West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: E-Crazy on March 02, 2010, 11:13:49 PM
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Of Course Everyone Is Going To Say Their Team Is Going To Win It All - But Give Reason's Why And Why Not
My Team - The Angels
I Like Our Lineup and Pitching Rotation - I'm hoping that Rodney Replaces Fuentes At Closer
Potential Rotation:
Weaver
Santana
Pinero
Kazmir
Saunders
With Fuentes As Set up and Rodney closing - Matt Palmer, Jason Bulger And Kevin Jepsen coming out the Bullpen - only person in the bullpen I don't really trust and they are talking more about him being the set up man is Scott Shields - I never liked him, he always blew big games, I hope he's not the set up man.
Breakout Player For The Team: Eric Aybar
Of Course Kendry Morales Is a Beast - And Matsui At DH, Abreau, Hunter and Wood Has Proven He's A Decent Clutch Hitter - Im hoping he can handle third base now that Chone Is gone to Seattle.
I see us winning the Division rather easily, only really big challenge obviously is Seattle - They came up big, but I think they still lack big bats - Their Pitching is the only thing I'm scared of, it should be a good season.
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Blue Jays may win a game lol
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win the World Series. 8)
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win the World Series. 8)
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You made some good points. I do agree that our lineup could use a few more bats, but overall, I think we'll be ok.
Ichiro and Figgins is probably the best 1-2 in baseball. Jose Lopez always puts up good numbers and Guttierez is continuing to improve. Griffey is old but got knee surgery and looks better than he did all of last season, at the very least he'll give us some pop. If Kotchman and Bradley can put up some decent numbers I think we'll be in good shape offensively.
Our pitching staff is obviously our strength. Felix has gotten better every year and is now a legit ace. The Cliff Lee acquisition was huge because it gave our pitching staff (which was first in the AL without Lee) a huge weapon behind Felix. Not only is Lee a great pitcher, but he's now playing in Safeco field, which is a ballpark that can make almost any left handed pitcher look good, I expect him to have a great season. Bedard hasn't been the ace we gave two all stars to get, but he can still be a dominant pitcher when healthy, if he doesn't pitch we'll be ok (he missed most of last season) but if he does we'll be even stronger. Ryan Rowland Smith is also a young pitcher that's gotten much better and is set for a big season.
Overall I like our chances at the West. I'm not gonna count the Angels out cause they still have a dangerous team, but I'm feeling good about this season 8)
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^^^ Not to mention Seattle is the best fielding team in baseball. I also wouldn't really count on Griffey doing anything. He's been pretty bad for years now, he hasn't had a good season since 2005. I wouldn't expect him to bounce back at the age of 40.
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^ I'm not lol. But it's worth it having him there. He's a great leader in the clubhouse and made Ichiro feel at home for the first time since he's been here. I'm not expecting a huge season, but he did hit 3 of his 20 hr's in the last 2 weeks of last season, so it's safe to say he at least has some pop left.
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Here's an interesting idea for him:
My half-way crazy plan for Ken Griffey Jr.
Posted by Nick Kapur on Friday September 04th 2009, 2:23 am, filed in Diamond cuts
What should the Mariners do with Ken Griffey Jr. next season? The fans love Junior, and the Mariners love his positive impact in the clubhouse, but his declining performance hinders the ability of an otherwise pretty decent team to contend for a postseason berth.
Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times speaks to some of the value Griffey has had in the clubhouse this season:
He has been the godfather to the parade of young players who have come into the clubhouse. He has been a close friend to the veterans. He has offered advice on pitchers’ and hitters’ tendencies….
He has been good for the club, good for the city and great to have around again.
The thing is, there is a perfectly good way for the Mariners to get all of these benefits without wasting precious at-bats on him: they should simply make him a coach. They could even pay him the exact same salary, if they think he is that worth it, but please, don’t waste precious at bats on a guy which could be given to better performers just because you like the advice he gives to younger players or his friendly presence in the dugout.
That’s the sensible part of my plan for Griffey. Now here is the slightly crazy part.
The Mariners should sign Griffey to a $1 million “personal services” contract or whatever, and then use him as a coach. He’s not on the active roster, but he travels with the team, wears a uniform, sits in the dugout, gives advice, etc. And as long as the Mariners are in contention, they should only put their very best players on the field.
But if Griffey is still interested in playing, here’s what you do. Let him play in spring training. Let him take batting practice with the team during the season if he wants to. And then, if the Mariners actually do actually fall so far out of contention that they can’t possibly come back, the team should cut its worst player and install Griffey as the DH. Or else, when the rosters expand in September, add Griffey to the 40-man and put him on the team for a few at-bats down the stretch.
Look, this plan is pretty silly, but if Griffey is already under contract as a coach, the only thing he really costs you is a roster spot, and only a 40-man roster spot at that, if you wait until September. It’s still probably not the optimal use of resources, but in this darkened age of steroids, Ken Griffey Jr. is the one player who has emerged as still being beloved by pretty much the entire nation, and if he still wants to play a bit, and the fans still love to watch him (which they do), and the Mariners players and staff all love him, I say let him play a bit.
In any case, it’s a decent compromise with the foolishness of giving him so many at-bats this season when the Mariners actually had a shot at contention.
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My team is the expos... Fuuuuuuuck
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Seatle is out for that AL West title this year..... i think thats the only team you should have to worry about as an Angel fan.... you guys have it easier too, with only having 4 teams in the AL West.
as far as my team the Dodgers i have to feel optomistic...
although we haven't made any big moves we also haven't lost any big names.... besides maybe Juan Pierre.
Kershaw and Bills are two young aces waiting to happen.... but its the young inexperience that bothers me sometimes.... but when they are on..... they are Dangerous especially Kershaw.... as they get older and experience its only going to get better.....
as far as on the field all our young guys are growing into their own.... Ethier, Kemp, Loney, and so forth also learn and grow with experience..... and They are Beast especially the Kemp and Ethier combo...
Manny will be manny but i expect a better season for him considering he may be playing for a contract and hopefully his wrist injury late last year was the reason for his decline and not just the steroids...lol
all and all i feel good... and i hope they play with a chip on their shoulder after losing to the phillies the last two years in the NLCS... and they need to make sure they bring home for Vin Scully since it may be his last year in the booth....
The potential is there they just need to execute.
I cant wait for the season I already have my opening day tickets :-)
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les go Yankees
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My team is the expos... Fuuuuuuuck
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yankees win it or a-rod is fired...again...lol
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when was arod fired? gywo, u on that crack again? lawl.
anyways, we will win the NL West. why? because we are the best team in the NLW BY FAAAAR. who the fuck knows how we'll do in the playoffs tho....those fucking phillies man. two years in a row they eliminate us in the NLCS.... if we do the same dance again, then god damn it we better beat em.
GO DOYERS!
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haha jus playin but he did get alot of hate and accordin to wack torre the players would call him a-fraud....how come he didnt say that when he was the manager in ny? lol
exactly
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My team is the expos... Fuuuuuuuck
don't you mean the "Natonals" lol
http://www.doobybrain.com/2009/04/20/the-washington-natinals/
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My team is the expos... Fuuuuuuuck
Yup, it sucks when other towns steal your city's franchise.
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Jp ricardi ruined the blue jays for years to come.How that man managed to keep his job for so long is beyond me.Wasted a lot of talented teams the last five years.I expect blue jays to be a 500 team.
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
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Phils,... rematch with yankees
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
why is bills in the doghouse? what happened?
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
why is bills in the doghouse? what happened?
From last year, basically how he was used down the stretch and into the playoffs
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
why is bills in the doghouse? what happened?
From last year, basically how he was used down the stretch and into the playoffs
it all goes back to him not protecting his batters in the 2008 NLCS.....but i hope torre just names Kershaw the Ace of the team to relieve some pressure from Bills... Bills is an animal too... i hope they both have great years... they are certainly capable of it.
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
why is bills in the doghouse? what happened?
From last year, basically how he was used down the stretch and into the playoffs
it all goes back to him not protecting his batters in the 2008 NLCS.....but i hope torre just names Kershaw the Ace of the team to relieve some pressure from Bills... Bills is an animal too... i hope they both have great years... they are certainly capable of it.
The 2008 playoff game was blown way out of proportion.
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Gotta wait till mid-season to see if we'll need or even be able to acquire realistically any player for a run in the playoffs.
I think it's a shame Chad has gotten so much shit talked to about, when other pitchers throughout the Majors with similar numbers have become fan favorites. It's worse when the fucking Manager puts him in the Doghouse. At least it's a fresh start, and Chad is going to be great like always, maybe even better.
why is bills in the doghouse? what happened?
From last year, basically how he was used down the stretch and into the playoffs
it all goes back to him not protecting his batters in the 2008 NLCS.....but i hope torre just names Kershaw the Ace of the team to relieve some pressure from Bills... Bills is an animal too... i hope they both have great years... they are certainly capable of it.
The 2008 playoff game was blown way out of proportion.
I agree but it is what it is.... i wished more people supported him too..... but i think he will earn his respect back soon.... he is really good.
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haha jus playin but he did get alot of hate and accordin to wack torre the players would call him a-fraud....how come he didnt say that when he was the manager in ny? lol
exactly
nigga stop living in 2005
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Giants DEFINTILY win the NL West..
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over the....? lol
Giants DEFINTILY win the NL West..
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i just wont a westcoast....
team to win every division...
even AL/NL east/central teams
better have a westcoast player haha
im from england btw
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Giants DEFINTILY win the NL West..
no no no...we're talking about THIS season. 2010. :bandit:
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Giants DEFINTILY win the NL West..
no no no...we're talking about THIS season. 2010. :bandit:
Oh we are? Giants have the best staff and have improved enough on offense to get over the hump. Shit we won 88 games last year with an awful offense...
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Oh we are? Giants have the best staff and have improved enough on offense to get over the hump. Shit we won 88 games last year with an awful offense...
Really? How did they improve the offense that much?
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Oh we are? Giants have the best staff and have improved enough on offense to get over the hump. Shit we won 88 games last year with an awful offense...
Really? How did they improve the offense that much?
Huff is an upgrade to What we had last year at first. And Derosa was a solid pickup a huge upgrade to randy winn, A healthy Freddy will help alot, and Pablo keeps getting better..thats an upgrade. Watch out for Jon Bowker too he could surprise alot of people. Juan Uribe finished real strong last year and looks to continue that coming into this season as he starts at 2nd till Freddy comes back, and i think after that he takes over for god awful renteria
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This is an article on the Giants that I read about their off-season:
The good news this offseason is that the Giants were able to re-sign their second best hitter from last season, despite stiff competition from the New York Mets. The bad news is that said second best hitter was 36-year-old catcher Bengie Molina, he of the .285 OBP, and that Molina will spend another year blocking the Giant’s best prospect, Buster Posey, who is ready to catch in the majors now and would almost certainly outhit Molina.
The Giants are counting on another legendary season from Lincecum in order to be anywhere near contention.
Good ol’ Brian Sabean. Despite having the best pitching staff in the game fall into his lap in the form of top hurlers like Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jon Sanchez, and Brian Wilson, Sabean’s ongoing incompetence when it comes to assembling even a vague semblance of an offense ensured that the Giants were last in the majors in most offensive categories last season and fell just short of the playoffs with 88 wins.
But still, the Giants were just a few wins shy of the postseason last year, which is nothing to shake a stick at, so Sabean’s mission this offseason was clear: just do what ever it took to add a bit of offense. Sadly for Giants fans, in this mission he has largely failed.
The big moves on the offensive front, in addition to re-signing Molina, were signing Mark DeRosa to play left field, and letting incumbent first baseman Ryan Garko walk as a free agent, in order to sign Aubrey Huff. The problem with these moves is that they do nothing whatsoever to improve the team.
Mark DeRosa is the definition of a “league average” hitter. His career OPS+ is 97, and last year it was 99 – about as close as you can get to average. This is great news if DeRosa is going to play second base or something, but if he is going to play left field, which is a premier offensive position, than league average hitting is going to equal far below average hitting among left-fielders. In fact, The difference between playing Mark DeRosa in left field vs. playing Fred Lewis, who the Giants already had, is a net of exactly 0 wins of difference.
Huff, meanwhile, has fallen off a cliff and into an abyss, as far as offensive performance goes, and his defense is pretty horrible too. Last year he was worth negative $4.5 million for the Orioles and Tigers, according to FanGraphs. I’m not sure what Sabean was thinking here, as the now-departed Garko will almost certainly outhit Huff this season. Actually I do know what Sabean was thinking – the same thing he’s always thinking: how can I sign as many experienced big-name veterans as possible, regardless of their age or actually ability?
On the pitching front there was a bit of good news as the Giants avoided arbitration with Lincecum and managed to sign him to a two year deal. But it’s not like they got a bargain or anything, signing him at just about exactly what he would get in arbitration should he continue to pitch as if he’s in a higher league than every one else, so while the Giants save themselves some headache for next year, they will also be on the hook for $14 million in 2011, even if Lincecum blows out his arm.
Otherwise, not much happened. The Giants did bring in swingman Todd Wellemeyer to compete with Madison Bumgardner for the final spot in the rotation now that Randy Johnson has retired, and the guess here is that Wellemeyer wins out, because Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy have never shown even the slightest interest in giving young players a hand before unless their hand is completely forced. They also brought in Guillermo Mota to replace Bob Howry in a setup role in the pen – this should be a small downgrade.
Overall, I can’t see anything the Giants did to improve themselves this offseason, and their defense probably got a bit worse with the loss of outfielder Randy Winn to the Yankees and reduced playing time at first base for Travis Ishikawa. Meanwhile, they’re counting on their pitching staff to maintain its performance from last year, which was the best by a Giants staff in nearly 50 years.
The Giants still have a good team, on balance, and you can never count out a team with a stellar pitching staff, especially one headed by a guy like Lincecum, because the offense would only have to improve a tiny bit to put up a bunch of extra wins, which could always happen due to random fluctuations in BABIP or something, but the Giants really didn’t do anything this offseason to bring them much closer to their goals or give their fans hope that they’ll be anything bridesmaids again this year.
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dodgers will win the west at least win 90 games sf and col can fight over the wild card
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Most people expect the Jays to have one of the worst records in the majors this year. 70.5 wins seems to be the over/under on their win total this year. Baseball Prospectus has them at 72-90, and CHONE is predicts about the same. I'm a little more optimistic as I put them at a 76-86 come season's end. Sucks to be a Jays fan, they probably have the most difficult road to the playoffs out of any team in the 4 major professional sports. >:(
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well see. Should be a great year
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good to see boston beating yanks, and loving watching phils and Doc on opening day with their beastly lineup!
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Watching Blue Jays game on Gameday
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>:(
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Angels... win the AL West lose in the AL Championship... :-\
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Good start for vernon wells,four homeruns in his first three games.Looks like his wrist is feeling better.
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4-0 Giants!! our offense is hitting the ball well..And our Pitching i dont even have to say anything. Besides the Phils we have the best run diff thru 4 games. wat a win yesterday in 13 innings! ;D
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4-0 Giants!! our offense is hitting the ball well..And our Pitching i dont even have to say anything. Besides the Phils we have the best run diff thru 4 games. wat a win yesterday in 13 innings! ;D
The win against Atlanta was great but I wouldn't get too excited, beating up on the Houston isn't too much of an accomplishment.
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not expecting much from the A's , but they are off to a nice start! hopefully their bats will stay like this all year
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5 in a row for the Jays!!
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So we started 2-5... oh well... worst start last year by far :'( . Why do the Angels always seem to play catch up through the year.
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4-0 Giants!! our offense is hitting the ball well..And our Pitching i dont even have to say anything. Besides the Phils we have the best run diff thru 4 games. wat a win yesterday in 13 innings! ;D
The win against Atlanta was great but I wouldn't get too excited, beating up on the Houston isn't too much of an accomplishment.
Ill get as excited as i want. 8)
I dont care who we beat, We Swept Houston thats the best we can do, are we suppose to lose? I hate that shit.."well its only cuz they played such and such" 6-1 is 6-1 no matter who you play these are pro teams