The Basement View

Get your popcorn ready as playoffs are finally upon us. Tonight at 8 on ESPN the (83-75) New York Yankees host the  (86-76) Houston Astros. Keep in mind the last time that Houston was in the playoffs was 2005 and they played in the World Series against the Chicago White Sox. This is the first time the Yankees have been in the since 2011 when Derek Jeter broke his ankle in the ALCS. But, This is not 2005 or 2011 this two teams are very different then those. Carlos Beltran is playing in the playoffs once again. Beltran has sixteen home runs and forty RBI's in the post season along with .333 batting average. Both teams are very similar in more ways then one. Both Teams are in the top in home runs as a team. Houston as a team had two hundred and thirty as a team, and two hundred and twelve for the Yanks. However the Astros are also the league leader in strikeouts as a team with one thousand three hundred and ninety two. However, both teams are very different. The Astros have a Cy Youn...

So the Yankees are back in the postseason. While they clinched tonight, they also won their ten thousandth game as a franchise which has not been met by any sports franchise in any sport. Which is an unspeakable number of wins, and puts them as the number one franchise in sports history just based solely on wins and championships. But for the here and now New York Yankees they have their problems that will be answered for real in the post season. We all know the bullpen is lock down and will be in the post season. The power in the middle of the lineup is going to have to show up, and so do the base stealers. In the post season hitting is so important because you are facing the best pitchers in the most important games of the season. Keep in mind as well they only clinched a spot in the Wild Card game. It is in Yankee Stadium and Masahiro Tanaka on the mound. Tanaka only has to go six or seven innings before the 'pen takes over. Gardner who had the best season of his career needs to...

What a game in Pittsburgh, an instant classic. Joe Flacco who is one of those quarterbacks that is starting to get into his prime years of his career. The Ravens this year up to this point are a band of misfits. Steve Smith their leading receiver went down with a lower back contusion. Terrell Suggs their defensive anchor went down in week 1. BUT, oh has this defense stepped up to the occasion. C.J. Mosley has been playing absolutely out of his mind lately and Will Hill has become an absolute beast of a safety for Baltimore. With that said however the Steelers had their chances. Josh Scobee who has been in the league for what seems like thirty years and has hit insanely long field goals missed two field goals that would have put the game away, and he missed both in a matter of minutes on back to back attempts. That would latter effect the Steelers as twice(once in regulation) as they would keep Scobee on the sideline and go for it on fourth. Mike Tomlin is one of those coaches that goes...