MLB - 2006 Season! Continued!

[Arrian]

Well, yeah, the YANKEES have home field advantage...

The NL just can't win, eh? They have 2 outs, nobody on and one of the best relievers in history on the mound and they lose.

-Arrian

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Arrian
Well, yeah, the YANKEES have home field advantage...

The NL just can't win, eh? They have 2 outs, nobody on and one of the best relievers in history on the mound and they lose.

-Arrian

The YANKEES aren't even going to make the playoffs this year

[Arrian]

I concede that it's quite possible the Yanks will miss the playoffs. I think they've got a solid shot at the AL East, though, so don't count them out. Wildcard is a bigtime longshot, unless the Tigers collapse (looking less and less likely). Or the White Sox (though I think they'll end up Central champs).

The Yankees are currently 3 games back of Boston for the division, and 6 back of Chicago for the WC. We'll see.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Nice way to start the 2nd half! Yanks sweep White Sox, and the A's help out by taking 3 of 4 from the Red Sox. Excellent.

In other news, Sidney Ponson is now a Yankee. Oh my. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Reminds me of the Bellusci line in Animal House "Don't cost nothin."

-Arrian

[Ming]

Yeah... The yankees are throwing EVERYTHING at the wall to see what sticks. Sidney Ponson... OK...

The American League is getting really interesting.
The Eastcoast Sports Propaganda Network was in full tilt... with the Boston faithful moaning, the Yankee supporters going nuts... And in Chicago, you would think the White Sox suck as bad as the Cubs based on the whining of the press after the Yankee sweep...

It should be a good ride for the balance of the year...

[Arrian]

Well, you can't play the Royals every day.

Kidding! Kidding!

Anyway, the AL East should be close all the way to the end. I'm also thinking I was too quick to buy into the "wildcard will be from the Central" groupthink. It's too early to say that. This could be all sorts of fun down the stretch.

Ponson is garbage. He will bounce off the wall and roll far, far away. But I guess a Ponson on hand is better than a Pavano on the DL...

-Arrian

[Ming]

Originally posted by Arrian
I'm also thinking I was too quick to buy into the "wildcard will be from the Central" groupthink. It's too early to say that. This could be all sorts of fun down the stretch.

While I still subscribe to that thinking... it seems like A-Rod has changed his tune. Last week, he pretty much said they have to win the East to make it... but when reminded of that after the White Sox sweep, his response was "Did I say that?"

Yes, it will be interesting. The White Sox have MANY games left with Detroit. That bodes well for the east.

However, Detroit finishes there season with a bunch of games against some really bad teams. Chicago will have to put them away before them, or it will be tough to catch them.

[Arrian]

Yeah, most of the time people forget to look at a team's schedule before making predictions.

One reason to think the Red Sox still have the upper hand is that they play a LOT of homegames in the 2nd half, and they're tough at Fenway (not that you'd know if you just watched this weekend's series ). That's not to say I don't think my Yanks can catch them, but it's a factor (the Yanks play more road games).

And of course, at any time, one injury could have a big impact on these races. The Sox (both) strike me as deeper than the Yanks and Tigers (especially since the Yankees are already playing their reserves!).

-Arrian

[Ming]

The Red Sox pitching staff is showing some problems... I think they will only get worse as the year continues.

We know how desperate the Yankees are when it comes to pitching... can you spell Ponson

It will be interesting to see how the Detoit pitching staff hold ups... even with the injuries they have had, they keep finding some young studs to come in... but how will they last through the dog days of the season?

The White Sox probably have the best pitching staff of the bunch... and that's why I think they will be there in the end. Unlike like last year, they have the hitting to go along with it.

[Arrian]

You know, as patchwork as the Yankee staff has been, they're 5th in the AL in ERA, ahead of the Red Sox and White Sox (they of the "much improved rotation because they got Javier Vasquez" ).

Obviously that doesn't tell the whole story. The inability of many of the Yankees' starters to get out of the 6th inning has been a major issue. But thanks to Mussina and Wang, and lately RJ, it's not as bad as you might think.

As for Detroit... I see two potential weaknesses that could hurt them:

1) Offense: low OBP, which could make them more vulnerable to a key player or two slumping; and

2) Pitching - is their staff really this good and can they keep it up and stay healthy?

Both of those things were applicable to the 2005 White Sox, and we all know how that turned out.

-Arrian

[Fistandantilus]

Originally posted by Ming
The Red Sox pitching staff is showing some problems... I think they will only get worse as the year continues.

Ming you are truly a bastard (in a CGwish way )

[Stuie]

The Phillies still suck.

Only the management won't realize this until too late, so they will keep their expensive payroll past the trade deadline.

[Arrian]

Feel free to let us have the much-maligned unclutch Abreu in a salary dump, though.

-Arrian

[Ming]

Originally posted by Arrian
Feel free to let us have the much-maligned unclutch Abreu in a salary dump, though.

-Arrian

He will end up as Yankee... I think you can book that!

I hope the Cubs dump a bunch of people. It's time to clean house and start again. It's not about the money, they are spending a bunch... just on the WRONG STINK'IN PEOPLE... The team sucks, and it's time...

[Arrian]

I don't think it's at all that sure a thing, Ming. The Yankees apparently really expect Matsui and Sheffield back this season. If they think they can hold out for those guys and somehow upgrade their pitching instead (Cashman's mantra), then they might do just that. Or did you mean as a free agent? I'd like to see Abreu replace Sheff after this year.

As for the Cubs, well yeah, but since the team's performance apparently has no impact whatsoever on attendance...

-Arrian