EVIL~! alkeiper

You can get excited about wins and losses. Lord knows I've gotten excited about minor league wins and they are just as meaningless in the big picture. But do NOT put ANY stock in spring training statistics. Seriously. NONE.

1995 Atlanta Braves (Smeus) vs. 1985 Toronto Blue Jays (treble) The Braves won 90 games in a strike-shortened season, and then won their first World Series since moving to Atlanta. The Blue Jays won 99 games and their first division title before dropping a seven game ALCS to the Kansas City Royals. Hall of Famers Braves: [Fred McGriff], [Chipper Jones], [Greg Maddux], [Tom Glavine], [John Smoltz] Blue Jays: none The Blue Jays enjoyed above average hitting and excellent pitching. Their rotation and bullpen were both excellent, and the late-season callup of Tom Henke gave them a lights-out closer. The Braves too had excellent pitching, led by a trio of Hall of Fame caliber pitchers in their primes. Greg Maddux's .905 winning percentage is the third best win percentage of all time among qualified pitchers (and one of the other two came from the Union Association). Their offense however was average at best, and their bench has no legitimate threats. '95 Braves 13, '85 Blue Jays 7 WP: Greg Maddux (1-0) LP: Dave Stieb (0-1) The Braves crushed Stieb for nine runs in the first two innings and cruised to victory. Javy Lopez hit two home runs, and David Justice added three RBIs. '95 Braves 8, '85 Blue Jays 2 WP: Tom Glavine (1-0) LP: Doyle Alexander (0-1) A four-run second inning, led by Ryan Klesko's two-run triple, paved the way for another Braves victory. The game remained close until the Braves tacked on three runs in the eighth. Javy Lopez drove in three runs for the Braves. '95 Braves 2, '85 Blue Jays 1 WP: John Smoltz (1-0) LP: Jimmy Key (0-1) Tough loss for Key who allowed just two runs in eight innings of work. Key hit Mark Lemke with the bases loaded in the fifth to force in a run, and Dwight Smith followed with a sacrifice fly. '85 Blue Jays 5, '95 Braves 1 WP: Jim Clancy (1-0) LP: Steve Avery (0-1) The Blue Jays hit Avery for three runs in the first inning and created some breathing room for the first time in the series. George Bell's RBI triple in the first provided the most important hit for the Jays. '85 Blue Jays 5, '95 Braves 1 WP: Dave Stieb (1-1) LP: Greg Maddux (1-1) A four-run fifth inning won the game for the Jays. Tony Fernandez and Damaso Garcia picked up two RBIs apiece. '95 Braves 4, '85 Blue Jays 2 WP: Mark Wohlers (1-0) LP: Dennis Lamp (0-1) The Blue Jays hit Tom Glavine for two runs in the first inning. The Braves battled back, tying the game on Javy Lopez's two-run double in the fourth inning. The game remained tied until the ninth, when Charlie O'Brien came off the bench with a two-run walkoff home run to win the game. 1995 Braves win series 4-2 The Braves' offense came out blazing in the first two games, and the Braves' pitching did their part the rest of the way. The Blue Jays' bullpen rarely got a chance to come through. Up Next: Third Round!

Which version? My fiancee got the PSP version. And how much are you asking? PS2. Around $35, shipping included. Or I'd trade it for a copy of Smackdown vs. Raw 2007.

I don't think it's steroids or mental failings. Pitchers get hurt. It's an unavoidable fact of baseball and we really don't have a handle on causes or prevention.

I have two more openings in the NL league.

Eagle Man, where did you get that bracket template?

1927 New York Yankees (phoenixrising) vs. 2004 Houston Astros (UTBroward) The Houston Astros won the NL wild card and came one win away from winning the National League pennant. The Yankees won 110 games in the regular season and utterly dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. Hall of Famers Yankees: Earle Combs, Lou Gehrig, Waite Hoyt, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock, Babe Ruth Astros: [Jeff Bagwell], [Craig Biggio], [Roger Clemens] The Astros had above average hitting and pitching. The unknown is how the presence of Carlos Beltran will influence their chances. For what it is worth, the Astros went 40-18 from August 1st on. The Yankees had an ungodly offense led by historically great seasons from Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The Yankees pitching was also excellent, thanks to strong starting and a fluke season in relief out of Wilcy Moore. The Yankees are lefty heavy, but with Mike Gallo the Astros might not have the reliever to exploit it. '04 Astros 10, '27 Yankees 9 (11 Innings) WP: Brad Lidge (1-0) LP: Myles Thomas (0-1) Sv: Dave Weathers (1) A wild affair. The Astros took a 7-3 lead heading into the sixth inning. The Yankees got a run back in the sixth. The Astros lined up lefty Mike Gallo against the Yanks in the seventh, and Gallo coughed up two baserunners followed by a three-run home run by Lou Gehrig. Both teams scored two in the eighth. Brad Lidge pitched two 1-2-3 innings. Brad Ausmus hit a home run off Myles Thomas in the 11th, and Dave Weathers held on to win the game for the 'Stros. '04 Astros 7, '27 Yankees 6 (11 Innings) WP: Dan Miceli (2-0) LP: Dutch Ruether (0-1) Sv: Chad Harville (1) Wow. The Yankees took the lead in the bottom of the third inning with a three-run home run off the bat of Babe Ruth. The Astros tied the game in the fifth on a three-run home run of their own from Carlos Beltran. The score remained tied until the tenth when Craig Biggio hit a two-run home run off Bob Shawkey. Lou Gehrig followed with his own two-run home run in the bottom of the inning. Adam Everett hit a two-run home run in the eleventh. In the bottom of the inning, Mark Koenig tripled and scored on Babe Ruth's sacrifice fly. Chad Harville struck out Gehrig to end the game. '27 Yankees 4, '04 Astros 3 WP: Herb Pennock (1-0) LP: Chad Qualls (0-1) Sv: Wilcy Moore (1) Babe Ruth hit a two-run home run with two outs in the seventh to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Wilcy Moore pitched three scoreless innings for the save. '04 Astros 3, '27 Yankees 2 (13 Innings) WP: Dave Weathers (1-0) LP: Myles Thomas (0-2) The Yankees took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the eighth, but Carlos Beltran tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Lance Berkman led off the 13th with a home run to win the game. '04 Astros 4, '27 Yankees 3 WP: Mike Gallo (1-0) LP: Dutch Ruether (0-2) Sv: Brad Lidge (4) Trailing 4-3 in the eighth, Carlos Beltran led off with a home run. Jeff Bagwell singled, Lance Berkman walked, and Jeff Kent collected an RBI single to plate the go-ahead run. Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to collect his fourth save of the tournament. 2004 Astros win series 4-1 Another surprising upset. The Astros won all four games by one run apiece, three in extra innings. Their bullpen and bench gave them an edge late in games, particularly when they outlasted Bob Shawkey and Wilcy Moore. Up Next: '95 Braves vs. '85 Blue Jays

Well heck, they're inducting Bockwinkel into their Hall.

Muraco appeared on some program on WWE 24/7 recently, so he's very much alive and a sensible choice.

Former Phillies player/coach and current front office employee John Vuckovich has died at the age of 59. Vuckovich passed away from complications from a brain tumor. Vuckovich was a fixture at Red Barons games and was a nice person. It's a shame to see him go. This has not been a good offseason.

Given that Fuji managed until around '94/'95, I doubt many fans will not know him.

There's a new NWA show as well. I think those are the best of the territories outside of ECW.

To expand a bit, the Elimination Chamber was a classic bit of Paul Heyman booking. Instead of placing the belt on your most popular star, you attempt to use the belt to elevate a wrestler, be it the Big Show or Justin Credible. You then place him in a match against another equally thought of wrestler. Of course, the fans won't want to watch a title match between two bleh wrestlers, so you put them in a multi-wrestler match and add your popular wrestlers to sell it. Then your popular wrestlers get eliminated first to piss off your fanbase when the original wrestlers are left.

1984 Detroit Tigers (MFerXtreme87) vs. 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers (Kingofthe909) The Detroit Tigers started the season 35-5, won 104 games and went 7-1 in the postseason on their way to a World Championship. The Brooklyn Dodgers won 93 games but missed out on a second World Title by one game, losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series. Hall of Famers Dodgers: Roy Campanella, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider Tigers: none The absence of Alan Trammell from the Hall is truly a shame. He was not much less valuable than Cal Ripken, who is perhaps the greatest shortstop since World War II. The Tigers had very good offense and defense. Practically their entire offense, bench included, hit above league average. Their rotation was solid and their bullpen was excellent, capped by AL MVP/Cy Young winner Willie Hernandez. The Dodgers had good offense and very good pitching. Some of their stars were past their prime. Roy Campanella hit .219, and both Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese were 37 years old. Their pitching was led by Don Newcombe and Sal Maglie. '84 Tigers 5, '56 Dodgers 4 (10 Innings) WP: Aurelio Lopez (1-0) LP: Clem Labine (0-1) Lou Whitaker hit a two-run single and a solo home run to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead heading into the ninth inning. The Dodgers scored three off of closer Willie Hernandez, capped by Pee Wee Reese's two-run game tying single with two outs. Darrell Evans led off the bottom of the tenth with a solo home run to win the game. '84 Tigers 6, '56 Dodgers 4 WP: Dan Petry (1-0) LP: Roger Craig (0-1) Sv: Willie Hernandez (1) Larry Herndon's three-run home run in the seventh was the big hit of the game. The Dodgers threatened in the ninth, but Jim Gilliam grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game. '84 Tigers 12, '56 Dodgers 8 WP: Dave Rozema (1-0) LP: Don Bessent (0-1) The first true slugfest of the tournament. The Tigers exploded for six runs in the seventh inning off Don Bessent. Gil Hodges hit two home runs for the Dodgers in the loss. '84 Tigers 7, '56 Dodgers 4 WP: Willie Hernandez (1-0) LP: Clem Labine (0-2) The Dodgers took a 4-3 lead into the ninth, but the Tigers rallied for four runs. Lance Parrish hit a two out, two-run single to seal the victory. 1984 Tigers win series 4-0 The story of this series was the collapse of the Dodger bullpen. Clem Labine and Don Bessent combined to allow 11 runs in three innings of work. The Tigers advance to play the '86 Mets in the third round. Up Next: '27 Yankees vs. '04 Astros

Watched December To Dismember. Honestly on its own merits, it's not a BAD show. The problem is that it is essentially house show quality. It was not worth PPV money at all.

In all seriousness, is anyone interested in buying a very slightly used copy of The Show?

Let's just agree that Ashley sucks and move on.

1986 New York Mets (Naiwf) vs. 1975 Boston Red Sox (Mole) The New York Mets won 108 games and the World Series, surviving what I consider the greatest postseason of all time. The Red Sox won 95 games and swept the A's in the ALCS before taking the Cincinnati Reds to the limit in a tremendous World Series. Hall of Famers Red Sox: Carlton Fisk, Carl Yastrzemski Mets: Gary Carter The Red Sox had good hitting and above average pitching. Their lineup is loaded with stars such as Fisk, Yaz, Fred Lynn (1975 MVP and Rookie of the Year), Jim Rice, Dwight Evans and Cecil Cooper. Bernie Carbo was a deadly threat off the bench. The presence of Rico Petrocelli and Rick Burleson however mean they surrendered outs a third of the time. Their starters were all near average but could eat innings. Their bullpen was effective but lacked a clear star. The Mets had very good pitching and hitting. Their rotation was incredibly deep, and they boasted two relief aces capable of pitching three plus innings a night if needed. Only Rafael Santana provided below average production from the lineup. '86 Mets 3, '75 Red Sox 1 WP: Dwight Gooden (1-0) LP: Luis Tiant (0-1) Sv: Roger McDowell (1) Keith Hernandez drove in two runs, including the go-ahead run with a double in the sixth inning. Luis Tiant allowed a third run on a bases loaded two-out error in the sixth. Roger McDowell pitched two innings for the save. '75 Red Sox 9, '86 Mets 7 WP: Bill Lee (1-0) LP: Ron Darling (0-1) Sv: Dick Drago (1) Both teams scored four runs in the ninth inning. Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk both hit three-run home runs in the victory. '75 Red Sox 4, '86 Mets 1 WP: Rick Wise (1-0) LP: Bob Ojeda (0-1) Rick Wise took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Dwight Evans hit a two-run double in the fourth inning. '86 Mets 5, '75 Red Sox 4 WP: Sid Fernandez (1-0) LP: Reggie Cleveland (0-1) Sv: Jesse Orosco (1) Gary Carter's two-run home run capped a three run first inning. Rafael Santana's solo home run in the fifth proved crucial late in the game as the Mets held on to win. '86 Mets 8, '75 Red Sox 2 WP: Dwight Gooden (2-0) LP: Luis Tiant (0-2) Kevin Mitchell's three-run home run in the ninth put the game away for the Mets. Gooden pitched 8 1/3 innings for the victory. Luis Tiant gave pitched a quality start, allowing three earned runs in six innings pitched. '86 Mets 2, '75 Red Sox 0 WP: Ron Darling (1-1) LP: Bill Lee (1-1) Sv: Roger McDowell (2) Keith Hernandez hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and addad an RBI single in the 8th. Ron Darling pitched eight shutout innings for the victory. 1986 Mets win series 4-2 Keith Hernandez picked up a total of nine RBIs in the series. The Mets advance to the third round and await the winner of the next series. Up Next: '84 Tigers vs. '56 Dodgers

I would've been surprised if I hadn't seen it as a part of a separate project I did last month.

Also a small bit of news, I intend to bring back the baseball preview.

Jesus. Neyer started chatting at noon and he's still going!

March 07: '86 Mets vs. '75 Red Sox March 08: '84 Tigers vs. '56 Dodgers March 09: '27 Yankees vs. '04 Astros March 10: '95 Braves vs. '85 Blue Jays March 11-18: Third Round March 11: '01 Mariners vs. '03 Braves March 12: '94 Expos vs. '72 A's March 13: '10 A's vs. '76 Reds March 14: '06 Twins vs. '98 Astros March 15: '98 Yankees vs. '19 White Sox March 16: '46 Red Sox vs. '04 Red Sox March 17: TBA March 18: TBA March 19-22: Quarterfinals March 23-29: Ultimate World Series

I never understood the Lower Alabama hate.

1990 Oakland Athletics (bored) vs. 2004 Boston Red Sox (cheech13) The Athletics won their third consecutive American League pennant but suffered a stunning four game sweep to the Cincinnati Reds. The Red Sox won the wild card and overcame a 3-0 series deficit to defeat the New York Yankees in the ALCS. A four game sweep of the Cardinals gave the Sox their first championship in 86 years. Hall of Famers Red Sox: [Manny Ramirez], [Curt Schilling], [Pedro Martinez] Athletics: Dennis Eckersley, [Rickey Henderson] Since Mark McGwire has now been passed over once by the BBWAA, he is left off the list. The Athletics enjoyed good hitting and excellent pitching. The A's had a lights-out bullpen and two excellent starters in Dave Stewart and Bob Welch. The A's are remembered for their offense, but it is feast or famine with four strong hitters (Rickey Henderson, Dave Henderson, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire) and five weak hitters. The Red Sox had equally good hitting and pitching. The Sox had a tough lineup, quality starting and a deep bullpen. '04 Red Sox 5, '90 Athletics 0 WP: Pedro Martinez (1-0) LP: Dave Stewart (0-1) Pedro Martinez dominated, pitching seven innings and striking out twelve batters in the process. David Ortiz, Kevin Millar and Jason Varitek all hit solo home runs. '04 Red Sox 4, '90 Athletics 0 WP: Curt Schilling (1-0) LP: Bob Welch (0-1) Sox pitching again dominates, as Curt Schilling pitched a complete game shut-out, allowing just two hits and walking none. Manny Ramirez hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning. '90 Athletics 6, '04 Red Sox 4 WP: Scott Sanderson (1-0) LP: Bronson Arroyo (0-1) Sv: Dennis Eckersley (1) Finally the A's bats wake up. Rickey Henderson hit an RBI double to break a tie game in the fifth and Dave Henderson followed up with an RBI single of his own. '04 Red Sox 5, '90 Athletics 4 WP: Scott Williamson (1-0) LP: Rick Honeycutt (0-1) Sv: Keith Foulke (1) Johnny Damon put the Red Sox up with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. David Ortiz and Jason Varitek both hit solo home runs in the victory. '90 Athletics 8, '04 Red Sox 6 WP: Dennis Eckersley (1-0) LP: Scott Williamson (1-1) Sv: Todd Burns (1) The Red Sox scored four runs in the first inning off Dave Stewart. The A's hung tough and battled back however, tying the game in the seventh when two runs scored on Dave Henderson's double. Manny Ramirez hit an RBI single in the eighth to put the Red Sox ahead. Walt Weiss tied the game in the ninth, scoring on Mark Bellhorn's fielding error. Curtis Leskanic walked two batters with the bases loaded in the eleventh to score the go-ahead runs. Both Dennis Eckersley and Keith Foulke pitched two innings (Foulke allowed one unearned run), and both will be unavailable for game six. '04 Red Sox 5, '90 Athletics 3 WP: Curt Schilling (2-0) LP: Bob Welch (0-2) Sv: Scott Williamson (1) Johnny Damon walked, Orlando Cabrera singled, and Manny Ramirez hit a three-run home run to start the game for the Red Sox. The Sox added a run in the second. The A's scored three runs in the bottom of the second, but never pulled closer. Manny Ramirez cracked an RBI double in the seventh for insurance. 2004 Red Sox win series 4-2 The Red Sox got quality performances from Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling and the rest fell into place. The Sox now advance to play their 1946 counterparts in the next round. Up Next: '86 Mets vs. '75 Red Sox

I traded 1 great pitcher, 1 good pitcher and a decent 1st baseman for a good 1st baseman and an average pitcher. I'd say that's a fair trade. Besides, the force trade option is off so they wanted this trade. It took me a while just to get some interest because it was hurting their lineup. Average pitcher? You're talking about a 22 year old who struck out more than a batter an inning and has six YEARS before free agency. Ryan Howard for that matter has five years left until free agency, and just won the MVP. You're talking about getting those guys for an average first baseman, a reliever, and a pitcher you signed out of free agency! If you tried that trade in real life, first off Roger Clemens would exercise his right to block the trade as all free agent signees do, and second the Phillies would laugh you out of the building. It's a worse trade than some of the crap that gets posted on the mlb.com message boards, and that is saying something.