Sports Pro Central

If you followed my NHL playoff picks, I did pretty well.  Correctly predicted 11/15 series winners.  How will I do in baseball?  Who knows.  Who cares.  But if you’re itching to keep reading, it’s because you’re a gambler just a click away from online betting.  And even better, I’m writing this with woozy innards. Just finished eating a Snickers bar and there must be some contaminated peanuts buried in that brown goo because my stomach is churning!

LA Angels vs. Boston - LA had more wins.  So going by assholes (we all know them) who thinks shitty pitchers who win 17 games should win the Cy Young, Angels will beat Boston.  I’m not one of those assholes.  Angels played in a terrible division and racked up wins against bad teams.  Boston has much better hitting.  Better averages and more power.  Angels struggled offensively, but got held in with solid starters and K-Rod.  But Boston has good pitching too.  Statistically, both pitching rosters are quite similar, but Boston has more experience.  I’d trust Dice, Beckett and ancient Wakefield than Ervin Santana, Saunders and Lackey.  K-Rod and Papelbon cancel each other out.  Angels have home field advantage which plays into their favour as the Red Sox are an average road team, but Boston’s hitters are too good.  I don’t see Guerrero, Anderson and Teixeira overwhelming the Red Sox starters and relievers.  I’ll give LA one game.  Boston in 4

Tampa Bay vs. Chicago White Sox - A tough series.  Neither team is playoff worthy, but somehow they achieved it.  Tampa has worse offence, but better pitching.  However, the Chi Sox are missing Quentin.  Chi Sox also limped into the playoffs.  Hmmmm….. (scratching head……. due to itchiness not thought).  I hate fat ass Guillen, but the team has a more trusting pitching staff so I’m going to pick them.  I don’t trust the Rays young starters and definitely don’t trust whichever hack is closing- Wheeler or Percival.  Those guys have blown so many saves, no lead is safe.  Chicago’s batters might be fogies, but Tampa’s young studs are no better. The playoff clinching game shows Thome can still hit em out and Griffey can field.  This will be a boring series.  Skip it and watch the other ones.  Chicago White Sox in 4

Chicago Cubs vs. LA Dodgers - The easiest series of them all.  Chicago 3 straight.  There I said it.  The Dodgers shouldn’t even be in the playoffs.  They do have pitching.  Lowe, Billyboy and an illegal boatload of Koreans can throw.  But so can the Cubs staff.  And I’d trust the Cubbies roster of Zambrano, Harden, Lilly and newfound closer Kerry Wood over LA’s team….. assuming Wood doesn’t get injured for the millionth time.  For batters, Cubs got a slew of all-star caliber players - Soriano, Lee, Ramirez - along with a few vets who still play a solid game - Edmonds and DeRosa.  Dodgers have Manny and a bunch of second rate hitters like Kemp, Martin and Loney.  They have vets too, but aging ones who should be benched permanently - Kent and Garciaparra.  Unless Manny can hit 3 homers a game, this will be a quick series.  Chicago Cubs in 3

Philadelphia vs. Milwaukee - Possibly the most entertaining series of them all.  Who needs drugs to get high when these athletes have been jumping up and down in jubilation for days?   (Thank you Mets for gagging).  Both teams hit poorly, but can bomb them out.  When Howard and Prince are at the plate, you watch!  It’s amazing how close these teams are stat wise.  Their win/loss records, runs scored, runs let in and home/away records are similar.  Homers, batting averages, pitchers’ strikeouts and even fielding stats are close!  So who will win?  I’m going with the Phillies due to their bats.  Although statistically close, the Phils have a more dominant top of the lineup and more speed.  Rollins, Utley, Howard, Burrell and Victorino can produce runs and are fleet of foot.  Brewers have Prince, Braun, Hart, Hardy and Cameron.  Lots of power, but lacking speed, average, too many strikeouts and too few walks. Pitching is close.  Brewers have CC and Sheets.  Two awesome pitchers.  Phillies can counter with Hamels and Moyer.  Not as good as the Brewers tandem, but for closing, I’d take Lidge over Torres any day.  This series will go all the way.  Philadelphia in 5