The Name’s Ron Washington
The Rangers manager has to be a little worried about this hangover. Ron Washington said his team doesn’t feel such things, although I bet a few of them have had some pretty nasty hangovers in their past…
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The Rangers probably won’t be hungover because no one was out celebrating. Texas certainly isn’t dead but 2-0 is not a good spot to be in. I like the Rangers in game three at home. They must get two to survive but I believe in order to win the series they need all three. Losing the Cliff Lee game is what really hurt. When you open up a series on the road you hope to grab one. Lee getting shelled wasn’t only surprising, it was devastating.
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Josh Hamilton and crew can still turn it around and I’ll be willing to bet we get at least six games out of this thing. If the Rangers can win three in a row than I’d put money on seven. Game three features Colby Lewis and Jonathan Sanchez. I really have always thought Sanchez was much better than people give him credit for (the guy threw a no-no). However, Lewis is a stud. If Colby is knocked out early it could get real bad because we have seen that bullpen. Stinky. But if he can stick around until late and the Rangers can get that offense going like game one, they’ll start to make it a series.
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But if they lose game three and go to the gauntlet of 0-3, o-v-e-r. Boston did the climb once in the 2004 ALCS against New York. That will never ever happen again. So Texas, get it done.
Top 5 MLB Players of All-Time
Albert Pujols has had quite a career. His latest homers have made me decide to rank my best five of all-time…and I’m starting at the top.
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1. Babe Ruth. It’s easy. He will always be the best homerun hitter to anyone who knows the game of baseball. Hank Aaron passed him and so did Bonds, with steroids. Yet this guy was a pitcher until about the sixth year of his career. In his final year as a pitcher he hit 29 homers. If he’d of had more plate appearances in those years, Ruth would have 900 big ones.
Putting aside his 714 homeruns, 2,213 RBIs, 2,174 runs, and a career batting average of .342, the guy was a dominant pitcher too. Who else can you say that about!? Best ever.
2. Willie Mays. If you haven’t mimicked the over the shoulder Mays catch, you’re not a baseball fan. He had a glove. Actually, he had 12 gold ones, in a row. We often forget how good of a hitter he was because of all the dazzling catches he had.
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500 doubles, 660 homeruns, and the second best to ever grace the field. He was a great player but he’s an even better man. When he sits down to tell old stories interviewers become children again. Begging to hear more stories from the once-titled MVP. Baseball knowledge files out of his mouth like carbon dioxide does out of mine. Truly, a great.
3. Nolan Ryan. Cy Young was great but the award should be called Nolan Ryan. When a pitcher gets 250 strikeouts it’s fantastic. So, when a player eclipses that eight times what’s that?
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Ryan was the intimidater. He put guys in headlocks when he was balding so age wasn’t a factor. When he was 42, he won 16 games and struck out batters. No one does those things anymore. That’s why he’s the best pitcher of all-time.
4. Honus Wagner. So far I listed a pitcher and two outfielders but this guy was a shortstop. It’s arguably the hardest position to play in the field because right handers hit to the left and right of position number six.
Honus didn’t hit homeruns but he had a few RBIs. He also stole 722 bases in his day. Fun facts: his baseball card is one of the most valued of all-time, he was only in the post season twice, and his real name isn’t Honus it’s John Peter. If you’re ever bored look up Wagner’s stats because their ridiculous.
5. Ted Williams. I would put Bonds here but he played during the most difficult era to describe in baseball history. Williams was the last to hit .400 in a season and no one will ever do it again. Period.
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He served our country over playing ball and for that we thank him. On top of his good character, there was a mighty fine player. He was a true power-hitter and RBI machine. However, he had a clean average to go with it. He only eclipsed 50 strikeouts three times and it was in his first four seasons. Take that Adam Dunn! Finally, there’s something to say for playing your entire career with one team. Boston was lucky to have him.
These players will never be duplicated. They’ll probably never be topped either. Guys like Bonds and A-Rod can try but they did it the wrong way. Pujols could end up on this list if he keeps up what has become the best 10 year stretch ever. Who knows, maybe a Nationals player could make it on here. Probably not after a crucial arm injury though. Ouch Washington.
MLB Division Leaders 2010
This time a year ago every division in baseball had a different leader. Now, not every team that was leading at this point went on to win the division but it proves that the MLB season is a marathon not a sprint.
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What surprises me the most? The NL West has the Pads in first when in ’09 it was LA. San Diego should hold onto their slugger Adrian Gonzales and closer Heath Bell to keep this dream alive.
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Then there’s the NL Central. The Cards are a favorite this year but a year ago it was Milwaukee that was running the show. The Red Birds would go on to get Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday along with Julio Lugo to solidify the Central late in the season. This year the Reds need to make some moves if they wish to put themselves ahead of the Birds.
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The Braves lead the East because the ’09 team at this point is injured to hell. The Phillies are losing players left and right and now Chase Utley is out for who knows how long. I still think Philidelphia comes back to win the division.
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As for the American League, we were talking Angels last year. Now the Rangers are the best team in baseball. Don’t get too carried away. I’ll still stick with my Mariners pick but it’s looking bleak. They’ll probably trade Lee.
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The Yanks are in fist but Boston was last year. I’d like to see the Rays make a run but they need to get it in gear. Boston and New York are outplaying TB.
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Finally, that AL Central. The Twins are running the show now and I think they’ll win it easily. We were talking Sox and Tigers last year. Mauer and company has it together just like I thought.
My picks aren’t too bad right now. Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers. Yankees, Twins, Mariners. Wild Carders- Giants (get it going!) Red Sox.
Panic Time in Boston?, NBA Picks, MLB Picks
Don’t freak out yet Fenway lovers. The team isn’t lost.
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I do think the Yanks might run away with this division but it isn’t completely over. Last year Ortiz struggled but came back after a couple horrific months and produced. It’s hard to look at what happened today though. A three game sweep, no wait, a four game sweep against the Rays. Not good.
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The Rays will be one of those teams competing for the fourth spot in the post season but it will fall short. AND once they lose Crawford after this year they’ll fall even further back. Losing Jason Bay was dumb. Yes, he isn’t flaming hot in New York but they are terrible. Look at the numbers when Bay’s season is over. I bet they are better than J.D. Drews. STRIKE ONE!
The NBA playoffs have started and it’s been interesting. I have no upsets in the East. Celtics and up all take it. Some of these series might be ugly too (Cleveland and Chicago…why watch?).
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In the West there might be some dicey games. I like the Lakers and Nuggets easily. And I know I’ve written earlier that an upset could be San Antonio to take over the Mavs but realistically I like Dallas. Finally, Portland won game one. If and ONLY if they can steal another on the road, they just might win. I’ve always had a thing for Nash but the Blazers came to play. It should be a fun series. STRIKE TWO!
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My much delayed MLB division winners are in. I’ll easily take the Yankees in the East and Boston behind them for the wild card. In the Central I’ll take the M&M sluggers of Mauer and Morneau. In the West lies my upset the Mariners. Pitching and defense will win them the title. However, I have the Yanks over….
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The Cardinals of the NL Central for the World Series final. They’ll win the Central with ease this season. The East will go to Philly who have an outstanding lineup. Don’t worry, the once pathetic West will bring two teams. The LA Dodgers (behind Kemp and Ramirez) will win the division over the wild card winning Giants and their two time reining Cy Young. STRIKE THREE AND I’M OUT!
