While it is still early to be naming anyone a World Series champ, or even predict division champs at the All Star Break, the midway point to the MLB season certainly gives us a feel of how October can shape up. While some divisions are predictable, others promise an exciting finish. So, while anything can still happen, I will evaluate my picks from the beginning of the season and try to predict how October will look.  (more…)

In 2007, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins made a bold statement claiming that the Phillies were the “team to beat in the National League East.” Many questioned Rollins after the Mets had just won the National League East easily in 2006. However, Rollins and the Phillies delivered on his prediction in 2007 as the New York Mets blew a 7 game lead in September and the Phillies won the National League East. The Phillies would be ousted that year to the surprising Colorado Rockies. During the offseason, the Mets acquired Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins via trade. Baseball analysts were already taking the Mets to make the playoffs and Mets fans were ready to print playoff tickets. Enter: Jimmy Rollins who refused to take the Mets this season. Jimmy once again had a prediction, predicting the Phillies to win 100 games. Fast forward to September 2008 and it was deja vu for Mets fans. The Mets once again faced elimination from the playoffs within the last two games. The Phillies clinched the division and were no longer the Mets worst enemy. In fact, the Brewers were not even the Mets worst enemy: they were their own worst enemy. The Mets fell once again and missed the playoffs. The Phillies? They went on to live out Jimmy Rollins’ prediction in a very unlikely World Series. The 2008 World Series did not include the usual Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees. It did not include the 2008 favorite Chicago Cubs or the mid-season favorite Chicago White Sox. No, this year included two teams that for years were in the shadow of the top of the division: The Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies went on to win the World Series behind the arm of Cole Hamels, the bat of Chase Utley, and the clutch saving skills seen all year from Brad Lidge. Hamels, like many great pitchers (Smoltz, Pettitte to name a few) made a name for himself in the playoffs and has the opportunity this following season to truly establish himself as a pitching great. Expect Santana and Hamels to battle it out for the National League Cy Young award. Oh yeah, and here’s an interesting fact: A former Mets farmhand named Fred Westfall was Hamels first pitching coach when he was in the Carmel Mountain Ranch Little League in San Diego and was the first to begin to teach Hamels the changeup. The Yankees/Boston rivalry seems to be fading a little bit for one reason: they aren’t facing each other in the playoffs, taking away from truly meaningful games. While the rivalry will probably never die, I am simply making an example. The Mets/Phillies rivalry is a very good rivalry and has the potential to become a great rivalry. The only way the rivalry can truly become great is a playoff series such as the NLCS. While I do not see anyone on the Mets or Phillies throwing an old man to the ground (unless the Mets resign Pedro in between now and then); the mix of Mike Schmidt and his e-mails, the two best pitchers in the NL in Hamels and Santana, and the two best shortstops in the national league, one cockier than the other, would set up for an amazing playoff series and the start of an amazing rivalry for years to come. (more…)

We here at The Sports Take have conflicted beliefs as to if Rob Mayer resembles Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. You be the judge! Check out the picture and vote in the poll or call us at 717-815-6509 Mondays and Fridays from 4pm-7pm.

The American League Central began with a surprising start, and an exciting finish. Last April, everyone expected the Tigers to dominate. With the addition of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in a trade with the Marlins, the Tigers seemed set to reclaim fame in 2008. Well, within months of the season, Dontrelle was sent down to single A, and Miguel Cabrera was only having a decent season (unlike the monstrous numbers he had put up in seasons past). The Indians did no better as they were also a huge dissappointment in 08. While these teams were dissappointing, a team was catching the eyes of baseball fans everywhere: the Kansas City Royals. The Royals started the season infront of the rest of the AL West looking down. But, so did the Rays and Orioles. The only thing is, is that only one of these basement dwellers stayed on top, and we all know where that story goes.
Everyone knew that the White Sox would have a decent season. Midseason, everyone was calling for a Chicago World Series with the Cubs and White Sox facing off. However, the Sox would be challenged by another semi-surprise in the Minnesota Twins who seemed to have it all after losing their ace, Johan Santana, to the New York Mets. How will they fare this season against a division that can very well be a 3-team race? Maybe this will help… (more…)

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                                                                           On April 5th, the boys of The Sports Take will be taking part in the Relay For Life walk to benefit cancer research. Cancer has affected many people in many ways, whether you or someone you know is currently battling, has survived or has past away because of cancer. We are asking for donations for the walk. Anything will help, even a dollar. Below is a link that will take you to the donation website. All donations are greatly appreciated.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09PA?px=9188718&pg=personal&fr_id=16672&fl=en_US&et=Xuzf22vF3ln-IwXb5L5RJA..&s_tafId=281542

                                              Before I get into this article, I feel the need to let the public know that at no time during the writing of this article did I take any kind of performance enhancing drugs.

            With that said, what have we learned in the past couple of weeks? Well let me sum it up for you: photos surfaced of America’s golden boy (x8) Michael Phelps smoking marijuana while at a party in South Carolina. Only days later, one of the biggest names in baseball and future home run king (barring injuries), Alex Rodriguez, admitted to using performance enhancing drugs from 2001-2003. These are just two of the headlines that graced the face of newspapers and news stations across the country.

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       I was going to start this article by stating that for a baseball player, or any athlete for that matter, that “a championship is priceless.” Well, not only is that tremendously cliché, but I didn’t want to sound like a credit card commercial. So, I decided to get the facts about the Commissioner’s Trophy. The Commissioner’s Trophy, given to the World Series Champion each year, usually costs around $15,000 to make. The trophy was slightly redesigned from its original design in 1999, and is made by Tiffany & Co. The trophy is 24 inches tall, excluding the base, and has a diameter of 11 inches. It weighs approximately 30 pounds and is made of sterling silver. It features 30 gold-plated, hand-furled flags, one for each of the 30 MLB teams, which rise above an arched silver ox baseball with latitude and longitude lines that symbolize the world. The baseball also contains 24-karat vermeil baseball stitches. The baseball itself weighs over 10 pounds. The base contains an inscription and the signature of the commissioner.

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       The guys from The Sports Take have given their picks for the NFL playoffs. This year’s playoffs seem to be very interesting. Not only does the first round feature every possible type of bird, but a team that was 1-15 last year who finished 11-5 in the Dolphins, a team that lost their star quarterback to dog fighting charges and seemed like a lost cause in the Falcons, and a .500 team in the Chargers. Oh yeah, and most importantly, there won’t be any games played in New England this year, or played BY New England. Sure, we can get into arguments as to who should and shouldn’t make the playoffs, but that won’t change a thing. The fact of the matter is that the playoff schedule is set, and the road to the Super Bowl is ready to be traveled by 12 teams. Only one team can be Super Bowl champions. Will it be a repeat by the Giants, or will one of the many birds fly high? The guys seem to have an idea as to who may win it, and their picks are listed below.

The NFL season is just about coming to a close, and expecting quite the ending. This weekend presents two matchups that will decide the #1 seed in both the AFC and NFC. The Steelers will face off against the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers come into this matchup after squeeking out a win against division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The Tennessee Titans, who weeks ago seemed like the favorite in the AFC seems to have lost their swagger, especially after their loss to Houston in which Jeff Fisher’s play calling was called into question. In the NFC, the Super Bowl champion New York Giants began the season looking dominant. After a loss to the Browns, they rebounded nicely. After their star wide receiver suffered an injury after shooting himself in the leg, and was arrested, the Giants were forced to suspend him. Along with the bad publicity, the Giants went on to lose to their next two games without him. This game not only has #1 seed implications, but the Gmen must also prove that they can continue to be just as dominant without Plax, and with an injured Brandon Jacobs. The Carolina Panthers, on the other hand, are flying high. After defeating division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a sizeable margin, and then the Broncos by a 20 point deficit, the Panthers enter Giants Stadium with all the momentum in the world. Their running back tandum of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams finally seem to be clicking, and seem near unstoppable. But, how will they fare against the #4 rushing defense in the NFL? Four AFC playoff spots remain, and four in the NFC. Carolina will clinch a playoff spot this weekend, but because of the close divisions, it seems like the final wildcard spot in the AFC can come down to the final week, and the 3, 4, 5, and 6 seeds seem like they will need another week to be decided. Below are the guy’s week 16 picks. As of right now, the playoff picture looks like this:
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