MLB - 2007 Season

[snoopy369]

Who needs company to watch a baseball game? If I wanted that I'd go to the %@!#$ game...

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Ya, but he said he just wanted to be "social and polite and have some company". That indicates he wasn't thinking romance! Makes it even worse!

Yea she is just my housemate. She's like 20 years older than me and I'm not romantically interested. I guess I should have just known better. Oh well.

[Guynemer]

Most teams have crossed the 81-game mark, time to reassess the pennant and wild card races.

AL East

Boston 52-31 --
Toronto 41-43 11.5
New York 39-42 12

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a dog in this hunt; the Red Sox are probably the second-most objectionable team in the majors. But isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?


AL Central
Cleveland 51-33 --
Detroit 48-34 2
Minnesota 43-40 7.5

This is going to be a dogfight right down to the end; for instance, three of the Tigers' last five series are against their two chief division rivals. Many of my buddies here in Columbus are Indians fans; this is gonna be fun.


AL West
Los Angeles 51-33 --
Seattle 46-35 3.5
Oakland 43-41 8

Weird goings-on in Seattle, but they don't look like they're going to leave the playoff hunt without a fight. Hard to imagine them overtaking the Angels though; don't dismiss the A's and all of their experience under pressure.

AL Wildcard
Detroit 48-34 --
Seattle 46-35 1.5
Minnesota 43-40 5.5
Oakland 43-41 6
Toronto 41-43 8
New York 39-42 8.5

Hard to believe Seattle is ahead of all of those teams, especially given the turmoil they've faced. No way can you count out the Twins or A's given recent history. And the Yankees are liable to go another 14-3 streak at a moment's notice. Sadly, the Jays are the only team in this group that can be safely disregarded; given the horrible luck they've had with injuries, it is miraculous that they're so close to .500 as it is.


NL East
New York 46-37 --
Atlanta 44-41 3
Philadelphia 43-42 4
Florida 39-46 8

Many laughed at me when I picked the Braves to win this division, but they are right in the thick of it. However, that is more due to the Mets underachieving than anything else. The Phillies are just very quietly hanging around, making them very dangerous.

NL Central
Milwaukee 48-36 --
Chicago 42-41 5.5
St. Louis 38-43 8.5

No doubt about it, the Brewers are the feel-good story of the season, this year's Tigers. They are helped in this by playing in the worst division in the bigs. Look out for the Cubs, who have stormed back into the race, and who (on paper) have the talent to continue their resurgance.

NL West
San Diego 48-35 --
Los Angeles 48-37 1
Arizona 47-39 2.5
Colorado 42-43 7

Best race in baseball, best division in baseball. It is amazing that the Padres have the best record in the NL, considering they have the NL's worst offense, but that shows just how amazing their pitching has been. Their division rivals are all more balanced, which will likely be bad news for the Padres.

NL Wildcard

Los Angeles 48-37 --
Arizona 47-39 1.5
Atlanta 44-41 4
Chicago 42-41 5
Philadelphia 43-42 5
Colorado 42-43 6
St. Louis 38-43 8
Florida 39-46 9

Again, the West teams leading the way, and I'd be stunned if it didn't end that way. All the other teams in the race probably have a better shot at winning their divisions, even if they are further back in that race.


My predictions for how it'll all end up:

In the AL, I'll take it as it is right now, with the Red Sox, Indians, and Angels winning their divisions, and the Tigers just barely holding off the Twins for the wild card.

In the NL, I think the Mets will cling to their division, I like Chicago to overtake Milwaukee, and the Dodgers to end up on top of the West, with the Padres slipping to the wild card.

[Fistandantilus]

Originally posted by Guynemer
...
Many laughed at me when I picked the Braves to win this division, but they are right in the thick of it.

I did and I still like the Phillies chances more

[snoopy369]

My picks:

East:
Red Sox win easily, NYY 10 games back.

Central:
White sox make a resurgence, but the Indians win the division by 4 games. The Sox take the Tigers out of contention for the wild card though. The Twins also make a brief resurgence but miss the wild card by a few games.

West:
LAA take the division by 3 games over Oakland, who wins the wild card at something like 88 wins.

Wildcard: Oakland.

NL:
East: Braves come back and win it, with the Phils and the Mets both missing the wildcard because of the nasty division race.

Central: Cubs will probably win this one, but the Brewers are going to make it REALLY tough. It really could end up with either team winning it. I give the edge to the Cubs because of Sweet Lou and his experience down the stretch, plus the on-paper dominance of the Cubs. (And the Barrett trade.)

West: Tough, tough. Padres have the pitching, Dodgers have the experience, Diamondbacks have real talent, and Rockies have coors field, and the best hitter in the league. I pick the Pads to win this one because of their pitching.

Wild card: Either the Dodgers or the NL Central 2nd place team. Probably the Dodgers, but with the weak NL Central, that's a lot of free wins versus the Reds and the Pirates (even assuming StL and Hou start playing a bit better).

I think the Angels will win the ALCS, probably over the Red Sox, thanks to Vlad, the ALCS MVP; and I like the Padres and the Braves in the NLCS, with the Padres' young pitching pulling it out and Adrian Gonzalez as the NLCS MVP, who would be the youngest NLCS MVP since Albert Pujols in 2004.

I think we'll see the Padres win the World Series, with Jake Peavy getting the WS MVP with three brilliantly pitched games and a 3-0 record in the 7 game world series, beating Jared Weaver head to head three times, with the youngster folding due to the pressure (and the Pads' lineup).

Michael Barrett gets his revenge on the Cubs by winning the ring they're forever to be denied, but they get the last laugh as Chris Young breaks Barrett's nose and jaw during the Padres' game 5 loss when Barrett calls for a 4 seamer up in the zone with the bases loaded, and Vlad reminds them both why you don't throw him 4 seamers up in the zone.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Fistandantilus
I did and I still like the Phillies chances more

I like the Phils chances against the Braves as well, but I still pick the Mets to win it. Hell, I think the Mets may take it by 5 games or more after Pedro comes back.

[Guynemer]

Major League Baseball has nailed their first player under the new stimulants ban! Who is that is banned for 25 games? Barry Bonds? Sammy Sosa? Gary Sheffield? Roger Clemens?

No!

It's none other than Neifi ****ing Perez, reserve utility infielder for the Tigers, who is hitting a robust .172 on the season, with one home run and six runs batted in.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, there is that school of thought that the greatest abuse of performance enhancers aren't the ones who are guaranteed a job, but those on the bubble, fighting to stay in the majors. They have the greatest incentive to use performance enhancers and that's probably were the greatest use of it is.

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Guynemer
Major League Baseball has nailed their first player under the new stimulants ban! Who is that is banned for 25 games? Barry Bonds? Sammy Sosa? Gary Sheffield? Roger Clemens?

No!

It's none other than Neifi ****ing Perez, reserve utility infielder for the Tigers, who is hitting a robust .172 on the season, with one home run and six runs batted in.

Poor Neifi.

btw, for a good laugh: Things smarter than Neifi Perez...

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Well, there is that school of thought that the greatest abuse of performance enhancers aren't the ones who are guaranteed a job, but those on the bubble, fighting to stay in the majors. They have the greatest incentive to use performance enhancers and that's probably were the greatest use of it is.

Yep. Futility infielders, middle relievers, etc...

I think, based on who has been caught, who has been otherwise (strongly) implicated, etc, that it is reasonably clear that any player could be using something banned. Body type - irrelevant. Ability - irrelevant. And so on.

From Barry Bonds to Derek Jeter (I throw him in there as a guy most people around the game would never acccuse, but hey HOW DO WE KNOW? We don't) to Neifi ****ing Perez. You simply cannot know.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

As for my team... 42-43 is a ****ty record. The offense, which should have lead the league, has been mediocre. The pitching has been below average (8th out of 14, IIRC), in part due to injury and in part due to simple suckage.

I still think they'll make a run, but the hole they're in (10 games back) is deep, so it's unlikely they'll come back.

I'm mostly looking forward to a few simple things:

Chien-Ming Wang's starts.
Phil Hughes' starts (return likely by the end of the month)
Jeter & Posada. Can Posada, in particular, keep it up?
Andy Phillips - root, root, root for the AAAA guy!

I will also marvel at ARod and Clemens, but not with the affection I have for Jetes & Posada (and Mo, and Pettitte, etc). I hope the Yanks figure out a way to keep ARod, given there is no way they can replace his production. We'll see.

-Arrian

[SlowwHand]

Cuban makes pitch for Cubs

Mark Cuban has taken his interest in the Chicago Cubs to the next level. The Mavericks owner confirmed Thursday night that he has applied to Major League Baseball for a possible purchase of the legendary franchise.

[Arrian]

It would be cool if the Cubs had good ownership. Is Mark Cuban likely to be one? I confess - I've heard his name, but am otherwise ignorant of him. Are the Mavs good? Are they good b/c of him?

...

Nice win for the Yanks last night, though not w/o its flaws (Farnsworth's scoreless inning involved 2 baserunners, Mo being used in a 4-run game). The Yanks have, it appears, a rather weak schedule for the 2nd half (this presumes, of course, that the Yankees are good - debateable at this point). They need to take advantage of it in a big way.

-Arrian

[Ninot]

My friend got me into sports betting. I decided to bet the Over on the Sox-Jays game today.

Go 11 runs!

[snoopy369]

He certainly is happy to spend money to win, and in baseball that is a key aspect (but not the only).