What happens if the Cubs win the World Series?

As I write this the World Series is tied at 1 game a piece. When the series began I started thinking, what would happen if the Cubs actually won the World Series? This is a reality that has not happened in 108 years.. The Ottoman Empire was still in existence the last time they. The Cubs haven't even been to a World Series since 1945. Think about that. When Dexter Fowler led off game 1, he was the first black Cub to appear in a World Series. I find that to be crazy. It's been so long! So what would happen if they won?
This is a really interesting question to me. The Cubs are known as the "Lovable Losers". Year after year they don't win but they have one of the biggest fanbases in baseball. But if the Cubs win, they will no longer be losers. What happens when they lose that moniker? I was listening to a podcast recently and the host mentioned that when the Red Sox broke their curse in 2004 against the Cardinals (I cried myself to sleep that night), there were a number of fans who lost interest after that. What it meant to be a fan was the quest. And once the quest was over , there was nothing left. To some degree I feel that's what will happen if the Cubs win. Ive thought this for a while. I think it's inevitable that a portion will have this same mindset. This has been the Cubs identity for so long and once they are no longer the feel good story, the bandwagon fans will go away.  This isn't to belittle true Cubs fans. Staying with a team through so much failure, I've always had respect for that.
I've also been forced to think about what my reaction will be if the Cubs win. This is the first time I've ever had to consider this. I've concluded that after I punch something, I will begrudgingly congratulate my friends who are Cub fans.
In the end though, as big of a deal as I make it, I know my life will ultimately not change regardless of who wins. This is just one of the fun things about sports. There are rivalries. It's nothing personal, it's just fun.  I know my friends who are Cub fans would never root for the Cardinals to win the World Series.
So we will see what happens. The Cubs could very well not even win the Series. The Indians have a very good team. And we will have to wait until at least next year to find out. Or we might find out next week. Let me know what you think!

What If Jackie Robinson Would Have Sucked?

     I want to pose a question to everyone today.  What would have happened if when he came into the league in 1947, Jackie Robinson would have not been good?  What would have been the repercussions?  I think this is a fair, reasonable idea to explore.  This happens to rookies all the time.  Sometimes it takes a while for a player to adjust.  Sometimes they need a period to learn what exactly they need to do.  Sometimes players just slump and eventually snap out of it. And that's just for a regular rookie.  Jackie Robinson was playing that rookie year under pressure and prejudice that I could never begin to understand.  And he excelled.  Through the first month of a season Robinson had a strong on-base percentage and was scoring over 1 run a game. That made it easier to keep playing him.  The Dodgers were playing a good ball player.  They could "justify" that to the people who thought otherwise.

     But what if Robinson would not have gotten off to that good start?  What if through that first month he wasn't getting on base or doing anything productive?  What would the reaction have been?  I could very easily see people in the league thinking, "Well we knew black players weren't good enough.  And this confirms it.  Time to end this 'experiment'." (Just playing devil's advocate).  Would the Dodgers have caved in to this pressure?  This is a really tricky question. Branch Rickey signed Robinson with a purpose to break the color barrier and racism prevalent throughout baseball.  Rickey wanted to do what he could to fix that.  But at the same time, Rickey was an astute businessman.  If Robinson didn't pan out right away, surely fans would have been upset about it and that would not have been good for business.  Would Rickey have waited to see if Robinson could get it together?  He had proven it during all his time in the Negro Leagues and even in the minor leagues the year before, where he won the batting title.  Would Rickey have seen this as a long-term investment, hoping it would pay off eventually?  Or would he have cut his losses? Or would he have been so committed to Robinson breaking the color barrier that he would have just stuck with it to make the point?  These are all really difficult questions to which I honestly don't have an answer

   It scares me to think what would have happened if the Dodgers would have given up on Jackie Robinson.  Most likely, that would have at the very least set integration in baseball back for a while.  Because of Robinson's success, more black players started joining the league over the next few years, including the great Willie Mays in 1951.  If Robinson would have failed, there is a very good possibility Mays never gets the opportunity to play.  I think eventually baseball would have integrated but how long would it have taken? And how many great players would have never gotten the chance to play in the Majors.  We know there were great players before Jackie Robinson paved the way.  How many more would have missed out? 

Rest In Peace Jose Fernandez

     I was getting ready for work when I got a notification on my phone. Jose Fernandez, the young superstar pitcher for the Marlins, had died in a boating accident. My first reaction when I heard the news was, No! No! No! Not again!  Back in 2014, young Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras was killed in a car crash. As a Cardinal fan, my mind immediately raced to flashbacks of the night I heard about that. Taveras had just finished his rookie season, not the best year but everyone knew he had the talent. He was going to be a star for years to come. Fernandez was already a star. At the age of 24, he had won Rookie of the Year, was a 2 time all-star and considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. But more important than who he was as a baseball player was who he was as a person. Fernandez had a passion for the game that was infectious. When he was out on the mound, there was a fire in him. He wanted to win and he knew he had the talent to do so. It was going to happen. But at the same time, he also had more fun than maybe anyone else in the league. He remembered one of the key parts to baseball. Playing. He enjoyed everything about it. Fernandez found the right mix of these two emotions.  He never let one get too far ahead of the other.
     Knowing Fernandez is gone is tragic. A life taken much too soon. And everything about him will be missed. Be it his talent, passion for the game, fun-loving attitude or his movie star smile. Rest In Peace #16. Baseball won't be the same without you.

Where, Oh Where Have the Running Backs Gone?

     I want to ask a question today. What has happened to the elite running backs in the NFL?  Growing up I remember so many great ones. Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, Jerome Bettis to name a few.  It seemed like every team had a solid running back. Nowadays great running backs seem few and far between. Adrian Peterson has been one of the best but he is older now and got injured this past week. Todd Gurley has the potential to be really good but the Rams have no passing game whatsoever so teams will be mainly focused on stopping him. Ezekiel Elliot also has potential but he is only 2 games into his NFL career. Doug Martin always  seems to be among the rushing leaders by the end of the yeR, but he has never taken the next step to be great. The one player I could see beicoming elite is Le'Veon Bell, but he seems to get suspended as often as Tony Romo gets injured, so we will see how that goes.
     The NFL is increasingly becoming a pass-oriented league. Last year there were 7 1,000 yard rushers. 10 years ago, 19 running backs reached that plateau.  On the other hand, there were 23 quarterbacks who threw for over 3,000 yards last year as opposed to 14 a decade ago.  I get it. Deep passes and high octane, quick score offenses are much flashier and fun to watch, therefore the NFL makes more money. Running the ball takes more time and is not as entertaining to watch for most people.
     Personally I disagree. I always loved watching running backs with their skill. Knowing when to be agile and make moves, and when to power over defenders. Running the ball takes a lot of skill and I love watching players excel at that. And let's not forget the unsung heroes of the running game, fullbacks.  The guys who would line up in front of the running backs and lead the way.  As the running game has steadily decreased, fullbacks have all but gone out of existence.  Now teams rarely use a lead blocker, or if they do it is just another running back or a tight end. Running the balm just isn't as important anymore.
     Will the running game ever come back like it used to be?  Perhaps. Often times in sports, strategies go in cycles. One way gets poulpular for a while, then eventually another way starts to take over because no one else is doing it. So we will see. The elite running backs may yet come back in the NFL. I certainly hope so.

Tebowing in Baseball

     The latest chapter in the Tim Tebow saga has just begun. But this chapter will not be about football. On September 8, Tebow signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. Yes, Tim Tebow is officially a baseball player.  Tebow had previously held a showcase which was attended by scouts from 28 teams. Reports from the showcase indicate the scouts liked his power and speed. Tebow will begin his baseball career in the Mets instructional league.
     The next question is, how will Tebow do as a baseball player? Personally I do not expect much to come of this.  Tebow has not played baseball since his junior year in high school.  It's not reasonable to expect him to compete against guys 10 years younger than him who have been working at this their whole lives. Tebow definitely has natural ability, but for someone to try to pick up baseball again after over a decade is a lot to ask.
     The first thing I thought of when I heard about this was Michael Jordan. Jordan is a Hall of Fame basketball player who decided to play baseball in the middle of his career. As amazing of an athlete as Jordan was, he only made it to AA with the White Sox organization.  That is about how I expect Tebow to do.  I think he is a good enough athlete and a hard enough worker to make some progress in the minors,  but I just can't see him surpassing guys who have dedicated their lives to baseball.
     Another interesting aspect in this story is that while in the Instructional League, Tebow will continue will his job as a college football analyst with SEC Network. This will require him to miss practice 2 days a week.  For me, this calls into question his commitment. According to Tebow, this is because he had already made a commitment to the network. But Tebow had been working out for his baseball tryout for over a year. And he had to know he would get signed by someone, even if only for the publicity. To me, if he was 100% dedicated he could have made arrangements in plenty of time. I think it will be difficult to miss that much time and still get enough work in.
     In the end, I will be rooting for Tebow. I have been a fan of his since he was at Florida. He is a great competitor and seems like a great person. I hope he proves me wrong and goes on to have a good baseball career.

Football Standings Predictions

I meant to get this out a little earlier, but oh well. I did a baseball prediction earlier this year (which was horrible), so I figured I would do a football prediction as well. Hopefully this one goes better.

NFC EAST
1. New York Giants
2. Washington Redskins
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Philadelphia Eagles
I believe this will be a weak division overall.  The Giants have the most experience with Manning at QB. Philly and Dallas have rookies at QB so there will probably be some kind of inconsistency there.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Chicago Bears
4. Detroit Lions
If Teddy Bridgewater were healthy, the Vikings would have challenged for the division, but instead it will be Sam Bradford, who has not shown he can stay healthy.

NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. New Orleans Saints
The Panthers were the best team in football last year. The division will be there's to lose. I think there will be a good battle for second between the youngster Jameis Winston and the veteran Matt Ryan.

NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. San Francisco 49ers
The Cardinals and Seahawks are very similar teams, both good defenses.  I can see either team winning this division.

AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills
2. New England Patiots
3. Miami Dolphins
4. New York Jets
I'm going out on a limb with this one. I like the Bills defense and I think their offense can get the job done. Tom Brady is suspended the first four games so that will give the other teams a chance. And Brady is 39. He has to slow down at some point, right? I could end up very wrong with this one, but I have to take a shot.

AFC North
1 . Cincinnati Bengals
2 Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Cleveland Browns
This division is also a tossup between the Bengals and Steelers.  I think I'm one of the few people who has faith in Andy Dalton. I can see him really putting it all together this year.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Houston Texans
4. Tennessee Titans
I see this division being a jumbled mess, with all the teams ending up within a few games. The Colts have experience and I think they have to be better than last year. The Jaguars have a decent all around team and the Texans have one of the best players in the league in JJ Watt. This should be a good race.

NFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Denver Broncos
3. Oakland Raiders
4. San Diego Chargers
I see this division being very close as well. The Broncos are the defending champs with arguably the best defense in the league, but have much uncertainty at quarterback. The Chiefs have a solid all around team and I think they can edge past them.  The Raiders have a ton of potential if they can put it all together. Then the Chargers always seem to at least put in a decent season. This will also be a good race.

Finally I will throw a Super Bowl Prediction out there.
Arizona Cardinals over the Cincinatti Bengals.

This was a lot of fun to do. We will see how it turns out. Let me know what you think!

2016 MLB Standings Prediction

The baseball season is quickly coming upon us.  Spring Training has begun and teams are evaluating the talent they have on their rosters.  So I figured it was time to make some predictions.  This post will cover how I think the divisions will stack up this season.  Hope you enjoy. 

NL East
1. New York Mets
2. Washington Nationals
3. Miami Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Philadelphia Phillies

This is actually the same order the division finished last year, but I don’t see it changing.  The Mets won the division last year and still have the best overall team.  Their rotation is strong from top to bottom, their offense is formidable and the bullpen gets the job done.  The Nationals have a better offense, but their pitching is not as deep.  The Marlins underachieved last season and I think they will compete with the Nationals this year. The Braves are in rebuilding mode and should be much better, but they are still not there yet.  And the Phillies…well they are still a team.

NL Central
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Cincinnati Reds

At the risk of sounding like a homer, I think the Cardinals will win the division this year.  I would say from top to bottom, they have a slightly better team.  From 1-5, they have one of the best rotations in baseball.  I will give the lineup to the Cubs.  All of their players can hit and will be tough to match up with.  Finally, I would give the bullpen to the Cardinals.  They have 4 pitchers who have experience being a closer and can easily shorten a game, which has been a strong tendency for successful teams recently. (A more in depth comparison will be posted later).  All that being said, I think 1-3 in the division really could go in any order.  The Cardinals, Cubs and Pirates are all strong teams and it should be a close, competitive race like last year.  And again the Brewers and Reds are still rebuilding and need time to improve.  I give the edge to the Brewers.  They could surprise a little this year. 

NL West
1. Arizona Diamondbacks

2. San Francisco Giants
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies

I think will be the most interesting division.  The Diamondbacks made a huge splash this offseason by signing Zach Grienke and trading for Shelby Miller.  Add that to an underrated offense which has been steadily getting better and I think the Diamondbacks can make the jump to win the division this year.  They will have their work cut out for them.  The Giants also added good starting pitching in Jhonny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to go with ace Madison Bumgarner.  The Dodgers still have a very strong team, but the loss of Grienke hurts their pitching depth behind Clayton Kershaw.  The Padres have a lot of good talent on their team and could also surprise this year.  Even the Rockies have a decent team.  In another division I could see them being competitive, but they happen to be in perhaps the best division in baseball. 

AL East
1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. Boston Red Sox
5. New York Yankees

The Blue Jays won the division last year and their team looks like it is just as strong this year, sporting the most high-powered offense in the game.  Normally I would say pitching wins, but their offense is just too good.  Both the Rays and Orioles have solid teams and I would expect them to fight it out for decent years.  The Red Sox are such and up and down team, it is really hard to predict how they will do.  They did make the one big acquisition in the division this offseason, signing David Price to lead their rotation.  I see that helping the team to some improvement, but nothing drastic.  Lastly the Yankees.  The Yankees had a good season last year, but I feel they overachieved for much of the year.  This offseason they were the only MLB team to not sign a free agent, due to some of the big contracts on the team which have not worked out.  This year they are another year older and I foresee a drop-off for the team.

AL Central

1. Kansas City Royals

2. Cleveland Indians
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Chicago White Sox

This is easily the toughest division to analyze.  The Royals are the defending World Series Champions and should repeat as division winner.  But after that, the division feels like a crap shoot.  The Indians have one of the better pitching staffs in the league from top to bottom, which should make them tough to beat.  The Tigers underachieved last year and with Jordan Zimmerman improving the rotation and Francisco Rodriguez anchoring a typically shaky bullpen, they should be better this year.  The Twins, conversely, overachieved a little last year I feel.  They have a solid, young team and could surprise again, but the back of their rotation worries me.  Like they Twins, the White Sox also have a solid team and again it is the back end of their rotation which worries me.  This should be a competitive division and I could see it turning out in many different ways. 

AL West
1. Houston Astros
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Los Angeles Angels
5. Oakland Athletics

Both the Astros and the Rangers took great leaps forward last year and should continue to succeed this year. For the Astros, Carlos Gomez should settle in during his first full-season with the team.  The Astros pitching depth should give them an edge over the Rangers.   From top to bottom I like the Mariners rotation better than the Angels and I feel they have underachieved in recent years.  The Angels could have a good offense but there are aspects which worry me, such as Pujols recovering from another foot surgery. The Athletics have a couple pieces I really like, such a surprisingly deep bullpen, but as a whole I see them quickly falling behind the rest of the division.

And there you have it. That is how I see the baseball divisions stacking up this year.   Let me know what you think.  I’d love to discuss it.