The Baseball Thread 2007

[Soulstation1]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

[Tim McG]

Please.

Anybody can say whatever they want in the pre-season.....what does that mean?

I've been saying the NL West is the most competitive division in baseball since late August.

Big, giant, HUGE difference, Patrick.

the Giants? the Dodgers? both teams with Big time losing records. The two top teams in the AL Central have better records than the D'backs and Rockies. So educate me.

What I can't comprehend is why Goodspeak thinks its impressive when your prognostication takes place after 5/6th of the season is gone.

Is it more impressive to predict in March that the Brewers will be competitive in September, or is that prediction more impressive in August? How about predicting the Super Bowl matchup in August vs January? :rolleyes:

Maybe because one is a baseless guess and the other is a clear indiction.

Yes, its a clear indication that you can read the standings and determine that the division is highly competitive. That's quite impressive. You know, I just read some poll numbers and I can say without fear of contradiction that the war in Iraq isn't very popular. Impressed?

Who said it's impressive Dan....? Taking poetic license with the facts again?

What else does "Please ... Anybody can say whatever they want in the pre-season ...

Big, giant, HUGE difference" mean? You're not trying to get credit for your "prescience"?

And pigs can fly.

What I said had very little to do with the standings.

This maybe hard to understand, but try to stay with me, OK?

I study the teams and their play on the field and watch as they go head-to-head against each other, specifically the Giants, who I watch in person and on TV. The comparisons in the media, the records against each other and the league relative to what one can reasonably conclude about their success or failure will be in the final days of the season.

That is why I said what I said about the NL West.

Edited October 10, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

Is it more impressive to predict in March that the Brewers will be competitive in September, or is that prediction more impressive in August? How about predicting the Super Bowl matchup in August vs January? :rolleyes:

Maybe because one is a baseless guess and the other is a clear indiction.

Baseless? Doesn't have to be. You look at the rosters in the spring, the new additions, the players who parted, young players who are looking to break out, older ones who may break down. One often can end up looking foolish as things in real life often follow a different course than how things look on paper, but...I don't even know why I'm bothering to reply.

Baseless in the sense the teams haven't done anything yet. It is pure guess work at that point.

Mid-season and you got something to base your conclusions on.

[Tim McG]

Please.

Anybody can say whatever they want in the pre-season.....what does that mean?

I've been saying the NL West is the most competitive division in baseball since late August.

Big, giant, HUGE difference, Patrick.

the Giants? the Dodgers? both teams with Big time losing records. The two top teams in the AL Central have better records than the D'backs and Rockies. So educate me.

What I can't comprehend is why Goodspeak thinks its impressive when your prognostication takes place after 5/6th of the season is gone.

Is it more impressive to predict in March that the Brewers will be competitive in September, or is that prediction more impressive in August? How about predicting the Super Bowl matchup in August vs January? :rolleyes:

Maybe because one is a baseless guess and the other is a clear indiction.

Who said it's impressive Dan....? Taking poetic license with the facts again?

As to better records...the AL uses the DH. The NL bats the pitcher. AL generates more offense especially against NL teams, ergo the better records. Nuff said. End of comment.

I have never understood this argument. That the AL generates more offense yes, but as for the Wins/Loss columns in the regular season, since NL teams mostly play other NL teams not sure how it affects wins/losses compared to the AL. While yes there is now interleague play during the regular season, but when that happens, doesn't the visiting team play by whatever the home team's league rule is on the DH - so then what would be the advantage to an AL team?

The advantage comes three ways:

#1 The AL will score more runs and thereby have an opportunity to beat more teams.

#2 Since the NL pitcher bats for himself, the offense will suffer and more games are lost as a result.

#3 The NL doesn't have a player whose only job is to hit and score runs....that makes him a hitting specialist: Advantage AL.

It can also be argued that the NL is more competitive and therefore more games will be lost to stiffer competition.

Edited October 10, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Free For All]

Just want to briefly interrupt to thank those participating in the sports threads as of late. They have been a great source of entertainment, and I look forward to each subsequent post with gleeful anticipation.

[Tim McG]

Just want to briefly interrupt to thank those participating in the sports threads as of late. They have been a great source of entertainment, and I look forward to each subsequent post with gleeful anticipation.

You can participate, too....what is you position on all things baseball?

[skeith]

Please.

Anybody can say whatever they want in the pre-season.....what does that mean?

I've been saying the NL West is the most competitive division in baseball since late August.

Big, giant, HUGE difference, Patrick.

the Giants? the Dodgers? both teams with Big time losing records. The two top teams in the AL Central have better records than the D'backs and Rockies. So educate me.

What I can't comprehend is why Goodspeak thinks its impressive when your prognostication takes place after 5/6th of the season is gone.

Is it more impressive to predict in March that the Brewers will be competitive in September, or is that prediction more impressive in August? How about predicting the Super Bowl matchup in August vs January? :rolleyes:

Maybe because one is a baseless guess and the other is a clear indiction.

Who said it's impressive Dan....? Taking poetic license with the facts again?

As to better records...the AL uses the DH. The NL bats the pitcher. AL generates more offense especially against NL teams, ergo the better records. Nuff said. End of comment.

I have never understood this argument. That the AL generates more offense yes, but as for the Wins/Loss columns in the regular season, since NL teams mostly play other NL teams not sure how it affects wins/losses compared to the AL. While yes there is now interleague play during the regular season, but when that happens, doesn't the visiting team play by whatever the home team's league rule is on the DH - so then what would be the advantage to an AL team?

The advantage comes three ways:

#1 The AL will score more runs and thereby have an opportunity to beat more teams.

#2 Since the NL pitcher bats for himself, the offense will suffer and more games are lost as a result.

#3 The NL doesn't have a player whose only job is to hit and score runs....that makes him a hitting specialist: Advantage AL.

It can also be argued that the NL is more competitive and therefore more games will be lost to stiffer competition.

I get your points - however as I said before, since most of the regular season games are only AL vs. AL and NL vs. NL teams, I don't see how this has a big effect on your Win/Loss record for the regular season within your League.

Interleague play when AL team is in NL park, AL can not use DH. THose few games where NL plays in AL park, then NL unaccustomed to DH may be at slight disadvantage.

[Patrick]

The advantage comes two ways:

#1 The AL will score more runs and thereby have an opportunity to beat more teams.

#2 Since the pitcher bats for himself, the offense will suffer and more games are lost as a result.

It can also be argued that the NL is more competitive and therefore more games will be lost to stiffer competition.

I'm having difficulty understanding how any of these points support your contention. Are you trying to say something about relative success in interleague play, that one league is "more competitive" than another (whatever that means), or something else?

My reaction to #1: AL teams score more runs, they also play more games against AL teams which score more runs. So I don't see where that goes. When AL teams play against NL teams they don't get to use a DH if the NL team is using a pitcher--both use a pitcher, or both use a DH. Is there a big difference between a DH in the AL and the first pinch-hitter available on most teams in the NL? Some DH's can't field well, so they play first (...or in the AL). If anything, wouldn't the argument be that NL pitchers are better batters than AL pitchers (...so advantage to NL)?

My reaction to #2: NL teams have pitchers bat, and they play almost all of their games against teams with pitchers that bat. And I predict (at the beginning of the year, last year, and next August ) that the NL's record against the NL will be .500. If this is specifically about interleague, then my point above about AL pitchers applies. If anything, the NL is advantaged when pitchers bat.

As for the unnumbered point, I continue to predict (based on zero observations ) that the NL record against the NL is going to be .500. Are you suggesting that there aren't any really great or really bad teams in the NL, and therefore all of the records will be closer to .500 (in comparison to the AL where there are really good records (4 playoff teams) plus a lot of really bad teams (Baltimore, TB, KC, etc)? This is a tough argument to make. Is Boston's success largely explained by feasting on Baltimore and TB who are really bad, or are Balt and TB really bad because they have to play a lot against Bos and NY? And if this type of parity is deemed "more competitive" I don't think that says much of anything about interleague comparisons.

[skeith]

Thanks Patrick,

I think you are expressing what I have been trying to get at, but you have said it better.

[Tim McG]

AL guys, right?

It would figure you can't see the logic.

I hope the NL representative in the WS just beats your smug AL butts right into the ground this year.

Just sayin'

Edited October 11, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Patrick]

Call us (...or at least our butts) smug rather than explain your logic, or how we've misinterpreted it. I gently try to understand the supposed logic, or even what point you're trying to make, and this is all you can offer? Silence on the NL parity point, and some name calling. Pretty weak. Why bother trying to discuss any of the offered wisdom...

Yes I'm a fan of an AL team that is still alive in the 2007 postseason, and apparently you're an "NL guy". Kumbaya.

[Big Al]

Scorecards, get yer scorecards here! Can't tell one baseball poster from the other cuz they keep quoting each other!!

Scorecards, get yer scorecards here!!!

Edited October 11, 2007 by Big Al

[Tim McG]

Please.

Anybody can say whatever they want in the pre-season.....what does that mean?

I've been saying the NL West is the most competitive division in baseball since late August.

Big, giant, HUGE difference, Patrick.

the Giants? the Dodgers? both teams with Big time losing records. The two top teams in the AL Central have better records than the D'backs and Rockies. So educate me.

What I can't comprehend is why Goodspeak thinks its impressive when your prognostication takes place after 5/6th of the season is gone.

Is it more impressive to predict in March that the Brewers will be competitive in September, or is that prediction more impressive in August? How about predicting the Super Bowl matchup in August vs January? :rolleyes:

Maybe because one is a baseless guess and the other is a clear indiction.

Who said it's impressive Dan....? Taking poetic license with the facts again?

As to better records...the AL uses the DH. The NL bats the pitcher. AL generates more offense especially against NL teams, ergo the better records. Nuff said. End of comment.

I have never understood this argument. That the AL generates more offense yes, but as for the Wins/Loss columns in the regular season, since NL teams mostly play other NL teams not sure how it affects wins/losses compared to the AL. While yes there is now interleague play during the regular season, but when that happens, doesn't the visiting team play by whatever the home team's league rule is on the DH - so then what would be the advantage to an AL team?

The advantage comes three ways:

#1 The AL will score more runs and thereby have an opportunity to beat more teams.

#2 Since the NL pitcher bats for himself, the offense will suffer and more games are lost as a result.

#3 The NL doesn't have a player whose only job is to hit and score runs....that makes him a hitting specialist: Advantage AL.

It can also be argued that the NL is more competitive and therefore more games will be lost to stiffer competition.

I get your points - however as I said before, since most of the regular season games are only AL vs. AL and NL vs. NL teams, I don't see how this has a big effect on your Win/Loss record for the regular season within your League.

Interleague play when AL team is in NL park, AL can not use DH. THose few games where NL plays in AL park, then NL unaccustomed to DH may be at slight disadvantage.

With the DH the AL has a hitting specialist.

The NL has a pitcher who must hit.

CLEAR advantage to the AL.

I fail to understand how you can see something different here....I seriously do.

Edited October 11, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Tim McG]

Call us (...or at least our butts) smug rather than explain your logic, or how we've misinterpreted it. I gently try to understand the supposed logic, or even what point you're trying to make, and this is all you can offer? Silence on the NL parity point, and some name calling. Pretty weak. Why bother trying to discuss any of the offered wisdom...

Yes I'm a fan of an AL team that is still alive in the 2007 postseason, and apparently you're an "NL guy". Kumbaya.

Scroll back one.

Cheers!

Edited October 11, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Matthew]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

I wonder if LaBron will show up at the game tomorrow rocking a Red Sox lid?

[Dan Gould]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

Sorry I missed this earlier.

Not being a betting man nor a collector of RVGs, I think I'll pass.

[BERIGAN]

Well, this came out of nowhere!!! I wonder if there are health issues? Hopefully, just wanted a break. Bobby Cox is the one that needs to retire, not JS.....

Schuerholz stepping aside as GM

Assistant Wren promoted to replace team's architect of past 17 years

By DAVID O'BRIEN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/11/07

An era is ending for the Braves. John Schuerholz is stepping aside as general manager.

The team's venerable general manager will announce at a 3:30 p.m. press conference that he will remain in the organization in another capacity and be replaced by top assistant Frank Wren, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Manager Bobby Cox is returning for at least one more season, but his longtime boss is not.

Schuerholz, 67, has been a baseball GM for 26 seasons with Kansas City and Atlanta, and had the longest tenure among major league GMs. He presided over the Braves' run of 14 consecutive division titles from 1991 to 2005, an unprecedented run in North American major professional sports.

The only disappointment of the era was that the Braves won just a single World Series title (1995) in those 14 postseason trips. He also won a World Series ring with Kansas City in 1985.

The Braves missed the playoffs in 2006 and again this year, finishing in third place in the National League East division standings both of those seasons.

Cox, 66, has said he intends to return at least for the 2008 season, which would his 27th as a major league manager and 23rd with the Braves. He indicated this month that he might also manage beyond next season.

Wren, 49, has been a Braves assistant GM for seven seasons, after serving as Baltimore Orioles GM in 1999 and as Florida Marlins assistant GM for eight seasons through 1998.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/b...rholz_1012.html

[Soulstation1]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

Sorry I missed this earlier.

Not being a betting man nor a collector of RVGs, I think I'll pass.

the tribe in 6 games

[Matthew]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

Sorry I missed this earlier.

Not being a betting man nor a collector of RVGs, I think I'll pass.

the tribe in 6 games

That'll be tough for the Tribe, means they have to take one of the Boston games. I'd kind of like to see Cleveland win, Red Sox fans have worn out their welcome the past two years -- EXCEPT for Dan, of course.

[Tim McG]

BoSox in five

NL West NLCS will go six....a toss up as to who will win.

AZ has the pitching, Rocks have the hitting.

[Dan Gould]

I'd kind of like to see Cleveland win, Red Sox fans have worn out their welcome the past two years -- EXCEPT for Dan, of course.

Well that's a relief!

[catesta]

BoSox in five

NL West NLCS will go six....a toss up as to who will win.

AZ has the pitching, Rocks have the hitting.

Colorado had them both tonight.

[AndrewHill]

dan

RVG of choice of on the bosox/tribe series?

Sorry I missed this earlier.

Not being a betting man nor a collector of RVGs, I think I'll pass.

the tribe in 6 games

I'll take that or less say in four

[Dan Gould]

Well I guess its time for my prediction:

Red Sox in 6.

Why?

Jonathon Papelbon - if Okajima or someone else falters in the eighth, Papelbon is more than physically capable of a 4 or 5 out save multiple times in this series. Borowski is equally capable of blowing a game or two, particularly at Fenway.

Beckett & Schilling - They are without doubt the two best post-season pitchers around, and the Sox have them. Sabathia and Carmona are terrific, let's see them execute at Fenway - their great starts against Boston came at Cleveland. Sabathia also has to be extremely careful with Manny, who rakes him like nobody's business - his OPS is over 2 against the chubby lefty.

The lineups - The Indians have some fine hitters, but a lot of them tend to strikeout, and two of the top 3 starters they'll face are strikeout pitchers. The Sox lineup is patient and simply deeper overall than the Tribe.

Home field advantage - I've read that "Yankee Stadium is more intimidating than Fenway" so it won't matter. But home field advantage cuts both ways - the Sox get a huge OPS lift at home than on the road. Furthermore, while Mystique and Aura, those aged strippers, may reside at Yankee Stadium, Fenway is a different animal altogether, because of the proximity of the fans to the field. 38000 at Fenway easily sounds like 54000 at the Stadium.

[BERIGAN]

Dan, so you think the Sox will win, eh??? Shocker!