Baseball, baseball, baseball....
This has been, and will be, the most competitive season in baseball for quite some time. The argument couold be made that its the most competitive in history. Since the innovation of the wild card in baseball, there have never been this many teams competing for this many slots to play in the post-season. This has been a great - unless you are a fan of teams whose leads are disappearing like the Sawx, Mets, Milwaukee and Arizona - season if you like races that come down to the wire.
The Diamondbacks season looks like its on the verge of blowing up. They had a decent lead on the Padres for a while, but have since seen that lead dissapate. Chris Young has not been pitched the same over the last month and a half. He was a Cy Young candidate until then.
Milwaukee looked like they were the strongest team in the NL. They definitely have the best, young, slugging one-two punch in baseball in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. If Milwaukee ends up winning their division, I would have to give him the NL MVP. His numbers are just staggering (.291, 46HR and 111RBI).
Which brings me to the Mets. I originally thought that David Wright should win the MVP, but between Fielders numbers still growing, and Wrights' team losing the lead with much better talent around him than Fielder, it just may go to Fielder. Wright has had a great second half, but the Mets look dead the way they looked earlier in the season when it was just dismissed as they had the division in the bag and were coasting. It's time to stop coasting. A couple of numbers;
10 errors in two days.
John Maine ERA: Pre All-Star = 2.71 Post All-Star= 6.16
Reyes: Pre All-Star = .307AVG , Post All-Star = .261 with an OBP of .327
And surprise, surprise, Alou is injured again. More problems with his quads. On top of that, their money pitcher, El Duque, is injured and doesn't know when he'll be able to pitch again. They seemed to defeat one of their old demons in the Braves, but now have Phillies to haunt them every night. The lead is down to 1.5 games. This is not indicative of a world champion. The NL isn't the cake walk it was last year. We'll have to wait and see what happens because right now the question isn't whether they win the division or not, you have to be concerned if they will make the playoffs or not. They currently have identical records with the Padres who are in second place behind the Diamondbacks and, as stated earlier, are only 1.5 games up on the Phils.
The Red Sox still have the best record in baseball. But man there are a bunch of New Englanders waiting for the other shoe to drop. They had a 14 plus game lead on the Yanks and its now been whittled down to 2.5. After losing 7 of their top 9 starting pitchers, they have the best record in baseball for the last few months. The Sawx have done their part though, in that same span, the Sawx have the second best record in baseball. Despite this, the Yankees are only 2 behind the Sox in the loss column for the best record in baseball.
Any predictions? Real predictions Ernesto.
12 comments:
Mets are World Series Champs in 5 over Boston. A year late for the anniversary but we'll take it.
A-Rod leaves the Yankees for the Phillies.
Jeter goes to Boston.
Posada does end up in the blue and orange.
Damon realizes he's dumb.
Matsui destroys the little Christmas villages in Saks windows out of Anger-Post headline reads "Godzilla?" on front and back.
Giambi's nads explode.
Abreu bumps into a glass wall at the airport and ends up in a coma.
Cano drops his arm in DR and can't find it-his actual arm-from the shoulder down.
Lou finally sees the light.
Whew. For a minute there I thought you were going to be biased.
That's only reserved for my opinions. Not yours or Izzy's. nope.nope.nope.nope.
Wow, Lou. I'm biased now. Funny how my bias is never brought up when I credit Melky for his development and defensive work on the field, make arguements in favor of Jeter for MVP, and acknowledge that the Yanks' brass is finally moving in the right direction. What's biased about stating that a team with a $200 million payroll SHOULD make the playoffs? Short of mass injuries, there's no way to justify that NOT happening; especially when one of your players is having an all-time season. By any other fan's standard, that would be considered a monumental failure.
I stand by my statements, which aren't biased since I actually grew up rooting for the Yanks. But wait...I know, I know: the Yanks HAD to spend that money in order to keep THEIR own players. I guess that explains why they were either signing, trading, and/or in the market for the biggest available free-agent name every off-season from '01-06. But since I'm blinded by my own biases, I digress.
You're right in that the Mets could quite possibly lose out to the Phillies and not make the playoffs altogether. That would be devastating and an all-time choke job. Their problems aren't on the offensive end...(BTW, Delgado hit a HR yesterday, which puts him at 24 HRs and 85 RBIs with 7 games to go; he definitely could've reached 30 and 100 if he hadn't been forced to miss 15 games just when he was getting his swing back). Their bullpen has let them down. They have a lot of question marks there and they just look spent. I understand why since they're practically being used every game. Wagner has a bad big-game history and Heilman is just plain shook these days. The rest of the pen is unreliable. If I was Willy, I'd really consider brining El Duque out of the pen during the playoffs, especially now that Pedro's back...but they have to get into the playoffs first. I think they will since their destiny is still in their own hands.
The Yanks are looking good and I like what I see out of the young arms, which was something the Yanks' were lacking for years now. Pettite is rounding out to be one of the most dangerous pitchers in the playoffs and the Yanks' offense is clicking on all cylinders. My biggest concern is the big game situations for guys like Ramirez, Joba, Hughes (if he's on the roster), and Wang, especially since you don't know what you're gonna get from Clemens and Mussina, and that kid Farnsworth is a bum. I think the Yanks should not worry about the division and just get healthy and rested for the playoffs. I think the Sawx are gonna hold on to the division as well for the same reason as the Mets.
I agree that Prince Fielder should be given strong MVP considerations if the Brewers make the playoffs but I DON'T agree that David Wright is surrounded by much better talent. Fielder has as much protection, if not more, up and down that line-up outside of just Braun. If the Phillies make the playoffs, Ryan Howard has to get consideration as well. Even though he just tied the strike-out record for a season, he's still been walked more than 100 times and his power numbers are right there with Fielder's. He's also as clutch as anyone in the game. But he won it last year so that may hurt him.
I think the Phillies are going to beat out the Padres and/or Diamondbacks. The Pads and Backs have been doing it with smoke and mirrors and both have now lost two big parts of their teams (Milton Bradley and Orlando Hudson).
You're right Is. I didn't realize how correct you actually were.
Don't bite styles, Lou. It's not very becoming of you.
"I can't stand a biting ass MC using your line before you have a chance to shine on your own shit flipping and bouncing it on some bullshit...they be killing me cuz they be coming with your words...I don't want nobody sounding like me on no album for real cuz I'm approach a nigga...get your own style and be original...you'll be a better man, whatever how you wanna take it."
-The Honorable Ghostface Killah
"Sharkbiters"
Only Built for Cuban Linx, circa 1995 AKA the second golden era.
Okay, before you use someone else's line to illustrate how I "bit" off you, I had Catalina in one arm as I typed that. Took me like two minutes too.
Theres no way that Fielder has a better or comparable lineup to Wrights. Arent these the same Mets that had 3 MVP candidates last season? One of the most dynamic leadoff hitters in the game and probably the best all-around CF'er in the game? At least in the top 3. And Fielders power number are crazy. Wright bats third behind Reyes and has Beltran and the ever-great Delgado protecting him. How is that not better protection? Two perennial MVP candidates batting in front AND behind him. The Brewers have more overall power in their lineup, but thats about it.
I'm biased, but please don't act appalled that someone would say you are biased as well Iz. If I dare say something irrational like, "Losing Sanchez is a blow to the Mets' bulpen", im biased. But every move the Yanks make via trade (Randy Johnson/Abreu) or free agent signing (Mussina/Giambi) is bad? Theyre only good moves if the Yanks bring up succesful players from the minors apparently.
I didn't say that the Mets were choking. Just so that its clear. Their pitching, as we all knew at the start of the season, is an achilles heel. Its just that this year, their bullpen isnt among the best in the game so that weakness is getting exposed now more than ever. Especially now with El Duque out and Maine pitching bad for the second half of the season. How will Maine end up? As the number 1 or 2 starter he was the first half of this season? Or the reliable number 3 or 4 he was last season? Or the awful pitcher hes been this second half of the season? Thats the truth. itll be Esto or Ernie now saying that im a hatah for asking/pointing that out. All that being said, I still think the odds are with them winning their division and they make the playoffs.
Farnsworth is a bum with no heart. A whiny bum at that. I hate seeing him take the mound. Ever since the Yanks got cheap with Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton, they have been searching for a reliable bridge to Mariano. They finally have one now in Joba. Hughes will definitely be on the roster. No question about that.
Im not concerned about Wang in the playoffs. Mussina and Clemens, yes. How could you not? Moose was bumped out of the rotation for stinking to high-heaven and Clemens is hurt. Was that biased enough for y'all? The Yankees BTW, have done a better job with their young pitchers. The Mets straight up lucked out on the Maine acquisition from the Orioles who decided to throw him in, it wasnt at the Mets insistence.
Milton Bradley is a lunatic. isnt he also the guy who believes that there were no dinosaurs? I forget.
I dont think that the Phils can catch the Diamondbacks (who are leading their division and Pads by 3 games). As for another MVP candidate, what about Matt Holiday?
Oh yeah, Ernie. Didnt the Mets give Mota a contract extension AFTER he got busted for 'Roids? Maybe he and Giambi's nads can explode in unison.
It ain't biting if you give the originator the credit, my man. It's called citation. And, yes, I'm biased. But towards NYC teams in general. Some act like it's something personal towards their team.
If the Mets lose, after holding the division all year, because they couldn't beat the likes of Florida and Washington, then it's definitely a choke job. No doubt about it. I think the biggest problem with the pen is that they're tired from being in there from the 6th inning on almost everyday and that they're just not that reliable in big spots. Plus, they lost some big arms from last year like Darren Oliver and Duaner Sanchez. If El Duque's healthy, I'd definitely bring him out of the pen.
You think Maine's going to get a start in the playoffs? You have to think that Torre's going to go with a 4 man rotation, which should include Pettite and Wang. I think he'll give Clemens and Mussina at least one start each (Clemens more than one). And I don't think Hughes will be brought out of the pen unless it's an extreme situation.
Carl Everett is the one who doesn't believe in dinosaurs. As for Fielder, like I said, he deserves strong MVP considerations. But just look at the production top to bottom on his line-up and compare it to the Mets' line-up THIS year. I don't think you can make the case that Wright is playing with superior talent. But, hey, what do I know? I'm biased.
For different reasons, I think that Fielder deserves it. For one, the Brewers were not expected to be the team that they have been this year. Fielder is a major reason for it. Not only with the bat, but as a big leader for that team. I dont know enough about Wright as a leader for the Mets. Ive heard you talk about Delgado as a leader for the club. Never heard you guys mention Wright in that respect. The Mets were expected, by many, to lead the NL wire-to-wire becasue of the strength of their lineup. It certainly wasnt because of dominant pitching. You can throw defense in their too because they are nice with the gloves. So now, all of a sudden, the Brewers have a better lineup?
The Mets are 4th in the NL in runs scored and the Brewers are 5th. But its basically a draw since the Mets lead them by only 5 runs. The Brewers lead the NL in HR's, while the Mets are 6th. The Mets are 5th in team batting avg and Mil. is 10th. The Mets are the runaway leaders in SB's though. Their lineup puts a lot of pressure on teams because of their speed and their patience at the plate (3rd in the league top the Brewers 4th). Again, the Brewers without a doubt have more power which is reflected in their slugging, HR's and OPS. But the Mets are a more balanced, dangerous lineup, to me. And I would have to say most everybody else.
Im glad to hear you admitting you have just a wee bit of bias in you. You can join the rest of us. Including Zac "Manny is an underrated outfielder defensively" Sanders.
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