AL East - Yankees
AL Central - Tigers
AL West - Angels
AL Wild Card #1 - Rays
AL Wild Card #2 - Blue Jays

NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Brewers
NL West - Giants
NL Wild Card #1 - Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card #2 - Nationals

ALCS - Yankees over Angels
NLCS - Phillies over Giants

World Series - Phillies over Yankees

So, what you're saying is a guy who doesn't have a career winning record, never has had more than 14 wins in a season, or had over 200 strike outs is worth more than a guy roughly the same age who does have a career winning record, threw more than 200 k's in a season and has a World Series MVP under his belt? Also, why is Hamel's durability in question? Not including 2006(the season he was called up) he has started at least 32 games each year with the exception of 2007 in which he had 28. Don't get me wrong, both are very good pitchers, but i'm going to disagree that Cain should be paid more than Hamels. Sure my opinion is slightly biased, but the numbers don't lie.



http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cainma01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamelco01.shtml

I didn't questions Hamels durability but I do think Cains has proven to be more durable and a workhorse.

They are two different pitchers, Hamels is more the sterotypical ace and Cain the workhorse, mayve I value the workhorse maybe more than others. I do think Hamels has the better stuff, I said that, but I think the role Cain fits is just as important to a team and he does it really well, imo. Personally, I'd have had no problem with my team signing Cain to a comparable deal to Hamels.

Wins as an a evaluation tool for pitchers is kind of irrelevant since its not a stat that can accurately measure their effectiveness, its just much up to the rest of the team as wel

exactly, its all about quality starts.

Less than 2 hours 'till opening pitch. Just upgraded my cable package so I can watch it and following games, particularly local Rockies game. Got my beer at hand and I am ready!

AL East: Yanks
AL Central: Detroit
AL West: Anaheim
Wild Card: Tampa Bay
Wild Card : Texas

NL East: Philly
NL Central: Cincy
NL West: SF
Wild Card: Atlanta
Wild Card: Milwaukee*

*changed due to simply forgetting about them initially.

AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Angels
Wild Card: Rays
Wild Card: Rangers

NL East: Philly
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Diamondbacks
Wild Card: Brewers
Wild Card: Nationals

The AL is clearly between the above five teams, and the Red Sox and Blue Jays. The Tigers have a shot at 100 wins being in the AL Central.

I think everybody in the NL has a shot except for the Mets, Padres, Astros, Cubs and Pirates. Injuries can easily affect the playoff races.

First game of the year for me is Phillies/Cubs on April 28. Can't wait!

Did the Cards hire Steve Lyons and not tell anyone? http://i.imgur.com/FQLc3.jpg

AL East: Tampa Bay
AL Central: Detroit
AL West: Texas
Wild Card: New York
Wild Card : Anaheim

NL East: Philadelphia
NL Central: Milwaukee
NL West: Arizona
Wild Card: Atlanta
Wild Card: Cincinnati

ALCS - Rays over Angels
NLCS - Phillies over Diamondbacks

World Series - Phillies over Rays

What! No love for the Cards?!...j/k...I am starting to wonder if the Reds will ever live up to the pre-season hype...even with Latos in their rotation, it's suspect...I think they're gonna need all the offense their lineup can muster again this year.

AL East: NY
AL Central: Detroit
Al West: Anaheim
Wild Card: Texas
Wild Card: Tampa

NL East: Philly
NL Central: St. Louis
NL West: Giants
Wild Card: Atlanta
Wild Card: Brewers

its a nice feeling watching a Cubs game again.

I have no expectations about the season, so i can just watch and not care whether they win or lose.

wow verlander is already in midseason form

Not a believer in the power of Theo, eh?

Tigers/Red Sox game was great. Was fun to watch a bunch of Yankees castoffs lose it for Boston and win it for Detroit. Valverde's worse than he was last year. Some great pitching overall across the league. A minimum 14 inning game in Cleveland. Miami off to the start I expected. Great opening day overall.

Nice to see Santana with a quality return to the mound. He lost some velocity but the best pitchers find ways to adjust and change their approach. Worked for Pedro, hopefully works for Santana, but he is coming back from a more severe injury.

Valverde didn't blow a save all year last year. He was 49 for 49 in save opportunities.

Hence my pointing out that he's doing worse this year than he did last year?

Benches cleared in that 16 inning Toronto/Cleveland game. No punches thrown or anything, though. Crazy way to start a season.

What a fun day. I won money betting on Toronto, Cincinnati and Los Angeles. No losers picked. Can't believe Kershaw and the Dodgers were only -155, it felt like a trap. Watched all the games in The Venetian and Bally's sportsbooks. The new Venetian book is really impressive. They, or at least the company running them; Cantor, is stepping things up in the sports betting world. If you like sports gambling, you should check it out. Really good lines too.

Looking forward to seeing it live tomorrow, although one of the teams playing will be the Astros.

Dreadful fantasy numbers for my hitters nearly across the board...not surprised as a lot of hitters take awhile to get going, but this is possibly the worst 1-day tally I've had since I started playing fantasy baseball.

Looking forward to the Gallardo-Garcia matchup today...will be interested to see if Tony Plush can keep his composure as he claims he will do.

You and me both.

Hoping I can get my stuff done and make it home in time for the Rockies opener tonight. Got to admit, not enjoying how MLB dragged opening day out like they have. Opening day should be ONE day, not three.

Agreed re: Opening Day...they're milking the long holiday weekend for all its worth...more baseball, less Saints bounty bullshit on the boob tube.

What I don't get is, for example, the Phillies/Pirates played yesterday, but are off today. The series then resumes on Saturday. Just doesn't make sense for the split up of the series. I know other series are like this as well.

As for fantasy, my hitters did shot as well except for Maybin, but I did get good lines from my pitchers.

Some nice pitching matchups today.

Garcia-Gallardo
Lincecum-Kennedy
Sabathia-Shields

To a lesser extent, the Billingsley-Luebke matchup should be a good one as well.

The schedules are FUBAR...still scratching my head over the decision to have the Cards play one game in Miami just to christen what is possibly the chintziest (and soon to be the emptiest) stadium in all of baseball.

And those match ups are mint...Luebke's got great stuff...hope he can translate it into results this year, despite playing on a suspect team.

Lucas Duda has all the makings of a legit power hitter, and he's showing why today...his proven ability to hit for a high average ain't too shabby either...definitely one to watch this year.

Houston proved to be Houston giving up four unearned runs en route to their Opening Day loss. Saw Tulo crush a ball late in the game. Was on a piss break/beer run during Lee and Bovisvich (sp?) back-to-back dingers.

Minute Maid part is just okay. Pretty good fanbase though. Seemed more traditional, just hang out and eat/drink then really following the team/game. Or not as hardcore/stressed out as the fans in Dallas. Downtown Houston is boring as fucking shit. Total corporate, town shuts down at 6PM type of place. I didn't realize that Haliburton/KBR built that baseball stadium. They've got a monument behind the LF/train wall outside dedicated to Haliburton. And I guess GW Bush was at this game. That kind of town.