Not-So-Obnoxious Baseball Thread

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Well I may be. Mets got D'Aurnaud back who should be a star catcher, Noah Snydergaard is also really good even if his name is hard to spell. Mets were able to get rid of Beltran and Dickey 2 talented players who probably wouldn't be talented by the time the Mets got good again and turned them into their current 3 best prospects. Guys who they can build around. They should have done the same with David Wright, but Wright is more of an image than a player. He's like the Dale Murphy of the Mets.

 

[JohnnyO]

Well I may be. Mets got D'Aurnaud back who should be a star catcher, Noah Snydergaard is also really good even if his name is hard to spell. Mets were able to get rid of Beltran and Dickey 2 talented players who probably wouldn't be talented by the time the Mets got good again and turned them into their current 3 best prospects. Guys who they can build around. They should have done the same with David Wright, but Wright is more of an image than a player. He's like the Dale Murphy of the Mets.

Agreed 100%. I am, however, happy that they resigned Wright. Not just because I enjoy rooting for him, but it restores just a tiny bit of faith in the game for me. I like to see a guy come up through the system and work to improve not only himself, but that system. Not seek the most profit.

Am I being naive? Probably. But I don't care.
Two weeks until pitchers and catchers report.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2013-01-31/news/a-rod-and-doping-a-miami-clinic-supplies-drugs-to-sports-biggest-names/full/

So much funny stuff. A-Roid of course is using again. What a shock that is, guy clearly can't play anymore and wants to but can't stay healthy. HGH helped others "cough Clemens and Bonds" stay healthy.

Also would be nice seeing if Gio Gonzalez can be a Cy Young candidate without his PEDs,now that he's actually "as clean as apple pie"

BTW as clean as apple pie is now my new favorite saying.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Phillies last year weren't a fluke, they're old. Philly will be in the playoff hunt, and I wouldn't be shocked if both of the wild cards come from the NL East. Braves and Nationals last year weren't flukes either. Since the advent of Jason Heyward, the Braves have averaged 91.3 wins a season. I can't see any way they're a safe bet to not win 91 or 92 unless they're decimated with injuries like they were in 2011. Can you say the Phillies are better than 91 or 92 wins? I can't. I mean sure perfect world where Utley is healthy and an MVP and Howard is healthy and still a great hitter. Phillies rotation short of injury should be awesome. Halladay should bounce back, his FIP was much lower than his ERA, Lee is one of the 10 best pitchers in baseball and Hamels is great. Unless someone gets hurt their rotation is excellent. As far as their offense goes, this is what they're working with

C - Ruiz - Good but a cheater, lets see how his numbers go from here
1B - Howard - Old coming off a miserable season, who knows where he goes from here
2B - Utley - Old and injury prone.
3B - Michael Young - LOL. Young's value is 100% based on his ability to hit for average. For soem reason I think he'll struggle with that in Philly. Doesn't walk much and his power is in freefall.
SS - Rollins - Old coming off a great season, but I'll bet he doesn't repeat it.
LF - Brown - If he puts it together could be a star.
CF - Revere - Similar, but honestly I don't expect Revere to be more than a poor man's Michael Bourn. At the very least he'll provide great defense for the meh brown and the oh so terrible.
RF - Delmon Young - HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I know he's a former top prospect, and he had some ability, but I don't know where that all went. Can't hit, can't field, can't run the bases. Guy is a bum.

Compare that to the Braves

C - McCann - Risky because he's coming off surgery
1B - Freeman - Young star in the making
2B - Uggla - Solid 2B
3B - Francisco/Johnson - below average 3B
SS - Simmons - Young superstar in the making, may never hit enough to be a superstar but arguably the best defensive SS in baseball.
LF - Justin Upton - Need I say more? Sure he stank a bit last year but him at his worst is still a well above average player
CF - BJ Upton - Not a great defender but can hit really well. Sucks at average but walks and has power.
RF - Heyward - One of the best players in baseball when he's healthy. Kid does it all, hits, walks, steals, homers, plays defense. There's nothing he can't do, except half ass it.

I'll fully admit the Phillies rotation will be better. But that's why the season is interesting.

It's early, but if I had to guess who the best teams in baseball are I'd go with (not in order just trying to pick a top 10)

Nationals
Braves
Phillies
Reds
giants (though never know with the dodgers
Angels
A's
Yankees
Rays
Tigers

Jays could force themselves in that mix as well of course, but they're in a tough division, and a lot of the guys they went out and acquired are risky. First I'll compliment them on getting R.A. Dickey, guy is great, he'll be their ace almost for sure. Also think they made a good low risk signing in DeRosa. Melky is also a good risk signing. Obviously he cheated and that's why he played like an MVP candidate, but his issues were always effort related not talent related so if he puts in the effort, he should be gold. But lets talk about the Marlins trade. Bonafacio is a solid player, like him, Mark Buerhle is a great 3, like him, Josh Johnson is one of the best pitchers when he's healthy, the issue, he's not always healthy. And I loathe Jose Reyes, guy isn't a ball player, he's a show off. Gimme Andrelton Simmons over him any day. One year Reyes can decide to play and be an MVP, the next he can mail it in.

So if Halladay and Lee are going to bounce back then where are these extra wins they're picking up coming from? in order for their win totals to go up somebody's have to go down. my bets are that the Marlins and the mets are going to have bad years. Lee and Halladay can Steal games by themselves so only a marginal improvement in offense will make a huge difference

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

So if Halladay and Lee are going to bounce back then where are these extra wins they're picking up coming from? in order for their win totals to go up somebody's have to go down. my bets are that the Marlins and the mets are going to have bad years. Lee and Halladay can Steal games by themselves so only a marginal improvement in offense will make a huge difference

Marlins and Mets may have 60 win seasons each. But I think that likely the Nationals drop in win total as well though not much. Will be interesting to watch. As always I think health will dictate which of the teams is best. Last year the Nationals were almost freakishly healthy, Storen and one other reliever are all I can think that got hurt on the pitching side, and they had some guys miss some time on offense, but most of the guys who missed games weren't one of their key play players like Werth and Ramos. Braves offensively didn't have many injuries but the injuries hit arguably their 2 best hitters, one being the obviously gonna get hurt Chipper Jones, the othter was the devastating shoulder injury to McCann that he had scoped out.Phillies had a ton of injury issues as well. Ruiz, Howard, Utley, Polanco, and Halladay. That said, Polanco and Utley, lets face it they're in the same boat as Chipper Jones was, getting 120 from them is a miracle. Howard could be heading down that path as well but who knows. Ruiz is a catcher fresh off an amphetamine bust and 34 so who knows where he goes. Phillies are certainly a threat, I just think the Nationals and Braves are more complete teams.

 

[MMTG]

Astros will lose 100 games this year....

 

[passedpawn]

The main reason I liked Delmon was because my wife, who is a bigger fan than me, couldn't "warm up" to him as a player. I liked him because he seemed to hit when needed. We watch every game so I made it point of calling attention whenever he came to bat in a crucial moment. Sure enough he would get a hit and she started to feel it was our time to score some runs when he was at bat. She developed a Delllllmonnn chant. She still didn't like him though except during a rally. Some great players are rally killers and some mediocre guys are rally ready.

I've never forgotten Delmon throwing the bat at the ump in AAA. He was a punk and I was glad to seem him squirt out the back end of our organization quickly. Glad he worked out for the Tigs though.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

6 days until pitchers and catchers report!!!!! Yay baseball!

Let's Go Rangers!

 

[leftcontact]

Looking for a battle of the beltways world series this year. DC/Baltimore.

 

[passedpawn]

Orioles might be a team to watch this year.

 

[Punity]

Glad the Mariners locked up Hernandez not only nice to have him around but Yankees and Sox fans will shut up for a while about trying to get him.

 

[Diaperload]

I'm on the fence about King Felix. The last time the Mariners got rid of 2 great players (R. Johnson and ARod) they got some great players in return and were actually good teams that vied for playoff spots.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

Baseball starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!


Go Rangers

 

[Goofynewfie]

Go jays!!!

 

[iaefebs]

Monday in Minnesota for the Tigers, Brrr. I am beyond ready for the season to get started.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Excited for the start of the season. Looking forward to the Heyward and Upton Bros OF. Not to mention more glorious Craig Kimbrel.

 

[Punity]

Go Mariners lets shoot for 500 this year haha

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Go Mariners lets shoot for 500 this year haha

Mariners could be a solid team. Unfortunately the'yre in the same division as the Angels and Rangers. But I could see Seattle being a sleeper team.

 

[Punity]

Mariners could be a solid team. Unfortunately the'yre in the same division as the Angels and Rangers. But I could see Seattle being a sleeper team.

I wouldn't be totally shocked if they contend for a WC. I think our rotation got more solid with maurer coming up. And Morales and Morse definitely upgrade oue hitting.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Mariners will have 2 big issues. Health and they need guys to play to their ability.

Morse is the health guy, when healthy Morse is a masher. Gutierrez is next on that list. If he can stay healthy and be the OK offensively and best defensive CF in baseball that's a huge plus.

For ability that is almost 100% Smoak. He needs to play like the top prospect he was. Maybe adding Morse to take the pressure off as top hitter will help but he needs to start hitting or he'll be relegated to bust status pretty quick. Montero is the other one but he's much younger than Smoak so he has some time before becoming a bust but still needs it.

 

[iaefebs]

Baseball starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!


Go Rangers

Who would of thought two years ago or even last year before the 2013 schedule release, that the Houston Astros would have the best team record in the American League.... at the end of a calender month.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

Who would of thought two years ago or even last year before the 2013 schedule release, that the Houston Astros would have the best team record in the American League.... at the end of a calender month.

Bwahahahahaha

 

[HoppyDaze]

Mariners mashed in spring training which is exactly why they'll suck this year. I've never seen a team with so much talent not man up like they do.

 

[passedpawn]

Play Ball!

 

[ZombieBrew83]

So glad that Baseball is back. Good to see the Tigers overcome the cold in Minnesota. I've got tickets for the game on Thursday. Weather forecast is for the upper 50s, thankfully.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Braves put the stomping on the Phillies. Hopefully more of that to come. I know it's a tall order but I hope the Braves can reclaim their rightful spot on top of the NL East.

 

[Punity]

Alright whod of thought Astros and Mariners would lead the AL west!!!!! Suck it TexASS and La/Anaheim/California whatever you are.

 

[HoppyDaze]

I'da thunk that because Felix is flat out nasty.

 

[Punity]

Lookin a lot better then last year at this time. Got sick movement on his breakin stuff must be the new tat.

 

[punkrockdave]

Red Sox, nuff said.