MLB Divisional Series Roundtable

As the first playoff game begins, Hopps, Sinickal and myself all knock off work a bit early to have a quick roundtable discussion on the MLB divisional series. For our collective thoughts and picks, let's begin with the first game, Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers. Hopps?

Hopps: Screw you!

Pepster: My bad - I probably shouldn't have started with the Red Sox fan on this one. Sinickal, your thoughts?

Sinickal: I am going with Tampa. I think they will have a short hangover, but ultimately an easy series. They are a really good team from the best division. Four games.

Pepster: I have to disagree. I think that the Rangers just have too much for the Rays. The Rays are supposed to have pitching and defense, but they are starting Matt Moore in only his second MLB start in Game 1. Texas's lineup is stacked now that everyone is healthy, and it is about time people realize that Elvis Andrus is going to be really, really good. Also in four games.

Hopps: Damn. Now no matter who I select I have to agree with one of you. I am going to say Texas, as the Rays just won their World Series.

Pepster: Now to the marquee American League matchup, Detroit and New York Yankees. I think that nobody has really been talking about Detroit all year outside of Verlander, but that lineup is good and deep. The Yankees lineup is deep too, but guys like Miguel Cabrera are just too dumb to realize they are supposed to lose to the Yankees. Plus, I don't think Verlander will even have to pitch two games in this series. Tigers in 4.

Sinickal: Verlander gets to pitch games 1 and 5. That means that the Yankees have to win 3 straight in the middle. I don't seem them getting that done.

Hopps: Detroit - Verlander. That's all.

We all agree on that one. Let's go to another series where we should all agree, Philadelphia and St. Louis. Hopps?

Hopps: St. Louis. They are playing good baseball. This is the upset of the playoffs.

Pepster: They do have Pujols, but there is no way that I can pick them. It's Philly. There offense has not been the typical Philly offense all year, but they still have Victorino, Rollins, Utley, Howard, et. al. And they have pitching! Philadelphia in 4.

Sinickal: Best team in baseball with great pitching in a short series. This might be a sweep.

And for the last series - Milwaukee or Arizona?

Sinickal: Arizona plays in the equivalent of the NFC West. Good team and bad division v. Great team. I'll pick Milwaukee.

Hopps: I will also take Milwaukee. They win at home; best home winning percentage in the majors.

Pepster: I will make it 3 for 3, even though Justin Upton could be the best player in baseball that nobody talks about. Sneaky good pitching, and Braun/Fielder is a helluva one-two punch, especially with Hart and McGehee showing some power as well. Brewers in 4.

That wraps up our divisional roundtable. But what would this conversation be without mentioning our Patron Saint, Adam Jones, helping to eliminate the Red Sox from the playoffs.

Hopps: That isn't the same Adam Jones. I hate you.

Pepster: Oh, my bad, maybe I just wanted to mention that the Sox collapsed. See you back here for the League Championship Series roundtable.

Talkin' Baseball

While discussing many of life's important issues, your authors, (Yes, all three of us), turned to the baseball playoffs. Yes, we know that 3 series have already started, but we had our conversation and predictions at lunch yesterday. Just getting to the post toda. Here are our respective predictions, along with the transcript of our exact converstion.

Pepster: Hey Hopps, Sinickal, good to speak with you guys again. How are you doing?
Sinickal: Not too bad, lots of golf over the weekend. Got to get all the east coast golf in that I can before it gets too cold, and I have to concentrate on only Arizona golf.
Hopps: Besides the fact that the family is driving me crazy? I'm doing great.
Pepster: Good, Good. So, playoffs starting today. After that Minnesota-Detroit play-in game, I am ready for some good playoff baseball.
Sinickal: Can you believe how the term "Play-in" game has become so widespread? Just because the NCAA tourney wanted to have 34 at large teams. Ridiculous.
Pepster: I know. They even had a "play-in" game in my kickball league this season.
Hopps: You clowns still playing kicball?
Pepster: Yep.
Sinickal: Not exactly playing since the Achilles incident.
Hopps: Dopes.

Pepster: Anyway, let's start with the Yankees/Twins series, since the Yankess outdistanced everyone else in the Major Leagues by 6 whole games.
Hopps: You know I hate them. I'll just say Yankees in 4.
Pepster: Excellent analysis Hopps.
Hopps: Shut up. I just hate them soooo much.
Pepster/Sinickal: We know. We know.
Sinickal: I think that the Twins are just on a real hot streak right now. Mauer is as good as they come with the bat, Kubel and Spann have been hitting machines this year. Plus, remember that run the Rockies went on a couple of years ago. I don't think that the Twins will win, but they will play the Yanks tough. Yankess in 5.
Pepster: Interesting. Don't forget how well Young has been hitting the last 6 weeks or so too. Bottom line, the Twins are spent. Morneau would have made a big difference as well. Sabathia's inninngs have been lowered, so he's rested, and the bullpen is just lights out. I think the Yankees sweep.

Sinickal: So, we all agree on the Yankees. Let's turn to the other American League series. Hopps, what do you think about this one.
Hopps: Sox will win it all!!!!
Sinickal: So you expect them to beat the Angels.
Hopps: I expect them to beat the Yankees.
Sinickal: They aren't playing the Yankees.
Hopps: Who cares. Sox sweep!
Sinickal: Pepster, your take?
Pepster: I think I am in the minority in this room. I think the Angels will win, in 4.
Sinickal/Hopps: What?!
Pepster: I know, I know. Sox have won 9 of the last 10 in the playoffs against the Angels, but I just have a different feel about this series. It used to be the Angels were Vlad Guerrero at the plate, and hope Glaus, Kotchman or somebody else could hit with him, and maybe Figgins get on base. Not so this year. Kendry Morales hit over .300 with his 34 homers and over 100 RsBI.
Sinickal: Just stop it with your RsBI. I know it is Runs Batted In, not Run Batted Ins, but call them RBIs anyway.
Pepster: Like I was saying, Morales has flat out hit, Torii Hunter, Mike Napoli and Howie Kendrick have had solid seasons, and Abreu will take about 1,000 pitches, wearing down the Sox staff. Although Ortiz has been coming along, Youkilis doesn't seem the same, and he is incredibly important for the Sox.
Sinickal: All true and good points, except that the Angels pitching staff remains the same. Lackey, Saunders, Santana. Kazmir doesn't seem to be himself. Beckett is a big-game pitcher. Sox in 3.
Pepster: Don't I know that. Beckett is money.
Sinickal: Shut up - don't bring up 2003 with me.
Pepster: Why not? Because Beckett shut down your Cubs? Are you going to predict the Cubs will win next year for the 108th consecutive year? (Purposefully not mentioning the word "Bartman").
Sinickal: Find some fans. Really. Like there are more than 14 Marlins fans in the world.

Hopps: OK, guys, that seems like a good time to switch to both of your beloved National League. Before we start, let me remind you that my team is the only one in the playoffs.
Pepster/Sinickal: Shut up.
Hopps: Dodgers-Cardinals. Who you got?
Pepster: I would think that this will be a split-decision amongst ourselves. You can't find 5 bigger Manny Ramirez fans in the country (not named Ramirez) than me. However, Pujols is the best player on the planet. That alone is worth one game. The Holliday and DeRosa pick-ups have proven to be the best mid-season moves in baseball. I say Cardinals in a hard fought 5. Wow - I didn't even talk about pitching.
Sinickal: Carpenter/Wainwright. Enough said. Cardinals in 4.
Hopps: Really? Ramirez is just as deadly at Pujols, because he just doesn't care if he fails in a big spot. That makes him that much more dangerous. Ethier and Kemp are incredible in the field, and at the plate. And you really want to pitch to either Ramirez or Ethier at the plate in a big spot? Billingsley and Kershaw have incredible stuff. Not as good over the full season as Carpenter and Wainwright, but for any given game, those guys can pitch with anyone. Dodgers in 4.

Pepster: What about the Phillies series?
Hopps: The Rockies are a formidable enough team to win 1 game. Phillies in 4.
Sinickal: I would love to give some fascinating analysis about this series, but it isn't really worth it. Phillies sweep.
Pepster: I concur.

Pepster: Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure. I'll call you both before the LCS starts. Closing thoughts?
Hopps: My analysis is a little hindered and blinded by my fandom, but with Lester and Beckett, the Sox have two power, power pitchers to go in any series. That gives them a huge advantage. I just hope that they can take advantage of it.
Pepster: Now I know that we are nowhere near being what others would call emotional guys, but I have to give props to how the Angels have handled the Nick Adenhart situation. Great celebration when they clinched the playoff spot. That would be a great story if that continued. Sinickal - how 'bout our Bears?
Sinickal: Doing great so far. Glad Gould is better than each of the other kickers he has faced so far. Cutler is definitely worth it to date. But, they have a bye this week, so go Syracuse.
Pepster: They are 2-3, going against West Virginia this week. Make that 2-4.
Hopps: And you have to root for Paulus. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Sinickal: Yeah, well Harvard may run the world, but Syracuse writes, produces and directs it.
Hopps/Pepster: Yeah, yeah. Like we haven't heard that before.

Euro Cup 2008

As this year's tournament is about to commence, this seems to be the right time to preview the overwhelming favorite of the Euro Cup 2008. It isn't France with their exciting young player Bafetimbi Gomis, Portugal with the ever-present Cristiano Ronaldo, or even defending champion Greece. This year's favorite is ... the San Antonio Spurs.

For those of you that thought I was actually going to write a column about soccer, you clearly do not know me that well. Although someday it may cross my mind to pontificate on the various ways to easily make the sport more exciting and better, today is not that day. Today is the day to single out soccer's most easily exported commodity to the rest of the sporting community, the flop!

Now, the flop is nothing new, and the fact that the San Antonio Spurs employ this, ahem, tactic, is also nothing new. Plenty of writers, bloggers and mainstream, have commented on this very topic. What makes this year's playoffs a bit different is the pervasiveness of the flop, as well as the four different manifestations employed by the Spurs.


The first, and most obvious flop, is where an off-the-ball defender attempts to draw a charge from an offensive player that is driving to the basket. The defender steps into the lane, and falls dramatically to the ground, perhaps with a George Ackles type yell, prior to contact, or falls overly dramatically after very, very minimal contact. This flop is best evidenced on the Spurs by Ginobili, and historically by Vlade Divac and Dennis Rodman. Although Rodman would jump in the air parallel to the ground and then fall, most floppers today go straight back, landing on their shorts for maximum sliding under the basket (OK, I may have done this once or twice in high school).

The second flop I call the Manu Ginobili special, although Tony Parker is fast becoming adept at this maneuver. The setup for this flop is on offense while making a usually ill-advised drive to the basket between several defenders. While driving to the basket, the offensive player either jumps into the defender at his side or hesitates slightly causing contact with the defender at his back. After causing the contact, the offensive player throws the ball toward the basket and then flies approximately 326 feet away. The fact that the ball kisses gently off the backboard and often through the rim belies the ferocity of the contact which the shooter wishes to convey. Again, this is exemplified by Ginobili, and sometimes Parker.

The third flop is a standard post defensive maneuver. The post defender and the offensive player are banging for position. Immediately before one of the "bangs", the post defender stops his momentum, absorbs some of the contact and then falls backward creating the offensive foul. Note, it isn't technically a flop if you catch an elbow in the chest or sternum, that is a deserved foul. This flop is evendenced by a ton of Spurs, but especially Tim Duncan, Robert Horry and even Kurt Thomas, and historically by Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn. This is the evolutionary heir to the pulling the chair defense at which Mahorn excelled. Mahorn would bang with an offensive player, and then right before the next expected hit, he would stop and avoid contact, as if pulling the chair out from under the post player, who, expecting the contact, would often travel.

The fourth flop is something I have never actually seen before these playoffs, at least not often. It occurs when the offense is on a fast break with a defensive player trying and failing to get proper defensive position, usually leaving him running beside the offensive player. The defender initiates a subtle hand check on the offensive player, who then slaps the hand away, causing the defender to fly into the stands at full speed. Bruce Bowen is the master of this maneuver, having done it twice in the past two games.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a Laker or Spur fan, just calling it like I see it. In fact, I would love to see Duncan win another ring, Bowen irritate the hell out of Paul Pierce, Richard Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince, and being Hispanic (well, at least half), I have to cheer for the greatest Hispanic basketball player ever, Ginobili. However, these Spurs have gone absolutely too far. It is almost as if they are playing soccer. Perhaps it is because Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto are both from soccer mad, and perennially dangerous, Argentina or perhaps it is because they are a year older as a team and losing a step of quickness. Whatever the reason, it has to stop. Now if only the officials could give them a red card.

With all this flopping, you would have thought that Brent Barry would have gone to the line last night when legitimate contact was made by Derek Fisher on the last play of the game. Oh well, at least the NHL playoffs are on tonight, and that is a league that doesn't tolerate flopping. Now, do I have the Home and Garden Network so I can watch the game?

Know Your ... Hawks

The NBA Playoffs have begun with a vengeance with a scintillating double overtime game between the Suns and Spurs, absolutely sparkling postseason debuts by Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, big numbers by Duncan, Kobe, Gasol, Nash, Stoudamire, Iverson and Carmelo and to cap off the first games of the playoffs was the team with the NBA's best record, the Boston Celtics hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Wait, do I see that right, the Atlanta Hawks? Wow! How did that happen?

That reminds me. Today was my first day at my new office. You might be thinking why would I bring this up during a Know Your Team post. Simply, I felt more uncomfortable watching the game last night next to a self-proclaimed Hawks fan (he was from Atlanta) than I did at the office today, since I think I still knew more of my co-workers than he knew Hawks. Nevertheless, both situations involved being around strangers.

Now, this guy at least knew Mike Bibby was the starting point guard, as I thought he quit the league after the NBA gave the Lakers that series over Sacramento in the 2002 season. We all knew Joe Johnson as the big free agent signing from two years ago, Josh Smith for his spectacular dunking ability and overall athleticism (pictured above), Al Horford since he went to UF (we are in Florida, in case you didn't know) and Josh Childress because of his phenomenal afro. We must be pretty smart since we could actually name all 5 the starters.

Wait, Childress doesn't start and Marvin Williams does? So much for being smart. Should have remembered Marvin Williams, since the Hawks took him with the second pick in the 2005 draft over one of the guys listed in the first paragraph. I, however, thought that he was already out of the league.

The remaining players on the team? Ridiculous. The only player other than those listed that played over 12 minutes was the immortal Zaza Pachulia, the 6'11", 280 pound center from the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. (That's the other Georgia). We also had a Salim Stoudamire sighting. Which makes more sense today than it did last night, when we, aided by some of our respective beverages, all thought that Damon Stoudemire was looking particularly young and spry). Even Acie Law from Texas A & M played a few minutes. I have no idea who the rest of the people are. A look at the roster indicates that they include Mario West, who nobody knew when he was at Georgia Tech, Jeremy Richardson from Delta State and Solomon Jones from South Florida. I am quite certain that I couldn't pick West, Richardson and Jones out of a lineup of the Supremes.

This is even crazier when you look at the Celtics roster, which had 8 players play over 16 minutes, and the remaining 4 included veterans P.J. Brown (who has played in countless postseason series and Eddie House (who once scored 61 in a game at Arizona State) and college stars Tony Allen and Glen Davis.

Generally the team with the best players win, and for this series, the Celtics have the best players 1-12. What they don't have is Josh Childress's hair. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Eastern Conference playoffs.