All Star Break Playoff Predictions; Biscuits Rising, Cats Choking

Ippy Nash
Baton Rouge-AP

With the exception of Allen Lawrence and the Stevens, who managed a rare win against the Otters last week despite being 50 games out of first, every team competing in the 2010 season of the Bigs could realistically make the playoffs. The powerful Pats seem to have 1st place in a choke hold, but spots 2 through 8 are separated by only by 8 and a half games. The two bigs expansion teams have opened everyone's eyes by battling there way near the top of the league. In particular, the Sativa made headlines last week when they bounced back from a loss to the Biscuits by giving Sam Kirby and the Marecats an old fashioned trip behind the wood shed to jump up to 4th place.

Kirby's popularity has steadily decreased as he falls in the standings. Many in Martinsville are beginning to wonder what kind of team he'd have without his coveted core of keepers. He has failed to surround them with any talent at all and has relied on Biscuit cast-offs such as Kelly Johnson, Chris Coghlan, and Ricky Nolasco to plug the gaping holes at the plate and on the mound. Besides the Biscuits, who were bested by the Cats twice already this season, Martinsville has not beaten any other team playing .500 baseball. That may say as much about the Biscuits as it does the Cats, but with its last three games against playoff contenders, the Cats may need to figure out some way to play better past the break. Having its next four games against the bottom half of the bigs may be what Sam and the Cats need to back into the playoffs.

The Otters may have the toughest road of anyone in the Bigs in the second half. 6 of their final 7 games are against teams with winning records and losing to the worst team in the league, the aforementioned Stevens, this past week won't make that road any easier. There are whispers around the league that there may be an issue at home that is taking Altizer's attention away from the Otters. Perhaps he should take a page from his wife's book, who manages to give minute to minute status updates on even her most mundane activities, and spend some more time in front of his computer.

The Rousers, who have been perennial powers in the Bigs in the past, are searching for answers after being hammered by the Biscuits this week and falling to 11th place. JP Vinson was quoted, through his wife, following the drumming last week saying, "I don't even care about this stupid league. It's not even real."

The Canadian Jays are enjoying the freedom that comes along with being in America, but may have a tough time holding on the 3rd place. Their remaining schedule is not full of "hosers," which is apparently some sort of insult north of the border.

The Sativa's massacre of the Meercasts went a long way in cementing them into the playoffs. A spot made more secure by the fact that they have a cakewalk of a schedule the rest of the way. If they don't make it in, they should consider never participating in the BIgs ever again out of shame.

All Star Break Playoff Predictions:

The Pats and the Whales look too strong too be knocked out of the top spots and will enjoy a bye in week one of the playoffs. The two expansion teams will hold steady and make it into the postseason, Sativa with the 3rd seed, and the Jays taking the 4th. After that, it gets a little murky. The Biscuits, Otters, and Cats look to slice up the last two spots between them, but Andy Harrison and the Boozehounds my surprise everyone and steal the 6th seed as the darkhorse.