TWiB 6/26 - 7/2

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

It's way too early to tell.

 

If Boston wants the WS though, they NEED to win the division.

 

That is true. There is no way that the wild card will come out of the AL East this year because the division is just way too tough.

 

It is too early to tell at this point how things will shape up the rest of the year, but the Red Sox are the best team and should win the division. I will never count the Yankees out of anything, but Boston should only get better as they get healthy and start bringing in some of their touted AAA prospects.

[Annabelle 0]

The Twins still can't make up any ground.

 

At least they have the ROY

 

verlander pitches for the tigers...

[Guest Felonies!]

I hope this resurgence of the Detroit Tigers tables any "we need a salary cap for parity!" garbage for the next five years.

[Slayer 0]

I thought all that talk went out the window when the Yanks ceased winning World Serieses and became the Braves of the AL

[Slayer 0]

Oh yeah, with regard to the AL vs. NL, something I didn't even think about until I heard the local sports show refer to the NL as a "JV League" the other day... who's won WS for the NL in the last 15 years?

 

1. A team notorious for choking save for this one year

2. An expansion team

3. Another expansion team (twice!)

 

I just thought there was something funny about that

[Guest StylesMark]

I thought all that talk went out the window when the Yanks ceased winning World Serieses and became the Braves of the AL

 

Sad but true.

 

Of course, if they ever thought about buying some young pitching, instead of BATS, well...

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Jesus, Prior is frustrating.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That is true. There is no way that the wild card will come out of the AL East this year because the division is just way too tough.

 

People say this all the time. It almost never works that way.

[CanadianChris 0]

That is true. There is no way that the wild card will come out of the AL East this year because the division is just way too tough.

 

People say this all the time. It almost never works that way.

Al's right. The argument that a division is tough has, at its core, the notion that multiple teams are good. And if two or three teams are good, they should all be able to win games outside their little group at a higher rate than the average team. If this is the case, even if the teams involved play .500 ball against each other, they should all still be able to win 95 games by beating up on the rest of the league.

 

The reason it appears to not be true for the AL East this year is there's another group of teams in another division that appears to have an even larger talent disparity between themselves and the rest of the league, a lot like the AL West when both Seattle and Oakland won over 100 games.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

That is true. There is no way that the wild card will come out of the AL East this year because the division is just way too tough.

 

People say this all the time. It almost never works that way.

 

I agree with you Al. I just didn't go into enough depth in explaining myself. The teams at the top of the AL East are tightly packed this year, but they aren't good enough to beat up on the rest of the American League like usual. So while they will be in a dogfight till September, they won't be padding their record against non-division opponents. 90 or so wins will probably win the division, but that won't be enough to compete against the beasts of the Central.

 

EDIT: CanadianChris stole my thunder.

[Vern Gagne 0]

The Twins still can't make up any ground.

 

At least they have the ROY

 

verlander pitches for the tigers...

 

Both guys are deserving. I still think Papelbon would win right know.

[strummer 0]

Carlos Delgado has a strained rib cage and will not playing tonight vs the Sox

[Hawk 34 0]

Oh yeah, with regard to the AL vs. NL, something I didn't even think about until I heard the local sports show refer to the NL as a "JV League" the other day... who's won WS for the NL in the last 15 years?

 

1. A team notorious for choking save for this one year

2. An expansion team

3. Another expansion team (twice!)

 

I just thought there was something funny about that

 

You forgot the Reds.

[The Man in Blak 0]

I hope this resurgence of the Detroit Tigers tables any "we need a salary cap for parity!" garbage for the next five years.

 

What, the Tigers that are spending $82M on payroll this year? You're not really referring to a small market team here.

[Guest Felonies!]

Okay, how about the Marlins outplaying the Cubs? There's an even better case.

[CanadianChris 0]

Oh yeah, with regard to the AL vs. NL, something I didn't even think about until I heard the local sports show refer to the NL as a "JV League" the other day... who's won WS for the NL in the last 15 years?

 

1. A team notorious for choking save for this one year

2. An expansion team

3. Another expansion team (twice!)

 

I just thought there was something funny about that

 

You forgot the Reds.

16 years ago.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

The Twins still can't make up any ground.

 

At least they have the ROY

 

verlander pitches for the tigers...

Liriano has the better numbers.

 

I was listening to WGN Radio after the game and whoever they had on there was spewing crap about how this team would be contending if they had Prior, Wood, and Lee healthy the entire season. They'd be better, but it's thinking like this that has stunted any growth or progression in the organization. One of the morons even noted the Cards lost Pujols and lost eight in a row. Never mind the losing streak started the night he RETURNED from the DL.

[Hawk 34 0]

Oh yeah, with regard to the AL vs. NL, something I didn't even think about until I heard the local sports show refer to the NL as a "JV League" the other day... who's won WS for the NL in the last 15 years?

 

1. A team notorious for choking save for this one year

2. An expansion team

3. Another expansion team (twice!)

 

I just thought there was something funny about that

 

You forgot the Reds.

16 years ago.

 

Well, there wasn't a 1994 champion. Meaning of the last 15 championships won, Reds, Braves, D-Backs and Marlins (twice) are the only NL teams to win it.

 

Think about that. 2 expansion teams (one that keeps blowing up) a perennial runner-up and a team that has only fielded one playoff team since that 1990 championship.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Phillies.com presents the power of positive thinking!

 

Coming up: Madson's recent history suggests that the right-hander should be primed for a good outing against righty Rodrigo Lopez and the Orioles in Thursday's 7:05 p.m. series finale at Camden Yards.

 

Madson has followed good outings with poor outings in the past six starts. His last June start was particularly poor, as he lasted just 1 2/3 innings, and surrendered six earned runs. He gets hit most when he can't establish the fastball and then has to rely on the changeup.

 

Its really a trend I suppose, as he's pitching a decent game so far 2-0 Phillies.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

And the only other D-Back team to make the playoffs (Since '01, I know they made it in '99) was 2002, when they were swept in the Division Series by St. Louis.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm lobbying for another series each against Washington and Atlanta.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Bucs sent Oliver Perez down to the minors. It's amazing what a 180 this guy's done in less than two years.

[Guest StylesMark]

Bucs sent Oliver Perez down to the minors. It's amazing what a 180 this guy's done in less than two years.

Holy shit. I agree. Maybe he'll "find his stuff."

[CanadianChris 0]

And the Red Sox go out in front of the Mets. Again.

 

If you'd told me last Saturday that the Jays would lose 4 games in the AL East standings, I sure wouldn't have predicted it would be by going 7-4.

[devo 0]

And the Red Sox go out in front of the Mets. Again.

 

Actually, it's 2-2.

 

Edit: Well, it was.

 

Edit the second: You will see no finer play this year than the one that just robbed David Wright of an RBI double.

[Guest Smues]

Holy cow what a catch that was.

[devo 0]

Man, am I glad I have this game on mute at the moment. The word "clutch" was probably used seven or eight times in the past few minutes if I don't miss my guess.

 

Well, if things go the way they're looking to go, at least this'd be a siginficantly less embarassing game for the Mets. Even if they don't take a game in Yankee Stadium, I'm not going to go into panic mode. The second half of the year looks to be siginifcantly easier schedule-wise and, at the very worst, the Mets will be going into it with an eight game division lead.

[the max 0]

I guess Delgado must have really been hurt to not at least get an at bat for one of Valentin/Chavez.

 

I think Coco finally "arrived" tonight in the eyes of the "faithful" so to speak. There's always the game that we all look back on as the start of him really coming into his own in the uniform and he missed a good amount of time this season, preventing him from doing so. He scored the winning run and essentially won the game with his Superman catch on Wright. Great game from Coco.

 

Glad I didn't have the ESPN feed too, judging by ELM's comment about clutch ability. Orsillo/Remy just noted that it was Ortiz's 200th career homer.

[naiwf 0]

Coco Fucking Crisp. I've got a nasty stomach bug and then had to watch him give the Mets the ultimate punch to the gut before Big Papi delivered the finishing blow. That whole series was eerily reminiscent of the Leben/Silva fight last night with the Mets playing the role of Leben

[strummer 0]

I'm trying to not get discouraged about the Mets game tonight as they hit in incredibly bad luck. They hit at least 5-7 balls right on the nose that were either right at someone or a great play was made. You have to credit the Sox great defense but it was still bad luck Heilman once again continues to struggle and you have to wonder if this is a slump or is this the best he is? I really don't see the Subway Series going well this weekend. This is probably the first legitimate skid the club has gone into all season. And considering it's almost July that's not bad.