MLB - 2010 Spring Training!

[snoopy369]

The sample size of two has been highly impressive so far compared with his Boston sample size.

And there is a reason why younger pitchers have been so much more protected in this era... mostly because of how many blew their arms out according to the data.

If it's game 4 of the world series and I have the choice between Brad Penny and Tim Lincecum, I'm starting ****ing Lincecum. Period. Maybe in the NLCS you go 4 deep, depending on how many games you play and how things are going [3-0 lead, I'll start Sanchez/Penny, to hopefully sweep and let Lince start the WS], but not in the world series. No chance.

[Sava]

do you think the White Sox have a Thome statue ready to go?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think it'd depends somewhat on elimination or not. After all in last year's World Series, the 4th game was between Joe Blanton and Andy Sonnastine, both of the teams' 4th starters. Not that Kazmir or Hamels are as good as Lincecum, but Hamels was a Top 5 NL pitcher last season. Both Hamels and Kazmir are, of course, young pitchers.

Going back to another 4-1 series, in 2006, Game 4 was between Jeremy Bonderman and Jeff Suppan, both 4th starters (well, maybe Suppan was a 3rd starter - that StL team was weird like that and especially how LaRussa used the rotation in the playoffs with Reyes pitching Game 1).

[Imran Siddiqui]

Going through the Baseball Reference listings on World Series's it seems that what the D-Backs did in 2001 is incredibly rare. Every single World Series since then (and probably a good deal of them in the decade before then) has seen both teams use 4 different starters in the first 4 games, even if they were down 3-0.

[snoopy369]

do you think the White Sox have a Thome statue ready to go?

Nah, I don't think he's done enough for the Sox to merit it. Particularly how much he did against the Sox...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Though speaking of those years, this deal reunites Thome with Manny Ramirez.

[snoopy369]

Indeed... they can go riding off into the sunset together...

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Thome win a ring - and the Dodgers are one of the best teams to go to for that purpose. I think the NL will win the series (possibly handily, even) this year, and the Dodgers certainly have the talent to take their half of things (if their pitching behaves, which adding Garland solidifies nicely I think).

[Sava]

Nah, I don't think he's done enough for the Sox to merit it. Particularly how much he did against the Sox...

me neither, but listening to the score the past few years, you'd think the guy played his whole career here

he's more beloved than frank thomas
of course, frank thomas acts like a giant douche, but still, frank had a better career here

[snoopy369]

Hence why I don't listen to the Score

[Sava]

you are missing out
the drunk, the stupid... it's like coming here!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Indeed... they can go riding off into the sunset together...

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Thome win a ring - and the Dodgers are one of the best teams to go to for that purpose. I think the NL will win the series (possibly handily, even) this year, and the Dodgers certainly have the talent to take their half of things (if their pitching behaves, which adding Garland solidifies nicely I think).

Dodgers are set up well if their pitching falls in line (the power and speed in the lineup seem to match up well for the playoffs and Torre is quite a good manager), but they will have a tough road as well. For one in just about any 5 game series their pitching will fall short as they'll either face the Cardinals or Phillies (the WC is all but certain to come out of the West it seems). The Cards have Carpenter and Wainwright and the Phillies have Lee and Happ.

I do like the Cardinals of all of the potential division winners, but I'd kinda like the Dodgers to win simply to rub it in the face of, both, the Red Sox (for trading Manny away) and the Yankees (for firing Torre).

[Imran Siddiqui]

of course, frank thomas acts like a giant douche, but still, frank had a better career here

Hell, Frank Thomas had the better career overall. One of the most criminally underrated hitters in the last 20 years. In terms of OPS+, Thomas is tied for 19th all time (above Manny! - though by only one point). Thome, btw, is not all that far behind. He's tied for 39th all time.

[Sava]

In terms of OPS+, Thomas is tied for 19th all time (above Manny! - though by only one point).

And Thomas didn't even have to use steroids!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well... so we assume

[Sava]

speed in the lineup

here's what Earl Weaver says about that