First, SU wishes a happy and healthy new year to its intergalactic Jewish subscribers. We start with Wild Card week and SU believes it’s always good to first re-visit the preseason predictions to see how things are playing out. Here is what SU said back in early April:
“Let’s start with the National League. SU can barely find room on the Mets’ bandwagon. Way too crowded and everyone is picking them to win the NL East. SU is not so sure. Some teams play better under the radar and have a harder time coping with expectations. On paper, the young pitchers have more experience under their belts and the young hitters should be that much better. But….sometimes young players take a step back before they are ready to make the big step forward. SU believes the Nationals will be a worthy adversary in the East but of course, having Stephen Drew on the roster will ultimately bring them down. He is a difference maker. The Mets will win the East but it will go into September and be closer than you think.
Lots of love out there for the Cubs to take the next step and win it all. SU will agree on that one but the SF Giants win their world championships in the even years and last time I checked, it’s 2016. Giants win the West, Cubs in the Central and the Nationals and Cardinals take the wild cards.
In the American League, the AL East is a toss-up. Many predict the Toronto Blue Jays will win the division and the World Series this year. SU disagrees. The Jose Bautista contract will become a bigger and bigger distraction as the season unfolds and if any of their starters goes down, they are just a good hitting team with limited pitching. They may win the East but they won’t make it to the World Series. Btw, former Yankee phenom Jesus Montero is now in their farm system. How the mighty have fallen.
The Yankees will contend but YES ratings will be way down along with attendance. This roster is a snoozefest. All 5 starters will find their way to the DL during the course of the year. Texeiria is in his walk year (and he will walk with Greg Bird ready to assume 1st base next season) and he should be motivated for that reason. Expect harder outs into the shift this year as opposed to softer outs in the past. Castro will be a guy to watch along with Hicks in the outfield. He is going to take at bats away from both Ellsbury and Gardner. The Yankees will make one of the Wild Cards. The Royals are still in good shape but getting to the World Series 3 years in a row is very hard. Texas wins the West and the Royals and Yankees are the Wild Cards. Watch out for Detroit to make a comeback this year and get to the World Series where they lose to the Giants in 6 games.”
OK, as always, a mixed back with SU on the predictions but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Jayson Stark of espn.com says a number of MLB executives are feeling the love for the Red Sox to go all the way given their line up and under-rated pitching staff. However, most of the experts are looking for the Cubs to end their streak. SU says if Toronto beats the Orioles, check out the Texas-Toronto first round series – these teams truly hate each other and there is bad blood from last year’s series and the fight between Odor and Bautista this year. Bad blood is good for baseball and a welcome change from the hugfests that we often see.
In the NL, the Mets – Giants wild card game with their aces rested is must see tv. Games like this always come down to the bullpens and SU believes the Mets should have the advantage there. But neither team is getting past the Cubs I suspect this year. A Boston – Cubs World Series would generate big ratings but these things rarely work out that way. SU hates the Red Sox but they are the best of the relatively weaker AL teams. Cubs over the Red Sox in the World Series. Your thoughts?
Glad to see Robinson Cano fail to make the post-season again in Seattle. Take the money and rest in October – it’s a way of life.
SU caught a fair amount of the Ryder Cup this weekend. It was good stuff for golf. The fans in Minnesota were very into it and were not your usual golf gallery. The European players took a fair amount of abuse but for SU, golf could sure use more of this. It was good to see the Americans finally win one.
The Jets are who they are at 1-3 and the Giants are likely to get blown out tonight in Minnesota. NY football will be lucky to produce a team over .500 this season but hey, we are generally used to that.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
I find the Robinson Cano abuse amusing, considering the Yankees have won exactly as many postseason games as the Mariners have since Cano left.
Yes, but at least they played in a wild card game last year. Cano could have stayed with the Yankees for just a little less money although to be honest, I had no desire to see him jogging to first base on ground balls when he was in his late 30s and early 40s.
I’d like to see the Cubs end their 700 year drought this year. I don’t think the Mets are even close to putting up much of a fight with their injury riddled rotation and light hitting lineup. Might as well go for a classic WS matchup and watch good baseball instead.
I knew the Jets had a rough starting schedule but I sort of expected at least one of the non-Bills games to have fallen their way. They could easily be 1-5 in two weeks. The Giants will be their typically frustrating selves and probably be in the playoff hunt until late in the year when they fall to 8-8.
The Ryder Cup is always fun to watch. Especially when the crowd gives a roar of approval when one of the Euros misses a putt. Usually the gallery is so polite.