Originally posted by vansmack:bradford/rincon/mecir/rhodes aren't chopped liver you know.
Right, because Colon/Washburn/Escobar/Ortiz/Lackey are mince meat.
And there is no better bullpen in baseball when Brendan Donnelly returns. Weber/K-Rod/Donnelly/Percival.
Even DePodesta left Oakland because saw this Angels team on his spreadsheet and knew that the A's were in trouble this year.
HEY REDSOCK!
Originally posted by vansmack:When they look at the AL East, yes, they are shaking in their boots.
In case you missed it, the Angels scored 10 runs with their eyes closed last night against the Mariners #1 pitcher, and Colon pitched 6 innings without giving up an earned run.
Think the AL West is shaking in their boots these day?
Originally posted by Venerable Bede:
Originally posted by vansmack:Who?
[qb] bradford/rincon/mecir/rhodes aren't chopped liver you know.
And aren't the A's the 4th team to try Rhodes as a closer? How did it work out for the others?
Billy Beane says you don't need a great closer to win. I think this shows he really believes that. And Arthur Rhodes has Billy Koch written all over him.
Originally posted by keithstg:At least one team in baseball I know of isn't afraid of the NY Yankees. And that would be the Anaheim Angels.
When they look at the AL East, yes, they are shaking in their boots.
And nobody needs to be afraid of the Boston Red Sox because they are afraid of themselves.
The AL wild card will come from the West this year. And I'm not afraid to go on record to say that.
That leaves Baltiomre, Toronto and Tampa Bay, and I'm just not going to qualify those squads with a response.
Originally posted by vansmack:Oh, I think you can count on injuries to that lineup. I guarentee they won't average 7 runs a game, but with Escobar, Ortiz, and Washburn being unpredictable, they might have to.
Originally posted by sonickballs2:21-7 with a 3.29 ERA at age 39 ain't so bad. Is 40 really that much different?
Moyer aint their best pitcher, he's about 50 years old. Pineiro is their best pitcher, he will shut them down tonight.
Nobody will shut the Angels down this year.
Eckstein
Erstad
Guerrero
Anderson
Glaus
Guillen
Salmon
Molina
Kennedy
Only injuries can stop that lineup. They could average 7 runs a game.
As for their lineup:
Eckstein - average at best. great work ethic.
Erstad - will be hurt. shadow of his 2000 season.
Guerrero - just awesome.
Anderson - also great
Glaus - will hit .250, low obp
Guillen - who knows? could be great, could revert back to his usual selft
Salmon - This ain't 1997.
Molina - could never put it together. abysmal obp. former prospect.
Kennedy - utility man on most contenders.
Originally posted by keithstg:Perfect Get on, get over, get in guy.
Eckstein - average at best. great work ethic.
Originally posted by keithstg:Finally got a divorce from the Barbara Hershey-esque character in Hoosiers, will bat .300 this year. Smackie is a firm believer in the power of a woman to suck the talent out of you. And for all of you fantasy geeks, will qualify as a 1B on April 22nd, bats second and is followed by Guerrero, Anderson, Glaus, Guillen, Salmon - the guy is going to score 100 runs and return to his 2000 numbers.
Erstad - will be hurt. shadow of his 2000 season.
Originally posted by keithstg:Anderson, not Guerrero, will win the AL MVP this season.
Guerrero - just awesome.
Anderson - also great
Originally posted by keithstg:Your #5 hitter is not supposed to have a high OBP, he's supposed to have a high slugging percentage and after the 2 jacks he hit yesterday, I'd say it's the highest in the league. Injuries are behind him, and he'll hit 40 HRs.
Glaus - will hit .250, low obp
Originally posted by keithstg:If you had to have a manager to handle a guy like this, wouldn't it be Mike Scioscioa?
Guillen - who knows? could be great, could revert back to his usual selft
Originally posted by keithstg:That's why he's hitting 7th. Care to name a better #7 hitter in the AL? The only one close is Bernie Williams, but like you said, this ain't 1997 now is it?
Salmon - This ain't 1997.
Originally posted by keithstg:Offensively, not the strongest catcher. Defensively and how he handles the staff, now that's a whole different story. But fi you let up on the #8 hitter like Seattle did yesterday, the Molina brothers can put it over the fence.
Molina - could never put it together. abysmal obp. former prospect.
Originally posted by keithstg:Let's see. Enrique Wilson (NYY), Pokey Reese (BOS), Luis Rivas (MIN) and whomever is playing 2B for the A's this week (I think it's Marco Scutaro). Thanks but I'll take Kennedy over everyone on that list. Only Brett Boone (SEA) is a better 2B on a contender.
Kennedy - utility man on most contenders.
Originally posted by vansmack:
Originally posted by keithstg:Perfect Get on, get over, get in guy.
[qb] Eckstein - average at best. great work ethic.
Decent, not great, OBP. Runs less every year.
Originally posted by keithstg:Finally got a divorce from the Barbara Hershey-esque character in Hoosiers, will bat .300 this year. Smackie is a firm believer in the power of a woman to suck the talent out of you. And for all of you fantasy geeks, will qualify as a 1B on April 22nd, bats second and is followed by Guerrero, Anderson, Glaus, Guillen, Salmon - the guy is going to score 100 runs and return to his 2000 numbers.
Erstad - will be hurt. shadow of his 2000 season.
He has been in decline since 2000. Three years of declining productivity solved by a divorce? And, if your fantasy team can't do better at the corners than Darin, you are in serious trouble.
Originally posted by keithstg:Your #5 hitter is not supposed to have a high OBP, he's supposed to have a high slugging percentage and after the 2 jacks he hit yesterday, I'd say it's the highest in the league. Injuries are behind him, and he'll hit 40 HRs.
Glaus - will hit .250, low obp
Two HR's = great. 144k's and a SLG. under .500? Not so great.
Originally posted by keithstg:If you had to have a manager to handle a guy like this, wouldn't it be Mike Scioscioa?
Guillen - who knows? could be great, could revert back to his usual selft
No, it would be Joe Torre.
Originally posted by keithstg:That's why he's hitting 7th. Care to name a better #7 hitter in the AL? The only one close is Bernie Williams, but like you said, this ain't 1997 now is it?
Salmon - This ain't 1997.
Matsui and Posada. Varitek, Ortiz. Jay Gibbons. Bernie Williams, Bobby Crosby (mostly on potential). They will all bat 7th in the lineup this season. Salmon's stats for the past four years read: decent, sub par, sub par, sub par, sub par. That will change why?
I deleted the points that I thought made sense, but will add that Kennedy and Pokey Reese are probably a wash. I'm enjoying the conversation immensely.
Originally posted by sonickballs2:
[QB] Moyer aint their best pitcher, he's about 50 years old. Pineiro is their best pitcher, he will shut them down tonight.
Pineiro proved last year that he is WAY too inconsistent to be #1 pitcher. He will not beat Washburn.
Jay Gibbons is the O's #6 hitter.
Originally posted by sonickballs2:I am aware. However, he will probably see at least some time at 7 this season, depending on Segui's health ( I can't believe that he isn't hurt yet) and Surhoff's performance.
Jay Gibbons is the O's #6 hitter.
Originally posted by vansmack:you mean the year he went 11-4 and had 44 saves?
Billy Beane says you don't need a great closer to win. I think this shows he really believes that. And Arthur Rhodes has Billy Koch written all over him.
i do agree with you that the wild card will come from the west.
as for garrett anderson. . you see that page 2 had a poll to choose a nickname for him? the winner was lunchbox. . i voted for puddin. there's a ton of other funny stuff in this article: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/040402
I am enjoying this as well.
87 in 2001
107 in 2002
59 in 2003
On pace for 162 this year. ;)
I'm going to forget that you even said Jay Gibbons because he too only had one good season and the line-up was so bad he spent most of it batting 4th and 5th.
Originally posted by keithstg:Runs less only last year.
David Eckstein - Decent, not great, OBP. Runs less every year.
87 in 2001
107 in 2002
59 in 2003
On pace for 162 this year. ;)
Originally posted by keithstg:Yes. Productivity solved by divorce. Health solved by a move to 1B. And no, he's not my every day 1B, he will split time with Shawn Green on my fantasy team in 14 more days (D. Mientkiewicz is just filling in right now). It's nice to have versatile players you can move in and out. I have a crowded outfield with Guerrero, Ordonez, Green, Guillen, Erstad and Burnitz (12 team league, 21 rounds).
Erstad - He has been in decline since 2000. Three years of declining productivity solved by a divorce? And, if your fantasy team can't do better at the corners than Darin, you are in serious trouble.
Originally posted by keithstg:Obviously 2003 was a down year for the whole squad. But he hit 118 Hrs the three previous years and had an SLG. over .500 in 2 of those three years. That's no fluke - 2003 was the fluke. He is a power hitting run producer, pure and simple.
Glaus - Two HR's = great. 144k's and a SLG. under .500? Not so great.
Originally posted by keithstg:Torre has handled egos well in NYY, there's no doubt about that. But how did Torre do in his previous 15 seasons in the bigs when he didn't have the highest payroll but had talent? He clearly under performed in St. Louis, arguably in Atlanta and the Mets. I love Torre, and I always wanted the Angels to hire him when he was announcing for them in 80's. But that was then, this is now. In the long term, Scioscia has to be one of the most promising managers in baseball and I expect the Dodgers ot make a huge puch for him in this off season. Torre's next move is retirement.
Guillen - No, it would be Joe Torre.
Originally posted by keithstg:More ducks on the pond, my friend. When will Matsui bat 7th? Those days are over for him. Posada I will give you, but rarely does he bat 7th. Varitek? One good season does not make a man - especially a catcher. And Ortiz nearly never bats 7th, but again, one season does not make a man.
Salmon - Matsui and Posada. Varitek, Ortiz. Jay Gibbons. Bernie Williams, Bobby Crosby (mostly on potential). They will all bat 7th in the lineup this season. Salmon's stats for the past four years read: decent, sub par, sub par, sub par, sub par. That will change why?
I'm going to forget that you even said Jay Gibbons because he too only had one good season and the line-up was so bad he spent most of it batting 4th and 5th.
Originally posted by vansmack:How is having one good season last year worse than having a good season four years ago and performing horribly since?
I'm going to forget that you even said Jay Gibbons because he too only had one good season and the line-up was so bad he spent most of it batting 4th and 5th. [/QB]
Matsui will hit 7 when Lofton hits 1st or 2nd, which will happen at some point this year. Gibbons had a better season last year than Salmon had in the past four, and he's younger. I think of them as the same player, actually, just in different stages of their careers.
Torre did underpreform in St.Louis, and I have to admit I wasn't that psyched when the Yankees signed him, as I was a huge Showalter fan. Boy was I wrong. Nobody faces more pressure from the fans and the owners, and manages more egos than Joe Torre. He'll retire because he is old, but not for a few more years.
I will bet you that Erstad does not hit over .300, and does not drive in 100 this year. 2000 was a huge fluke. He's the batting average version of Brady Anderson's HR's. (.255, .355, .258, .283, .252) Paul Knorenko will be a vastly more effective 1B fantasy wise, and you could probably draft him in the same round.
Originally posted by vansmack:i thought green was going back to the outfield because he hated playing first base (read: he sucks at first). but then, do errors count in fantasy?
And no, he's not my every day 1B, he will split time with Shawn Green on my fantasy team in 14 more days (D. Mientkiewicz is just filling in right now).
Originally posted by Venerable Bede:Now that Milton Bradley is in town, Green goes back to first.
Originally posted by vansmack:i thought green was going back to the outfield because he hated playing first base (read: he sucks at first). but then, do errors count in fantasy?
And no, he's not my every day 1B, he will split time with Shawn Green on my fantasy team in 14 more days (D. Mientkiewicz is just filling in right now).
Originally posted by keithstg:
I will bet you that Erstad does not hit over .300, and does not drive in 100 this year. 2000 was a huge fluke.Number two hitters are not expected to drive in 100 runs.
Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:
Originally posted by keithstg:Agreed. Should have edited to read score 100 runs, but he may well do that if (big if) he stays healthy.
I will bet you that Erstad does not hit over .300, and does not drive in 100 this year. 2000 was a huge fluke.Number two hitters are not expected to drive in 100 runs.
Originally posted by Rob_Gee_a.k.a _Guiny:milton bradley. . that's a problem solver. :) and i don't want to hear about his ops anymore. . .damn sabrmetricians.
Originally posted by Venerable Bede:Now that Milton Bradley is in town, Green goes back to first.
Originally posted by vansmack:i thought green was going back to the outfield because he hated playing first base (read: he sucks at first). but then, do errors count in fantasy?
And no, he's not my every day 1B, he will split time with Shawn Green on my fantasy team in 14 more days (D. Mientkiewicz is just filling in right now).
Originally posted by keithstg:Sorry, I had to run off to a meeting. My damn job keeps gettig in the way of my personal life.
How is having one good season last year worse than having a good season four years ago and performing horribly since?
Matsui will hit 7 when Lofton hits 1st or 2nd, which will happen at some point this year. Gibbons had a better season last year than Salmon had in the past four, and he's younger. I think of them as the same player, actually, just in different stages of their careers.
Torre did underpreform in St.Louis, and I have to admit I wasn't that psyched when the Yankees signed him, as I was a huge Showalter fan. Boy was I wrong. Nobody faces more pressure from the fans and the owners, and manages more egos than Joe Torre. He'll retire because he is old, but not for a few more years.
I will bet you that Erstad does not hit over .300, and does not drive in 100 this year. 2000 was a huge fluke. He's the batting average version of Brady Anderson's HR's. (.255, .355, .258, .283, .252) Paul Knorenko will be a vastly more effective 1B fantasy wise, and you could probably draft him in the same round.
Anyhow, this was fun. We'll agree to disagree on Darin Erstad and let him do the talking the rest of the year (or no talking if you're proven to be right). I'm banking a huge part of my fantasy league on it, that's how much I think he's going to turn it around.
Yes, Shawn Green is not happy about moving to 1B, but he's a team player and that's that. Thus far, it hasn't affected his offense, but he has stranded a few more baserunners than I would like.
I agree that Jay Gibbons has a bright future, but the discussion was about #7 hitters, and he's not. In the clutch, I'd rather have Salmon though.
And lastly, win or lose, I think this is it for Joe Torre. Especially if A-Rod or Jeter get hurt and there's a huge media fallout over who should play where. If you're Torre, you're sort of in a pinch - win and you go out on top, lose and you have to ask yourself is this really worth it at his age? I don't think you'll see him pinstripes after this season.
Roger Clemens is GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!