Sports With The StatMan #59: Show Notes

Timeline
00:00-25:00 – Flyers come back from 3-0 in series and in Game 7 to stun Bruins
25:00-33:00 - Montreal slays another giant in the playoffs, Flyers-Montreal preview
33:00-38:00 - Chicago owns Canucks in Vancouver
38:00-46:30 - San Jose getting tougher, San Jose-Chicago preview, Predictions
46:30-55:00 - Yankees facing the best of the AL Central
55:00-58:30 - My trip to Target Field
58:30-64:00 - Mets facing divisional foes
64:00-70:45 - Red Sox: Beckett issues, Ortiz heating up
70:45-75:00 - Phillies: Injury news, Manuel talks about sign-stealing
75:00-81:00 - Fantasy Minute
81:00-82:30 - Final Note

Main Points
00:00-25:00 – Flyers come back from 3-0 in series and in Game 7 to stun Bruins

• How big of a loss was this in Boston sports history?
• Players returning from injury in Simon Gagne and Michael Leighton made the difference in the series
• Gagne gave the Flyers the fuel to push them over the top
• Flyers coach Peter Laviolette is playing everything just right, evidenced by the timeout called down 3-0 in Game 7, maneuvering around goaltending injuries
• The only way the Flyers could get home ice is this very matchup (#7 Flyers vs. #8 Montreal)
• What will change for the Bruins before next season?
• What happens now to the psyche of the team, especially young goaltender Tuukka Rask? If you remember, Brian Boucher was an up-and-coming goaltender for the Flyers with some playoff success before blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Devils in 2000 stunted his growth.

25:00-33:00 - Montreal slays another giant in the playoffs, Flyers-Montreal preview

• Jaroslav Halak carried the Habs against Washington in the first round, but it was a team effort in Game 7 at Pittsburgh (W, 5-2)
• Hal Gill and Josh Gorges are the defensive tandem getting the attention for Montreal in the playoffs. Gill was with Pittsburgh last year and has been called on to shut down the likes of Ovechkin and the big guns on Pittsburgh.
• Philadelphia loves to score goals on chaotic goal-mouth scrambles. It will be up to Gill and Gorges, along with the rest of the Montreal defense, to clear the crease and make sure Halak can see Flyer shots.
• Cinderella teams that ride a hot goaltender have the tendency to turn into a pumpkin in the Conference Final
• PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA in 7

33:00-38:00 - Chicago owns Canucks in Vancouver

• Chicago was the only home team to win in this series as they won Game 2
• Chicago scored 12 goals in Games 3 and 4 and won both games in Vancouver
• Roberto Luongo has failed against Chicago as he has tried to build a reputation of a good playoff goaltender
• Chicago is in the Western/Campbell Conference Final in consecutive years for the first time since 1989-90

38:00-46:30 - San Jose getting tougher, San Jose-Chicago preview, Predictions

• Marleau and Thornton have played well in these playoffs
• San Jose shed their playoff failure label after handling defending Western Conference champs (Detroit) in five games
• The kids are still alright in Chicago
• PREDICTION: CHICAGO in 7
• Through the Second Round: 7-5 in Playoffs, 2 exact hits (winner and games)

46:30-55:00 - Yankees facing the best of the AL Central

• Phil Hughes is pitching like he belongs in the Big Three of the Yankee starting rotation
• Hughes’ inning count is rising quickly, but he is a lot more economical than Joba Chamberlain was as a starter
• Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam to pass Frank Robinson for 7th all-time in HR (587); the grand slam tied him with Eddie Murray for 3rd in GSHR with 19 (Lou Gehrig 23, Manny Ramirez 21)
• Will the next generation of kids remember and be able to recite the home run career leaders? Will kids remember 762 like they remembered 755 and 714? Will it take a chase of Bonds for the top spot to ingrain 762 in our heads or have steroids taken the bloom off the rose forever?

55:00-58:30 - My trip to Target Field

• Early returns on how the ballpark is playing: ball is carrying down the lines, not in the alleys or straight away center
• Champions Club has all of the amenities, but only one bathroom

58:30-64:00 - Mets facing divisional foes

• The great comeback game against Washington, in which the Mets scored 6 runs in the 8th, was the only win of the week for the Mets.
• Ike Davis must have patented his foul pop catch and subsequent dugout flip. He has done this three times now and, New York, those things get candy bars named after you.
• The time has come to take Oliver Perez out of the rotation. In his last two starts, he has allowed 21 baserunners and recorded only 20 outs.

64:00-70:45 - Red Sox: Beckett issues, Ortiz heating up

• Daisuke Matsuzaka looked like the Dice-K of old using his fastball in his last start, striking out 8 of 9 Blue Jays on fastball
• Josh Beckett has a back issue and will skip his turn this week. He is scheduled to go Tuesday against the Yankees. Is his back an issue or did they give him some time off to figure things out?
• Even though the Red Sox have Jon Lester and John Lackey, they need a healthy and effective Beckett to win
• David Ortiz is starting to hit for power, hitting two against Detroit on Friday night. Since hitting .143 in April, he has four multi-hit games since then to raise his average to .213. Ortiz had his 34th multi-HR game on Friday, which is third in Sox history (Ted Williams 37, Jim Rice 35). Ortiz is a Red Sox all-timer because of his playoff performance, but he is starting to get those longevity statistics as well, even though he is hanging on.
• Manager Terry Francona will not commit to returning Ortiz as the everyday DH. Mike Lowell (.269-1-9) has gotten very little playing time. Adrian Beltre is still entrenched at 3B. Beltre is hitting .311, but he is not hitting for power.

70:45-75:00 - Phillies: Injury news, Manuel talks about sign-stealing

• Brad Lidge may have some elbow issues, which could be a big problem because with Ryan Madson on the DL and J.C. Romero best in a setup role, who would close games?
• Jimmy Rollins started his rehab today and could return for next week’s (May 17-23) homestand
• Manager Charlie Manuel responded to the Rockies accusing the Phillies of stealing signs at home. Manuel asked how the Mets play so well at home and said the Mets should be checked for stealing signs. The only thing missing from the Mets-Phillies rivalry is a full-out bench-clearing brawl. Eventually, the off-the-field stuff will probably escalate to on-the-field actions.
• MetsBanter.com tells you what they really think of Charlie Manuel

75:00-81:00 - Fantasy Minute

• Last 7 Days (week ending Friday, May 14th)
• Hitters: 1. Ichiro Suzuki SEA 42 FPTS*, 2. Mark Teixeira NYY 36, 3. Hunter Pence HOU 34, 4. Casey McGehee MIL 33, 5. Alex Rodriguez NYY 32
• Pitchers: 1. Dallas Braden OAK 54 FPTS* (perfect game), T-2. Johnny Cueto CIN 47 (1-hitter), T-2. Joe Saunders LAA 47, T-4. Jeremy Guthrie BAL 46, T-4. Mat Latos SDG 46 (1-hitter)
• Season-To-Date (through Friday, May 14th)
• Hitters: 1. Andre Ethier LAD 154 FPTS* (overtakes Braun for the season lead), 2. Ryan Braun MIL 150, 3. Miguel Cabrera DET 138, 4. Vernon Wells TOR 134, T-5. Evan Longoria TBY 130, T-5. Justin Morneau MIN 130
• Pitchers: 1. Roy Halladay PHL 201 FPTS* (1 more start than rest of starters in Top 5), 2. Ubaldo Jimenez COL 182, 3. Tim Lincecum SFO 176, 4. Adam Wainwright STL 159, 5. Matt Capps WSH 158 (only reliever in Top 5)

81:00-82:30 - Final Note

• Dallas Braden is still talking about Alex Rodriguez. Braden’s 15 minutes of fame just got extended with a perfect game last week.
• Mark your calendars: the Athletics have two more series with the Yankees this season. The next time they meet is a three-game set in Oakland (July 5-7) and they also have a four-game series at Yankee Stadium (August 30-September 2). There may be some fireworks.

Next Week
We will return to our regular spot on Wednesday night at 9pm Eastern time. On the show (#60), the Flyers continue their charge toward the Stanley Cup. We’ll talk Conference Finals in the NHL. We will talk baseball, with the mini two-game series between the Yankees and Red Sox over with and it is Oliver Perez’s night to start, so we will see if Perez is still in the rotation. We will also preview Interleague play 2010 and see if the American League will dominate yet again. All of this and more on Sports With The StatMan.

Here are the ways to follow along and get in touch with the show:

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Also, check out MetsBanter.com, which features coverage from our resident Mets expert, Wills Gillan, as well as the StatMan.

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Upcoming Schedule
• Wednesday, May 19th, 9pm ET - Sports With The StatMan #60
• Wednesday, May 26th, 9pm ET - Sports With The StatMan #61
• Wednesday, June 2nd, 9pm ET - Sports With The StatMan #62

2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Final Predictions

CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL (2nd Round) RESULTS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#8 Montreal defeats #4 Pittsburgh, 4 games to 3
The defending Stanley Cup Champions did not get out of the second round, as the Penguins dropped Game Seven at home.  Montreal got through Washington on the wings of a 3-1 comeback and the goaltending of Jaroslav Halak.  But, Montreal won a second Game Seven on the road because of more than just goaltending.  A 4-0 lead early in the second period made the final game anti-climactic.

#7 Philadelphia defeats #6 Boston, 4 games to 3
It was a tale of two series.  The Bruins had a 3-0 lead and held all of the cards.  The Flyers' Simon Gagne came back from injury in Game 4 and finished the series with four goals in the last four games of the series, including two game-winners.  Brian Boucher's luck was about to run out, losing the first three games before winning Game Four and was injured in Game Five.  Michael Leighton came off the bench, back from injury, and carried the Flyers in goal the rest of the series, making history along the way.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 San Jose defeats #5 Detroit, 4 games to 1
San Jose has shed their labels of playoff failures after this series, making it to the Conference Finals and they got there with their stars being stars.  Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau had great series and Joe Pavelski continued his big play in the second season.  Detroit was tired after a seven-game series win over Phoenix, but San Jose was rested and ready to go.  The Sharks built a 3-0 lead and won in five.

#2 Chicago defeats #3 Vancouver, 4 games to 2
Chicago owns Roberto Luongo, especially in Vancouver.  In the Conference Semifinals, Chicago has now defeated Vancouver in two straight playoffs, making it to consecutive Conference Finals for the first time since 1989-90.  Chicago is young and Vancouver's defense could not keep up.  The beat goes on in Vancouver with yet another playoff loss, but Chicago's renaissance continues.

CONFERENCE FINAL (3rd Round) PREDICTIONS
EASTERN CONFERENCE: #7 Philadelphia vs. #8 Montreal - PHILADELPHIA in 7 games
Flyer fans were dejected after being down 3-0 to the Bruins.  They were skeptical after wins in Game Four and Game Five.  After a Game Six win at home, the city was captivated.  Now, after doing the very, very improbable, the city is electric.  Welcome to the Conference Finals, which open Sunday in Philadelphia.  Montreal has played the maximum amount of games in both playoff series so far, so I think this will go the distance.  Montreal has won two Game Seven's on the road, but Philadelphia has the electricity of its fans and its city behind them.  Flyers in seven.

WESTERN CONFERENCE: #1 San Jose vs. #2 Chicago - CHICAGO in 7 games
Chicago has the longest drought of any team left in these playoffs.  A loss to San Jose would make it 50 years, but the Blackhawks are on their way back to prominence.  Despite their cap troubles, the time is now for Chicago.  Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook are the stars, but Antti Niemi has played better than expected in the first two rounds.  Both teams are running on all cylinders, but there is magic in Chicago.  I am picking the series to go the full seven games and for Chicago to win the deciding game on the road.  Blackhawks in seven.

Join me on Sports With The StatMan (#60) this Wednesday night at 9pm ET.  For the full wrap on the Conference Semifinal round, listen to last week's show on the show page (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan).

2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Semifinal Predictions

CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL (1st Round) RESULTS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#8 Montreal defeats #1 Washington, 4 games to 3
The only Game 7 in the Eastern Conference proved to be the biggest upset in these playoffs.  The Canadiens became the first #8 team ever to come back from a 3-1 deficit in Stanley Cup Playoff history, providing a moment worthy of a 100th anniversary in season number 101.

#7 Philadelphia defeats #2 New Jersey, 4 games to 1
The Devils could not break through against Brian Boucher, which frustrated the team and led to a "resignation" by now former coach Jacques Lemaire.  The special teams told the story, as the Devils went 4-for-32 while the Flyers scored four more goals in one less opportunity with the man advantage (8-for-31).

#6 Boston defeats #3 Buffalo, 4 games to 2
In a series that got a little rough-and-tumble, the Bruins survived against the Sabres for the upset.  Tuukka Rask outplayed Ryan Miller when all was said and done in the series for Rask's first four career playoff victories.

#4 Pittsburgh defeats #5 Ottawa, 4 games to 2
Pittsburgh turned the corner against Ottawa, but Ottawa hung tough to force a Game Six.  But, once Pittsburgh netted seven against the Senators, the series definitely turned in the Penguins favor.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 San Jose defeats #8 Colorado, 4 games to 2
Colorado had a 2-1 lead after San Jose defenseman cleared a puck into his own net to give the Avalanche a 1-0 overtime win.  But, that was the last game the Avalanche won in the series and the Sharks outscored Colorado the rest of the way, 12-3.

#2 Chicago defeats #7 Nashville, 4 games to 2
Chicago goaltender Antti Niemi was a strength instead of a liability in the first round, shutting out Nashville twice.  Pekka Rinne also played well for the Predators, but their scorers came up a little short.

#3 Vancouver defeats #6 Los Angeles, 4 games to 2
The Kings had a good thing going, leading the series 2-1 after Game 3.  But, just like the Sharks-Avalanche series, the Canucks kicked it into high gear and won three in a row to send Los Angeles home for the summer.  Vancouver blitzed Los Angeles 17-8 in the final three games of the series.

#5 Detroit defeats #4 Phoenix, 4 games to 3
The only Game 7 in the Western Conference was not much of a matchup in the final game.  But, the series was point and counterpoint in the first six games with the Wings holding a 20-17 overall goal lead.  Detroit pulled away in Game 7, winning 6-1 and pushing the veteran playoff performers to the next round.

CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL (2nd Round) PREDICTIONS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
#4 Pittsburgh vs. #8 Montreal - PITTSBURGH in 6 games
Montreal outlasted Washington and that could make them stronger.  But, how can you expect Montreal to beat two top-end world-class teams in a row?  You can't.  Pens in six.

#6 Boston vs. #7 Philadelphia - BOSTON in 6 games
If Boston thought their first round series with Buffalo was tough, this one against Philadelphia will be even tougher.  The Bruins have Marc Savard back on the ice and the team is poised to continue its run.  Boston and Philadelphia both have hot goalies, but I am predicting that Brian Boucher will turn into a pumpkin first.  Bruins in six.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 San Jose vs. #5 Detroit - SAN JOSE in 6 games
The Sharks may have gotten over their playoff struggles, but it will take more than one series to shake that bad reputation.  The Red Wings have the playoff pedigree, but they are tired and their goalie, brilliant as he has been at times this season, is still a rookie.  The Wings still have a lot left in the tank, but the Sharks might be finding their game.  If the first line can click, the Sharks will win.  My pick: Sharks in six.

#2 Chicago vs. #3 Vancouver - CHICAGO in 7 games
This series is a rematch from last season, when Chicago upset Vancouver.  Chicago is the favorite this time around.  Olympic brethren will face off as Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook, and Duncan Keith go up against gold medal teammate in Vancouver's Roberto Luongo.  This year, will it be a repeat or another upset?  I think this series will go the distance and I will go with the repeat.  Blackhawks in seven.