A Way Too Early Look At The Eagles 2011 Record

Before I start, let's all remember that I did this last year and while I predicted the correct final record (10-6), I only got about half the games right individually. So what matters more? Where you end up or how you got there? I'm going with the former, but honestly does it matter if we don't have football next year anyway? Let's hope the owners stop being bitches and end this thing. Chad Hall needs a job.

Phillies Predictions Sure To Go Wrong

The Phillies have four really good starting pitchers. We, along with every analyst, writer and baseball fan across America, know this. There is little doubt, minus unforeseen injuries, that those four pitchers will dominate the competition this year. All of them could win 15+ games (assuming good run support, which I'll get to later) and should be good for 200+ innings. Halladay and Lee, who were #1 and #2 in innings per start last year, are two of MLB's true workhorses and very well could finish #1 and #2 in NL Cy Young voting this year. I mean when Joe Blanton is your #5 starter, you don't have much to worry about when it comes to pitching.

However, this team still has some major questions. Utley's health aside (which everyone knows is a big deal), this team has questions in the bullpen, outfield and on the bench. 100 wins, which three months ago looked like easy money, is probably the max this team can do. In fact, I'm saying they win 94. A few other predictions sure to go wrong:

• Utley will play less than half the season. Injuries that are covered in this much darkness are NEVER good. Once a week the Phillies give us a little nugget of information, make up some new disease or injury name, schedule some specialist or test and call it a day. Utley can't even run yet, let alone make baseball-type moves. If he plays before the All-Star break, I'll be surprised.
• Ryan Howard will rebound to hit 40+ HR again. He, more than anyone else, knows how important he is to this team now that Werth is gone and Utley is likely to miss a large part of the season. Howard knows the knocks on his, and he can't be thrilled with his third-strike-looking end to last season. He's set for one final big year, before he likely starts to decline in 2012.
• Brad Lidge will suck. I'm not going to define "suck." But one thing is for sure, Brad Lidge is not having a good year. In fact, there's a good change this shoulder issue knocks him out for quite some time. That may be a good thing, since you never know what you're getting from him anyway. But thanks for 2008!
• No Phillies pitcher wins 20 games. I think Halladay and Lee should be good for about 18, but 20 is hard without run support. I simply don't see the Phillies scoring enough runs for their aces to have somebody earn a 'W' 20 times.
  
• The Phillies will win the division, but only by a game. The Braves are good, very good in fact, so I see this being a dogfight. Don't be surprised if the Braves run out to a lead, especially when the Phillies hit their usual May and June swoon. In the end I think they'll be there, but if things go right for the Braves (and wrong for our Phils) the division will probably be theirs to lose.
• World Series prediction? The Red Sox will get there from the AL. The NL? Well, I'll just let that one play out (I see a Braves-Phillies NLCS).
• Some awards: NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw; AL Cy Young: Jon Lester; NL MVP: Ryan Braun; AL MVP: Carl Crawford; NL Rookie of the Year: Freddie Freeman; AL Rookie of the Year: Mike Moustakas; NL Manager of the Year: Fredi Gonzalez; AL Manager of the Year: Ron Washington
  

So let's hope that 1) I'm wrong about Utley, 2) The Braves suck and 3) Rubes makes another shrewd move or two at the deadline to help the offense. All told, we're in for an exciting year and if all goes well (fingers crossed) another parade come late October (or early November?).

Cliff Lee.

Phillies Will Win 111 Games

By TWW friend 'Anonymous'

Before I give you this prediction, I should let you know that I'm like, half a psychic ova' here. I see things in dreams, I swear to god. And I can also detect left handed people. Basically, I can say what you're thinking, if you said something next to me. Sometimes, I'll be singing a song, and then I turn on the radio, and that song is on, swear to god. So I'm using my powers here, to come up with a prediction of sort. So here it goes: The Phillies are winning 111 games this year.

How did you come up with this arbitrary number? Simple, the universe talks to me. Here's a thing; take the year you were born and add that number to the age you are/will be in 2011. Example, me: 84' + 27= 111. It works for everyone. J-Roll said we were chasing history. 111-51, it's happenin' like Sammy Kapanen.

Baseball is a game of numbers. Any true fan will tell you that. It's the math of the game that makes the most sense, and when you combine the math with wild speculation, and a community college level understanding of logic, it makes perfect sense. If Robert Downey Jr said it, you'd be all like, how clever.

Go Phillies!


[pic via Philly.com / Yong Kim]

Your Ridiculously Early Superbowl Odds For 2012

Bodog posted the early lines for each team’s odds at winning Superbowl XLVI. Our Philadelphia Eagles sit at 16/1 which is actually slightly worse odds of winning than I'd thought they get. I figured they'd be more in the 14/1 or 12/1 range. As you might've guessed the Packers have the best odds at 7/1, followed by the Patriots at 8/1 and the Steelers at 10/1. The Birds have the same odds of winning next year’s Superbowl as the Falcons, Cowboys, and Jets. Your “longshots-who-will-never-win-a-Superbowl-ever” teams are the Panthers and Bills at 100/1.

So if you're a betting man, here are two picks I'd jump on now in case either of these teams signs/trades for a QB for next year: Cardinals 75/1 and Vikings 35/1.

While they're both giving you great value, don't fall into a trap of broken promises and disappointment by betting on the Chargers at a silly 12/1. Those fuckers have ruined my Superbowl prediction for the last 3 years. Bunch of paper-champion, poorly coached, shitheads.  Philip Rivers is a boner.

2011 NFL Opponents Announced, NFC East Automatically Gets Four Wins

The NFL has released the home and away opponents for the 2011 regular season. As most of you know, each team plays their six division games, a division within their own conference, and a division in the opposing conference on a rotating basis. Next year the Eagles and the rest of the NFC East are bestowed the gift of the NFC West. So at absolute worst, we're going 4-12.

Of course the NFC East also draws the AFC East next year meaning the Patriots and Jets are coming to Philly. Hey, at least we get the Bills.

At first lazy glance, I'm predicting 11-5 with losses to Dallas, NY Giants, Chicago, New England and Miami. Too early for a prediction, you say? Of course. But you know you did the same thing when you saw the graphic above. Hypocrite.

A Few NBA Predictions to Chew On

With a separate Sixers Preview on it’s way, I figured I’d jot down some quick NBA predictions since, ya know, I do predictions so friggin’ well and all. This NBA season promises to be one of the most interesting in recent memory. LeBron's talents have been brought to South Beach, Chris Bosh joined him, Kevin Durant is the best pure scorer since MJ, Shaq is now a Celtic, Dwight Howard has something to prove, Melo should be a Knick or Net at some point, a pending lockout is on the horizon, Evan Turner might suck, John Wall is nasty, the Spurs make their last stand and the Cavs will be terrible. Ultimately, all of that should make for great theater.

So, without further ado: 5 Things That Will Happen This Year:

1) Kevin Durant will win the MVP. It will be difficult for LeBron to win a third straight when Dwayne Wade will likely be just as instrumental in the Heat’s success. Carmelo is too unhappy, Chris Paul doesn’t have enough talent around him and Dirk is simply too boring. I say the award comes down to Durant and an “on a mission” Dwight Howard. A dark-horse could be a healthy Brandon Roy, but that’s never going to happen (the healthy part).

Three Men and a Baby: NFC East Preview

I know, it’s too obvious. Honestly though, sometimes obvious is the way to go. After another competitive season in 2009 that saw the Cowboys dominate the Eagles, Eagles dominate the Giants and the Giants dominate the Cowboys (and everyone dominate the Redskins), it’s become apparent that this division will continue to be a three horse race. Yes, the Redskins added a five-time Pro Bowl quarterback in Donovan McNabb (click here for a career synopsis if you’re unfamiliar with him) but he’s really not a guy who can carry a team anymore (if he ever really was). The Redskins still have a litany of problems (see below) and ultimately won’t be a real threat to the division crown. However, the Giants and Cowboys certainly will.

TheWizWit Fantasy Football Sleepers & Busts (With Jokes!)

I'm going to caution you.  This IS NOT a list of rankings.  There are a ton of places in cyberspace where you can find a fantasy football rankings list.  Plus, rankings lists are  overrated.  Anyone with a working brainstem has at least a rough idea of where guys should be drafted.  If anything, the primary use of a rankings list is to cross the names off as guys come off the board during your draft.  They really just make sure you don't have a mental lapse and forget about a player still being available.

Fantasy leagues are won in these middle and late rounds.  Nobody should have a problem getting through the first few rounds of a draft - unless you took Matt Forte with your first pick last year, of course.  So sit back, relax, and let TheWizWit be responsible for your success - which I'm sure you'll then steal and claim to your friends you had this master plan along.

Uh oh! SI Curse Strikes Phillies?

Sports Illustrated never gets their predictions right. Ever. I mean, this is the magazine that had the Bears in the Super Bowl this year AND picked the Mets to win the World Series last year. So, needless to say, they haven't even been the ballpark (bad pun alert!) recently.

Well, Phillies fans, you better hope their prognastication skills have improved because SI has tabbed your Philadelphia Phillies the 2010 World Series winner. And if that wasn't a jinx enough, they've throw our new ace Roy Halladay on the cover.

I take a little solace in knowing that the Phillies are an obvious pick, they have an All-Star lineup and added the game's best pitcher in the offseason. So, since I'm confident they can win the World Series, I keep telling myself that I shouldn't be worried when a silly magazine (seriously, who read magazines anymore anyway) picks them as their preseason champion. Here's to hoping they're right.

And if they aren't, well, fuck you Sports Illustrated.

Rollins Does It Again

Jimmy Rollins made an appearance on Leno last night. Since nobody seems to care about Leno anymore, I'm guessing you didn't hear what was said.

On national TV, Rollins was asked for his World Series prediction. And in typical Jimmy fashion, he didn't let us down.