I know I've written about how the O's need a new catchphrase, but tonight I'll leave that behind.
They've won the AL East and so begins the journey for the AL Pennant and a well-earned spot in the World Series.
Baltimore, owning the best record in the Bigs since the All-Star break, are truly a three-dimensional team.
A 3.48 ERA.
Over a homer a game (1.29); less than half an error per game (0.49).
The only category that the O's are league leaders in is homers. Yet the amount of statistical categories they're ranked in the top 10 is overwhelming.
Check it out here for a closer look.
All I can say is, ever since I was a kid, waking up and reading the sports page to memorize the stats before my dad woke up, I couldn't fathom the Orioles winning the AL East.
The Yankees were perennials. The Red Sox defined the bottom of the top tier. Toronto was a .500 team, leaving Tampa and the O's to battle it out for fourth.
Occasionally, we'd finish 3rd and a small streak of prideful sweat would start to form between my brow. But the playoffs?
An afterthought.
If there was a word that combined "proud", "relieved", and "ecstatic", I'd use it.
Until I solve that mystery, I'll sleep on the fact that my O's have finally joined the Ravens as being a dominant force in their division and league.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
Make That 29-16
They just seem to have a way about them of bouncing back.
I mentioned it yesterday, and now the O's have improved to 29-16 following a loss with last night's 4-0 shutout of the Mariners.
On offense, all it took was a high-octane third inning. Nick Markakis hit an RBI single to score Ryan Flaherty, who has scored in 3 consecutive games.
Little used Delmon Young, batting second in the DH spot, took Nick's momentum and hit a 391 foot blast to put Baltimore up 4-0.
And that's all it took.
Baltimore's winningest pitches, Wei-Yin Chen, won his fourth straight appearance, going 8 innings on 108 pitches and 5 strikeouts. He hasn't been the most dominant at times, failing to go 7 innings in his previous 6 starts (4-2 during that span), but I guess he's been given his cue from Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, and Bud Norris.
Buck demands quality starts at the risk of being sent to Triple-A or into a trade.
Showalter has certainly lit the fire in this second half. Despite a modest 4-3 record, his starters have been throwing their best stuff (aside from Game 2's blowout against Oakland, but that's in the past).
Cruz was taken out of the DH spot for Young and inserted in to left field, possibly in the hopes that being a more active game participant would break his hitting slump. Another dismal 1-4 performance with a strikeout has him batting under .200 after the All-Star Break.
I think he'll figure it out, but Jim Presley, the O's batting coach, needs to find the right words to motivate the nerves out him.
With 3 remaining in Seattle, a 6-4 road trip would resonate very well with the Birds and their fans.
But wouldn't a sweep and 7-3 be a nice way to come back home?
I mentioned it yesterday, and now the O's have improved to 29-16 following a loss with last night's 4-0 shutout of the Mariners.
On offense, all it took was a high-octane third inning. Nick Markakis hit an RBI single to score Ryan Flaherty, who has scored in 3 consecutive games.
Little used Delmon Young, batting second in the DH spot, took Nick's momentum and hit a 391 foot blast to put Baltimore up 4-0.
And that's all it took.
Baltimore's winningest pitches, Wei-Yin Chen, won his fourth straight appearance, going 8 innings on 108 pitches and 5 strikeouts. He hasn't been the most dominant at times, failing to go 7 innings in his previous 6 starts (4-2 during that span), but I guess he's been given his cue from Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman, and Bud Norris.
Buck demands quality starts at the risk of being sent to Triple-A or into a trade.
Showalter has certainly lit the fire in this second half. Despite a modest 4-3 record, his starters have been throwing their best stuff (aside from Game 2's blowout against Oakland, but that's in the past).
Cruz was taken out of the DH spot for Young and inserted in to left field, possibly in the hopes that being a more active game participant would break his hitting slump. Another dismal 1-4 performance with a strikeout has him batting under .200 after the All-Star Break.
I think he'll figure it out, but Jim Presley, the O's batting coach, needs to find the right words to motivate the nerves out him.
With 3 remaining in Seattle, a 6-4 road trip would resonate very well with the Birds and their fans.
But wouldn't a sweep and 7-3 be a nice way to come back home?
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Tillman Extends Streak but Late Loss for O's
At 6-0, Chris Tillman hasn't lost a road game all season.
That streak is still alive, after another quality start (8 out of the past 9 now) in which he lasted 6 innings, permitting 1 ER on 103 pitches.
A stuttering Orioles offense could only muster 2 runs for Tillman, a far cry from the contribution he is accustomed to on the road -- his unblemished rod record comes with a near 5.00 ERA.
Tommy Hunter's 8th inning started off all wrong. A single by Josh Hamilton was followed by a double by Erick Aybar, evening the score at 2 apiece. A couple of strikeouts later, Hunter found himself close to mitigating the damages and heading towards the ninth.
But after intentionally walking Navarro, Ianetta was given a base-on-balls and Brian Matusz came in to relieve Hunter.
Matusz walked in what would be the Angels' winning run, much to the displeasure of Buck Showalter's strategic gameplan.
Less heartbreaking than a walk-off in the 9th, a loss in a game that should have been won is still a loss. On a brighter note, Baltimore's rebounding ability after tough games like these have been astoundingly effective, especially compared to recent years.
The O's are 28-16 this season following a loss with a +1.5 run differential, third best in the majors.
With 4 games in Seattle to cap a 10-game road stretch, it'll be back to Baltimore for 6 games against the Angels and Mariners, followed by a 1-game makeup Beltway Clash in Washington D.C.
After those 7 games, I see the O's 13 above .500 at 60-47.
That should extend the current 3 game lead held over the Yankees in the AL East.
That streak is still alive, after another quality start (8 out of the past 9 now) in which he lasted 6 innings, permitting 1 ER on 103 pitches.
A stuttering Orioles offense could only muster 2 runs for Tillman, a far cry from the contribution he is accustomed to on the road -- his unblemished rod record comes with a near 5.00 ERA.
Tommy Hunter's 8th inning started off all wrong. A single by Josh Hamilton was followed by a double by Erick Aybar, evening the score at 2 apiece. A couple of strikeouts later, Hunter found himself close to mitigating the damages and heading towards the ninth.
But after intentionally walking Navarro, Ianetta was given a base-on-balls and Brian Matusz came in to relieve Hunter.
Matusz walked in what would be the Angels' winning run, much to the displeasure of Buck Showalter's strategic gameplan.
Less heartbreaking than a walk-off in the 9th, a loss in a game that should have been won is still a loss. On a brighter note, Baltimore's rebounding ability after tough games like these have been astoundingly effective, especially compared to recent years.
The O's are 28-16 this season following a loss with a +1.5 run differential, third best in the majors.
With 4 games in Seattle to cap a 10-game road stretch, it'll be back to Baltimore for 6 games against the Angels and Mariners, followed by a 1-game makeup Beltway Clash in Washington D.C.
After those 7 games, I see the O's 13 above .500 at 60-47.
That should extend the current 3 game lead held over the Yankees in the AL East.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
24 More to Go!
Trade him. We need an ace, and he fits the bill for the piece that they're looking for.
Miguel Gonzalez.
The fact of the matter is, 6 of his last 9 starts have been quality. He's 4-2 during that span, while the team is 5-4, including a 3-2 loss where he gave up 2 ER in 8 innings, and a 2-1 loss with 2 given up in 6 2/3.
In his last 3 games, he's lasted at least 7 2/3 innings.
This is what the O's need in the second half from their starters to alleviate the pressure on Hunter, O'Day, and Britton. Promise a 6-9 out deficit from a win on a daily basis and I'm sure those three would be buying dinner regularly for their starters.
So Baltimore, please stop trying to overthink your trade deadline moves.
No Ian Kennedy. He and Gonzalez are the same player, aside from the fact that Kennedy has been doing it longer with the same consistency. Does that matter?
Absolutely.
But psychology is a fickle thing.
Strategically, the best possible course of action is to inflate the ego of your talented current pitching staff. With a team ERA hovering below 4.0 and enormous room for improvement, the cards have been dealt and you're a river away from a full house -- an optimist's perspective.
Gonzalez has also been able to keep his pitch count down as of late, theoretically improving the O's offense. Standing in the outfield while the ace throws 15-20 an inning is monotonous and has an impact on the bats of the other 8, whether they'll admit to it or not.
Hector Santiago, the Angel's pitcher last night, threw 69 through 3 innings. It's no wonder he lasted only 5 with a pitch count ending in 99, and received 0 runs in coordination with his effort.
In fact, it may even be a bright spot that the next face of MLB, Mike Trout, was the one to knock Gonzalez out with 2 outs in the 7th on his 2-run homer. Gonzalez hadn't allowed Trout a hit all game, including 2 strikeouts.
The fact of the matter is, the O's are 3-2 coming out of the break against two of the top 5 teams in baseball in the A's and Angels. It should be 4-1 if not for a blown Game 1 in the Oakland series.
Baltimore need to become accustomed to winning these tight games against successful teams, with the next 11 games are against the Angels and Mariners.
Heck, the next 24 games come against teams that currently have winning records (Angels, Mariners, Nationals, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Yankees, Indians [yes I'm being PC by calling they Indians], and White Sox).
Three years ago, O's fans would be calling it quits with a post-Break stretch like this.
Now, we're looking at 11 games above .500 and a bonafide chance to solidify ourselves as a powerhouse, a true contender in the AL, and a host to some incredible home-field October baseball in Baltimore.
The phrase, "Orioles Magic," was coined on June 22, 1979, when a walk-off homer by Doug DeCines gave the O's an improbable win after trailing 5-3 for almost 6 innings.
Here is the call and the box score.
For many younger O's fans (born late '80s to the present), though, Orioles Magic has a negative stigma of a losing team scraping comeback wins from its season like bugs off a dashboard. Magic that gave us a 4-6 or 5-5 record in that "Last 10 Games" column.
A new term is needed for Baltimore baseball's now-expected success.
In the meantime, chalk another W up for the Birds.
Miguel Gonzalez.
The fact of the matter is, 6 of his last 9 starts have been quality. He's 4-2 during that span, while the team is 5-4, including a 3-2 loss where he gave up 2 ER in 8 innings, and a 2-1 loss with 2 given up in 6 2/3.
In his last 3 games, he's lasted at least 7 2/3 innings.
This is what the O's need in the second half from their starters to alleviate the pressure on Hunter, O'Day, and Britton. Promise a 6-9 out deficit from a win on a daily basis and I'm sure those three would be buying dinner regularly for their starters.
So Baltimore, please stop trying to overthink your trade deadline moves.
No Ian Kennedy. He and Gonzalez are the same player, aside from the fact that Kennedy has been doing it longer with the same consistency. Does that matter?
Absolutely.
But psychology is a fickle thing.
Strategically, the best possible course of action is to inflate the ego of your talented current pitching staff. With a team ERA hovering below 4.0 and enormous room for improvement, the cards have been dealt and you're a river away from a full house -- an optimist's perspective.
Gonzalez has also been able to keep his pitch count down as of late, theoretically improving the O's offense. Standing in the outfield while the ace throws 15-20 an inning is monotonous and has an impact on the bats of the other 8, whether they'll admit to it or not.
Hector Santiago, the Angel's pitcher last night, threw 69 through 3 innings. It's no wonder he lasted only 5 with a pitch count ending in 99, and received 0 runs in coordination with his effort.
In fact, it may even be a bright spot that the next face of MLB, Mike Trout, was the one to knock Gonzalez out with 2 outs in the 7th on his 2-run homer. Gonzalez hadn't allowed Trout a hit all game, including 2 strikeouts.
The fact of the matter is, the O's are 3-2 coming out of the break against two of the top 5 teams in baseball in the A's and Angels. It should be 4-1 if not for a blown Game 1 in the Oakland series.
Baltimore need to become accustomed to winning these tight games against successful teams, with the next 11 games are against the Angels and Mariners.
Heck, the next 24 games come against teams that currently have winning records (Angels, Mariners, Nationals, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Yankees, Indians [yes I'm being PC by calling they Indians], and White Sox).
Three years ago, O's fans would be calling it quits with a post-Break stretch like this.
Now, we're looking at 11 games above .500 and a bonafide chance to solidify ourselves as a powerhouse, a true contender in the AL, and a host to some incredible home-field October baseball in Baltimore.
The phrase, "Orioles Magic," was coined on June 22, 1979, when a walk-off homer by Doug DeCines gave the O's an improbable win after trailing 5-3 for almost 6 innings.
Here is the call and the box score.
For many younger O's fans (born late '80s to the present), though, Orioles Magic has a negative stigma of a losing team scraping comeback wins from its season like bugs off a dashboard. Magic that gave us a 4-6 or 5-5 record in that "Last 10 Games" column.
A new term is needed for Baltimore baseball's now-expected success.
In the meantime, chalk another W up for the Birds.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Orioles Magic
It hasn't been too often, lately, that I've been reminded of the Baltimore team I grew up following passionately from '97 to '06.
Fair weather? Not in my vocabulary. I vaguely remember Brady Anderson's magical 50 home run season when I was 5 years old in late 1997. But after that, it's only Joe Angel's voice rarely exclaiming that "the Orioles are in the WIN column."
Despite a rocky start to the post-break second half of the season against Oakland, it sure felt great to see the O's in first almost 10 games above .500. Hell, it almost feels better to see Boston in the cellar -- of course, I'd take the Yankees there any day.
My dad has preached the exact same strategic viewpoints for over 20 years: Don't swing at the first pitch.
Clearly, this is what makes Oakland successful (see Moneyball -- the book, not the movie, folks). Like the 2012 O's season, in which they beat Texas for the AL Wild Card spot despite only having a +7 run differential, there are exceptions to every rule.
Skewedness. Outliers.
But unless a team has millions to shell out on the oldest All-Stars in MLB, a strategic approach is its best bet.
Last night was an outlier game. Adam Jones and Manny Machado are notorious for swinging away. I can't comprehend Manny's justification for this tactic. In his few short years, he's never been a slugger. Last year before the All-Star Break, he was hitting for average while doubling as a doubles machine before somewhat tanking on the offensive end during the second half.
Jones, though, I can understand. He's a hometown favorite, a slugger with a swagger that you just can't wish away.
He has the numbers.
This confidence won the O's the game last night. In what was really a pitcher's duel between the O's Bud Norris and Angels' Matt Shoemaker, Adam Jones single-handedly knocked Shoemaker out of the game with 2 outs in the top of the 6th.
In four games so far after the break, Jones has 9 RBIs. He was this close to not being an All-Star, and has been overshadowed in the press (eh-hem, ESPN) by Baltimore's Nelson Cruz.
Hey, 19 HRs, 63 RBIs, and a .300 average? Need he do more?
In any case, the O's have the most HRs in all of baseball with 121. Do they need an ace? Most likely, yes, but it remains to be seen the kind of deal they may be able to get for trading away Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman, two youngsters who have been deemed the future of Baltimore's pitching.
But all I've been able to think of lately is what we'll be like once Chris Davis (16 HRs, 50 RBI, .200) picks up his average.
It will be a very timely second half in Charm City.
Fair weather? Not in my vocabulary. I vaguely remember Brady Anderson's magical 50 home run season when I was 5 years old in late 1997. But after that, it's only Joe Angel's voice rarely exclaiming that "the Orioles are in the WIN column."
Despite a rocky start to the post-break second half of the season against Oakland, it sure felt great to see the O's in first almost 10 games above .500. Hell, it almost feels better to see Boston in the cellar -- of course, I'd take the Yankees there any day.
My dad has preached the exact same strategic viewpoints for over 20 years: Don't swing at the first pitch.
Clearly, this is what makes Oakland successful (see Moneyball -- the book, not the movie, folks). Like the 2012 O's season, in which they beat Texas for the AL Wild Card spot despite only having a +7 run differential, there are exceptions to every rule.
Skewedness. Outliers.
But unless a team has millions to shell out on the oldest All-Stars in MLB, a strategic approach is its best bet.
Last night was an outlier game. Adam Jones and Manny Machado are notorious for swinging away. I can't comprehend Manny's justification for this tactic. In his few short years, he's never been a slugger. Last year before the All-Star Break, he was hitting for average while doubling as a doubles machine before somewhat tanking on the offensive end during the second half.
Jones, though, I can understand. He's a hometown favorite, a slugger with a swagger that you just can't wish away.
He has the numbers.
This confidence won the O's the game last night. In what was really a pitcher's duel between the O's Bud Norris and Angels' Matt Shoemaker, Adam Jones single-handedly knocked Shoemaker out of the game with 2 outs in the top of the 6th.
In four games so far after the break, Jones has 9 RBIs. He was this close to not being an All-Star, and has been overshadowed in the press (eh-hem, ESPN) by Baltimore's Nelson Cruz.
Hey, 19 HRs, 63 RBIs, and a .300 average? Need he do more?
In any case, the O's have the most HRs in all of baseball with 121. Do they need an ace? Most likely, yes, but it remains to be seen the kind of deal they may be able to get for trading away Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman, two youngsters who have been deemed the future of Baltimore's pitching.
But all I've been able to think of lately is what we'll be like once Chris Davis (16 HRs, 50 RBI, .200) picks up his average.
It will be a very timely second half in Charm City.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
WORLD CUP!!!
As has been tradition, the inaugural game of the world cup features the host country.
Brazil vs. Croatia caps off the next month of the world's wildest, longest celebration.
I'm not going to go on a diatribe about how I know what will happen based on whatever metrics the analysts have drawn up. Personally, I think Brazil will tie Croatia, eventually crushing Mexico and handily defeating the quick Cameroonians to move past the group stages.
But that's my subjective, non-professional opinion.
What I love about the World Cup is the hype. It gets me going. I'm an active person, but I WANT to sit on a couch or go the bars with my friends and celebrate all day, every day.
Who doesn't?
Hell, my friends in Brazil tell me school is on permanent holiday until Brazil is knocked out of the tournament.
America, you can learn something from these Brazilians.
What I like most, though, is how everyone is re-exposed to the fact that soccer players are perhaps the fittest athletes on the planet. The average midfielder runs over 7 miles (11km) per game. Even LeBron (only) runs 2 miles per 48 minutes.
That's amidst the strategic planning of when and for how long to use explosive bursts of energy, knowing there are only 3 subs per game.
All this makes me want to go out and run 7 miles -- or at least a mile for every beer I expect to consume in the next 24 hours (I'm a lightweight, go easy).
It's similar to March Madness, America's 68-team college basketball tournament, during which I'm compelled to go ball out at the gym. Or alone shooting 1000 buzzer-beaters in my driveway.
Not on Wii Sports, or Sports Rivals or whatever. Digital only goes so far.
So please, take the time to go out and exercise. Your fútbol watching experience will be so much more invigorating; the drunk will be better, the food tastier, the friends more wholesome.
And if you haven't, check out John Leary's rant on how corrupt FIFA has become and will continue to be. Definitely worth the 13 minutes while you shotgun the last of your beers and take the first of many shots of tequila.
Let the games begin.
Brazil vs. Croatia caps off the next month of the world's wildest, longest celebration.
I'm not going to go on a diatribe about how I know what will happen based on whatever metrics the analysts have drawn up. Personally, I think Brazil will tie Croatia, eventually crushing Mexico and handily defeating the quick Cameroonians to move past the group stages.
But that's my subjective, non-professional opinion.
What I love about the World Cup is the hype. It gets me going. I'm an active person, but I WANT to sit on a couch or go the bars with my friends and celebrate all day, every day.
Who doesn't?
Hell, my friends in Brazil tell me school is on permanent holiday until Brazil is knocked out of the tournament.
America, you can learn something from these Brazilians.
What I like most, though, is how everyone is re-exposed to the fact that soccer players are perhaps the fittest athletes on the planet. The average midfielder runs over 7 miles (11km) per game. Even LeBron (only) runs 2 miles per 48 minutes.
That's amidst the strategic planning of when and for how long to use explosive bursts of energy, knowing there are only 3 subs per game.
All this makes me want to go out and run 7 miles -- or at least a mile for every beer I expect to consume in the next 24 hours (I'm a lightweight, go easy).
It's similar to March Madness, America's 68-team college basketball tournament, during which I'm compelled to go ball out at the gym. Or alone shooting 1000 buzzer-beaters in my driveway.
Not on Wii Sports, or Sports Rivals or whatever. Digital only goes so far.
So please, take the time to go out and exercise. Your fútbol watching experience will be so much more invigorating; the drunk will be better, the food tastier, the friends more wholesome.
And if you haven't, check out John Leary's rant on how corrupt FIFA has become and will continue to be. Definitely worth the 13 minutes while you shotgun the last of your beers and take the first of many shots of tequila.
Let the games begin.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Wizards, Orioles, and the World Cup
I'll be brutally honest here, after the Wizards' collapse in the playoffs, I haven't really been too into the sporting world.
Sure the NBA Playoffs continued, but watching the Conference Finals -- East or West -- would have been a waste of my time. Spurs vs. Heat has been the storyline the whole season.
This year's path was very familiar. The Heat rolled through the East, while the Spurs got off to a shaky first round start but turned up when it mattered, ending OKC's season in an OT Game 6.
My take on it all? Spurs in 7. Duncan deserves 5, the guy ages slower than an orca whale. LeBron will get his with whoever he ends up with in the coming seasons, but the Spurs are walking with their best snowshoes on thinning ice.
In the MLB, my Orioles are hanging in there, as Baltimore fans have come to (expect?) the last few seasons. The League's most dangerous player -- Nelson Cruz -- drives in runs seemingly every night. Through 55 games, he has 55 RBI and 21 HRs, on pace for 162 and 62, respectively.
And yet, it's not holding my interest.
I'm waiting for the World Cup, where friends are made and memories are forged.
I can vividly the past 3 World Cups; where I was, who I was with, what I had for breakfast. For the USA this year, I'm actually more hopeful than most. The squad plays better when it has nothing to lose, as is the case in the Group of Death this year.
Ghana.
Portugal.
Germany.
Each nation's strengths vastly overpower the USA's weaknesses. But again, I remain hopeful. I'm used to seeing 40% -- sloppy -- possession with maybe a handful of scoring opportunities per match.
This time around, the tides have changed. We generate attacks from the back line and give support to our strikers, rather than leaving them with a 2v6 all game.
We create chances, we just can't finish.
This is a problem I embrace.
Chances are, someone will go LeBron and put these opportunities away, so long as they continue to occur.
Thursday, June 12 marks the start, when host Brazil takes on Croatia. The USA must wait until Monday, June 16 to meet up with Ghana, a tantalizing foe in both 2006 and 2010. Ghana handed the USA a group stage 2-1 defeat in 2006, and punched the Stars & Stripes in the gut and out of the tournament in the 2010 round of 16, again 2-1, in extra time.
I see USA going 1-1-1:
Ghana: 2-0, USA
Portugal: 3-1, Portugal
Germany: 1-1
This next week will be a long one...
Sure the NBA Playoffs continued, but watching the Conference Finals -- East or West -- would have been a waste of my time. Spurs vs. Heat has been the storyline the whole season.
This year's path was very familiar. The Heat rolled through the East, while the Spurs got off to a shaky first round start but turned up when it mattered, ending OKC's season in an OT Game 6.
My take on it all? Spurs in 7. Duncan deserves 5, the guy ages slower than an orca whale. LeBron will get his with whoever he ends up with in the coming seasons, but the Spurs are walking with their best snowshoes on thinning ice.
In the MLB, my Orioles are hanging in there, as Baltimore fans have come to (expect?) the last few seasons. The League's most dangerous player -- Nelson Cruz -- drives in runs seemingly every night. Through 55 games, he has 55 RBI and 21 HRs, on pace for 162 and 62, respectively.
And yet, it's not holding my interest.
I'm waiting for the World Cup, where friends are made and memories are forged.
I can vividly the past 3 World Cups; where I was, who I was with, what I had for breakfast. For the USA this year, I'm actually more hopeful than most. The squad plays better when it has nothing to lose, as is the case in the Group of Death this year.
Ghana.
Portugal.
Germany.
Each nation's strengths vastly overpower the USA's weaknesses. But again, I remain hopeful. I'm used to seeing 40% -- sloppy -- possession with maybe a handful of scoring opportunities per match.
This time around, the tides have changed. We generate attacks from the back line and give support to our strikers, rather than leaving them with a 2v6 all game.
We create chances, we just can't finish.
This is a problem I embrace.
Chances are, someone will go LeBron and put these opportunities away, so long as they continue to occur.
Thursday, June 12 marks the start, when host Brazil takes on Croatia. The USA must wait until Monday, June 16 to meet up with Ghana, a tantalizing foe in both 2006 and 2010. Ghana handed the USA a group stage 2-1 defeat in 2006, and punched the Stars & Stripes in the gut and out of the tournament in the 2010 round of 16, again 2-1, in extra time.
I see USA going 1-1-1:
Ghana: 2-0, USA
Portugal: 3-1, Portugal
Germany: 1-1
This next week will be a long one...
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