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MLB thread
- Thread starter little gk
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Javier Vasquez has always had some trouble with consistency. He's a really good pitcher when he's on, but he ends up blowing a lot of games =/.
If anything, Burnett is probably the biggest question mark considering he really isn't that great of a pitcher and can't stay healthy (although he did last year).
Vazquez was a good pick up. He's been an undervalued pitcher his whole career. His ERA should see a spike this year, but not enough that it'll deteriorate his season.
Pettitte may be old, but really, it doesn't matter. He can still pitch.
Also, the fifth starter is not Joba. It's Hughes.
Well, that first game was just for the general public lol.
I'm pretty pumped about day two of the season too. The D-backs are playing the Padres, which really isn't too exciting by any reasonable standards, but I can't wait to see the boys at it again.
The D-backs seem to be an all or nothing year. When Webb comes back from his injury and dominates like he did before, and we see improvements from Young and Drew, the bullpen and the back end of the rotation holds up, Upton to continue his improvement, and Reynolds to mash the ball, it seems like they'll be legit contenders. If not, they could completely falter and finish at the bottom again... No matter the outcome for the team, I wanna see Upton tear the cover off the ball all year long just for the sake of the organization's future.
I'm pretty pumped about day two of the season too. The D-backs are playing the Padres, which really isn't too exciting by any reasonable standards, but I can't wait to see the boys at it again.
The D-backs seem to be an all or nothing year. When Webb comes back from his injury and dominates like he did before, and we see improvements from Young and Drew, the bullpen and the back end of the rotation holds up, Upton to continue his improvement, and Reynolds to mash the ball, it seems like they'll be legit contenders. If not, they could completely falter and finish at the bottom again... No matter the outcome for the team, I wanna see Upton tear the cover off the ball all year long just for the sake of the organization's future.
What a great game, great way to start the season and I'm looking forward to the other 161. Not going to get too far ahead of myself since it is only one game out of many and we were 8-0 against the Yankees before they won the AL East and eventually the World Series.
Still, that was awesome.
Still, that was awesome.
I dropped Reimold last night in a head to head league for Molina just because Martinez wouldn't play today. Turns out Molina ends up hitting a grand slam... Nice.
Also, my gut told me to start Chtis Young today instead of Coghlan... Lame. Meh, Coghlan didn't do anything great anyways.
Also, Josh Johnson killed my pitching earlier today... Now Haren is saving it.
Also, my gut told me to start Chtis Young today instead of Coghlan... Lame. Meh, Coghlan didn't do anything great anyways.
Also, Josh Johnson killed my pitching earlier today... Now Haren is saving it.
Hey how much did the Yankees win by they were up 5-1 last time I checked...
oh.
Anyway, enough smack talk. What's really cool is that the Red Sox now have Josh Beckett, Clay Bucholtz, Jon Lester, and John Lackey signed until 2014 (and Dice-K is gone in 2012!). Find me a rotation that's younger, more talented, or more proven.
Also, what does everyone think about the rumblings of "shifting the divisions"? I for one think it's an absolute travesty to have what could be the three best teams in baseball in the same division, and every year one is the odd man out. I mean the Red Sox had a better record than: Minnesota, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and would have tied with the LA Dodgers... and they all won their divisions while the Red Sox got the Wild Card. So let me pose this question: what playoff system would you propose?
My idea is to actually seed the top 6 teams in each league (which would mean three wild card teams, plus the division winners). The top two seeds would get a bye, while the 3-6 and 4-5 teams would play a three game series in the first round. This is like football's system, which works quite a bit better than what baseball has now, and doesn't require them to shift around teams in divisions, because who knows what could happen a couple years down the road! The Yankees could get really old next year and the Orioles could pull through with their young players and the AL East could be Sox/Orioles/Rays/Yankees/Jays.
the thing is that if you do that you have to shorter the season or make the playoffs go into mid november, when it gets fucking cold outside.
4 teams is the way to go. Also with a 162 game season, the four best teams are gonna reveal themselves
4 teams is the way to go. Also with a 162 game season, the four best teams are gonna reveal themselves
"Proven" is quite meaningless. I value longetivity, but all you get out of it is knowing whether someone had a fluke season.
Anyways, the other Sox team have a case for the best rotation in baseball. Peavy was one of the best and is healthy now, Buerhle has always been consistently good, and Floyd/Danks are up and coming.
God I was so pissed the Yankees blew that lead. I was about to break my TV. But we still got 161 games more to go. I don't quite understand the "shifting divisions" I never really read up on it. Could someone explain it? On the bright side, the season finally started! Looking forward to the next 7 months.
I don't know why the season keeps getting longer and longer really; they need to cut down on the off-days in the playoffs.
In regards to your second point, picture this. The Sox finish with 97 wins, the Yankees with 95, the Rays with 93, and the Angels with 91. These are the best four teams in the AL. However, the Twins make it to the playoffs with 87 wins because they play in the AL Central, while the Rays are sitting at home because they're stuck in the AL East. Is this fair in the least?
Let's wait until that happens before we suggest any changes.
Besides, your idea would make divisions quite useless. And by removing divisions, you're going to build up a tougher schedules for the teams and players since you'd probably have them play each other an equal number of times (divisions are created based on time zones). Not to mention there's ultimifier's point that it lengthens the season.
That's why the schedules are set the way they are, to prevent things like that from happening. It will and has happened before, but it hasn't become a problem yet. Third place teams finishing with better records than division leaders are rarities anyways.
Besides, your idea would make divisions quite useless. And by removing divisions, you're going to build up a tougher schedules for the teams and players since you'd probably have them play each other an equal number of times (divisions are created based on time zones). Not to mention there's ultimifier's point that it lengthens the season.
That's why the schedules are set the way they are, to prevent things like that from happening. It will and has happened before, but it hasn't become a problem yet. Third place teams finishing with better records than division leaders are rarities anyways.
He may be technically sound, but did you see especially in the latter half of last season (where standings did matter) how many clutch games he was in that he blew? It's a worrying trend for me, I was (and still am) hoping that those games are an anomaly...(or that as you said it's due to lack of health)
??? Johan Santana looks 1-0 with a 1.5 era to me...
you must have missed the first inning grand slam and 5 runs in 5 innings he let up today to the powerful washington nationals.
but thats beside the point; the phillies high powered offense can support halladay even in the event of a bad start, which leads to a conservative estimate of 20~ wins at the least. the mets offense cant support a leaning stick. which is why we suck and the phillies were nl champs and are favorites to repeat this year.
but thats beside the point; the phillies high powered offense can support halladay even in the event of a bad start, which leads to a conservative estimate of 20~ wins at the least. the mets offense cant support a leaning stick. which is why we suck and the phillies were nl champs and are favorites to repeat this year.
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