Welcome to 90fifty10, a brand new segment only on the TheFanaticsView.com. Here, we offer up a few different takes on what’s going on in the sports world – from sure-things to lottery tickets and everything in between.
Here’s how it works. We look at three story lines: one that’s 90% likely to happen, one that’s 50% likely to happen, and one that’s 10% likely to happen. For fantasy, we look at players around 90% owned, 50% owned and 10% owned in ESPN leagues. This means we might produce a few polarizing statements, but what good is sports writing without arguments in the comment section?
The 90fifty10
I’m 90% sure Canada wins the World Cup of Hockey (WCOH). Yeah I know, pretty bold prediction, but Canada’s team just looks too good to ignore. With that being said, Europe and North America looks fantastic too, but it won’t be enough to overcome a team where the reigning Vezna Trophy winner isn’t even starting in net. Team Canada has arguably 8 of the top 10 centres in the NHL on their team and last year’s Norris winner as well. The WCOH brings some of the best hockey players on the planet to Toronto, and they’ll put up a great fight and play some great hockey, but this tournament is Canada’s to lose.
I’m 50% sure Rick Porcello wins the AL Cy Young Award. His numbers are pretty stellar (20-4, 3.12 ERA with 167 strikeouts as of writing) and those 20 wins go a long way to helping his cause, as it’s pretty well known that wins are overvalued when it comes to Cy Young voting. His closest competitors Corey Kluber and Zach Britton definitely have a chance, but relievers rarely win the award (paging Eric Gagne) and Kluber’s 16-9 record just isn’t as impressive. The way Porcello stepped up from his brutal numbers last season, as well as being more or less the only reliable starter in playoff-bound Boston, will end up spelling A-L C-Y for him.
I’m 10% sure the Chicago Cubs lose one game during their World Series run. They have three unbelievably talented starters in Lester, Arrieta and Hendricks, and despite the fact that “anything can happen in the playoffs,” having that kind of rotation mixed with an entire infield that started the all-star game, it’s hard to see them losing anything. “But what about the Mets beating them last season!?” you say? Well, my bet is that the Cub killing Mets don’t even make the playoffs, and that the one game the Cubs lose next month will come from the majestic hands of one Clayton Kershaw. Isn’t he bad in the playoffs though? Kersh is one of the best pitchers ever, and no one can be bad in October forever.
By: Max Greenwood