Baseball predictions

Since Matt's baseball playoff predictions are always so spot on, we don't want to deprive the world of them. No deep analysis this year; just winging it.

Rays vs. Rangers

Rooting for: Rays

Will win: Rays in five, 'cause Rangers pitching isn't good enough

Playoff intrigue rank: 1st (Most intriguing series. Pitching and destiny vs. experience and hitting.)

Tigers vs. Yankees

Rooting for: I really don't like either of these teams. Sabathia and Jeter seem like all right guys.

Will win: Tigers in four, 'cause Yankee pitching isn't good enough. Oh and Verlander is a God.

Playoff intrigue ranking: 2nd

Cardinals vs. Phillies

Rooting for: Cardinals (the only playoff team Matt saw in person this year)

Will win: Phils in four, 'cause their pitching is great

Playoff intrigue ranking: 3 (Can the Phillies be beat?)

Diamondbacks vs. Brewers

Rooting for: Brew Crew

Will win: Brewers in three, 'cause they're just too darn good

Playoff intrigue rank: 4 (No one thinks the DBacks have a chance, right?)

The Streak continues!!

Matt's unbelievable baseball prediction streak continues!

In the first round of the playoffs, Matt went out on a limb and predicted that the White Sox, Angels, Cubs and Brewers would roll through. And they did!

It was amazing, wasn't it? Remember when Ted Lilly threw the Game 3 no-hitter to clinch it for the Cubs; when K-Rod decked Big Papi; when Paul Konerko went deep three times in Game 5; and when the Brewers went down two games to none and looked like they were done but C.C. Sabathia pitched back-to-back-to-back games and still they were down 1-0 in the ninth inning of Game 5 and it looked like all hope was lost - 2 outs and 2 strikes - but then Brad Lidge hit six batters in a row to lose the series? Remember that? Wow. And Matt predicted every bit of it.

Then, last week, Matt went out on a longer, different, even less sturdy limb and took the Cubs and the White Sox to make the World Series. No one believed it would actually happen. But, here we are, in Baseball City, U.S.A., watching the unthinkable, viewing the unbelievable: a Windy City Series.

Wait?

Huh?
Do I hear some scoffs? Guffaws? Harumphs?

OK, so Matt has missed on every single one of his playoff predictions. That's fairly difficult do, seemingly. The Red Sox made a run at it - nearly pulled off the amazing comeback - only to completely disappoint Matt. (And it need not be mentioned on these same American Internet waves, Matt predicted the Mets would make the playoffs.)

All. Righty. Then. There's just one series left: Rays and Phillies. Already, people are publicly speculating that the ratings will be down for this series. Matt will ask the obvious question: who in the world - besides TV execs - cares what the ratings are? Will they stop broadcasting the Series if the ratings fall off this year? Ha.

Everything is telling Matt the Rays will win the Series. They're on a roll. They play great defense, have outstanding starting and relief pitching, and timely hitting. There's a bit of that destiny thing rolling in their direction. So that means the pick has to be, there's really no other choice, it simply cannot be anyone else besides...the Phillies. (Hence the fuzzy picture of Ryan Howard above.) Get your Rays Championship merchandise now.

OK, well, you're owed some real posts after all this baseball magic. So, why don't we give you a little Illini football and finally get you out of darkest Peru?

Coming soon!

Perfect in the playoffs!

Well, Matt has done it. A perfect 4-for-4 in the playoffs. What's that you say? Matt got all his playoff predictions wrong? Hark! I dare say it may have seemed that Matt swung and missed on every single one of his playoff predictions. But if you look closely, the exact opposite is actually true.

Let's take a closer look:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels

Matt's prediction: Angels in 3 games
Comment: The Red Sox are good. The Angels are really, really good.

Result: Red Sox win the series in four games.

See? Matt said the Red Sox were good. He was right on!

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox

Matt's prediction: White Sox in 5
Comment: Experience and good starting pitching edges out the team of the future.

Result: Rays won in four games.

See? Matt clearly mentioned that starting pitching's the key. "For the Rays" was implied. Booya!

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs

Matt's prediction: Cubs in 3
Comment: Cubs aren't as good as everyone thinks. But they're a lot better than the Dodgers.

Result: Dodgers in 3.

See? This one's easy. Matt clearly said the Cubs aren't as good as everyone thinks. They're not even as good as Matt thinks! And, by the way, Matt nailed it: three games. Money.

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Brewers in 5
Comment: With Sabathia pitching two games, the Brewers squeak by.

Result: Phillies in four

See? Matt never put the word "prediction" in there. So, if he had been allowed to finish ... Matt would have said Brewers in 5...years, will win the World Series. Stay tuned...

OK, after all that success, how can Matt avoid throwing out some predictions for the championship serieses?

Red Sox vs. Rays

Matt's "prediction": Red Sox in 7 games

Comment: Red Sox experience edges out the Rays. Matt will send his formal apology, by fax, to each and every Sox fan.

Dodgers vs. Phillies

Matt's "prediction": Dodgers in four games

Comment: Phillies have the hitting, but not the pitching. Inexplicably, the Dodgers will be in the World Series.

That's right! Matt's predicting an all-Manny series! (So start getting tickets, Phillies and Rays fans!)