Midyear Sports Predictions - June 2009

Chicago Cubs - It is fair to say that the Chicago Cubs have underperformed this season. They've been plagued by injuries, bullpen woes and a lack of timely hitting.   

Best Case: They right the ship, realize they are only 2.5 games down in a winnable division, get healthy and make a run into the postseason.  They get through at least one playoff season this year. 

Worst Case: They struggle throughout the year, but keep it close enough just to break the lil' Cubbie blue hearts of Cubs fans everywhere.  They spend money to sign aged vet Pedro Martinez, which flops.  And to top it all off, they end the season without completing the sale of the team from the penny pinching Tribune Company. 

Most probable: I think this team still has a reasonable shot of winning the division this season. They have the pieces, they will likely get a few parts back from the DL soon, and may add to the roster at the trade deadline.  I highly doubt they make a run at the World Series this year, and if they make another first round exit, I wonder if it isn't time to blow this team up and try to hit the reset button with some new young prospects.

Minnesota Twins - The Twins sit a few games behind Detroit in the AL Central.  

Best Case: The Twins do have a young, exciting team this season.  If they can add a bullpen arm or two to get them to All Star closer Joe Nathan, they have a chance at winning a few more games down the stretch.  Joe Mauer continues his superhuman hitting and wins both the batting title and MVP.

Worst Case: The team fades, young pitchers can't hold it together in the second half of the season and Detroit walks away with the AL Central. 

Most probable: I'd say this team has about a 50-50 shot of winning the division.  If they do make it into the postseason, they could win a series against Texas or the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but probably not the Yankees or Boston.  At they very least, there should be optimism for Twins fans - they have a young team and a new ballpark opening next season.

Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings were 10-6 last season with two very, very average quarterbacks running the offense.  This offseason, they drafted some rookies that will help right away and are looking to sign future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.  Favre is known for his cannon arm and reckless abandon on the gridiron.  For him to have success with the Vikings he will simply need to stretch the field slightly to keep defenses honest for Minnesota's already strong backfield. 

Best Case: With Favre, a record of 11-5 or a repeat of 10-6 is possible.  Don't put me in the category of Vikings fans worshiping at the alter of Brett quite yet, but I think with a healthy arm he can still play.  The Vikings would have to ask Favre to rely on the run more than he did in the first ten weeks of last season, and in this scenario Percy Harvin - the Vikings new wideout - shreds offenses forces to play up against Minnesota's potent running attack.  Without Favre, I still see as many as 9 wins.  Sidney Rice could become the red zone threat that he has shown himself capable of becoming.  Adrian Peterson could be an MVP candidate.

Worst Case: Brett Favre signs, then re-aggravates his arm and drags the team down by throwing interceptions late in the season.  Vikings lose to Packers in both games, and muster splits with Detroit and Chicago.  They miss the postseason despite sky-high preseason expectations.  

Most probable: This is tough to call.  I think they will sign Favre, boosting both TV ratings and ticket sales.  It will be a two way race for the division between the Bears and Vikings.  Though I like that scenario for the Vikings, they haven't made it to the Super Bowl since I've been alive and they've never won.  

California Golden Bears Football - California has been knocking on the glass ceiling HARD the last few seasons, but they just haven't been able to break through.  Last year they were 9-4 and were rewarded with a trip to the Emerald Bowl in which they defeated Miami in one of the highest rated mid-range bowl games last season.  But let's not pretend that fans of the Golden Bears were perfectly satisfied with the performance.  It seems like every season the Bears, led by coach Jeff Tedford, lose one game they shouldn't and fall to USC.  Pundits have also predicted Oregon to rise to the top of the Pac-10 for the past several seasons, despite falling to Cal in 2006, 2007 and 2008. 

Best Case: Cal could be a BCS bowl contender this season, but they have to limit themselves to just one or two losses - and they can't lose to both USC and Oregon.  Kevin Riley, a junior this season, should be an upgrade over graduating Nate Longshore.  Longshore, despite giving Cal fans some great memories, actually saw his completion percentage decline every season he played.  Running back Jahvid Best stays healthy all season and competes for the Heisman Trophy (something Marshawn Lynch, DeSean Jackson, et. al. couldn't quite do).  

Worst Case: Riley doesn't progress, Best gets nicked up, and the Bears lose to USC, Oregon and Minnesota getting yet another invite to the second place bowl.  

Most probable: I'm optimistic about the Golden Bears this season.  I think they take a step forward and USC takes a step back without newly minted New York Jet Mark Sanchez. The big tests will come early.  Weeks 3-6 could be fantastic or tough (at Minnesota, at Oregon, USC, then at UCLA - a possible letdown game). 

Minnesota Golden Gophers Football: 

Best Case: A repeat of last year's success.  Last year, I was hoping the Gophers would win 4 games after their dismal 2007 season.  Instead, they won 7 games last season and were rewarded with a trip to the Insight Bowl.  They drew a tough matchup in their bowl game (Kansas).  People have, for years, predicted the Gophers would wind up in the lowliest of postseason games - the Motor City Bowl.  Thankfully, they've nearly always managed to squeak into slightly more desirable bowl games.  This season, however, any bowl appearance would be a great finish to a really tough looking schedule.   

Worst Case: 4-8. I see them beating South Dakota State and Air Force for sure, after that it is anyone's guess. 

Most probable: No matter what happens to the Gophers this season on the field, they will be opening up a new stadium, bringing football back to the University of Minnesota campus. That's a plus.  Recruiting will likely improve over the next couple of seasons and the team is loaded with young talent.  

Preview: 2009 All Star Game

All-Star game balloting has begun. Every year, we suggest pretty much the same thing when it comes to All-Star gear.  If you're a fan of the team that is hosting, now is the time to load up on some unique gear.  If you're not really a St. Louis Cardinal fan, however, you probably won't fall in love with the color scheme of the uniforms coming out for this year's game.  

On the other hand, if you happen to be a Cardinals fan, this is your year.  The All-Star Game logo looks great this year and Majestic has come up with some great shirts already.  

We can't really get excited about shorts, unless you plan on buying a pair from your alma matter and wearing them to the gym periodically.  

If you're a Cardinals fan and you want something a bit different to pair with a standard jersey when going to a game, how about this hat?  

The problem with buying All-Star gear when your team isn't hosting is that we rarely remember where the game was held five years ago - making commemorating the event with a shirt or hat seem a bit ridiculous.  If your team does host, however, odds are you'll remember the event and want some sort of keepsake.  

Have fun voting! 

Best hats of all time?

Our friends at Uni Watch feature an interesting discussion of their favorite baseball hats of all time.  I agree with most of their assessments on a kitsch level, but some of these hats would look a bit geeky on a fan.  Personally, I think the Pirates pillbox hat screams dork.  On the other hand, the old school Cubs and Montreal Expos caps look great.  

Can most of us agree that the 1990s weren't exactly the best of times for hat design?  

Hat tip. 

Top Ten MLB Jerseys for 2009

1. Milwaukee Brewers - For as much as this pains me to say this as a Cubs fan - the Brewers have sick uniforms, a cool team name and a great cap design.  As a beer drinker, the solid blue cap with the grain below it is pretty freakin' awesome and its kind of a wonder you don't see more people outside of the midwest wearing it.  This blue jersey has a cool color scheme and is less offensive than the stupid glove logo they wore in the 1980s (alright Brewers fans, lemme have it, I know you love that crappy design). 

2. Boston Red Sox Alternate - Boston did a really nice job with the redesign of their new alternate jerseys.  They aren't overwhelming and jerseys get extra points for having a city name instead of the team name  (typically their away jerseys). 

3. Chicago Cubs - This jersey is much cooler when customized.  The simple grey is a bit drab initially, but with a red number on the front and back - it looks pretty cool.  It also offers a contrast to all those white pinstripe jerseys you see Cubs fans wearing.  

4. Pittsburgh Pirates - I'm a big fan of the classic look on current jerseys and Pittsburgh's road uniform does this pretty darn well. 

5. Minnesota Twins - The Twins will be wearing this uni to commemorate their last season in the 'dome.  I think the powder blue jersey actually wears better - but this is still a sweet throwback.  

6. Kansas City Royals - This picture makes this Royals jersey look like a dress, but this is a potentially pretty cool jersey.  A number of teams have color schemes of blue and white - like the Royals or Dodgers.  The Dodgers uniforms look cool on baseball players, but I've always thought they look a little drab on fans. 

7. Baltimore Orioles - Baltimore has added the flag of the state of Maryland to their sleeve this year, which I think is a really cool touch. Since I think most of their hats are pretty lame, I would go with the jersey (exception to the old bird designs of the 1960s).

8. Atlanta Braves - I'm really tired of Atlanta's "blacked out" look with their dark navy caps.  Make a choice people, is it navy or black.  Let's add a bit of spice to our lives with a solid red jersey here. 

9. Philadelphia Phillies - This classic looking jersey is screaming up my list of favorite jerseys.   Like the Giants jersey below, I love the fact that they went with a classic cream colored alternate than just another white design.  This jersey looks sweet. 

10. San Francisco Giants - Typically, I'd mock orange and black as Halloween colors.  Obviously, they are - and at first I thought this jersey was pretty lame.  Recently, however, I've come around. As you'll see in this top-ten list, I'm not a huge fan of solid white jerseys - so the off-white color here makes the jersey look more classic.  

So what do you think?  Did we mess up?  What are your top ten favorite jerseys?  E-mail us at welldressedsportsfan (at) gmail.com

Finally! MLB Season is here! Gear up for 2009.

Opening Week.  There is nothing quite like it in sports.  Optimism reigns and everyone is confident that their team will be this season's cinderella story.  MLB.com is offering a few deals this week on new gear for this spring.  

A few thoughts on the new gear.  

This shirt is fairly amusing (though ringer shirts are kind of, "I was in high school in 1999.") - but did you really have to call it the "silver fox"?  Really?!  My Dad is a silver fox, I don't want my shirt to be one too.  

I'm a big fan of the new Majestic MLB Authentic Collection.  The quality of the stuff Majestic has been making has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years.  They used to be Fila - now they are Under Armour.  

Check out jackets like this if you call yourself a hipster. But you probably don't call yourself a hipster.  

You can save $20 by picking up a vintage shirt from a used clothing store instead of this.  That said, this is pretty damn cool. 

Shiny+purple = lame.

The White Sox are planning to release a new hat as a tribute to President Obama.

Finally, it is probably cold this week where you are.  Grab one of these before going to your first chilly outdoor game.  

Happy baseball season everyone!  Have fun!

40% Off Personalized MLB Jerseys Today!

Ahh Black Friday, the one day of the year that people are dumb enough to trample their fellow human beings in order to get cheap plastic.  My contempt at the post-Thanksgiving rush aside, there are some really great holiday deals out there today.  MLB.com is having a sale on customizable jerseys today - 40% off.  

If you've been thinking about making one of these anyway, now is the time.  We'd suggest avoiding some clever nickname on the back - just stick with your own last name funnyman - and don't be ridiculous by picking the number 69, it makes you look like a teenager.  Stick with a classic number like 10, or 7 or, I don't know - 21.   For the one customizable jersey that I own, I decided to stick with the year of my birth. 

The advantage of these jerseys is that you will never be traded.  Modern teams tend to tweak jerseys every couple of years - but a standard customized home jersey should last you longer than that of your favorite player. 

Happy shopping!

Well Dressed Sports Fan - Brilliant Baseball Mind?

Not so much.

So yeah, allow me to take a moment to assess my preseason baseball predictions. Some of them turned out to be decent predictions, but most of them were only effective in showing why I'm trying to become a historian rather than Buster Olney's replacement.

ALCS: Detroit Tigers over Anaheim Angles - I'm going to stick with my pick of the Anaheim Angles here, but I was WAY off about the Detroit Tigers. Man, talk about a disappointing season for a team absolutely stacked with talent.

AL Champs: Detroit Tigers - Um, yeah, dump this pick for the Angles and I look may have looked like I know something about baseball. I fully expect Torii Hunter and co. to make it to the Fall Classic.

NLCS: New York Mets over Chicago Cubs - In retrospect, this wasn't a bad preseason pick. The Cubs won the NL Central and the Mets are poised to make the playoffs this season. With Johan Santana leading the rotation, it will be tough to count these guys out. The midseason acquisition of Rich Harden really helps the Cubs. And who could have predicted the season Ryan Dempster would have this year? Man, I LOVE Canadians.

NL Champs: New York Mets - Could still happen. This lineup is pretty explosive and they have a fantastic ace. The Dodgers and Phillies are pretty dangerous too. Obviously, I want to see the Cubs rotation gel in the last week of the season so they can make a deep run.

World Series: New York Mets over Detroit Tigers - Again, replace the Detroilet Tigers with the Angles and I kind of look intelligent.

Prince Fielder is huge.

NL MVP: Prince Fielder - How is this guy an athlete? Albert Pujols is the clear pick for the NL MVP this season. Of course. Fielder has 33 home runs and 98 RBIs so far - a good season, no doubt, but he fell of the planet when his team really needed him down the stretch.

AL MVP: Joe Mauer (why not?) - in retrospect, this wasn't a terrible choice. .330 batting average with nearly 80 RBIs and 10 jacks. Not bad. Justin Morneau will get some MVP love - but I think he will just miss out (23 home runs and 128 rbis). Both guys have been pretty clutch all year for the Twinkies.

Oh hai. I'm Tim. I look 12.

NL Cy Young: Johan Santana. 14-7 isn't bad. But then Brandon Webb had a coming out party. He was 21-7 this season. Tim Lincecum, despite having a baby face, pitched like a grown man all season. Emily and I saw him pitch in D.C. - damn - sick.

AL Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia. This wasn't a bad pick. He was traded the the NL at mid-season so he won't be eligible for this award. He will get some consideration for the NL Cy Young despite having only pitched half the year there. BTW this guy is 6-7 and 290 lbs. Wowza.

Favorite Player Traded?

Was your favorite MLB player traded before the trade deadline this week?  Bummer. 

Instead of buying an authentic jersey that can run upwards of $100, why not buy a t-shirt stylized like your favorite team's uniform with a customized name on the back?  Check them out from MLB.com here.

For authentic jerseys, the Well Dressed Sports Fan recommends throwback or retro jerseys. After all, Babe Ruth won't be traded from the Yankees anytime soon, so the jersey is timeless.  

All-Star Game Edition

Baseball season is half way through and we've arrived at the Midsummer Classic.  All-Star Week means a few new options for the Well Dressed Sports Fan, but not much to go crazy about.  All-Star Week, which includes a Futures Game, Home Run Derby, and the matchup of the American League against the National League.

The logos and designs of All Star game are based on the host team's uniforms.  This year, the host team is the New York Yankees, so the uniforms, hats, and shirts are navy blue and white.  In 2007, the All Star game was played in San Francisco, utilizing the orange and black color scheme of the San Francisco Giants.  

This year's logo incorporates the famed white frieze of Yankee Stadium.  The words "American" and "National" adorn the front of the jerseys as they have for years.  

While the logo looks sleek this year, I find the Yankee colors to be pretty plain.  Grey jersey's, typically worn by baseball teams on the road, look a bit sharper with bright accents in the numbers and/letters.  With the plain blue and white adorning this year's jersey, it doesn't really grab your attention.  

Well Dressed Girlfriend's Take: In theory, I like plain colors for jerseys.  In practice, at least with this example, I have to agree that the jersey is simply dull.  It reminds me of a fake jersey purchased in the children's section of a department store.  If that's the look you're going for, though, great.  It would also be alright to own (and wear) this jersey if going to the All-Star game was somehow incredibly special to you.  As for the hat, it's nearly impossible to read and two-tone to boot.  Wear a traditional NYY cap instead for extra style, and show the fair weather fans you've been there since the 80s.

Final take: If you're a Yankee fan, grab a commemorative hat or shirt.  Despite the fact that this will be the last All Star Week in Yankee stadium, I can't see myself wearing one of these jerseys over and over again for years to come.  

If you're a Yankee fan and love Derek Jeter, it might be worth picking one of these jerseys up. These jerseys will help you stand out from the crowds and crowds of Yankee fans adorned in pinstripes.    

Throwback or Throw It Back?

Not all jerseys are created equal. If you're a casual sports fan, you might be tempted to think they all look same, but believe me, they do not.

Swing by one of my favorite blogs, Uniwatch to learn a bit about the history of all types of sports uniforms. The main author of Uniwatch, Paul Lukas, also writes columns for ESPN.com's Page 2. Check out, for example his column on the history of Chicago Cubs uniforms.

Uniwatch points to some of the more unfortunate occurrences in Cubs uniform history. Sporting a throwback uniform to a game or the pub can really show off your dedication to your team, but I wouldn't recommend running out and snagging a jersey like the one pictured in the last link.

Some jerseys from the 1970s and 1980s were unfortunate then and they still look awful now. Others, can look very cool and stylish.

Throwbacks are typically more expensive than regular authentic jerseys, but they come with special advantages. First, they show off your ardent dedication to your favorite team. Fairweather fans, or bandwagon fans rarely own throwback jerseys. So you're jersey will set you apart from other fans at the game.

The second advantage of throwback jerseys is the fact that the players featured on the back of the jersey are nearly always retired, meaning that they will never be traded to another team, making some jerseys look out of touch.

And a tip: if you decide to drop your hard earned money on a throwback, make sure you know a thing or two about the player on the back. You might have an old timer strike up a conversation with you about Tony Oliva or Johnny Bench. I'm not saying you have to memorize statistics, just learn a little bit about who the dude was, when he played, and if he or she made the Hall of Fame of their respective sport.

Also, avoid buying a throwback two or three sizes too large. Buy the same size you normally would.

There are a couple of sources for throwback uniforms. The official sites of Major League Baseball and the National Football League feature various kinds of throwbacks. Mitchell and Ness, bills itself as a "nostalgia company," whatever that means. While a bit pricey, Mitchell and Ness jerseys are of extremely high quality.

Ebbets Field Flannels provides some amazing (and hard to find) throwbacks. These are a bit pricier than even the Mitchell and Ness jerseys, but can be pretty amazing. A Willie Mays 1951 Minneapolis Millers will really impress your hardcore San Francisco Giants fans, but it will set you back $175.

A throwback jersey can really set you apart from the crowd. Don't invest in one if your only a casual fan. Grab a throwback t-shirt from a site like Distant Replays instead. But if you're a hardcore sports fan and want to show of your undying love for your team, grab a unique flannel and your friends as well as other fans at the park, will be impressed.

Bonus tip: on a cold evening, you can slide a hoodie underneath the jersey, just make sure it matches the colors of the uniform itself.