The Conservative Cave
The Bar => Sports => Topic started by: Atomic Lib Smasher on February 19, 2008, 08:33:43 PM
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Sorry, I know the first preseason games are 7 days away, but I'm anxious for the season to start.
How does your team pan out this year? Thoughts? Predictions? Discuss.
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I'm so excited. Already have tickets to one spring training game. Will probably go to a couple more.
Go Diamondbacks!!!! :hyper:
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Eh, typical Rangers year. Finish in the middle of the pack in the AL West at best.
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I am happy as a pig in shit that Thome my Homey is going to be back again for another season and that Ozzie is going to be back to his good ol' self of smacking around somebody when he has to, but the bullpen has got me worried. My prediction is that the Sox either get 1st, or come in a very narrow second with the Tigers above them in the AL Central. They'll make the playoffs for sure though.
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If the Tigers pitching can hold up they will be a force to be reckoned with. The Indians and White Sox will be tough as well. The Twinkies without their ace will not be as tough. The AL Central is a heckuva division.
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For the first time since I don't even know when, I'm more excited about a Phillies season than an Eagles season. How weird is that? :-)
Everyone says the Mets are gonna own the NL East. I'm not afraid of them. Sure they've made one great addition (and spent crazy money to do it), but that's the only move they made. The Phils improved in bullpen, rotation, and line-up. You can't just land one big fish and think your team is complete and titles are locked... A-Rod, anyone? It still takes a whole team, the the Phils team looks as good as anyone's. Rowand's leaving hurt, but when you've got two MVP's (and in all likelihood, a third :afro: ) you ain't starving. Adding Jenkins and Feliz definatley covers Rowand. Cole will pitch for a Cy Young. Burrell will play for his future. Ryan will play for a fortune. Chase and Jimmy will play for a championship. Life is good. Now the only question is will our new and improved bullpen will live up to expectations. It all rides on J.C. and Brad Lidge. :popcorn:
And I'm not all too star-struck by Santana either. They said the Patriots couldn't be beaten, either. "They" were wrong.
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I'm just bummed that I'm not going to get to go see the Cubs when they are playing the Nationals here in DC. I had planned it since last fall, but now I can't go. the WV Dance Festival is the same weekend, and I'll be in Charleston instead. :bawl:
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Ryan Howard's salary arbitration hearing is today. For the love of God, I hope he wins.
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I'm just bummed that I'm not going to get to go see the Cubs when they are playing the Nationals here in DC. I had planned it since last fall, but now I can't go. the WV Dance Festival is the same weekend, and I'll be in Charleston instead. :bawl:
Sorry to hear that. Nothing beats going to the ballpark, eh? I'm hoping I can make it the Phillies season opener against the Nuts, I mean, Nats, at CBP. For the first time in years, we could actually win our opener! :hyper: :-)
Oh, and since you're a Cubbies fan, I gotta rub this in: your catchers and pitchers aren't going to be getting in to any fist-fights this year, are they? :tongue:
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Sorry -- I honestly believe they are all juiced.
There is more realism and honesty in the WWE than MLB.
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Sorry -- I honestly believe they are all juiced.
There is more realism and honesty in the WWE than MLB.
Oh C'mon... :whatever:
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GO D'BACKS
We are looking good...... :cheersmate: :cheersmate:
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For the first time since I don't even know when, I'm more excited about a Phillies season than an Eagles season. How weird is that? :-)
Everyone says the Mets are gonna own the NL East. I'm not afraid of them. Sure they've made one great addition (and spent crazy money to do it), but that's the only move they made. The Phils improved in bullpen, rotation, and line-up. You can't just land one big fish and think your team is complete and titles are locked... A-Rod, anyone? It still takes a whole team, the the Phils team looks as good as anyone's. Rowand's leaving hurt, but when you've got two MVP's (and in all likelihood, a third :afro: ) you ain't starving. Adding Jenkins and Feliz definatley covers Rowand. Cole will pitch for a Cy Young. Burrell will play for his future. Ryan will play for a fortune. Chase and Jimmy will play for a championship. Life is good. Now the only question is will our new and improved bullpen will live up to expectations. It all rides on J.C. and Brad Lidge. :popcorn:
And I'm not all too star-struck by Santana either. They said the Patriots couldn't be beaten, either. "They" were wrong.
Santana will go 22-5 this year. The Phillies didn't really win the NL East in '07 as much as the Mets lost it. The Mets will not let that happen this year. Remember that the other #1 starter on the Mets, Pedro Martinez, was out for most of the season. So, we have two #1s at the top of the rotation, then two guys who each won 15 games last year (Maine and Perez), then El Duque, who will be out for a month or two during the season, but who will win 10-11 games nonetheless. Mike Pelfrey, who went 3-1 in September last season, and Tony Armas Jr. are the first two guys out of N'awlins to fill in the rotation.
I'm thinking the Mets' rotation will end up like this:
Johan Santana: 22-5, Cy Young
Pedro Martinez: 15-7
John Maine: 15-8
Ollie Perez: 17-10
Orlando Hernandez: 10-5
Torii Hunter said of Santana: "He's going to absolutely dominate that league. I don't know who's happier (with Johan going to the Mets)--Johan, the Mets, or all of the hitters in the American League who don't have to face him again."
Plus, not re-signing Aaron Rowand was a huge mistake. His grit and attitude is going to be sorely missed, and not replicated anywhere as much by Shanve Victorino, or Pedro Feliz (who should get a decent HR number in Philly). Remember something--the Giants didn't want Feliz back. That should say something, and it's probably not good.
Cole Hamels will have a good year. 15-10. But, when you're signing Anna and Kris Benson (hey, it's alphabetical) to a minor-league deal, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel where starting pitching is concerned. The problem with Kris is that when you get him, you get her, too. She will turn into one of the more-hated wives on the Phillies. Brett Myers will be offering his services to Kris Benson before long. Getting back to pitching, the big knock against Benson when he was with the Mets was that he was a flyball pitcher. How do flyball pitchers do in Philly, anyway?
Ryan Howard will get his 45-50 HRs, with a majority of them coming within the "friendly confines" of CBP.
Brad Lidge . . . if the Lidge that Philly gets is the one who had the meltdown in '06, it's going to be a long season.
One more thing about the Mets bullpen--Duaner Sanchez is throwing 95 mph again. And, Pedro Feliciano's daughter has recovered from the heart ailment that nearly killed her last year, so his head will be on the mound, as opposed to in his daughter's hospital room in the DR.
There is some indication that the Phillies are going to try to instigate a brawl with the Mets this year.
Also, there's this team in Atlanta that's going to have a say in how both the Mets and the Phill(th)ies do this year. They've got a 300-game winner, and another starter who would have 300 if he didn't take a "side job" and get over 150 saves. They, also, have two #1s at the top of their rotation (Smoltz and Hudson). Mike Hampton is at 100%, but the over/under on how long that's going to continue is somewhere around 40 seconds. Plus, the Nats didn't exactly go backwards this year, when they got LMillz. He'll do well in the new park.
And, you said that "the Phillies improved themselves in the rotation." Surely you don't mean Myers moving back to the rotation, do you? I seem to remember that he was a better closer than a starter . . . and he preferred to close. He may have to move back to that role, if Lidge works out like he did in the past . . .
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Jesus.... Glavine's still playing? With or without the walker?? :-)
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Pinning your hopes on Brad Lidge somehow shaking off 2 years as a terrible closer after 1 decent season as an Astro is a fool's gamble. He tips pitches like crazy and can't find the strike zone most of the time.
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For the first time since I don't even know when, I'm more excited about a Phillies season than an Eagles season. How weird is that? :-)
Everyone says the Mets are gonna own the NL East. I'm not afraid of them. Sure they've made one great addition (and spent crazy money to do it), but that's the only move they made. The Phils improved in bullpen, rotation, and line-up. You can't just land one big fish and think your team is complete and titles are locked... A-Rod, anyone? It still takes a whole team, the the Phils team looks as good as anyone's. Rowand's leaving hurt, but when you've got two MVP's (and in all likelihood, a third :afro: ) you ain't starving. Adding Jenkins and Feliz definatley covers Rowand. Cole will pitch for a Cy Young. Burrell will play for his future. Ryan will play for a fortune. Chase and Jimmy will play for a championship. Life is good. Now the only question is will our new and improved bullpen will live up to expectations. It all rides on J.C. and Brad Lidge. :popcorn:
And I'm not all too star-struck by Santana either. They said the Patriots couldn't be beaten, either. "They" were wrong.
Santana will go 22-5 this year. The Phillies didn't really win the NL East in '07 as much as the Mets lost it. The Mets will not let that happen this year. Remember that the other #1 starter on the Mets, Pedro Martinez, was out for most of the season. So, we have two #1s at the top of the rotation, then two guys who each won 15 games last year (Maine and Perez), then El Duque, who will be out for a month or two during the season, but who will win 10-11 games nonetheless. Mike Pelfrey, who went 3-1 in September last season, and Tony Armas Jr. are the first two guys out of N'awlins to fill in the rotation.
I'm thinking the Mets' rotation will end up like this:
Johan Santana: 22-5, Cy Young
Pedro Martinez: 15-7
John Maine: 15-8
Ollie Perez: 17-10
Orlando Hernandez: 10-5
Torii Hunter said of Santana: "He's going to absolutely dominate that league. I don't know who's happier (with Johan going to the Mets)--Johan, the Mets, or all of the hitters in the American League who don't have to face him again."
Plus, not re-signing Aaron Rowand was a huge mistake. His grit and attitude is going to be sorely missed, and not replicated anywhere as much by Shanve Victorino, or Pedro Feliz (who should get a decent HR number in Philly). Remember something--the Giants didn't want Feliz back. That should say something, and it's probably not good.
Cole Hamels will have a good year. 15-10. But, when you're signing Anna and Kris Benson (hey, it's alphabetical) to a minor-league deal, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel where starting pitching is concerned. The problem with Kris is that when you get him, you get her, too. She will turn into one of the more-hated wives on the Phillies. Brett Myers will be offering his services to Kris Benson before long. Getting back to pitching, the big knock against Benson when he was with the Mets was that he was a flyball pitcher. How do flyball pitchers do in Philly, anyway?
Ryan Howard will get his 45-50 HRs, with a majority of them coming within the "friendly confines" of CBP.
Brad Lidge . . . if the Lidge that Philly gets is the one who had the meltdown in '06, it's going to be a long season.
One more thing about the Mets bullpen--Duaner Sanchez is throwing 95 mph again. And, Pedro Feliciano's daughter has recovered from the heart ailment that nearly killed her last year, so his head will be on the mound, as opposed to in his daughter's hospital room in the DR.
There is some indication that the Phillies are going to try to instigate a brawl with the Mets this year.
Also, there's this team in Atlanta that's going to have a say in how both the Mets and the Phill(th)ies do this year. They've got a 300-game winner, and another starter who would have 300 if he didn't take a "side job" and get over 150 saves. They, also, have two #1s at the top of their rotation (Smoltz and Hudson). Mike Hampton is at 100%, but the over/under on how long that's going to continue is somewhere around 40 seconds. Plus, the Nats didn't exactly go backwards this year, when they got LMillz. He'll do well in the new park.
And, you said that "the Phillies improved themselves in the rotation." Surely you don't mean Myers moving back to the rotation, do you? I seem to remember that he was a better closer than a starter . . . and he preferred to close. He may have to move back to that role, if Lidge works out like he did in the past . . .
Don't get me wrong, I don't take the Mets lightly. I'm just reminding everyone that champions aren't crowned on paper. Yes, you have two number #1's. But we've beaten Martinez before. He doesn't scare me. And I fear his best years are behind him. Cole will crack the 20 win plateau this year provided he stays healthy. He would have done it last year if he hadn't missed a month. Yes, we would have loved to retain Rowand, but he was a twenty homer man looking for fourty homer money. We couldn't afford him. He has grit and clubhouse leadership, sure. But so does Rollins and Chase Utley. We're not in the red at all in offense or leadership on this club. And don't underestimate Victorino. He's outstanding defensively. He can flat out fly, cover tons of field, and has a rocket arm.
Benson doesn't worry me yet, as there are five different men vying for the 5th starter position. Benson doesn't even have it yet (another suck-ass by the name of Adam Eaton does *barf*). And yes, the rotation reaquiring Myers does help the rotation. He's had excellent starts ruined by a poor bullpen. J.C., a healthy Madson and *gulp* Gordon and Lidge should correct that. So we hope and pray, anyway :-) Just getting rid of Geary improves the 'pen by leaps and bounds as well. Sure Brett would prefer closing, but he's a real pro and will be happy with life as long as we're winning. But what I was actually referring to was Kyle Kendrick. I think he's started enough games last year to prove he's a legitamate major leauge talent, and a damn fine one. A full winning season from him (in addition to J.C. and his 1.92 ERA out of the 'pen), and our 4-12 stretch in April could become a 12-4 start, and turn an 89 win year into a 95+ win year.
CBP does not "prop up" Ryan Howard. Last year he hit 24 of his 47 home runs on the road. He hit two in one game in the unfriendly confines of Dodger Stadium. He's legit. :bow: All hail, Mr. Howard.
There are no Phillies players trying to instigate any brawl (Phillies fans I can't vouch for. :( ) The Mets centerfielder, however, has shown us that imitation is the finest form of flattery. :tongue:
And Atlanta has a bit of rebuilding to do before they convince me they can hang in our division. Embalming Tom Glavine and shoving him out there doesn't scare me, either. :evillaugh:
In any event, I'm looking forward to a great year against a tough opponent. This season series between us is gonna be rough.
Oh, and just as an afterthought: while everyone sings Johan's praises and pencils him in for a Cy Young, remember last year when Barry Zito came to the NL and was supposed to kick everyone's ass? He set a career high, alright... his ERA. :uhsure: :popcorn:
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Jesus.... Glavine's still playing? With or without the walker?? :-)
:rotf:
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Pinning your hopes on Brad Lidge somehow shaking off 2 years as a terrible closer after 1 decent season as an Astro is a fool's gamble. He tips pitches like crazy and can't find the strike zone most of the time.
Lidge had more than one good year. In 04 and 05 he had 29 and 42 saves, respectively. His ERA's those years were 1.90 and 2.29. Even his bad 06 year he had 32 saves. There's no reason to think he can't possibly be any good in Philadelphia.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
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Pinning your hopes on Brad Lidge somehow shaking off 2 years as a terrible closer after 1 decent season as an Astro is a fool's gamble. He tips pitches like crazy and can't find the strike zone most of the time.
Lidge had more than one good year. In 04 and 05 he had 29 and 42 saves, respectively. His ERA's those years were 1.90 and 2.29. Even his bad 06 year he had 32 saves. There's no reason to think he can't possibly be any good in Philadelphia.
He was demoted to a MRP with a ERA of 3.36 in 2007 too. I'd call that a "bad year". He is going to serve up meat up until about late April when he becomes a situational arm.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
This one is much better -- (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/finger.gif)
I live for smack talk, so let the Red Sox haters unite -- Red Sox are going to have a sweet ass season.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/oregonian_winesmiley.gif)
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
This one is much better -- (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/finger.gif)
I live for smack talk, so let the Red Sox haters unite -- Red Sox are going to have a sweet ass season.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/oregonian_winesmiley.gif)
Hey sis! Remember how pissed off I was when Schill re-uped with the Sawks before we got a chance to offer him a contract? I'm not quite so upset anymore. :-)
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
They won't even win the AL East. :-)
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
This one is much better -- (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/finger.gif)
I live for smack talk, so let the Red Sox haters unite -- Red Sox are going to have a sweet ass season.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/oregonian_winesmiley.gif)
Hey sis! Remember how pissed off I was when Schill re-uped with the Sawks before we got a chance to offer him a contract? I'm not quite so upset anymore. :-)
I think the Red Sox were only expecting to get 1/2 a season out of him anyway. As long as he is there to bring the young pups along, it is ok.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
They won't even win the AL East. :-)
Yeah cause the Yankees, O's and Jays are looking really really fierce this year.
BAHAHAHAHAHA.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
They won't even win the AL East. :-)
Yeah cause the Yankees, O's and Jays are looking really really fierce this year.
BAHAHAHAHAHA.
Gloat all you want now but we will see who is still playing in October...won't be the Dead Sux. Dream on.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
They won't even win the AL East. :-)
Yeah cause the Yankees, O's and Jays are looking really really fierce this year.
BAHAHAHAHAHA.
Gloat all you want now but we will see who is still playing in October...won't be the Dead Sux. Dream on.
Uh, Dead Sux? Are you kidding me right now? (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/froehlich214.gif)
World.Champion.Red.Sox. <------ come on, you can say it.
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Ahhh History...it seldom repeats itself. The Dead Sux will be home watching the Tigers and the Yankees battling it out for the AL Championship this October. :lmao:
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Ahhh History...it seldom repeats itself. The Dead Sux will be home watching the Tigers and the Yankees battling it out for the AL Championship this October. :lmao:
2004, 2007 -- at least we are on the right track.
The Yankees? with their pitching staff?
Uh-huh.
The kittens have a good team this year. The Yankees I have absolutely no worries over.
World.Champion.Red.Sox.
Do tell who your team is so I can giggle.
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Is anyone on the Yankees staff gonna have an ERA below 5-point-something without the benefit of an ass-full of HGH? Just wonderin'. :uhsure:
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Is anyone on the Yankees staff gonna have an ERA below 5-point-something without the benefit of an ass-full of HGH? Just wonderin'. :uhsure:
:lmao:
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
Not even close. Watch the Yanks punk them in the East.
But my Angels, now that's gonna be fun. I just hope the front office mans up and gives K-Rod the contract he wants, or something close. You do NOT let a guy with 4 consecutive 40-save seasons get away.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
This one is much better -- (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/finger.gif)
I live for smack talk, so let the Red Sox haters unite -- Red Sox are going to have a sweet ass season.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/oregonian_winesmiley.gif)
Not when your rookies get raked because the opposing batters have figured them out.
Dice-K got lucky in getting as many wins as he did last year. Look at his monthly ERA--started at under 3, but was almost 8 in September, and wasn't much better in October.
Okajima is gonna be in for a LONG year if his shoulder doesn't improve because the load ain't getting any lighter. And Bucholtz? Puhleez.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
I'm sorry, but I have to do this: :bird:
This one is much better -- (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/finger.gif)
I live for smack talk, so let the Red Sox haters unite -- Red Sox are going to have a sweet ass season.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/oregonian_winesmiley.gif)
Not when your rookies get raked because the opposing batters have figured them out.
Dice-K got lucky in getting as many wins as he did last year. Look at his monthly ERA--started at under 3, but was almost 8 in September, and wasn't much better in October.
Okajima is gonna be in for a LONG year if his shoulder doesn't improve because the load ain't getting any lighter. And Bucholtz? Puhleez.
Come on Sparky, you know Dice-K is going to be just fine.
Bucholtz is going to be starting right after Beckett by the All Star Break he is going to be that damn good. We will get a solid 16-17 wins out of Lester easy.
And Oki? give the kid a break, we leaned on him too much. He also is going to be just fine.
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World Champion Red Sox -- repeat.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/rsox2-sm.gif)
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
Not even close. Watch the Yanks punk them in the East.
But my Angels, now that's gonna be fun. I just hope the front office mans up and gives K-Rod the contract he wants, or something close. You do NOT let a guy with 4 consecutive 40-save seasons get away.
Who choked in the playoffs.........
You are high if you think the Yankees are taking the East. You live in NE now, time to start reading the NY rags to keep up to speed.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Jesus.... Glavine's still playing? With or without the walker?? :-)
:rotf:
Seriously... I remember watching in the early 90s Glavin, Smoltz, Steve Avery.... the Braves were the shit back then, but I can't imagine him still playing now.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Jesus.... Glavine's still playing? With or without the walker?? :-)
:rotf:
Seriously... I remember watching in the early 90s Glavin, Smoltz, Steve Avery.... the Braves were the shit back then, but I can't imagine him still playing now.
Yes indeed, Glavine and Smoltz both still play and will be anchoring the Braves staff this year. Grover Alexander and Cy Young will be competing for spots on their roster as well.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Jesus.... Glavine's still playing? With or without the walker?? :-)
:rotf:
Seriously... I remember watching in the early 90s Glavin, Smoltz, Steve Avery.... the Braves were the shit back then, but I can't imagine him still playing now.
Yes indeed, Glavine and Smoltz both still play and will be anchoring the Braves staff this year.
20 years.... 20 years with the same team too. Admirable, but still.... how long are they gonna go on? Don't they got some fresh blood in Richmond or Mississipi they can use on the mound?
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Come on Sparky, you know Dice-K is going to be just fine.
Bucholtz is going to be starting right after Beckett by the All Star Break he is going to be that damn good. We will get a solid 16-17 wins out of Lester easy.
And Oki? give the kid a break, we leaned on him too much. He also is going to be just fine.
Yeah...just like Hideo Nomo, Fernando Valenzuela, and Chan-Ho Park turned out "just fine".
BTW--one of them has a great deal of notoriety in MLB history--he's the only player to give up TWO grand slams in the same inning--TO THE SAME BATTER. I'll leave it to you to figure out who, and name the batter.
Again, look at Dice K's stats before the All-Star Break, then after. VERY different, and very telling. Oh, and don't think the offense is always going to be there when he gives up five runs on ONE HIT in ONE-THIRD of an inning.
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You are high if you think the Yankees are taking the East. You live in NE now, time to start reading the NY rags to keep up to speed.
**** New York. They may not have Torre to beat around anymore, but they're still the Angels' bitch.
Oh, and thanks for ****ing up the Freeway Series this year.
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And another thing.... even though I pretty much loathe the CUbs, I can't wait to see a game just to hear the announcers call out their new right fielder. :-)
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Come on Sparky, you know Dice-K is going to be just fine.
Bucholtz is going to be starting right after Beckett by the All Star Break he is going to be that damn good. We will get a solid 16-17 wins out of Lester easy.
And Oki? give the kid a break, we leaned on him too much. He also is going to be just fine.
Yeah...just like Hideo Nomo, Fernando Valenzuela, and Chan-Ho Park turned out "just fine".
BTW--one of them has a great deal of notoriety in MLB history--he's the only player to give up TWO grand slams in the same inning--TO THE SAME BATTER. I'll leave it to you to figure out who, and name the batter.
Again, look at Dice K's stats before the All-Star Break, then after. VERY different, and very telling. Oh, and don't think the offense is always going to be there when he gives up five runs on ONE HIT in ONE-THIRD of an inning.
Dice-K spent his offseason working on 3 pitches. Schill has him under control. Talk to me in July and we will compare his stats.
He will be fine.
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You are high if you think the Yankees are taking the East. You live in NE now, time to start reading the NY rags to keep up to speed.
**** New York. They may not have Torre to beat around anymore, but they're still the Angels' bitch.
Oh, and thanks for ******* up the Freeway Series this year.
All the Angels need to do is keep beating the Yankees (everyone else will too so it shouldn't be a problem for y'all).
Red Sox vs Dodgers in the WS. Red Sox in 7.
World.Champion.Red.Sox.
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Being an NL fan, I naturally pay more attention to the NL . . . but, looking at what the various AL teams have done to themselves this year, I'd hafta say that the Tigers look pretty tough. Adding Dontrelle Willis to a rotation that has Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson in it is going to be a really powerful punch. The Red Sox . . . well, they're going to fight the Yankees tooth-and-nail for the division, but I really don't remember anyone mentioning what the Mariners have done wioth their rotation, in adding Carlos Silva (marginal) and Erik Bedard (outstanding). They will run with the "Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim" for the division crown.
As for the NL . . . the Dodgers signing Hiroki Kuroda should be interesting. Barry Zito will continue to be a mediocre pitcher in SF. The Diamondbacks should win the NL West, with Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, and Randy Johnson at the top of their rotation, but they'll have to fight the Padres off all season. The Central . . . I'd hafta go out and say the Cubs, only because they won it last year. The NL East . . . Mets, Braves, and Phillthies, with the Nats almost knocking the Phillthies out of 3rd. Even with Myers in the rotation (supposedly, his ERA when he started last year was closer to 10 than 5), and Moyer collecting Social Security, how many innings have the rookies pitched in a single season? Has Kendrick pitched over, say, 165 innings in one season?
Carlos Beltran will be borne out (in his prediction). Oh--did Jimmy Rollins copyright the "We're the team to beat" statement? You'd think so, by his reaction.
Yeah, Johan pitches only one in five games, but his clubhouse presence, coupled with Pedro for a full season, will speak volumes.
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The NL East . . . Mets, Braves, and Phillthies, with the Nats almost knocking the Phillthies out of 3rd. Even with Myers in the rotation (supposedly, his ERA when he started last year was closer to 10 than 5), and Moyer collecting Social Security, how many innings have the rookies pitched in a single season? Has Kendrick pitched over, say, 165 innings in one season?
Carlos Beltran will be borne out (in his prediction). Oh--did Jimmy Rollins copyright the "We're the team to beat" statement? You'd think so, by his reaction.
You're nuts if you think Atlanta will top us and the Nuts will keep up with us. Talk about social security, their best pitchers are either older than dirt or hurt all the time. Chipper's in his twilight, Andruw is gone, they traded away Langerhans (???). Uh-uh. The Braves can't **** wit us.
And don't worry about Kendrick... he picked up 10 wins in half a season. 121 innings. Not bad for a guy who came up from AA ball. You should worry about how manny innings Petey Martini will throw. He seems to suffer some injury or another every time the Phils kick his ass. "I just gave up six runs in the first inning...OW, MY CALF! AYE CARAMBA!" :rotf:
And what's this terrible reaction from Rollins you're talking about? We're just amused by Carlos' imitation, that's all.
Don't sing it. Bring it. :evillaugh:
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You are high if you think the Yankees are taking the East. You live in NE now, time to start reading the NY rags to keep up to speed.
**** New York. They may not have Torre to beat around anymore, but they're still the Angels' bitch.
Oh, and thanks for ******* up the Freeway Series this year.
All the Angels need to do is keep beating the Yankees (everyone else will too so it shouldn't be a problem for y'all).
Red Sox vs Dodgers in the WS. Red Sox in 7.
World.Champion.Red.Sox.
About as likely as Ron Paul being elected president in November.
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You are high if you think the Yankees are taking the East. You live in NE now, time to start reading the NY rags to keep up to speed.
**** New York. They may not have Torre to beat around anymore, but they're still the Angels' bitch.
Oh, and thanks for ******* up the Freeway Series this year.
All the Angels need to do is keep beating the Yankees (everyone else will too so it shouldn't be a problem for y'all).
Red Sox vs Dodgers in the WS. Red Sox in 7.
World.Champion.Red.Sox.
About as likely as Ron Paul being elected president in November.
Because?.......
Still waiting to hear who your team is.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
Tigers this year, or have they always been your team?
If always, then yes -- kittens look good this year. Yankees have no pitching and an aging line up. Angels, yeah we have been there before. The only thing they are good for is beating the Yankees.
Red Sox have another winning team. You have lost credibility by discounting them for one, and since when is a Detroit Tiger fan a Red Sox hater? Very very odd.
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I begin this spring training with the same hopeful outlook for the Dodgers that I have every february. but I am always prepared to have my heart broken. call it a habit.
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Just one of those days
Santana meets his match -- but it's just batting practice
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
Mets hittters said Johan Santana showed sharp movement in his first BP session. (Nati Harnik/AP)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The baseball left the bat of one of the dozens of anonymous wannabes who have assembled here in the Mets' Spring Training camp on Friday. It cleared the outfield fence, and it probably became the lunchtime chew toy for some creature indigenous to this region of the Sunshine State. But before it landed, this baseball traveled all the way to Valencia, Venezuela, and back.
Though the man who had launched the missile was a baseball unknown -- Salomon Eduardo Manriquez -- the pitcher who served the pitch was the polar opposite -- the highest-profile pitcher in the biggest baseball city, one Johan Alexander Santana. And that's what provided this batting practice poke the legs to reach the other side of the equator and make a splash.
Santana will not long recall so modest an episode in his award-winning career. Indeed, the newest star in the Mets' Milky Way assumed he had fathered other batting-practice home runs, but he could recall none. In contrast, the flight of the ball, the landing and the afterglow may push Manriquez's moments of fame beyond the Andy Warhol limit.
"Anyone I tell might remember it," Manriquez said an hour after splashdown. "I will."
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)
And so it begins. Already. Sure, they acknowledge it's only batting practice, but how many other pitchers would see this made into an MLB.com headline? Every little mistake Santana makes will be made into a huge issue, no matter how stupid or unfair. The pressures of New York will be much different than Minnesota.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
Tigers this year, or have they always been your team?
If always, then yes -- kittens look good this year. Yankees have no pitching and an aging line up. Angels, yeah we have been there before. The only thing they are good for is beating the Yankees.
Red Sox have another winning team. You have lost credibility by discounting them for one, and since when is a Detroit Tiger fan a Red Sox hater? Very very odd.
Not a Red Sox hater...not at all. More of a Yankee hater. However, pre-season predictions are always fun to look back on in October. Do you realize how often the rags have it all wrong in March? Look back to the '06 season to see proof of that. Mostly, I am giving you shit for your bold predictions. I have been a Tigers fan for so long that it is incredible...way back to the days of Kaline, Cash and Colavito. I grew up in Michigan and vividly remember as a kid listening to the Tigers on my little transistor radio.
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Just one of those days
Santana meets his match -- but it's just batting practice
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
Mets hittters said Johan Santana showed sharp movement in his first BP session. (Nati Harnik/AP)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The baseball left the bat of one of the dozens of anonymous wannabes who have assembled here in the Mets' Spring Training camp on Friday. It cleared the outfield fence, and it probably became the lunchtime chew toy for some creature indigenous to this region of the Sunshine State. But before it landed, this baseball traveled all the way to Valencia, Venezuela, and back.
Though the man who had launched the missile was a baseball unknown -- Salomon Eduardo Manriquez -- the pitcher who served the pitch was the polar opposite -- the highest-profile pitcher in the biggest baseball city, one Johan Alexander Santana. And that's what provided this batting practice poke the legs to reach the other side of the equator and make a splash.
Santana will not long recall so modest an episode in his award-winning career. Indeed, the newest star in the Mets' Milky Way assumed he had fathered other batting-practice home runs, but he could recall none. In contrast, the flight of the ball, the landing and the afterglow may push Manriquez's moments of fame beyond the Andy Warhol limit.
"Anyone I tell might remember it," Manriquez said an hour after splashdown. "I will."
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)
And so it begins. Already. Sure, they acknowledge it's only batting practice, but how many other pitchers would see this made into an MLB.com headline? Every little mistake Santana makes will be made into a huge issue, no matter how stupid or unfair. The pressures of New York will be much different than Minnesota.
What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
-
Just one of those days
Santana meets his match -- but it's just batting practice
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
Mets hittters said Johan Santana showed sharp movement in his first BP session. (Nati Harnik/AP)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The baseball left the bat of one of the dozens of anonymous wannabes who have assembled here in the Mets' Spring Training camp on Friday. It cleared the outfield fence, and it probably became the lunchtime chew toy for some creature indigenous to this region of the Sunshine State. But before it landed, this baseball traveled all the way to Valencia, Venezuela, and back.
Though the man who had launched the missile was a baseball unknown -- Salomon Eduardo Manriquez -- the pitcher who served the pitch was the polar opposite -- the highest-profile pitcher in the biggest baseball city, one Johan Alexander Santana. And that's what provided this batting practice poke the legs to reach the other side of the equator and make a splash.
Santana will not long recall so modest an episode in his award-winning career. Indeed, the newest star in the Mets' Milky Way assumed he had fathered other batting-practice home runs, but he could recall none. In contrast, the flight of the ball, the landing and the afterglow may push Manriquez's moments of fame beyond the Andy Warhol limit.
"Anyone I tell might remember it," Manriquez said an hour after splashdown. "I will."
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080222&content_id=2384192&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)
And so it begins. Already. Sure, they acknowledge it's only batting practice, but how many other pitchers would see this made into an MLB.com headline? Every little mistake Santana makes will be made into a huge issue, no matter how stupid or unfair. The pressures of New York will be much different than Minnesota.
The NY Media isn't exactly a kind one is it -- hahahahaha. Johnson cried like a little girl he couldn't handle the heat.
We'll see how he handles it.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
Tigers this year, or have they always been your team?
If always, then yes -- kittens look good this year. Yankees have no pitching and an aging line up. Angels, yeah we have been there before. The only thing they are good for is beating the Yankees.
Red Sox have another winning team. You have lost credibility by discounting them for one, and since when is a Detroit Tiger fan a Red Sox hater? Very very odd.
Not a Red Sox hater...not at all. More of a Yankee hater. However, pre-season predictions are always fun to look back on in October. Do you realize how often the rags have it all wrong in March? Look back to the '06 season to see proof of that. Mostly, I am giving you shit for your bold predictions. I have been a Tigers fan for so long that it is incredible...way back to the days of Kaline, Cash and Colavito. I grew up in Michigan and vividly remember as a kid listening to the Tigers on my little transistor radio.
I make the same prediction every single year. I am a die hard Red Sox fan -- I know no other way. I also live for smack talk.
I give it and will take it. There is no crying in baseball or in the sports forum. What is said here, stays here.
That said, while the Tigers have a great team on paper the season hasn't started yet.
Batting lineups don't mean a damn in the AL -- it's all about pitching.
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
He hasn't proven anything until he can make those pitches in NY. The NY media, Boston media and Philadelphia media are the most brutal in the country.
If you can make it there you can make it anywhere........
...he has to prove he can make it there.
We're watching, as is 200+ sports media from NYC. :popcorn:
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
He hasn't proven anything until he can make those pitches in NY. The NY media, Boston media and Philadelphia media are the most brutal in the country.
If you can make it there you can make it anywhere........
...he has to prove he can make it there.
We're watching, as is 200+ sports media from NYC. :popcorn:
He already did, to an extent, when he notched his only shutout last season--a 92-pitch effort against the Mets in Shea when the Twins came there. And, I think that he will make it. He wants the pressure. Pedro Martinez will help him a lot.
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
He hasn't proven anything until he can make those pitches in NY. The NY media, Boston media and Philadelphia media are the most brutal in the country.
If you can make it there you can make it anywhere........
...he has to prove he can make it there.
We're watching, as is 200+ sports media from NYC. :popcorn:
It's all part of the Vast East Coast Conspiracy. :-)
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In all honesty, I'll be very surprised if Santana doesn't lead the league in strikeouts. Thank God for the modern era of starters only pitching half the game. :-)
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
He hasn't proven anything until he can make those pitches in NY. The NY media, Boston media and Philadelphia media are the most brutal in the country.
If you can make it there you can make it anywhere........
...he has to prove he can make it there.
We're watching, as is 200+ sports media from NYC. :popcorn:
He already did, to an extent, when he notched his only shutout last season--a 92-pitch effort against the Mets in Shea when the Twins came there. And, I think that he will make it. He wants the pressure. Pedro Martinez will help him a lot.
Not the same at all. He wasn't playing for a NY team. They eat their own for appetizers in NYC.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/mhuauauaj.gif)
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What you weren't told in that story is that the batters were told what pitch was coming and the location of the pitch. Not too hard to connect the dots, don't 'cha think?
I very seriously doubt that Brian Schneider is going to tell Jimmy Rollins, when Santana is on the mound, "Changeup away."
Oh--and if Kendrick posts the same numbers he did last year, when pitching 165-170 innings, then you'll have something.
He won't have to. The change up is his go-to pitch.
And besides, that's not the point. I'm not trying to convince anyone Santana won't be any good. The point is he's under a ridiculous microscope. That's not good for anyone's concentration.
While he goes to it almost 50% of the time when he's got an 0-2 count, according to the site below, the count that he throws the slider on is also an 0-2 count.
http://baseball.bornbybits.com/plots/Johan_Santana.html
And, he throws it almost 19% of the time in that count. Overall, he throws the changeup less than 30% of the time. With a 95+-mph fastball, he'll be able to sneak the change in a fair amount.
Also, go down to the bottom of the page I gave the link for, above. You can't see Santana's fastball release point listed--because it's the same as the changeup's release point. Sit on the change and the fastball comes roaring by the batter, strike three, go back to the dugout.
He hasn't proven anything until he can make those pitches in NY. The NY media, Boston media and Philadelphia media are the most brutal in the country.
If you can make it there you can make it anywhere........
...he has to prove he can make it there.
We're watching, as is 200+ sports media from NYC. :popcorn:
It's all part of the Vast East Coast Conspiracy. :-)
Speaking of which, where is DK?
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In all honesty, I'll be very surprised if Santana doesn't lead the league in strikeouts. Thank God for the modern era of starters only pitching half the game. :-)
I just read something to the effect on Metsblog.com that the AP is saying that Brad Lidge caught a spike on the mound on the first pitch he threw in batting practice today, injuring the same knee that he had surgery on last October. Lidge "'limped off the field after talking with team trainers,' notes the report." Apparently, the Phillies hope to know more about the extent of the injury tomorrow . . .
Santana will have 260+ Ks in 2008.
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Just our luck :banghead: They're saying it's nothing serious, that he felt some "irritation." This right after we paid Freddy Garcia ten million dollars to go 1-5 for us then land on the DL. God hates Philly teams for some damn reason. :bawl:
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Just our luck :banghead: They're saying it's nothing serious, that he felt some "irritation." This right after we paid Freddy Garcia ten million dollars to go 1-5 for us then land on the DL. God hates Philly teams for some damn reason. :bawl:
You and I both know that an "irritation" doesn't make you limp off the field . . . :thatsright:
And, with the admission that El Deadguy's third toe on his right (?) foot is shorter than it used to be last year, thus he has to alter his delivery, and with Pedro and Johan being friends of his, it wouldn't surprise me to see Freddy Garcia in a Mets' uniform in August.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
Tigers this year, or have they always been your team?
If always, then yes -- kittens look good this year. Yankees have no pitching and an aging line up. Angels, yeah we have been there before. The only thing they are good for is beating the Yankees.
Red Sox have another winning team. You have lost credibility by discounting them for one, and since when is a Detroit Tiger fan a Red Sox hater? Very very odd.
Not a Red Sox hater...not at all. More of a Yankee hater. However, pre-season predictions are always fun to look back on in October. Do you realize how often the rags have it all wrong in March? Look back to the '06 season to see proof of that. Mostly, I am giving you shit for your bold predictions. I have been a Tigers fan for so long that it is incredible...way back to the days of Kaline, Cash and Colavito. I grew up in Michigan and vividly remember as a kid listening to the Tigers on my little transistor radio.
I make the same prediction every single year. I am a die hard Red Sox fan -- I know no other way. I also live for smack talk.
I give it and will take it. There is no crying in baseball or in the sports forum. What is said here, stays here.
That said, while the Tigers have a great team on paper the season hasn't started yet.
Batting lineups don't mean a damn in the AL -- it's all about pitching.
I agree that pitching plays a key role. But a balanced offense along with good pitching is what it takes. Having great pitchers is half the equation...the other is the ability is to put up runs. The Red Sox will be tough but it is doggone hard to go all the way two years in a row. It happens but today it is tougher. I have been a die hard Tigers fan and have gone through some VERY rough seasons following them.
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The Tigers. They are going to be tough, but it is a long way until October so I am not going to make any predictions. I think they have a good chance at making the Playoffs and will likely be going against the Yankees or Angels. I think the wildcard will come from the AL Central.
Tigers this year, or have they always been your team?
If always, then yes -- kittens look good this year. Yankees have no pitching and an aging line up. Angels, yeah we have been there before. The only thing they are good for is beating the Yankees.
Red Sox have another winning team. You have lost credibility by discounting them for one, and since when is a Detroit Tiger fan a Red Sox hater? Very very odd.
Not a Red Sox hater...not at all. More of a Yankee hater. However, pre-season predictions are always fun to look back on in October. Do you realize how often the rags have it all wrong in March? Look back to the '06 season to see proof of that. Mostly, I am giving you shit for your bold predictions. I have been a Tigers fan for so long that it is incredible...way back to the days of Kaline, Cash and Colavito. I grew up in Michigan and vividly remember as a kid listening to the Tigers on my little transistor radio.
I make the same prediction every single year. I am a die hard Red Sox fan -- I know no other way. I also live for smack talk.
I give it and will take it. There is no crying in baseball or in the sports forum. What is said here, stays here.
That said, while the Tigers have a great team on paper the season hasn't started yet.
Batting lineups don't mean a damn in the AL -- it's all about pitching.
I agree that pitching plays a key role. But a balanced offense along with good pitching is what it takes. Having great pitchers is half the equation...the other is the ability is to put up runs. The Red Sox will be tough but it is doggone hard to go all the way two years in a row. It happens but today it is tougher. I have been a die hard Tigers fan and have gone through some VERY rough seasons following them.
I've said it before (only a couple of pages ago, IIRC) and I'll say it again--put Dontrelle Willis with Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson, and that's a lethal staff.
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Lidge is gonna miss at least a month.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AotswELgl3Fg5pAkYJE079IRvLYF?slug=ap-phillies-lidgesurgery&prov=ap&type=lgns
and so the vagina monologues begin...
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Lidge is gonna miss at least a month.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AotswELgl3Fg5pAkYJE079IRvLYF?slug=ap-phillies-lidgesurgery&prov=ap&type=lgns
and so the vagina monologues begin...
If Lidge is out six weeks, that puts him coming back right around the time the Phillthies go to Shea for the first time . . . at least he's not going to be pitching at the bandbox that is Citizens' Bank Park . . .
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Santana: three runs in two innings
By BART HUBBUCH
The MetsNew York Mets can only hope Johan SantanaJohan Santana is a slow starter.
Their $137 million ace had a rough first inning today against the Cardinals in Port St. Lucie in his game debut as a Met. St. Louis took a 3-0 lead on a Juan Gonzalez home run to left against Santana, who gave up hits to three of the first five batters.
"There's a lot of things I need to learn throughout the season," Santana told SNY afterward. ``It takes some time. We're working on it."
Santana was better in his second (and final) inning of work. He took the loss in the Mets' 5-4 defeat.
After the Mets had cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the first, Santana threw 13 pitches in a scoreless second while retiring the side on three flyouts. The only damage was a two-out triple to the wall by No. 9 hitter Brendan Ryan.
Santana was pulled, then threw 15 pitches in the Tradition Field bullpen to get to his 45-pitch workload for the day. Johan's line: three runs, four hits, no walks and one strikeout.
http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archives/2008/02/santanas_debut.html (http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archives/2008/02/santanas_debut.html)
:popcorn:
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Santana: three runs in two innings
By BART HUBBUCH
The MetsNew York Mets can only hope Johan SantanaJohan Santana is a slow starter.
Their $137 million ace had a rough first inning today against the Cardinals in Port St. Lucie in his game debut as a Met. St. Louis took a 3-0 lead on a Juan Gonzalez home run to left against Santana, who gave up hits to three of the first five batters.
"There's a lot of things I need to learn throughout the season," Santana told SNY afterward. ``It takes some time. We're working on it."
Santana was better in his second (and final) inning of work. He took the loss in the Mets' 5-4 defeat.
After the Mets had cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the first, Santana threw 13 pitches in a scoreless second while retiring the side on three flyouts. The only damage was a two-out triple to the wall by No. 9 hitter Brendan Ryan.
Santana was pulled, then threw 15 pitches in the Tradition Field bullpen to get to his 45-pitch workload for the day. Johan's line: three runs, four hits, no walks and one strikeout.
http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archives/2008/02/santanas_debut.html (http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archives/2008/02/santanas_debut.html)
:popcorn:
It's his first start of spring training. All I worry about is his health. He was throwing 91 mph, and pitchers generally pick up 4-5 mph between the first week and the last week of ST. The first start is all about mechanics.
Plus, Juan Gonzalez is trying to make the Cardinals, so it's a given that he's going to play hard in ST.
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GO D'BACKS!
Randy Johnson will make a start against the Rockies on monday. It looks as though he is right on schedule rehab wise. Good luck Randy....
GO D'BACKS!
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GO D'BACKS!
Randy Johnson will make a start against the Rockies on monday. It looks as though he is right on schedule rehab wise. Good luck Randy....
GO D'BACKS!
That rotation, with Haren and Webb at the top, is scary.
Oh--the Mets send Johan to the hill today against the Sox.
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Looks like your World. Champion. Red. Sox. are already hurting, and Spring Training ain't even over yet...
Poor formerlurker. It's gonna be a LONG season in Red Sux Nation.
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Looks like your World. Champion. Red. Sox. are already hurting, and Spring Training ain't even over yet...
Poor formerlurker. It's gonna be a LONG season in Red Sux Nation.
Yeah, they may be hurting, but it's now that they're hurting. The season doesn't start for two-and-a-half weeks yet, and there's some time to heal. Today I saw that Brad Lidge of the Phillthies is looking to be ready near Opening Day. He had his injury in ST, rather than the third week of the season (when he's gonna get shelled by the Mets), so he's got some time to get well.
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At least the Sox don't have to face the dirty-playing, take-em-out-at-the-knees Yankees.
Me, I would have given Billy Crystal some chin music yesterday...
But here's some good news for my Angels...
http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/article_perspectives.jsp?ymd=20080312&content_id=2423155&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp
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At least the Sox don't have to face the dirty-playing, take-em-out-at-the-knees Yankees.
Me, I would have given Billy Crystal some chin music yesterday...
But here's some good news for my Angels...
http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/article_perspectives.jsp?ymd=20080312&content_id=2423155&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp
Well, Duncan and Melky Cabrera are going to have to sit to start the season . . .
SUSPENSIONS
DUNCAN, CABRERA HIT FOR BRAWL
By MARK HALE
March 14, 2008 -- YankeesNew York Yankees first baseman Shelley DuncanShelley Duncan likely will be suspended for three regular-season games for his role in the benches-clearing incident with the Rays on Wednesday, The Post has learned.
Duncan's spikes-first slide into second baseman Aki Iwamura started the fracas, which came in the aftermath of a home-plate collision between the teams on Saturday. Duncan also will be fined.
Melky CabreraMelky Cabrera also is facing a suspension for throwing a punch in the incident, which came in the second inning of Wednesday's game.
Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes, who raced in to get at Duncan after the slide, likely will receive a two-game suspension and fine.
Ther rest is at:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03142008/sports/suspensions_101983.htm
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Opening Day and I'm so excited I could bust a nut! :hyper:
Okay, maybe not that excited. :innocent:
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Opening Day and I'm so excited I could bust a nut! :hyper:
Okay, maybe not that excited. :innocent:
Glad you clarified that, Red . . . :p
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
You may just shock a few people . . . if Larry plays 130 games, and if Smoltz doesn't miss 4-5 starts on the DL, and if Glavine doesn't continue what he started in September of last year, and if Jair Jurrjens lives up to his promise, and if . . .
I actually think the Braves will get the WC.
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(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
On behalf of Phillies Phans to all decent baseball fans, I apologize for that pitching performance.
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(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
On behalf of Phillies Phans to all decent baseball fans, I apologize for that pitching performance.
Ugh. Apology accepted. And, if you want to see what real pitching looks like, may I suggest the man wearing #57 for the Mets? :tongue:
What utterly shocked me about the Mets' pitching was not the actual pitching performances themselves--it's the way Willie went about it. Schoeneweis for just Mike Jacobs, followed by Sosa. Heilman for the ninth. Willie seemed to be managing this game as if his very job depended on it. It does.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
You may just shock a few people . . . if Larry plays 130 games, and if Smoltz doesn't miss 4-5 starts on the DL, and if Glavine doesn't continue what he started in September of last year, and if Jair Jurrjens lives up to his promise, and if . . .
I actually think the Braves will get the WC.
Didn't Santana miss some time last season? I honestly am not sure. Pedro, there's someone who never misses any time. Besides, the Mets will find a way to lose the division. they always do.
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Phils just signed Rudy Seanez. They may actually be serious about kicking some of the losers to the curb and making a stab at a successful title defense!!! :o
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/Phillies_Sign_Seanez.html (http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/Phillies_Sign_Seanez.html)
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(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
On behalf of Phillies Phans to all decent baseball fans, I apologize for that pitching performance.
Ugh. Apology accepted. And, if you want to see what real pitching looks like, may I suggest the man wearing #57 for the Mets? :tongue:
What utterly shocked me about the Mets' pitching was not the actual pitching performances themselves--it's the way Willie went about it. Schoeneweis for just Mike Jacobs, followed by Sosa. Heilman for the ninth. Willie seemed to be managing this game as if his very job depended on it. It does.
Hi-5's for Santana helping me out in a fantasy league. :cheersmate:
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
You may just shock a few people . . . if Larry plays 130 games, and if Smoltz doesn't miss 4-5 starts on the DL, and if Glavine doesn't continue what he started in September of last year, and if Jair Jurrjens lives up to his promise, and if . . .
I actually think the Braves will get the WC.
Didn't Santana miss some time last season? I honestly am not sure. Pedro, there's someone who never misses any time. Besides, the Mets will find a way to lose the division. they always do.
No, he didn't. Finished 15-13, and gave up 33 HRs, a few (10, I think) more than he normally does. Let's remember that the "junior circuit" has the DH, Santana's a flyball pitcher, and the Metrodome was nicknamed the "Homerdome," chiefly because of the tendancy for HRs to be hit there.
Pedro's had his issues. However, he doesn't take any painkillers after he throws, nor does he even ice his arm--he doesn't need to.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
You may just shock a few people . . . if Larry plays 130 games, and if Smoltz doesn't miss 4-5 starts on the DL, and if Glavine doesn't continue what he started in September of last year, and if Jair Jurrjens lives up to his promise, and if . . .
I actually think the Braves will get the WC.
Didn't Santana miss some time last season? I honestly am not sure. Pedro, there's someone who never misses any time. Besides, the Mets will find a way to lose the division. they always do.
No, he didn't. Finished 15-13, and gave up 33 HRs, a few (10, I think) more than he normally does. Let's remember that the "junior circuit" has the DH, Santana's a flyball pitcher, and the Metrodome was nicknamed the "Homerdome," chiefly because of the tendancy for HRs to be hit there.
Pedro's had his issues. However, he doesn't take any painkillers after he throws, nor does he even ice his arm--he doesn't need to.
Maybe it was the other stud pitcher for the Twins I was thinking about.
Pedro doesn't need to ice his arm? Is that because he only pitches right before the playoffs? Which is usually when the Mets starting winding it down.
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I can't help but think we Braves fans are just going to be let down again, even with Tom Glavine back with us. :bawl:
Every expert on ESPN except one has the Braves picked to win the division. Franceur added about 20 pounds of muscle, we have a full year of Texiera, Glavine is still a good 3-4 pitcher, Andruw jones can still not hit a curveball in L.A., and McCann should be even better this year. I'm not saying we'll win the division just yet, but we may just shock a few people.
You may just shock a few people . . . if Larry plays 130 games, and if Smoltz doesn't miss 4-5 starts on the DL, and if Glavine doesn't continue what he started in September of last year, and if Jair Jurrjens lives up to his promise, and if . . .
I actually think the Braves will get the WC.
Didn't Santana miss some time last season? I honestly am not sure. Pedro, there's someone who never misses any time. Besides, the Mets will find a way to lose the division. they always do.
No, he didn't. Finished 15-13, and gave up 33 HRs, a few (10, I think) more than he normally does. Let's remember that the "junior circuit" has the DH, Santana's a flyball pitcher, and the Metrodome was nicknamed the "Homerdome," chiefly because of the tendancy for HRs to be hit there.
Pedro's had his issues. However, he doesn't take any painkillers after he throws, nor does he even ice his arm--he doesn't need to.
Maybe it was the other stud pitcher for the Twins I was thinking about.
Pedro doesn't need to ice his arm? Is that because he only pitches right before the playoffs? Which is usually when the Mets starting winding it down.
According to Willie, that's what is going on. The very fact that Pedro was pitching at all last year should tell you something about the man. And, you say the Mets were winding down about then . . . The Braves had already packed it in at the end of August--for the second year in a row . . . :tongue:
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
No, his leg.
Both Hudson and Glavine have needed ice lately . . . in their stiff drinks after watching the Braves bullpen blow their pretty good efforts . . .
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
We'll be alright. We've had a couple of bad seasons. But considering the past decade and a half, I'd say we were due.
No, his leg.
Both Hudson and Glavine have needed ice lately . . . in their stiff drinks after watching the Braves bullpen blow their pretty good efforts . . .
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
We'll be alright. We've had a couple of bad seasons. But considering the past decade and a half, I'd say we were due.
No, his leg.
Both Hudson and Glavine have needed ice lately . . . in their stiff drinks after watching the Braves bullpen blow their pretty good efforts . . .
I take it that you concede the point, then? :tongue:
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Yes ladies and gentlemen, the most high-octane offense in the National League just lost 1-0 at home to the Washington Nationals.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
Apparently, last year's 4-12 start was so much fun they want to relive the drama.
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Yes ladies and gentlemen, the most high-octane offense in the National League just lost 1-0 at home to the Washington Nationals.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
Apparently, last year's 4-12 start was so much fun they want to relive the drama.
They want to go 3-13 this time! :tongue:
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
We'll be alright. We've had a couple of bad seasons. But considering the past decade and a half, I'd say we were due.
No, his leg.
Both Hudson and Glavine have needed ice lately . . . in their stiff drinks after watching the Braves bullpen blow their pretty good efforts . . .
I take it that you concede the point, then? :tongue:
Braves' bullpen stinks. That's like saying the sky is blue. everyone knows that, it's always been that way.
And the Mets' strength, starting rotation, looks like it will end up being the weakness.
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Yes ladies and gentlemen, the most high-octane offense in the National League just lost 1-0 at home to the Washington Nationals.
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif) (http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/fullsmilies[1].com-shamebag2.gif)
Apparently, last year's 4-12 start was so much fun they want to relive the drama.
They want to go 3-13 this time! :tongue:
Jamie Moyer helped stop the bleeding last year. He starts today. Hopefully he can lock-up Murderer's Row with high-inside heat he can bring on that 72 MPH fastball.
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Hey--it wasn't his arm! The Mets will put Pedro on the 15-day DL. The pen did good, until the tenth . . . You're going to win 60 no matter what you do, and you're going to lose 60 no matter what you do.
I had the "over" in the number of pitches . . . :o
Did he ice his arm last night? :lmao: :fuelfire:
We'll be alright. We've had a couple of bad seasons. But considering the past decade and a half, I'd say we were due.
No, his leg.
Both Hudson and Glavine have needed ice lately . . . in their stiff drinks after watching the Braves bullpen blow their pretty good efforts . . .
I take it that you concede the point, then? :tongue:
Braves' bullpen stinks. That's like saying the sky is blue. everyone knows that, it's always been that way.
And the Mets' strength, starting rotation, looks like it will end up being the weakness.
What the deuce are you smoking? Right now, as I type, there's a guy a the top who has two Cy Youngs. Then, the guy who won last night won 15 games last year, and had a pretty good spring. Then, going tomorrow night against the Squaws, is another 15 game winner from last year, who has gotten a lot better with his slider, to the point that Peter Gammons thinks that he's the #2 of the staff. 1 through 3 I'd put against any in the league--certainly Hudson, Smoltz, and Glavine, maybe even Webb, Haren, and Johnson. Maybe even against Peavy, Hensley (or whoever SD's #2 is), and Maddux. I wouldn't be so high on the chances of Smoltz not missing 4-5 starts this season. Glavine had a pretty good first outing, but you can't expect him to go even seven innings every game. If you have no bullpen, you don't win a lot of games.
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We won the division, your division, for 16 years without a bullpen. We'll see how the season plays out. I really think it'll come down between us and y'all. The Phillies won't repeat last years success.
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We won the division, your division, for 16 years without a bullpen. We'll see how the season plays out. I really think it'll come down between us and y'all. The Phillies won't repeat last years success.
Umm . . . I think it was 13 years, because of the strike season in '94.
But, you're right on the second point--the Phillthies won't repeat last year's success. A lot of things had to go exactly right for them. The chances of that happening two years in a row are pretty poor. And, Pedro will be back in June. Bet on it. And he'll be mad at himself for losing that time.
The Mets have essentially the same pitching staff they did that year, in Maine, Perez, El Duque (April 13th), and Pedro for half of the year. Yeah, there were other guys--Geremi Gonzalez :o and Jose Lima :o :o and the one major subtraction from that staff is Glavine. He's two years older now, and we've replaced him with, arguably, the best pitcher in baseball.
I've heard the name "Rich Harden" beig thrown around as a future acquisition by the Braves. Thing is, he's had two good starts so far. I'd wait until at least Memorial Day before looking at how he's doing. With his injury history, he could do something next start that would put him right onto the 60-day DL for the rest of the year. Plus, would Atlanta want to cough up the king's ransom that Billy Beane would want for him?
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We won the division, your division, for 16 years without a bullpen. We'll see how the season plays out. I really think it'll come down between us and y'all. The Phillies won't repeat last years success.
Umm . . . I think it was 14 years, because of the strike season in '94.
But, you're right on the second point--the Phillthies won't repeat last year's success. A lot of things had to go exactly right for them. The chances of that happening two years in a row are pretty poor. And, Pedro will be back in June. Bet on it. And he'll be mad at himself for losing that time.
The Mets have essentially the same pitching staff they did that year, in Maine, Perez, El Duque (April 13th), and Pedro for half of the year. Yeah, there were other guys--Geremi Gonzalez :o and Jose Lima :o :o and the one major subtraction from that staff is Glavine. He's two years older now, and we've replaced him with, arguably, the best pitcher in baseball.
I've heard the name "Rich Harden" beig thrown around as a future acquisition by the Braves. Thing is, he's had two good starts so far. I'd wait until at least Memorial Day before looking at how he's doing. With his injury history, he could do something next start that would put him right onto the 60-day DL for the rest of the year. Plus, would Atlanta want to cough up the king's ransom that Billy Beane would want for him?
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We won the division, your division, for 16 years without a bullpen. We'll see how the season plays out. I really think it'll come down between us and y'all. The Phillies won't repeat last years success.
And, Pedro will be back in June. Bet on it. And he'll be mad at himself for losing that time.
Don't get me wrong, I liked Pedro in Montreal and Boston, but he better have more than 86 mph on his fastball come June.
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(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/m_bliss.gif) Woohoo! We avoided the opening-series sweep! We've already improved on last year.
Man I was getting thisclose to torching my Phillies hat ----> :fuelfire:
But the bandwagon's wheels hold on for another day
(http://musingsofanundiscoveredgenius.com/smf/Smileys/classic/numberone.gif)
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But, you're right on the second point--the Phillthies won't repeat last year's success. A lot of things had to go exactly right for them. The chances of that happening two years in a row are pretty poor. And, Pedro will be back in June. Bet on it. And he'll be mad at himself for losing that time.
:catfight:
One of the things that went right was the #1 offense in the NL. And another thing would be our record against the Mets. Just sayin'. :uhsure: If nothing else, it's good enough for Wild Card contention. If we stay any degree healthier this year than we were last year, the 90+ win plateau is not out of the question.
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But, you're right on the second point--the Phillthies won't repeat last year's success. A lot of things had to go exactly right for them. The chances of that happening two years in a row are pretty poor. And, Pedro will be back in June. Bet on it. And he'll be mad at himself for losing that time.
:catfight:
One of the things that went right was the #1 offense in the NL. And another thing would be our record against the Mets. Just sayin'. :uhsure: If nothing else, it's good enough for Wild Card contention. If we stay any degree healthier this year than we were last year, the 90+ win plateau is not out of the question.
If the Mets had the 'tude that they did going into last season, then I would say that you might have a point. But, as Rebel Yell is finding out, if the bullpen can't hold the gains made by the offense and/or the starting staff, you're screwed (another loss by the Atlanta bullpen). Oh--BTW, guess who's on the DL--again?
Hampton placed on disabled list
Strained left pectoral muscle to sideline southpaw for 15 days
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- While there have been times when it seemed Mike Hampton's injury woes couldn't get any worse or more unbelievable, history continues to prove nothing is impossible when it comes to Hampton and his health.
Minutes from making his first start in nearly three full years, Hampton was forced to face the fact that his body had created yet another reason that he couldn't pitch. As he was warming up before Thursday night's game against the Pirates, the Braves southpaw felt discomfort in his left pectoral muscle.
Immediately, Hampton was scratched from his scheduled start, and a few hours later, he found himself back on the disabled list yet again.
"Nobody is more disappointed than I am," Hampton said after Thursday's 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Pirates. "I've worked pretty hard to get to this day. I hate it for [Braves manager] Bobby [Cox]. I hate it for the team and myself, mostly because of the work I put into it."
His last good year was . . . when? 2000, with the Mets? :whatever:
The rest of the article is at:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080403&content_id=2489401&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
But, I digress. To reiterate, if the bullpen can't hold the gains made by the starting staff and the offense, it's going to be a long season. One of the big reasons that the Mets collapsed down the stretch last year is that the bullpen was absolutely shot. So, what did they do? They went out and got Matt Wise (who hung a changeup, and led to the Mets' first loss), and got rid of Guillermo "Mogas" Mota (plus not guaranteeing a spot to Duaner Sanchez, making him work for it). Rebel Yell says that the Braves went on that long run without a bullpen, but someone had to protect the leads established by Larry and Andruw (does the name of John Rocker ring a bell?). Hudson, Glavine, and now this Jeff Bennett have had decnet pitching performances blown by the bullpen.
As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
I was talking about the Coste HR. You can't lay that one just on the park. And my main point is how we overcame a large defecit without home-runs, hence our offese is as good as advertised. That can't be laid on the park either.
But you are right, it's way too early to make any accurate predictions, other than we're going to win at least 60. :-) I live in northern Maryland, and I get the Washington/Baltimore broadcasts. Good God, you should hear the Nats broadcasting crew talking these guys up like they're already on their way to the World Series. :banghead: Did you know that as soon as a Nats reliever enters the game, the current score will be the final score? Did you know ever Washington starter has the most electric stuff in the game and are virtually unhittable? Did you know Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are Green Berets in the offseason and lead combat missions in Iraq just for practice??? Man will somebody humble these guys, already!
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Phil Sheridan's account:
The Phillies made four errors before the Washington Nationals made four outs. Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley committed the first two, contributing to that five-run Washington first.
"If I knew how to explain it, how to stop it, I would," manager Charlie Manuel said. "Sloppiness is not good."
In the season opener Monday, the Phillies lost because they couldn't pitch.
In their second game Wednesday, the Phillies lost because they couldn't hit.
Now they had finally put it all together: bad pitching, poor hitting and lousy fielding. The crowd, which had precious little to like, began to turn surly. Sarcasm was the only thing hurled at the players, but the point was well taken. The Phillies were playing without their heads or their hearts in the game.
And then they were.
"It was nice to see our offense do it how they did it," Moyer said.
There was the sixth inning, which saw the power-hitting Phillies hit seven consecutive singles. Rollins broke the string by being hit with a pitch. Then Shane Victorino hit a bases-loaded single - the eighth single of the inning - to give the Phillies a 7-6 lead.
There was the seventh inning, which saw Adam Eaton inserted as a pinch-runner. He didn't actually run anywhere, but at least he didn't give up any runs.
There was the ninth inning, which saw Tom Gordon trot in from the bullpen to boos and walk to the dugout to cheers. In between, Gordon loaded the bases but worked out of the jam without allowing a run.
And then there was the 10th inning, which proved that you can watch baseball for years and still not see everything.
The Phillies, who played like dopes in the first two innings, won in the 10th on sheer baseball smarts and audacity. A team that was shut out on one hit Wednesday manufactured the game-winning run without getting the ball out of the infield.
"We played a small game today," Victorino said.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20080404_Phil_Sheridan__Small_ball_lets_Phillies_come_up_big.html (http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20080404_Phil_Sheridan__Small_ball_lets_Phillies_come_up_big.html)
:rotf:
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BSS- I got an idea.
Let's say whoever makes the most starts this year, Pedro or Hampton, get's the bragging rights.
Odds are in your favor. Pedro -5. :-)
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
I was talking about the Coste HR. You can't lay that one just on the park. And my main point is how we overcame a large defecit without home-runs, hence our offese is as good as advertised. That can't be laid on the park either.
But you are right, it's way too early to make any accurate predictions, other than we're going to win at least 60. :-) I live in northern Maryland, and I get the Washington/Baltimore broadcasts. Good God, you should hear the Nats broadcasting crew talking these guys up like they're already on their way to the World Series. :banghead: Did you know that as soon as a Nats reliever enters the game, the current score will be the final score? Did you know ever Washington starter has the most electric stuff in the game and are virtually unhittable? Did you know Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are Green Berets in the offseason and lead combat missions in Iraq just for practice??? Man will somebody humble these guys, already!
Did you know Johnson and Zimmerman are actually the twin sons of TiT?
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
I was talking about the Coste HR. You can't lay that one just on the park. And my main point is how we overcame a large defecit without home-runs, hence our offese is as good as advertised. That can't be laid on the park either.
But you are right, it's way too early to make any accurate predictions, other than we're going to win at least 60. :-) I live in northern Maryland, and I get the Washington/Baltimore broadcasts. Good God, you should hear the Nats broadcasting crew talking these guys up like they're already on their way to the World Series. :banghead: Did you know that as soon as a Nats reliever enters the game, the current score will be the final score? Did you know ever Washington starter has the most electric stuff in the game and are virtually unhittable? Did you know Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are Green Berets in the offseason and lead combat missions in Iraq just for practice??? Man will somebody humble these guys, already!
Did you know Johnson and Zimmerman are actually the twin sons of TiT?
:lmao: H5 +1
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
I was talking about the Coste HR. You can't lay that one just on the park. And my main point is how we overcame a large defecit without home-runs, hence our offese is as good as advertised. That can't be laid on the park either.
But you are right, it's way too early to make any accurate predictions, other than we're going to win at least 60. :-) I live in northern Maryland, and I get the Washington/Baltimore broadcasts. Good God, you should hear the Nats broadcasting crew talking these guys up like they're already on their way to the World Series. :banghead: Did you know that as soon as a Nats reliever enters the game, the current score will be the final score? Did you know ever Washington starter has the most electric stuff in the game and are virtually unhittable? Did you know Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are Green Berets in the offseason and lead combat missions in Iraq just for practice??? Man will somebody humble these guys, already!
Did you know Johnson and Zimmerman are actually the twin sons of TiT?
:lmao: H5 +1
:rotf: :lmao: Ditto on the H5!
My computer screen, however, got some Cherry Coke Zero on it . . .
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As for the Phillthies' vaunted offense, two words for you: Tim Redding. Hole Camels had a great pitching performance, yet the O wasn't there. What did they get off of Redding, one hit, maybe?
There's holes on every team. Some of the perceived ones on the Mets are a lot smaller than one makes them out to be, and some on the Braves and Phillies are a tad larger than one can admit.
True. Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap to the opposition. Redding was nearly flawless.
On the other hand, it was April 2, it was cold, and the Phillies were pressing. Let's see Redding throw the same game against us a month from now. Hell, our bats came alive yesterday and overcame a 6-1 defecit. And Chris Coste's solo HR in the 3rd was the only HR (which would have been a HR anywhere), so you can't blame it on the park.
Considering the bandbox that is CBP, I'd be hard pressed to blame the lack of HRs on the park. If the game had been at RFK, then yeah, a case like that would be sustainable.
And, as I said above, I've hear it said that you're going to win 60 no matter how bad you play, and lose 60 no matter how good you play. It's the other 42 that you have to worry about ('86 Mets and '98 Yankees notwithstanding).
I was talking about the Coste HR. You can't lay that one just on the park. And my main point is how we overcame a large defecit without home-runs, hence our offese is as good as advertised. That can't be laid on the park either.
But you are right, it's way too early to make any accurate predictions, other than we're going to win at least 60. :-) I live in northern Maryland, and I get the Washington/Baltimore broadcasts. Good God, you should hear the Nats broadcasting crew talking these guys up like they're already on their way to the World Series. :banghead: Did you know that as soon as a Nats reliever enters the game, the current score will be the final score? Did you know ever Washington starter has the most electric stuff in the game and are virtually unhittable? Did you know Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are Green Berets in the offseason and lead combat missions in Iraq just for practice??? Man will somebody humble these guys, already!
Did you know Johnson and Zimmerman are actually the twin sons of TiT?
:lmao: H5 +1
That was very worthy . . . H5 +1 . . .
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I feel like I this thread needs to be stickied. :whatever: :-)
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I feel like I this thread needs to be stickied. :whatever: :-)
Do it, WE.
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I feel like I this thread needs to be stickied. :whatever: :-)
I double-dog dare ya! :tongue:
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My my, look who's 0-4. (http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080404&content_id=2490482&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=det) :tongue: I'm sure there's no need to sound the alarm bells yet. After all, Cleveland could always wind up blowing the entire month of September out their posteriors... :popcorn:
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My my, look who's 0-4. (http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080404&content_id=2490482&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=det) :tongue: I'm sure there's no need to sound the alarm bells yet. After all, Cleveland could always wind up blowing the entire month of September out their posteriors... :popcorn:
"No bullpen" disease. Teams in the NL have it, too . . . :tongue:
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My my, look who's 0-4. (http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080404&content_id=2490482&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=det) :tongue: I'm sure there's no need to sound the alarm bells yet. After all, Cleveland could always wind up blowing the entire month of September out their posteriors... :popcorn:
Make that 0-5. No bullpen and no offense. Going to be a LONG LONG LONG year for Tigers' fans.
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I feel like I this thread needs to be stickied. :whatever: :-)
I double-dog dare ya! :tongue:
baseball is very important to me. I don't want to sticky the thread, because I don't want baseball to be confined to one thread.
I encourage our baseball fans to branch out, and start new threads.
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:kumbaya: <-- Phillie Phans two days ago.
:angryvillagers: <-- Phillie Phans today.
The bats better be there for Hamels tomorrow. :banghead:
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
And there's what, 157 games to play?
Way to go in basing a whole season on two games. :whatever: ::) :p
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
And there's what, 157 games to play?
Way to go in basing a whole season on two games. :whatever: ::) :p
In light of these developments, we should just quit and pull all our troops out of Iraq now.
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
And there's what, 157 games to play?
Way to go in basing a whole season on two games. :whatever: ::) :p
In light of these developments, we should just quit and pull all our troops out of Iraq now.
H5 for that!
And, ya got to love the Braves' pen . . . Again, ice is needed in the stiff drinks that Glavine needs after watching the Braves' relievers blow another great outing of his.
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
And there's what, 157 games to play?
Way to go in basing a whole season on two games. :whatever: ::) :p
Small victories, man. Small victories.
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Mets are 0-2 against the Braves, and Jesus is 0-1, himself. :hyper: :evillaugh: :cheersmate:
And there's what, 157 games to play?
Way to go in basing a whole season on two games. :whatever: ::) :p
Small victories, man. Small victories.
Very small. I'm sure that Glavine's thought to himself, "If I pitched those two games in a Mets uniform, the pen would have won at least one of them for me." :tongue:
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
It beats losing them both. Gotta set the tone. Now if we could just beat somebody else. :banghead:
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
It beats losing them both. Gotta set the tone. Now if we could just beat somebody else. :banghead:
I don't know whose bullpen is going to lose more games. All four of our losses (yes, even the two to the Braves) are directly attribtable to the pen blowing the lead. Though, if Carlos Delgado makes the throw to Jose Reyes in the seventh yesterday, instead of plunking Chase Utley in the back, Scott Schoeneweis gets out of that inning, as Pat Burrell flew out the next at-bat.
And, the Mets "set the tone" at the beginning of the season last year. Then the Phillthies did the same at the end. Given those two, I'd much rather see the second happen for the Mets this year.
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
It beats losing them both. Gotta set the tone. Now if we could just beat somebody else. :banghead:
I don't know whose bullpen is going to lose more games. All four of our losses (yes, even the two to the Braves) are directly attribtable to the pen blowing the lead. Though, if Carlos Delgado makes the throw to Jose Reyes in the seventh yesterday, instead of plunking Chase Utley in the back, Scott Schoeneweis gets out of that inning, as Pat Burrell flew out the next at-bat.
And, the Mets "set the tone" at the beginning of the season last year. Then the Phillthies did the same at the end. Given those two, I'd much rather see the second happen for the Mets this year.
Did you see the Braves piss another away? All 5 losses have been by 1 run. At least if we ust get our asses beat, I could turn it off after the 7th. :hammer:
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
It beats losing them both. Gotta set the tone. Now if we could just beat somebody else. :banghead:
I don't know whose bullpen is going to lose more games. All four of our losses (yes, even the two to the Braves) are directly attribtable to the pen blowing the lead. Though, if Carlos Delgado makes the throw to Jose Reyes in the seventh yesterday, instead of plunking Chase Utley in the back, Scott Schoeneweis gets out of that inning, as Pat Burrell flew out the next at-bat.
And, the Mets "set the tone" at the beginning of the season last year. Then the Phillthies did the same at the end. Given those two, I'd much rather see the second happen for the Mets this year.
Did you see the Braves piss another away? All 5 losses have been by 1 run. At least if we ust get our asses beat, I could turn it off after the 7th. :hammer:
LA has lost the last two by 5 runs or more. I don't think it hurts any less to lose big, but it is much less dramatic.
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Seriously, though. The first step to winning the division is to win the series against the other division teams.
'natch. since with herr selig's "unbalanced schedule", you play everyone in your division 19 times (or so, depending on the division)
Two games does not a season make, RY.
It beats losing them both. Gotta set the tone. Now if we could just beat somebody else. :banghead:
I don't know whose bullpen is going to lose more games. All four of our losses (yes, even the two to the Braves) are directly attribtable to the pen blowing the lead. Though, if Carlos Delgado makes the throw to Jose Reyes in the seventh yesterday, instead of plunking Chase Utley in the back, Scott Schoeneweis gets out of that inning, as Pat Burrell flew out the next at-bat.
And, the Mets "set the tone" at the beginning of the season last year. Then the Phillthies did the same at the end. Given those two, I'd much rather see the second happen for the Mets this year.
Did you see the Braves piss another away? All 5 losses have been by 1 run. At least if we ust get our asses beat, I could turn it off after the 7th. :hammer:
LA has lost the last two by 5 runs or more. I don't think it hurts any less to lose big, but it is much less dramatic.
SNY, I think, had a graphic on screen Sunday, where the Elias Sports Bureau went back to the beginning of the '06 season, and the Braves had the worst record in MLB in one-run games. Close to 20 games under .500 in those.
When John Smoltz came out of the pen, things rolled downhill. It took a couple of years for things to take effect, but it happened. Oh--one more thing . . .
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8002572/Top-Braves-prospect-Schafer-suspended-for-HGH
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I understand the Mets were gonna get us eventually, but good God! 9 walks! 4 errors!!! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: Way to embarass yourselves on national TV, Phils. :whatever: Good thing tonight was Idol Gives Back night and no one saw that abortion of a game.
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I understand the Mets were gonna get us eventually, but good God! 9 walks! 4 errors!!! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: Way to embarass yourselves on national TV, Phils. :whatever: Good thing tonight was Idol Gives Back night and no one saw that abortion of a game.
I did . . . :tongue:
At least the six runs Kendrick gave up in the third won't affect his ERA . . . All unearned.
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this is great. we be gots some baseball fans at CC :hyper:. this is going to be fun. :-)
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Postponed
Atlanta (3-6, 0-4 away)
Colorado (4-5, 3-3 home)
ATL: Hudson (1-0, 3.46 ERA)
COL: Francis (0-1, 7.11 ERA)
W: (0-0) L: (0-0) S: (0)
TODAY'S GAME BETWEEN ATLANTA AND COLORADO HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW. IT WILL BE MADE UP ON JUNE 16.
there is something basically wrong with a baseball game being snowed out. :thatsright:
-
Postponed
Atlanta (3-6, 0-4 away)
Colorado (4-5, 3-3 home)
ATL: Hudson (1-0, 3.46 ERA)
COL: Francis (0-1, 7.11 ERA)
W: (0-0) L: (0-0) S: (0)
TODAY'S GAME BETWEEN ATLANTA AND COLORADO HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW. IT WILL BE MADE UP ON JUNE 16.
there is something basically wrong with a baseball game being snowed out. :thatsright:
Gotta agree. They could use a blaze orange baseball, though. I had a couple waaaay back in my youth.
-
Postponed
Atlanta (3-6, 0-4 away)
Colorado (4-5, 3-3 home)
ATL: Hudson (1-0, 3.46 ERA)
COL: Francis (0-1, 7.11 ERA)
W: (0-0) L: (0-0) S: (0)
TODAY'S GAME BETWEEN ATLANTA AND COLORADO HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW. IT WILL BE MADE UP ON JUNE 16.
there is something basically wrong with a baseball game being snowed out. :thatsright:
Gotta agree. They could use a blaze orange baseball, though. I had a couple waaaay back in my youth.
charley o. finley. I remember (barely). the traditionalists grabbed their chests and ran for the nearest EKG machine.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
Neither do I. Hell, I'd be surprised to see him make 30 starts this season.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
Neither do I. Hell, I'd be surprised to see him make 30 starts this season.
Even in 30 starts, he'll have more quality starts than 90% of the league.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
Neither do I. Hell, I'd be surprised to see him make 30 starts this season.
Even in 30 starts, he'll have more quality starts than 90% of the league.
No argument there.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
Neither do I. Hell, I'd be surprised to see him make 30 starts this season.
Even in 30 starts, he'll have more quality starts than 90% of the league.
No argument there.
I think we'll have a good race this year. But niether team has wowed me yet.
-
In other news, the Braves' bullpen woes just got more pronounced.
04/10/2008 4:45 PM ET
Moylan in the mix to close
Australian righty could get save chances while Soriano is out
DENVER -- With closer Rafael Soriano going on the disabled list before Wednesday's game with the Rockies, manager Bobby Cox is reluctant to designate any specific pitcher as the closer in Soriano's absence.
Cox indicated he'd "play it by ear," seeing no reason to put any pressure on a given pitcher when he has plenty of options to choose from depending on game situations.
Two of the top contenders for ninth-inning action are Peter Moylan and Manny Acosta. Both have excelled in relief roles for the Braves, with 2.23 and 2.28 respective career ERAs. Moylan has an edge of an extra year and 74 more appearances than Acosta, who made his big league debut in 2007 while Moylan was posting a 1.80 ERA in his sophomore season, making 80 appearances and earning a 5-3 record with one save.
"It doesn't matter to me whether it's the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning," Moylan said of a potential shift in his bullpen role. "I'm still going to do what I do. I'm trying to get guys out. It's exactly the same. It doesn't matter if we're up by 10 or up by one or down by one."
The rest is at:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080410&content_id=2512325&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
:sosad:
Not having a designated closer is not news to Braves fans. Other than a couple of flash in the pan closers, we've never had a "closer".
I seem to remember some guy . . . what was his name? Oh yeah--Smoltz . . . racking up 150 saves in 3, maybe 4 years, not that long ago? He wasn't a "closer?" :o
Believe it or not, I tend to forget Smoltz as a closer. I always think further back than that. My thoughts always go to Rocker, Wohlers, and the likes. As a Braves fan, you are conditioned to believe you have never had anyone in the bullpen. Thanks for the correction.
Both Smoltz and Glavine will be first-ballot HOFers, as they richly deserve to be. Maddux, too.
Methinks it's probably crossed Bobby Cox' mind to ask Smoltz to go back into the pen. Thing is, I think Smoltz would retire.
I wouldn't mind seeing him go back until we get the ben situated, but I don't think his shoulder can hold up to pitch nearly every game.
Neither do I. Hell, I'd be surprised to see him make 30 starts this season.
Even in 30 starts, he'll have more quality starts than 90% of the league.
No argument there.
I think we'll have a good race this year. But niether team has wowed me yet.
you two should get a room. :rotf:
-
Ouch! Santana will have better games at Shea. Running into the buzzsaw known as "Ben Sheets" was tough.
-
Ouch! Santana will have better games at Shea. Running into the buzzsaw known as "Ben Sheets" was tough.
it wasn't awful. but three HRs isn't going to please the mets fanbase . . . or the NY media.
-
Ouch! Santana will have better games at Shea. Running into the buzzsaw known as "Ben Sheets" was tough.
it wasn't awful. but three HRs isn't going to please the mets fanbase . . . or the NY media.
Thing is, Santana is known as a slow starter. He comes around in the second half of the season.
-
Ouch! Santana will have better games at Shea. Running into the buzzsaw known as "Ben Sheets" was tough.
it wasn't awful. but three HRs isn't going to please the mets fanbase . . . or the NY media.
Thing is, Santana is known as a slow starter. He comes around in the second half of the season.
To continue on this, in '06, when Santana won the second of his Cy Youngs, his season after the ASB went 10-1 with two NDs. I'll take that down the stretch, especially with Glavine on the sidelines after tweaking his left hammy yesterday. Supposedly, the Braves might be in the trade market soon, with names such as Kei Igawa, Joe Blanton, and Jason Marquis being bantered around.
-
Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! A big hit with men on base? Did my eyes deceive me???
Thank you Chase! :bow: :cheersmate:
And what a play at the end by Bruntlett. Philadelphia was getting ready to tar and feather that guy, and he saves the game with that diving stop. We just might be able to hang in there till Rollins comes back after all.
-
Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! A big hit with men on base? Did my eyes deceive me???
Thank you Chase! :bow: :cheersmate:
And what a play at the end by Bruntlett. Philadelphia was getting ready to tar and feather that guy, and he saves the game with that diving stop. We just might be able to hang in there till Rollins comes back after all.
I'll take Bruntlett's twofer special any series . . . :tongue: