MLB Season Wrap: The Best Games of the 2009 Postseason

The Yankees won the title this past Wednesday night, so the media has been less inclined to criticize or ignore baseball than usual of late. They’re also more likely to wrap the season up for 48 or 72 hours (instead of 24 or fewer) before moving 100% into football, instead of the 95% coverage the NFL has enjoyed since September.

But during the MLB playoffs, I did hear, nationally and locally, on TV, radio, and the blogs, that the postseason “lacked.” While it’s true no series went the distance, close to half of the 30 total games played went down the last  inning or even the final batter. The media’s consensus could not be more incorrect; this was a GREAT postseason overall.

Let’s take a look at the best games, in no particular order:

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Steelers-Broncos Monday Night Football Preview and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork Stew

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Quick World Series Five-Game Recap and Revised Prediction

I need not recap the past five games too much, since TV ratings, as expected, have been extraordinary.

I think any baseball fan (not of the Yankees, I suppose) is happy we’ll see a World Series Game Six for the first time since 2003, due primarily to AJ Burnett’s ineffectiveness on three days rest, and of course, the magical bat of one Chase Utley.

I picked the Phillies in five, especially after they split in New York, and was wrong.

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Monday Night Football: Falcons-Saints Spread, Analysis, Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Shaved Pork Loin Pockets

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at New Orleans Saints (6-0)

• Falcons-Saints Date: Sunday, November 1st
• Falcons-Saints Kickoff Time: 8:30 PM
• Falcons-Saints TV Network: ESPN
• Falcons-Saints Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Falcons-Saints Point Spread: Saints -11 (as of Sunday morning)
• Falcons-Saints Over-Under: 55 (as of Sunday morning)
• Falcons-Saints Spread Pick by Jerod: This will be another tremendous game and my temptation is to pick the Saints and not think about it. But Atlanta is a good team that just ran into a well-rested, ready-to-go team in Week 7 that was coming off of its bye. I do think the Saints will win, and I’m sure they’ll put up a ton of points, but I think the Falcons can keep this one closer than the 10 points they are being given. Falcons-Saints free pick: Falcons +10

Falcons-Saints MNF Preview and Analysis

In their first intra-divisional game of 2009, the New Orleans Saints, the NFC’s lone unbeaten team, look to start 7-0 for just the second time in team history (1991). It comes on the heels of their most difficult win, last weekend in Miami.

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Yankees-Phillies 2009 World Series Preview and TV Schedule

There will not be a freeway series this year in baseball, nor will there be a cross-country coastal series. There will be an “Amtrak” Series, however.

And hopefully the Phils and Yanks will travel like The Babe did in the old days when they commute back and forth over the next week or so in the Fall Classic.

By virtue of a clutch game 4 win that gave them series control and an eventual second consecutive NL pennant, the Philadelphia Phillies will take on the New York Yankees, fresh off another close victory and series win over the gutsy Anaheim Angels.

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MNF Preview: Eagles-Redskins Spread, Analysis, and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Pizza

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at Washington Redskins (2-4)

Eagles-Redskins Date: Monday, October 26th
Eagles-Redskins Kickoff Time: 8:30 PM
Eagles-Redskins TV Network: ESPN
Eagles-Redskins Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
Eagles-Redskins Point Spread: Eagles -7.5
Eagles-Redskins Over-Under: 37.5
Eagles-Redskins Spread Pick by Jerod: Normally this would look like a pretty exciting game, but the Eagles are coming off of a terrible performance and the Redskins are just…terrible. With so much flux at QB and in their coaching staff, I just can’t see Washington playing well enough against an Eagles team that has to be spitting mad after losing to Oakland. I think this one gets out of hand early and the Eagles roll. Eagles-Redskins free pick: Eagles -7.5

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Eagles-Redskins MNF Preview and Analysis

Where to begin.

You know things are bad in Washington when Redskins fans are castigating the team for cutting undrafted free agent, Chase Daniels, in the preseason. Indeed the QB situation in Washington is irreparable and it appears as though whoever starts for the remainder of the year, whether it be incumbent starter Jason Campbell, or $4 million per year career back-up Todd Collins, they will most likely be a stop-gap for the Redskins’ 2010 first round pick.

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Monday Night Football: Denver Broncos-San Diego Chargers Spread, Preview & Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Nachos

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Denver Broncos (5-0) at San Diego Chargers (3-2)

• Broncos-Chargers Date: Monday, October 19th
• Broncos-Chargers Kickoff Time: 8:30 PM
• Broncos-Chargers TV Network: ESPN
• Broncos-Chargers Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Broncos-Chargers Point Spread: Chargers -3.5
• Broncos-Chargers Over-Under: 44
• Broncos-Chargers Spread Pick by Jerod: I was shocked when I first saw this line, but am not so shocked the more I think about it. The Chargers are coming off a bye, should have a healthier LaDainian Tomlinson at their disposal, and had to listen to their GM call them out this past week. The Broncos are coming off of a tough, emotional win over New England, and you have to think that this team is going to stumble on the road at some point. I think Philip Rivers outplays Kyle Orton and the Chargers hand the Broncos their first loss of the season, and by more than a field goal. Broncos-Chargers free pick: Chargers -3.5

Broncos-Chargers MNF Preview and Analysis

In August, ESPN’s “football expert,” John Clayton, who spends 365 days per year studying the sport, predicted the Denver Broncos would win “two or three games max” this season. To their credit, the other commentators on the panel disagreed, though most said five wins might be a stretch. Denver, of course, is undefeated through five weeks of football in 2009. The last four times Denver has started 5-0, they’ve made the super bowl or won the championship.

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ALCS Preview: Anaheim Angels vs New York Yankees

[Writers's Note: As someone raised in southern California who attended dozens of Angels games during his college years, including two playoff games in 2002, I will refer to the Angels' city as Anaheim, not Los Angeles nor "Los Angeles of Anaheim."]

No doubt we have the two best teams in the AL — perhaps in baseball — playing for the American League pennant.

The New York Yankees surpassed 100 wins this season and reclaimed the AL East as their own. The Anaheim Angels continued their dominance of the AL West with another 90+ win season and division title.

Fans should be ecstatic to see this quality matchup.

It also presents many story lines.

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2009 NLCS Preview: Phillies-Dodgers Analysis and TV Schedule

What can you say about this year’s L.A. Dodgers?

They dominated their division and most of their league all season, yet were overlooked, as many (wrongly) felt they played in a weak division. (See the NL Wild Card winner two of the past three seasons.) They then closed the regular campaign by scuffling during the season’s final fortnight and received intense criticism.

Most, including local writers, therefore picked Los Angeles to lose to the potent St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series. Instead, now that they’ve swept a stellar NL central champ for the second year in a row, the Dodgers are set to host the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night in a rematch of the 2008 NLCS.

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Happy 99th, Coach!

Indiana native John R. Wooden, a legendary Purdue guard in the 30s, World War 2 Vet in the 40s, coach and teacher through the 50s, 60s and 70s, author, mentor, Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and genuine American icon since, turns 99 on Wednesday.

You can read more here,  wish him a happy birthday here, or see the outpouring of love for Coach Wooden by doing a simple google search here.

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Monday Night Football: Jets-Dolphins Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Baked Beans

Each week, you can also listen to the MSF Monday Night Football Podcast, brought to you by Sadler’s. Follow the link to listen to the MSF Podcast on iTunes, or use the in-page player below to listen while you read.

Jets-Dolphins MNF Preview Podcast presented by Sadler’s

(FYI…audio player may take a second or two to load)

 
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Cardinals-Dodgers NLDS Preview, Pitching Matchups, and TV Schedule

My wife and I drove 500 miles round trip to Busch Stadium Saturday afternoon to see the Cards drop another close one to the playoff-less Brewers. They did the same the prior evening, as well as Sunday, looking bad in each game.

While most know of the Dodgers’ struggles the past fortnight or so, they finished by winning their final two games. 

And though St. Louis had little to play for other than home field in round one, the Redbirds dropped eight of their final ten, mostly to teams now playing golf.

Thankfully, perhaps, they avoided the Rockies, who took six of seven from them in 2009, and instead get the Dodgers, who limp into the postseason, after being arguably the NL’s best squad most of the season.

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Twins-Yankees ALDS Preview, Pitching Matchups, and TV Schedule

Could there be a potentially bigger mismatch than the worn-out, 87-76 Minnesota Twins, fresh off finally clinching the AL Central in a draining Minneapolis marathon, arriving in New York City in the wee hours Wednesday morning to take on the hungry, rested, 103-win Yankees at the new ballpark in the Bronx?

Not really, but again, does any of this matter once the game begins?

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Rockies-Phillies NLDS Preview, Pitching Matchups, and TV Schedule

This series presents a 2007 rematch the Phils would like to forget.

In an intriguing matchup of the last two NL pennant winners, many believe Colorado is the favorite in this series again, but seriously, the Phils are the defending champs, winners of 93 games, with a stacked lineup as good as any in baseball, and due to their huge attendance this year, the gross/money to rent proven hurlers like Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez to make a run at a repeat.

(Yes, Philly fans will angrily attack me for this as you did before, but you guys are nearly as “guilty” as the Yanks or Red Sox of acquiring key free agents to put you over the top — see Lidge, Brad in 2008, Ibanez, Raul this season as well as Werth, Jayson; Lee, Cliff; Martinez, Pedro, etc.)

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Angels-Red Sox ALDS Preview, Pitching Matchups, and TV Schedule

Poor Angels.

For the third year in a row, and fourth out of six, they draw Boston, who, each time, has ended their season.

LA/Anaheim has won the AL West five of the past six seasons, but have yet to return to the World Series (they won in 2002 as aWild Card). The Angels have won 89 or more games for six years running, have captured three straight division crowns , and, unlike their opponents, three-quarters of their roster is homegrown. 

That’s some fascinating or troubling history, depending upon which side your allegiance falls.

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