The Baseball Offseason Has Begun.

As a Chicago Cubs fan, usually as soon as the regular season is over, I really just can't wait til the off-season begins. Over the years, other teams celebrating championships has become less and less appealing to me, to the point where its tough for me to watch the World Series, I guess I'm just too addicted to me team and too bitter to enjoy others success. Lately its been nice to at least make the postseason but the hasty exist have made me care even less about the postseason. According to the TV ratings I wasn't the only one this year as the 08 World Series experienced record low ratings and an embarrassing finish.

Anyway now that, that is over we can get to the good stuff. The first trade of the off-season was made to today, with the Marlins shipping Mike Jacobs to the Royals. Over the next 3 months there will be many more to follow.

And so, my top 5 baseball off-season questions.

5. What Will the Mets do to turn things around?
Last year they went out and got Johan Santana, who had an amazing year, but it still wasn't enough to get in the playoffs. The Mets have as many stars any any team in baseball, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes and the aforementioned Santana. Is it time to rebuild? There has been rumors that they may be shopping Beltran. no matter what they do, the fans in New York won;t put up with the underachieving team much longer.




4. Who will sign Mark Teixeira?
Teixeira is one of the premier names on the market this year as far as offense goes. He was nothing short of fantastic after being traded to the Angels, and is great with the glove too. He would be a huge asset to any team. The Angels will likely make a hard push to re-sign him. There may only be a few teams out there that need a 1B and can afford his salary.

3. Will Manny re-sign in LA?
So far we have already heard the dodgers offered him a contract, then we heard they actually hadn't. We do know that Manny said LA was like being on vacation all the time after the trade last year, and his numbers seem to show it. He was the best hitter in baseball during August and September. Some also believe he may go to the Bronx to stick it to his former team in Boston


2. Can the Brewers somehow hold on to CC Sabathia?
If Ramirez was the Offensive MVP during August and September, Sabathia was surely the Cy Young during those 2 months. He literally almost single handily carried the Brewers into the playoffs on his back. Losing both Sheets and Sabathia would be a huge blow to the Brewers so they are likely to offer anything and everythign they have to keep him. Still there is almost surely to be higher offers available, so it will depend on whether or not CC is willing to give a hometown discount to the Brewers.


1. Who will win the Jake Peavy sweepstakes?
The Padres have made it known they are going to shop the 2007 Cy Young winner to the highest bidder. Peavy does have a no trade clause and is said to prefer to stay in the NL. He has given the padres a list of preferred teams that includes the Cardinals, Braves, Cubs, Astros and Dodgers. The Braves are believed by many to be the favorites but they do not want to part with their top prospects. whoever lands Peavy though will get an instant ace.

Anyway, I'm sure there are to be many surprises and interesting story lines that will develop before spring training in February. Stay tuned.

The Best Pitcher You Probably Haven't Heard Of...

It's not often you can pitch for a team with a storied pitching history in the second largest media market in the country and fly under the radar. It's not often you can post a 3.14 ERA and be the best pitcher on a division championship team and receive little to no recognition. Usually when you finish 7th in the league in ERA, 5th best in ERA+ and 5th in the league in strikeouts while pitching for a 1st place team you end up being a household name in a hurry... Unless your name happens to be Chad Billingsley of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He might be the best pitcher that casual baseball fans have never heard of. In the lead up to the Cubs-Dodgers NLDS matchup there was lots of talk about Manny, and how well Derek Lowe had pitched down the stretch. There was talk of the Cubs deep rotation and concern about the health of Zambrano and Harden... But almost no mention of the best pitcher on the Dodgers staff. Chad Billingsley. Yes, Lowe got the Game 1 start and most of the hype, but that was largely due to his previous post-season experience. Don't fool yourself, it was Billingsley that carried this pitching staff and put the team on his back at times. Just 24 years old and having just completeted his first full season as a regular starting pitcher, he is already the ace of a team that built it's reputation with the likes of Koufax, Drysdale and Sutton.

That might have all changed Thursday night as Billingsley made his first post-season start. On the road in a tense Wrigley Field, he took the ball and was nothing short of sensational. He allowed just one earned run in 6 2/3 IP and struck out 7 while facing the best offensive team in the National League. His performance, along with a series of defensive miscues by the Cubs infield, helped the Dodgers take a 2-0 lead over the heavily favored Cubs and maybe, just maybe will help Billingsley get the type of recognition his performance on the field deserves...

It's about time......

The Playoffs are finally here....

Its been an awfully long season, for us die-hards we have been going at it since mid-February. All working towards one thing, the postseason.... and its finally here. Things get underway this afternoon on TBS.

The Match-ups:

ALDS

Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays

What a year for the Rays, I remember thinking at the start of the year that there were a few teams in baseball that had absolutely no chance of ever making the playoffs. The Pirates and Royals came to mind and also... the Rays. I never could have guessed this one.

Why the Rays might win....
Pitching. The Rays have done it with pitching all year long. Kazmir, Garza and Shields might be the best playoff rotation in the AL. It doesn't get much easier in the bullpen either.... Balfour, Howell, Wheeler and Bradford have been lights out. The Rays may be the best built team in the AL to go to the World Series.

Why the White Sox might win....
Momentum, Looking over the two squads on paper, this should be a Rays win, however the White Sox are coming off 3 victories in must-win situations. They also have a lot of power, when an offense like that gets hot, it might not matter what pitcher they are facing.

CubsFella's pick: Rays in 4



Boston Red Sox vs. LA Angels of Anaheim

This is a giant match-up, TBS is watering at the mouth at the chance to have 5 games in this series. Two major markets with large fan bases, the meda will be all over this one.

Why the Angels might win...
The most complete team in baseball. The Angels don;t really have an MVP candidate or a Cy Young candidate, but they are solid in every aspect of the game. Above average starting pitching, a strong offense and a great bullpen, and while Closer may be an overrated position during the regular season, in the postseason a shutdown closer like K-Rod can make a huge difference.

Why the Red Sox might win...
Confidence and Experience. The Red Sox might be the most confident team in the bigs. After struggling for decades they have shown the world they have what it takes to win. It won't be easy with a banged up Josh Beckett and without Manny Ramirez, but the Red Sox still have a lot of talent and character and they have been here before.

CubsFellas pick: Angels in 5

NLDS

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

As, mentioned before, here at the Sportsfellas, this is the matchup to watch. I myself have been a die-hard Cubs fan sine I was a very small kid. I haven't missed more than a handful of Cubs games all season and I am hoping and praying somehow the this is the Cubs year. As for Gaddeus he has been a Dodger fan for many years, the Dodgers have won just one playoff game in 20 years so he will be hoping for a change in fortune as well.

Why the Cubs might win...
Depth. The Cubs, like the Angels don't really have an MVP or a Cy Young, but they are strong at literally every position across the board. 4 very good starting pitchers a stacked lineup and two power arms at the back of the bullpen. The Cubs will need good outings from the starters as middle relief has been suspect.

Why the Dodgers might win...
Derek Lowe and Manny Ramirez. Derek Lowe has been the best pitcher in baseball since August, an ERA well under two and a 6-1 record. Not to mention he has had a lot of past success against the Cubs. He will take the ball twice in the series and that might make things tough on the Cubs. Manny Ramirez is also the best hitter in the game right now.

CubsFella's pick: Cubs in 5

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

This might be the most low key match-up of the postseason, this one might fly under the radar a bit in the media. The Phillies look to be huge favorites in this one as the Brewers limp in without Be Sheets and a tired Sabathia

Why the Phillies might win...
Utley, Howard, Burrell. The Brewers bullpen has struggled mightily and they also really only have one good starting pitcher, The middle of the Philies order may feast on the rest of the Brewers pitching staff and put this one away early

Why the Brewers might win....
CC Sabathia. There really isn't any other way, The Brewers will need two more dominating short rest outings from CC to win this series. Sabathia has been lights out since coming to the Brewers in a trade 3 months ago, but he has been overworked big time. Still the big man looks strong, he will have to stay that way if he wants to carry the Brew into the NLCS.

CubsFella's pick: Phillies in 3

Down the Stetch They Come......

Its autumn time again.... what a great time of the year. The weather is getting cooler, football is now in full swing and the playoff races in baseball are coming down the home stretch. With only 9 days left in the baseball season, we still have some interesting races to watch.

In the American League, one division has been settled for some time now. The Angels clinched the West with little resistance and is now playing only for home field advantage. Whether they succeed or not however, they will match-up with the winner of the AL Wildcard. Due to some unique and pretty stupid baseball rules, two teams from the same division can not play first round.

K-Rod and Vlad look to lead the Angels back to the World Series

As for the AL East it appears they have all but secured two playoff teams, the Red Sox and the surprising Rays. The only question is who will get home field and play the AL Central and who gets the wildcard and has to travel to Anaheim.

The AL Central is the only real race left in the AL where someone is going to be left out. Going in to Saturday's action, the White Sox had a lead of 2.5 games over the Twins. The teams still have 3 games left against one another in Minnesota. The Twins will likely need to win 7 of their last 8 games and/or sweep the White Sox to still come away with the title.

As for the National League, they also have one division where it has pretty much already been decided. The Cubs have a 9 game lead in the NL Central going into Saturday, leaving them only one win, or one Brewers loss away from clinching the division title. The Cubs are also very likely to end with best record in the NL and home field advantage. Who they will be playing however is still a long way from being decided.

The Cubs hope to celebrate in the postseason for the first time in ages

The NL East and wildcard races are definitely the most open as we head down the stretch. The Mets and Phillies are in a seesaw battle at the top. Whoever fails to tie up the division will have to out battle the Brewers for the wildcard. Just a short time ago, the Brewers looked almost certain to make the playoffs, but so far have had a terrible September. They now trail the Phillies by 1.5 games in the Wildcard. With Ben Sheets likely out for the remainder of the season as well, they have an uphill battle.

The NL West is a division that has become much more clear of late. After battling the Diamondbacks at the top of the division for months, the Dodgers, who have been rejuvenated by the deadline acquisition of Manny Ramirez, have now opened up a 3.5 game lead. With only 9 days left and a cupcake schedule remaining the Dodgers should easily hold on to the title.

Manny being Manny has been enough to vault the Dodgers to the top of the NL West

So what will the first round playoff matches look like?

I'll say the Rays and White Sox will both hold on to their division leads, setting up ALDS matchups of Angels vs. Red Sox and Rays vs. White Sox.

In the NL, I think the Phillies will win the NL East and that the Mets will out battle the struggling Brewers for the wildcard leaving matchups of Cubs-Mets and Phillies-Dodgers in the NLDS. Where things go from there is anybody's guess.

For the first time in our lives, both my Cubs and Gaddeus' Dodgers should be in the postseason though, meaning the Sportsfellas will be paying close attention this year..... and with a possible NLDS or NLCS Cubs-Dodgers showdown, things could get pretty interesting this October.

BIG Z NO HITS THE.... Milwaukee Astros....?

Sunday night was a great night for me. For the past 20 years now, I have been watching as many Chicago Cubs games every summer as I possibly could. I became a die-hard fan at a very young age and have suffered through many losing seasons and disappointments as all Cubs fans have. This year, of course, things have been different. Something feels special and unique about these 2008 Cubs. Sunday night was a first for me, getting to watch a starting pitcher on my beloved Cubs throw a no-hitter. Thanks to MLB.TV I was able to watch the whole thing and experienced one of my best feelings as a Cub fan. What a great night.... right?

Unfortunately I woke up this morning to find nearly every major sports news outlet along with Astros fans, Brewers fans, Cardinal fans and who knows who else, complaining about this game being played in Milwaukee. Of course its no secret, Milwaukee is a 2nd home stadium for the Cubs. It is widely referred to as Wrigley-North. The first few years after it opened it seemed like it was about 80% Cubs fans when we visited to play the Brewers. Even now when the Brewers have a good team with playoff hopes, the Cubs seem to pack in Miller park and be as loud or louder than Brewer fans.

So why did this game, a supposed home game for the Astros have to move to Milwaukee? Of course we all heard about Hurricane Ike, which ravaged the Texas and western Louisiana coasts and caused severe problems. Houston was hit hard and the city took a lot of damage and was without power, obviously this is not a time to be worrying about baseball games in Houston. But we knew this was going to happen didn't we? Weather forecasts had been warning Houston for many days that this hurricane was headed straight for them. The Astros and Major-League baseball had plenty of time to make a decision to move this series before the hurricane hit. The reason they didn't? Astros owner Drayton McLane.

Baseball and the Cubs tried to get this series moved to a neutral location from the very start. St. Louis, Kansas City, Tampa and Atlanta were all mentioned as possible neutral sites. However, McLane adamantly refused that the games be played anywhere other than Houston. Houston chronicle writer Richard Justice went as far as to say "Astros owner Drayton McLane so wanted this series to be played in Houston -- in spite of warnings from the National Weather Service -- that his judgment clouded all common sense." So we waited and waited and waited for a decision. where was this series going to played? Was it going to be played at all? Friday evening as the hurricane approached still no decision had been made, there were rumors that the series now may be moved to Milwaukee as other venues were no longer available. McLane claimed these reported were "very premature" and that the series could still be played in Houston. Of course everyone else knew there was no chance that would happen.

So as expected on Saturday Hurricane Ike struck with full force, leaving many people homeless, injured and without power. It was obvious the games could not be played in Houston. So MLB did the only thing left it could do, move the series to Milwaukee. ""We wanted Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Arlington, Atlanta, you name it. There was nothing else." McLane said Sunday. Of course the bottom line is all of this happened because of a tragedy. The ideal situation would have been to play the games in Houston as scheduled and for Texas to be sparred the wrath of this 'cane but it wasn't so, and everyone knew what was going to happen.

Sunday night, Carlos Zambrano took the ball for the Cubs and put on an amazing show, looking as good as he has all season. He completed the Cubs first no hitter since 1972 and I jumped for joy at the result. With the stuff Z had, I'm not sure the site of the game mattered anyway.




So for Astros fans claiming MLB screwed them over and that choosing Milwaukee as the neutral site was a sham, you only have one person to blame, your own owner.

As for the Cubs, their division lead is now 7.5 games with only a couple weeks of ball left. The Cubs will try to secure their 2nd straight NL central crown and will hope for a better result in the playoffs than last year. Really the only questions this team had, was the the health of aces Zambrano and Harden. With great starts under the belt for both, the Cubs appear to be in great shape for a run at their first World Series title in.... quite a while.




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