2014 Post-Season Baseball

Now that the 2014 regular season is complete, it's time to make some predictions.  I promise not to spend too much time talking about a certain retiring player.  (After all, no one really wants to hear my thoughts on Paul Konerko.)

We will start with listing the ten teams in order of how much I would want them to win the World Series:
1. Pirates: broke their long postseason drought last year, but haven't been to the Series since 1979
2. Royals: this year's version of the Pirates; broke a long streak - they haven't been to the postseason since they won it all in 1985
3. Nationals: one of only two franchises (along with the Mariners) that has never reached the World Series.  I generally prefer strong pitching over offensive slugfests, and the Nats have some great arms
4. Orioles:  even though they are divisional rivals of the Yankees, they haven't had much success recently, and they play in a great ballpark
5. Tigers: they have come close a couple of times in the past decade, but haven't won it all since 1984
6. Dodgers: would be great to see Clayton Kershaw work on the biggest stage
7. Athletics: their last championship was in 1989
8. Angels: some great players, especially Mike Trout
9. Giants: Have won two of the last four World Series.
10. Cardinals: have won a couple of titles in recent years.  I admit to not liking this team, ever since Tony LaRussa was their manager.

Now, for my actual predictions:

Wild Card Games:
Royals over Athletics
Pirates over Giants

Division Series:
Orioles over Tigers, 3-1
Angels over Royals, 3-2
Dodgers over Cardinals, 3-1
Nationals over Pirates, 3-1

League Championship Series:
Angels over Orioles, 4-3
Nationals over Dodgers, 4-2

World Series:
Nationals over Angels, 4-2

Play ball!

2014 NFL Predictions

Once again, we have reached the start of a new football season.  Even though I'm a couple of days late (the Seahawks beat the Packers on Thursday night), I will now reveal my predictions:

AFC East
New England
Miami
New York
Buffalo

AFC North
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati (wild card)
Baltimore
Cleveland

AFC South
Indianapolis
Houston
Jacksonville
Tennessee

AFC West
San Diego
Denver (wild card)
Kansas City
Oakland

NFC East
Philadelphia
New York
Washington
Dallas

NFC North
Green Bay
Chicago (wild card)
Detroit
Minnesota

NFC South
New Orleans
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Atlanta

NFC West
Seattle
San Francisco (wild card)
Arizona
St. Louis

Wild Card Games
San Diego 24, Denver 21
Cincinnati 26, Indianapolis 13
Philadelphia 31, San Francisco 30
New Orleans 16, Chicago 7

Divisional Games
Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 19
San Diego 30, New England 10
Seattle 28, Philadelphia 3
New Orleans 14, Green Bay 10

Conference Championships
Pittsburgh 21, San Diego 14
Seattle 24, New Orleans 14

Super Bowl
Pittsburgh 17, Seattle 13

MVP: Jamaal Charles
Best overall record: Seattle
Worst overall record: Oakland