2009 MLB season discussion*

[Akiyama]

Yeah, I agree. I always believe that a good, stud starting pitching can beat the best offenses. That's why more times than not, the aces of a staff can shut down the opposing offenses or at least it would be a 3-2 sort of game. The 1-2-3 guys in a rotation typically do well while the teams beat up on the 4-5 pitchers in the regular season. That's why it makes the playoffs that much harder. You have to deal with the 1-2-3 guys.

Anyway, it's not like you guys didn't know that. I just think Santana's been off his last few starts and needs to get back in the zone. AJ Burnett was also a check-swing call away from giving up a potentially big inning as well. I don't think the Met that got called out actually swung.. but it was close.

[Cephius]

It was close, I don't think it would have mattered anyway. AJ was a little rough that inning but pretty lights out before and after that. He's a 2 faced pitcher, today was good AJ except for that inning.

[pohibaba]

I'm sure most of you have heard of Bryce Harper--the 16 year old Sophomore who is being touted at "The Chosen One" on the cover of Sports Illustrated--well, he's decided to skip the last two years of High School, take the GED, and enter into the local JC. Smart move or stupid one?

Link here.

[Stiker]

Eh...not too sure how bright that is. Not really sure how you can consider how much of a "sure thing" a 16 year old is. I'd assume as long as he is injury free though, he'll take in a nice contract in the draft...so I guess as long as he is smart with the money, he'll be fine.

[Pringles]

On the kids part I'd say it's a good risk. He's getting a GED going to junior college and has the potential to be the #1 pick in 2010. He is setting himself up for payday before 18. If he busts out, but is smart and saves his signing bonus, he can afford to put himself through whatever college he wants/can get into and get a degree and start a career with money still in the bank. If I had that talent and was him at that age I'd have done the exact same. Hopefully his parents are smart and get him to save his money and not spend it. It's no different than the story a few months back about the junior basketball player who got his GED to go play in Europe professionally before eligible for the NBA draft.

After all, isn't the whole point of college to set people up for a career to make money with anyways? When you break it down to it, you go to college to get a degree in your field so you can find a decent job to support yourself. He's found a way to do just that, only sooner. He's only missing out on tue partying and mindless sex, which he can get anyways as a professional athlete 10 fold (hi2u arod).

[Ensam]

Wouldn't be surprised if in the contract he would also get the team to pay for his college if he decides to go down the line, lots of high school guys do that now a days.

The downside though is that he'd have to go to a worse college. Right now he could get into any college he'd want because they'd want him for his athletic ability. Taking away his eligibility to play means that he'd only be able to get into a college that would want his smarts.

But he's looking for a bigggg payday when he gets drafted. We're not talking about a 1m signing bonus. I mean, unless shit happens, he's looking at getting atleast double digit millions.

[Saga]

Dodgers are on fire, I'm actually really afraid of them in the post season if the Red Sox make it far in the ALDS/CS/WS. Anyone think they can keep their ridiculous record going? They're the only team with over 40 wins in either league right now, it's really impressive.

[Akiyama]

Dodgers are on fire, I'm actually really afraid of them in the post season if the Red Sox make it far in the ALDS/CS/WS. Anyone think they can keep their ridiculous record going? They're the only team with over 40 wins in either league right now, it's really impressive.

No, I don't. I mean yeah, I do think they will run away with the West and make the playoffs, no problem, but I think the problems would start there. Don't be fooled by their ridiculous pitching stats right now (1st in ERA, BAA, OPS, SV, WHIP, and 14th in Quality Starts) as I attribute it to the fact that they've played 36 (26-10) of their 64 games against the NL West. Remember last year when Arizona started out on fire, going like 22-8 against the West, then couldn't hang for the rest of the year against the tougher competition? I don't see LA collapsing or anything, but I don't think they'll be setting any records or keeping it up for the next ~100 games.

Either way, after Billingsley, their pitching is worrisome. Randy Wolf has overachieved, Kershaw's hit a major bump in the road, Kuroda's been hurt, and they don't even have a fifth starter listed. I think it was Milton or something?

Anyway, I honestly think they've overachieved. Juan Pierre saved their asses when Manny went out, and it's a shame that he'll be back on the bench when Manny comes back.

[Penthesilea]

No, I don't. I mean yeah, I do think they will run away with the West and make the playoffs, no problem, but I think the problems would start there. Don't be fooled by their ridiculous pitching stats right now (1st in ERA, BAA, OPS, SV, WHIP, and 14th in Quality Starts) as I attribute it to the fact that they've played 36 (26-10) of their 64 games against the NL West. Remember last year when Arizona started out on fire, going like 22-8 against the West, then couldn't hang for the rest of the year against the tougher competition? I don't see LA collapsing or anything, but I don't think they'll be setting any records or keeping it up for the next ~100 games.

Either way, after Billingsley, their pitching is worrisome. Randy Wolf has overachieved, Kershaw's hit a major bump in the road, Kuroda's been hurt, and they don't even have a fifth starter listed. I think it was Milton or something?

Anyway, I honestly think they've overachieved. Juan Pierre saved their asses when Manny went out, and it's a shame that he'll be back on the bench when Manny comes back.

I don't know how they've fared against the NL East, but I know that they should have been swept by the Phils out in LA. Unfortunately they split the 4 games series due to Brad Lidge. The Dodgers probably will take the division, but they aren't as good as the record implies.

[Akiyama]

They were 10-5 against the NL East, but have a losing record against the NL Central and are .500 (3-3) against Interleague play.

[Cephius]

They swept the Mets, but probably should have lost one of those games when Church missed third base.

Their offense is very up and down, even with Manny. Eithier was on fire early, then went into something like a 3-60 cold streak. Juan Pierre has vastly overachieved early on. Their bullpen is OK, not terrible but nothing to write home about either. Each of them has gotten knocked around, and Broxton throws hard but isn't a lights-out closer.

I'm sure they're capable of dominating the season, just like the Angels did last year. Once the playoffs hit... who knows.

[Akiyama]

Wow. Something that Ceph and I *actually* agree upon. Should we mark it down on the calender that this is the day that you and I agreed to an extent? xD

But yeah. That 10-5 record is misleading over the NL East, and even then, the NL East isn't that great.

[Cephius]

I'm worried stiff about the Nationals taking a game from us this week 3-0 or bust!

[Pringles]

Inb4 Nationals miraculously sweep the Yankees and go onto a 20 game winning streak so Acta won't get canned.

[Headspace]

I'm worried stiff about the Nationals taking a game from us this week 3-0 or bust!

Seriously. We lost one game to the Nats and haven't won since.

You better hope you sweep them or it'll start a monstrous slide.

[Cephius]

Their pitching is obviously a disaster but they can hit... even though they're on pace to lose 120 games there's still about another 25 wins in there somewhere! Just please not against us

[Stiker]

On a completely random note, I just got this story forwarded to me by a friend. It is well...quite interesting:

Deadspin - Griffey Tickles Ichiro's Fancy, Armpits - Ichiro

Who knew that was the secret to career numbers for Ichiro?

[Headspace]

Seattle sports in a homoerotic nutshell.
/bangs head on desk, snaps Griffey's hamstring

hjahahah

[jmc]

Rumors are here in boston....

that Dice-K might hit the bullpen, when smoltz is fully healthy and ready to pitch.

Guess Dice-K has a clause in his contract that he cannot be sent down to the minors, nor can be traded. Has a 1-4 record with 8.00+ ERA, and has not gone longer than 5 innings this season (or maybe 6 innings?)

Gotta love that 100+ Mil spent to get him here.

[Cephius]

Smoltz gave up 4 runs on 6 hits during his last AAA start... he hasn't exactly been lighting it up. Why does everyone in Boston think he still has it? He's 42 years old and pitched a grand total of 28 innings last year. Please god, let him start the first game against the Yankees in August so we can break our winless streak.

Dice-K has always had an extremely high WHIP and BB/9. It's finally coming back to bite him in the ass. People shouldn't be surprised he's not performing well. But... the last thing you want to do is upset the chemistry of the great BOS bullpen by sending someone down (I assume it'd be Bard?) and replacing them with a hittable and wild Dice-K.