Top baseball game this year?

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:45 am

Parker wrote:The Yankees lineup isn't all that different, though more different than ours, but the pitching is like an entirely different team.

Trust me, no Yankee fan wouldn't trade this year's rotation for last year's. As I stated in my previous post, most of the changes (besides dropping the ball with Pettite) were out of the Yankees hands. Who wouldn've figured that El Duke would be the Yankees most reliable starter at the end of the season?

kicko · Post by **kicko** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:53 am

i went with MVP for the pc, didn't a whole lot but i found it to be the best looking game so far and as the gameplay was not perfect it was do-able. i see that you already bought espn, i did as well but couldn't get past the ulgiest swing i have ever seen on a game, including the likes of Earl Weaver, and Tony LaRussa games. For me high heat was better looking in many ways then espn, gameplay was fine but it not all about the play, i need something to look at and keep me in the whole baseball experience. its like having a wife the cooks and cleans but looks very busted all the time.

tsunami · Post by **tsunami** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:55 am

Parker wrote:It's not the players fault entirely, it's the fact that most of them haven't been together long enough to form relationships. You can't stick a bunch of free agents together and expect the same atmosphere as the sox have.

Schilling, Foulke, Bellhorn, Pokey Reese, Mientkiewicz, Cabrera, Youkilis, Dave Roberts, Terry Adams, Pedro Astacio, Leskanic, Ricky Gutierrez, Dave McCarty... Besides all those guys you mean?

So, you're number one starter, you're closer, and guys that play significant time in your infield. Ok.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:00 pm

LOL, many of those players have not seen signicant time. Astacio? Give me a break. Most of them will not make the playoff roster. McCarty was on our team last year too.

There is a big difference between completely changing your starting staff and lineup with players that play 90 percent of the time and adding minimum salary depth players for the bench.

It's not like our bullpen will be all that different either. You are likely to see Timlin, Williamson, and Embree again. You would have seen Mendoza last year if he was not injured. The only high priced players to come our way this year are Foulke and Schilling.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:09 pm

The Red Sox and Yankees can not lose fast enough in the playoffs for this small market fan. I am so sick of hearing about both of them. I do like Curt Schilling though and will root for him.

Here's to the A's and Twins in the ALCS!!! (I'm not sure if that can even happen...what are the first round matchups?).

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:14 pm

Leebo33 wrote:Here's to the A's and Twins in the ALCS!!! (I'm not sure if that can even happen...what are the first round matchups?).

It can. Once the Yankees clinch the division it will be Yanks vs A's and Boston vs. Twins.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:14 pm

Probably Schilling vs Santana twice, the AL's top 2 pitchers, which should be more interesting to the non-partisan fan than El Ducky or Pussina vs Mulder.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:15 pm

Jason wrote:
Leebo33 wrote:Here's to the A's and Twins in the ALCS!!! (I'm not sure if that can even happen...what are the first round matchups?).
It can. Once the Yankees clinch the division it will be Yanks vs A's and Boston vs. Twins.

Oakland is only a half game behind the Twins, so that's still very much in doubt. Although I have to admit looking at the schedules and the way the two have been playing, it seems somewhat more likely it will be Boston vs Minnesota.

marino · Post by **marino** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:18 pm

Parker You better worry about getting past Santanna and winning that series first before the sox play in the yankees.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:19 pm

From the NY Daily News:

Damon indicated that Boston isn't taking the series as seriously as most people think.

"I don't think we're really too gung ho on (winning the division)," he said. "If it happens, it happens. We're a bunch of knuckleheads. If we win the division, that's great and dandy and we'll have to get ready for longer flights in the playoffs. If not, we have to deal with (Minnesota ace) Johan Santana a couple times.

"I don't know what's better."

Sounds to me like they surrendered the division already.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:27 pm

I just don't want Dougie Baseball coming up against the Twins and burning them. We'll never hear the end of it.

Funny how he was too fragile to be a bench player in MIN but is gung-ho about the Sox and trying to use his influence to lure free agents.

This East Coast pissing match cracks me up. Can Yankee and Red Sox fans ratchet down the self importance to at least 7? Their scale is clearly Tufnel-ian and they crank it up to 11 this time of year.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:44 pm

Well, Minnesota fans are good people, but I really could care less if Oakland fans get respect in the playoff race. They may be a small market team, but their fans are classless thugs.

As far as the NL, it's not Boston or NY's fault that the Braves fans are exactly the most diehard people. There aren't really any other small market teams in the races there.

We will prepare for Santana when it is known what team we will face. Again, they are only a half game better than Oakland. And remember in our only regular season matchup, Pedro left his matchup with Santana with the lead.

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:44 pm

Jason wrote:From the NY Daily News:

Damon indicated that Boston isn't taking the series as seriously as most people think.

"I don't think we're really too gung ho on (winning the division)," he said. "If it happens, it happens. We're a bunch of knuckleheads. If we win the division, that's great and dandy and we'll have to get ready for longer flights in the playoffs. If not, we have to deal with (Minnesota ace) Johan Santana a couple times.

"I don't know what's better."
Sounds to me like they surrendered the division already.

If that's the Caveman's attitude then they should be playing like hell to avoid Santana. He's been absolutely dynamite for three months now. One of the best runs we've seen in some time for a pitcher.

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:51 pm

Parker wrote:What does homegrown have to do with it? I admire teams that have a ton of homegrown players, but the point is our team is basically the same as last year with a few improvements.

Come on Parker, this team was giving up Nomar no matter what he meant to Boston when they almost closed the Arod deal. When it didn't go down, everyone rallied around Manny's great year. Nomar was the forgotten guy, and at least he found a team that appreciates him. I know the fans in Boston (that I've seen interviewed) loved, and miss Nomar.

Don't get me wrong, Cabrera is no slouch, but a team starts with the heart and soul. For the Yankees, that's Derek Jeter. I really doubt that his name would ever come up in trade conversations, even if a player has better numbers.

Guys like Kevin Millar do look like they are having fun, and that is great to see. I used to think the same about Ortiz until a couple of screws came out of his head!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:00 pm

Santana has been lights out since the first couple months of the year (when he had a mental problem with trusting his elbow), he has put up some historically great numbers. If he doesn't win the Cy Young, it is a joke and they should just call it a lifetime acheivement award for Schilling.

If Schill wins one this weekend against the Yanks, I say he improves his odds to 50/50 unfortunately.

Radke has been good in the post-season, but Carlos Silva and the bullpen outside of Rincon and Nathan hasn't been so hot lately. Throw in a freezing cold at times offense and I'm not going to predict great things for them in the playoffs. But this is probably the most complete team they've had to make a run.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:08 pm

Don't underestimate wins, and Schilling would have been helped if he had gotten the decision in his last game. Wins may be overrated but Halladay got the CY last year basically because of wins even with an average ERA. And look how he has pitched this year.

I don't like Oakland's chances of gaining a game on Minnesota with the pitching matchups tonight.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:19 pm

Wins are over-rated for pitchers. Look at the Gambler earlier this year. A ton of Twins fans were pissed that we got rid of him without looking at his huge run support and high ERA. I understand if a guy has 20 wins vs. a guy with 12, fine. But if people vote for Schilling because he has one or two more wins, then it is nothing less than legitimizing the Cy Young into a lifetime acheivement award.

I hope Santana gets the wins lead though and becomes the first pitcher in a long (somewhere around 40-60, I can't remember) time to win the "pitching triple crown"--wins, K's, and ERA.

Minnesota is playing the Rochester Red Wings on a nightly basis (got to get a look at next year's cheap starters sometime), home field isn't that important to them. Hell, they're home record is worse than the road record in the playoffs over the past couple years.

tsunami · Post by **tsunami** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:22 pm

Parker wrote:Don't underestimate wins, and Schilling would have been helped if he had gotten the decision in his last game. Wins may be overrated but Halladay got the CY last year basically because of wins even with an average ERA. And look how he has pitched this year.

I don't like Oakland's chances of gaining a game on Minnesota with the pitching matchups tonight.

Halladay was injured for a good portion of this season, so that explains his year.

And wins are definitely important...just look at Randy Johnson. He probably won't win the Cy Young award because of his low win total. But, statistically he's been the most dominant pitcher in the NL this year.

I think you can say the same thing about Santana. Me may not get as many wins as Schilling, but the guy has been lights out for the better part of 2-3 months and carried the Twins, without a second top notch starter in the rotation. I think it would be difficult to believe anyone deserves the Cy Young more than he does. He is leading the AL in ERA and strikeouts while only trailing in wins by 1 (tied in losses).

tsunami · Post by **tsunami** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:25 pm

Dave wrote: I hope Santana gets the wins lead though and becomes the first pitcher in a long (somewhere around 40-60, I can't remember) time to win the "pitching triple crown"--wins, K's, and ERA.

I believe Roger Clemens did it for two straight years in Toronto in the late 90's (97-98??) before coming to the Yankees...and won the Cy Young both times.

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:27 pm

Santana has more than enough wins to where he shouldn't have a problem. If he was sitting on 15 I would be worried, but he's fine at 19.

30 scoreless innings in a row now. Look at his log for his last 10 starts, it looks like a boxscore from somebody's Nintendo Baseball Stars franchise. For like two months now, every start is 7IP, 0 or 1 ER and a dozen strikeouts. Amazing.

By the way, who in the hell are they going to give the Cy Young to in the NL? I am fairly certain that the Big Unit is the NL's best pitcher, but he won't get it it with that W-L record. It looks like Clemens is going to do it. Amazing that he can come out of retirement and win the Cy Young.

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:29 pm

tsunami wrote:
Dave wrote: I hope Santana gets the wins lead though and becomes the first pitcher in a long (somewhere around 40-60, I can't remember) time to win the "pitching triple crown"--wins, K's, and ERA.

I believe Roger Clemens did it for two straight years in Toronto in the late 90's (97-98??) before coming to the Yankees...and won the Cy Young both times.

You sir, are correct. Randy Johnson also did it as recently as 2002.

tsunami · Post by **tsunami** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:32 pm

Kazuya wrote:By the way, who in the hell are they going to give the Cy Young to in the NL? I am fairly certain that the Big Unit is the NL's best pitcher, but he won't get it it with that W-L record. It looks like Clemens is going to do it. Amazing that he can come out of retirement and win the Cy Young.

I think Jason Schmidt was on his way but has effectively taken himself out of the race with his last 5+ starts.

Right now I think it's between Carl Pavano and Roger Clemens, and since Pavano is likely not going to the playoffs I think it's Clemens by default.

Pretty amazing if you think about what he's done. I wish it was still for the Yankees though.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:36 pm

Really? Last time I listen to Blyleven I guess...compared Santana to some obscure Tigers pitcher from the 40's I think and how he won the pitching triple crown.

Santana put together some historical (but somewhat obscure) streak right around and after the All Star break that had something to do with consecutive starts with under 4 hits (or around that #).

Can you tell I try to make it to every home game in which he pitches?

And I hate it when fans bust out the "well his bullpen blew the win for him" when talking about wins, that's why they are over-rated. Santana's winning streak was lost on a 2-1 decision where he gave up two hits, one happened to be a 2-run homer.

Wins aren't useless at all, but they are so far off from telling the whole story. Randy Johnson should win the NL Cy Young. He's the best pitcher in the NL this season, he's done his job better than everyone else. His team didn't hold up their end of the bargain. Make a new trophy for highest wins if that's all it is about.

marino · Post by **marino** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:43 pm

Oh well Parker looks like no win AGAIN for Pedro against the yankees.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:30 pm

Yah, you can thank the 3rd base umpire and Francoma for that.