Entering Enemy Territory

Panoramic view of Turner Field

So I have now added Atlanta's Turner Field to the stable of ballparks I have visited (joining AT&T Park in San Francisco, Dodger Stadium, Petco Park in San Diego, Oakland Coliseum, Edison Field in Anaheim, Safeco Field in Seattle, Chase Field in Arizona, as well as Candlestick Park, old Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium in New York, and Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego).  I still have a long way to go, but look forward to the journey.

I have been the "visitor" to see my Giants play in 6 different ballparks now, and Turner Field is by far the classiest.  Considering what happened to Bryan Stow in Los Angeles earlier this year, there was a bit of....mmmmm...shall we say, "trepidation" as my sons and I walked through the parking lot headed to the gate all decked out in our Giants gear.  With my boys openly mocking the Braves fans by wearing their NL Champions and WS Champions shirts (I was stylishly decked out in my 2001 Reyn Spooner San Francisco Giants Aloha shirt with a Giants golf cap), I expected some difficulty, both in and out of the stadium.  It was not to be, however, as we were warmly welcomed by Braves fans (and the many....MANY...Giants fans in attendance).

William, 19 and Daniel, 21, mocking Braves fans

The Reyn Spooner, I will add, is now undefeated in 3 ballparks where the Giants are visitors (it was also worn in the 2006 World Baseball Classic at Chase Field when the USA defeated Mexico 2-0, so that sort of makes 4), winning at Turner Field, Petco Park, and the hated Dodger Stadium.  It was also soaked in beer at Dodger Stadium, courtesy of an unruly illegal immigrant drunk Dodger fan who decided to shower me with his frosty malt beverage as the Giants pounded the Dodgers.  But there was zero behavior of this sort at Turner Field, despite the fact that I was able to shout very loudly, "Got Heem" 9 times as Matt Cain destroyed the Braves lineup.

I look forward to visiting Turner Field again Tuesday, October 4th, 2011, as the Giants will be coming into Turner Field up 2 games to none and ready to wrap their Divisional Series with the Braves.

See you in October, Braves fans!

Pedictions

As I did last year (via Twitter), the time has come to predict the MLB playoffs.  Last year, I did VERY well, correctly predicting all 8 teams.  Without further ado, here is where things stand now:

AL East                    AL Central               AL West
Boston                       Detroit                        Texas
New York                 Cleveland                    Los Angeles
Tampa Bay                Chicago                      Oakland
Toronto                      Minnesota                  Seattle
Baltimore                   Kansas City

NL East                    NL Central                NL West
Philadelphia               Milwaukee                  Arizona
Atlanta                       St. Louis                     San Francisco
New York                 Cincinnati                   Colorado
Washington               Pittsburgh                   Los Angeles
Florida                       Chicago                      San Diego
                                  Houston

I think we can all agree that Baltimore, Seattle, Kansas City, Minnesota, Oakland, and Toronto are out in the American League (yes, Blue Jays fans, I realize I left the White Sox in with their losing record...ya'll are in the AL East...'nuff said).  Likewise, it is safe to say that Houston, Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, Colorado, Florida, Pittsburgh, Washington,  and New York are also looking to 2012 by now.

That leaves 8 teams in the AL and 7 in the NL still battling for 4 spots in each league.  Let's start with the Junior Circuit.

The Boston Red Sox started slow, but will finish strong and win the East and secure home field advantage.  As the Yankees will be the Wild Card, and they are in the same division as the BoSox, Boston will open up at home against...wait for it...the Detroit Tigers.  Detroit will ride Justin Verlander to the Central title, nipping a game but overmatched Cleveland Indians club.  The Yankees will open at West repeat champion Texas Rangers, who will put away the Los Angeles Angels this month (7 games in the next two weeks).  Tampa Bay will make it close, but will be unable to make up their deficit to the Yankees for the Wild Card.  And the White Sox?  Well, you can't win the division with a losing record.  And the Sox can't win at Comiskey.  Next year, South Side!  On to the Senior Circuit.

Oh, to be a Philadelphia Phillies fan!  Start with arguably one of the best starting rotations in the league, then add Hunter Pence into the mix and, damn.  The Phillies will run away with the East, leaving the Wild Card Braves deep in their wake and secure home field.  Again, as in the AL, the Phillies will not open with the Wild Card Braves, but host the Milwaukee Brewers, champions of the Central, come playoff time.  St. Louis and a surging Cincinnati Reds team, feasting on weaker clubs in the last two months of the season, will fall just short, but keep the Brew Crew on their toes through the final week of the season.  This leaves Atlanta to once again hit the road for..."I left, my hearrrrrrrrrrt, in Saaaaaan Franciscooooo!" The Giants will awaken their offense, and their stellar pitching staff will carry the Giants through to the West championship.  Arizona, playing way over their heads, will falter on a vicious 10 game road trip through Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Washington beginning Tuesday, then wither under the pressure of playing the surging Giants 6 times in the final month.

So there we stand on this day, August 15th, 6 weeks left in the season.  Red Sox-Tigers and Rangers-Yankees in the AL.  Phillies-Brewers and Giants-Braves in the NL.

You read it here first.

P.S. It's too early to predict the political side of 2012, other than to say one thing:

Obama is toast, and will go down as the worst president ever.