Nothing too over the top here, just a simple playoff preview with a breakdown of all the first round matchups, and of course, predictions. We'll start with the play-in games:
No. 7 Gordon Building Movers (3-6) vs. No. 10 Hingham Harbor Marina (0-9)
It's a shame Ricky had to take over my role as a great owner stuck with a terrible team. Harbor has been playing better of late, giving the Pompeos a scare not too long ago, but there's more black holes in this lineup than in a Star Wars film. I admittedly don't know much about Gordon, but I do know they have a sleeper MVP candidate in Woody Roman, and that should be enough for them to move on.
Side note, could my old team beat Ricky's current team? Faithful, Mike Perry, and a roided-out Ben Lincoln would give us more pop in the middle of the order, but Mike's arm gave out at the end and Ben's defense resembled Hanley Ramirez's. Might have to make this happen sooner or later.
Prediction: Gordon 19, Hingham Harbor 10
No. 8 Mohawk Rubber (3-6) vs. No. 9 Hingham Lumber (Beer Dragons) (2-7)
Biggest disappointment in the league, and it's not even close, is the Beer Dragons. In a way, they're like the Red Sox. Big offseason acquisitions (B-Young/Hughesy, Hanley/Panda) that haven't panned out nearly as expected. Not that they're totally to blame, but you get the idea. There's plenty of individual talent on the roster, but the parts just don't mesh for whatever reason this year. No different than a bad season of Saturday Night Live, sometimes the chemistry just isn't there. What doesn't help is that in a league without the Stein brothers or Stal anymore, Tom Vangel is definitely in discussion for worst player in the league.
Mohawk is relatively disappointing as well, coming off of last year's surprise run to the championship series. Losing Liam Koenen, Rob Madden and Tim Schlosky and replacing them with awful players like Harrison Tilkin hasn't helped, but the middle of the order remains powerful with Nolie and Austin Murphy.
It wouldn't shock me of Lumber wins this one, but it seems fitting they flameout in round 1. If it were a Darren Rovell headline, I'd say it's "Splintered Lumber," but nobody needs that.
Prediction: Mohawk 25, Lumber 18
First Round Matchups
No. 4 Pompeo Brothers (6-3) vs. No. 5 Ned Devine's (6-3)
The Pompeos acted like an NBA team all season: disinterested, just get us to the playoffs already. And hey, if you have that switch you can turn off and on, and you're the two-time defending champs, why not.
Ned's is an interesting team for sure. On paper, not much in the way of superstars, but not any below-average players either. Won't hit a ton of home runs, but easy outs just don't exist in the lineup.
Unfortunately for Ned's, Pompeo's are loaded with star power. You could make a case the top three players in the league play for the Pompeo's. And it goes without saying there's no easy outs in that lineup, either.
Do they have the horses for a three-peat? Perhaps. They definitely have enough to get out of Round 1.
Prediction: Pompeo's 30, Ned's 16
No. 3 Deli After Dark (7-2) vs. No. 6 Launchsight (4-5)
Launchsight comes in on a bit of a cold streak, just 1-5 since that 3-0 start. But last week's loss is totally reasonable; without Kyle or myself, that's like taking Shawn Thornton off the Bruins or Jonny Gomes off the Red Sox. Just rip the heart right out of the team.
Deli, the original champions of the league, aren't even close to what they were in 2012. KC Murphy, arguably the best player on the team in his day, ain't walking through that door. And speaking of Gomes or Thornton, Kevin Lally ain't walking through that door either. And yet you can pencil this team in for 10 home runs each week. Koonce and Eric in particular could probably hit a home run every at-bat lefthanded if they really wanted to. The lineup never really sleeps. Sure Nick Caruso and Jake Ward aren't going to give you nightmares, but if they're your biggest liabilities, do you really have a liability at all?
But there's something about this year's Launchsight team. Name a GM who had a better offseason than Kyle, importing Faithful, Peeta Maguire and myself; you can't.
There's no question it will take a 100 percent flawless effort from Sight. No errors whatsoever, and every at-bat will count. If Kyle's shoulder isn't good to go, that's a huge loss that can't be understated.
The 7 p.m. start time is also a bit tricky, with plenty of players on each side that enjoy taking full advantage of Sunday. The matchup could very well come down to which side is the least banged up.
I don't see the bracket going all chalk. There's gotta be an upset in there somewhere, so why not this one?
Prediction: Launchsight 30, Deli 29
No. 2 Ralph's (7-2) vs. No. 8 Mohawk (3-6)
Ralph's is easily the most underrated team in the league. Not a ton of guys that stick around for five hours every Sunday, probably the fewest degenerates in the league. It's a decidedly different style, but you can't say it doesn't work.
In terms of talent, similar to Ned's in a way, not a ton of superstars (although the Mulieri brothers is a fearsome combo), but no weak spots either. And, Launchsight aside, easily the best sponsor in the game.
As I said with Mohawk earlier, not what they were a year ago. Good enough to get past a disappointment the size of Hingham Lumber, but not a juggernaut like Ralph's.
Prediction: Ralph's 27, Mohawk 12
No. 1 Bud Light (Hanover) (7-2) vs. No. 7 Gordon
I want to hate Hanover, I do. I wouldn't want to see the trophy leave the borders of Hingham, but then I think, if I can root for the Blue Jays now that the Red Sox are dead, aren't I rooting for Canada? And as long as we're not talking about Montreal, what's the shame there?
I'm not saying Hanover is the team to beat, but they're probably even better this year than last year. And they play the game the way it's supposed to be played: slightly intoxicated. Gordon has a bright future in this league, but they've gotta take the rookie lumps here.
Prediction: Hanover 35, Gordon 15
So that would give us a final four of Launchsight vs. Ralph's and Hanover vs. Pompeo's. I'll take Launcsight over Ralph's in a three-game thriller, and the Pompeo's over Hanover, also in three games, setting the stage for an epic showdown in the finals.
As for your 2015 league champion? I'll take Launchsight over Pompeo's in three games, but I won't be remotely surprised if the Pompeo's three-peat. In fact, as Ted Wells might say, it's more probable than not. Attendance will be key for the Pompeo's; assuming they don't treat the post-season like the regular season, they'll have almost no excuse not to win the whole thing.
Welp that's that, don't forget to mix in a few waters tonight and tomorrow, try not to get arrested at Zac Brown, or get thrown out of Stars, or whatever it is you do. Can't wait for Sunday.
