The hockey thread is pretty dead. Baseball is coming up just around the corner though. Spring training is in full gear already. Hopefully we can have some lively MLB discussion this spring and summer as the season unfolds.
Thoughts heading into the season? Early predictions?
GO JAYS!!!
Cardinals in 4.
:ohreally:
Everything I’ve read so far is handing the Cards the NL Central. The division is a good bet. Past that?..I dunno.
Wow, tough break for the Twins. Losing your ace closer to season ending surgery before spring training is even close to be wrapped up. Joe Nathan is a tough guy to replace. He’s one of the game’s best.
Anyone going to see any of the LA Dodgers in Taiwan activities?
Yeah, bummer. 
I’m a huge Twins fan, and Nathan is right up there between Mariano and Papelbon.
I say the Twins are still co-favorites with the White Sox to take the weak Central. The Sox have a solid rotation and could be scary if Peavy pitches like he used to. Detroit looks a little better with Damon, but I’m guessing they finish 4 back. Liriano has looked great this winter, but I don’t see him ever approaching what he did before TJ surgery.
I see a lot of experts picking Texas or Seattle in the West. I say Seattle will disappoint. They could have a spectacular top three starters if Bedard is healthy, but they scored 640 runs last year (four more than Pittsburg or they’d have been dead last). Losing Branyon and gaining Bradley, Figgins et al doesn’t make me think they’ll score much this year. And last year they were lucky according to their pythagorean projection.
CFI once photographed Roy Smalley in the nude. He’s had a soft spot for Minnesota baseball ever since. (Clarification: It was CFI, not Smalley, in the nude.)
Yeah, bummer. I’m a huge Twins fan, and Nathan is right up there between Mariano and Papelbon.
I say the Twins are still co-favorites with the White Sox to take the weak Central. The Sox have a solid rotation and could be scary if Peavy pitches like he used to. Detroit looks a little better with Damon, but I’m guessing they finish 4 back. Liriano has looked great this winter, but I don’t see him ever approaching what he did before TJ surgery.[/quote]
Yeah, I concur. Detroit might join CHW and MIN and make it a three team race, but that remains to be seen.
I’ve seen a lot of experts talking about Seattle. Lots of chatter with the moves they’ve made. Adding Cliff Lee to the mix, which includes Felix, is a wicked 1-2 punch. I get the sneaky suspicion that the Mariners will disappoint though too. Wonder why that is?
The Angels still have got to be the favorite there though. I like the young Texas team, but they are a ways away from contending for the division, IMHO.
We’ll see. No informed Jays fan thinks we’ll be able to compete with the Yanks or BoSox, but I would be willing to put money on them not not finishing last in the AL East if you’d like. And you can count me among those that believe the Red Sox are routinely overrated year after year as the new season approaches.
Sorry, I’m not a bettin’ man, man.
Red Sox? Overrated? I think they’ve lost a bit of production from Bay, but they are stacked with pitching, and they’ll score enough to win 94 and reach the playoffs. Then look for Lester, Beckett, Lackey, Dice K?, to win the first round. They scored 136 more runs than they gave up last year. I think they can do that again.
Toronto needs realignment OR a decade in last place during which they pile up the high draft picks. Then, wait for the planets to align. (like Tampa in 2008).
Namahottie dated Torii Hunter in his prime. When he left for California, she refused to follow him, saying, “Once a Twins fan, always a Twins fan.”
I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!! 
Past that, as you suggested, you need a magical season like the 2008 Rays had. You don’t need a decade piling up high draft picks to get that though. You do need a lot of luck. Everything has to go right.
Yeah, the Red Sox are stacked for a starting rotation, but their lineup otherwise isn’t that frightening. New faces for this season: Beltre? Scutaro? Cameron? Good luck. And then there’s Big Ploppy killing their DH spot.
Sorry, I really can’t stand the Red Sox. I think they get overrated by the media perennially.
[quote=“k.k.”]I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!!
[/quote]
why? the Sox are ‘routinely overrated’ it should be a piece of cake for the Jays.
[quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“k.k.”]I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!!
[/quote]
why? the Sox are ‘routinely overrated’ it should be a piece of cake for the Jays.[/quote]
Hey, I never said the Jays were better than Boston.
I think Papelbon is soooo overrated, maybe its my personal preferences but…really can’t stand him. Mo is much better than he.
I love Damon but his dead arm in Detroit is not helping much. Wild card in AL is always competitive and I’d like to root for Twins to take out Red Sox if possible. (Yanks might get AL champs again)
yes yes yes and maybe not.
Big Papi had a lousy first half in 2009 and a great second half. We’ll see which one turns up in 2010.
Poagao wears his “Twins 1991 World Champs” T-shirt to all the Muddy Basin Ramblers gigs.
Horrible first half in 2009, and so-so second half. I don’t know how you could call it great. Honestly.
Tell me about it! :fume:
There’s been some weakness in the NL West as well over the last 5-10 years.
[quote=“k.k.”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“k.k.”]I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!!
[/quote]
why? the Sox are ‘routinely overrated’ it should be a piece of cake for the Jays.[/quote]
Hey, I never said the Jays were better than Boston.[/quote]
[quote=“hardball”][quote=“k.k.”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“k.k.”]I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!!
[/quote]
why? the Sox are ‘routinely overrated’ it should be a piece of cake for the Jays.[/quote]
Hey, I never said the Jays were better than Boston.[/quote]
[/quote]
:raspberry:
I knew you’d show up eventually. 
[quote=“k.k.”][quote=“hardball”][quote=“k.k.”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“k.k.”]I’m all up for realignment! Get the Jays out of the AL East!!! 
[/quote]
why? the Sox are ‘routinely overrated’ it should be a piece of cake for the Jays.[/quote]
Hey, I never said the Jays were better than Boston.[/quote]
[/quote]
:raspberry:
I knew you’d show up eventually. 
[/quote]
Only to protect patented insults:
[quote=“mimicupcake”]I think Papelbon is soooo overrated, maybe its my personal preferences but…really can’t stand him. Mo is much better than he.
I love Damon but his dead arm in Detroit is not helping much. Wild card in AL is always competitive and I’d like to root for Twins to take out Red Sox if possible. (Yanks might get AL champs again)[/quote]
Yep, Mo is the best ever. I love that guy, but I hate the Yanks.
Pappelbon is not overrated; at least not by me. He has a lifetime ERA under 2 (in Boston!), a WHIP under 1, a batting average against under .200, and he strikes out over 10 per 9 innings. That is elite! His dancing is overrated, and closers are overrated, but he’s really really good.
Damon’s arm is terrible, but he’s got some range, and I think he’s got some value as a one or two hitter cuz he can still get on base.
Housecat decorated Housekittens bedroom with 55X78 inch posters of Jeff Reardon, Frank Viola, and Steve Lombardozzi
Horrible first half in 2009, and so-so second half. I don’t know how you could call it great. . . .
.[/quote]
OK not great; just great compared to those first couple of months. He stank the first two months (one homer); then, the last four months he hit 27.
Mother Theresa once smoked medical Mary Jane with Kirby Puckett. He’s been a Twins fanatic ever since.
Horrible first half in 2009, and so-so second half. I don’t know how you could call it great. . . .
.[/quote]
OK not great; just great compared to those first couple of months. He stank the first two months (one homer); then, the last four months he hit 27.
I don’t like players with his body type after age 33.[/quote]
Yeah, that was fun to watch. When he got hot, the Blowsox fell apart. :bravo: