Roman529
Moon Runner / The 3 AM Crew
National League East Predictions
With the Superbowl about a week away, there is little else to talk about in the world of sports, unless you are into golf (ZZZZZZzzzzzzz), that NASCAR race in Daytona (ZZZZzzzzzzz), so lets look forward to the start of MLB. Feel free to chime in Boik, NJ, Rocky. Here are my NL East picks:
National League East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. New York Mets
3. Florida Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals
1. Phillies - Sounds like a homer pick? Not this season. There isn't one team in MLB that improved their starting pitching more than the Phillies in the off-season. First, the Phils sign Adam Eaton early even though the contract looks horrendous at 3-years, $24 million. Then, the Gil Meche signing. The Phillies saved a bundle by getting a decent arm early in free agency before there was any player leverage.
Then, the blockbuster: Freddy Garcia. He's not the shut down #1 starter you would like, but he's durable and he knows how to win. GM Pat Gillick doesn't sign Eaton if he knew he was going to get Garcia. Now, trading Jon Lieber for what the Phils really need, bullpen help, will happen before Spring Training. The Phils rotation consists of Garcia, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jaime Moyer, and Adam Eaton. If not the best in the Majors, definitely top five.
Not much to say about the offense or defense, both are good enough to be a 15-games over .500 club which could win this division. Ryan Howard is a star and the most feared left handed hitter in the game. Chase Utley will be at second base in the All Star Game for years to come (nice fat contract for a deserving 2nd baseman). Jimmy Rollins isn't the ideal leadoff guy but in that ballpark, but J-Roll's very effective. The key to the season is Pat Burrell. The 35 homer-110 RBI Burrell is needed to protect Howard this year. If Pat the Bat hits in key situations, they win the division. If not, expect Howard to walk 150 times.
2. Mets - They lost out on Barry Zito. They didn't make a move for Jason Schmidt. Huge offseason failure for the Mets.
The starters are horrible, with or without Pedro, and he's not throwing a ball until the All-Star Break. You cannot win consistently with Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Aaron Heilman (bullpen?) Oliver Perez needs to get back to his game from three years ago, if that happens, they could be okay because he was unhittable.
Unhittable is the last thing you hear from the Mets lineup. From top to bottom, they could have the best everyday lineup in baseball. Jose Reyes is a terrifying leadoff hitter. David Wright is only going to get better after his second half "slump". You know what you get from Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Moises Alou, and Shawn Green.
All in all, the pitching, other than Billy Wagner, is very suspect. It's just not enough with the other quality rotations in this division. AND Wags has often come apart at the seams in way too many big games.
3. Marlins - Speaking of quality rotations: Dontrelle Willis, Josh Johnson, Scott Olson, and Anibel Sanchez make up the best young rotation in baseball. Not one of them have a birthday that doesn't end in 1980-something. Who cares who the fifth guy is with those flamethrowers going for you.
Now the lineup? Not so good South Floridians. It's Miguel Cabrera, Hanley Ramirez, and six other guys. Jeremy Hermida may turn out okay. Dan Uggla could be a fluke. Don't tell me about Josh Willingham, he's Kevin Mench waiting to happen. Mike Jacobs is serviceable, but not a difference maker. This lineup is all that is holding them up. If they have an above average lineup with that pitching, they win the division.
4. Braves - Tim Hudson and John Smoltz give you a chance every time they hit the mound. The rest of the staff is very, very weak. Mike Hampton will pitch this year but who knows how effective he'll be, he wasn't that great prior to injury (The Rockies I think are finally done paying his salary?)
Their bullpen is going to get a ton of work and it's actually a good one. Bob Wickman is a decent closer and Chad Poronto and Rafael Soriano are good seventh to eight inning guys.
The lineup does not have much other than the usual suspects: Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones. Chipper has had trouble staying healthy recently but he still hits when he's 100%. Andruw Jones is a strikeout machine, but pitchers know to not throw him anything to hit because he'll crush it. He's a good hitter but not exactly great. The rest of the lineup is below average. Edgar Renteria is decent. Adam LaRoche could become a great hitter. The league has a book on Jeff Francouer now and he's not much to worry about.
5. Nationals - I don't think this team is that horrible, if you compare them to the basement teams of other divisions. They have Ryan Zimmerman, who is on his way to being a star. Nick Johnson can hit a little and he always gets on base. When is Austin Kearns going to show this supposed unbelievable talent? They better hope this year.
The rotation doesn't have much. John Patterson is a good pitcher when he's healthy but that's only happened for one season. The rest of the rotation doesn't seem to be filled out until Spring Training. Chad Cordero is the bullpen and he may be moved in the season.
It's a big rebuilding job here but they do have some decent young players to work with in Zimmerman, Johnson, and Kearns. It won't fly in this division however.
GO PHILLIES. :1st:
With the Superbowl about a week away, there is little else to talk about in the world of sports, unless you are into golf (ZZZZZZzzzzzzz), that NASCAR race in Daytona (ZZZZzzzzzzz), so lets look forward to the start of MLB. Feel free to chime in Boik, NJ, Rocky. Here are my NL East picks:
National League East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. New York Mets
3. Florida Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals
1. Phillies - Sounds like a homer pick? Not this season. There isn't one team in MLB that improved their starting pitching more than the Phillies in the off-season. First, the Phils sign Adam Eaton early even though the contract looks horrendous at 3-years, $24 million. Then, the Gil Meche signing. The Phillies saved a bundle by getting a decent arm early in free agency before there was any player leverage.
Then, the blockbuster: Freddy Garcia. He's not the shut down #1 starter you would like, but he's durable and he knows how to win. GM Pat Gillick doesn't sign Eaton if he knew he was going to get Garcia. Now, trading Jon Lieber for what the Phils really need, bullpen help, will happen before Spring Training. The Phils rotation consists of Garcia, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jaime Moyer, and Adam Eaton. If not the best in the Majors, definitely top five.
Not much to say about the offense or defense, both are good enough to be a 15-games over .500 club which could win this division. Ryan Howard is a star and the most feared left handed hitter in the game. Chase Utley will be at second base in the All Star Game for years to come (nice fat contract for a deserving 2nd baseman). Jimmy Rollins isn't the ideal leadoff guy but in that ballpark, but J-Roll's very effective. The key to the season is Pat Burrell. The 35 homer-110 RBI Burrell is needed to protect Howard this year. If Pat the Bat hits in key situations, they win the division. If not, expect Howard to walk 150 times.
2. Mets - They lost out on Barry Zito. They didn't make a move for Jason Schmidt. Huge offseason failure for the Mets.
The starters are horrible, with or without Pedro, and he's not throwing a ball until the All-Star Break. You cannot win consistently with Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, John Maine, Oliver Perez, and Aaron Heilman (bullpen?) Oliver Perez needs to get back to his game from three years ago, if that happens, they could be okay because he was unhittable.
Unhittable is the last thing you hear from the Mets lineup. From top to bottom, they could have the best everyday lineup in baseball. Jose Reyes is a terrifying leadoff hitter. David Wright is only going to get better after his second half "slump". You know what you get from Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Moises Alou, and Shawn Green.
All in all, the pitching, other than Billy Wagner, is very suspect. It's just not enough with the other quality rotations in this division. AND Wags has often come apart at the seams in way too many big games.
3. Marlins - Speaking of quality rotations: Dontrelle Willis, Josh Johnson, Scott Olson, and Anibel Sanchez make up the best young rotation in baseball. Not one of them have a birthday that doesn't end in 1980-something. Who cares who the fifth guy is with those flamethrowers going for you.
Now the lineup? Not so good South Floridians. It's Miguel Cabrera, Hanley Ramirez, and six other guys. Jeremy Hermida may turn out okay. Dan Uggla could be a fluke. Don't tell me about Josh Willingham, he's Kevin Mench waiting to happen. Mike Jacobs is serviceable, but not a difference maker. This lineup is all that is holding them up. If they have an above average lineup with that pitching, they win the division.
4. Braves - Tim Hudson and John Smoltz give you a chance every time they hit the mound. The rest of the staff is very, very weak. Mike Hampton will pitch this year but who knows how effective he'll be, he wasn't that great prior to injury (The Rockies I think are finally done paying his salary?)
Their bullpen is going to get a ton of work and it's actually a good one. Bob Wickman is a decent closer and Chad Poronto and Rafael Soriano are good seventh to eight inning guys. The lineup does not have much other than the usual suspects: Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones. Chipper has had trouble staying healthy recently but he still hits when he's 100%. Andruw Jones is a strikeout machine, but pitchers know to not throw him anything to hit because he'll crush it. He's a good hitter but not exactly great. The rest of the lineup is below average. Edgar Renteria is decent. Adam LaRoche could become a great hitter. The league has a book on Jeff Francouer now and he's not much to worry about.
5. Nationals - I don't think this team is that horrible, if you compare them to the basement teams of other divisions. They have Ryan Zimmerman, who is on his way to being a star. Nick Johnson can hit a little and he always gets on base. When is Austin Kearns going to show this supposed unbelievable talent? They better hope this year.
The rotation doesn't have much. John Patterson is a good pitcher when he's healthy but that's only happened for one season. The rest of the rotation doesn't seem to be filled out until Spring Training. Chad Cordero is the bullpen and he may be moved in the season.
It's a big rebuilding job here but they do have some decent young players to work with in Zimmerman, Johnson, and Kearns. It won't fly in this division however.
GO PHILLIES. :1st:
