My sleeper team this season .... A's

[mickj]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

The angels are the clear favorite to win the AL West. Their offense is very, very powerful and light years ahead of anything on the A's or Mariners. Texas can compare, but they have no pitching at all. The biggest flaw on the Angels that i can see, and what could potentially cost them is their pitching. Their starters are all average at best, with the exception of Bartolo Colon, but he needs to get his act together. As for the pen, K-Rod could be Eric Gagne ... or he could be LaTroy Hawkins. It's still a big question mark.

You are indeed correct, however, about the A's being a sleeper team. They have enough offense to compete. Even if Zito regains his form and Harden continues to improve, it all hinges however, on whether the young guns Meyer and Haren they acquired from trading hudson and mulder away along with Joe Blanton blow up this year. If they do, watch out, you could have a repeat of what the Angels did in 2002.

I think next year though with this new staff and if they decide to keep Zito, the A's should be the clear favorite to win the AL West.

[mickj]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

The angels are the clear favorite to win the AL West. Their offense is very, very powerful and light years ahead of anything on the A's or Mariners. Texas can compare, but they have no pitching at all. The biggest flaw on the Angels that i can see, and what could potentially cost them is their pitching. Their starters are all average at best, with the exception of Bartolo Colon, but he needs to get his act together. As for the pen, K-Rod could be Eric Gagne ... or he could be LaTroy Hawkins. It's still a big question mark.

You are indeed correct, however, about the A's being a sleeper team. They have enough offense to compete. Even if Zito regains his form and Harden continues to improve, it all hinges however, on whether the young guns Meyer and Haren they acquired from trading hudson and mulder away along with Joe Blanton blow up this year. If they do, watch out, you could have a repeat of what the Angels did in 2002.

I think next year though with this new staff and if they decide to keep Zito, the A's should be the clear favorite to win the AL West.

[Sully]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

If they're considered a sleeper team... Mine is the Padres.

Yeah, with the Giants losing Bonds, the NL West is there for the Padres to take.

My sleeper team?
The Cleveland Indians

[Sully]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

If they're considered a sleeper team... Mine is the Padres.

Yeah, with the Giants losing Bonds, the NL West is there for the Padres to take.

My sleeper team?
The Cleveland Indians

[SPTO]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My sleeper team is the Brewers.

[SPTO]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My sleeper team is the Brewers.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

Being an A's fan, I have to admit I love the optimism from Asianflow. That being said, I don't see them contending at all this year. I suppose there is a chance, but everything would have to fall into place perfectly, and that is way too much to expect considering the fact that they are going to either live or die by all the young arms they have in their rotation.

I just feel that their pitching is too young for them to realistically compete this year. Even if Harden continues to improve and pitches the way he did the second half of last year, there are still question marks everywhere, including at the very top of the rotation. Was Barry Zito's horrible season last year an aberration or a sign of things to come? After him and Harden, you have Blanton, who is still pretty raw and inexperienced, albeit talented. I think Danny Haren will do good as a number 4, and not much should be expected from the 5th starter, whether it be Meyer, Saarlos or Seth Etherton.

Their bullpen is definitely much improved over last year's, but I wouldn't go calling it among the best in the league yet.

Like others in this thread have said, I think they will take a step toward contention again next year, but this year is too soon IMO.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

Being an A's fan, I have to admit I love the optimism from Asianflow. That being said, I don't see them contending at all this year. I suppose there is a chance, but everything would have to fall into place perfectly, and that is way too much to expect considering the fact that they are going to either live or die by all the young arms they have in their rotation.

I just feel that their pitching is too young for them to realistically compete this year. Even if Harden continues to improve and pitches the way he did the second half of last year, there are still question marks everywhere, including at the very top of the rotation. Was Barry Zito's horrible season last year an aberration or a sign of things to come? After him and Harden, you have Blanton, who is still pretty raw and inexperienced, albeit talented. I think Danny Haren will do good as a number 4, and not much should be expected from the 5th starter, whether it be Meyer, Saarlos or Seth Etherton.

Their bullpen is definitely much improved over last year's, but I wouldn't go calling it among the best in the league yet.

Like others in this thread have said, I think they will take a step toward contention again next year, but this year is too soon IMO.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My sleeper team is the Brewers.

The Brewers don't have the arms to begin contending yet. Until they get solid pitching, they aren't going anywhere.

I will say, though, that for the past few years they have been doing a great job with drafting and development in their minor league system, which was abysmal for years. They definitely are going to have a really nice core of young dynamic position players at the major league level in the next year or two, but the pitching needs to catch up.

[SportsorDeath]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My sleeper team is the Brewers.

The Brewers don't have the arms to begin contending yet. Until they get solid pitching, they aren't going anywhere.

I will say, though, that for the past few years they have been doing a great job with drafting and development in their minor league system, which was abysmal for years. They definitely are going to have a really nice core of young dynamic position players at the major league level in the next year or two, but the pitching needs to catch up.

[dust247]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My Sleeper Pick = Colorado Rockies

[dust247]

Re: My sleeper team this season .... A's

My Sleeper Pick = Colorado Rockies