CBS Sportsline Power Rankings
So you don't have to waste time reading Eric Mack's power rankings like I did, I'll summarize the top four:
1. New York Yankees
They are the YANKEES! How awesome! I think I'm in love!
2. Cleveland Indians
Okay, I'll acknowledge they must have had a good year because I just noticed they have the best record in baseball. But all they did was beat the other Midwestern teams out there in the cornfields. They are in over their heads against real playoff teams, like the Yankees or Red Sox.
3. Boston Red Sox
Sure, they are a mess right now, but they are the Red Sox and can only be beaten by the Yankees.
4. Los Angeles Angels
You may think they can beat the Yankees, but they can't. You may even think you remember them beating the Yankees in the post-season, but that is impossible.
I am really looking forward to the actual games.
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Re: CBS Sportsline Power Rankings
For the ALDS, I put my money on the Yankees. This is the first time a lot of the guys on the team will be in the postseason. I don't experience necessarily means a whole lot, but I do remember the 2005 Indians losing 5 1-run games in the last week of the season. How do they respond to pressure in the playoffs? Its entirely possible, that it doesn't affect them and they go hammer the Yankees.
So, if they win the ALDS, I'd feel supremely confident putting my money on them for the WS. The inexperience is also the reason, I'd like them to be viewed as underdogs for the series (maybe even not have home field).
I know they are the better team. Little doubt about that for me. However, I felt that way about the 2005 team. Remember, when they'd gotten everything together that season (AUG, SEP), ALL five starters we clicking, the offense was positively on fire and I believed, without a doubt that they'd demolish everyone in the playoffs. We also had the best bullpen in the league that year.
by crazymoloh on Sep 27, 2007 12:34 PM EDT 0 recs
Re: CBS Sportsline Power Rankings
Handicapping the current baseball post-season structure is like handicapping a Russian roulette tournament.
by SuddenSam on
Sep 27, 2007 12:46 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:03 PM EDT
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I also contest the idea that players experience "pressure" in the sense that you suggest. Baseball is a job to them, and these guys all signed their contracts in April. Sure, there are bonuses on the line, but these are almost to a man very well compensated individuals with not a whole lot to lose.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:22 PM EDT
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In what sense is it semi-historic? That a contending team goes 1-6 in last seven days? Its not like they lost a 10 game lead.
And that's the only thing that affect their psyche?
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:31 PM EDT
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And that's the only thing that affect their psyche?
Certainly not, but I'd say it has a lot more to do with it than some nebulous concept of October pressure. This is still what these goes do for a living, whatever the venue.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:39 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:44 PM EDT
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They might get paid lots of money, but this isn't a job to most of these people. It's a game. It's a game that they want to win. When the win it is awesome and feels wonderful. When they lose it tears at their soul and pisses them off. And when the difference between winning and losing depends on fielding a bunt and throwing 60 feet to first, you feel pressure and experience could matter.
by DaytonDogg on
Sep 27, 2007 1:48 PM EDT
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by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 2:00 PM EDT
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I get what your saying and I agree that there is overemphasis by some in the media on things like grit and experience.
I just think your dismissal of the concept of pressure is going to the other extreme, which is just as, if not even more, foolish.
Meltdowns and giving up happens in sports and people become total failures in spite of their incredible physical abilities. Much of this comes from the pressure of having those seven figure salaries and thousands of young women watching your every move... and the pressure of wanting to win.
by DaytonDogg on
Sep 27, 2007 2:08 PM EDT
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by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 2:34 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 2:09 PM EDT
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by Delluccious on
Sep 27, 2007 2:08 PM EDT
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How about the 2003 Marlins?
If that were the case, all the new teams to the postseason would never win, and that certainly is NOT the case.
Just my 2 cents. :-)
by indiansfan on
Sep 28, 2007 2:10 AM EDT
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The Indians still have to prove themselves. We still have A LOT of question marks in casual observers mind.
It's hard for someone on the outside looking in seeing Hafner struggling, Borowski blowing saves and a bunch of AA guys playing over their heads somehow winning this whole thing. It's not that hard to imagine.
by Toxicadam on Sep 27, 2007 1:11 PM EDT 0 recs
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Regarding your new question, as an informed and knowledgeable baseball fan, I cannot predict the winner of a short series.
The actual point of my little diary was to poke fun at the condescending way the Indians are being treated by the national media, who see them as the uninvited guest at the party.
by SuddenSam on Sep 27, 2007 1:13 PM EDT 0 recs
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And you can predict the winner of a long series?
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:23 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 1:28 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:35 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 1:39 PM EDT
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But I would have no confidence in a prediction. Hence, my answer is that if I found myself in Vegas this Sunday evening, I would put a little on the team with the highest odds to go all the way.
I'm pretty sure that there wasn't a single published writer, expert, or pundit last year who predicted a Cardinals-Tigers series. Or that an 83-79 team who stumbled and choked and backed into a weak division championship (and whose pitching staff was in such disarray that they were forced to rely on Jeff Weaver) would hoist the trophy.
I bet they had the highest odds, though.
by SuddenSam on
Sep 27, 2007 2:21 PM EDT
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No shit, Sherlock! Everyone is capable of the best educated guess. I'm sure you're gonna give me a post about how guess is really 'educated', or how since its a 'guess' its meaningless anyway. Whatever. I'm not claiming to be clairvoyant, just going out on a limb. Is really impossible to wrap your head around this concept?
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:29 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 2:34 PM EDT
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Actually, the suggestion that I'm buying into the Yankees aura, really made me bonkers.
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:38 PM EDT
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For the record, I don't thing anyone was applying the "Yankee Pathos" label to you, but simply using it as a stand-in for national media mentality.
I don't think what your saying is so far off, in fact it's been quite a struggle within myself to not be as pessimistic as I usually am. In 2005, I fully expected us to blow it; I was no better than your average Cleveland blowhard, but I think venting (and learning from) this site has helped me be more positive.
Now, just like someone mentioned below, I'm more excited about this team than I ever have been for any other Tribe team.
by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 2:47 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:53 PM EDT
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And I'm pretty sure learning to weather a good tweak-out is the most important skill in grad school. If you're smart enough to make it in, you're smart enough to make it out; it's just the little matter of not bolting for Puerto Rico in between.
As far as this goes, I'm open to advice.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 3:03 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 3:08 PM EDT
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by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 3:14 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 3:28 PM EDT
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Yeah, its an odd situation with the Yankees. They're actually a good team and its not all fluff.
Problem is, all the writers are trying make up for giving up on the Yankees by feeding the narrative of the Yankee Aura(TM). It couldn't actually be that there was a scheduling quirk that allowed the Yankees to play 22 of 28 games against 4th and 5th place team right after the break. No, it was the indomitable Yankees and their Yankee-ness. People were quick to write off $200M and established track records.
I guess this their way of making up for the fact they look like total idiots now. It wasn't they were poor analysts. Its that Yankees are magical and have a shiny pony.
p.s: I also think the Angels are going to totally stink in the playoffs and I have tickets for Game 4! Booo
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 3:20 PM EDT
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I think people simply favor the Yankees and I really can't disagree with them too much.
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:25 PM EDT
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by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:32 PM EDT
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How many light years more experienced were the Pistons than the Cavs this year? Oops! Guess it didn't matter.
Not to totally devalue any of these things, but "experience" is just an olde-tyme buzzword like "leadership," "grit," etc. that people throw out there when they lack substantial evidence to support arguments.
by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 1:37 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:41 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 1:42 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:46 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 1:52 PM EDT
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First off, stop ascribing to me the retarded notions most baseball writers have.
I believe the Indians are evenly matched with the Yankees. Its too close to call. I said that, for the ALDS, I'll make that call based on the observation that pressure played SOME (not all) role in thing fall apart in 2005. This wouldn't even be an issue if I thought the Indians we clearly the better team.
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:06 PM EDT
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The reason this is a difficult argument to make is that it's irrelevant. 2005 is not equal to 2007.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:57 PM EDT
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Could it be that I'm not falling for the Myth of the Yankees(TM)?
Could it just be that I see two teams so evenly freaking matched that choose to use lingering doubts about a previous year's metldown to decide such a close match up?
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:11 PM EDT
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by DaytonDogg on
Sep 27, 2007 2:12 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 1:40 PM EDT
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The error here is that you're arguing absolutes. EITHER 2005 was pure chance OR it was a swell choke-job. Sure, pressure could have been a factor. But I don't think it can account for ALL of the improbable things that happened that week, and I doubt it can account for most of them.
And if you're right, and it's about how they take the heat, why aren't you convinced by sweeping the Tigers in a series that essentially decided the division? In what sense, other than that the opponents might be the Yankees, would that be a more likely place for the team to choke?
I think you're still subscribing to the myth of the Pinstripe.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:50 PM EDT
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"that" = the yankees in the post-season
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 1:51 PM EDT
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#1. I wasted a good bit of timetrying to figure out which team I thought was best equipped to win in October based on selecting some regular season stats I thought to be relevant. The Indians came out on top, but only by a hair. So, in my mind its essentially a coin flip.
#2. Since the Yanks v Indians comes down to a coin flip in my mind, I chose believe the pressure that affected (not a huge one, but not negligible either) some of our players in the past, COULD be a factor in the upcoming series. I don't believe this would be factor for the Yankees because, well, their $200M payroll masks any psyhcological shortcomings they may have. So I decide the coin flip in the Yankees favor because of SMALL chance that SOME people might press.
#3. The Detroit series assuaged many of my doubts, but not all of them. If I didn't think the teams were evenly matched, I wouldn't even consider something as nebulous as 'pressure'. I picked the Indians over the Sox and Angels, because I believe they are clearly better than both teams.
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:02 PM EDT
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You repeatedly asked about 2005 before explaining this. If you want to disagree with me, have at it, but don't get frustrated because I couldn't infer your reasoning from subtext.
As far as your conclusion goes, I question it because I think the Yankees' run differential is 183, and the Indians' is 106. I would actually agree going into a series against the Yankees that they're the favorites -- because they've scored more runs.
You're calling 77 runs a coin flip, and THEN predicting the coin flip in New York's favor primarily because you believe the Indians' performance of 2 years ago bears some significance on their performance now. That's quite a limb you're out on.
by fleerdon on
Sep 27, 2007 2:29 PM EDT
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When the fuck did I say that? I said it was coin flip based on this. Quibble with the reasoning, assumptions and conclusion therein. Don't put words in my mouth to make it look like I'm trying to drum up a 'Yankees have experience' narrative.
by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:35 PM EDT
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Lighten up, Francis.
by Fiddlesticks on
Sep 27, 2007 2:39 PM EDT
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by crazymoloh on
Sep 27, 2007 2:41 PM EDT
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Underdogs.
Here's hoping we're just a few days away from witnessing the start.
by tabler84 on Sep 27, 2007 1:32 PM EDT 0 recs
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Ever since rebuilding began, I figured the Tribe would be a team that sneaks up, suprises everyone in the playoffs and "steals" a World Series. (I imagine something akin to the White Sox in '05 or the Marlins in '01.) Thus, it doesn't bother me that we aren't seen as "favorites" or that we don't get too much media attention.
by UndeniableMagistrate on Sep 27, 2007 1:52 PM EDT 0 recs
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This should say 2001 D'backs or the 2003 Marlins.
by talonk on
Sep 27, 2007 3:58 PM EDT
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"Grady Sizemore isn't scary."
"Hafner has been a disaster"
"I'll believe Sabathia and Carmona when I see it in the playoffs."
Simmons also admits that other than CC and Fausto he can't name any other Indians starting pitchers.
I'm not posting this to complain (because it didn't surprise me), I'm posting this because I have never been more excited to witness a postseason of any sport in my lifetime. I want the Indians to win SO bad.
by NickFantana on Sep 27, 2007 2:11 PM EDT 0 recs
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by Fios on
Sep 27, 2007 3:14 PM EDT
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by ClarkM on
Sep 27, 2007 8:00 PM EDT
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by hans on
Sep 27, 2007 8:08 PM EDT
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 2:26 PM EDT
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I'll believe Sabathia and Carmona when I see it in the playoffs.
Get ready to believe it, d-bag. God, I can't wait for this team to shut that Bristol piehole.
by mrich on
Sep 27, 2007 3:05 PM EDT
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by NickFantana on
Sep 27, 2007 3:33 PM EDT
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Interviewing his buddy on his podcast? Glad I don't subscribe to that one.
by JulioBernazard on
Sep 27, 2007 7:17 PM EDT
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by Brick. on Sep 27, 2007 2:25 PM EDT 0 recs
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by Turkmenbashi on
Sep 27, 2007 2:27 PM EDT
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by tabler84 on
Sep 27, 2007 2:31 PM EDT
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Look, I've seen what is arguably some of the best offensive clubs ever - the late 90's Indians - and they came up short every year. Awesome offense and stellar relief pitching, but only slightly better than average starting pitching - ya gotta admit that Nagy and Hershiser are hardly CC and Carmona. Pitching, pitching, pitching is what wins the vast majority of play-offs. And before you jump on this, I know all about the Big Red Machine. Still it's offense that wins play-off slots and pitching that wins series - and we've got the best 3 man rotation in the AL, plus, I think, after almost 6 months of baseball, we've figured out our relief pitching.
Bottom line: the Tribe has the edge. We're gonna be Buster Douglas to the Yankee's Mike Tyson. To beat the bu


