Jacobs not hurt, NY/Bos Continues, and the King wins 12

Jacobs’ knee is ready for Sunday: It’s always nice to hear that the league’s most valuable player isn’t injured, but with Ward and Bradshaw waiting for more carries, it may not hurt to rest the Blue Train. Here’s hoping B. Jacobs gets a few carries (for 2 tds), and the rest of the game is left to Wind and Fire.

Demptser Signs, Burnett gets same offer from Blue Jays, Yanks to top it: If the Yankees really do sign Burnett and Sabathia, the Major League Baseball world is in for a long, pinstriped, season.

Rangers win in the SO again, King first to 12 wins: Feels like almost every Ranger game ends in a shootout. I was glad to see Freddie Shoe score last night, and watching Zherdev score the GWG in the SO, despite being angry with himself, was an awakening. When Zherdev’s name was called as the game’s 2nd star he didn’t come out for the applause. I love Zherdev’s attitude, and think he should expect better from himself, so him not accepting accolades made sense.

New York/Boston rivalry continues tonight on the hardwood: Knicks could be this year’s Celtics, so a win in Boston would be huge. The Knicks have been giving up their big leads every game, but it’s nice seeing them have any leads at all after last season. Prediction: Knicks 114, Celtics (without KG) 106

Blueshirts rinse and repeat… 2-0

Rangers 2, Lightning 1

The Rangers weren’t handling the face offs, or throwing the body more than their opponent, but they were out chancing the Lightning with speed and determination. The Rangers (or Jagr’s depending how you viewed the team over the last 3 seasons) of last year had a much slower pace to their game, but now everyone (even Colton Orr) have been given the green light, and these boys are firing at will. The first goal coming from free agent signing Wade Redden, who was brought here to do exactly what he did, put the puck in the net. The second goal came from a combination of multiple forward lines, a bunch of time in the attacking zone, and smart positioning. The fourth line of Voros-Betts-Orr took the zone, had a couple chances go the the boards, changed off (except for Voros), and led way to the Rangers getting the game winning goal in the second frame on a great screen from Voros that led to Gomez finding the puck long before Ollie the Goalie.

Petr Prucha still can’t get a break despite doing everything he can to be in the best position possible. It’s great he got to start both of these games after rumors of Renney scratching the Czech native, but the less he capitalizes on, the more we’ll be seeing of Dan Fritsche and Freddy Sjostrom. The King allowed one goal again, nailed his first lead commercial role (Is this the year?), and was the most dominant star on the ice in this series. The Lightning had chances to tie the game, but Lundqvist just wasn’t interested in sharing the glory in Prague. The new look Lightning didn’t look all that great in these games, but a sample size against a team they’ve been playing all month is hard to gauge the rest of the season on. I can say this much about them, Steve Stamkos is the man, and they’re going to love that guy for years to come.

Hopefully the Rangers can keep rolling, and get a great start to this season, unlike the previous two seasons where chemistry problems led to slow starts. When you ice a goalie as good as Lundqvist you’re in every game, so it should be interesting to see what this new look team can do.

By Jeffrey Paul Louis Schiller

Prediction Bust: Cubs swept, Dodgers already moving the the CS, and my World Series predictions out the window. Thanks Steve Bartman, or are we already (after four years) over that?

MLB Playoff Predictions

Just came up with a new Movie Review of the Moment (Choke), check it out! Anyway here’s the views of myself, and a St. Louis Cardinals fan (and friend of mine) K.C. Simons.

N.L. Predictions

NLDS Milwaukee Brewers v Philadelphia Phillies

Jeff: I’d like to go against Jay Mariotti and pick the Brewers, but with 1-month MVP Ryan Howard, and that extra year of experience in the playoffs, I’m going with the Phils.

Prediction: Phillies in 5

K.C: I give the edge to the Phillies with the strength of their bullpen, especially Lidge with his 100% save record this season. I expect a high scoring series with 2 great offenses, but the brewers just don’t have “THAT” guy at the end that you can trust to save the game.

Prediction: Phillies in 5

NLDS Los Angeles Dodgers v Chicago Cubs

Jeff: I have nothing to base this on (besides the best record in the NL of course), but I think this is the Cubbies year, and their curse will now also be lifted. Could be a close series, but Joe Torre is going to get stuck in the first round, again. The Manny factor could prove me wrong though.

Prediction: Cubs in 5

K.C: This was a tough call, but again it comes down to pitching. Both teams have a great offense, the Dodgers have been rolling, but I think the Cubs win.

Prediction: Cubs in 5

NLCS Philadelphia Phillies v Chicago Cubs

Jeff: If the NL really comes down to these two teams then the MLB is the true winner. These two teams (and their fanbases) have been waiting forever to get to the World Series. Look for a big series from former New York Yankees second baseman, Alfonso Soriano, he brings a clutch bat with him into these types of situations.

Prediction: Cubs in 6

K.C: Two powerful lineups and deep bullpens. It will be a shoot-out to the finish. I’ve got the Phillies winning it, but it will be a nail biter.

Prediction: Phillies in 7

A.L. Predictions

ALDS Los Angeles Angels v Boston Red Sox

Jeff: LAA has done nothing, but dominate all season. They’ve done it in the clutch, with the best winning percentage in one run games, and they’ve pulled out the elusive 100 win season. The Sox score a lot of runs (80 more than the Angels), but this is the playoffs, and pitching is everything.

Prediction: K rod with 3 saves in 3 straight games for a sweep

K.C: Pitching will be the key to this series, but I think the Angels offense is a little better. This series will go to a fifth game with the Angels moving on.

Prediction: Angels in 5

ALDS Tampa Bay Rays v Chicago White Sox

Jeff: Tampa has done a bunch of things that no other teams have done in my lifetime (biggest bounce backs in wins/bullpen era/fair weather fans), but all that means nothing in the playoffs. I got the Chi Sox taking this one down, and big. The momentum is going to carry them a lot like the Rockies of last year.

Prediction: White Sox in 4

K.C: Tampa is better in the field, offensively, pitching-wise, and anywhere else on the field.

Prediction: Rays in 4

ALCS Los Angeles Angels v Chicago White Sox

Jeff: I’d love to see Chi town showdown in the series, but there’s no way I can pick this Chicago team over the Angels. LAA is going to take down their going to run the gamut of footwear and be onto another World Series appearance.

Prediction: Angels in 6

ALCS Los Angeles Angels v Tampa Bay Rays

K.C: This will be an awesome seven game series. I think the angels are just a little bit better than the Rays at the end of the bullpen, and that will be key to all of this series’ 1-2 run ball games.

Prediction: Angels in 7

WORLD SERIES Chicago Cubs v Los Angeles Angels

Jeff: If the Cubs get this far and fail it’ll break the already broken hearts of the Wrigley Field faithful. The Angels have had a great run, but I just see emotion carrying the Cubs in this series. Big Z for series MVP with two wins.

Prediction: Cubs in 6

WORLD SERIES Los Angeles Angels v Philadelphia Phillies

K.C: I’m going with the Phillies. I believe an awesome series. I give the edge to the Phillies on offense, starting pitching to the Angels, the bullpens are about the same in my eyes, both with unreal closers. It will be another shootout to the finish. I think something spectacular will happen that will shift the balance of the series to one team, and I believe that team will be the Phillies.

Prediction: Phillies in 7

Brian Cashman gets 3 year extension: Personally, I’m not exactly stoked about this because Cash has been fielding pretty much the same team the last three years, and every year they started like crap. This year was the pinnacle of the triad of crap starts because the Yankees didn’t rebound and make the playoffs. It doesn’t take much to earn my forgiveness, just a World Series win, do it Cash.