BAY AREA BASEBALL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Click on photo to enlarge

In a world of growing deception and turmoil, it's time now for the innocent purity of baseball in the San Francisco Bay area and both the Giants and A's are in the hunt for the divisional playoffs. Where you live in the Bay Area plays a big difference in your team allegiance but in my case I have a loyalty to both teams and find myself capable of an objective analysis of their chances to advance in 2014: Allen L Roland, Ph.D

 

Having lived for over 30 years in the North Bay Counties of Sonoma and Marin, I have been a fervent Giants fan but when I moved to Contra Costa in 2010 for my work with combat vets with PTSD ~ I became swept up in Oakland A's fever and have now reached a healthy parity in my team allegiance but can offer a fairly objective analysis of their playoff chances in 2014.

 

Oakland A's ~ What was once a fun loving group of over achievers led by power-hitting outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland was the team to beat by the All- Star break this year ~ but then Billy Beane (with visions of a World Championship in his eyes) got impatient, sold the soul of the team (Cespedes) to the Red Sox for proven World Series closer Jon Lester and watched the team slowly disintegrate through August and September. It is my opinion that Melvin and the Team were overruled on the Lester for Cespedes trade and that explains the recent slide in A's spirit ~ it was no longer fun but instead all business.

But the final dagger in the heart for the stumbling A's happened  on Wednesday, September 17th when bulldog Jeff Samardzija threw a brilliant 4 hitter through 8 innings against an obviously outgunned and bewildered Ranger team.

Obviously Samardzija wanted to pitch the ninth but Manager Bob Melvin would have none of that and went with his already chosen closer Doolittle whose fast ball and slider was welcome relief for the young Rangers who pounced on him for six runs and the ball game.

Doolittle knew it ~ "It's going to be a turning point one way or another," Doolittle told reporters after the game. "After the season's over, are we going to look back and point at tonight as the game where the wheels came off for good, or are we going to be able to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and talk about how resilient we are as a team and how we were able to overcome a game like this and still get it done?"

Melvin's inability to recognize what everyone else, including myself and the ball players themselves (on both sides) already knew, that Samardzija was on a special roll and deserved to at least attempt to close the 1-0 game cast a "Why Try" spell on the A's and the wheels did indeed seemingly come off for good.

Lester will attempt to right the ship against the Phillies on Friday, the 19th but the collapse seems complete and the fun Boys of Summer have become the burned out survivors of fall ~ destined to dwell on what might have been and what ever happened to those fun (double pie) times with Cespedes this year before Billy Beane pulled the plug.

San Francisco Giants ~ Whereas the spirit left the A's it returned with a vengeance to the Giants ~ along with Angel Pagan, a rejuvenated team leader Buster Posy ~ and of course, their wily old fox manager Bruce Bochy.

The Giants are making their every two year run for the money (having won the gold in 2010 and 2012) but realistically a wild card berth seems only likely this year. However, never underestimate Bruce Bochy in late September and October ~ he is a master motivator and big game strategist but it's unlikely he will take all the marbles this year.

The problem is pitching and their nemesis the LA Dodgers ~ who are locked in first in the West and show no signs on relinquishing it to the Giants. The Dodgers are more individually gifted and of course have the best pitcher in baseball ~ Clayton Kershaw with 20 wins already in his belt. The Giants definitely have more team chemistry but that may not be enough this year.

PREDICTIONS

NATIONAL LEAGUE WINNERS

WEST LA Dodgers

CENTRAL Cardinals
EAST  Washington
Wild Card SF Giants

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE WINNERS

WEST LA Angels

CENTRAL Detroit Tigers
EAST Baltimore
Wild Card Kansas City Royals

 

NL DIVISIONAL SERIES

Dodgers defeat Cardinals

Washington defeats Giants
LA Dodgers versus Washington in Final
Winner LA Dodgers

 

AL DIVISIONAL SERIES

Baltimore defeats Royals

Angels defeat Detroit
LA Angels versus Baltimore in Final
Winner LA Angels

 

WORLD SERIES  LA Dodgers versus LA Angels

Winner LA Dodgers in seven games.

 

MVP  Clayton Kershaw

 

And that's the way it appears to be ~ at least that's my prediction as a Bay Area resident and avid baseball fan whose allegiance is now split between the A's and Giants.

" Prediction and explanation are exactly symmetrical. Explanations are, in effect, predictions about what has happened; predictions are explanations about what's going to happen.” ~ John Roberts Searle

 

Allen L Roland
http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/bay-area-baseball-playoff-predictions.html

Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and heart centered spiritual counselor Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private Skype consultations at allen@allenroland.com

 
Allen L Roland is also a lecturer and shares a weekly political and social commentary on his web log and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

 

NUMBER ONE FEEL GOOD STORY OF 2010

Tim ( The freak ) Lincecum screams to the world that the San Francisco Giants are now number one while striking out ten Ranger’s batters ~ as the Giants humbled the Texas Rangers 3-1 in Arlington, Texas and won the 2010 World Series. Photo/ Paul Moseley, Fort worth Star Telegram

The number one feel good story of 2010 was the over achieving ragtag Band of brothers San Francisco Giants battling their way to the World Series Championship and convincing their long suffering fans, including myself, that torture is sublime: Allen L Roland

11/02/2010 The curse has been lifted ~ 52 years ago ( 1958 ) the New York Giants packed up their bags and abandoned New York for San Francisco and left millions of East Coast Giant fans in the lurch without their favorite team, which had recently swept the Cleveland Indians in the1954 World Series. New York never forgave them until they finally caved in 2010.

I was elated since I had joined the Navy in 1957, completed my flight training and was stationed in Miramar, California as a Navy carrier pilot and was soon deployed on the USS Ranger ~ which was stationed in Alameda, California across the bay from Candlestick Park and my long time favorite team, the New York but now San Francisco Giants.

It’s been a humbling experience for the past 52 years watching the Giants come so close to a world championship but bow to earthquakes (1989), Dusty baker’s poor judgment (2002) and of course bad luck ~ witness Willie McCovey’s line drive smash into Bobby Richardson’s glove in the last of the ninth, two outs and the tying run on third and winning run on second ( Willie Mays ) in the seventh game of the 1962 World series with the New York Yankees. I was there for that moment and never forgot the heartbreak when over 50,000 screaming fans suddenly went totally silent in shocked disbelief.

But that was the New York curse from 1958 and the Giants were still 48 years from finally breaking it in 2010 ~ but then a ragtag bunch of misfits and castoffs led by a grizzled, wise and veteran coach willed themselves not only to the National league pennant but to the world championship and, in the process, made torture refreshing.

For it was indeed torture to all Giants fans and no one was more adept at applying it then the bearded one ~ their incomparable closer, Brian Wilson.

But in the World Series the Giants suddenly glimpsed their destiny, rose above torture and soared to unparalleled heights by dispatching an obviously awed Texas Ranger team in five games by scoring 29 runs in five games and allowing only 12 runs to the overmatched Texans. This included two shutouts in game two and four as well as a one run gem by Lincecum in the deciding game five.

It appears the Rangers believed their own Fox driven media hype that had established the Rangers as decided favorites while the Giants believed in themselves and savored the fact that were underdogs. As such, America’s team is not the far right and up tight Bush loving Rangers but, instead the rag tag castoffs and supremely intentioned cardiac kids from progressive San Francisco.

I savored watching former Ranger part owner George W Bush visibly anguishing in the owner’s box along with Club President Nolan Ryan.

So now, names like Lincecum. Cain, Bumgarner, Posey, Ross, Uribe, Torres, Renteria and Huff are added to all time Giants lore along with Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal and all is forgiven ~ the 1958 curse has been exorcized.

But, to me, the real hero was manager Bruce Bochy who made his decisive moves brilliantly and never took his foot off the staggering Rangers throat. He and his ragtag team of super achievers truly caught “ lightning in a bottle “ and Ranger’s manager Washington looked like a deer in the headlights of this oncoming truck ~ as did Bobby Cox ( Braves ) and Charlie Manuel ( Phillies ) before him.

So what more appropriate face to symbolize this rise from history’s ashes than the irrepressible Tim Lincecum being hoisted by his teammates after game five and screaming ~ Believe it ! We’re number One !

Allen L Roland

http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/number-one-feel-good-story-of-2010.html

Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is also available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )

allen@allenroland.com is PayPal Verified

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com . He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

GIANTS vs RANGERS WILL BE NAILBITER / SF WILL PREVAIL IN SIX GAMES

SF Manager Bruce Bochy / Leader of the torturous but driven Magnificent Misfits.

The Cardiac Kids have given their followers a combination of nervous despair and extreme exultation as they prepare to face the Texas Rangers in the World Series ~ which the Giants should win in six or seven games: Allen L Roland

It's wild and crazy right now in the San Francisco Bay area as the San Francisco Giants prepare to battle the Texas Rangers in the 2010 World Series.

And that's just what this Giant's team is ~ crazy and wild but also intentioned, focused and battle tested for their first World Series title since the Giants moved from New York in 1958.

There are several reasons why the Giants should win in six or seven games including the fact that the Rangers will not have a designated hitter in the four games in SF and their pitchers will have to finally hit and bunt like National league pitchers do every game.

The other six reasons are as follows;

Bruce Bochy. Manager Bruce Bochy out managed both Bobby Cox and Charlie Manuel in the National League playoffs, and managed the Padres in the World Series in 1998 ~ where the Padres got swept. Bochy has been here before, he wants his ring and the grizzled veteran is just as intentioned as his band of misfits.

Tim Lincecum. The Freak is the face of the cardiac kids but beneath his hippie length hair is an intentioned two time Cy Young winner whose record is 56-27 in his first four major league seasons. Lincecum has led the National league in strikeouts ( 231 ) for the third straight season and the Rangers better not take him lightly, along with Cain, Bumgarner and Sanchez.

Buster Posey. Posey won the Johnny Bench award in 2008 as the best college catcher ( Florida State ) and the Golden Spike award the same year as the nation's top amateur player. Posey is the rock of the cardiac kids and a natural field general who batted .305 with 18 homers and 67 RBI'S in 2010. Since Bochy moved him into the cleanup spot ~ Posey has batted .505 with a 21 game hitting streak and threw out 37% of those trying to steal against him. Posey is the heart of the franchise and the closest thing to Johnny Bench that I've ever seen.

Juan Uribe. Uribe's been on this stage before with the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and 2008 and brings an unbridled clubhouse presence, a .984 fielding percentage and the ability to rise to the occasion in the postseason ( 11 RBI in 25 career postseason games ~ including his game winning homerun against the Phillies in Game six ).

Cody Ross. Ross is the sparkplug for the magnificent misfits and has shown up big time in the postseason with three homers, three doubles and seven hits in 20 at bats. He is fearless and his timely hits against Lowe, Halladay and Oswalt have literally inspired his teammates to greater heights. The MVP of the NCLS will not be denied either on the field or at bat against the Rangers .

Brian Wilson. What can you say ~ the ninth inning of game six with the Phillies was a true capsule of Giant torture when the bearded one fired his favorite cutter by a frozen Howard with the bases full, a three and two count and a hostile crowd roaring. Wilson loves this stage and he plays his role to the hilt with his Mohawk haircut, black dyed beard and league leading 48 saves with 93 strikeouts in 74 innings.

Throw in Audrey Huff and veteran Pat Burrell and now you have the magnificent seven with the tenacious and determined Bruce Bochy at the helm ~ against Cliff Lee and a wide eyed Ranger manager and squad who will be fortunate to win two nail biting games.

The Wild Bunch, as Bochy often refers to his team of renegades, appear " to have caught lightning in a bottle."

My Prediction : The Giants in six, maybe seven games.

Allen L Roland http://allenlrolandsweblog.blogspot.com

Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is also available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY

Lincecum Vs Halladay / Classic Showdown In Philly

LINCECUM VS HALLADAY / CLASSIC SHOWDOWN IN PHILLY

Tim Lincecum pitching in the first inning as the San Francisco Giants took on the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at AT&T Park. Photo by Michael Maoor/ The Chonicle

For the moment, forget politics, the great recession and the mid-term elections ~ a classic baseball showdown takes place Saturday when Tim ' The Freak ' Lincecum faces stoic Roy ' Doc' Halladay in the first game of the National league Championship Series between the SF Giants and Philadelphia Phillies: Allen L Roland

In a world of growing political pretense and intrigue ~ how refreshing it is to willingly surrender to the legitimate excitement ( and torture ) of baseball playoff fever particularly when it involves my favorite team ~ the San Francisco Giants.

Most People are convinced that Roy Halladay, who pitched a no-hitter against Cincinnati in the NL Division Series opener last week, will face San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum, who has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards, in Game 1 of the National League championship series in Philadelphia on Saturday, October 16th.

It's a dream matchup, as Halladay is expected to win this year's Cy Young, and Lincecum struck out 14 in his last outing against the Atlanta Braves in the first game of the division playoffs.

As Henry Schulman, SF Chronicle staff writer wrote this week after the Giants eliminated the Braves ~ " Inside a clubhouse clinching celebration, hyperbole flows like Champagne, so maybe Aubrey Huff was a mite too exuberant as he looked ahead to Tim Lincecum vs. Roy Halladay, Matt Cain vs. Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez vs. Cole Hamels, if indeed it plays out that way. "This might be the best three pitching matchups the world has ever seen," Huff said. "It's going to be fun to watch." Read more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/12/SPGA1FRNPQ.DTL#ixzz12D8KkCGJ

But those of you who think the Giants are over matched should note this ~ Lincecum, Cain and Sanchez together were 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA in four starts against the Phillies in 2010, and Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels were 1-5, 6.17 in seven starts against the Giants.

The Phillies better not underestimate the " Cardiac Kids " who have become playoff hardened with their streak of one run victories and rightly believe they can beat anyone with their superior pitching, superb bullpen and timely hitting.

Look for former Marlin Cody Ross and former Phillie Pat Burrell to make a big difference along with this year's obvious rookie of the year ~ catcher Buster Posey. But Tim the 'Freak ' Lincecum will set the stage on Saturday and remember he is capable of being unhittable and most certainly will pitch two or three times during the series.

I like the schedule ~ first two in Philly where the focused Giants will definitely win atleast one. The next three are at SF where the Giants should take atleast two ~ which leaves the last two in Philly with Lincecum going again.

My prediction ~ Giants in six or maybe seven games.

But whoever survives this classic rumble will be the instant favorite to win the World Series against either the Yankees or Rangers.

My dream World Series matchup is Giants / Yankees and hopefully revenge for the Yankees 1-0 win in game seven of the 1962 World Series when Willy McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson with Mays on third and two outs in the last of the ninth. I was in the stands that day and never forgot that moment when over 40,000 screaming Giant fans were suddenly silenced by the baseball gods.

However, Lincecum is the exuberant never-say-die face of this 2010 Giant team of castoffs and Cody Ross is the sparkplug of these cardiac kids ~ who seem destined for greatness and will seemingly not be denied in 2010.

Watch out Philly !

Allen L Roland

This weblog is sustained through donations from people like yourself. Please send check or Money Order to Allen L. Roland, PO Box 1221, Sonoma,CA 95476 .

Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on http://www.conscioustalk.net/

ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY