MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL - 2025 Season Preview

 

The 2025 Major League Baseball season gets underway in the next week and already most people are just handing over the World Series trophy to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. 

They look practically unbeatable . . . on paper. 

But the fact is the games have to be won on the baseball diamond and there have been numerous teams throughout the ages that looked invincible, but they failed to get it done once October baseball rolled around. 

The Dodgers should be favored with all the talent they have and perhaps the biggest star in the game with Shohei Ohtani (reigning National League MVP) and a deep roster, including some of the best pitchers in the sport. But again, they have to go out on the field and prove it. The Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and perhaps the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks look to be formidable foes to the Dodgers in the National League pennant race this year. 

Over in the American League, there are numerous teams that could raise the flag come October. The New York Yankees are the reigning A.L. champs and they have been bitten by the injury bug already in spring training. They will be without top pitcher Gerritt Cole (Tommy John surgery) for the entire season as well as starting pitcher Luis Gil (out until at least June) and one of their sluggers (Giancarlo Stanton) is sidelined with bad elbow issues. They better pray that last year's A.L. MVP Aaron Judge stays healthy or it could be a long, disappointing summer for the Bronx Bombers. 

This should be another interesting season around the league and here goes another shot at predicting the outcome for the upcoming season with a look at the divisional races as well as the final outcome once the post-season starts. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

East 

1. Boston Red Sox - They spent a lot of money on free agent players and are hoping some new pitchers can make a difference. We will see. 

2. Baltimore Orioles - The Orioles sore spot is the starting pitching, but they can score runs. Another playoff appearance should happen. 

3. New York Yankees - They could finish anywhere from first to third place in baseball's best division. They must maintain a healthy roster. 

4. Toronto Blue Jays - The team from Canada could be a dark horse playoff contender this year. 

5. Tampa Bay Rays - They have good pitching and likely too many question marks after that. 

Central 

1. Cleveland Guardians -  This team is solid, but they have to contend with three other teams that could win this division.

2. Detroit Tigers - The roar is back in Motown and this team could make the playoffs again. 

3. Minnesota Twins - Injuries hurt the Twins last year, so don't count them out this summer. 

4. Kansas City Royals - A scrappy team that will be in the mix in a balanced division. 

5. Chicago White Sox - Looking to avoid 100 losses this year. 

West 

1. Texas Rangers - Injuries knocked them out of contention last year. They should be solid again in 2025. 

2. Seattle Mariners - Pitching is strong, but the offense is among the worst in baseball. 

3. Houston Astros - An aging ball club trying to rebuild/reload on the fly. 

4. (Sacramento) Athletics - The future Las Vegas A's are shaping up with a decent roster that could surprise some teams this year. Stay tuned.

5. Los Angeles Angels - This team is still in rebuild mode.

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

East 

1. Atlanta Braves - This team could win the World Series if they stay healthy and play up to capabilities. 

2. Philadelphia Phillies - The Phillies regressed last year in playoffs, but will contend and they have to be ready once October rolls around. 

3. New York Mets - Juan Soto will thrill the fans, but after that who knows? 

4. Washington Nationals - This team appears to be on the rise, just not quite there yet this year. 

5. Miami Marlins - Looking to avoid another disastrous season after making playoff just two years ago. 

Central 

1. Chicago Cubs - Cubbies looking to rebound after an up and down 2024 season. 

2. Cincinnati Reds - New manager Terry Francona expects this team to contend for division title and they should. 

3. Milwaukee Brewers - They seemed to over achieve last year, so other teams will be ready to play them all summer long. 

4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Pitching sensation Paul Skenes is worth the price of admission. Bucs are building for a better future.

5. St. Louis Cardinals - This team is a mystery. 

West 

1. Los Angeles Dodgers - As long as they spend, they'll win. 

2. Arizona Diamondbacks - This team made it to the World Series two years ago and added ace pitcher Corbin Burnes to their roster this season. Watch out!

3. San Diego Padres - Talented team that needs to get out of the gate sooner if they want to make the playoffs this year. 

4. San Francisco Giants - Another .500 type finish is likely for the Giants. 

5. Colorado Rockies - Young team that looks to be trending upwards . . . should be better this season. 

 

The outlook for the 2025 post-season . . .  

 
AMERICAN LEAGUE 

Wild Card Round - Orioles over Tigers; Yankees over Guardians

ALDS  - Rangers over Yankees; Orioles over Red Sox 

ALCS - Rangers over Orioles

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

Wild Card Round - Cubs over Reds; Diamondbacks over Phillies

NLDS - Dodgers over Diamondbacks; Braves over Cubs 

NLCS - Dodgers over Braves 

 

                2025 WORLD SERIES - Los Angeles Dodgers over Texas Rangers (in six games) 

 

 

 

 

March Madness

 

It's that time of the year again . . .  MARCH MADNESS! 

The 68-team field has been selected and it gets started with the four play-in games and then this weekend the MADNESS begins in earnest. 

 

The four number-one seeds are Duke, Houston, Florida and Auburn and the pick here is for three of them to advance to the Final Four in a little over two weeks. 

Duke vs. Houston and Florida vs. (2 seed) Michigan State with the Duke Blue Devils and Florida Gators playing for the NCAA championship.  

FLORIDA wins it all this time around.

Wisen Up Folks

Wisen up folks! 

The way Trump and Musk have been trying to do things recently is insane and the good people of the United States of America are beginning to rise up and tell them (along with numerous democratic and republican members of the U.S. House and Senate) that this is NOT ACCEPTABLE. 

 

We all have seen the recent actions of this so called presidential administration and all the harm they are willing to inflict on everyday Americans just so corporations and the richest of the rich in this country can have another tax cut. 

Bullshit! 

We are not having it and to put it simply . . .  a foreigner (Musk) has absolutely no business dictating to us what will be done with OUR MONEY when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security (an earned benefit we paid into all our lives) just so one percent of the U.S. population can have more. 

Simply put, REAL Presidents of the United States of America do no act this way. 

Trump is a convicted felon and a traitor to this country who tried to lead a coup attempt (which failed) against the United States government four years ago. And now here he is back somehow as the "leader" of this country trying the same old script and we are NOT having it. 

The people of this country are wise to the bullshit of Trump and his minions and the so called news media of this country needs to wisen up as well. Those corporate toadies are useless when it comes to competent coverage of actual facts of this criminal regime attempting to ruin this country. 

Don't let up folks . . . keep the pressure on them and soon enough Trump, Musk and all the rest of their criminal accomplices will fade away into obscurity. 

God Bless America . . . Our country!

Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl

 

So much for the Kansas City Chiefs getting a three-peat Super Bowl title. 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles thoroughly dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX with a 40-22 win as their defense held Kansas City's offense in check, including getting three turnovers and six sacks on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was intercepted twice while throwing for three touchdowns in the blowout loss. Meanwhile, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (pictured above left) was named the Most Valuable Player as he passed for two touchdowns (221 yards on 17-of-22 passing) and also rushed for a score along with 72 rushing yards. Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean took an interception back 38 yards for a touchdown as Philly built a 24-0 halftime lead. 

The Eagles out gained the Chiefs, 345-275 in total yardage as they won their second Super Bowl title in the last eight seasons while avenging a three-point loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago.

 

     CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS!

SUPER BOWL LIX PREVIEW - Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles

 

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX and if they win, it will be an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl victory for them. They beat the Eagles, 38-35 two years ago in the Super Bowl on a field goal in the final eight seconds of the game.

This year's game should go down to the wire as well as quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts do their thing on offense. The defenses will have something to say about the final outcome. The Eagles defense was tops in the NFL this past season and they can get after the quarterback. Likewise with the Chiefs defense when it comes to quarterback sacks. Philadelphia definitely rates the edge in the running game with Saquon Barkley running wild all season long and also in the playoffs.

These two teams are so evenly matched it would not be a surprise if this one goes to overtime, just like the game did last year when the Chiefs edged out the San Francisco 49ers by a 25-22 count. K.C. Head Coach Andy Reid always seems to pull out something special in crunch time and if they can do that against the Eagles, they will make it three Super Bowl victories in a row. However, if the Eagles get it going with the ground game and the Chiefs don't have an answer to stop Barkley, then the Eagles will be hoisting up the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy. 

                                              PREDICTION  - Eagles 31, Chiefs 27

Eagles, Chiefs Will Meet Again In Super Bowl

 

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley had another huge playoff game.

For the second time in three years, it will be the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs meeting in the Super Bowl. This time it will be in the Super Dome in New Orleans, Louisiana and the Chiefs will be looking to become the first team in the Super Bowl era (started in the 1966-67 season) to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. 

 

 

 

The Eagles punched their ticket as they buried the visiting Washington Commanders, 55-23 with running back Saquon Barkley (118 yards rushing on 15 carries) scoring three touchdowns, including a 60-yard romp to give his team a 7-3 lead in the first quarter. Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts also had three rushing touchdowns along with a TD pass to wide receiver A.J. Brown (four yard score) and Will Shipley (77 rushing yards) added another scoring run to account for the final tally. The Eagles also set an NFL record for most points scored in a conference championship game.

The Commanders kept it close in the first half, trailing 27-15 at the half as QB Jayden Daniels had a touchdown pass and Zane Gonzalez kicking three field goals. Daniels would add a ten-yard scoring run in third quarter to cut the Eagles lead to 34-23 with 5:01 remaining. Philadelphia blew it open with 21 points in the final quarter as Hurts, Barkley and Shipley had scoring runs and the team piled up 459 total yards, including 229 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Eagles defense forced four turnovers (three fumbles, one interception) which led to 28 points scored in the rout. 

 

Over in Kansas City, QB Patrick Mahomes (pictured right) had 245 passing yards along with two rushing touchdowns and also threw an 11-yard TD pass to Xavier Worthy while RB Kareem Hunt added a TD run and a 35-yard field goal by Harrison Butker with 3:33 left in the fourth quarter made the difference for a 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs are looking to win a third straight Super Bowl and will be making their fifth trip to the contest in the last six seasons. 

 

The Bills battled throughout with the Chiefs in this one and tied the game at 29-29 with 6:15 remaining in the game when QB Josh Allen threw a four-yard scoring pass to Curtis Samuel. Allen had 237 passing yards and two touchdown passes in the loss, including a 34-yard TD thrown to wide receiver Mack Hollins, who made a sensational one handed grab for the score to get the Bills to within 21-16 at halftime. 

The Bills took a 22-21 lead in the third quarter when RB James Cook (85 yards on 13 carries) scored his second rushing touchdown in the game with 2:56 remaining. The two-point try failed, setting up the fourth quarter dramatics as the Chiefs defense made two huge fourth down stops against the Buffalo offense. Mahomes had the ten yard scoring run with 10:14 left to go for a 29-22 lead, which included the two-point conversion. Buffalo would tie it up and then Mahomes and company drove downfield and got the field goal before the final stop by the Chiefs defense to seal the win.

AFC Championship Game Preview

It's another playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in Kansas City and this time around, the Bills are insisting it will be a different outcome. In past meetings in the post-season, the Chiefs have had it their way, including the miraculous "13 second" comeback win against the Bills in the 2021 AFC divisional round when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes got the team into field goal position with just 13 seconds left in the game. They were able to tie it up and then win the game in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl. 

But . . . that was then and this is now. 

The Bills have owned the Chiefs in regular season meetings in recent years, but just cannot seem to get over the hump when they meet them in the playoffs. Well, this time Bills QB Josh Allen and company can get it done with the plethora of weapons they have on offense, including a solid running attack with (running back) James Cook and Allen himself, who scored twelve rushing touchdowns in the 2024 regular season and he added another last weekend in the divisional round win against the Baltimore Ravens. 

On defense, the Bills have been getting healthy and have linebacker Matt Milano back in the fold for this game. The Bills feature a good mix of young and veteran talent on defense and as long as they don't allow the big play from happening (Mahomes to tight end Travis Kelce) that has haunted them so often in the past playoff meetings with Kansas City, they definitely have  a chance to get to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 season. 

The Chiefs, on the other hand, just keep rolling along and getting it done with Mahomes working his magic and leading clutch drives with the game on the line. Kansas City has won eleven one-score games this season and they do not panic when things can go awry early in a game. With several reliable wide receivers and (tight end) Kelce in tow, along with running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs provide a steady offensive attack. 

A big key for this game will be the Bills offensive line protecting Josh Allen from a dynamic Kansas City pass rush, which sacked Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud eight times last week in the divisional round win. Allen can take off and run for big yardage and he did so in the regular season Bills win (30-21) over the Chiefs, including a game changing touchdown sprint that put the game away in the final quarter. Look for another classic battle between these two teams and it could go either way, but until proven otherwise, take the Chiefs at home with Mahomes and company getting it done yet again as they look to advance and try to win an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl. 

PICK - Kansas City 23, Buffalo 20

 

Last Week's Record - 2-2

PLAYOFFS RECORD - 5-5