Friday, July 8
MLB
Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers
Mike Leake (8-4, 4.03 ERA) – Reds vs Zach Greinke (7-3, 5.66 ERA)
This may not be the sexiest matchup to the casual baseball fan, but if your team is a National League contender, you are (or should be) paying attention. The race in the National League Central division could not be much tighter, with three games separating the first place St. Louis Cardinals, second place Brewers, third place Pittsburgh Pirates, and the fourth place Reds.
Zach Greinke has been an enigma. The former Cy Young award winner has been on a roller coaster in 2011, giving up far more runs than he has in his career, yet he keeps earning wins. The Brewers’ lineup, anchored by slugger Prince Fielder (.302, 22 HRs, 71 RBI) and 5 tooler Ryan Braun (.320, 16 HR, 62 RBI), assuming Braun can play (calf injury), can rack up extra bases and runs when it needs to, providing more than adequate run support for Greinke and the pitching staff.
Mike Leake could also tighten up his consistency on the mound. While he can be counted upon to deliver a healthy pitch count and work a solid number of innings, going six or more innings in his last eight appearances, he has been porous in allowing runs at times. The Reds’ strength, like the Brew Crew, is in their bats. Reigning MVP Joey Votto (.317, 12 HR, 52 RBI) and Jay Bruce (.260, 19 HR, 53 RBI) can bring runs in any time they are at the plate, meaning that the Reds always have a chance in the late innings of a close game.
The Brewers are at home and have been slightly less prone to pitching debacles as the Reds. I think that tips the scale, in this game to the Brewers.
Advantages: Game – Brewers, Series – split
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| This is likely Prince's last year in Milwaukee, but he is going out swinging. 1 |
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
Brandon Beachy (3-1, 3.23 ERA) – Braves vs Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.44 ERA)
The Phillies may have been anointed NL East champions by many members of the press during spring training, but the Atlanta Braves have quietly kept pace all season. While not likely, the Braves could quietly slip into a tie for first place with the Phillies in the East by sweeping this three game series.
Braves catcher Brian McCann (.314, 14 HR, 48 RBI) has quietly been on a roll, of late. McCann has reached base in 8 of his last 9 games, including five multi-hit games. Offseason free agent acquisition second baseman Dan Uggla (.183, 14 HR, 32 RBI) may be quietly breaking out of a horrendous slump, having hit 2 homeruns in the past week, with a .375 on base percentage and a .600 slugging percentage in July.
Brandon Beachy will get the ball for the Braves. Beachy won his last two decisions and has mowed down opposing batters of late, with 26 strikeouts in his last three starts. He will face, who in my opinion is, National League Cy Young front runner Roy Halladay. Doc Halladay has just kept on trucking, winning his last six consecutive decisions and having pitched complete game wins in his last two starts. While the Phillies’ lack of run support was cause for concern in the month of June, they are averaging six runs per game in July.
The Braves are very good, but the Phillies are better. Halladay is as good as it gets. I like the Phillies.
Advantages: Game – Phillies, Series – Phillies
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| The Phillies Phanatic is gearing up for the All-Star break! 2 |
Saturday, July 9
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
David Price (8-7, 3.56 ERA) – Rays vs A.J. Burnett (8-7, 4.12 ERA) – Yankees
I could go on all day about how tight the race is in the American League East between the Yanks, Rays, and Boston Red Sox. The Tampa Bay Rays have the third best record in the division, four games back of the Yankees, but also have the third best record in the American League. I could tell you what a great pitching matchup you should expect between two of the better pitchers in the American League. I could tell you how exciting Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson (.274, 25 HR, 62 RBI) has been to watch or how Alex Rodriguez (.299, 13 HR, 52 RBI) continues to be as consistent as ever at age 35.
I could tell you how the Rays have had everything but the kitchen sink thrown at them since last season, losing key players to free agency, getting off to a horrific 0-6 start, and losing slugger Manny Ramirez, in the first month of the season, to a combination of “special vitamins”, “Manny being Manny” and retirement. I could tell you how Rays outfielder Matt Joyce (.291, 11 HR, 40 RBI) has stepped up. In becoming a first-time All-Star, Joyce has helped to fill in the gap left by the games missed in April (and the apparent lingering effects of the foot injury causing the missed games) by franchise third baseman Evan Longoria (.243, 11 HR, 41 RBI).
I could tell you all of that. But there is no more compelling reason to watch Saturday’s game than the fact that Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has 2,997 career hits. The law of averages tells us that he is most likely to be sitting at hit number 2,999 during either Saturday or Sunday’s game. According to foxsports.com, as of right now, this game is not one of the games that could be televised for Fox MLB game of the week. I personally think someone should be fired should that continue to be the case on Saturday. Should Fox not carry this potentially historic game nationally, I would be very surprised to not see, minimally, coverage of Jeter’s plate appearances on MLB Network and one of the ESPN channels.
This is a rare occurrence in baseball, with the last player to reach the 3,000 hit milestone being Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros in 2007. So I sincerely hope that all fans who wish to witness this historic accomplishment by Jeter have the opportunity to do so. As for the game itself, I could tell you that I think the Rays have a slight edge due to the pitching matchup.
Advantages: Game – Rays, Series – Yankees
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| Now batting for the Yankees...the shortstop...number two...Derek Jeter...number two. 3 |
Sunday, July 10
Women’s World Cup Soccer
WWC Quarterfinals from Germany
United States at Brazil
I won’t pretend to have much technical insight into international women’s soccer. All I will say is that the American women have looked good, thus far, and what action I have seen has been entertaining. Go USA!
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| GOOOOOOOOAL!!!! 4 |
MLB All-Star Game Home Run Derby
To me, this is often the best event in the All-Star break, with the action in the derby sometimes exceeding the action of the game itself. Even if you do not plan to watch the All-Star game, a three hour exhibition, the home run derby is usually worth one’s time.
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| Can the big fella duplicate his winning efforts from 2009? 5 |
Tuesday, July 12
82nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game from Phoenix, Arizona
American League at National League
While this game is an exhibition, it still determines which league has home field advantage in the World Series. I think this is the dumbest rule, maybe ever, in major league American sports. I think it is further evidence that Bud Selig’s retirement as commissioner of Major League Baseball, after next season, will be cause for a celebration. Nonetheless, the All-Star Game is going to have a potentially significant impact on the Fall Classic.
In the Boston Red Sox recent three game series in Philadelphia, the Sox were clearly suffering from the absence of the designated hitter slot, which is only used in American League parks. Considering that the Red Sox and Phillies are considered favorites by many to win their league pennants, Tuesday’s game truly could affect the competitive landscape in October.
The good news, for the Red Sox and other AL clubs, is that the American League has dominated this game in the past decade and a half. The bad news is that the National League finally broke the “curse” last year. The worse news for American League fans is that the game is being played in Arizona, a National League park. No DH….
Advantage: National League, Disadvantage: baseball fans everywhere
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| Doesn't MLB offer early retirement incentives??? 6 |
Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!
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1) Image from bleacherreport.com
2) Image from asylum.com
3) Image from deadspin.com
4) Image from goal.com
5) Image from pennlive.com
6) Image from upi.com
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