Yankees: $200 Million doesn't buy you a Soul

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ah that... well that was just one play. He can be taught to 'get with the program'. And remember where A-Rod played for the last few years... he was a desperate loser .

Though perhaps the new curse is the A-Rod curse, look at Texas this year .

[Cookie Monster]

Go Sox!!!!!

[pchang]

Texas did better, but still did not make the play offs. Maybe there is a Nomar curse? Cubs looked like a lock for wild card - then blow up.

[Arrian]

No, that's a Dusty curse.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Texas did better, but still did not make the play offs.

Yes, but that's because there is only so far it can work. Texas came from VERY far down to where they were . And, also, when A-Rod was dealt from the Mariners, the next year the M's won 116 games.

[pchang]

If it was a Dusty curse, then the Giants should have been the wild card and not the Astros.

[pchang]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Texas did better, but still did not make the play offs.

Yes, but that's because there is only so far it can work. Texas came from VERY far down to where they were . And, also, when A-Rod was dealt from the Mariners, the next year the M's won 116 games.

But the M's have no WS rings.

[Arrian]

Yep.

Although I'd put a lot of Texas' improvement down to the following three things:

1) Luck
2) Hershieser (ack, sp?)
3) Showalter

Their pitchers overperformed. The question is how much was #1 and how much was #2. The answer may lie in their peripherals... strikeout rate, batting average on balls put in play, walks, etc.

-Arrian

[pchang]

How could the Dodger's let Hershiser become the pitching coach for someone else? I don't see how they let Scoscia become an Angel either.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But the M's have no WS rings.

So? You still can't take the 116 wins away from them. They had a great year. Just because MLB decided to make everything dependant on Best of 7 series which don't really show which has been the better team during the season (perhaps 3 series of 3 games... ie, a 9 game series would be better to do that).

They didn't win a WS with A-Rod either.

How could the Dodger's let Hershiser become the pitching coach for someone else? I don't see how they let Scoscia become an Angel either.

It isn't like they own them as slaves . They have a pretty damned decent pitching coach themselves and Tracy isn't a bad manager either. What were they supposed to do, have a Dodgers farm managerial team?

[GePap]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
So? You still can't take the 116 wins away from them. They had a great year. Just because MLB decided to make everything dependant on Best of 7 series which don't really show which has been the better team during the season (perhaps 3 series of 3 games... ie, a 9 game series would be better to do that).

Bah-just keep the old system- best team in the league goes to the WS.

[Imran Siddiqui]

While I do have thoughts of that myself, it probably wouldn't work with 30 teams. I can imagine the fight for 15th or 16th in the AL OR 13th or 14th in the NL would be terribly exciting . With this many teams you need divisions to keep the the mediocre team fans interested.

[JohnT]

Just because MLB decided to make everything dependant on Best of 7 series which don't really show which has been the better team during the season (perhaps 3 series of 3 games... ie, a 9 game series would be better to do that).

Imran, what are you prattling on about? Last time I looked, the WS was always a best-of series... am I missing something here?

Or are you complaining about the divisions and corresponding divisional playoffs? That debate is so 1969. Get over it already.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
While I do have thoughts of that myself, it probably wouldn't work with 30 teams. I can imagine the fight for 15th or 16th in the AL OR 13th or 14th in the NL would be terribly exciting . With this many teams you need divisions to keep the the mediocre team fans interested.

Well, maybe a point system was well, like in soccer:

Wins, loses, runs scored, runs earned, and weight wins differently based on divisions.

[Imran Siddiqui]

JohnT: Yes, you are missing the point. I was advocating a Best of 9, 3 3-game series, which would better approximate what teams had to do in a season (ie, like using the 5th starter). It also makes what to do with the bullpen have a little more strategy behind it.