I feel strangely compelled. AL East: New York AL Central: Chicago AL West: Anaheim AL Wild: Toronto NL East: New York NL Central: St. Louis NL West: Los Angeles NL Wild: Pittsburgh ALCS: Chicago over Toronto in 6 NLCS: New York over Pittsburgh in 7 WS: Chicago in 5. How dull. Again, the two LCSs will steal the show. AL MVP: Vernon Wells NL MVP: Albert Pujols AL ROY: Delmon Young NL ROY: Mike Pelfrey AL Cy: John Lackey NL Cy: Chris Carpenter Roger Clemens, July 1: Houston.
I'm sorry, I meant to add a category of the date of Carl Pavano's first car accident and then the date he actually tells the team. Whatever. I'm still looking forward to LaRussa's claim that, even though he got busted, he is still the best at hiding the fact that he is loaded from the cops and they had no business pulling him over. I will, however, admit to almost picking Alex Rodriguez as my AL MVP just to tweak you. I would have picked that up, too. I work under the presumption that everything that is written on this site is done with the intent of tweaking me. In that way, it's easier to fly off the handle for no reason whatsoever. I think the many selections of Grady Sizemore is interesting, as they would seem to prophesize that, for the third year in a row, the AL MVP Award will not have gone to the MVP of the guy's own team. INSANE, but intriguing nonetheless. The more I think about this trade, the more convinced I become that it couldn't possibly NOT happen. I can see both sides seeing it as a huge win, and a real boon to their future goals. And the final measure of the trade could be debated forever -- the difficulty of finding a talent like A-Rod vs. the difficulty in prying loose an established ace like Zambrano during a pennant run. If Zambrano gives the Yankees the title, it will barely matter in the final judgment whether they can sign him beyond this year or not. On edit: I also think the Confidence Pool would be great. Even weekly updates might not be so unreasonable a task.
Sousepaw, I don't see it as harshing on my beloved Yankees to tell the truth about Carl "Wounded White Elephant" Pavano. In fact, I'm halfway tempted to enter some fantasy league and create a team called LBB's Disasters, stocked with the players most likely to get hurt on (or before) opening day, drive their overpriced overpowered sports car into some easy-to-overlook obstacle like an eight-foot wall, get arrested, fail the piss test, or otherwise screw the pooch. I haven't thought about who else would be on it, but Pavano would be high on the list.
AL East: Red Sox AL Central: Indians AL West: Angels AL WC: Yankees NL East: Mets NL Central: Cardinals NL West: Diamondbacks NL WC: Braves AL Champs: Red Sox NL Champs: Braves World Champs: Red Sox AL CY: Johan Santana (MIN) NL CY: Jake Peavy (SDG) AL MVP: David Ortiz (BOS) NL MVP: Albert Pujols (STL) AL ROY: Alex Gordon (KC) NL ROY: Chris Iannetta (COL) Where Is Roger Clemens on July 1st?: Sitting at home J.D. Drew's first trip to the DL: June 15 Tom Glavine's 300th win: August 3
And before you go accusing me of more anti-Yankees bias, see my picks above, my friend. I have to assume that you fancy yourself a jinx. LBB, nobody needs to remind me of Pavano's fragility more than Pavano already does. Sigh. And, while I'm here: Bonds breaks Aaron's record: ties it August 14, breaks it August 16. Both in Atlanta.
the AL MVP Award will not have gone to the MVP of the guy's own team. Clarification please. Are you saying Travis Hafner will definitely have a better season than Sizemore?
AL ROY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (KC) How'd that happen?
Gotta pay attention, jg. They got him for the league minimum and a supply of the last Bazooka Joe bubble gum.
I think the many selections of Grady Sizemore is interesting, as they would seem to prophesize that, for the third year in a row, the AL MVP Award will not have gone to the MVP of the guy's own team. The Morneau/Mauer/Santana thing from last year, I get. HUGE mistake there. But there is no way you can honestly believe that there was a Yankee better than Alex Rodriguez in 2005. He finished 1st (on the Yankees) in games played, runs, home runs, RBI, AVG, SLG, and OPS, and 2nd or 3rd (on the Yankees) in hits, doubles, OBP, walks and stolen bases. Jeter/Giambi/Sheffield combined don't have big enough "intangibles" to make up that sort of performance. Maybe you forgot about 2005 and were thinking of 2004? If so, even worse. Vlad Guerrero was more dominating (compared to the rest of the Angels) than ARod was to the Yankees in 2005.
Are you saying Travis Hafner will definitely have a better season than Sizemore? If he stays healthy all season -- guarantee. I'm not saying it, I'm singing it. But there is no way you can honestly believe that there was a Yankee better than Alex Rodriguez in 2005. Mariano Rivera. On edit: By the way, Grum -- off topic -- I like to think that Frank Thomas signed with the Bleu Jays as thanks to you personally for your tireless, and entirely due, defenses of him here. And getting a little closer to the topic (re: predictions): which combinations of players would you rather have on your fantasy team, Thomas and Matsuzaka or Bobby Abreu and Tim Hudson?
AL East: Yankees AL Central: Twins AL West: Angels AL WC: Tigers NL East: Braves NL Central: Cardinals NL West: Padres NL WC: Phillies AL Champs: Tigers NL Champs: Cardinals World Champs: Tigers AL CY: Johan Santana (MIN) NL CY: Chris Carpenter (STL) AL MVP: Gary Sheffield NL MVP: Albert Pujols (STL) Where Is Roger Clemens on July 1st?: Yankees J.D. Drew's first trip to the DL: April 8th Tom Glavine's 300th win: July 31st Combined games Mark Prior and Kerry Wood spend on the DL: 157 And getting a little closer to the topic (re: predictions): which combinations of players would you rather have on your fantasy team, Thomas and Matsuzaka or Bobby Abreu and Tim Hudson? Abreu and Hudson. I also must note, I will not be suprised if the Tigers fail to even make the playoffs. The Central is a fantastic division (best in the league in my opinion) and I've watched way too many Tigers' games to put all my faith in last year's performance. That said, I will not jinx my beloved Tigers by picking against them. I won't do it.
AL ROY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (KC) How'd that happen? God, I'm such a bonehead. Sorry.
Thomas and Matsuzaka or Bobby Abreu and Tim Hudson? "Fantasy team" does make it more complicated, but I still gotta go with the former by a long chalk.
Thomas and Matsuzaka or Bobby Abreu and Tim Hudson? Thomas and Matsuzaka, especially if it's just the normal 5x5 stats. But there is no way you can honestly believe that there was a Yankee better than Alex Rodriguez in 2005. Mariano Rivera. *epic spit-take* Defensive contributions: Mariano Rivera: 7 putouts + 22 assists + 1 double play + 80 strikeouts = 110 outs (and that's not subtracting walks, which add base runners like errors do) Alex Rodriguez: 116 putouts +290 assists +26 double plays = 432 outs - 12 errors = 420 outs Offensive contributions: Mariano Rivera: 0 Alex Rodriguez: More than anyone else on the entire team One of the dumbest things that can happen is a relief pitcher winning the MVP. At least the NL voters haven't let that happen. Yet.
On edit: By the way, Grum -- off topic -- I like to think that Frank Thomas signed with the Bleu Jays as thanks to you personally for your tireless, and entirely due, defenses of him here. I'll admit to almost squealing with glee like a school-girl when I heard that they signed him. Sometimes the fan inside me overrides the analyst when it comes to baseball moves, and this is one of them.
But, did you "tee hee?" I've gotta know!
AL East: Red Sox AL Central: Twins AL West: Angels AL Wild Card: Tigers NL East: Phillies NL Central: Brewers NL West: Diamondbacks NL Wild Card: Mets AL Champs: Red Sox NL Champs: Brewers World Champs: Red Sox AL Cy: Johan Santana (MIN) NL Cy: Brandon Webb (ARI) AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez (NYY and/or elsewhere) NL MVP: Albert Pujols (STL) AL ROY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) NL ROY: No idea
Homers abound! But it wouldn't be (almost) April without optimism.
AL East: Blue Jays AL Central: Indians AL West: Oakland AL WC: Yankees NL East: Phillies NL Central: Brewers NL West: Diamondbacks NL WC: Mets AL Cy: Roy Halladay NL Cy: Randy Johnson AL MVP: Vernon Wells NL MVP: Pujols Total homer, coming through! Make way people! Go Jays Go!
While we're being homers, I'd just like to mention to y'all that the T.O. Season Passes are still available, and if you pick one up for yourself, we should make a point of having SpoFi meetups in the 'Dome nosebleeds all summer long. If you're interested, drop me an email and I can give you the contact info for the sales rep I dealt with, and you can get instant gratification instead of dealing with the web siteplus you avoid the convenience charge! Yes, it's more "convenient" for the Blue Jays to pay a person to devote all his attention to you than it is for them to sit back and let the website do the work for them. Obviously more than one aspect of the team's mentality is stuck in 1993.
Absolutely - I will not drop the ball this year and fail to hook up.
Okay. I have only one season prediction: The Yankees will not make the playoffs. How do I know this? Read it and weep. hey, maybe we can get Jeff Weaver back.
I heard that a couple days ago. Surprised they didn't go with Mussina.
AL East: Blue Jays AL Central: Indians AL West: Angels AL WC: Mariners NL East: Phillies NL Central: Cubs NL West: Diamondbacks NL WC: Dodgers AL Champs: Angels NL Champs: Cubs World Champs: Angels AL Cy: Lackey NL Cy: Zambrano AL MVP: Guerrero NL MVP: D. Lee AL ROY: Matsuzaka NL ROY: C Young
I heard that a couple days ago. Surprised they didn't go with Mussina. Me too. There's something I'm just not getting.
A World Series championship for your team this year?
A World Series championship for your team this year? That would appear to be one of the things I'm not getting, for sure. OTOH, maybe this Pavano-on-opening-day ploy is, you know, a ploy...intended to lull everybody into complacency or something. Or maybe they're hoping he'll get a blister on his pinkie and have to go on the DL for another 15 months. He does less harm there.
I heard that a couple days ago. Surprised they didn't go with Mussina. moose's last spring start is today. he would have to throw on short rest in order to start the opener.
AL East: Red Sox AL Central: Twins AL West: A's AL Wild Card: Indians NL East: Mets NL Central: Brewers NL West: Diamondbacks NL Wild Card: Cardinals AL Champs: Red Sox NL Champs: Diamondbacks World Champs: Red Sox* AL Cy: Johan Santana (MIN) NL Cy: Ben Sheets (MIL) AL MVP: David Ortiz (BOS - First place = MVP) NL MVP: David Wright (NYM) AL ROY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) NL ROY: Chris B. Young (ARI) Roger Clemens on July 1: Houston First manager fired: Joe Torre - and I'm not saying that to get a rise out of Sousepaw. I honestly think that starting pitching will get off to an atrocious start and it'll be unavoidable. *Thank you Jordan's Furniture for the free couch!
AL East: Boston Red Sox AL Central: Cleveland Indians AL West: Greater Los Angeles Metro Area Angels AL WC: Toronto Blue Jays NL East: New York Mets NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers NL WC: Philadelphia Phillies AL Champs: Red Sox NL Champs: Phillies World Series Champions: Red Sox AL Cy: Johan Santana (MIN) NL Cy: Jake Peavy (SD) AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) NL MVP: Albert Pujols (STL) AL ROY: Daisuke Matsuzaka (BOS) NL ROY: Chris Iannetta (COL) The Clemens-go-Round stops in Houston again. Date when Alex Rodriguez' hair starts to fall out in large clumps: July 22 Number of times that that Barry Bonds will ask, "Does anybody have any baseball questions?": 267 Date when Ozzie Guillen says something unbelievably stupid: Yesterday First manager fired: The aforementioned Mister Guillen Number of Steinbrenner offspring single at the All-Star Break: 2 Best blog about him: Lastings Milledge (NYM)
Update: I asked for Matsuzaka and Thomas and was rejected. I re-countered asking for Abreu and Hudson and it was accepted. If that means anything (or anyone cares). My bait was Johan Santana (...I know... but I missed the draft and my team is full of invalids -- I have to make twofers to fill the holes and take some chances). I think the guy fell in love with Dice-K when he drafted him. First manager fired: Joe Torre With Mattingly in the dugout and Girardi right there in the YES booth, it's not a terrible call. I do think you're underrating their pitching, but we'll see. I think there will be very little turnover this year. Most of the teams that are set up to fall have managers who are highly unlikely to be going anywhere (Cox, LaRussa, Piniella, Garner, Scioscia). Otherwise, I think performance is likely to meet expectations. It would be a shame if Buddy Bell got the shaft after being handed another pathetic roster -- if Alex Gordon doesn't have a perfect launch they might say Bell isn't the player developer they need or some ridiculous thing. I think the Swindal divorce proceedings are going to be too exciting for anybody to notice if Torre's playing below expectations. On edit: Number of Steinbrenner offspring single at the All-Star Break: 2 Not if I have anything to say about it...
moose's last spring start is today. he would have to throw on short rest in order to start the opener. They had time to shuffle...
not really. mussina pitched on the day they decided that wang would go on the DL (march 24). you figure that he would need to get another start in before ST ended. but the earliest he could throw again would be the 29th, which would still put him on short rest for opening day. no sense in starting someone on short rest this early in the season. if they were going to try start anybody else for the opener it would have been pettitte. but they didn't want to push it, which i don't have a problem with. it's one game out of 162. and like my friend steve says, it could be worse.
NY will probably put up a couple of touchdowns and it won't make a difference who they're pitching.
Three hours before the opener, here are my picks: AL East: Boston Red Sox AL Central: Minnesota Twins AL West: LA Angels AL Wild Card: Toronto Blue Jays NL East: New York Mets NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers NL Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies AL Champs: Boston Red Sox NL Champs: LA Dodgers World Champs: Boston Red Sox AL Cy Young: Johan Santana (Min) NL Cy Young: Jake Peavy (SD) AL MVP: Alex Rios (Toronto) NL MVP: Albert Pujols (StL) AL ROY: Alex Gordon (KC) NL ROY: Chris Iannetta (Col) Ryan Howard HRs: 37 On July 1, Roger Clemens is: still a huge cock.
First manager fired: Joe Torre I'd hate to see it, but Charlie Manuel will be on a short leash if the Phils don't start well. Especially with Davey Lopes and Jimy Williams already in the dugout.
looks like BP is running a pool sorta like the one you suggested grum. except you have to pick the win totals for each team.
