The search for a Series title: Predicting the MLB postseason

Los Angeles Dodgers With over $230 million spent this year in payroll, the Los Angeles Dodgers are all in.

This roster has been stacked from the get-go with one of the top pitching staffs in baseball featuring Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu. In the postseason, pitching wins championships.

The Dodgers have proven throughout the year that their pitching is legitimate, building a 3.40 earned run average as a team with the fifth highest relative power index in the game. In layman’s terms, they pitched very well against some of the best hitters in baseball.

Their batting and fielding are also solid. Outfielder Yasiel Puig has a cannon for an arm in right field and can hit inside fastballs a mile if he’s given the chance. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and centerfielder Matt Kemp add to the lineup with strong defensive play and clutch hitting to combine well with Puig’s power.

The Dodgers’ biggest competition for a ring this year will be whomever they meet in the World Series. Just a freeway ride away, crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are hungry, young and relentless. Their bats will be strong, but the Dodgers’ pitching will be better.

The Dodgers’ time is now. With a huge payroll and a remarkable pitching staff, the Dodgers will easily defeat the Angels in six games.

Washington Nationals

Every team in the postseason has top-caliber pitching and a solid lineup. Not every team, however, possesses the top-to-bottom quality that the Washington Nationals have.

First, they have the best starting rotation in baseball. Although Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in the league, the rest of the Dodgers’ rotation fails to match Washington’s depth. The Nats’ front four starters all have earned run averages of 3.14 or lower. On top of that, no pitcher has more than 11 losses.

Washington’s lineup is also undeniably stacked. Third baseman Anthony Rendon and outfielders Jayson Werth and Denard Span all have batting averages above .287. They also have three players with over 20 home runs.

One overlooked factor that could push the Nationals to the top is their fan base. Like the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Washington Nationals have not been the most successful franchise in baseball. The city itself is hungry for a title. The last time a Washington, D.C. team won a championship was in 1991, when the Washington Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.

The Nationals don’t have the flashiest player in baseball or the most dominant pitcher––what they do have is the best depth in the league. That will be the determining factor come World Series time.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will win the 2014 World Series. The Angels have one of the best lineups in baseball. Major players such as superstar outfielder Mike Trout, first baseman Albert Pujols and shortstop Erick Aybar are leading the charge as the Angels look to take the trophy.

The team also has solid pitching with Jairo Diaz, Kevin Jepsen and Cory Rasmus—all of whom have pitched the ball very effectively against all teams this season.

The Angels should be the biggest competition to any team. While the Kansas City Royals have a good defense, the Angels have Trout who has the potential to be the next great legend of baseball. Trout’s line included a batting average of .287 with 36 home runs and 111 runs batted in this past season.

The Angels are no strangers to the postseason; plenty of players on their roster have postseason experience. Their team batting average is .259—good enough for sixth in the league. Their opponents’ batting average is just .236—fourth in the league.

The key for the Angels to win the World Series will be to play defensive baseball. They need to have their pitchers throw strikes. They need to have their fielders limit errors and convert plays. Doing so will set them up to hit the ball effectively. Come the end of October, it’ll be time to bring out the Rally Monkey once again.

Writers Billy Burns and Taylor Frank contributed to this article.

Thank you Derek Jeter, from a Mets fan

On Wednesday Feb. 12, in an official Facebook post, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter announced he will retire after the upcoming MLB season. A true honor to the game, he leaves behind a legacy that is unmatched by any player of recent memory.

I should clarify that I am a New York Mets fan. The Yankees are my least favorite team in all of sports and Jeter has been the face of my enemy team ever since I started watching baseball as a young kid. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean I don’t respect what he’s done for the game.

While with the Yankees, he has amassed a Rookie of the Year Award, five Gold Gloves, over 3,000 hits, 13 All-Star Game appearances and most impressively, five World Series. One of those World Series wins came against the Mets in 2000 when Jeter was named World Series MVP. Basically, I should just hate Derek Jeter.

Jeter will retire as a legend of the game. He was the face of the most successful and popular franchise in history, along with one of the most popular brands in the world, both doing so with such class. He wasn’t the best fielder or the most powerful hitter, but he tried his hardest and gave every ounce of effort he had on every play to the sport that he loved. For that reason, I cannot hate him.

Jeter retiring will mark a new wave in baseball. He is one of the last players to come from the infamous Steroid Era and is the last of the homegrown Yankees who were a part of an unstoppable winning dynasty. One can argue that Jeter is the most recognizable baseball player of all time. Guys wanted to play like him, and would try endlessly to master his patented jump throw. Girls wanted to date him, as his good looks and charm attracted some of the most famous faces in Hollywood.

Jeter’s legacy as a Yankee will forever spark controversy. Fans will debate if he was better than Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. The most impressive thing is that he is in the conversation with those pinstriped greats. There has never been a player like Jeter and it might be a long time until we see another who can even come close to the player and person he is. I’m glad that I was able to see such an amazing athlete play and obtain nothing but respect and admiration for him. With that said, maybe his retiring will cue the Yankees downfall and my Mets will finally be able to be the kings of New York. Maybe.

Congrats on a terrific career. Here’s to a wonderful last ride into baseball glory, No. 2.

Out of Bounds: A weird World Series

This World Series between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals has been peculiar. Game 3 ended on a walk-off obstruction call and Game 4 closed on a pickoff at first base. If you aren't privy to the events, in the bottom of the ninth with the Cardinals up to bat, a ball was hit to Red Sox second basemen Dustin Pedroia, who threw it to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia tagging out Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina running home from third. Immediately after, Saltalamacchia threw to third in an attempt to get out Cardinals first basemen Allen Craig sliding into third. The ball slipped past Red Sox third basemen Will Middlebrooks, and Craig took off for home. He tripped over the diving Middlebrooks and was unable to beat the throw home.

The Red Sox thought they had gotten the out, but home-plate umpire Jim Joyce determined, correctly, that had Middlebrooks not obstructed his path, Craig would have made it home safely.

What an unconventional play, let alone an ending to a championship game. This was the first time a World Series game was decided by an obstruction.

If you watch the video, and I suggest you do, the call seems like it could go either way. But based on the official MLB rule, it was absolutely the correct call:

OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Rule 2.00 (Obstruction) Comment: If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered “in the act of fielding a ball.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball. For example: an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.

By this description, the right call was made, something that seems to be rare among umpires these days.

This alone was enough to make everyone scratch their heads, but the weirdness continued into Game 4.

In the bottom of the ninth, St. Louis' Kolten Wong was put in as a pinch runner with two outs to go. A pinch runner's job is easy: Don't get out, and get in scoring position. Wong did neither.

With a 1-1 count, Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara threw to first, catching the leaning Wong. This was the first time a game ended on a pickoff in the October Classic.

Although this series wasn't pegged as an exciting contest, the way it played out has made it sensational - certainly one for the history books.

The Writearound: Are young baseball stars helping or hurting the sport?

Joe Leathersich: So, I want to talk about the affinity baseball has with “tradition.” This is a game that has not changed significantly compared to other sports. What makes me bring it up is how upset everyone got over Yasiel Puig’s celebration - sort of saying that this kid needs to earn his keep and that he’s cocky. What do you guys think of the new wave of athletes? Taylor Frank: I think the problem goes beyond some ill-founded hatred for kids being arrogant.

Nick Preller: I personally love Puig. But is having a young cocky star new to baseball? Every generation has one, so I don’t see why people are freaking out over Puig.

TF: I agree. Even if that star isn’t necessarily cocky, they are always polarizing. Look at guys like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, just to name a few. People either loved them or hated them for the way they played the game, but regardless they brought attention to the sport. In that sense, all publicity is good publicity.

Nate Joseph: Players like Puig are hated by the older crowd. Younger people who love baseball and know the game realize that players like him do not hurt the ratings or anything, but he hurts the clubhouse. Players like Mike Trout are more liked because he is all baseball unlike Bryce Harper. Players like Harper and Puig add excitement. Trout is a team player.

TF: From baseball’s beginning until 1919, the game was constantly changing, and it was good for the game. Since then, there has been very little change to speak of. If baseball wants to keep up with the NBA and NFL, they need to go the way of Harper and Puig.

Rebecca Fitzgerald: I think this topic brings up the argument about whether sports are about the actual competition or entertainment, and it’s not one or the other, but rather, how much?

 JL: That is interesting. But it’s hard to distinguish the difference, I think. I agree it’s not one or the other, but doesn’t better competition bring more entertainment?

RF: I think it depends on the fans. Personally, I don’t find mixed martial arts entertaining, but it’s still competition. The exception is with the young athletes who naturally bring that excitement to the game, regardless of the sport.

NJ: The real thing is how much flash each player brings. In every sport you have players who play for themselves and others who play for their team. This is why Puig has gotten such negativity. Also, when looking at the NFL, you see that players show off more than any other league. Why is that? Is it their nature or the sport?

TF: I would argue that baseball is suffering from a lack of competition. The [St. Louis] Cardinals are going into their fourth World Series in the last decade, and many fans are not happy about this. Ratings will suffer even more than usual. I think the reason you see players in the NFL and NBA show off more is that those are more individualized sports. In baseball, unless you are the pitcher, you have four or five chances to be in the spotlight per game, and the best of all time only take true advantage of that spotlight a third of the time.

JL: I like this point. There is [more] “pretentiousness” to baseball than the NBA or NFL. I think about this kind of thing when I watch tennis. Why can’t the fans be going buck wild and screaming their heads off when they’re at a match?

NJ: The thing with baseball and tennis is that they are traditional sports that have stood the test of time, and the majority of fans don’t see anything wrong with the way that they go about. This being said, the times have changed. Players in baseball and even tennis are becoming flashier and doing more “modern” things you would not see in the past.

NP: I love seeing these nontraditional guys excel in their sports. It’s what everyone wants to see, even if they don’t agree with their actions. People want to be entertained, and these athletes do just that. Even if it is controversial, there is a case to be made about going against the grain and being as flashy as possible. It really only helps them in the long run, as they will become a polarizing figure for their sport leading to endorsements and bigger coverage.

Sports on the silver screen

Victor Wang - The Rookie  The age of 35 usually heralds thoughts of mid-life crises, aching bones and baldness. That, however, never stopped Jim Morris, who squeezed his way into professional baseball late in life when most professional athletes would consider retiring. His underdog story is the basis for 2002 sports film The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid.

The Rookie is easily my favorite baseball movie for two reasons: It’s a great dark horse contender movie, and it is based on a true story. First off, who doesn’t like rooting for an underdog? From Frodo to the Looney Tunes in Space Jam, it’s hard not to cheer for these lovable, inspirational characters. When Morris steps up to the plate to strike Royce Clayton out to end the inning, there is no other reaction but to cheer.

Knowing that someone out in the world accomplished his dream against all odds encourages us to move forward and work hard for what we love.

Nick Preller - Major League

Major League is, hands down the funniest sports movie of all time.  It centers around the lowly Cleveland Indians who are now being run by a former Las Vegas showgirl. She wants to move the team to Miami, so she instructs management to get the worst players so team does horribly and fans stop coming, thus giving her a reason to move the team.

Enter Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, played by Charlie Sheen, fresh out of prison and throwing absolute fire along with speedster Willy Mays Hayes played by Wesley Snipes and voodoo worshiping Pedro Cerrano played by Dennis Haysbert, turn the franchise around.

While it might not be the most accurate depiction of what the major league is really like, the movie is still a classic and a must see for any sports fan with a sense of humor. Watch it solely for the fact that Sheen wears hipster glasses for the majority of the film. Don't ever watch the sequels.

Taylor Frank  - Rookie of the Year

Rookie of the Year is the story of a boy, Henry Rowengartner, who falls on his arm and becomes an incredible pitcher who is signed by the Chicago Cubs.

Personally, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Cubs. They have been so bad for so long, their attendance is abysmal (as it is in the movie), and there is seemingly no hope. When Rowengartner arrives, he faces challenges of acceptance from his teammates, especially his favorite player, Chet Steadman (Gary Busey).

The main reason I like this movie is that it is an underdog story from every angle. Rowengartner is a kid who it an average baseball player, yet luck befalls him and he makes an MLB team. He leads the Cubs, a bottom dwelling team, to prominence. Even Steadman is able to learn something from Rowengartner and better himself.

Lastly, Rowengartner is the quintessential American hero. He struggles at first, but he is able to achieve his dream and his father's dream of playing in the Major Leagues. This is one of the great stories in American baseball cinema without a doubt.

Mike Eisinger - The Sandlot

A good baseball movie does not just show us baseball; it shows us life. It shows us certain truths about both the American pastime and American culture in general. With this in mind, there is no question that the best baseball movie is the 1993 classic The Sandlot.

You cannot convince me that the plot of The Sandlot is not ripped straight from the dreams of any American 12-year-old. What kid do you know would turn down the opportunity to spend every minute of their summer vacation with their best friends planning high jinks, getting into trouble and doing something that they all love?

Smalls, Scotty, Squints, Ham, Benny the Jet and the rest of the ragtag team have the time of their lives playing baseball and learning life lessons together, making for a fun-filled, nostalgic trip for the audience. Who could forget Squints making out with Wendy Peffercorn? Or the epic plans that the boys conceive to get their baseball back from the Beast and the ensuing chase?

Even if your childhood summers weren’t as action-packed as The Sandlot, the movie will make you think back to those pivotal moments that you shared with your friends growing up. That’s what makes this movie great; there’s not only some great baseball action but also some key lessons learned about teamwork, determination and, most of all, friendship.

Joe Leathersich - Moneyball

Determining what the best baseball movie really doesn’t require much debate. The clear cut answer is Moneyball, featuring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. Pitt plays the part of Billy Beane, the unorthodox general manager of the Oakland Athletics, while Hill plays Beane’s sidekick as they both try to revolutionize the sport of baseball.

What Beane did – and this movie is based on a true story – was look for athletes to replace the star athletes he lost in Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi. Instead of looking for players with comparable statistics to Damon or Giambi, he tried to replace them with lesser known, less expensive athletes that could get on base because base runners equals runs.

Everyone who claimed to know baseball could not believe what he was trying to do. It went against everything scouts throughout the league were trying to do, but the numbers never lie.

The team set the American League record of 20 consecutive wins and finished first in American League West with a record of 103-59. They also did this with the third-lowest payroll in the season.

There are other baseball movies that are good, but Moneyball is the best. Plus, you can never go wrong with Pitt.

At long last, Bud Selig announces his retirement

1998 began a dark time for MLB; it was the year Bud Selig was hired as the Commisioner of Baseball. Fortunately for everyone, he just announced his retirement. You knew things were going to bad when you hear how he got the position. He was on a board of five members who were determined to oust Fay Vincent as Commissioner of Baseball - and the board did so. Selig emerged as the next Commissioner of Baseball during the middle of the steroid era, a critical time for baseball. Instead of doing what was right and putting a stop to all of the steroid use, he sat back with his hands in his pockets and shook his head in disappointment.

Selig has taken multiple actions against players who were found to use performance-enhancing drugs. The way that he went about handling most of these issues, however, was not discrete. He waited at least a decade before cracking down on PEDs. He knew about it during the '90s, but did not institute a drug test until 2003. Selig could have easily avoided the steroid era, but he chose not to, proving he was not willing to do what was best for the game of baseball.

Selig is notorious for handing out suspensions to players who never failed any drug tests. Most notably, his recent suspension of Alex Rodriguez for 211 games has made headlines nationally. Handing down a suspension of this amount of time, with no hard evidence linked against Rodriguez and the fact he has never been suspended before for using PEDs, is foolish and irresponsible. It seems he has to make an example out of players for using these drugs.

Another controversial topic with Selig is not lifting Pete Rose's lifetime ban on baseball. Pete Rose, considered to be one of if not the greatest hitter of all time, received the ban after he was ousted for gambling on his team as a coach. Selig's refusal to lift Rose's ban, while not banning Barry Bonds for his use of steroids, is outrageous.

Besides steroids and other PEDs, Selig is most notable for his opposition of instant replay in baseball. He is very against bringing it into the game because it will “ruin the game of baseball” in his eyes. Instant replay is around in every other sport, and there are many instances in which it would have been very helpful in deciding a call. One notable instance is umpire Jim Joyce's blown call of Armando Gallaraga's perfect game in 2010, which Selig could have overturned himself but decided not to.

Selig, who scammed his way into commissioner power in the first place, was clearly not the right man for baseball. He could have single-handedly saved baseball. Instead, he sat back and did nothing, proving his tenure as commissioner a complete failure.