Posted on 01/20/2006 5:57:06 AM PST by ken5050
Good morning, fellow FReeper baseball FANatics...It's been a while since we've all caught up..( and there were a few things going on...college bowl games, the NFL payoffs, and a SCOTUS nominee hearting..Getting close to "pitchers and catchers" reporting...( February 16th) So I thought I'd run a thread to get your take on how your particular team's done in the off season, and also to find out what you think of the upcoming World BaseBall Classic..
If Cuba does get in..and BTW..if they don't, the International Baseball governing body ( whatever the hell that is) has said they will pull their sanctioning authorization ( whatever the hell that is..LOL)..I'm wondering..what's the over/under on the number of Cuban players who will defect while in California? at least 4..One can imagine that the number of security people surrounding the Cuban team will be exceeded only by the number of agents trying to sign a player...I fully expect to see a plane flying overhead, trailing the banner.."WANT TO DEFECT...Dial 1-800 DEFECTO!!"
Here's an image..Cuba playing the USA in the finals..A Cuban player goes from 1st to 3rd on a hit and run...the throw comes into A-Rod, covering the bag..and he gets spiked by the Cuban player sliding into the base..injuring A-Rod's right hand...and he is out for at least half the season.unable to grip a bat or throw a ball..
Seriously, it's hard to imagine that these players will be in good enough condition that early without some of them suffering some injuries...And if the Bush administration keeps Cuba out..the whole thing implodes...they don't even have a back-up plan..and where is Bud Selig, by the way? He'd probably rather be testifying before Congress about steroids...
OK, that's my take....yours?
and in other news.....
1. Theo Epstein is back with the Red Sox...He apears to have gotten the $$$, but doesn't have the formal title..can this work?
2. Which teams did the best in the offseason..(hint: my Metsies) and the worst..Which moves do you like, and hate?
3. Whither Manny? and who plays CF for the Red Sox?
4. On the list of remaining free agents...will anyone take Sosa? Where will Frank Thomas and Mike Piazza end up?..Indeed, which of those three would your take for a DH? and what will Clemens do after the Classic?
5. In case you forgot, the new St. Louis stadium opens next month..Our good friend SCALEMAN is excited no doubt...I expect he has tickets, and will give us a firsthand report on his impressions of the new ballpark, though I think he's still NOT QUITE SURE what to make of the Cards' winter moves ( or lack of).
That's it for me...pile on and opine, about anythign and everything....FYI..my intent is to do another thread about the time the WBC starts..and keep it running, then another thread to discuss the spring thraining.....then, as we did last season..to post a new discussion thread late Sunday/early Monday each week of the regular season..
If anyone has any ideas suggestions on the format/content of the thread, please let me know. If you'd like to host it for a week, or more, I'm always happy to have a pinch hitter..just ask....and if anyone wants on or off the ping list, please freepmail me..
And here's the closing thought, to warm the cockles of all our hearts....
Since Hillary Clinton told the world in 2000 ( as she ran for the Senate ) that she was really, absolutely, positively a NY Yankees fan, the Evil Empire has NOT won a World Series...hmmm???? she's running again, probably a shoo-in ( sigh)..so can we expect another 6 years of futility in the Bronx? What are the odds that A-Rod fails to win a ring in pinstripes?)
FYI..pitchers and catchers alert
What are the odds in Vegas for the Tribe to go all the way this year?
Special bumperooski just for you...!!!
You post like the MSM...a little east coast bias concerning baseball...
Oh, and Go Tigers!
I’m of two minds regarding Theo’s return. He’s been a great GM (apart from signing Rent-an-Error to fat three year contract), but his behavior seem to me to be rather petulant.
The Sox need a lot, CF, SS, and probably LF. There’s still time to fill those spots, but the Sox really, really dropped the ball regarding free agents. On the other hand they won 95 games without Shilling and Folke so maybe they’ll be ok.
It seem like the Yankees have largely stood pat. Sure signing Damon is huge but I think it only makes them a bit better. Chacone and Small probably won’t be as good as last year and Moose and Johnson are a year older.
I don't know about the Yankees futility.
For a change in the offseason, they didn't overpay for a borderline pitcher. If they can find another contributor for their rotation, they will be hard to beat in the AL east.
Just look at that lineup. they might just break some offensive records this year. and I'm not a Yankees fan.
The WBC is an idea that isn't ready yet. As usual, Selig is rushing it, and it will be a mess.
Of course I'm verry interested in what will become of Roger Clemens. Does he have another year left in his arm? I think he just might.
I expect great things out of Roy Oswalt this year and I look for Chris Burke to get hot with his bat. (But we neeeeed another power hitter!)
By the way - to any St. Louis Cardinals fans...you people are a class act. When my ASTROS won the pennant in Busch Stadium, you stood and applauded my oft-beleagured team for finally getting that flag after 44 years.
I have never in my years as a sports fan seen such exemplary behavior by fans and I believe I speak for all of Houston when I say "Well done! You folks are the best and we were highly impressed by that."
However feel free to add geographical balance to the thread any time...LOL..regards
Between Damon and Godzilla in the OF in Yankee Stadium, YOU & I could probably go from 1st to 3rd, or take a base on a fly ball, on anything hit deep to LF or CF..
And all is right with the world again. ;^)
Seriously, Boston and the Damn Yankees better watch out. Toronto has made some pretty good offseason moves and looks poised to break through this year.
I thing the Yankees starting rotation implodes his year...Big Unit gets older, Moose is a .500 pitcher, and if Rivera starts to feel his age..the smart money..assuming you get good odds...says that the Yankees finish 3rd...RedSox and Blue Jays..and do NOT make the playoffs..
Ken -- it ill behooves a Mets fan to talk about "futility" in the Bronx, don't you think? White Sox fans are the only ones entitled to trash talk at this point. That is, if anyone is ever entitled to trash talk.
Hopefully not getting too fat and happy....
Here's another question for us to ponder, will somebody finally catch Atlanta in the NL East? 14 years and counting...
The Red Sox are going nowhere with alex Cora as SS and no CF.
Beyond that, they didn't improve their starting pitching much (I don't trust Beckett to pitch more than 12-15 times for fantasy league purposes).
Mussina still has something left in the tank. He could have won 18 games last year, but for some reason the Yankees only scored something like 15 runs in his losses.
I think the Blue Jays will be the WC in the American League.
I just heard last night on KMOX that the actual "first game" will happen April 4 when the Springfield Cardinals (AA) take on the Memphis Redbirds (AAA). Tickets were said to be priced from $5 to $20 for what's being called a 'dress rehearsal' to work out any kinks at the new ballpark before the Cards' April 10th home opener.
though I think he's still NOT QUITE SURE what to make of the Cards' winter moves ( or lack of).
I don't know about this scaleman fellow but, unlike many of my fellow Cardinals fanatics, I have complete confidence in Walt Jocketty and the rest of the front office. And, if anybody can put Sidney Ponson on the right track, it's Dave Duncan and Tony LaRussa. If September was any indication, Jason Marquis should have a better year; another like 2004 would be a great.
But, as I see it, the season mainly hinges on how well Scott Rolen (possibly the best third baseman ever to play the game) comes back from shoulder surgery.
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