The Official MLB 2007 Thread

[EagleFan]

The best part about today is this:

Opening game of the season and the Phillies blow the game and lose and I get an immediate email from a Mets fan that I used to work with claiming "Another Phillies choke".

This is a guy who gets super defensive if you even say something that could be remotely negative against a New York team yet he shoots his mouth off at will. As mucah as I wanted to respond immediately I waited.

I just got to fire off this email:


After the opening day of the season you sent me an email about the Phillies choking in their opener. I hadn’t replied yet as there were still 161 games left in the season. I just wanted to get a clarification on the definition of choking. I believe there is now a new definition…..



It looks like Rollins was right…. “The team to beat”


Ain't Karma a bitch?

[TroyF]

Woo Hoo. I have duckets to tomorrow's game. Should be a blast.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Sometimes? I'm probably funny most of the time. But why now?

I'm not a fan of the Rockies by any stretch. But it's on.

The DBacks are going to walk Ian Baker to load up the bases with no one out and two on in the bottom of the 8th.

So disappointing. We coulda had a Joe Pesci moment.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Tom Glavine is such a hero, I hope he comes back to Atlanta this offseason.

What, pray tell, have the Braves done to deserve such a fate? I mean, we're already suffering with having only 2 halfway decent starters & a whole collection of guys that can pitch 5 decent innings or alternately get blown out after less than 2. What on God's green earth would the Braves need with another of the latter.

I'd just as soon see Nomo on the mound for Atlanta as Glavine.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Open the checkbook?

Beltran? Delgado? Martinez? Glavine? Wagner? Who am I missing? Along with the young talent like Wright and Reyes and Maine and Milledge. Honestly, spending alone isn't the answer for the Mets. Spending wisely is the better answer.

No way a team with this much talent in a sad sack league like the NL should not be in the playoffs.

I know. I'm just pissed at how poorly a team this talented collasped. The young talent provides a great core to build upon. The players just need to continue to develop. Hopefully they have quality young talent down on the farm to fill spots by Glavine, De Luca; as well as bringing some better arms to the bullpen.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

I know. I'm just pissed at how poorly a team this talented collasped. The young talent provides a great core to build upon. The players just need to continue to develop. Hopefully they have quality young talent down on the farm to fill spots by Glavine, De Luca; as well as bringing some better arms to the bullpen.

Yeah, I can understand that. I was bitter last year when the Angels let their season go to waste, and I still remember '95 very clearly (a comparable collapse to the Mets' own). You have young talent that few teams in baseball wouldn't trade their own young talent for, and that's something to bank on, although right now, I am sure that doesn't help much.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

What, pray tell, have the Braves done to deserve such a fate? I mean, we're already suffering with having only 2 halfway decent starters & a whole collection of guys that can pitch 5 decent innings or alternately get blown out after less than 2. What on God's green earth would the Braves need with another of the latter.

I'd just as soon see Nomo on the mound for Atlanta as Glavine.

So he struggled a bit at the end of the season, overall he was slightly better than league average, even if he continues to decline some he'd still probably be better than what the Braves have for a fourth or fifth starter.

The salary demands could make it not worth it of course, but part of what I said came out of the sheer joy from seeing the Mets collapse. If the Braves have some promising starters in the farm system that could be ready for 2008 or could find a bargain free agent or two I would prefer those options to Glavine.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Yeah, I can understand that. I was bitter last year when the Angels let their season go to waste, and I still remember '95 very clearly (a comparable collapse to the Mets' own). You have young talent that few teams in baseball wouldn't trade their own young talent for, and that's something to bank on, although right now, I am sure that doesn't help much.

Reyes hasn't been loved by Mets fan the last few weeks. I'm hopefully that he has quality off-season working on his game. A talented player with speed to burn.

With the new stadium coming in 2009, the revenues and profits they will gain should give the Mets more spending power. It will be interesting how they use it, starting this off-season.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

How about blaming a guy like Jose Reyes, hitting .250 since the ASB?

top 10 player of the last 50 years my friend.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by stevew

top 10 player of the last 50 years my friend.

I'm still saying he isn't better then Hanley or JRoll. Third best SS in the East.

[stevew]

I should note that I was making fun of a Tim McFucktwit comment, and those views expressed were not necessarily those of stevew.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Damn Mets. Unreal.

They need to hit the off-season and rebuild this team. Open the checkbook and make some deals.

Yes, damn them and their 5th highest payroll in the league at over $100M. Time to open up that checkbook!

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Bad-example

That's acute matchup.

*groan* (but I liked it)

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

in KC, we're a little more concerned about the bottom. Ok, maybe no one is since I had to do a lot of digging to find out about draft orders:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standing...type=wild+card

Apparently, they are no longer doing the alternating league thing- it's strictly by lowest record. The other thing I didn't know until I looked it up is that the tiebreaker is pick from last year. For instance, if Kansas City ties with Pittsburgh for the 2nd worst record in the league, KC would get the 2nd pick since they picked lower last year (2 vs 4 last year). Tampa has clinched back-to-back 1st overall picks for the first time in history. Then there's a cluster of teams vying for those next picks (team, last years pick, wins):
Pittsburgh (4), 68 wins
Kansas City (2), 69 wins
Baltimore (5), 69 wins
Florida (10), 70 wins
San Fransisco (12), 70 wins
Cincinnati (15), 71 wins
Houston (17), 72 wins
Chicago AL (25), 72 wins
Washington (6), 73 wins

(keep in mind, this is all my own homework and no fact checking really done so I may be off with something).

So, for instance, with KC, they have three scenarios. If they lose and Pittsburgh loses, the Royals (69) pick 3rd as the Pirates (68) 2nd. If KC (69, 2) loses and Pittsburgh (69, 4) wins, KC has the tiebreaker from last year and they pick 2nd.

If KC (70, 2) wins, Pittsburgh (68/69, 4) automatically gets 2nd and the rest depends on Baltimore (69/70, 5). If Baltimore loses, they would get 3rd, losing out to Pittsburgh on the 4th vs 5th last year tiebreaker. But, if Baltimore wins, they get 4th as KC would edge them on the tiebreaker.

My favorite scenario at the bottom is KC winning, getting them to 70. Baltimore winning, giving KC the 3rd pick. And then San Fran and Florida both losing, giving all 4 of those teams 70 wins, making the Royals tied for 6th worst record in the league rather than lower but still getting that #3 pick

SI

Ok, so here's how it played out unless my maths deceive me:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Pittsburgh
3. Kansas City
4. Baltimore
5. Florida
6. San Francisco
7. Cincinnati
8. Chicago (AL)
9. Washington
10. Houston

SI

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Yes, damn them and their 5th highest payroll in the league at over $100M. Time to open up that checkbook!

SI

As I noted in a previous post, I was just venting off frustration.

[EagleFan]

Still riding a natural high from this afternoon. I don't even care that the Eagles look like crap tonight. I'll worry about them after the Phillies season is done (which I hope isn't for a few weeks).

Did I hear that the game tomorrow night it around 7:35?

[ISiddiqui]

God Damn Mets .

Minaya needs to spend on the pitching part of the equation. Peterson got great seasons from El Duque and Perez, but now some better talent is needed on that side of things... ESPECIALLY in the bullpen, which was the strength last season.

[Schmidty]

Playoffs or not, I an very proud of MY Tigers.

Next year.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

God Damn Mets .

Minaya needs to spend on the pitching part of the equation. Peterson got great seasons from El Duque and Perez, but now some better talent is needed on that side of things... ESPECIALLY in the bullpen, which was the strength last season.

How can you just blame the pitching? The Phillies certainly don't have pitching other than Hamels. The bullpen can blow up at any given moment, other than Romero (but his control worries me as he is not givine up hits but gets wild). Am I the only one who thinks that depth in pitching would go to the Mets if you compare the two teams?

......




Back to the better topic at hand...

Moyer gives everything that he has each time out and uses his experience well but since he is a nibbler he is prone to getting shelled if he is just slightly off when pitching at CBP. He is one class act though, that is for certain. I went to a game earlier this year and he starts near the dugout and signs autographs all the way along the railing before the game and really seems to enjoy it and get along with the fans. Seeing him getting choked up talking about how he was at the parade in Philly after the 80 world series and now being there celebrating the division championship while holding his kid was great.

Seeing Pat Burrell looking like a kid on Christmas morning as he anxiously awaited the last out, watching the team come out and celebrate with the fans, seeing Myers go into the crowd for a bit, Victorino being the eternal youth that he seems to be, Rollins grabbing a Mic to talk to the fans....


This natural high that I am on looks like it will last for a while.


Sorry, being a Philadelphia sports fan has not given me much to cheer about so I have to savour these moments.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Playoffs or not, I an very proud of MY Tigers.

Next year.

I was pulling for them to knock the Yankees out of the playoffs. They have a good young core so they should be fun to watch for a while.

[ISiddiqui]

The question becomes, who is the NL MVP? The AL MVP, I'd hope everyone agrees, is obvious (A-Rod). NL MVP is harder.

On Win Shares (at least the more complicated Hardball Times version), David Wright of the Mets leads the pack with 32 WS. However, they didn't make the playoffs. Neither did Pujols' Cards, as Pujols second with 29 WS. Third place is a bit of a surprise and a NO WAY vote, Eric Byrnes for Arizona, even though his team made the playoffs (and finished with the best record), with 28 WS. After that, you get a 3 way tie with 27 WS for Carlos Beltran, Hanley Ramirez, and Miguel Cabrera, none of whose teams made the playoffs. Then a three way tie with 26 WS by Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Matt Holiday, all of whose teams made the playoffs, and Prince Fielder, whose team didn't.

If we look at adjusted OPS+ (according to baseball-reference.com), Chipper Jones finishes first with 167, but his team missed the playoffs and he missed too many games. After that is Pujols with 160, Fielder with 157, Wright with 153, and Cabrera with 152. After that, at 6th in OPS+ is Holliday with 150.

So it's a muddle. We may have to turn to pitching, where Jake Peavy stands head and shoulders above everyone else with a 176 ERA+. Second is Brandon Webb with a 156 ERA+. Pitchers normally don't win, because they have a Cy Young award, but this year it may have to go to the pitcher, especially if San Diego wins the Wild Card. For the record, Peavy has 22 Win Shares, because pitchers only pitch every 5 days instead of hitting basically every day.

I'm thinking the closeness of the NL race means that Wright or Fielder, even though their teams lost will get plenty of play for the MVP award. I think Fielder is a sexier pick because he plays for the Brewers and hit a TON of homers. Even though Wright is the better fielder and has better hitting Win Shares. The Mets collapse will hurt Wright. If the Mets walked in, Wright may have won it easily.

So I'm thinking it's between Prince Fielder and Jake Peavy at the moment with Matt Holiday being a spoiler if Colorado makes it in as the Wild Card.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

How can you just blame the pitching? The Phillies certainly don't have pitching other than Hamels. The bullpen can blow up at any given moment, other than Romero (but his control worries me as he is not givine up hits but gets wild). Am I the only one who thinks that depth in pitching would go to the Mets if you compare the two teams?

Because if the Mets had any bullpen pitching, they would have won the NL East in a walk. The bullpen ERA for the Mets was the 4th worst in the NL in September.

The Mets arms ran out of steam in the final month. That is probably a result of lack of depth in the bullpen. Really, outside of Wagner, Heilman, Feliciano, and Smith there is nothing. Hell if Burgos could have stayed healthy, that may have been enough to clinch.

As the Phillies have better hitting than the Mets (look at the OPS+ of both teams), the pitching of the Mets needs to be that much better.

[EagleFan]

Jimmy Rollins = MVP

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Jimmy Rollins = MVP

No. Chase Utley was the best player on that team.

[k0ruptr]

I personally like to think that the mets pitching staff is the MVP, i mean come on without them, the phils wouldnt even be in the playoffs!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

No. Chase Utley was the best player on that team.

Which is another reason that a Phillie won't get close. Utley and Rollins cancel each other out (and not like I'd consider Rollins to be a good choice for MVP anyway).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Rollins will get 2/3rds of the Phillie votes (although I'd go with Utley myself), diluting his total and opening the door for the MVP to be Holliday if the Rockies win today, or for Wright if they don't.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

God Damn Mets .

Minaya needs to spend on the pitching part of the equation. Peterson got great seasons from El Duque and Perez, but now some better talent is needed on that side of things... ESPECIALLY in the bullpen, which was the strength last season.

I've never quite understood how to build a bullpen. Quite a few teams have tried to throw money at the problem and the only time I really remember it working was for the Yankees in the late 90s and that was before they were grossly overspending for it, just overspending.

For about 2 months of the season, the Royals cobbled together a great bullpen that bailed out some bad starting pitching and was the strength of the team. That with Dotel, rescued off the arm surgery scrap heap for $5M at closer. Rule V Joakim Soria ($380K) setting things up after previously being closer and moving back to that role after Dotel left. David Riske, a $2M setup man with an ERA below 2.50. And I suppose the key was Zack Greinke as whatever the heck they wanted on a daily basis as he could go up to 3 innings, pitched frequently, and was lights out. Then there was an assortment of other fluff like LOOGY Jimmy Gobble, Joel Peralta for the 5th/6th-ish, and some conglomeration of failed starters at long relief.

But the problem with bullpens seems to be a complete lack of consistency from year to year. You can lean on a guy one year and the next year, he's garbage and has to be shifted to a less valuable position, thus ruining any bullpen continuity.

SI

[Pumpy Tudors]

Well, as a casual Cardinals and Pirates fan, I'm glad the season is over. The Cardinals tried to make a run for the division title a few weeks ago, and then they had to go and shit the bed when they got close. They had no business being in playoff contention, and I'm glad they didn't tease me. The Pirates were terrible once again, but I think they're about to turn the corner. Changes in the front office could do wonders in Pittsburgh, and I hope that the Bucs are good enough to maybe win 75-80 games next year.

Sadly, I'm one of those fans who completely ignores baseball once my favorite teams are done. I just can't get into playoff baseball without the Cardinals being there. To the rest of you, I hope the postseason is an exciting one. I'll glance at the scores between periods of the hockey games, and I'll think of all you guys.

[Lathum]

IMO Holliday deserves it, he carried that team the second half

[watravaler]

Kerry Wood will be the story of the playoffs.

[Young Drachma]

Rockies want it, I guess. Already 3-0 in the 2nd.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Rockies want it, I guess. Already 3-0 in the 2nd.

Hide the sharp objects in the Buccaneer household...

[Buccaneer]

I'm actually going through my Civ4 game that I left off, making more notes. I do catch a little on GameCenter now and then.

[dawgfan]

Hell of a game so far...

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Hell of a game so far...

Did I mention this has been a hell of a game so far yet?

[Celeval]

Very nice play by Tulow... er... the SS.