My 2011 World Series Prediction

The World Series is set to get under way in just a few hours. The Texas Rangers have a repeat trip to the World Series thanks to their amazing bullpen, and the St Louis Cardinals have finished off an improbable rally in the standings just to get to the World Series.





Here is my prediction as to who will win:

I think the Texas Rangers are going to take advantage of their second trip to the World Series. The Rangers can score with any man in their lineup. Nelson Cruz had a historic ALCS with six homeruns. He will need to hit some homeruns with men on base in this series if the Rangers are to win this thing. I pick the Rangers to pull it out in five games.

My Thoughts on The Cubs

Yes, I am back for now posting about sports again. The layoff has been long and baseball's postseason picture has become clearer by the day. As we all know, the Chicago Cubs have had an awful season under manager Mike Quade. Carlos Zambrano had another meltdown, and hopefully never pitches for the Cubs again. The guy is a super talented pitcher, but his anger problems have been well documented on this team since he became the Ace of the staff in 2007. The Cubs made the first step torward respectability again by firing General Manager Jim Hendry. Hendry had been at the helm of the Cubs GM slot since 2002. Under Hendry, the Cubs won the NL Central in 2003, 2007, and 2008, but suffered unexpected postseason exits every time. Now that Hendry is gone, I will tell you what I would want to see with the Cubs come 2012.
 1. I Want A GM Who has put together a title winning team.
 I think this is imperative that the Cubs hire a guy who has put together a title winning team?. Why? Because the Cubs have the longest title drought in Sports history! I would like to see the Cubs go after a guy like Brian Cashman or Theo Epstein, two guys who have experience in putting together championship teams. Epstein built that 2004 Red Sox team that shocked the world in 2004. Facing elimination down three games to none in the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees, The Red Sox became the first team in baseball history to win four straight games to go on to the World Series! The Red Sox then made quick work out of the St Louis Cardinals, pulling off a four game sweep to win the World Series! Epstein was also on board when the Red Sox retooled with Florida Marlins castoffs Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, went back to the World Series in 2007, sweeping the Colorado Rockies to win it all again. Cashman led the Yankees to finally win the World Series again in 2009.
 2. NO Big Free Agent Signing!
 Albert Pujols is a big Power hitting first baseman. While most Cubs fans have dreamed about him signing with us this offseason, I have been dead set against the Cubs signing him. The Cubs already have signed guys to contracts for too many years and too much money (I'm looking at you Alfonso Soriano.) And with Pujols, I think his inevitable decline has started as a hitter. You can usually always count on him for a .300 season with 40 homers and 100 RBIS, he as of right now is right at .300 with a 37 homer mark with 97 RBIS. Pujols is 31. I don't want to sign a guy to a seven, eight year contract. This team needs to focus on starting pitching. I know that big C.C. Sabathia of the Yankees has an opt out clause after this season, but I don't think he's going anywhere.
New Manager, Pitching Coach as well.
As hard a pill as it was to swallow that Ryne Sandberg would not be returning in Cubbie Pinstripes to manage the team after spending three years managing Cubs minor league teams (each year finishing with a winning record and playoff appearance,) I decided to embrace Mike Quade as Cubs manager. However, it seems like the only players that respect him are the players. The umpires don't respect him (He is tied for the Cubs record for manager ejections) and the fans seemed mad that Ryno is now managing the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs of Philly's Triple A system. He hates taking out pitchers and would rather watch a guy implode than take him out when it looks like he doesn't have his best stuff. Check out closer Carlos Marmol's ten blown saves, the most in baseball by Three! Larry Rothschild was the Cubs pitching coach for many seasons. He then left the team for greener pastures, as he is now the pitching coach for the New York Yankees. The Cubs replaced him with bullpen coach Mark Riggins. Riggins seems to have done more harm than good as a pitching coach to me. The starters are in the games too long, to the point where they're worn down stamina wise, and the relievers don't have the ability to shut guys down, especially in the late innings, that is required to get wins and save ballgames! In a dream world, Greg Maddux would be my choice for Cubs pitching coach,but he will probably stay in the Cubs front office. He is currently an apprentice to assistant Cubs GM Randy Bush.

2011 MLB On TBS Early Schedule

2011 Sunday MLB on TBS Schedule

Date Time (ET) Game
Sunday, April 3 2 p.m. Boston Red Sox @ Texas Rangers
Sunday, April 10 1:30 p.m. Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves
Sunday, April 17 1:30 p.m. Toronto Blue Jays @ Boston Red Sox
Sunday, April 24 2:15 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers @ Chicago Cubs
Sunday, May 1 1 p.m. Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees
Sunday, May 8 2 p.m. New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers
Sunday, May 15 TBA Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves
Sunday, May 22 1 p.m. New York Mets @ New York Yankees
Sunday, May 29 1 p.m. Boston Red Sox @ Detroit Tigers

The Complete 2011 MLB On Fox Schedule

2011 MLB on FOX REGULAR SEASON BROADCAST SCHEDULE
(Note: Schedule Subject to Change; All Times 4:00 PM Eastern Unless Noted)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals

Saturday, April 9, 2011 (*1:00 PM ET)
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves

Saturday, April 16, 2011
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays

Saturday, April 23, 2011
Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants
Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers

Saturday, April 30, 2011 (*1:00 PM ET)
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies
St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Tampa Bay Rays

Saturday, May 7, 2011 (*1:00 PM ET)
Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox
Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs
Tampa Bay Rays at Baltimore Orioles

Saturday, May 14, 2011 (*7:00 PM ET)
Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

Saturday, May 21, 2011 (*7:00 PM ET)
New York Mets at New York Yankees
Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox
Oakland A’s at San Francisco Giants
Texas Rangers at Philadelphia Phillies

Saturday, May 28, 2011 (*7:00 PM ET)
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets
Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers
Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals at Texas Rangers
St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants

Saturday, June 11, 2011
Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies
Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants
Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins

Saturday, June 18, 2011
New York Yankees at Chicago Cubs
Texas Rangers at Atlanta Braves

Saturday, June 25, 2011
New York Mets at Texas Rangers
Washington Nationals at Chicago White Sox
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Los Angeles Dodgers

Saturday, July 2, 2011
New York Yankees at New York Mets
Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs

Saturday, July 9, 2011
New York Mets at San Francisco Giants
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox

Saturday, July 16, 2011
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Oakland A’s

Saturday, July 23, 2011
Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds
San Diego Padres at Philadelphia Phillies
Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins

Saturday, July 30, 2011
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays at Seattle Mariners
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Detroit Tigers

Saturday, August 6, 2011
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants

Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
Texas Rangers at Oakland A’s
Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals

Saturday, August 20, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs
Seattle Mariners at Tampa Bay Rays
Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies

Saturday, August 27, 2011
Atlanta Braves at New York Mets
Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins
Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Dodgers

Saturday, September 3, 2011
Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals
Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants
Cincinnati Reds at Colorado Rockies
Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers

Saturday, September 17, 2010
WILD CARD

Saturday, September 24, 2010
WILD CARD

The 2011 ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Early Schedule

Here is the early part of the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Schedule. On the TV Side, Dan Shulman, Bobby Valentine, and Orel Hersheiser form the new team of TV announcers, replacing the legendary duo of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan, who did ESPN Sunday Night Baseball for twenty years since it's inception in 1990. On the ESPN Radio side, Jon Sciambi will be joined by Chris Singleton. Singleton is replacing veteran baseball broadcaster Dave Campbell.
April 3 San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers (ESPN 2)
April 10 New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
April 17 Texas Rangers at New York Yankees
April 24 Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals
May 1 New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies
May 8 Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
May 15 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
May 22 Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox
May 29 Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves (ESPN 2)
June 5-July 3 TBA
July 10 New York Mets at San Francisco Giants
July 17 Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
It will be interesting to hear the new trio of announcers. Hershiser was a big game pitcher for the Dodgers in the 1980s, and Bobby Valentine played and managed the game for a long time.

Contrary To Popular Belief.....

This blog is still alive and kicking. So much has happened since the last blog post. I will probably be doing MLB Division Previews again this year. That will probably be my next blog post.