The problem with his statement begins with his use of the word "think."
The beard moves on. Magic number down to 8.
And last night's player of the game? Xander Bogaerts.
2013 Official Major League Baseball Thread.
- Thread starter Special K
- Start date
The beard moves on. Magic number down to 8.
And last night's player of the game? Xander Bogaerts.
Yes Smuler, we were a little distracted the other night
Nice to meet you though!! Hope to see you again at another gathering.Well, I didn't know you were going to address me personally, Sr. K. I was watching the NL playoffs between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals.
I admire the tough fight that the Pirates gave the Cardinals. The Pirates almost beat the Cardinals in Pittsburgh, but after the Cardinals sent the series back to St. Louis, the Cardinals proved to be the more seasoned and relaxed team, and beat a very good but young Pittsburgh squad. I think Pittsburgh will be stronger next year.
But watching Matt Adams, you have to wonder how the St. Louis scouts do it. They replaced what was thought the irreplaceable Albert Pujols with a rookie. St. Louis looks like a strong contender. The NLCS looks like a very competitive series. I wouldn't be surprised if it were to go 7 games.
As for the ALCS, the winner will be either Detroit or Oakland. They both have the stronger teams than the challenger, what's their name, oh yes, Boston Red Sox. I am very surprised that Tampa Bay rolled over and played so poorly. I say either Detroit or Oakland will beat the Red Sox in 5 games (Am I being generous to the Red Sox?).
First round was a fluke, K man. I don't think you will enjoy the ALCS as much as you did the first round.
Once again, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a great season. Next year will be even better.
I don't know how things are viewed on the planet you inhabit, DD, but on Earth, the team with the best record in baseball would not be considered the "challenger." The team with the home field advantage would not be considered the "challenger." I suppose on your planet, President Obama was the "challenger" in last years election.
Oh, I suppose the Sox having the best record in baseball, winning 97 games was also a fluke.
You do seem to take a strange pleasure in being wrong. At least you're consistent.
I am on earth, rumps. Not sure where you were originated, but like I said the 2 stronger teams are Oakland and Detroit. So, in that way your Boston Red Sox are the challengers.
Absolutely, the Sox winning 97 games was a fluke. The Red Sox are a decent team. I won't take that away from you, Mr. rumps. BUT, if you look at the additional components that the Red Sox added - Johnny Gomes, Mike Napoli, and Shane Victorino. All good players, but none are great players and none had great statistics. David Ortiz (HR leader with 30) had an excellent year, but don't expect too many productive years from Big Poppi. He's 37, and you know what that means, rumps. His time to pasture is very near.
The Red Sox have 2 very good pitchers in Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, although Lester had a decent but not great ERA of 3.75. Buchholz is the only standout of the starting pitchers. Lackey had a better than normal year for him. It may have been a fluke.
I don't see the Red Sox getting past the A's or the Tigers.
I will be correct this time around. Just wait and watch, rumps.
Oh, right. I've got it. They're stronger by virtue of the fact that they won fewer games despite playing in a weaker division.
Brilliant analysis, except for the fact that there's no analysis. How do you explain the fact that Shane Victorino had the 3rd highest WAR among all AL outfielders this year, led only by Mike Trout and Jacoby Ellsbury? Well, at least you're consistent, DD. You never let the facts interfere with your inability to deal with reality.
How are things working out for President Romney?
Wouldn't you know it, Frick and Frack, posting back to back - the one-two New England Punch.
And you are not biased for the Red Sox. Very funny, Merlot. I call it how I see, and we shall see when the games are played. Verlander was pitching a no-hitter through 6 2/3. Detroit has 3 other aces, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer. Boston isd going to be outmatched if Detroit holds on.
So, all of the sudden the Yankees, Orioles, and Blue Jays make up the stronger division. Didn't you say the Yankees were old and decrepit? You can't it both ways, rumps.
Romney would have done much better. We wouldn't have had all of these crisis's. He would have negotiated with the nutcase Leftists in the Senate. But I thought this was the Sports thread. :noidea:
Of course your hatred for the Red Sox makes you an unbiased source. :lol: :lol: :lol: Once a DD...always a DD.
And you are not biased for the Red Sox. Very funny, Merlot. I call it how I see, and we shall see when the games are played. Verlander was pitching a no-hitter through 6 2/3. Detroit has 3 other aces, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer. Boston isd going to be outmatched if Detroit holds on.
So, all of the sudden the Yankees, Orioles, and Blue Jays make up the stronger division. Didn't you say the Yankees were old and decrepit? You can't it both ways, rumps.
Romney would have done much better. We wouldn't have had all of these crisis's. He would have negotiated with the nutcase Leftists in the Senate. But I thought this was the Sports thread. :noidea:
The AL East was a composite 45 games over .500. The other two divisions were both under .500.
You're a funny guy for a troll. Yeah, this is the sports thread...and this is an escort review board, though one would never know that from your posts.
Tell me, are you divorced from reality, or just separated?
It really doesn't matter. Detroit has a better team. They under-performed this season, like the Red Sox over-performed. Let them play the series. I predict you will be upset with the outcome.
You're the king troll, rumps. I will give you that crown. And yes this is an escort review board. My last reviews were back in April. By the way, you probably have most of your posts in the sports section.
As for reality, you never were introduced to reality, rumps.
Well, we've had one expert analysis so far, Daydreamer picking the Tigers based on the always informative "Rumples likes the Sox, therefore they're going to lose." I just adore geniuses.
Here's a look at the two teams by Pete Abraham, a longtime beat reporter who has covered the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox.
The Oakland Athletics had the second-best record in the American League behind the Red Sox. But based on run differential, the Red Sox (+197) and Tigers (+174) were the two best teams in the league and very much belong in the ALCS.
The likely starting lineups on Saturday will feature 11 players who have been All-Stars with six other All-Stars (all starting pitchers) watching from the dugout.
Jim Leyland has been managing for 22 seasons and has 1,769 victories. John Farrell has only been managing for three seasons but helped engineer one of the all-time turnarounds this year.
Here's a breakdown of the series based more on groupings than the antiquated idea of comparing players by position:
Red Sox offense against Detroit pitching: The Sox are going to strike out a lot. A whole lot. Sox batters have not handled high-end fastballs well all season and that plays into the hands of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Anibal Sanchez. The question is how adept the Sox will be working pitch counts and getting into a less-imposing Detroit bullpen.
Verander lasted five innings and 112 pitches against the Sox on June 23. Scherzer took a loss against the Sox on Sept. 3 despite allowing two runs over seven innings. Doug Fister has been hit hard by the Sox in the last two years. The Sox would be wise not to let the series go seven games because Verlander could be waiting. Edge: Tigers, but not by as much as you may think.
Detroit offense against Red Sox pitching: This largely depends whether Miguel Cabrera is Miguel Cabrera or the guy who hit a modest (for him) .291/.398/.342 over the final 24 games he played in the regular season. Cabrera was 5 for 20 against Oakland with one extra-base hit, a home run in Game 5.
Red Sox scouts got a good look at Cabrera to find whatever weakness his injuries have exposed. Prince Fielder was 7 for 28 against the Red Sox this season with one home run. Torii Hunter was quiet against Oakland, but Victor Martinez is somebody to watch.
The Red Sox have a deep bullpen that performed well against Tampa Bay. But Cabrera is 2 for 4 with two home runs against Koji Uehera, one coming this year. Edge: Red Sox. They won't let Cabrera beat them.
Defense: The Tigers are wretched in the infield, especially if Jose Iglesias is out of the lineup. Their outfield defense is fine in center and right and shaky in left if Jhonny Peralta is out there. The Red Sox are a much better defensive team in almost every position. They also employ shifts to a much greater advantage. Edge: Red Sox by a ton.
Benches: Outside of using Don Kelly in left, the Tigers didn't employ their bench much against Oakland. Farrell actively looks for spots to use Jonny Gomes and Mike Carp and would use David Ross against a lefty. Edge: Red Sox.
Managing/intangibles: Leyland's vast experience gives him an edge on Farrell. There's no way around that. But in pitching coach Juan Nieves, the Sox have somebody very familiar with the Tigers from the years he spent with the White Sox. The Sox also have done an excellent job of preparing for teams this season. Their edge comes from the group perhaps.
The Tigers are in the ALCS for the third straight season. If you believe experience counts, that matters. The last-to-first Red Sox are playing with house money, so perhaps they will be loose. You can make an argument either way as to which is better. Detroit needs to make the World Series or their season is a bust. The Sox have home field advantage and that could be huge.
Things to watch for: Peralta has little experience in left field. How he deals with the Green Monster will be interesting. ... Dustin Pedroia twice got in Stephen Drew's way on the infield against Tampa Bay. Was that just random miscommunication or trying too hard? ... The Tigers don't run (35 steals) and the Red Sox do (123). That will come into play. ... If Shane Victorino keeps getting hit by righthanders, getting hit by Verlander or Scherzer could break something. The Sox can't afford to lose him.
Prediction: The Red Sox are a better team top to bottom and have several advantages, starting with extra time off to set their pitching. The Tigers have been slogging it out with a 16-15 record since the start of September (counting the playoffs). The Red Sox show no signs of letting up. Red Sox in six games.
Here's a look at the two teams by Pete Abraham, a longtime beat reporter who has covered the Mets, Yankees and Red Sox.
The Oakland Athletics had the second-best record in the American League behind the Red Sox. But based on run differential, the Red Sox (+197) and Tigers (+174) were the two best teams in the league and very much belong in the ALCS.
The likely starting lineups on Saturday will feature 11 players who have been All-Stars with six other All-Stars (all starting pitchers) watching from the dugout.
Jim Leyland has been managing for 22 seasons and has 1,769 victories. John Farrell has only been managing for three seasons but helped engineer one of the all-time turnarounds this year.
Here's a breakdown of the series based more on groupings than the antiquated idea of comparing players by position:
Red Sox offense against Detroit pitching: The Sox are going to strike out a lot. A whole lot. Sox batters have not handled high-end fastballs well all season and that plays into the hands of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Anibal Sanchez. The question is how adept the Sox will be working pitch counts and getting into a less-imposing Detroit bullpen.
Verander lasted five innings and 112 pitches against the Sox on June 23. Scherzer took a loss against the Sox on Sept. 3 despite allowing two runs over seven innings. Doug Fister has been hit hard by the Sox in the last two years. The Sox would be wise not to let the series go seven games because Verlander could be waiting. Edge: Tigers, but not by as much as you may think.
Detroit offense against Red Sox pitching: This largely depends whether Miguel Cabrera is Miguel Cabrera or the guy who hit a modest (for him) .291/.398/.342 over the final 24 games he played in the regular season. Cabrera was 5 for 20 against Oakland with one extra-base hit, a home run in Game 5.
Red Sox scouts got a good look at Cabrera to find whatever weakness his injuries have exposed. Prince Fielder was 7 for 28 against the Red Sox this season with one home run. Torii Hunter was quiet against Oakland, but Victor Martinez is somebody to watch.
The Red Sox have a deep bullpen that performed well against Tampa Bay. But Cabrera is 2 for 4 with two home runs against Koji Uehera, one coming this year. Edge: Red Sox. They won't let Cabrera beat them.
Defense: The Tigers are wretched in the infield, especially if Jose Iglesias is out of the lineup. Their outfield defense is fine in center and right and shaky in left if Jhonny Peralta is out there. The Red Sox are a much better defensive team in almost every position. They also employ shifts to a much greater advantage. Edge: Red Sox by a ton.
Benches: Outside of using Don Kelly in left, the Tigers didn't employ their bench much against Oakland. Farrell actively looks for spots to use Jonny Gomes and Mike Carp and would use David Ross against a lefty. Edge: Red Sox.
Managing/intangibles: Leyland's vast experience gives him an edge on Farrell. There's no way around that. But in pitching coach Juan Nieves, the Sox have somebody very familiar with the Tigers from the years he spent with the White Sox. The Sox also have done an excellent job of preparing for teams this season. Their edge comes from the group perhaps.
The Tigers are in the ALCS for the third straight season. If you believe experience counts, that matters. The last-to-first Red Sox are playing with house money, so perhaps they will be loose. You can make an argument either way as to which is better. Detroit needs to make the World Series or their season is a bust. The Sox have home field advantage and that could be huge.
Things to watch for: Peralta has little experience in left field. How he deals with the Green Monster will be interesting. ... Dustin Pedroia twice got in Stephen Drew's way on the infield against Tampa Bay. Was that just random miscommunication or trying too hard? ... The Tigers don't run (35 steals) and the Red Sox do (123). That will come into play. ... If Shane Victorino keeps getting hit by righthanders, getting hit by Verlander or Scherzer could break something. The Sox can't afford to lose him.
Prediction: The Red Sox are a better team top to bottom and have several advantages, starting with extra time off to set their pitching. The Tigers have been slogging it out with a 16-15 record since the start of September (counting the playoffs). The Red Sox show no signs of letting up. Red Sox in six games.
Well, here's what Vegas thinks. From the closeness of the odds, one would have to surmise that the best four teams are the ones that remain.
Odds to win the 2013 World Series
Boston Red Sox 12/5
Los Angeles Dodgers 12/5
Detroit Tigers 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals 3/1
World Series Exact Matchup
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox 2/1
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers 5/2
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers 7/2
For the record, here are the odds from Planet Daydreamer:
Odds to win the 2013 World Series
Boston Red Sox 100000/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 12/5
Detroit Tigers 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals 3/1
World Series Exact Matchup
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox 50000/1
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers 5/2
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox 75000/1
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers 7/2
Odds to win the 2013 World Series
Boston Red Sox 12/5
Los Angeles Dodgers 12/5
Detroit Tigers 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals 3/1
World Series Exact Matchup
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox 2/1
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers 5/2
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers 7/2
For the record, here are the odds from Planet Daydreamer:
Odds to win the 2013 World Series
Boston Red Sox 100000/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 12/5
Detroit Tigers 11/4
St. Louis Cardinals 3/1
World Series Exact Matchup
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox 50000/1
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Detroit Tigers 5/2
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Boston Red Sox 75000/1
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers 7/2
Let's see the Bio for Peter Abraham:
A Massachusetts native, Abraham covers the Red Sox. He joined the staff in 2009 after spending nearly 10 years in New York covering the Mets and Yankees for The Journal News. He also covered the University of Connecticut men's basketball team for the Norwich Bulletin.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/abrahamp
So he's a MA native, writing for the Boston Globe. In NY, he wrote for a small to medium size newspaper in Westchester County. He doesn't look like a neutral critic, nor a heavy seasoned veteran. Be that as it may, rumps, it's his opinion.
As far as the odds, 11/4 is not too far off from 12/5. It's quite fractional. I have to disagree with the odds for St. Louis. St. Louis is a very tough team. They played in the most difficult division with 3 teams that won more than 90 games. My pick is St. Louis vs. Detroit. But let them play the series.
A Massachusetts native, Abraham covers the Red Sox. He joined the staff in 2009 after spending nearly 10 years in New York covering the Mets and Yankees for The Journal News. He also covered the University of Connecticut men's basketball team for the Norwich Bulletin.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/staff/abrahamp
So he's a MA native, writing for the Boston Globe. In NY, he wrote for a small to medium size newspaper in Westchester County. He doesn't look like a neutral critic, nor a heavy seasoned veteran. Be that as it may, rumps, it's his opinion.
As far as the odds, 11/4 is not too far off from 12/5. It's quite fractional. I have to disagree with the odds for St. Louis. St. Louis is a very tough team. They played in the most difficult division with 3 teams that won more than 90 games. My pick is St. Louis vs. Detroit. But let them play the series.
I stand by this prediction, the Red Sox don't stand a chance against the Tigers pitchers and Cabrerra will mash the ball like there is no tomorrow.
Tigers over the Red Sox in 5 or 6.
:lol:
In 5 or 6 games? Whats the matter, lost your balls...again.
Fascinating!!! Of course this prediction stands with your...I predict the Red Sox will finish dead last guaranteed...I predict the Red Sox will not make the playoffs guaranteed...I predict the Red Sox will lose in the first round guaranteed...I predict the Red Sox will humiliate Joe.t and make him look like a total blowhard...GUARANTEED. Hey you got the last one right.
Oy vey .t,
Merlot
Difficult as it may be, let me try to teach you something, DD. Pete Abraham wrote for the Lower Hudson Journal News. Thanks to PeteAbe, the Journal News is now the go-to place for Yankees news. You want to know about the Yankees, which you don't because, simply put, you don't really care about knowing anything, the first place you go is not the Post, not the Daily News, not ESPN, not mlb.com. The place you go is the Yankees Lohud blog. Why did PeteAbe leave Lohud for the Globe? Because the Boston Globe is the best baseball job in the country.
As for the playoffs, as everyone but Daydreamer and Joe know, this year we happen to have the four best teams in baseball in the LCS. While the Red Sox, thanks to their overall depth and their relentless offense, are justifiably a very slight favorite, any one of these four teams could win and nobody could say that the best team didn't win. The one huge thing the Tigers have going against them is the curse of Joe.T.
How obnoxious, rumps. Like you are so knowledgeable and I am a know nothing, and Joe knows nothing, so you will teach us everything there is to know about baseball. You are the king, rumps. King obnoxious Red Sox fan.
I agree with Joe that the Red Sox won't be in the World Series.
Detroit played good enough to win their division, but between the Boston and Detroit, Detroit has a better team. The Tigers have a better starting pitching rotation. They have more power, e.g. Cabrera, Fielder and Martinez. And if the Tigers are on their game, Boston has no chance.
As far as the Cardinals and Dodgers, either team can win. Both have excellent pitching and solid lineups.
Oh looky looky, the troll's back. Do you realize that 97% of your posts are aimed at me and that 0% of your posts have anything to do with the escort trade? Just take a look at your posting history. Over 90%. Do I really mean that much to you? Do you spend every waking minute thinking about me? Do you really have nothing better to do with your time and your "life?"
True, Detroit did play well enough to win a weak division (10 games under.) And they do have slightly better starting pitching. However, they have a significantly weaker offence, a massively weaker bullpen, and significantly weaker bullpen.
Detroit certainly has a chance, but anyone who would say Boston has no chance either a) knows absolutely nothing about baseball, b) is so blinded by his hatred for yours truly that he'll gladly blow any bullshit out his ass for the simply pleasure of smelling his own gas c) is the son of trolls, the grandson of trolls, and, in fact, has troll bloodlines so deep that they go back seven generations, d) desperately needs to get laid or e) all of the above.
True, Detroit did play well enough to win a weak division (10 games under.) And they do have slightly better starting pitching. However, they have a significantly weaker offence, a massively weaker bullpen, and significantly weaker bullpen.
Detroit certainly has a chance, but anyone who would say Boston has no chance either a) knows absolutely nothing about baseball, b) is so blinded by his hatred for yours truly that he'll gladly blow any bullshit out his ass for the simply pleasure of smelling his own gas c) is the son of trolls, the grandson of trolls, and, in fact, has troll bloodlines so deep that they go back seven generations, d) desperately needs to get laid or e) all of the above.
Troll? Nothing like a personal attack from the King of Insults, rumps. Really. I had some reviews back in April. And you, rumps? You're practically doing a solo here in the baseball thread. Do you see anyone else posting as much as you, here? Of your 6,300 posts, I bet 6,000 are hot-winded posts on the Boston sports teams. So you are one to talk, hypocrite.
Slightly better starting pitching? You're truly delusional. Sanchez, Verlander, Fister and Scherzer are significantly STRONGER than Lester, Buchholz (when he's not on the DL), Dumpster, and Lackey. The Bullpens are about even, rumps. Look at the stats, rumps. You're a STATS man, aren't you? Both teams have a weak bullpen.
Detroit's bullpen was ranked 12th in the AL in ERA (4.01) in 2013. Boston's bullpen was ranked 10th in the AL in ERA (3.70) in 2013. Massively? Once again I prove you don't know shit about baseball, rumps. Talk about blowing crap out of your ass, once again you prove you're the king.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/pitching/seasontype/2/split/128/league/al
How about starting pitching? Detroit led the AL, with a 3.44 ERA. Boston was 4th in the AL with a 3.84 ERA. Detroit starting pitchers also led the league with innings pitched with 1023, 39 innings more than the next team, KC Royals.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/pitching/seasontype/2/split/127/league/al
Significantly weaker offense???? (another delusion). Boston was ranked #1 in AL (2013) with 856 runs, but Detroit was ranked #2 with 796 runs. But the OPS between the 2 teams was a mere 0.015 percentage points, Boston .795 to Detroit .780.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/seasontype/2
sig·nif·i·cant·ly
sigˈnifikəntlē/Submit
adverb
1.
in a sufficiently great or important way as to be worthy of attention.
"energy bills have increased significantly this year"
synonyms: notably, remarkably, outstandingly, importantly, crucially, materially, appreciably; More
2.
in a way that has a particular meaning.
"significantly, he has refused to give a straight answer to this question"
I would say they are about even, rumps.
Why don't you want me challenging you, rumps? I know why. It shows your buddies here on merb that you know crap about baseball. You act like a smart, knowledgeable guy about ALL SPORTS, but you know crap.
So don't push your crap on me. I will call it as I see it. And I see it a lot clearer than you, rumps.
Is it safe to say that the Tigers pitchers were "Lights Out" yesterday and that Pete Abraham don't know shit about playoff baseball.:nod:
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