Baseball 2011

BlackSwan · **Posted:** Thu Dec 09, 2010 7:16 pm

whoshotthefrog wrote:

tastelikedirt wrote:

"It will come down to 3 teams winning the World Series. The Phillies, Yankees or the Red Sox."

I think it will come down to any random team that makes the play offs, has solid pitching and is on a hot streak.

Really can't see a team pulling a San Francisco Giants this year.

How on earth could you possibly predict that in December? The players haven't even gained and lost their holiday weight yet! You guys amaze me with your 365/24/7 baseball analysis.

Mr Red · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:31 am

Well, "I" don't start predictions until Spring Training breaks. And that's only on the regular season, for Vegas betting purposes. :)

The playoffs are a total wild card. Whoever is hot. The Giants were probably the six or seventh most talented team to get in and look what they did. There really is no reason to think they can't or won't do it again. Sure the Red Sox got A-Gonz and Crawford, but they lost and incredibly productive Adrian Beltre and stud catcher Victor Martinez. Youk and Pedroia end up being fragile (we KNOW Drew is fragile), Ortiz best days are behind him, Beckett and Lackey continue to suck and nothing is guaranteed. These big moves can all be rendered moot.

tastelikedirt · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:25 pm

Mariners fans rejoice!!!

Jack Cust has signed with the Mariners; 1 year, 2.5 million. If the Mariners stick some hitters around him. It might work out.

The thing I'll always remember about him is, called third strike with the bat resting on his shoulder. That happened so many damn times with the A's...it got to the point you knew it was gonna happen. Especially with runners on base and 2 outs.

Hoodoo Operator · **Joined:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:13 pm **Posts:** 380

"The Giants were probably the six or seventh most talented team to get in and look what they did"

That was national perception, but they were a lot more talented than that based on pitching alone. I know people want to think of them as the underdogs or whatever, but all they did was mow down the three best teams in baseball. They got lucky against a beat up Braves team but made the Phillies and Rangers (offensive juggernauts) look silly. Talent wise, by the end they proved to be the most talented team, even if stars aligned for the offense a bit.
btw -- they're saying Belt will be ready by spring.

"Mariners fans rejoice!!!"

Or A's fans? hahahaha...

tastelikedirt · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:34 pm

The A's could make a contract offer to Hideki Matsui this weekend.

Hoodoo Operator · **Joined:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:13 pm **Posts:** 380

I've always like Godzilla...but he's kinda old now and his numbers were way down this year.

tastelikedirt · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:39 pm

They were talking about Jim Thome for a while there too. Either one should cover the loss of Cust's power numbers.

Mr Red · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:39 pm

tastelikedirt wrote:

Mariners fans rejoice!!!

Jack Cust has signed with the Mariners; 1 year, 2.5 million. If the Mariners stick some hitters around him. It might work out.

The thing I'll always remember about him is, called third strike with the bat resting on his shoulder. That happened so many damn times with the A's...it got to the point you knew it was gonna happen. Especially with runners on base and 2 outs.

It sucks. I was hoping we'd end up wiht Dunn or Matsui as our DH. Heck, I'd probably rather bring back Jose Guillen over signing Cust.

It's a one year deal though, which makes me think the M's brass is approaching 2011 as a rebuilding year. And how could they not? You have to feel bad for Ichiro though, who has already been through this process two or three times already.

All this tight-assed-ness from the M's make me think they're targeting Prince Fielder in 2012 or even midseason 2011. Our GM, Jack Z, originally drafted him in Milwaukee.

Hoodoo Operator · **Joined:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:13 pm **Posts:** 380

tastelikedirt wrote:

They were talking about Jim Thome for a while there too. Either one should cover the loss of Cust's power numbers.

I think I'd rather have Thome than Matsui, I don't have their side by side '10 stats in front of me but Thome just goes on mean streaks.

Mr Red · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:54 pm

I'd rather have consistency (Matsui).

I wonder if they can configure Target Field to football dimensions? I doubt it, but it looks like the Metrodome is toast.

Yahoo is projecting Brandon Belt to be an NL Rookie of the Year candidate with Ardolis Chapman, Bryce Harper and Dominic Brown. That would be cool.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... cn-7313812

h.p. taskmaster · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:06 pm

The Yankees were fools to let Matsui go. I guarantee his numbers would have been up had he stayed with the team, and it would have avoided the embarrassing failures of Nick Johnson and Lance Berkman. Bigtime failure on Brian Cashman's part.

I'm interested to see what Crawford does with the Sox. It's a little early to start passing out the 2011 World Series title, but it should make for some exciting series with the Yankees. I'd rather have seen the Yankees go for him and lose Brett Gardner in left, personally, who I think is overrated.

Karl Hungus · **Joined:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:24 pm **Posts:** 1394

Matsui? really?

He hasnt played for the Yanks since 2008 and he was on the downslide with alot of injuries and age not on his side.

Brett Gardner is a decent fielder, killer speed (3rd in Al steals?), and liked him better than Melky, for sure

h.p. taskmaster · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 3:30 pm

Gardner's probably better than Melky, but I wouldn't take him over Crawford in a heartbeat. And Matsui had 6 RBIs in one game of the 2009 World Series and basically won that game over the Phillies. For that alone he should still be on the team. Let him switch off as DH with Posada. He could still produce, just not really field. What's one more aging Yankee?

Stickman · **Joined:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 762

Metro-d'oh!

Mr Red · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:10 pm

It's a good thing that happened before the game started. The Vikes only have one more home game, next weekend, so I guess they'll play it in Detroit (who are on the road) again if they can't convert Target Field? Where is the University of Minnesota in relation to Minneapolis?

tastelikedirt · **Posted:** Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:59 pm

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/12/winter.weather/?hpt=T2

You can watch it collapse right here. Not too exciting.

Adam · **Posted:** Mon Dec 13, 2010 1:14 am

Stickman wrote:

The McCourts were never accepted by LA, fairly or not. They bought in as BoSox fans, just as the BoSox were routinely knocking the Angels out every postseason. They had no $$ and had to borrow relentlessly and upped all the Dodger costs because of it. Parking & food waits became horrendous. Jamie McCourt should never have been co-owner and her bitchy entitled ways earned her the nickname The Screaming Meanie and Frank is a slimy, glad-handing schemer who should never have been allowed to breathe the same air as Vin SCully.

In short, no matter what the team did, this town hated the McCourts from beginning to end. But they weren't Fox/Murdoch *shudders* and Dodger sweeps of the Cubs and Cards in two different post-seasons were badass and not insignificant after 20 years of frustration. If they had just formed one of those 20 person consortiums with a figurehead baseball star investor (Steve Garvey trying to do that now, or like Nolan Ryan with the Rangers), the McCourts would have been fine. Tabloid fodder for their excesses, but that's a crowded field in LA.

Thanks for the recap. Didn't know this backstory.

guitarvis · **Joined:** Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:56 pm **Posts:** 16

"Where is the University of Minnesota in relation to Minneapolis?"

about 1-2 miles away. it would be killer to see a game there. outside and all.

BTW - good to see yall again. i found my way over to this site....

Mr Red · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:58 am

Holee shit, the Phillies sign Cliff Lee.

Congrats frog,,, now you can celebrate your 2011 World Championship.

Adam · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 1:15 am

Now that is a bombshell...

Mr Red · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 1:34 am

Totally swooped out of nowhere to get him. It's definitely the story of the offseason, imo. Bigger than Boston landing Crawford and A-Gonz, just because they lost Beltre and Martinez, while is just a total net gain for Philly. THREE legit #1 guys in that rotation now with Halladay, Lee, Oswalt. Fuck, who do you start on Opening Day? Nice problem to have...

omind · **Joined:** Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:22 pm **Posts:** 303

WTF ?! Lee went fo runder 50 M! market value? Does he think Phillie is his only shot at a ring ?

Mr Red · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:13 am

omind wrote:

WTF ?! Lee went fo runder 50 M! market value? Does he think Phillie is his only shot at a ring ?

I never would have thought he'd end up in Philly before Texas again. Nolan Ryan, closer to Arkansas, all that.

When I heard that a "mystery" third team had entered the bidding, I thought to myself how cool it would be if he snubbed the Yankees and all their money and took less money to play somewhere smaller. I mean, once you pocket $50 million ($100 million after taxes), how much more do you need? The dude can play anywhere he wants as long as he keeps a level head, which it sounds like he has.

Stickman · **Joined:** Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:24 pm **Posts:** 762

Game over, man! Game over!

Mr Red · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:21 am

I wonder how the Yankees react? They're left on the sidelines while their two targets, Lee and Crawford, are swooped away. They apparently are afraid of bringing Greinke to NYC with his anxiety problems in the past and it's unlikely that Tampa will trade Garza (who is rumored on the block too) in the division. At least I would hope so after all the hits they've already taken this offseason.

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Baseball 2011

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