The Major League Baseball Post Season: Wild Card Round - by Brian Phillips

6pm EST October 2: AL Wild Card Line ups/Rosters out. Thoughts below.

After a year of record setting dingers, another high water mark in strikeouts, and embarrassing futility at the bottom of the American League we’ve reached baseball’s post season. Now the game changes. (For instance the Yankees don’t get to play the Orioles any more.)

One thing we’ll recognize is the creative deployment of pitching staffs. Openers aren’t just for the Rays any more. With all their injuries the Yankees were even doing it fairly often as the season wore on. It’s no accident that the A’s, Rays, and Brewers all made it to October. They’ve been leaders in how bullpen arms can be dispatched at any time and more efficiently. They’ve also been brutally honest in accepting what their starters can and cannot do. When Milwaukee got red hot (after losing Christian Yelich no less!) their starters were lucky get two trips through an opponents order.

We’ll be adding to our coverage here as we move through the playoffs. We’ll start with Tuesday and Wednesday’s Wild Card match ups. Remember! It’s one game. Win or go home.

Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals

Tuesday October 1

Brandon Woodruff (11-3 3.62) vs Max Scherzer (11-7 2.92)

Woodruff was just returning from injury in September so don’t expect him to go any longer than the first three. The Brewers would be happy to let him wind it out 100% one time through the order. After that we’ll likely see an improving Jordan Lyles for a couple of frames followed by blow away closer Josh Hader at most any time. Without Yelich the Brewers have to keep this close. I don’t like them against a power righty like Scherzer. They can strike out at a high clip. Ryan Braun and Lorenzo Cain are dinged up already, and not good against righties.

The key to beating Scherzer is hunting for home runs. He will give them up. If you can grab a walk or a cheap hit, a bomb or two can be lingering behind those. Yasmani Grandal, Eric Thames, Mike Moustakas, and impressive rookie Keston Hiura will be looking to jump a Scherzer heater. The X-factor is young lead off hitter Trent Grisham. He’s had his moments this season.

As for the Nationals, this is an impressive line up. Keep an eye on two hole hitter Adam Eaton. He’s quietly pumped up his power profile the last couple of months. With Trea Turner in front of him, and mashers Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto and the always reliable Howie Kendrick 3, 4, and 5 this is a club that can jump out to an early lead and sit on it.

Washington’s biggest weakness is it’s bullpen, but with an all or nothing Wild Card game it’s all hands. If Scherzer runs into trouble (and he has had back trouble this season) we could see Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin both appearing.

I like the Nats at home, but this is baseball. These Wild Card games can be strange.

Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland A’s

Wednesday October 2

Charlie Morton (16-6 3.05) vs Sean Manaea (4-0 1.21)

With all the above about bull penning we might just have to forget all that when we look at this pitching match up. Morton has been great all year, and on paper any way he should be able to navigate an A’s team that sees most of their thump come from the right side of the plate. That said, when Morton has struggled (and that’s not very often) it’s been on the road. Oakland will put the ball in play so I don’t expect Morton to just mow them down.

As for Manaea he returned from injury late in the season and looked very good. His underlying numbers don’t quite add up to a sterling 1.21 ERA, but the A’s have to be pleased with what that they’ve seen. Given a choice you’d rather start a good lefty against Tampa if only to mitigate stud outfielder Austin Meadows a bit. (Why the Pirates traded him I have no idea.)

6pm EST: Rosters And Line Ups Now Out

The biggest surprises come on the Tampa side. Former Indian Yandy Diaz is leading off and playing first. He was out for weeks with a bum foot and only returned at the end of the year to DH. The Rays must feel he’s ready to go, and Diaz is certainly a plus glove if he’s healthy. One time Columbus Clipper Jesus Aguilar is also on the roster if Diaz doesn’t hold up. Rookie Michael Brosseau starts at second and bats 9th over Daniel Robertson. He’s shown some pop against lefties this year. If need be Joey Wendle is a good choice to pinch hit and play second or third should the A’s go to a righty. I can’t wait to see left handed hitter Matthews face Manaea. Should be fun to watch.

The Rays have 10 pitchers on the roster tonight and in case Morton falters I like them to look at Ryan Yarbrough before Blake Snell. Snell’s injury marred 2019 had him coming back displaying some of his old wildness. Tyler Glasnow could certainly give them three solid innings as well.

Over on the Oakland side Bob Melvin is opting for experience over interesting rookies. Robbie Grossman bats 8th in left over Seth Brown. Jurickson Profar hits 6th at second over Sheldon Neuse. Four of the first five hitters hit from the right, but all are dangerous. If I had a vote for AL MVP it may well have gone to Short stop Marcus Semien, who has had an amazing all around year. Matt Olson is the biggest power danger for Morton in the four hole. DH Khris Davis has had hand problems all year, and just hasn’t been himself. Still, he’s got that lightning strike power.

Oakland has tapped 11 pitchers for this game. Perhaps this is an acknowledgement that Manaea is not that far removed from a long IL stint. Jesus Luzardo recently returned from suspension. If a long man is needed they could well turn to him.

I like Oakland at home 5-4.

Big $ is Going For Two: Browns v Ravens

Follow the NCP on Twitter @northcoastposse.

1) Should Browns fans feel encouraged or discouraged following the week 3 loss to the Rams?

Big $ - Life is about expectations. If you expected "Chinese Democracy' to rub elbows with "Appetite" you were crushed with disgust. However, if like myself, you were ready for a record showcasing Axl's varied musical tastes and interests while creating with a new cast, you got yourself a nice little surprise (Better is one of GNR's all time songs fyi). In the Browns case, if you were expecting a super bowl contender or even a team that could make noise in the playoffs, the only way to feel is discouraged. You have a first time HC and a QB that has yet to play a full season who are showing brutal growing pains. Opposing teams are better prepared and better equipped to make adjustments. I fully expect this bumpy ride to continue through the 1st half of the season, which will make it tough for a playoff run to exist, If you're one of the few Browns fans who entered the season level headed with a clear memory that this team was a combined 8-39-1 over the last 3 years, the narrow loss to the reigning NFC champs is encouraging. Think about the 1986 Browns loss to the reigning Super Bowl Champ Chicago Bears which was a jump-start to the Bernie/Marty era.

2) Though it’s only week four, this game against the Ravens feels very big. Does that sound crazy?

Big $ - Once again, its about perspective. This game is an absolute must win if the Browns are going to start a playoff trajectory. We 100% have to see offensive changes specifically related to route trees and pre-snap communication between Baker and Freddie. I'm aware that the internet unearthed that Baker made the 4th and 9 audible call, but things were a mess prior to the snap, Monken has no choice but to compromise his "air raid' sensibilities to better fit this roster's strengths. If we do not start to see these changes/improvements this week, things are only going to get worse (like 1-6 bad). After the distressing last 4 plays from last Sunday night, i am firmly in the wait and see camp as there has yet to be concrete proof that this offense and its parts can mesh

NCP Browns v Jets Preview - by Big $ and The Ice Cube

What the hell happened against the Titans and who/what is to blame?

Big $ - A catastrophe such as the week 1 debacle usually has several components that contribute to the disaster. This particular S- Show can be boiled to two specific issues: Building outside in, and inexperience at the HC spot. The NCP warned you that focusing on the glitz and glam outside of the hash marks and dismissing the importance of the OL could be the downfall of this team. Then Sunday comes and we see Teller and Corbett inactive. It’s hard to disagree that trotting out practice squad players on the offensive edges ended up killing the offensive scheme (and almost led to a Baker injury). I do not foresee Greg Robinson acting a total fool again, but I still think the lack of depth/quality on the Offensive Line will be an on-going theme in 2019.

To blame in this case: Dorsey

The second issue was one the NCP did not see coming. All summer, I was more than happy to drink the Freddie Kool Aid. “If you don’t wear Brown and Orange, yada yada yada” was all it took for us starved fans to be ready to run through a wall for him. His southern shucks attitude had us forget that the guy was only a RB coach a short time ago. Then Sunday comes and CBS starts reminding us of his used car salesman background and things start coming into focus Keyser Soze style. A team that was disorganized, unprepared and lacked focus came out of the tunnel. The play calling was erratic at best and downright fire-able at its worst. The biggest indictment was that when the chips were down the team lacked heart and appeared to quit. This is a lot of BS to overcome in a week, but I am truly hoping that we witnessed an aberration. If not, there is a better chance Freddie hits the unemployment line than a playoff berth in 2019. 

To blame in this case: Freddie Kitchens

What should we expect Monday night vs the Jets? 

The Ice Cube – Honestly, who the hell knows after the performance in the opener.  Last week, the total yards and time of possession were nearly identical, and although the Browns were a poor 1 for 10 on third-down conversions, Tennessee only converted on 2 out of 10.  And … Cleveland lost by 30. Sure, Baker’s 3 interceptions didn’t help, but the biggest issue was the penalty yardage. The Browns were flagged 18 times for 182 yards, a large chunk of which was of the personal foul variety.  That is insane! The lack of discipline was truly stunning, and the penalties continually kept drives alive for the Titans and really prevented Cleveland from getting any rally going. The margin of error in the NFL is small, and the Browns simply can’t afford to lose their collective shit.  

The good news is that this week’s game presents the best possible opportunity to get back on track.  Although the Monday Night Game is on the road, the Jets are at a low point and primed for a kick in the ribs.  ICYMI, QB Sam Darnold is out with mono. Former Northwestern Wildcat Trevor Siemian will be under center. He hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2017, and his career TD to INT ratio is about even.  Siemian will also be standing behind an offensive line that has only ever played one game together—giving up 4 sacks in a loss to Buffalo. The Browns had 5 sacks last week and frequently pressured Marcus Mariotta, which should to continue against this Jets line.  Because of the opportunity to pressure a rusty backup, I also expect the Browns to get a turnover or 2, after getting zero last week. The defense will be without safety Damarius Randall, though, who is out with a concussion.  

Even better news is that New York’s star linebacker C.J. Mosley, who often tormented Cleveland as a member of the Ravens, is also out because of injury.  In addition to being a tackling machine, he is strong against the pass. His absence could allow the Browns to control the clock with the running game, and it could open up passing lanes in the middle of the field.  Look for tight end David Njoku to get some more targets this week.

Also, New York’s kicking game is just as bad as Cleveland’s.  They cut their kicker last week after he missed an extra point and a field goal in their one-point loss.  If Monday’s game turns into a battle of field goals, the Browns will not be at a disadvantage.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in this game, but other than a home game against the Dolphins, right now I cannot think of a better chance for Cleveland to rebound than Monday’s game versus New York.  If Cleveland puts on a showing like it did last week, this season will get really ugly, really quickly.  

follow on twitter @northcoastposse

The North Coast Posse Browns Preview

The North Coast Posse are considered a Top Five Browns follow. Big $ and The Ice Cube can be found on Twitter @northcoastposse

What a difference a year makes. The Browns suddenly have, gulp, expectations. What is a realistic win total for the 2019-20 season? 

The Ice Cube: That’s the key word this year: “expectations.”  Without playing a game, this offseason the Browns have ping-ponged from perennial also-ran to “the World’s Team,” and now they are getting some hate for being overrated.  As a long-suffering fan, despite all the hype, I am cautiously optimistic and not as bullish as the betting action in Vegas. I think 10 wins is a possibility, but the scheduled is rough, with 3 of the first 7 games against the Rams, Seahawks, and Patriots.  If the Browns have a slip up in games they are expected to win early, like the Jets or 49ers, we could be looking at a struggle to hit .500. I am projecting wins in the opener against Tennessee, and other non-division victories against the Jets, 49ers, Bills, Dolphins, and Cardinals.  Throw in a pair of W’s against the Bengals, and you are going to be fighting for a playoff spot at the end of the year, especially if you can get a win of the established NFL elite.

Big $: Let the person who has not downed 7-11 Hilltop Lagers, pulled up the ole schedule and wistfully talked themselves into a 12-4 season cast the first stone. However, upon clarity and sobriety, you see the murderer’s row (Rams, Seahawks, Patriots) mentioned above and are reminded that our divisional foes in Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both accustomed to winning and served us Ls last year. All things considered, the NFL is designed for each team to go 8-8, and the Browns may be good enough to finally bust that bell curve on the right slope and hit 10-6.

What three players need to stay healthy if the Browns are going to be playoff contenders? 

The Ice Cube: Outside of Baker, and hoping not to sound to obvious, but Odell Beckham, Jr., is already starting the year injured.  A nagging hip injury has kept him limited in practice, and he admittedly is not 100% going into the opener. If he can’t stay on the field, the wide receiver corps is going to be thin.  The Browns No. 3 receiver Antonio Calloway is already serving a 4-game suspension to start the year. If OBJ is out to start the year, Hollywood Higgins becomes your No. 2. I’m OK with that given his chemistry with Baker, but the depth behind him is lacking, as shown by the constant roster turnover at the 4th and 5th receiver slots to close out the preseason.

My second pick is Greg Robison, the left tackle.  John Dorsey pulled this former No. 2 overall pick off the scrapheap, and he was the anchor of the line in the second half of last season.  Don’t be surprised if he makes the Pro Bowl this year. The Browns have built more depth on the O-line this year, but not at left tackle. If Robinson goes down, Baker better buckle his chin strap tight.

 Staying on the offensive side of the ball, I am praying Nick Chubb stays off the IR.  Without him, I don’t think the Browns have a running back that can handle the full load of carries per game, and that includes Kareen Hunt when he comes back in Week 10.

 Big $: I’m concerned the Browns have focused too much attention building outside in with the additions of Jarvis and OBJ and have left the team with an OL that leaves much to be desired, Therefore, if Bitonio or Tretter miss significant time we could watch the season go south real quick.

 The other player that must stay healthy is Oliver Vernon. Having him occupy space in opposing team’s heads and game plans will allow Myles, Larry and Sheldon to wreak havoc.

Is Freddy Kitchens up for this job or would he be better suited replacing John Goodman coaching the team in Revenge of the Nerds? 

Big $: This has been an off season like no other here on the North Coast.  Browns fans and media alike have been heaping expectations upon the franchise that are usually felt in Foxboro and Pittsburgh etc. With that said, Freddie has stayed even keeled and dismissed the rat poison. I’m excited to watch him lead this next chapter of Browns football.

The Ice Cube: Freddie may be Goodmanesque in stature but I think that is where the comparison stops.  He has been an assistant in the league a long time and has finally got his shot to be the HC. He seems fully prepared when it comes to handling his team and the media. He is the underdog you want to cheer for, unlike that Coach Harris from Adams College.  I don’t doubt Freddie is the right man to lead the Browns right now, but with every young coach, it seems that clock management can be a challenge. If he can keep that from hampering the team early, I think he will quickly become beloved in Browns Nation.  

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of this team? 

The Ice Cube: Arguably the greatest strength is going to be the defensive line and pass rush.  With the additions of Vernon and Sheldon Richardson upfront, teaming with Garrett and Genard Avery to bear down on the quarterback, expect more sacks and interceptions this season.  No doubt there should be more explosiveness on offense with the addition of OBJ, especially when Hunt and Calloway get back in the lineup. There is better depth in the defensive secondary, as well.  The weakness I have my eye on is the kicking and punting game. The Browns have been killed in countless games by failures on special teams (second chance field goals because of Browns encroachment penalties, missed FGs, the “Kick Six,” etc.) and they need consistency from their rookie kicker in Austin Siebert, a draft pick out of Oklahoma.  They also cut the excellent Britton Colquitt in favor of their rookie punter Jamie “the Scottish Hammer” Gillan. The former rugby player has a howitzer for a leg, as shown by his 70-yard net punt in the preseason, and he is actually a tackling machine, but he has to learn the ball placement of his predecessor to keep the field tilted in Cleveland’s favor.

Give me a best case and worst case for the Browns this season. 

Big $: I’m going to be short and sweet here …

Best Case: 1 playoff win

Worst Case: Baker injury

The Worst Boxing Blog 8/24/19 - by Colin Gawel

If someone wants to cover boxing for Pencilstorm, please contact us at pencilstormstory@gmail.com. I’m a big fight fan but we haven’t had any luck filling the position so I am going to knock something out. I’m as ready as I’ll never be. Please forgive the typos I’m doing this in between customers at Colin’s Coffee.

Let me start by saying that SI Boxing with Chris Mannix is essential listening every Friday. This podcast is my go-to on trying to keep up with the different fights, different platforms and upcoming fighters. Actually I am listening to an interview with Shawn Porter  as I write this. I didn’t know he is originally from Northeast Ohio and he was Manny Pacquiao’s sparring partner in his prime. Porter takes on the great Errol Spence in a PPV in October. Guess what, now I am really excited for this fight. It goes to show that to truly enjoy boxing, you have to actively follow the sport. Also, on Twitter I follow Chris Mannix, Dan Rafeal, and Max Kellerman. 

Upcoming fights of note:

Sergey Kovalev  vs Anthony Yarde for Light Heavyweight Title. Saturday August 24th 4pm ESPN +

Kovalev literally killed a man in the ring. Then won the title. Then lost two fights to the great Andre Ward before hiring a new trainer and regaining the belt following Ward’s retirement. Experts seem to think Yarde will be a pushover but he is undefeated and looks like a handful to me. 

If Kovalev wins he could be in line for a megafight against Canelo Alverez. This would be a very interesting fight as Canelo would have to  jump two weight classes to try and get the belt in that weight class.

In fact, Canelo was hoping to have Kovalev on Mexican Independence day, September 14th, but his drunken (allegedly) manager Oscar DeLa Hoya botched the deal and now their our serious legal troubles brewing between the two parties. 

You can’t talk about Canelo without GGG. DAZN has signed both fighters to big $ contracts in hopes of promoting their 3rd fight on the new streaming service. I subscribe to DAZN and I love it. The model is that for a monthly subscription of $10 a month you get numerous pay-per-view quality fights without the expense of plopping down $80 a fight

Gennady Golovkin fights Derevyanchenko (I literally cut and pasted that name in) on DAZN on Oct 5th at MSG for some sort of title belt.

The best thing that has happened to DAZN is the Mexican Homer Simpson, Andy Ruiz, knocking out the pride of Britain, Anthony Joshua for the heavyweight championship of the world. I watched this live on DAZN and was jaw agape watching Ruiz get off the mat to pummel the undefeated champ into submission. The rematch is essential viewing on Dec 7th from… Saudia Arabia? 

Who is the best P4P fighter in the world? Many would say it’s Vasyl Lomachenko and he is fighting Luke Campbell on August 31st on ESPN +. 

Ok, that’s it for now. Back to coffee customers. Thanks for reading the world’s worst boxing blog. - Colin G.

The NBA Offseason Has Been Guano Crazy. Again! - by Ben Galli

Follow on twitter @bengalli33

Well hot diggity damn.  The NBA off season already took us to the woodshed to give us that good ol’ good old. (yeah, I’m not exactly sure what that means either but Imma roll with it)  And it’s still not over. That’s because Russell Westbrook looks to be taking his ultra modern, hip fashion sense to where it should be more appreciated like Miami or New York or (squints at unsubstantiated clickbait sports sites) Detroit?

And before I could write anymore on the subject, the latest bomb erupted.  Russell Westbrook had indeed been traded and to Houston of all places. And for Chris Paul of all people.  And for enough 1st round picks that OKC has now acquired up to 15 of them over the next 7 drafts. Now, relationships are really important in basketball just as in real life. Sometimes it works out and sometimes people choose the wrong situation.  But that ‘wrong’ situation wasn’t always the wrong choice at the time.

Back when Kevin Durant (2007) and Russell Westbrook (2008 along with Serge Ibaka!) were the last first round picks for the Seattle Supersonics, it was obvious who the future of the soon to be Oklahoma City Thunder (damn you Clay Bennett) was going to be.  And then in 2009, the Thunder drafted one James Harden in the 1st round with pick 3. That’s right, they drafted 3 future MVP’s back to back to back. In a couple years, it was KD and Russ’ show but James Harden was the mistress. Or the side piece as our post modernist youths would call it.  

He became the 2012 6th Man of the Year, taking a backseat to a KD and Russ led team that would go all the way to the NBA Finals after making short work of the Dallas Mavs (4-0), L.A. Lakers (4-1), and San Antone Spurs (4-2), the last 3 Western Conference Champions*.  But by the next season, he was gone. The speculation was that the Thunder couldn’t afford the luxury tax that extending Harden would lead to. As well as that he, Durant, and Westbrook couldn’t end up existing together in a starting five. And finally, that Westbrook (the one who would always be ‘married’ to Durant) just had better prospects for their future together. 

*Technically, these 3 franchises had represented the West in the previous 13 Finals.

And now, after Durant unceremoniously left Westbrook right after teaming up to blow a 3-1 lead against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, Westbrook came back to his old mistress after a couple years of playing the field.  Short lived affairs with Victor Oladipo and Paul George* didn’t work out and Westbrook, now looking sheepishly like the one who was driving them all away, ran back to the old flame that welcomed him with open arms.  

*The second time a superstar left Russ for the hottest trending player in the NBA.

But I digress.  This write-up was supposed to be about the guy who was really behind all of this happening.  The guy who’s off court actions and premeditations are taking on a legendary status. That Guy Kawhi who may have saved the NBA.  But that article will have to come another day, friend(s). That yours truly can start writing in the late morning with a topic in mind, take a siesta, then return later only to find that everything changed again is a testament to how volatile this NBA offseason has been.  Markers need reset, end goals need realigned, false prophet NBA reporters need roasted.

The two main questions from the Westbrook-Paul trade is will the Westbrook-Harden pairing work and what will happen to Chris Paul. When Paul got traded to Houston, the same questions arose regarding his compatibility with Harden. I said at the time “But both these guys are unselfish and used to playing with players that want the ball so that should work out fine.” And it actually did albeit not for long. After two years, the honeymoon swoon faded and Chris Paul’s nagging and stubbornness on playing basketball the right way didn’t mesh well with James Harden always coming home late at night and free-spirited usage rate.

But although it would seem to be a match made in hell for reasons like this and this, both Harden and Westbrook have strong motivations to make this work. Harden has his old flame back as he enters the downturn of his career and Westbrook, on his 3rd superstar marriage might finally realize that he has to ask the man in the mirror to change his ways. I suspect these two will figure out how to make it work and I think this will mean Westbrook deferring more to Harden while also practicing discipline in his shot selection.

The sadder story is poor Chris Paul. Many casual fans may not realize that Chris Paul is one of the greatest point guards of all time. Any discussion of ‘greatest little man in NBA history’ must include him. And the guy can still play although he’s lost a step in his old age which probably foretells more injury ramifications. Paul just wants to win and he knows how to play winning basketball. If only his teammates cared as much as he does. And without another star, let alone superstar, in OKC, Paul isn’t a happy camper.

Chris Paul will be bought out or traded.  But he has over $120 million left on his 3 year contract and the notoriously averse to spending Thunder ownership is extremely unlikely to spend near that kind of sum just to see him walk away.  A trade seems imminent. One that might shake things up YET AGAIN in an offseason that’s less than 2 months old. Rumors have the Heat as a potential suitor. At least there, he has someone else that can match his determination to win in Jimmy Butler.  But how the Heat can trade for him after making a slew of trades to be able to afford Butler comes into question. An unlikely buyout would most assuredly see Paul signing a league minimum or exemption with the Los Angeles Lakers to join banana boat chum LeBron James but I see his most likely destination being South Beach which would propel the Heat to Eastern Conference contendership status.  

Oh my.  #thisleague