Wednesday, October 25, 2017

So it Seems… I Got a Little Cocky and a Little Bit Ahead of Myself


Good morning everyone. What a way to start the day huh? Me, Daniel Burch, admitting to being a little cocky and getting a little bit ahead of myself. Let me explain. I was on a roll during the postseason with my predictions and my writing here on the blog. I explained in full detail why I was not afraid of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card Game and the Yankees beat the Twins decisively to move on to the ALDS with the Cleveland Indians. Another series, another prediction and another post labeled “Why I’m not afraid of the Cleveland Indians in the Postseason.” Another victory against unlikely odds so why would I stop there? I continued my series with “Why I’m Not Afraid of the Houston Astros in the ALCS.” The stars aligned for this to be another great show and prediction by the self-proclaimed Yankees wizard as Justin Verlander took the mound against the Yankees with New York just one win away from the World Series. I took a chance and I didn’t wait for the Yankees to record those final 27 outs before advancing to the World Series, I went ahead and wrote my “Why I’m Not Afraid of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series” post like a moron.

Did I jinx the Yankees? Is Michael Kay laughing at me right now for even suggesting that I jinxed the Yankees? Who knows but I hate to waste content so here is my pie in the face, my eating crow if you will, and my post about how I was not afraid of the Dodgers in the World Series that the Yankees never made it to. Insert foot in mouth and have a great day. Especially you. HEY YOU!! I loves you.

Oh, and remember before flooding me with hate mail. Most writers have stuff written in advance, especially if it cannot be dated quickly, and I am no different. If you can do better please send me an email at Daniel Burch 1102 at yahoo dot com. We are always looking for new writers. Thanks.



Why I’m Not Afraid of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series

Yeah, I am going there. Call me bold, call me dumb or call me crazy, I don’t care but I just don’t think you will be calling me a loser when the dust settles here in the 2017 World Series. Don’t get me wrong the Los Angeles Dodgers are a hell of a team, congrats once again to them for winning the National League pennant, and the Dodgers could very well knock off the Yankees and take home the crown… I just don’t think it will happen. I’m not psyched out by Clayton Kershaw, I’m not entirely worried about Kenley Jansen and I think this team can limit Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and company over a seven-game series. I just do, and here is why.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a great team and that great team is anchored by a great pitching staff but beating great pitching is nothing new to the Yankees this season. The New York Yankees have beaten Corey Kluber twice this postseason (sure, the record books state the team lost Game 2 of the ALDS but we all know the Yankees beat Kluber), Trevor Bauer once, Ervin Santana once, Dallas Keuchel once and Justin Verlander once. One could argue that Kluber has been just as good, if not better than Kershaw over the last three seasons or so which should give the Yankees some hope as they may have to face Kershaw three times in the upcoming World Series.  

Before the postseason began I ranked the 10 teams in the playoffs by their bullpen effectiveness and the Los Angeles Dodgers had the fourth best bullpen in the field, right behind the New York Yankees. The Dodgers bullpen has been great this postseason but there are definite holes in the pen that the Yankees can extort if the starters don’t give Los Angeles seven innings, something that won’t always happen given that the pitchers have to hit in the National League.  

The Dodgers will have home-field advantage here in this World Series after having the best record in the National League here in 2017 and the second-best record overall, second only to the Cleveland Indians. You know, that team the Yankees already eliminated this postseason despite the team winning 22 games in a row at one point during the regular season. The Dodgers are not unbeatable, and they are not unstoppable, their September record showed us that as the team faded down the stretch with a 12-17 record. The Yankees just have to do what the Yankees do, hit the ball, pitch well and win while having fun doing it.

The Dodgers will easily be the hardest test for the Yankees this postseason but let’s look at this playoff run for New York. Aside from the American League Wild Card Game the Yankees have been severe underdogs in both of their series and the team has not had home-field advantage in either of their series. Didn’t seem to slow down or stop the team then and it won’t here against the Dodgers. By the end of the series we’ll be comparing Todd Frazier to Thurman Munson and our team will once again be the “Damn Yankees.” The 28 World Series championship ring holding Damn Yankees, thank you very much.


1 comment:

  1. By all speculation your writing was acurate only the breaks always went against the Yankees.In the Astros series it seemed they made the perfect stop and throw , or the perfect throw to the plate .The low strikes called while Verlander was on the mound and believe me he does not need the extra help from the umpires.The Yankees announcing how they scouted the Astros after going up 3-2 giving the Astros a chance to change how they pitched.
    The Dodgers scared me less than any team in the playoffs except Twins .
    No you were not wrong and the Yankees biggest need this winter is someone who can teach them how to move runners over and get them in from 3rd.The Astros dared us to bunt wither runners on agaist the shift with any combination of outs.
    Yes the 2 or 3 run homer is nice but to constantly hit into the shift time and time again is maddening.
    The Yankees hit into the shift more than any team in baseball and is shifted against more than any team in baseball.
    This team should be playing for number 28 instead of watching on tv.
    Cmbination of :
    1.Management( All decisions almost)
    2.Over use bullpen catching up
    3.Horrible base running all areas
    4.Terrible hitting with RISP
    5.Over playing Hicks( more he plays the worse he hits)
    6.Batting order on the road
    Well as Cubs used to say wait til next year
    Hey Yankees don't pay CC more than 5 million including incentives.
    Teach Castro , Sanchez and Judge to take a few of those 2 strike pitch sliders you always get instead of swinging at them in the dirt not close, most of them were balls when released from the pitcher and they made up their mind they were swinging anyway .Got old seeing it happen all the time .

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