IBC

there are some pretty amazing races going on around the bigs. It's going to be very hard to predict who gets in and who doesn't, but what the hell, let's give it a shot anyway. I mean, we are a baseball league, let's talk some baseball.

NL East - NYM
NL West - San Diego
NL Central - The Cubbies, baby
NL Wildcard - LA Dodgers

The Cubs will hold off the Brew Crew and the Cards since all three teams suck equally, and I think the Baby Backs are gonna fade down the stretch.

AL East - Red Sox
AL West - Angels
AL Central - Indians
AL Wildcard - Yankees

The AL is a lot easier to guess since all the division leaders are up by a significant amount. The Wildcard is tight though and I think the Yanks are gonna hang on. I also think they're going to do some damage once they get in. But only time will tell I guess.

Thoughts? Predictions?

the cards control their own fate. 5 games vs Cubs, 3 against milwaukee. if they go 3-2 and 2-1 against those teams or better, they win the divison.

ALE: Red Sox
ALC: Indians
ALW: Angels
WC: Yankees

Tough call between Detroit and New York for the AL WC in my opinion. The Yankees' pitching is struggling or injured after Wang and Pettite (who's been a bit inconsistent at times), but the Tigers miss Sheff bigtime, Bonderman's been really inconsistent lately and New York's offense combined with a pretty light remaining schedule should get them in. If Kenny Rogers comes back and pitches well, that could be a huge boost for Detroit, but I'm not sure what they'll get out of the Gambler.

NLE: Mets
NLC: Cubs
NLW: Padres
WC: Dodgers

The Cubs have the easiest schedule by far among the NLC contenders (even though they do have more road games), and I'm not sure the Cards can keep it up. I mean, how long can Braden Looper and Joel Pineiro continue to pitch this way? I think the Brewers take over the central next season, but they have 4 games at Atlanta, and host the Padres for 4 in the final series of the season, and I'm not sure they have the arms beat those teams when they're both fighting for a playoff spot.

I've got the Dodgers barely edging the DBacks for the WC, basically b/c they have a deeper rotation, and some of the young bats seem to be heating up at the right time.

just wanted to comment on how INSANE things have gotten this week in a lot of races. It's going to be a really fun finish.

The Yankes have closed to 2.5, 2 out in the loss column.

The Mets have collapsed and have seen 5 games be cut off their lead. It's down to 1.5.

The Cubs and the Brewers are in a virtual tie, with the Brewers having played two less games than the cubs, but without any off days between now and the end of the season.

The Phillies, the Padres, and the Dbacks are in a hell of a race for the NLW/Wildcard.

The NL especially is going to be fun to watch these last few games.

If Detroit had taken the first 2 from Cleveland instead of vice versa, the Indians lead would have been down to 2.5 and the Yankees lead would only be 2.5...now that would have been crazy, every race except ALW up for grabs (and that easily could have been different if the Mariners hadn't shit the bed). Crazy year for sure. The playoffs should be quite interesting, though I hate these actober ads. The guy goes on and on about how there's only one 'October' and then they flash the actober address and it's like what the fuck.

Dane Cook is a fucking bitch.

Seconded.

Does anyone actually like Dane Cook? I know all i ever hear is how much people hate him, myself included

I've never watched much of his stuff and I hate his guts. From what I've noticed it's about 5% who worship the guy and memorized his material and 95% who absolutely despise him.

This may disappoint some of you greatly, but I don't mind him...

He's hilarious in 'Waiting,' and some of his early stand up is pretty f'ing funny ("Someone shit on the coats"). Unfortunately he has sold out and his stand-up and movies are falling from the "R" to the "PG," apparently even missing the "PG-13" stage. It's been a pretty pathetic decline, but I will be the first to say I enjoyed his early stuff.

His rise and fall is reminiscent of a white Eddie Murphy. Except if you took Eddie Murphy's career and subtracted 20 years, $7 billion box office dollars, and a generation-altering stand-up routine. Other then that, Dane's right in this thing.

Yep....and he's a Red Sox fan to boot.

I'm sure he still got more pussy than everyone in this league put together.

Well if what Shawn tells me is true and he's banging Jessica Alba, then he's got herpes now

Side note: I did not say I'm banging Jessica Alba.

But he does have herpes, courtesy of Mrs Bishop... we told you to bag it dude...

if you actually listen to his stuff, he's pretty fucking funny. the problem is, most people dont hear him do his stuff. They hear other people do his stuff, usually a drunk guy at a party or a wasted friend at a bar. they should leave it to him. he has a very distinct voice and delivery.

unfortunately, his movies have pretty much sucked. however, the ones where he doesn't have a lead role, and plays a supporting character (Mr.Brooks and Waiting) have been pretty good. i dont mind him as the spokesman for october baseball. i have seen much, much worse commercials for sports.

To build on Gabe's and my apparent consensus - he's an assload better then "He made 7................................7." That Don Cheadle crap sucked ass.

Cardinals wrote:Well if what Shawn tells me is true and he's banging Jessica Alba, then he's got herpes now

Wait, Jessica Alba has herpes?

Elisha for the definite win if true.

Tigers wrote:

Cardinals wrote:Well if what Shawn tells me is true and he's banging Jessica Alba, then he's got herpes now

Wait, Jessica Alba has herpes?

apparently people think she got it from Jeter...

Jeter has AIDS... he got it from A-Rod

damn, imagine how good he would be WITHOUT a deadly virus.

Looking back at our predictions thread from the beginning of the year, mine don't look horrible:

AL

East- Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Devil Rays, Orioles
Central- Indians, Tigers, White Sox, Twins, Royals
West- Angels, A's, Rangers, Mariners

NL

East- Mets, Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Nats
Central- Brewers, Cards, Cubs, Astros, Reds, Pirates
West- Dodgers, D'Backs, Padres, Giants, Rockies

Wild Cards: Yankees, Phillies

I got the four AL playoff participants right, though the ALE/WC is still to be determined. I missed the Dodgers and had the Cubs too low in the NL. I think that I am guilty of perpetually overrating the Dodgers.

phils will win wildcard.

Orioles wrote:ALE: Red Sox
ALC: Indians
ALW: Angels
WC: Yankees

Tough call between Detroit and New York for the AL WC in my opinion. The Yankees' pitching is struggling or injured after Wang and Pettite (who's been a bit inconsistent at times), but the Tigers miss Sheff bigtime, Bonderman's been really inconsistent lately and New York's offense combined with a pretty light remaining schedule should get them in. If Kenny Rogers comes back and pitches well, that could be a huge boost for Detroit, but I'm not sure what they'll get out of the Gambler.

NLE: Mets
NLC: Cubs
NLW: Padres
WC: Dodgers

The Cubs have the easiest schedule by far among the NLC contenders (even though they do have more road games), and I'm not sure the Cards can keep it up. I mean, how long can Braden Looper and Joel Pineiro continue to pitch this way? I think the Brewers take over the central next season, but they have 4 games at Atlanta, and host the Padres for 4 in the final series of the season, and I'm not sure they have the arms beat those teams when they're both fighting for a playoff spot.

I've got the Dodgers barely edging the DBacks for the WC, basically b/c they have a deeper rotation, and some of the young bats seem to be heating up at the right time.

My only mistakes were w/ the NL West race, where I had SD winning, and the LAD beating AZ for the WC. If the Dads hold off the Phils, I'll have 7 of 8 postseason participants. All of this would have been a lot more impressive if I had made my predictions before the beginning of Sept.

The differences b/w my preseason and Sept. 5 picks are all in the NL though, where I had Milwaukee winning the NLC, SD winning the NLW, and Atlanta winning the WC. So, overall I was 6 for 8 in playoff participants preseason. I'd feel smarter if the Brewers had held on in the division.