The Mariners head into the 2019 MLB season having gone through a lot of changes. Significant players gone are James Paxton, Mike Zunino, Jean Segura, Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, and Ben Gamel. And those are just the players who were traded. In exchange the Mariners received a mix of prospects and a couple veterans. And to be totally and completely honest, I think general manager Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners organization as a whole are doing the right thing. Even if the Mariners were going to win with the core of players above, they weren't going to go very far. They were decent, but not great. We need to strive for great to finally break this long playoff drought.
As Mariners fans, we've almost become numb to losing and disappointment. It's not expected, but it's never a surprise, either. Just like the rain we so often get in the Puget Sound area, it's never welcomed but always a reason for gloominess. So this 2019 season, the Mariners are not expected to do a ton of winning. And I am content with that. This is a transition year. Mostly, I'm excited to see how new faces do, and see how the youngsters do if and when they're called up from the minors.
So I thought it would be fun to make a team that may be the core of this roster some day. It might not look exactly like this, but it will be fun to see how close I come to getting it right.
C: Nazvaez/Trade Acquisition/Raleigh
1B: White/Healy
2B: Shed Long
SS: JP Crawford
3B: Seager/Trade Acquisition
OF: Some combination of Haniger, Smith, Kelenic, Rodriguez, Bishop, and Lewis.
SP: Sheffield, Kikuchi, Gonzalez, Carlson, Gilbert, FA/Trade
RP: Dunn, Festa, Mills, Rumbelow, Tuivailala, FA/Trade
The could be the roster come 2021 or so. We'll see. But having acquired a group of talented youngsters, I'm finally excited for the future of the Seattle Mariners.
So onto my predictions for 2019. As I'm not too excited for this baseball season as a whole, I'm just predicting the playoff teams and division winners. As for the Mariners, I'll predict their record to be 73-89. Just barely missing 90 losses.
AL Division Winners: Astros, Twins (you heard it here first), Yankees
Wild Cards: Red Sox and Indians
NL Division Winners: Dodgers, Cardinals, and Phillies
Wild Cards: Cubs and Nationals
Wild Card Winners: Red Sox and Cubs
AL Divisional Matchups:
Yankees vs. Red Sox (What a matchup!): Yankees win... The-e-e-e-e Yankees win!
Twins vs. Astros: Astros win
NL Divisional Matchups:
Dodgers vs. Cubs: Dodgers win
Phillies vs. Cardinals: Cardinals win
ALCS: Yankees beat Astros
NLCS: Dodgers beat Cardinals
World Series: Yankees in six games
So, there you have it, the Yankees winning the World Series. Just like old times. Good for James Paxton if that does indeed happen. As for the Mariners, they will play spoiler and knock the Athletics out of the Wild Card race in the final series of the season. :)
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Fortnite Appreciation Post
A free to play game that works on virtually every video game console, including PC. Who would've though that would exist? Not me. But it does, and it is called Fortnite, made by Epic Games. The regular Fortnite Battle Royale games pit 100 players against each other in a fight to the end to see which player or players can outlast all the rest.
I got into Fornite around the late summer of 2018. Now Fortnite has what they call "Seasons". Just like with the rest of the world, Fornite has four seasons per year that change about the same time ours do. Each season has a different theme, and introduces a significant change in the map. I got into Fortnite in the middle of Season 5, playing it on the Xbox One.
The map stays the same for each game, but will get updated every few weeks, and especially with each new season. This way, players can get accustomed to the map, knowing where best to find loot, hide, and how to navigate it quickly. Also what's cool is the map is filled with named locations that have alliterative titles, such as "Tilted Towers" and "Dusty Divot" and "Junk Junction". And with each game there is what's called a "storm". The storm will start out as a circle that takes up somewhere around 1/3 of the map, but then get smaller and smaller until there are no players left. If you are outside of the circle in the storm, you take health damage. Navigating to get inside the circle is something players must do to succeed.
As for me as a player, well to put it nicely, I am not the best. I have won squad games (being carried). And just last season (Season 7), I got my first solo victory. It was a huge accomplishment, and for the longest time I felt like I was never going to get a solo victory. It took me over 300 games to get it. I now have two solo victories, getting another one fairly recently. The most kills I've ever gotten in a solo game is 4, to my recollection, which was also my second victory. And the most kills I've gotten in any game was a Team Rumble, 9. So yes, I'm not too good at Fortnite, but I am totally fine with that.
There are mainly two strategies you can take with Fortnite. One, you can be aggressive, attack everyone you come across, and try to get as many kills as possible. The other one is being sneaky and relying on stealth, hoping those skills will progress you as far as you can before you are forced to engage other players. I am in the second group. Not since my high school days playing Halo have I been somewhat decent at killing other human players, I will admit. But, with experience I have become very good at being sneaky and avoiding other players. I'm not ashamed to play this way; it gives me satisfaction to know I progressed further in the game and have a better placement in the game than a lot of the more aggressive players.
My favorite thing to do in the game is completing weekly and daily goals. These goals can range anywhere from landing at a certain location, to getting a kill with a certain type of weapon, to doing a dance in a certain spot. Accomplishing these goals unlocks items in the Battle Pass, which includes skins (outfits), emotes, loading screens, and more.
So I don't think I'll ever be a great Fortnite player, but I'm ok with that. There are millions of kids and young adults around the world who spend WAY more time on the game with me and do better than me. I just don't think I'll ever devote THAT much time to the game. It's just a game and a way for me to relieve stress, which I'll admit sometimes it has the opposite effect.
I got into Fornite around the late summer of 2018. Now Fortnite has what they call "Seasons". Just like with the rest of the world, Fornite has four seasons per year that change about the same time ours do. Each season has a different theme, and introduces a significant change in the map. I got into Fortnite in the middle of Season 5, playing it on the Xbox One.
The map stays the same for each game, but will get updated every few weeks, and especially with each new season. This way, players can get accustomed to the map, knowing where best to find loot, hide, and how to navigate it quickly. Also what's cool is the map is filled with named locations that have alliterative titles, such as "Tilted Towers" and "Dusty Divot" and "Junk Junction". And with each game there is what's called a "storm". The storm will start out as a circle that takes up somewhere around 1/3 of the map, but then get smaller and smaller until there are no players left. If you are outside of the circle in the storm, you take health damage. Navigating to get inside the circle is something players must do to succeed.
As for me as a player, well to put it nicely, I am not the best. I have won squad games (being carried). And just last season (Season 7), I got my first solo victory. It was a huge accomplishment, and for the longest time I felt like I was never going to get a solo victory. It took me over 300 games to get it. I now have two solo victories, getting another one fairly recently. The most kills I've ever gotten in a solo game is 4, to my recollection, which was also my second victory. And the most kills I've gotten in any game was a Team Rumble, 9. So yes, I'm not too good at Fortnite, but I am totally fine with that.
There are mainly two strategies you can take with Fortnite. One, you can be aggressive, attack everyone you come across, and try to get as many kills as possible. The other one is being sneaky and relying on stealth, hoping those skills will progress you as far as you can before you are forced to engage other players. I am in the second group. Not since my high school days playing Halo have I been somewhat decent at killing other human players, I will admit. But, with experience I have become very good at being sneaky and avoiding other players. I'm not ashamed to play this way; it gives me satisfaction to know I progressed further in the game and have a better placement in the game than a lot of the more aggressive players.
My favorite thing to do in the game is completing weekly and daily goals. These goals can range anywhere from landing at a certain location, to getting a kill with a certain type of weapon, to doing a dance in a certain spot. Accomplishing these goals unlocks items in the Battle Pass, which includes skins (outfits), emotes, loading screens, and more.
So I don't think I'll ever be a great Fortnite player, but I'm ok with that. There are millions of kids and young adults around the world who spend WAY more time on the game with me and do better than me. I just don't think I'll ever devote THAT much time to the game. It's just a game and a way for me to relieve stress, which I'll admit sometimes it has the opposite effect.
Monday, September 3, 2018
My Extensive 2018 NFL Predictions!
For me, it’s hard to believe, but the 2018 NFL season is almost here. It feels like just recently the Philadelphia
Eagles won their first Super Bowl. With
a new season brings optimism to every club.
Heck, even the Browns have reasons to be optimistic. I honestly cannot remember a season where
nearly every team had some reason to be hopeful, a reason to think their season
could be a success. And in doing these
predictions for the first time, I made sure all the team records add up to
256-256. It was not easy, I tell
you. I really wanted to say a lot of
teams would do well, but unfortunately for a lot of teams, their season ends in
disappointment because of injuries, bad chemistry, or lack of execution.
I have divided this up into FOUR parts. First part is Ten Surprising predictions. These are predictions I like to make each year that only have a small chance of happening in hindsight, but last year I got 4/10 right. The one I was most proud of getting was the Seahawks having a better road record than home record. I also got right that a well-respected coach got fired before season’s end, that every division winner would have a better record than every wild card team, and that the AFC South would have a wild card team.
The second part will be my predicted records for each NFL team. Again, I made sure that all team records add up to a total of 256-256. The third part is my predictions for each Seahawk’s game, and what I expect to happen in each one. And lastly, I will predict the NFL playoffs, predict my Super Bowl matchup and ultimate Super Bowl Champion, as well as hand out the end-of-the-year awards.
Firstly, though, is my ten surprising predictions for the 2018 season:
1. The San Francisco 49ers will NOT have the rousing success everyone thinks they will this year, and they will lose more than they win.
The 49ers are everyone’s dark horse team for 2018, but I don’t think they will be much, if it all better this year. One, I don’t think Jimmy Garoppolo is as good as everyone thinks. He was a second round and not a first round pick for a reason. He also is dating a porn star and has already signed his lucrative contract, so he doesn’t have too much more to play for. Also, aside from Richard Sherman, the 49ers didn’t add a whole lot in the offseason. I think expectations will be too high and they will go 7-9 at best.
Well, I was right. But it wasn't all because they weren't ready. Most blame could be pointed to the Jimmy Garoppolo season-ending injury. However, I was right, so that's one.
2. No team will lose 13 or more games in 2018
The Browns have been the worst team the last two seasons, but with most expecting them to improve greatly and win a handful of games, there may not be THAT bad of a team this year. I predict the worst team will go 4-12 in a very competitive league.
I was SOOO close on this one! Only one team lost 13 or more games, and it was the Arizona Cardinals, and they lost 13.
3. The team that finishes with the worst record (or tied for worst record) in 2018 will have had a winning record in 2017.
Speaking of the worst record in the NFL, I’m not going to say who (you’ll have to see below), but the team that finishes with the worst record (and thus gets the #1 overall pick) will be a team that had a winning record in 2017. That is always a surprise to see. It doesn’t have to be the team I picked for this to be right, just a team that had a winning record in the 2017 season.
Again, SO CLOSE. The Cardinals, who had the worst record in 2018, went 8-8 in 2017. Figures.
4. The AFC representative in the Super Bowl won’t be the Patriots. Or the Steelers. In fact, it will be a team who hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl this millennium.
I think the AFC is due for a new Super Bowl contender. They haven’t had a team represent their conference minus Peyton Manning and Tom Brady since the Ravens made it in 2012. And they haven’t had a team win the Super Bowl that hadn’t already this millennium since the Colts in 2007.
Welp. I may have predicted the Patriots demise too early. For a while my prediction looked good as the Kansas City Chiefs would've made this prediction correct, but they came up so close in the AFC Championship.
5. The Seahawks AGAIN finish with a better road record than home record
I can make the same prediction two years in a row, can’t I? It’s my predictions. Just looking at the Seahawks schedule, I’ve noticed most of their tough non-divisional opponents (Dallas, GB, Minnesota, Kansas City) are at home while they face their easier divisional counterparts on the road (Oakland, Denver, Detroit, Chicago). It would be surprising for this anomaly to happen two years in a row for the Seahawks, but I think it will indeed happen again.
Not this time. The Seahawks lost winnable road games (San Francisco, Denver) and won some home games against decent opponents (Minnesota, Kansas City, Green Bay).
6. Neither team in the Super Bowl will have multiple Super Bowl wins
I think we’re going to see a Super Bowl with semi-inexperienced teams. There are plenty of teams with one or no Super Bowl titles (20 to be exact), but it’s not too likely that both Super Bowl participants will be like that. So that means no Patriots, no Steelers, no Packers.
If it was any matchup from the conference championship games OTHER than the Patriots, this would have been correct. The Rams, Saints, and Chiefs all have one Championship. Damn Patriots.
7. Among QB’s in their rookie or sophomore seasons, Mitch Trubisky will have the best (or tied for best) record
There are a lot of new and young faces at QB in the NFL. There were five rookie QB’s taken in the first round of this year’s draft, plus Mahomes in KC and Trubisky in Chicago will be playing their first full seasons. I expect Trubisky among all of those QB’s to have the best record as a starter or tied for the best.
Second one correct! He tied with Mahomes of the Chiefs for best record among first or second year QB's. I didn't foresee Mahomes's success but I saw the Bears making a run.
8. The AFC will have multiple divisions with only one team with a winning record.
Anyone paying attention to the NFL the past few years may have noticed most of the talent resides in the NFC. The NFC has more talented QB’s and better defenses. Therefore, I think there will be a couple divisions in the AFC with only one winning team. There will be a lot of sub-par AFC teams.
Only one division, I'm afraid. The AFC East only had one. The next closest was the AFC North, where the Steelers were second best at 9-6-1.
9. The Offensive Rookie of the Year won’t be one of the five QB’s drafted in the first round. It won’t even be Saquon Barkley.
I’m not positive on who it is, but I don’t see any of the first-round QB’s having rousing success in their first season (at least not enough to win Offensive ROY). I also don’t see a ton of success for Saquon Barkley, the first running back drafted. It will either be a QB drafted in the 2nd round or later, a different running back, or a different position altogether. Usually the OROY is a top QB chosen or the best running back, but it won’t be this year.
It was Saquon Barkley. I knew I was going out on a limb. The runner up was Baker Mayfield and he wouldn't have made my prediction correct, either.
10. No team will win more than 12 games, and there won’t be more than one team per conference with 12 wins.
There is a ton of parity in the NFL (especially the NFC), and I expect a lot of competitiveness, few blowouts, and a lot of upsets in the league this season. Therefore, there won’t be a team that runs away with its conference, and the most any team will win is 12 games, and there won’t even be two teams that do that in a conference. Maybe one per.
Oops. The Saints AND Rams both won 13, and they are both in the NFC. The Chiefs also won 12 in the AFC. Oh wells.
So after those ten bold predictions, you might have some idea as to how the divisions and records shape up. Here we go, with some comments on each division:
* = Wild Card
AFC EAST
1. Patriots: 10-6
2. Jets: 8-8
3. Dolphins: 6-10
4. Bills: 5-11
Comment: The Patriots have a rebuilt offensive line and very inexperienced receivers, so they’ll take a minor step back more than likely. But in a weak division, they’ll recapture the AFC East crown barring major injuries. The Jets should be competitive even though they are starting a 21-year-old rookie in Sam Darnold. The Fins, however, keep losing stars and Tannehill has a huge uphill climb to make coming back from injury. The Bills have decided to start Nathan Peterman Week 1, and there’s little chance that goes well.
AFC NORTH
1. Steelers: 12-4
2. Ravens: 8-8
3. Browns: 6-10
4. Bengals: 5-11
Comment: The Steelers beat up on their division, which frankly, I don’t see much competitiveness in outside of the Steel City. The Ravens do OK but may not play well enough for their head coach to keep his job. The Browns get off to a decent start and hover around .500 but suffer many losses in late November and December. The Bengals crash and burn, not being able to play complete and disciplined football.
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans: 10-6
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-6*
3. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7*
4. Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Comment: This should be one of the more competitive divisions in football and in my opinion, one of the most entertaining. The Texans get Watson back and he’ll be out to prove he’s no fluke. The Jags are out to prove last year was not a fluke themselves, and they should still be hungry after last year’s AFC Championship loss. The Colts get Luck on their side and become more competitive, but Luck will take some time readjusting to NFL game speed. The Titans have some new cool uni’s and a new coach, but I don’t like Derrick Henry as the sole featured back, and I have a bad feeling last year isn’t a fluke for Mariota and it will constantly be lingering in the back of his mind.
AFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5
2. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-7
3. Oakland Raiders: 6-10
4. Denver Broncos: 6-10
Comment: The Chargers boast one of the best all-around rosters in the NFL and had a great offseason. The Chiefs still have a great roster themselves, but made a major QB change, and with Mahomes in his first season as a starter, they will have some hiccups along the way. The Raiders will compete but their defense and run game will struggle at times; Beast Mode will show his age. The Broncos will realize Case Keenum was a one-year wonder and must go in search of their future franchise signal caller.
NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
3. Washington Redskins: 7-9
4. New York Giants: 6-10
Comment: The Cowboys play well and capitalize by winning a lot of games in-division. The Eagles, who struggled in the preseason, have a letdown season and Carson Wentz has a setback with his injury. They also struggle with too many players with big egos, such as Michael Bennett. The Skins will do moderately well with Alex Smith at QB, but struggle against the better NFC teams. The G-Men will realize Eli Manning needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers: 10-6
2. Minnesota Vikings: 10-6*
3. Chicago Bears: 9-7
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Comment: The Vikings and Packers should be in a battle all season long for the NFC North crown, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the lead changed in the last couple weeks. Aaron Rodgers, fresh off signing the largest contract in NFL history, leads the Pack and has an MVP type season. The Vikings just have too much talent to not win a bunch of games. The Bears and their new pass rusher Khalil Mack have a breakthrough season, but still ultimately miss the playoffs, but are optimistic going into 2019. The Lions become the odd man out in the division, as former Belichick assistants don’t tend to do well as head coaches (See Josh McDaniels, Romeo Crennel).
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints: 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons: 10-6*
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Comment: The Saints, perhaps more than anyone, should be seething after how last season ended, so I expect them to play their hearts out. The Falcons still have a good roster all around, and many expect them to make a playoff run again. The Panthers, however, don’t have a real reliable running back, and a defense that is slowly losing pieces, and they usually don’t have back-to-back playoff seasons, and I still don’t expect them to. The Bucs aren’t going to have Jameis Winston for their first four games, and even when he gets back they won’t be much better.
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 11-5
2. Seattle Seahawks: ????
3. San Francisco 49ers: 7-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 6-10
Comment: The Rams may have acquired some headache players like Suh and Marcus Peters but have too much talent to not win the division. As for the Seahawks, you’ll have to wait until my game-by-game predictions for them below. You know they’ll do at least 7-9 but no better than 11-5, based on their positioning above. The 49ers won’t be as good as many people think because teams that are this hyped usually don’t live up to the hype, and they have a QB, roster, and coach that haven’t proven anything yet. The Cardinals should compete, regardless of their quarterback, but their talent just doesn’t match up to most teams in the NFC.
So there you have it for the regular season! Now on to the Seahawks game by game predictions. How will they do? Find out below.
I’m not doing scores, because there’s a very very slim chance they’ll end up correct.
At Denver Broncos: Win (1-0)
The Hawks come out fighting. The Broncos show they’re not quite there and Case Keenum struggles at times. The last time the Hawks won in Denver, it was 2006. So they are due.
At Bears: Loss (1-1)
I originally had this game as a win, but I changed it after the Bears traded for Khalil Mack. I don’t think the Hawks will have too much success against him and the resurgent Bears D. It’ll be a close and tough defeat. Possibly low-scoring as well.
Vs. Cowboys: Loss (1-2)
The 12th Man can’t help the Hawks overcome the Cowboys in their home opener. The defense has trouble containing Ezekiel Elliott and the running game never gets going against Dallas’ tough front seven, leaving fans worrying about how bad this season will end up being.
At Cardinals: Win (2-2)
Hard to say which QB will start this game for the Cards, but I don’t think it matters too much. Again, could be a low-scoring game.
Vs. Rams: Loss (2-3)
The Hawks start the year with two straight home losses, and people start to wonder if the 12th Man is losing its touch. The Hawks go into this game seeking revenge for last year’s embarrassment at home, and while they do succeed in making it a closer game, still ultimately end up falling.
At Raiders in London: Win (3-3)
First game outside of North America for the Seahawks results in a W. Seahawks fans show up in droves as there appears to be many members of the 12th Man in the UK.
At Lions: Win (4-3)
The Hawks, well-rested after their bye, air it out in a shootout against Detroit and come out on top. Matt Patricia and Pete Carroll, two defensive coaches, end up wishing their D’s had done better.
Vs. Chargers: Win (5-3)
This will be a tough matchup, but the Hawks will have gone into November without a home win. They won’t allow it to continue. This will be like the Texans game last year: close, exciting, and the Hawks come out on top at home.
At Rams: Loss (5-4)
The Hawks fail to get 3 games above .500. They always play the Rams tough in L.A., and after last year’s lucky win I don’t think luck is in their favor this time, as the Rams end up sweeping the Hawks in 2018.
vs. Packers: Loss (5-5)
Aaron Rodgers has too many bad memories at Century Link. The Fail Mary game where he got sacked at least a half dozen times. The loss in the NFC Championship game. He’ll be out to rid himself of those demons. The Hawks fall to 1-3 at home.
at Panthers: Win (6-5)
There was a period near the beginning of the Seahawks renaissance where the Hawks beat the Panthers three straight years, all games in Carolina. I think they recapture some of that old magic and win. I also expect the Panthers to disappoint in 2018.
vs. 49ers: Win (7-5)
This should be a loud and exciting game that I see the Hawks winning in close and dramatic fashion. Like I said earlier, I don’t expect the 49ers to be as good as a lot of people think.
vs. Vikings: Loss (7-6)
This might be the most important game on the Seahawks schedule, based on its position in the schedule and who they’re playing. But the Hawks offense does not get much going against the stout Vikings defense, and Janikowski misses a late field goal.
At 49ers: Loss (7-7)
This proves to be a devastating loss towards the Seahawks playoff hopes. But they can’t stop Jimmy Garoppolo this time. Not in Santa Clara.
vs. Chiefs: Loss (7-8)
Another devastating loss. Pat Mahomes airs it out and the Chiefs rack up points on a tired and weary Hawks defense. This knocks the Hawks out of the playoff race for the second straight year.
vs. Cardinals: Win (8-8)
In what is now a meaningless game, the Hawks come out on top. They provide some hope for next season, knowing they must fill holes on D and on the offensive line.
So the Seahawks finish 8-8, no playoffs for the 2nd straight year. A three game losing streak in December ultimately does them in. The defense is not bad, but they are inconsistent. The running game and offensive line shows marginal improvement. Luck just won’t be on their side this year. But how does the rest of the NFL do in the playoffs? Let’s find out!
AFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Colts at (3) Patriots: Patriots win
This was a common playoff matchup in the 2000’s between Manning and Brady. Now it is Brady and Luck (again) and again Brady comes out on top. And yes, the Patriots do NOT get a first round BYE.
(5) Jaguars at (4) Texans: Jaguars win
I really like Deshaun Watson and the Texans, but they are not the most complete team in the AFC. The Jags defense torments Watson relentlessly and secure a trip to the divisional round.
NFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Falcons at (3) Cowboys: Cowboys win
The ‘Boys finally shake off their playoff woes and give fans of “America’s Team” reason to be optimistic. They win on a bad call by the refs (let’s face it, the NFL wants the Cowboys in as many high-profile games as possible).
(5) Vikings at (4) Packers: Packers win
It's always exciting when these two meet in the regular season. Add that it’s a playoff game and… woah. The Pack come out on top in the frigid temps of Green Bay as the Minnesota offense can’t get anything going, while the Green Bay offense does enough.
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(5) Jaguars at (1) Steelers: Steelers win
The Steelers win the rematch of last year’s AFC divisional matchup. They will want the game more, simply.
(3) Patriots at (2) Chargers: Chargers win
The Chargers win, with Phillip Rivers having no flashbacks to the 2000’s when they lost to the Patriots in the playoffs. The Patriots just won’t have as good of a roster. Coaching and strategy can only get you so far.
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(4) Packers at (1) Saints: Saints win
The Saints win a close and exciting game between two of the game’s best QB’s.
(3) Cowboys at (2) Rams: Cowboys win
In a battle of Hollywood’s team vs. America’s team, the ‘Boys come out on top because they play slightly more disciplined and hard-nose football. The Rams start to wonder what it will take to get their team to win a single playoff game.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (2) Chargers at (1) Steelers: Chargers win
Like I said earlier, the AFC will be represented by someone new. That will be the Chargers. They stun the Steelers fans who go home again disappointed.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (3) Cowboys at (1) Saints: Saints win
In a battle of two underdog QB’s (Prescott vs. Brees), the wily veteran Brees comes out on top. The Saints crowd proves to be too much for the Cowboys. The Saints move on to their 2nd Super Bowl.
SUPER BOWL LIII: Chargers vs. Saints: Saints win, 37-34
In a Super Bowl matchup of two bad-luck franchises and two QB’s who used to be teammates, Brees comes out on top. This ends up being one of the most entertaining Super Bowls, with a late score or defensive stop in the final seconds. Your 2018 and Super Bowl LIII champions are the New Orleans Saints!
Finally, some awards to hand out:
NFL MVP: Drew Brees (finally!), Saints
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa, Chargers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Calvin Ridley, Falcons
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Derwin James, Chargers
Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn, Chargers
Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Thanks for reading all the way through if you did! I’m very excited for this upcoming season, even if I didn’t predict my Seahawks to make the playoffs. They still have the potential to surprise a lot of people and prove me wrong by making the playoffs for the 6th time in 7 seasons. Here’s to an awesome 2018 NFL season!
I have divided this up into FOUR parts. First part is Ten Surprising predictions. These are predictions I like to make each year that only have a small chance of happening in hindsight, but last year I got 4/10 right. The one I was most proud of getting was the Seahawks having a better road record than home record. I also got right that a well-respected coach got fired before season’s end, that every division winner would have a better record than every wild card team, and that the AFC South would have a wild card team.
The second part will be my predicted records for each NFL team. Again, I made sure that all team records add up to a total of 256-256. The third part is my predictions for each Seahawk’s game, and what I expect to happen in each one. And lastly, I will predict the NFL playoffs, predict my Super Bowl matchup and ultimate Super Bowl Champion, as well as hand out the end-of-the-year awards.
Firstly, though, is my ten surprising predictions for the 2018 season:
1. The San Francisco 49ers will NOT have the rousing success everyone thinks they will this year, and they will lose more than they win.
The 49ers are everyone’s dark horse team for 2018, but I don’t think they will be much, if it all better this year. One, I don’t think Jimmy Garoppolo is as good as everyone thinks. He was a second round and not a first round pick for a reason. He also is dating a porn star and has already signed his lucrative contract, so he doesn’t have too much more to play for. Also, aside from Richard Sherman, the 49ers didn’t add a whole lot in the offseason. I think expectations will be too high and they will go 7-9 at best.
Well, I was right. But it wasn't all because they weren't ready. Most blame could be pointed to the Jimmy Garoppolo season-ending injury. However, I was right, so that's one.
2. No team will lose 13 or more games in 2018
The Browns have been the worst team the last two seasons, but with most expecting them to improve greatly and win a handful of games, there may not be THAT bad of a team this year. I predict the worst team will go 4-12 in a very competitive league.
I was SOOO close on this one! Only one team lost 13 or more games, and it was the Arizona Cardinals, and they lost 13.
3. The team that finishes with the worst record (or tied for worst record) in 2018 will have had a winning record in 2017.
Speaking of the worst record in the NFL, I’m not going to say who (you’ll have to see below), but the team that finishes with the worst record (and thus gets the #1 overall pick) will be a team that had a winning record in 2017. That is always a surprise to see. It doesn’t have to be the team I picked for this to be right, just a team that had a winning record in the 2017 season.
Again, SO CLOSE. The Cardinals, who had the worst record in 2018, went 8-8 in 2017. Figures.
4. The AFC representative in the Super Bowl won’t be the Patriots. Or the Steelers. In fact, it will be a team who hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl this millennium.
I think the AFC is due for a new Super Bowl contender. They haven’t had a team represent their conference minus Peyton Manning and Tom Brady since the Ravens made it in 2012. And they haven’t had a team win the Super Bowl that hadn’t already this millennium since the Colts in 2007.
Welp. I may have predicted the Patriots demise too early. For a while my prediction looked good as the Kansas City Chiefs would've made this prediction correct, but they came up so close in the AFC Championship.
5. The Seahawks AGAIN finish with a better road record than home record
I can make the same prediction two years in a row, can’t I? It’s my predictions. Just looking at the Seahawks schedule, I’ve noticed most of their tough non-divisional opponents (Dallas, GB, Minnesota, Kansas City) are at home while they face their easier divisional counterparts on the road (Oakland, Denver, Detroit, Chicago). It would be surprising for this anomaly to happen two years in a row for the Seahawks, but I think it will indeed happen again.
Not this time. The Seahawks lost winnable road games (San Francisco, Denver) and won some home games against decent opponents (Minnesota, Kansas City, Green Bay).
6. Neither team in the Super Bowl will have multiple Super Bowl wins
I think we’re going to see a Super Bowl with semi-inexperienced teams. There are plenty of teams with one or no Super Bowl titles (20 to be exact), but it’s not too likely that both Super Bowl participants will be like that. So that means no Patriots, no Steelers, no Packers.
If it was any matchup from the conference championship games OTHER than the Patriots, this would have been correct. The Rams, Saints, and Chiefs all have one Championship. Damn Patriots.
7. Among QB’s in their rookie or sophomore seasons, Mitch Trubisky will have the best (or tied for best) record
There are a lot of new and young faces at QB in the NFL. There were five rookie QB’s taken in the first round of this year’s draft, plus Mahomes in KC and Trubisky in Chicago will be playing their first full seasons. I expect Trubisky among all of those QB’s to have the best record as a starter or tied for the best.
Second one correct! He tied with Mahomes of the Chiefs for best record among first or second year QB's. I didn't foresee Mahomes's success but I saw the Bears making a run.
8. The AFC will have multiple divisions with only one team with a winning record.
Anyone paying attention to the NFL the past few years may have noticed most of the talent resides in the NFC. The NFC has more talented QB’s and better defenses. Therefore, I think there will be a couple divisions in the AFC with only one winning team. There will be a lot of sub-par AFC teams.
Only one division, I'm afraid. The AFC East only had one. The next closest was the AFC North, where the Steelers were second best at 9-6-1.
9. The Offensive Rookie of the Year won’t be one of the five QB’s drafted in the first round. It won’t even be Saquon Barkley.
I’m not positive on who it is, but I don’t see any of the first-round QB’s having rousing success in their first season (at least not enough to win Offensive ROY). I also don’t see a ton of success for Saquon Barkley, the first running back drafted. It will either be a QB drafted in the 2nd round or later, a different running back, or a different position altogether. Usually the OROY is a top QB chosen or the best running back, but it won’t be this year.
It was Saquon Barkley. I knew I was going out on a limb. The runner up was Baker Mayfield and he wouldn't have made my prediction correct, either.
10. No team will win more than 12 games, and there won’t be more than one team per conference with 12 wins.
There is a ton of parity in the NFL (especially the NFC), and I expect a lot of competitiveness, few blowouts, and a lot of upsets in the league this season. Therefore, there won’t be a team that runs away with its conference, and the most any team will win is 12 games, and there won’t even be two teams that do that in a conference. Maybe one per.
Oops. The Saints AND Rams both won 13, and they are both in the NFC. The Chiefs also won 12 in the AFC. Oh wells.
So after those ten bold predictions, you might have some idea as to how the divisions and records shape up. Here we go, with some comments on each division:
* = Wild Card
AFC EAST
1. Patriots: 10-6
2. Jets: 8-8
3. Dolphins: 6-10
4. Bills: 5-11
Comment: The Patriots have a rebuilt offensive line and very inexperienced receivers, so they’ll take a minor step back more than likely. But in a weak division, they’ll recapture the AFC East crown barring major injuries. The Jets should be competitive even though they are starting a 21-year-old rookie in Sam Darnold. The Fins, however, keep losing stars and Tannehill has a huge uphill climb to make coming back from injury. The Bills have decided to start Nathan Peterman Week 1, and there’s little chance that goes well.
AFC NORTH
1. Steelers: 12-4
2. Ravens: 8-8
3. Browns: 6-10
4. Bengals: 5-11
Comment: The Steelers beat up on their division, which frankly, I don’t see much competitiveness in outside of the Steel City. The Ravens do OK but may not play well enough for their head coach to keep his job. The Browns get off to a decent start and hover around .500 but suffer many losses in late November and December. The Bengals crash and burn, not being able to play complete and disciplined football.
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans: 10-6
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-6*
3. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7*
4. Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Comment: This should be one of the more competitive divisions in football and in my opinion, one of the most entertaining. The Texans get Watson back and he’ll be out to prove he’s no fluke. The Jags are out to prove last year was not a fluke themselves, and they should still be hungry after last year’s AFC Championship loss. The Colts get Luck on their side and become more competitive, but Luck will take some time readjusting to NFL game speed. The Titans have some new cool uni’s and a new coach, but I don’t like Derrick Henry as the sole featured back, and I have a bad feeling last year isn’t a fluke for Mariota and it will constantly be lingering in the back of his mind.
AFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5
2. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-7
3. Oakland Raiders: 6-10
4. Denver Broncos: 6-10
Comment: The Chargers boast one of the best all-around rosters in the NFL and had a great offseason. The Chiefs still have a great roster themselves, but made a major QB change, and with Mahomes in his first season as a starter, they will have some hiccups along the way. The Raiders will compete but their defense and run game will struggle at times; Beast Mode will show his age. The Broncos will realize Case Keenum was a one-year wonder and must go in search of their future franchise signal caller.
NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
3. Washington Redskins: 7-9
4. New York Giants: 6-10
Comment: The Cowboys play well and capitalize by winning a lot of games in-division. The Eagles, who struggled in the preseason, have a letdown season and Carson Wentz has a setback with his injury. They also struggle with too many players with big egos, such as Michael Bennett. The Skins will do moderately well with Alex Smith at QB, but struggle against the better NFC teams. The G-Men will realize Eli Manning needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers: 10-6
2. Minnesota Vikings: 10-6*
3. Chicago Bears: 9-7
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Comment: The Vikings and Packers should be in a battle all season long for the NFC North crown, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the lead changed in the last couple weeks. Aaron Rodgers, fresh off signing the largest contract in NFL history, leads the Pack and has an MVP type season. The Vikings just have too much talent to not win a bunch of games. The Bears and their new pass rusher Khalil Mack have a breakthrough season, but still ultimately miss the playoffs, but are optimistic going into 2019. The Lions become the odd man out in the division, as former Belichick assistants don’t tend to do well as head coaches (See Josh McDaniels, Romeo Crennel).
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints: 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons: 10-6*
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Comment: The Saints, perhaps more than anyone, should be seething after how last season ended, so I expect them to play their hearts out. The Falcons still have a good roster all around, and many expect them to make a playoff run again. The Panthers, however, don’t have a real reliable running back, and a defense that is slowly losing pieces, and they usually don’t have back-to-back playoff seasons, and I still don’t expect them to. The Bucs aren’t going to have Jameis Winston for their first four games, and even when he gets back they won’t be much better.
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 11-5
2. Seattle Seahawks: ????
3. San Francisco 49ers: 7-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 6-10
Comment: The Rams may have acquired some headache players like Suh and Marcus Peters but have too much talent to not win the division. As for the Seahawks, you’ll have to wait until my game-by-game predictions for them below. You know they’ll do at least 7-9 but no better than 11-5, based on their positioning above. The 49ers won’t be as good as many people think because teams that are this hyped usually don’t live up to the hype, and they have a QB, roster, and coach that haven’t proven anything yet. The Cardinals should compete, regardless of their quarterback, but their talent just doesn’t match up to most teams in the NFC.
So there you have it for the regular season! Now on to the Seahawks game by game predictions. How will they do? Find out below.
I’m not doing scores, because there’s a very very slim chance they’ll end up correct.
At Denver Broncos: Win (1-0)
The Hawks come out fighting. The Broncos show they’re not quite there and Case Keenum struggles at times. The last time the Hawks won in Denver, it was 2006. So they are due.
At Bears: Loss (1-1)
I originally had this game as a win, but I changed it after the Bears traded for Khalil Mack. I don’t think the Hawks will have too much success against him and the resurgent Bears D. It’ll be a close and tough defeat. Possibly low-scoring as well.
Vs. Cowboys: Loss (1-2)
The 12th Man can’t help the Hawks overcome the Cowboys in their home opener. The defense has trouble containing Ezekiel Elliott and the running game never gets going against Dallas’ tough front seven, leaving fans worrying about how bad this season will end up being.
At Cardinals: Win (2-2)
Hard to say which QB will start this game for the Cards, but I don’t think it matters too much. Again, could be a low-scoring game.
Vs. Rams: Loss (2-3)
The Hawks start the year with two straight home losses, and people start to wonder if the 12th Man is losing its touch. The Hawks go into this game seeking revenge for last year’s embarrassment at home, and while they do succeed in making it a closer game, still ultimately end up falling.
At Raiders in London: Win (3-3)
First game outside of North America for the Seahawks results in a W. Seahawks fans show up in droves as there appears to be many members of the 12th Man in the UK.
At Lions: Win (4-3)
The Hawks, well-rested after their bye, air it out in a shootout against Detroit and come out on top. Matt Patricia and Pete Carroll, two defensive coaches, end up wishing their D’s had done better.
Vs. Chargers: Win (5-3)
This will be a tough matchup, but the Hawks will have gone into November without a home win. They won’t allow it to continue. This will be like the Texans game last year: close, exciting, and the Hawks come out on top at home.
At Rams: Loss (5-4)
The Hawks fail to get 3 games above .500. They always play the Rams tough in L.A., and after last year’s lucky win I don’t think luck is in their favor this time, as the Rams end up sweeping the Hawks in 2018.
vs. Packers: Loss (5-5)
Aaron Rodgers has too many bad memories at Century Link. The Fail Mary game where he got sacked at least a half dozen times. The loss in the NFC Championship game. He’ll be out to rid himself of those demons. The Hawks fall to 1-3 at home.
at Panthers: Win (6-5)
There was a period near the beginning of the Seahawks renaissance where the Hawks beat the Panthers three straight years, all games in Carolina. I think they recapture some of that old magic and win. I also expect the Panthers to disappoint in 2018.
vs. 49ers: Win (7-5)
This should be a loud and exciting game that I see the Hawks winning in close and dramatic fashion. Like I said earlier, I don’t expect the 49ers to be as good as a lot of people think.
vs. Vikings: Loss (7-6)
This might be the most important game on the Seahawks schedule, based on its position in the schedule and who they’re playing. But the Hawks offense does not get much going against the stout Vikings defense, and Janikowski misses a late field goal.
At 49ers: Loss (7-7)
This proves to be a devastating loss towards the Seahawks playoff hopes. But they can’t stop Jimmy Garoppolo this time. Not in Santa Clara.
vs. Chiefs: Loss (7-8)
Another devastating loss. Pat Mahomes airs it out and the Chiefs rack up points on a tired and weary Hawks defense. This knocks the Hawks out of the playoff race for the second straight year.
vs. Cardinals: Win (8-8)
In what is now a meaningless game, the Hawks come out on top. They provide some hope for next season, knowing they must fill holes on D and on the offensive line.
So the Seahawks finish 8-8, no playoffs for the 2nd straight year. A three game losing streak in December ultimately does them in. The defense is not bad, but they are inconsistent. The running game and offensive line shows marginal improvement. Luck just won’t be on their side this year. But how does the rest of the NFL do in the playoffs? Let’s find out!
AFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Colts at (3) Patriots: Patriots win
This was a common playoff matchup in the 2000’s between Manning and Brady. Now it is Brady and Luck (again) and again Brady comes out on top. And yes, the Patriots do NOT get a first round BYE.
(5) Jaguars at (4) Texans: Jaguars win
I really like Deshaun Watson and the Texans, but they are not the most complete team in the AFC. The Jags defense torments Watson relentlessly and secure a trip to the divisional round.
NFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Falcons at (3) Cowboys: Cowboys win
The ‘Boys finally shake off their playoff woes and give fans of “America’s Team” reason to be optimistic. They win on a bad call by the refs (let’s face it, the NFL wants the Cowboys in as many high-profile games as possible).
(5) Vikings at (4) Packers: Packers win
It's always exciting when these two meet in the regular season. Add that it’s a playoff game and… woah. The Pack come out on top in the frigid temps of Green Bay as the Minnesota offense can’t get anything going, while the Green Bay offense does enough.
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(5) Jaguars at (1) Steelers: Steelers win
The Steelers win the rematch of last year’s AFC divisional matchup. They will want the game more, simply.
(3) Patriots at (2) Chargers: Chargers win
The Chargers win, with Phillip Rivers having no flashbacks to the 2000’s when they lost to the Patriots in the playoffs. The Patriots just won’t have as good of a roster. Coaching and strategy can only get you so far.
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(4) Packers at (1) Saints: Saints win
The Saints win a close and exciting game between two of the game’s best QB’s.
(3) Cowboys at (2) Rams: Cowboys win
In a battle of Hollywood’s team vs. America’s team, the ‘Boys come out on top because they play slightly more disciplined and hard-nose football. The Rams start to wonder what it will take to get their team to win a single playoff game.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (2) Chargers at (1) Steelers: Chargers win
Like I said earlier, the AFC will be represented by someone new. That will be the Chargers. They stun the Steelers fans who go home again disappointed.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (3) Cowboys at (1) Saints: Saints win
In a battle of two underdog QB’s (Prescott vs. Brees), the wily veteran Brees comes out on top. The Saints crowd proves to be too much for the Cowboys. The Saints move on to their 2nd Super Bowl.
SUPER BOWL LIII: Chargers vs. Saints: Saints win, 37-34
In a Super Bowl matchup of two bad-luck franchises and two QB’s who used to be teammates, Brees comes out on top. This ends up being one of the most entertaining Super Bowls, with a late score or defensive stop in the final seconds. Your 2018 and Super Bowl LIII champions are the New Orleans Saints!
Finally, some awards to hand out:
NFL MVP: Drew Brees (finally!), Saints
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa, Chargers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Calvin Ridley, Falcons
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Derwin James, Chargers
Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn, Chargers
Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Thanks for reading all the way through if you did! I’m very excited for this upcoming season, even if I didn’t predict my Seahawks to make the playoffs. They still have the potential to surprise a lot of people and prove me wrong by making the playoffs for the 6th time in 7 seasons. Here’s to an awesome 2018 NFL season!
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Hard to NOT be a Believer with These Mariners
The 2018 Seattle Mariners sit at 54-31, their best record at this point in the season in 15 years. I made a post before the season started saying this team didn't inspire much optimism, but halfway into the season, they have proven me quite wrong. They inspire TONS of optimism. These guys never quit and never believe they have lost until the game is final. The Mariners fans who have stuck through all the losing seasons, all the just barely missing the playoffs, keep expecting this team to go on a major slide and fall from playoff contention. But this team is proving in every game they won't let a single game go without giving it their all, which leads me to believe they'll treat their entire season the same way.
These Mariners are also fun to watch. Marco Gonzalez and Wade LeBlanc were never the splashiest of acquisitions, and they won't light up radar guns. But they're incredibly entertaining in social media and are clearly competitive, seeing their reactions to inning-ending strikeouts. Mitch Haniger is becoming one of the most likable guys in the bigs, and Ben Gamel is that type of gamer every team needs, diving for catches in the outfield and diving home to score a go-ahead run. Edwin Diaz has become the best closer in baseball. Jean Segura may end up missing the All-Star game, despite being near the top of the league in hitting and playing great D. Dee Gordon is an absolute spark plug and is filling in extremely well at 2nd base. Kyle Seager isn't having his best year offensively, but defensively is SHINING, and if he can avoid errors the rest of the way should win the gold glove.
The funny thing about this run this team is going on is how the usual leaders of the team aren't really the reason for the success. Robinson Cano is in the middle of serving an 80 game suspension for taking a banned substance. Kyle Seager, as mentioned earlier, is having a slightly down year offensively. Felix Hernandez is having a wildly inconsistent season. Despite all this, these Mariners manage to persevere. They find ways to win.
I find myself comparing this team to the 1995 team that made the playoffs. I do this a lot whenever the Mariners have some modicum of success, but this team I firmly believe it. First off, they could bring back the 1995 rallying cry of "Refuse to Lose" because of how this team has come back in games. But look at these similarities:
A tall lefty that has dominated, notching numerous 10+ strikeout games: Check. (Johnson--Paxton)
Losing the sweet-swinging lefty hitting team leader for multiple months but persevering in his absence: Check. (Griffey--Cano)
One of the fastest players in the league, recently acquired: Check. (Coleman--Gordon)
OR... you could say a 2nd baseman acquired in the offseason who provides a spark at the top of the lineup (Cora--Gordon)
Having gone through a long playoff drought into the late teens: Check. (19 years--17 years)
A veteran right handed starter who has thrown a no-hitter in his career.: Check. (Bosio--Hernandez)
A power hitting right fielder who has become a cult icon in Seattle: Check. (Buhner--Haniger)
I could go on, but I'd probably be stretching it, and besides, do you need any more proof? This team won't win multiple games in a row by 5+ runs, but they know how to win close and win period. They know how to play as a team and every guy knows his job/role.
Of course, this team could "Mariner" it and fall out of the 2nd Wild Card spot, despite having an 8 game lead over the next team at the moment. But this team has brought even the biggest of doubters around, myself included. I think they've shown me that they won't let themselves get plagued by injuries or inconsistency. They won't let themselves have a losing streak that sets them back a ways. They simply refuse to lose.
These Mariners are also fun to watch. Marco Gonzalez and Wade LeBlanc were never the splashiest of acquisitions, and they won't light up radar guns. But they're incredibly entertaining in social media and are clearly competitive, seeing their reactions to inning-ending strikeouts. Mitch Haniger is becoming one of the most likable guys in the bigs, and Ben Gamel is that type of gamer every team needs, diving for catches in the outfield and diving home to score a go-ahead run. Edwin Diaz has become the best closer in baseball. Jean Segura may end up missing the All-Star game, despite being near the top of the league in hitting and playing great D. Dee Gordon is an absolute spark plug and is filling in extremely well at 2nd base. Kyle Seager isn't having his best year offensively, but defensively is SHINING, and if he can avoid errors the rest of the way should win the gold glove.
The funny thing about this run this team is going on is how the usual leaders of the team aren't really the reason for the success. Robinson Cano is in the middle of serving an 80 game suspension for taking a banned substance. Kyle Seager, as mentioned earlier, is having a slightly down year offensively. Felix Hernandez is having a wildly inconsistent season. Despite all this, these Mariners manage to persevere. They find ways to win.
I find myself comparing this team to the 1995 team that made the playoffs. I do this a lot whenever the Mariners have some modicum of success, but this team I firmly believe it. First off, they could bring back the 1995 rallying cry of "Refuse to Lose" because of how this team has come back in games. But look at these similarities:
A tall lefty that has dominated, notching numerous 10+ strikeout games: Check. (Johnson--Paxton)
Losing the sweet-swinging lefty hitting team leader for multiple months but persevering in his absence: Check. (Griffey--Cano)
One of the fastest players in the league, recently acquired: Check. (Coleman--Gordon)
OR... you could say a 2nd baseman acquired in the offseason who provides a spark at the top of the lineup (Cora--Gordon)
Having gone through a long playoff drought into the late teens: Check. (19 years--17 years)
A veteran right handed starter who has thrown a no-hitter in his career.: Check. (Bosio--Hernandez)
A power hitting right fielder who has become a cult icon in Seattle: Check. (Buhner--Haniger)
I could go on, but I'd probably be stretching it, and besides, do you need any more proof? This team won't win multiple games in a row by 5+ runs, but they know how to win close and win period. They know how to play as a team and every guy knows his job/role.
Of course, this team could "Mariner" it and fall out of the 2nd Wild Card spot, despite having an 8 game lead over the next team at the moment. But this team has brought even the biggest of doubters around, myself included. I think they've shown me that they won't let themselves get plagued by injuries or inconsistency. They won't let themselves have a losing streak that sets them back a ways. They simply refuse to lose.
Friday, February 23, 2018
2018 MLB and Mariners Predictions!
The 2018 MLB season is fast approaching and Spring Training is underway. I sometimes wait until right before the MLB (or Mariners) opener to post predictions, but this time I thought I'd get a jump start on it and make my predictions now. I'm going to predict how each division will go (plus playoffs), and will also predict award winners and go further into detail on how the Seattle Mariners season will go. Let's just say there will be a few surprises. I'm going to start with the NL East and move west so that the Mariners and the AL West are last.
* = Wild Card
NL EAST
1. Washington Nationals
2. New York Mets
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Miami Marlins
Comment: The Nats remain the favorite boasting the best overall roster in the division. The Mets could make a run but their pitching would have to hold up health-wise, something they haven't really proven to do. The Phillies should be improved from 2017 as they're a young team on the rise. The Braves are still a ways a way, and the Marlins are in complete rebuild mode and would surprise no one if they finished with the worst record in MLB.
NL CENTRAL
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs*
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Cincinnati Reds
Comment: Every so often, the Cardinals surprise everyone and have a great season. That's what makes them a popular team to root for. I think that will happen this year. The Cubs will meanwhile limp into the playoffs as the wild card. The Brewers will be improved with Cain and Yelich, but it won't be enough to get a playoff spot. The Pirates traded Andrew McCutcheon and may be heading for a rebuild. The Reds still are a few pieces away from contending.
NL WEST
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks*
3. San Francisco Giants
4 .Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Comment: The Dodgers boast the best roster in the NL, if not all of MLB. The D-Backs will do their best to prove they're not a one-year wonder. The Giants will be improved, but not the same Giants they used to be. The Rockies will compete but will be needing pitching help (as usual). The Padres will be the Padres.
AL EAST
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. New York Yankees
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Rays
Comment: The Red Sox will be knocking the cover off the ball, boasting the best team batting average. The Blue Jays will compete for a wild card for most of the year but fall short. The Yankees will have a disappointing season in Aaron Boone's first year as manager, as their expectations become too much. The Orioles will compete but play in too good of a division. The Rays will be perhaps the best last placed team in baseball.
AL CENTRAL
1. Cleveland Indians
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Detroit Tigers
Comment: The Indians remain the favorites in not a particularly strong division anymore. The Twins will want to prove last year was not a fluke. The White Sox should hang around but be missing a few pieces to really go on a run. The Royals are losing pieces left and right (Cain, Hosmer) and may be headed for a rebuild. The Tigers proved they're headed for a small rebuild by trading Justin Verlander last season.
AL WEST
1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
3. Seattle Mariners*
4. Texas Rangers
5. Oakland Athletics
Comment: The Astros are built for the long haul, and it would be quite the surprise if they didn't compete for the division crown again. The Angels, after acquiring Shohei Ohtani, will be improved and grab a hold of the Wild Card. Meanwhile, the Mariners surprise most everyone, and just when people aren't expecting them to do much they go on a September run and claim the second wild card over the Twins and Blue Jays. The Rangers have a slightly down season. The A's continue the churning of their roster but will compete.
So onto the playoffs. The Wild Card games first.
NL WILD CARD: Cubs at Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks win
The D-Backs win a game they are the underdogs at home in, and relish their first playoff victory in quite some time.
AL WILD CARD: Mariners at Angels: Angels win
In a heated division rival matchup, the Mariners don't muster much offense despite a decent performance from James Paxton. So the Mariners make the playoffs, but only as a wild card and will still hold the distinction of not HOSTING a playoff game in over 17 years.
Now the divisional round. Who will have the edge?
NL Divisional Round
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers: Dodgers win
Cardinals vs. Nationals: Nationals win
AL Divisional Round
Angels vs. Astros: Astros win
Indians vs. Red Sox: Indians win
Comment: The Dodgers take care of their division rival as do the Astros. The Nats take care of the Cardinals in a 5 game series. The Indians/Red Sox series features Terry Francona taking on his former team, and it proves to make a difference as the Indians "upset" the Sox.
NL Championship Series:
Nationals vs. Dodgers: Nationals Win
AL Championship Series:
Indians vs. Astros: Astros Win
Comment: The NL hasn't had a team win the pennant that had won it recently since the Giants, and haven't had a repeat NL Champ since the 08-09 Phillies. The Dodgers therefore blow it. Also, with the Nationals making the World Series, the Mariners become the only current franchise to have never won a league pennant. The Indians/Astros series is a classic, goes to 7 games, and the Astros win Game 7 in walk off fashion thanks to a George Springer double.
World Series: Nationals vs. Astros: Nationals in 7
In a matchup of two teams that have changed names/leagues in the past 20 years (Nationals used to be the Expos, the Astros used to be in the NL), the Nationals come out on top, thanks to a diving catch by Bryce Harper which saves multiple runs from scoring in game 7. The Nats win their first World Series thanks to World Series MVP Bryce Harper, who hits four homers in the series.
Now, time for some awards:
AL MVP: Mike Trout, Angels
NL MVP: Bryce Harper, Nationals
AL Cy Young: Chris Sale, Red Sox
NL Cy Young: Stephen Strausberg, Nationals
AL Rookie of the Year: Shohei Ohtani, Red Sox
NL Rookie of the Year: Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals (Ouch)
AL Manager of the Year: Scott Servais, Mariners
NL Manager of the Year: Dave Martinez, Nationals
Comment: I usually miss on most or all of these, but it's fun nonetheless. Mike Trout is always a safe pick for MVP. His phenom counterpart in the NL, Bryce Harper, is a safe pick for MVP as well. Chris Sale is another safe pick (I know, I know), and on the Nats, Strausberg, not Scherzer, will be their best pitcher. Shohei Ohtani has a great rookie campaign and wins ROY. Tyler O'Neill who last year at this time was in the Mariners farm system, gets called up and becomes a rookie sensation and wins NLROY. Scott Servais wins Manager of the Year for guiding the Mariners to their first playoffs in 17 years. Dave Martinez wins the NL award for guiding the Nats to their first World Series championship in club history.
So how will the Mariners get there? Hard to say. You can often point at bad luck for being a reason for the Mariners not making the playoffs in a lot of recent seasons, so I'll say this season luck will be on their side. They will hang around for most of the season, never winning too many or losing too many in a row. September though, they go on a run and win a lot of close games, with Edwin Diaz at this point being lights out. I just think that whenever we expect them to do well they disappoint, so this season most fans aren't expecting much, so I'll say they surprise. Finally, some Mariners awards and stat leaders:
MVP: Robinson Cano
Cy Young: James Paxton
Unsung hero: Dee Gordon
Average: Cano
Homers: Nelson Cruz
Stolen Bases: Gordon
Hits: Cano
Strikeouts: Paxton
Wins: Felix Hernandez
Saves: Edwin Diaz
* = Wild Card
NL EAST
1. Washington Nationals
2. New York Mets
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Miami Marlins
Comment: The Nats remain the favorite boasting the best overall roster in the division. The Mets could make a run but their pitching would have to hold up health-wise, something they haven't really proven to do. The Phillies should be improved from 2017 as they're a young team on the rise. The Braves are still a ways a way, and the Marlins are in complete rebuild mode and would surprise no one if they finished with the worst record in MLB.
NL CENTRAL
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs*
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Cincinnati Reds
Comment: Every so often, the Cardinals surprise everyone and have a great season. That's what makes them a popular team to root for. I think that will happen this year. The Cubs will meanwhile limp into the playoffs as the wild card. The Brewers will be improved with Cain and Yelich, but it won't be enough to get a playoff spot. The Pirates traded Andrew McCutcheon and may be heading for a rebuild. The Reds still are a few pieces away from contending.
NL WEST
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks*
3. San Francisco Giants
4 .Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Comment: The Dodgers boast the best roster in the NL, if not all of MLB. The D-Backs will do their best to prove they're not a one-year wonder. The Giants will be improved, but not the same Giants they used to be. The Rockies will compete but will be needing pitching help (as usual). The Padres will be the Padres.
AL EAST
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. New York Yankees
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Rays
Comment: The Red Sox will be knocking the cover off the ball, boasting the best team batting average. The Blue Jays will compete for a wild card for most of the year but fall short. The Yankees will have a disappointing season in Aaron Boone's first year as manager, as their expectations become too much. The Orioles will compete but play in too good of a division. The Rays will be perhaps the best last placed team in baseball.
AL CENTRAL
1. Cleveland Indians
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Detroit Tigers
Comment: The Indians remain the favorites in not a particularly strong division anymore. The Twins will want to prove last year was not a fluke. The White Sox should hang around but be missing a few pieces to really go on a run. The Royals are losing pieces left and right (Cain, Hosmer) and may be headed for a rebuild. The Tigers proved they're headed for a small rebuild by trading Justin Verlander last season.
AL WEST
1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
3. Seattle Mariners*
4. Texas Rangers
5. Oakland Athletics
Comment: The Astros are built for the long haul, and it would be quite the surprise if they didn't compete for the division crown again. The Angels, after acquiring Shohei Ohtani, will be improved and grab a hold of the Wild Card. Meanwhile, the Mariners surprise most everyone, and just when people aren't expecting them to do much they go on a September run and claim the second wild card over the Twins and Blue Jays. The Rangers have a slightly down season. The A's continue the churning of their roster but will compete.
So onto the playoffs. The Wild Card games first.
NL WILD CARD: Cubs at Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks win
The D-Backs win a game they are the underdogs at home in, and relish their first playoff victory in quite some time.
AL WILD CARD: Mariners at Angels: Angels win
In a heated division rival matchup, the Mariners don't muster much offense despite a decent performance from James Paxton. So the Mariners make the playoffs, but only as a wild card and will still hold the distinction of not HOSTING a playoff game in over 17 years.
Now the divisional round. Who will have the edge?
NL Divisional Round
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers: Dodgers win
Cardinals vs. Nationals: Nationals win
AL Divisional Round
Angels vs. Astros: Astros win
Indians vs. Red Sox: Indians win
Comment: The Dodgers take care of their division rival as do the Astros. The Nats take care of the Cardinals in a 5 game series. The Indians/Red Sox series features Terry Francona taking on his former team, and it proves to make a difference as the Indians "upset" the Sox.
NL Championship Series:
Nationals vs. Dodgers: Nationals Win
AL Championship Series:
Indians vs. Astros: Astros Win
Comment: The NL hasn't had a team win the pennant that had won it recently since the Giants, and haven't had a repeat NL Champ since the 08-09 Phillies. The Dodgers therefore blow it. Also, with the Nationals making the World Series, the Mariners become the only current franchise to have never won a league pennant. The Indians/Astros series is a classic, goes to 7 games, and the Astros win Game 7 in walk off fashion thanks to a George Springer double.
World Series: Nationals vs. Astros: Nationals in 7
In a matchup of two teams that have changed names/leagues in the past 20 years (Nationals used to be the Expos, the Astros used to be in the NL), the Nationals come out on top, thanks to a diving catch by Bryce Harper which saves multiple runs from scoring in game 7. The Nats win their first World Series thanks to World Series MVP Bryce Harper, who hits four homers in the series.
Now, time for some awards:
AL MVP: Mike Trout, Angels
NL MVP: Bryce Harper, Nationals
AL Cy Young: Chris Sale, Red Sox
NL Cy Young: Stephen Strausberg, Nationals
AL Rookie of the Year: Shohei Ohtani, Red Sox
NL Rookie of the Year: Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals (Ouch)
AL Manager of the Year: Scott Servais, Mariners
NL Manager of the Year: Dave Martinez, Nationals
Comment: I usually miss on most or all of these, but it's fun nonetheless. Mike Trout is always a safe pick for MVP. His phenom counterpart in the NL, Bryce Harper, is a safe pick for MVP as well. Chris Sale is another safe pick (I know, I know), and on the Nats, Strausberg, not Scherzer, will be their best pitcher. Shohei Ohtani has a great rookie campaign and wins ROY. Tyler O'Neill who last year at this time was in the Mariners farm system, gets called up and becomes a rookie sensation and wins NLROY. Scott Servais wins Manager of the Year for guiding the Mariners to their first playoffs in 17 years. Dave Martinez wins the NL award for guiding the Nats to their first World Series championship in club history.
So how will the Mariners get there? Hard to say. You can often point at bad luck for being a reason for the Mariners not making the playoffs in a lot of recent seasons, so I'll say this season luck will be on their side. They will hang around for most of the season, never winning too many or losing too many in a row. September though, they go on a run and win a lot of close games, with Edwin Diaz at this point being lights out. I just think that whenever we expect them to do well they disappoint, so this season most fans aren't expecting much, so I'll say they surprise. Finally, some Mariners awards and stat leaders:
MVP: Robinson Cano
Cy Young: James Paxton
Unsung hero: Dee Gordon
Average: Cano
Homers: Nelson Cruz
Stolen Bases: Gordon
Hits: Cano
Strikeouts: Paxton
Wins: Felix Hernandez
Saves: Edwin Diaz
Sunday, February 11, 2018
The 2018 Mariners Don't Inspire Much Optimism
Spring training for the 2018 MLB season is just around the corner, and I gotta say, I can't remember a time feeling less optimistic about the Mariners season. The Mariners didn't make any particularly notable moves in the offseason and they aren't coming off a winning or even positive season. They ended the 2017 season on a sour note, falling out of the playoff race alarmingly fast. With the Buffalo Bills in the NFL having made the playoffs, the Mariners now own the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports. I hate to say it, but I think that drought will continue because these Mariners just aren't good enough and play in too tough of a division.
The Mariners had a relatively quiet offseason. They acquired Dee Gordon from the Marlins and Ryon Healy from the Athletics. Their pitching staff didn't get a huge upgrade, just depth in Juan Nicalsio. These moves to me to scream the typical Band-Aid type job the Mariners usually get, which never results in anything great. They just sign or trade for who they can, constantly hoping the new guys they acquire will be able to lift a team to the playoffs. It hasn't worked before, so I have very little hope or reason to believe it can happen this year.
But for me, the biggest reason to not be optimistic about this season is the strength of the division the Mariners play in, the AL West. The Houston Astros are the reigning World Series champs and will no doubt be a great team again. The Los Angeles Angels made the biggest move of the offseason and acquired Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. The Mariners were in the running but lost out to their division rival, something I know will haunt us for years to come. The Angels expect to be improved and since they just missed the playoffs themselves last year, they'll be in the running again more than likely. The Texas Rangers still boast a ton of talent and could win a bunch of games. And the A's always have the ability to surprise and win games when no one expects them to. If I had to pick right now where I expect the Mariners to finish, I would say fourth, not because I think they'll lose a lot of games, but because their division is just that tough.
But for some reason I think the Mariners could fly under the radar. Felix will be desperate to prove his career is not over. Paxton will want to prove he can be a front of the line ace and pitch an entire season. Iwakuma still wants to pitch and should be healthy. The bullpen should be better, and Edwin Diaz should have better control. And that's just the pitching. The lineup could be one of the better ones in the American League. There's speed (Gordon, Gamel), power (Cano, Cruz, Seager), and contact hitting (Cano, Segura). The dominoes have to fall just right for this team. They certainly did not last year. But if the rotation can stay healthy, and the hitters can have productive seasons, the Mariners have a shot. But it's a slim shot, and no Mariner fan in their right mind should hold their breath over this team. Give them a month or two to prove themselves, because I think we will learn by May what kind of team the Mariners will be in 2018. I'm tempering my excitement, because this time the Mariners have to earn my excitement for the team.
The Mariners had a relatively quiet offseason. They acquired Dee Gordon from the Marlins and Ryon Healy from the Athletics. Their pitching staff didn't get a huge upgrade, just depth in Juan Nicalsio. These moves to me to scream the typical Band-Aid type job the Mariners usually get, which never results in anything great. They just sign or trade for who they can, constantly hoping the new guys they acquire will be able to lift a team to the playoffs. It hasn't worked before, so I have very little hope or reason to believe it can happen this year.
But for me, the biggest reason to not be optimistic about this season is the strength of the division the Mariners play in, the AL West. The Houston Astros are the reigning World Series champs and will no doubt be a great team again. The Los Angeles Angels made the biggest move of the offseason and acquired Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. The Mariners were in the running but lost out to their division rival, something I know will haunt us for years to come. The Angels expect to be improved and since they just missed the playoffs themselves last year, they'll be in the running again more than likely. The Texas Rangers still boast a ton of talent and could win a bunch of games. And the A's always have the ability to surprise and win games when no one expects them to. If I had to pick right now where I expect the Mariners to finish, I would say fourth, not because I think they'll lose a lot of games, but because their division is just that tough.
But for some reason I think the Mariners could fly under the radar. Felix will be desperate to prove his career is not over. Paxton will want to prove he can be a front of the line ace and pitch an entire season. Iwakuma still wants to pitch and should be healthy. The bullpen should be better, and Edwin Diaz should have better control. And that's just the pitching. The lineup could be one of the better ones in the American League. There's speed (Gordon, Gamel), power (Cano, Cruz, Seager), and contact hitting (Cano, Segura). The dominoes have to fall just right for this team. They certainly did not last year. But if the rotation can stay healthy, and the hitters can have productive seasons, the Mariners have a shot. But it's a slim shot, and no Mariner fan in their right mind should hold their breath over this team. Give them a month or two to prove themselves, because I think we will learn by May what kind of team the Mariners will be in 2018. I'm tempering my excitement, because this time the Mariners have to earn my excitement for the team.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
2018 Hopes and Goals
This year, 2018, I plan to get a lot done. I was very proud of my girlfriend last year not only buying a new car for herself but getting a new job. I hope to have a similar sort of year this year. I am considering 2018 to be the year of me buying big things for myself. So far, I have already gotten a new phone (A Google Pixel XL 2) and bought new glasses (the old ones broke). As of this moment, I am typing on my new laptop for the first time, an Acer Aspire E15. I bought this laptop so it will be much easier for me to apply for new jobs, which is a hopeful goal for me in 2018. My desktop computer is over a decade old (runs on Vista) and Google Chrome can no longer be updated.
So I hope to get a lot done this year. Amanda bought a new (used) car in 2017 and I may do the same this year. I'm not entirely sure, because my current car is running just fine. But for a while now I have wanted a small-ish pickup truck or SUV. I want a car that can carry large items/loads and one that can handle the elements. It would make getting new furniture so much easier. I'd also like to be the one guy a lot of people know that has a truck or SUV that they can ask me to help with. I like to be helpful and give people a hand if they need it. :)
As for my job, it really is time to move on. I love the pay I get, which is the main reason why I have stuck with Safeway for so long. But I need to do something else. I get so annoyed when a customer says to me "You've been working here a while, haven't you?" Yes, I know I have. Don't remind me. But with my savings getting to a good point, getting money back from people I have loaned money to, I should be able to afford a lesser paying job for a while.
As always, I want to lose weight. I don't consider myself obese, but I'd love to be the weight I was at 8, 9 years ago. I'm trying to eat better and less and started going to the gym a little more. I want to be at a decent enough weight for the summer so I can swim at our apartment complex's swimming pool without feeling self conscious of my body.
I don't like to put a bunch of pressure on myself, because I can get overwhelmed and fret and just want to give up because I can't accomplish most of my goals. I just want to look back on 2018 and be proud of myself. Does that mean I have to accomplish everything? No. I just want to be happy with the effort I gave and feel like I did what I could to further myself in life. This is why I didn't make New Years resolutions. Because I did last year and accomplished only a couple and felt disappointed in myself. I am just going to remind myself of what I want as much as I can, and use that as motivation to by my best in 2018.
So I hope to get a lot done this year. Amanda bought a new (used) car in 2017 and I may do the same this year. I'm not entirely sure, because my current car is running just fine. But for a while now I have wanted a small-ish pickup truck or SUV. I want a car that can carry large items/loads and one that can handle the elements. It would make getting new furniture so much easier. I'd also like to be the one guy a lot of people know that has a truck or SUV that they can ask me to help with. I like to be helpful and give people a hand if they need it. :)
As for my job, it really is time to move on. I love the pay I get, which is the main reason why I have stuck with Safeway for so long. But I need to do something else. I get so annoyed when a customer says to me "You've been working here a while, haven't you?" Yes, I know I have. Don't remind me. But with my savings getting to a good point, getting money back from people I have loaned money to, I should be able to afford a lesser paying job for a while.
As always, I want to lose weight. I don't consider myself obese, but I'd love to be the weight I was at 8, 9 years ago. I'm trying to eat better and less and started going to the gym a little more. I want to be at a decent enough weight for the summer so I can swim at our apartment complex's swimming pool without feeling self conscious of my body.
I don't like to put a bunch of pressure on myself, because I can get overwhelmed and fret and just want to give up because I can't accomplish most of my goals. I just want to look back on 2018 and be proud of myself. Does that mean I have to accomplish everything? No. I just want to be happy with the effort I gave and feel like I did what I could to further myself in life. This is why I didn't make New Years resolutions. Because I did last year and accomplished only a couple and felt disappointed in myself. I am just going to remind myself of what I want as much as I can, and use that as motivation to by my best in 2018.
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