessary. I do like Happ, but I can't see the Yankees going down yet, not without more of a fight.
Yankees (3-2 PHI)
Game 6: TBA, Martinez vs. Pettitte- To go against Pettitte at Yankee Stadium seems crazy. To think Pedro Martinez will win 2 games on the road may be just as crazy. Call me crazy.
Phillies (4-2)
Phillies in 6
World Series MVP: Pedro Martinez
2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees
http://dealbreaker.com/2009/09/03/new_yankee_stadium.jpg
The stage is set for the 2009 World Series. After four days of waiting after clinching their second consecutive National League pennant, the Philadelphia Phillies finally have a World Series opponent, the $208 million New York Yankees. The Series begins Wednesday night at the brand new Yankee Stadium.
That $208 million number is not an exaggeration, in fact it's an understatement. In typical Steinbrenner fashion, the Yankees 2009 payroll totaled an astronomical $208,097,414. That's more than the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres and Oakland A's combined, more than the combined salaries of the Twins and Angels, the two teams the Bronx Bombers beat en route to their 40th World Series appearance.
Although a Yankees-Dodgers World Series would have been ratings friendly- the underlying Joe Torre/Manny Ramirez storyline, not to mention the storied history between the two franchises- the Philly-New York tilt has its own intrigue.
Historically, there are many differences between these two clubs. On the surface, the mascotless, overpaid Yankees with their clean-shaven babyfaces, their nameless jersey backs are the embodiment of class and tradition, or, depending on your perspective, pomp and arrogance. The Phillies are a cockier bunch, calling out division rivals in the preseason and making flat out predictions on television, but backing it up on the field, all while their mascot disrespects stereotypes of opponents between innings. Each team has their legendary voices. Derek Jeter is introduced by a recording of Bob Sheppard, the only Yankee who actively honors the voice of the Yankees. The Phillies hang a suit worn by the late Harry Kalas in their dugout during every game, and have an HK decal on the left-center field wall at Citizens Bank Park.Beneath the surface, the way they go about their business sets them apart, and historically that shows as well. The New York Yankees are the winningest franchise in the history Major League Baseball, both in terms of championships and winning percentage. The Philadelphia Phillies, on the other hand, have the worst winning percentage of any franchise, discounting two younger clubs- the Tampa Bay Rays (1998) and Texas Rangers (1961). Yet, in all that separates the Phils from the Yanks, the similarities between them- their fans, their fields, and their play on those fields- cannot be denied.
True fans from both New York and Philadelphia are outspoken die-hards whose passion is unmatched by fans from any other baseball town. No matter how small the confines of Citizens Bank Park or New Yankee Stadium are, the fans came without fail; only the Dodgers put more local bodies in the hometown seats in 2009. The teams they came to see did not disappoint either, both winning their respective divisions, both leading their respective leagues in home runs, extra base hits, and slugging. Perhaps it's only fitting then that the defending champion Phillies are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Series since who else? The New York Yankees.
The similarities don't end there. In fact, there is an eerie similarity between the individual performances this season. Here's how the Phillies and Yankees match up stastistically:
PHI 1B Ryan Howard- .279 BA, 45 HR, 144 RBI, .931 OPShttp://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/article/2009-10-22/marino-rivera-ryan-franklin-named-sporting-news-2009-relievers-year
NYY 1B Mark Teixeira- .292 BA, 39 HR, 122 RBI, .948 OPS
PHI- 2B Chase Utley- .282 BA, 31 HR, 93 RBI, .508 SLG
NYY- 2B Robinson Cano-.320 BA, 25 HR, 85 RBI, .509 SLG
PHI- SS Jimmy Rollins- 100 R, 21 HR, 77 RBI, 31 SB
NYY- SS Derek Jeter- 107 R, 18 HR, 66 RBI, 30 SB
PHI- RF Jayson Werth- 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB
NYY- 3B Alex Rodriguez- 30 HR, 100 RBI, 14 SB
PHI- LF Raul Ibanez- .272 BA, 34 HR, 93 RBI
NYY- DH Hideki Matsui- .274 BA, 28 HR, 90 RBI
PHI- SP Cliff Lee- 7-4, 3.39 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, 0.8 HR/9
NYY- SP C.C. Sabathia- 19-8, 3.37 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, 0.7 HR/9
PHI- SP Joe Blanton- 12-8, 4.05 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 30 HR allowed
NYY- SP A.J. Burnett- 13-9, 4.04 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 25 HR allowed
Phillies- 119 Stolen Bases, 81% Stealing, .987 Fielding Pct.
Yankees- 111 Stolen Bases, 80% Stealing, .985 Fielding Pct.
The Phillies led the Majors with 116 home runs on the road. The Yankees were second, with 108.
The Yankees hit 55.7% (136) of their 244 home runs at home.
Phillies Bullpen- 3.91 ERA, 1.38 WHIP
Yankees Bullpen- 3.91 ERA, 1.25 WHIP
The knock on the Phillies throughout the regular season and into the postseason has been their "weak" bullpen. However, in looking at the numbers it appears that the Philadelphia bullpen, though not what it was last year, is not as bad as people think. Many will point to the Phillies' blown saves, Mariano Rivera (right), likely the best closer ever to play the game, converted a remarkable 44 of 46 save opportunities, while Brad Lidge was the polar opposite of his perfect 2008 stats, blowing 10 saves with a 7.21 ERA. On the season, the Yankees blew just 15 saves to Philadelphia's 22, but New York's relievers led the majors allowing a whopping 72 home runs to the Phillies' 46.Head-to-head this season, the Phillies took 2 out of 3 games from the Yankees in New York, which is impressive given the Bombers outstanding 57-24 home record. More impressive was th "troubled" Phils' bullpen, which without Brad Lidge's numbers was perfect, allowing 0 runs and just 5 base runners in 7 innings. Lidge was the lone disaster, giving up 4 earned runs in 1.1 innings of work, 3 of which came in a blown save that gave the Yankees their only win of the series.
Many analysts give the Yankees starting pitching the edge for the Fall Classic, but if the 3-game regular season series is any indicator, they may want to re-crunch those numbers. The Phillies faced New York's top 3 arms- Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte- during the regular season, tagging them for a total of 12 runs in 21 innings. Philly put 26 men on base against the $37 million worth of Bombers starters, including 10 in 6 innings against A.J. Burnett. The Phillies 3 starters- Hamels, Happ and Myers- walked a grand total of 0 Yankees, yielding 20 hits in 20 innings for a collective WHIP of 1.00.
http://lasemanadeportiva.com/semana/uploads/noticias/images/item/pedro-martinez-phillies.jpg
Granted, when the Phillies came to Yankee Stadium back in May, things were very different. The Yankees were in third place, a game and a half beind the first place Toronto Blue Jays, while the Phillies held just a 1.5 game lead over the second place New York Mets. The Yankees ended the regular season on an absolute tear, winning over 70 percent of their games (52-22) after the All-Star Break, and didn't lose more than 9 games in any month after June. The Phillies were not quite as hot, but made several huge acquisitions over the summer, trading for the reigning American League Cy Young Award Winner Cliff Lee and signing Pedro Martinez (left) at the bargain bin price of $1 million.Both Lee and Martinez have been brilliant in Philadelphia; Lee contributed three complete games with a ridiculous 74 to 10 strikeout to walk ratio, posting a 7-4 record with his new club. Martinez, a 3-time Cy Young Award Winner, went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 starts for the Phils, were the only team willing to take a chance on him. That chance has paid massive dividends, adding not just depth, but quality depth to the Phillies pitching staff, along with a terrific presence in the clubhouse. After being unsigned for half the year, Martinez now finds himself back at the top of a World Series rotation, and will start Game 2 on Thursday for Philadelphia.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/poll/2009/oct/28/yankees-phillies-world-series-baseball
Both teams have their aces. The Yankees have Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter (right). The Phillies have their own solid home-grown nucleus. Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher, two Yankee catalysts during the regular season, have struggled in the postseason. The same goes for the Phillies Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins. Center fielders Melky Cabrera (.314, 4 RBI) and Shane Victorino (.361, 3 HR, 7 RBI) have been spectacular. Ryan Howard (.355, 2 HR, 14 RBI) has been on a tear throughout the playoffs. Alex Rodriguez (.438 5 HR, 12 RBI) has been even hotter, breaking his career-long October slump. In all of the fanfare surrounding those stars, perhaps the most overlooked player on either side has been Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz has batted .346 with 7 runs batter in, adding 7 walks for an absurd on-base percentage of .500. Only A-Rod has reached base at a higher rate (.548).So, when the question "Who will win this year's World Series?" arises, the response is about as hard to determine as it is for a Mets fan to determine which to root for without jumping off of the Brooklyn Bridge. Here's how I see it playing out:
Game 1: Cliff Lee vs. C.C. Sabathia- A faceoff between the last two AL Cy Young Award Winners is a fitting way to kick off the 2009 World Series. The Phillies haven't played in a week, and while I think the rest will does well for Cliff Lee's arm, the Phillies bats may have a bit of waking up to do. C.C. gets the better of his former Indians teammate.
Yankees (1-0 NYY)
Game 2: Pedro Martinez vs. A.J. Burnett- Martinez returns to the "Who's your daddy?" chants at Yankee Stadium, and relishes in it. Since losing his father, Pedro has been brilliant, and is again brilliant in Game 2. Burnett struggles and with Molina in the lineup, Posada or Matsui get the short end of the stick.
Phillies (1-1)
Game 3: Andy Pettitte vs. Cole Hamels- Hamels, he 2008 World Series MVP, has had a down year. The trip back to the Fall Classic may rejuvenate him, but Pettitte has had a solid postseason and pitches better in 6+ innings here. However, anything less than 7 innings means Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, spelling a come from behind Phillies rally, a pivotal turn in the series.
Phillies (2-1 PHI)
Game 4: TBA, Sabathia vs. Lee- Down 2-1, Girardi takes no chances and turns to C.C., while Manuel retaliates with Lee. This time around the Phillies bats are alive and well, and Lee outshines the Yankees ace in Philadelphia.
Phillies (3-1)
Game 5: TBA, Burnett vs. Happ- As much as I'm inclined to think the Phillies would like to stick to their order and follow Lee with Martinez, I believe Charlie Manuel will throw lefty J.A. Happ at home, preserving Martinez for a more pressure-filled road start, if necessary. I do like Happ, but I can't see the Yankees going down yet, not without more of a fight.
Yankees (3-2 PHI)
Game 6: TBA, Martinez vs. Pettitte- To go against Pettitte at Yankee Stadium seems crazy. To think Pedro Martinez will win 2 games on the road may be just as crazy. Call me crazy.
Phillies (4-2)
Phillies in 6
World Series MVP: Pedro Martinez
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Week 7 Preview: New York Jets at Oakland Raiders
by Mike Trovato
Week 7- October 25th, 2009
New York Jets (3-3) at Oakland Raiders (2-4)
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets cannot wait for October to end. Month two of the rookie QB's season has unfolded very differently than month one, and as Sanchez' numbers have gone, so have the Jets.
http://www.buffalobills.com/media-lounge/photo-gallery/Week-6-at-NY-Jets/88e29149-306d-4e92-ab84-1cab45d07c38
In leading New York to an unblemished 3-0 September, Sanchez completed 49 of 83 passes (59 percent) for 606 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, good for a QB rating of 87.7. He even added a gutsy touchdown run to his early season success back in Week 3. October has been a completely different story, putting an abrupt end to the storybook first chapter of the kid's brief NFL career. This month, Sanchez has been responsible for just one touchdown, while 10 percent of Sanchez' throws have been intercepted (8 picks in 80 attempts)- 5 last week against Buffalo.
It's never good when the opponent's defense catches half the amount of passes as your offense hauls in from your quarterback, but that's exactly what happened; 5 Sanchez landed in the hands of the Bills, while Jets receivers managed just 10 receptions. With that, number 6 doubled his interception total on the season to 10, en route to a JaMarcus Russell-esque completion percentage of 34.5 with a minuscule 8.3 QB rating.
Speaking of JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders signal caller has had more than his share of setbacks this year, but while Sanchez was stinking up the joint last weekend, Russell's season-best 224 yards on 17 of 28 passing looks solid by comparison. OK, so it's not really solid, but the only stat that matters is what shows up in the win column. In that regard, Russell succeeded, leading Oakland to a victory that would knock me out of my King of the Hill pool and cost me thousands of dollars.
http://www.raiders.com/media-vault/photo-gallery/Raiders-vs-Eagles/18995d7f-ecbe-4aa8-b487-5b20cb64289b
Bitterness aside, this week's Jets-Raiders contest may be closer than people on the east coast would like to admit. The Jets have officially slid from bandwagon Super Bowl Champs to a reeling middle of the road team with two divisional losses and a rookie QB with the second-worst quarterback rating of any player that has started every game this season. An ironic and minimal plus for Gang Green and Mark Sanchez is that there is one QB with as many starts and a worse passer rating: JaMarcus Russell (right).
Needless to say, this game is not likely to be a shootout, and for that reason the Jets should have an edge, at least on paper. New York leads the NFL with 978 rushing yards, one-third of which was accounted for with last week's 318 yard total. That stat, along with the fact that Buffalo lost its starting QB halfway through the second quarter further magnifies just how bad the loss to the Bills really was. Every third quarter possession for the Jets resulted in a turnover, leading to 10 unanswered Bills points to tie the game at 13-13. Had they not turned the ball over 6 times, what culminated in a 3-point overtime loss could very well have been a 10-point win. Not to mention, if Ben Hartsock had kept his hands to himself rather than committing a holding penalty that ultimately took the Jets out of what would have been game-winning field goal range... But a loss is a loss, right?
The silver lining here is that the formula for victory for Rex Ryan's Jets squad has become crystal clear- play a complete football game. The bad news of course is that the same kid that was just one month ago the football king of New York has morphed back into just that- a kid. Granted, I only have four months and five days on Mark Sanchez, but the growing pains that surprisingly eluded him against the Texans, Patriots and Titans caught up to him twofold against the Saints, Dolphins and Bills.
Oakland has historically given the Jets trouble, having won 20 and tied 2 of the 36 regular season contests between the two franchises, as well as ousting New York from the playoffs in consecutive seasons back in 2001 and 2002. The two former AFL teams faced off in Oakland during week 7 last season, and the Jets suffered the exact same result as last week- a 16-13 overtime loss. The challenge for Mark Sanchez will to be not to perform as Brett Favre did last season, throwing 2 interceptions with zero touchdowns on 21 of 38 attempts.
"The Black Hole" as it is called, is an opposing player's hell, essentially Halloween eight times a year. While the fans will certainly not be welcoming, perhaps Sanchez will feel somewhat more at home, being back in southern California where he played his college ball. It's a stretch, but perhaps this week will be a turning point for the former Trojan.
The bottom line is, a game that earlier this season seemed to be nothing more than a "trap" game has now become a must-win for the 3-3 Jets. Sanchez will be without two of his targets again this week, as Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) and Brad Smith (quadriceps) will both be inactive. With Braylon Edwards facing coverage from Nnamdi Asomugha, Dustin Keller and David Clowney will need to step up in the passing game.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/fan_zone/download/photos/14849
On the other side of the ball, the pressure continues to mount as well. Not only will the defense have to worry about picking up the slack for the turnovers by the offense, but now they will have to do so without Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle Kris Jenkins (left), who is out for the season with a torn ACL. The loss of the 6'4," 360 pound D-tackle will put Rex Ryan's creativity to the test as the Jets will try to fill the massive void with the likes of Sione Pouha and Howard Green.
Pouha, now in his fourth year out of Utah, actually played well after Jenkins went down last week, contributing 5 solo tackles (9 total) off the bench. Pouha will now be forced to step up even more against an Oakland offense that is far from intimidating in either facet, running or passing. The Raiders' 88.5 rushing yards per game is not helped by their anemic passing attack, which at 125.3 yards per game is by far the worst in the NFL, though the Jets' 155.7 yards through the air is not much better.
Jets Key Stat of the Game: Rush-Pass Ratio
With Mark Sanchez struggling immensely, the Jets will need to keep the pressure off of him. Oakland's pass rush is nothing to scoff at, tied for 6th best with 15 sacks this season. However, the Raiders' run defense is 5th worst in the league, allowing 145.3 yards per contest on the ground. I'm no expert, but with three healthy backs, the Jets would be wise to finally deploy Shonn Greene (right) in a more expanded role.
http://hawkfantasysports.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/shonn-greene-1.jpg
I don't care if they go 3-and-out in each of their first few possessions, the key to winning is wearing down the defensive line to ultimately buy Mark Sanchez the time to make the smarter decisions if and when he is forced to make them. To do this, the Jets must neutralize veteran defensive ends Richard Seymour and Greg Ellis, who have four sacks apiece. The longer Sanchez holds on to the rock, the worse the outcome seems to be (see: fumble in own end zone at New Orleans Week 4.) The name of the game now becomes getting rid of the ball quickly, which means a lot of screens, a lot of quick slants and outs (Dustin Keller, where are you?), and a massive, massive overdose of hand offs.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/fan_zone/download/photos/14814
It may not sound sexy, and it may not be hugely effective early, but Brian Schottenheimer would be mad not to call a running play 7 out of 10 times in this contest. I'm talking a 20-15-10 Jones-Greene-Washington split, with Washington getting additional touches in an abridged passing game. For good measure, get Danny Woodhead in the mix. Woodhead (left) tore it up in the preseason, and although he was brought back as a wide receiver new number and all, let's not fool ourselves- whether it's out of the backfield or in the slot, he does have talent, talent that should be utilized immediately.
Prediction:
This game has ugly written all over it. I still have too much blind faith to give up on the Jets just yet, but after another stinker last week and the Raiders' upset victory over Philly, I'm concerned. The belief that they'll pull this one out is as much of an indictment of the Raiders offense as it is an endorsement of New York's. While the Raiders do have Michael Bush, Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden, their passing game does not command much respect despite JaMarcus Russell's big arm, and it has limited the potential of their backs. Provided they keep that big arm of Russell's in check and reduce him to the mistake-prone quarterback he's been thus far while reducing their own QB mistakes, the Jets should snap their 3-game losing streak.
Jets 17, Raiders 15
Week 7- October 25th, 2009
New York Jets (3-3) at Oakland Raiders (2-4)
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets cannot wait for October to end. Month two of the rookie QB's season has unfolded very differently than month one, and as Sanchez' numbers have gone, so have the Jets.
http://www.buffalobills.com/media-lounge/photo-gallery/Week-6-at-NY-Jets/88e29149-306d-4e92-ab84-1cab45d07c38
In leading New York to an unblemished 3-0 September, Sanchez completed 49 of 83 passes (59 percent) for 606 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, good for a QB rating of 87.7. He even added a gutsy touchdown run to his early season success back in Week 3. October has been a completely different story, putting an abrupt end to the storybook first chapter of the kid's brief NFL career. This month, Sanchez has been responsible for just one touchdown, while 10 percent of Sanchez' throws have been intercepted (8 picks in 80 attempts)- 5 last week against Buffalo.It's never good when the opponent's defense catches half the amount of passes as your offense hauls in from your quarterback, but that's exactly what happened; 5 Sanchez landed in the hands of the Bills, while Jets receivers managed just 10 receptions. With that, number 6 doubled his interception total on the season to 10, en route to a JaMarcus Russell-esque completion percentage of 34.5 with a minuscule 8.3 QB rating.
Speaking of JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders signal caller has had more than his share of setbacks this year, but while Sanchez was stinking up the joint last weekend, Russell's season-best 224 yards on 17 of 28 passing looks solid by comparison. OK, so it's not really solid, but the only stat that matters is what shows up in the win column. In that regard, Russell succeeded, leading Oakland to a victory that would knock me out of my King of the Hill pool and cost me thousands of dollars.
http://www.raiders.com/media-vault/photo-gallery/Raiders-vs-Eagles/18995d7f-ecbe-4aa8-b487-5b20cb64289b
Bitterness aside, this week's Jets-Raiders contest may be closer than people on the east coast would like to admit. The Jets have officially slid from bandwagon Super Bowl Champs to a reeling middle of the road team with two divisional losses and a rookie QB with the second-worst quarterback rating of any player that has started every game this season. An ironic and minimal plus for Gang Green and Mark Sanchez is that there is one QB with as many starts and a worse passer rating: JaMarcus Russell (right).Needless to say, this game is not likely to be a shootout, and for that reason the Jets should have an edge, at least on paper. New York leads the NFL with 978 rushing yards, one-third of which was accounted for with last week's 318 yard total. That stat, along with the fact that Buffalo lost its starting QB halfway through the second quarter further magnifies just how bad the loss to the Bills really was. Every third quarter possession for the Jets resulted in a turnover, leading to 10 unanswered Bills points to tie the game at 13-13. Had they not turned the ball over 6 times, what culminated in a 3-point overtime loss could very well have been a 10-point win. Not to mention, if Ben Hartsock had kept his hands to himself rather than committing a holding penalty that ultimately took the Jets out of what would have been game-winning field goal range... But a loss is a loss, right?
The silver lining here is that the formula for victory for Rex Ryan's Jets squad has become crystal clear- play a complete football game. The bad news of course is that the same kid that was just one month ago the football king of New York has morphed back into just that- a kid. Granted, I only have four months and five days on Mark Sanchez, but the growing pains that surprisingly eluded him against the Texans, Patriots and Titans caught up to him twofold against the Saints, Dolphins and Bills.
Oakland has historically given the Jets trouble, having won 20 and tied 2 of the 36 regular season contests between the two franchises, as well as ousting New York from the playoffs in consecutive seasons back in 2001 and 2002. The two former AFL teams faced off in Oakland during week 7 last season, and the Jets suffered the exact same result as last week- a 16-13 overtime loss. The challenge for Mark Sanchez will to be not to perform as Brett Favre did last season, throwing 2 interceptions with zero touchdowns on 21 of 38 attempts.
"The Black Hole" as it is called, is an opposing player's hell, essentially Halloween eight times a year. While the fans will certainly not be welcoming, perhaps Sanchez will feel somewhat more at home, being back in southern California where he played his college ball. It's a stretch, but perhaps this week will be a turning point for the former Trojan.
The bottom line is, a game that earlier this season seemed to be nothing more than a "trap" game has now become a must-win for the 3-3 Jets. Sanchez will be without two of his targets again this week, as Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) and Brad Smith (quadriceps) will both be inactive. With Braylon Edwards facing coverage from Nnamdi Asomugha, Dustin Keller and David Clowney will need to step up in the passing game.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/fan_zone/download/photos/14849
On the other side of the ball, the pressure continues to mount as well. Not only will the defense have to worry about picking up the slack for the turnovers by the offense, but now they will have to do so without Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle Kris Jenkins (left), who is out for the season with a torn ACL. The loss of the 6'4," 360 pound D-tackle will put Rex Ryan's creativity to the test as the Jets will try to fill the massive void with the likes of Sione Pouha and Howard Green.Pouha, now in his fourth year out of Utah, actually played well after Jenkins went down last week, contributing 5 solo tackles (9 total) off the bench. Pouha will now be forced to step up even more against an Oakland offense that is far from intimidating in either facet, running or passing. The Raiders' 88.5 rushing yards per game is not helped by their anemic passing attack, which at 125.3 yards per game is by far the worst in the NFL, though the Jets' 155.7 yards through the air is not much better.
Jets Key Stat of the Game: Rush-Pass Ratio
With Mark Sanchez struggling immensely, the Jets will need to keep the pressure off of him. Oakland's pass rush is nothing to scoff at, tied for 6th best with 15 sacks this season. However, the Raiders' run defense is 5th worst in the league, allowing 145.3 yards per contest on the ground. I'm no expert, but with three healthy backs, the Jets would be wise to finally deploy Shonn Greene (right) in a more expanded role.http://hawkfantasysports.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/shonn-greene-1.jpg
I don't care if they go 3-and-out in each of their first few possessions, the key to winning is wearing down the defensive line to ultimately buy Mark Sanchez the time to make the smarter decisions if and when he is forced to make them. To do this, the Jets must neutralize veteran defensive ends Richard Seymour and Greg Ellis, who have four sacks apiece. The longer Sanchez holds on to the rock, the worse the outcome seems to be (see: fumble in own end zone at New Orleans Week 4.) The name of the game now becomes getting rid of the ball quickly, which means a lot of screens, a lot of quick slants and outs (Dustin Keller, where are you?), and a massive, massive overdose of hand offs.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/fan_zone/download/photos/14814
It may not sound sexy, and it may not be hugely effective early, but Brian Schottenheimer would be mad not to call a running play 7 out of 10 times in this contest. I'm talking a 20-15-10 Jones-Greene-Washington split, with Washington getting additional touches in an abridged passing game. For good measure, get Danny Woodhead in the mix. Woodhead (left) tore it up in the preseason, and although he was brought back as a wide receiver new number and all, let's not fool ourselves- whether it's out of the backfield or in the slot, he does have talent, talent that should be utilized immediately.Prediction:
This game has ugly written all over it. I still have too much blind faith to give up on the Jets just yet, but after another stinker last week and the Raiders' upset victory over Philly, I'm concerned. The belief that they'll pull this one out is as much of an indictment of the Raiders offense as it is an endorsement of New York's. While the Raiders do have Michael Bush, Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden, their passing game does not command much respect despite JaMarcus Russell's big arm, and it has limited the potential of their backs. Provided they keep that big arm of Russell's in check and reduce him to the mistake-prone quarterback he's been thus far while reducing their own QB mistakes, the Jets should snap their 3-game losing streak.
Jets 17, Raiders 15
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