Much more conservative than the previous thread.

I doubt seriously that Chicago finishes dead last in the AL East.

*AL Central

I like this best offense AND best piching/defense thing that seems to be happening.

I doubt seriously that Chicago finishes dead last

I can’t say I’m 100% familiar with Chicago’s roster, but by a quick glance it doesn’t really look liked they’ve improved.  Looks like Quentin, Danks, and Floyd are likely to be as good or a little better next year (based on age, and what they’ve done recently).  But most of the rest of the team is on the wrong side of 30, and several have injury issues.  It looks like Wilson Betemit is their starting SS?

I suppose you could still argue they are better than KC.  KC should have a slightly easier schedule (they get 6 games vs. St. Louis instead of the Cubs).  I could see the Sox in last; though maybe not 5 games behind KC.

But, but, but, I keep reading that the Yankees aren’t even the second best team in the AL East!

All these projection systems really love the Rockies, it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Steve Lombardi is pissed at you SG, because you projected the Yanks to win 92 games last season and they only won 89.

If the third place team in the AL east is more than 4 games better than the division winner of either the west or the central, that team should forfeit their postseason spot.

If the third place team in the AL east is more than 4 games better than the division winner of either the west or the central, that team should forfeit their postseason spot.

So you mean the Yankees should have made the playoffs instead of the White Sox last year?  I’m all for that…

They weren’t 4 games better than the white sox last year.  Just one game.  I’m not too broken up about that.  I would just have a hard time seeing either the rays, Yankees, or even Red Sox miss the post-season when they were significantly better than one of the division winners, especially because that record would most likely be compiled against a tougher strength of schedule.

I did have a problem with the media’s Torre knob-slobbing over his making the playoffs while Girardi and the Yanks were at home.  Not one mentioned that the Yanks had a better record than the Dodgers.

Count the rings, DaPuj.  Count the rings.

Joe Torre is destined to make the playoffs every year regardless of his team’s record.  Why can’t all the stat-heads just understand that?

Joe Torre is destined to make the playoffs every year regardless of his team’s record.  Why can’t all the stat-heads just understand that?

So if he misses, does that represent the end of time?

So if he misses, does that represent the end of time?

He’ll miss the playoffs in 2012.

by a quick glance it doesn’t really look liked they’ve improved.

True, but they really only lost Orlando Cabrera and last year they won the central.  Do I expect some regression?  Absolutely.  Do I expect them to go from first to last?  Nope.

Wait, what do you mean by that 2012 reference?  Occasionally, I get a cab driver who listens to some religious guy who will sometimes mention the world ending in 2012.  Is that a popular theory held among wackos?  I always think about researching it when I’m in the car, then I forget.  You just blew my mind.

kronic- http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-03-27-maya-2012_n.htm

the White Sox also traded away HR Javy.  200 league average innings which as of now have not been replaced. 

and Swisher, though he wasn’t so good last year.

Yeah, SG, why do both system predict Colorado’s pitching to be so much better next year?

And is anyone else kind of pissed about Saito? That Boston Bullpen could be awesome next year. Papelbon, Delcarmen, Saito, Okajima, Masterson. That’s pretty great.

Saito is 39 and has been pitching in the NL West for the last 3 seasons.  I wouldn’t be too freaked out.

This December 21, 2012 thing puts a nice hard cap on the Clay Bellinger Curse at 4434. Which is nice, I guess.

the White Sox also traded away HR Javy.  200 league average innings which as of now have not been replaced. 

and Swisher, though he wasn’t so good last year.

Well that, and some of their better players of the past few seasons are only getting older (Thome, Konerko, etc) and even more injury prone.  And remember too that first=>last in this case is a 17 game swing (actually if they lost 13 games they’d still be below or tied with KC by this case), not a 30 game swing.  Basically, if their talent has fallen off 8 games, and some bad bounces are another 5 games, that’s 13 games.

Don’t get me wrong; the older players could rebound a little (one last hurrah?) and the young guys could take another leap, and Chicago could win 90 games.  But yeah, I can see them in last.

I still can’t see them in last.  Swisher was a negative for them when he played.  Konerko was injured and didn’t play or played injured most of the season, I expect he’ll bounce back.
It actually wouldn’t surprise me to see the infield get stronger with Cabrera’s absence, he is god-awful offensively and has defintely lost a step defensively.

Here is their FanGraphs page.  By UZR anyway, Crede and Cabrera were really their only positives defensively.  FanGraphs doesn’t have the Value Wins for pitchers yet…

Chicago I just think is one of those teams with a lot of uncertainty.  Thome and Dye are at the age where they could fall off a cliff next year and be replacement or worse...or they could stay at about the same level.  Konerko could bounce back...or he may not be able to play a full season at 1B any more.  Etc, etc. 

Again, I’m not saying they *will* be last, and they very well could be first again.  But, I can also see them in last.

Saito is 39 and has been pitching in the NL West for the last 3 seasons.  I wouldn’t be too freaked out.

I wouldn’t be freaked if Saito was coming in as the savior of their pen. But he is just one cheap compnent being added to an alreay very strong pen. And I am still not freaked out and never will be over any team signing a middle reliever. I just think it is an astute signing, no risk, and if he comes in and his ERA goes up a full run he is still a very useful arm in the pen.

Swisher for Cameron rumors out of Milwaukee

First an ongoing discussion of Pavano’s character, now a passionate debate about the White Sox.  Sheesh.  The Yankees better sign another free agent soon, so we have something to really talk about. 

I vote for Varitek, on a $17 million, one-year deal, as backup catcher and A-Rod’s personal assistant.

Saito might not pitch ten inning: an astute long shot is still a long shot.  He needs Tommy John surgery, and he’s trying a new therapy instead.  The Dodgers could have had him for 3.5 million and chose to let him go.  If the Sox get a decent contribution from just one of Saito, Smoltz, or Baldelli, they’ll be ahead of the game.  It’s a another way of using big market resources: they can afford to buy up a bunch of low-priced, high risk, high reward players, and if you’re going to do that, it only makes sense to get several of them.  Saito is what Octavio Dotel was for the Yanks in 2006, only without the new tendon or recovery.  I think Smoltz has a better chance of being the extra stud out of the Sox bullpen.  Put it this way: if you had to risk money, who would you bet was going to have a better 2009, David Robertson or Saito?  I would bet on Robertson, because as far as I know, he can still throw a baseball.

injury aside, Saito in 2007 was simply ridiculas, Mariano Ridiculas. his OPS against from righties that year was .329, that’s not a typo .329!!!!!! a .114 /.177 /.152 line!!! he faced 113 righties that year and gave up a total of 2 extra base hit, holy shit.

if you had to risk money, who would you bet was going to have a better 2009, David Robertson or Saito?

I might choose Saito. 
Look at it this way:  If healthy Saito is significantly better than Robertson.  So if you had your medical team tell you the chances Saito pitches before August are low but that he pitches by September are high wouldn’t you take him on?
The Yankees have lots of bullpen arms and it’s quite defensible to rather have the big upside guy during the stretch run and playoffs rather than a middling reliever for the course of the season.
Undoubtedly, Robertson will be more valuable if you look at total contribution over the season, but given that the bullpen is already a strength, teams like the Yankees and Red Sox likely will be willing to take that kind of chance.

Hey, I like the Yankees bullpen and I am by no means arguing that the Yanks should have gone for him. Practically every prospect the Yanks have that is close to ready to play in the majors is a right handed reliever. I just wish the Phillies or Nationals or someone else had signed him instead, because if he does come back and is 90% he is a guy I would rather not have coming in to face Jeter and Arod in September.

Yeah, I’m in the “It’s not an amazing signing or anything, but it definitely is a good one” camp regarding Saito.

Speaking of which, is Teixeira going to bat 3rd, Arod 4, Matsui 5? Some people have been saying Arod 3rd, but it doesn’t seem to make sense to me to have the righties Jeter and Arod back to back. But Teix hits lefties better, too, so maybe it doesn’t matter.

I’d sure love to have someone better than Matsui batting behind A-Rod.

Hasn’t it been proven that “protection” is a myth?

OMG, now we’re debating Saito vs. Davis Robertson, and batting orders.  My point in [27] still stands.

Your point in 27 is an excellent one, but it applies to this entire exercise, not just the trivialities of today.  I only wrote what I wrote because I was waiting for my wife to finish walking the dogs before we went out for brunch, and I didn’t want to spend the time staring into the frozen hell of my own soul.

[36] has reinvigorated my listless afternoon.

I didn’t want to spend the time staring into the frozen hell of my own soul.

Frozen hell?  Cool: the Yankees will move Jeter off SS.

Philly D too much for the lads in blue?
Sure looking that way.

Damn coaches blew this game.  Way to go.  My January is ruined. 
Can I somehow fast forward to April?

Not a great day for Spags and Gil. Tommy wasted that time out.

McNabb is an asshole. You heard it first.

here first.

Dear Frog:

Boston Globe suggests Prince Fielder to BoSox.  Discuss.

Aren’t there per-team quorums on big fat slugging DH/1b types?

Fielder’s B-R page is sponsored by an organization that promotes veganism.

Lugo for Fielder straight up?  Is Fielder gritty enough to be a Red Sock?

They must have read the critiques of their racial history here.

Is Fielder gritty enough to be a Red Sock?

Is Fielder greasy enough or is the Red Sock greasy enough.

Burger.

Eli Manning is unstoppable.  Just like his Citizen Eco-Drive watch.

The only thing that can stop Eli Manning is...Eli Manning.

Fielder’s B-R page is sponsored by an organization that promotes veganism.

Is it even possible to get that big without In-N-Out burgers?

I’m sure Five Guys could help you out.

You know, I’ve never had In-n-Out or Five Guys.  Are they really worth the hype?

You know, I’ve never had In-n-Out or Five Guys

There are so many ways to go with that sentence......

Yes. Both are damn good. Five Guys is pretty cool, they cut the fries from fresh potatos and drop em in the oil by order.

There are so many ways to go with that sentence......

I know, I realized it just as I clicked “submit.” Clearly, it was too much to hope that you dirty bums would just let it slide.

I went to high school about 10 minutes from the original Five Guys.  It was definitely a destination on Friday nights before football games.  When I graduated, that was still the only one that existed.  It’s kind of unreal how quickly they’ve franchised it, but they have a good product.

Shake Shack baby.

Shake Shack baby.

No burger is worth waiting in line for an hour.

Corner Bistro baby.

Corner Bistro, Amen.  Shake Shack pretty good but YankeeMonkey is right about the wait. YM, if you’re on the UWS you may want to try the burger at Casis- the place is Euro but the burger’s good.

I wish the Giants didn’t have to be so “classy” and let Plaxico come back until the conclusion of his trial.  Those WR’s are no good unless Plax is being doubled and the team wasn’t the same after Plax left.  Also, Spag’s prevent defense where they let The Eagles get out of bounds after each catch was an awful way to end the 1H.

Big Kahuna baby.
Pags you are right about Spags.
That sentence was kind of fun.

skip james baby.

Skip James dealt some awesome ribs and riffs.
I don’t know about the burgers.

Skip was the king of DADFAD.

a Skip Burger would have blue cheese and crow bacon

Muddy Waters ribs were made from Howlin Wolves.
I discovered MLB network on channel 213 DTV about 10 minutes ago.
Pirates-Cubs game on from 4/91.
Bonds looks to be the size of that Urkle dude from the 80’s.

Assenmacher is a great last name.

The channel really is kinda cool in that they show tons of wild and somewhat random games. even at 4:00 in the morning. plus, no riddex plus or colon detox infomercials.

Charles barkley was hanging out with Urkel before he got pulled over for his dui last week.

Hanging with Urklemacher is a good reason to get a bit banged up.
Barks can afford a driver. Dumb Dumb Dumb.
BTW I watched Dumb and Dumber last night for the first time in 7 or 8 years.
Love that film!
I completely forgot Cam Neely played Sea Bass.
Boom Shackalak.

don’t worry about a thing ms. noogieburger

UWS is Burger Joint territory. 

Plus I love Shake Shack, but I wouldn’t wait only line for 15 minutes let alone 1 hour for a burger.

I wish the Giants didn’t have to be so “classy” and let Plaxico come back until the conclusion of his trial.

I wonder if the Gint’s FO thought they could still contend (realistically as a favorite) without Plax.

Saying “Corner Bistro” around an NYC expat is cruelty, you know.

I miss Harold’s Chicken Shacks in Chicago, even the single slice of sub-Wonderbread white, even the grease-coated bullet-proof glass protecting the cashier.

Eelz, have you ever seen Devil Got My Woman?  It features Skip James, Son House, Bukka White and others at Newport in 1966.  Alan Lomax got all those guys together, set up a a simulated road house, and let the camera run.  Amazing.

no, i haven’t seen it ed. it sounds fierce though. i’ll look it up. thanks!

1996 World Series highlights on MLB Network right now. “He’s liable to take two strikes right here. That’s the kind of guy Boggs is.” We all know McCarver can be annoying these days [I find him less than others] but that quote is awesome. Sums up baseball to me.

no riddex plus or colon detox infomercials

Wait, are you saying that riddex isn’t a colon detox product?  Oh, well, White Castle was always good for cleaning out the pipes at least.