Ready for another season of baseball?

[mr_pikachu]

The 2006 MLB season kicked off yesterday. There's a lot of doubt about many of the teams this year, especially with some questionable off-season trades and releases. But even if there aren't many teams that seem to be "complete", this should be another exciting year of baseball!

I, for one, was very pleased about the action on opening day. St. Louis blew away Philadelphia in a 13-5 blowout, and the Astros' tough 1-0 win against the Marlins was just icing on the cake. If the Cards' offense is anywhere near this effective during the remainder of the season, I'm going to enjoy watching a lot of victories. I do worry about how well the new team will come together; I was rather hoping we'd retain our surprisingly good middle infielders, Eckstein and Grudzielanek, and losing Walker and Sanders in addition to some of our starting pitching could hurt as well. We'll see if St. Louis can hold it together.

So, any thoughts on this year? What do you think about your favorite teams and their chances for the season?

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, the Yankees will underachieve again...but still beat the Red Sox...St. Louis will learn to win in the playoffs, but still not make the World Series...The Mets will improve, and back their pitching up with runs, and if their bullpen holds, they're set to win the penant over Atlanta, who will nose dive...Florida is almost an all rookie team, and will flounder...Houston without Clemens, and probably an injured Petit at some point will flop...

[Number1ChanseyFan]

[color=magenta]No, I am not ready for another season of baseball!! The Indians need another offseason so that they can do things right this time!!

Seriously, I find it hard to be optimistic about Cleveland's chances this year. The White Sox have seemingly improved a lot, and it is hard to find any area that the Indians improved upon. Last year, Cleveland had the best pitching in the American League, and they have lost two starters and three relievers, and none of the replacements figure to do as well. (Why in the world did the Indians feel that they needed to sign Jason Johnson?!) Coco Crisp was traded to Boston, and the Indians still have Casey Blake and Aaron Boone as everyday players. So, considering that last year, Cleveland was good for 93 wins and failing to make the playoffs, and now the competition is stronger this year, I just see no realistic chance of them making it to the playoffs. Cleveland's #1 starter, CC Sabathia, (Well, he is kind of the #1 by default, he isn't really a true #1...) is probably headed the the DL after hurting himself in the third inning of Opening Day.

EDIT: Meh, just to make me look really stupid and to make me look like I have absolutely no idea what I am talking about about, Casey Blake and Aaron Boone combined to reach base 9 out of the 10 times that they went to the plate.

EDIT #2: Just to make me look even more clueless than I already am, Jason Johnson pitched 7 shutout innings against Minnesota yesterday. XD

Stats for players that I complained about in this thread:

Aaron Boone: .350/.381/.550/.931, 1 HR, 4 RBI. He had a 4-hit game against the White Sox last Tuesday, and is only 2 hits away from matching his hit total from last April (9 hits total last April!!)

Casey Blake: .471/.571/.706/1.277, 1 HR, 6 RBI. Hit a grand slam on Opening Day in Cleveland against Minnesota. The last three times that Minnesota has been in Cleveland for Cleveland's Opening Day, a Cleveland player has hit a grand slam. 2002-Travis Fryman against Eric Milton, 2004-Travis Hafner against Kyle Lohse, 2006-Casey Blake against Kyle Lohse.(again lol) I love how the newspapers and the internet have all of these interesting stats. ^_^

Jason Johnson: (1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 2 K.) Considering that he has never beaten Cleveland in his career, it is nice to see that his problems were a result of pitching against the Indians, and not just pitching in Jacob's Field.

EDIT #3: And now the Indians just swept the Twins by beating Johan Santana. They are really doing their best to make me look totally clueless about baseball!!

[Drago]

Like I do every MLB (middle linebacker? :heh:) season, I'll just pop my head in, knowing little to nothing about baseball, but with enough gaul to interrupt the conversation anyway just to voice a decidedly Canadian opinion. Oh yes. Eh?

I heard some pretty good things on ESPN about Toronto's offseason, but as I do with all my favourite teams, I'll reserve confidence until some serious results start to show. 3-2 may be enough for second in the AL east, but it's still not a spectacular place to be.

Can anyone with actual MLB knowledge give me a Blue Jays prediction, pretty please? Humour me a little...

[Pokemaster Ash]

*waves around flags for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox* Well I was a happy camper after seeing the White Sox win last year. They've started off pretty shakily, but I think they should be able to pull it together and go far.

However the Cubs seem to have made some nice deals, though Kerry Wood and Mark Prior starting off on the DL isn't great. If they can return at 100%, then the Cubs' chances are looking REALLY good. At least there's still Carlos Zambrano and Greg Maddux.

I'm hoping this is finally the year of the Cubs. After all, after the Red Sox and White Sox showing off their stuff the last two years, there's only one team with a LONG-running losing streak left, and after seeing the Cubs' performance thus far against St. Louis, it's looking good...

[Hatake Kakashi]

*Holds up Red Sox flag*It's no longer foolish to think they can win the World Series!

And yes, I'm STILL holding on to the 2004 series. You can all bite me. When your team goes 84s without a win and then comes from 1 game left to SWEEP the series, YOU get to hang on to it for years :P

[mr_pikachu]

Well, the Cardinals played their first game in their new ballpark earlier today. I admit, I was mildly worried, since the Cards were just swept in a three-game road series against the hated Cubs. But they started life in the new Busch Stadium the right way.

(That means they won.)

[jet1213]

well, since im from jersey im obviously a yankee fan. They keep putting their seemingly endless supply of money into hitters, though. If they had a solid rotation they could win it all easily.. i have my doubts about their rotation big time.

[Dark Dragonite]

I'd personally like to see another 86 series, lol
Who will play Bill Buckner?
Kevin Youkilis?
J.T. Snow?
Hee-Seop Choi?

[Hatake Kakashi]

The Sox are off to a pretty good start. 6-1 now, putting them early in the lead for the Eastern division.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, being a Yankee/Met fan(although I tend to like players more than teams thanks to fantasy sports playing), usually the Red Sox hold the division lead until late in the season, when the Yanks kick it up a notch, they usually win the penant from behind.

[Myster Myuu]

I used to follow baseball rather religiously back when I was a youngster. Back then, I rooted from the Seattle Mariners simply becuase Ken Griffey Jr. was my favorite player. I also rooted for the Cincinnati Reds because I was born and raised 45 minutes away from Cincy :D

I was all into the whole Griffey/McGuire/Sosa home run feud. Then Griff had to go and blow his knee and pretty much kill his career. I dunno what happened, but he starting sucking after he slammed his knee into that wall. I more or less quit watching at that point. Until, however, Griffey dawned a Cincy Reds uniform :D I watched most of his first season with the Reds, grimly clinging to the hope the being with the team that his father played for would bring out the old Griff and, conversely, having the son of a member of the Big Red Machine would rev up said machine again. That didnt happen :(
So now Ill catch an occasional game for time to time when I happen to catch one on. Im still a Reds fan and always will be. Every other team can go take a flying leap of a tall cliff :D Do I expect the Reds to do good this year? Prolly not.. they havent had a truly remarkable season since 1990, when they swept the series vs. the As. All the players I remember watching are now long gone too :( *sighs* I remember the days of Jose Rio.. Chris Sabo.. Barry Larkin.. Paul O'Neil.. Reggie Sanders.. Brett Boone.. *gets all misty-eyed from remenicing(sp?)*

But ANYways.. Its always been my expectancy from baseball for the following to happen:
-Yankees inevitable find a way to make it to the series and win, no matter how good the competition is
-Red Sox have a wonderful season, are on top, look to win it all... only to have a mysterious pebble appear from nowhere and Buckner the whole thing for them.
-Cubs continue to flounder around like a half-dead fish.
-Someone will break someone else's record every single year.
-The Reds will not make it to the Series. And, as a matter of fact, they'll be lucky to even see the playoffs.

Sadly, Babe Ruth's curse has lost its potency since the Red Sox won the series in such stunning fashion. I suppose Ruth decided it was time to cut Boston a break and give them something to be happy about for once. Dont expect it to happen again for another 85 years :P
Even the cubs seems to be a decent team now-a-days. But you dont understand... baseball NEEDS its cursed team. And now that the Red Sox and White Sox have denounced their respective curses, the Cubs HAVE to keep on loosing. Baseball just wouldnt be the same without a team to call 'cursed' and to point and laugh at as they keep trying in vain to find a way to win.

Ill cut a deal with the Cubs though. Here it is: remain crappy for 10 more years. By that time, I think we can start calling the Pittsburgh Pirates a cursed team since they haven't even been to the series in about 30-40 years. After these 10 years go by, THEN you can win as many World Series' as you like. Deal? :D

[Number1ChanseyFan]

After all, after the Red Sox and White Sox showing off their stuff the last two years, there's only one team with a LONG-running losing streak left.

[color=magenta]THere is one more team with a pretty long drought... The American League team with the longest World Series Championship drought, and the second longest in MLB next to the Cubs, the Cleveland Indians, who last won it all in 1948. (Although they were only two outs away from winning game 7 in 1997 *kicks Jose Mesa in the groin, but then realizes that it didn't do anything, because he doesn't have any.* ^_^)

Seriously, this 6-1 start that Cleveland is off to is really starting to scare me... it makes me feel like a really long losing streak is right around the corner. XD

[Dark Dragonite]

Mesa screwed up for the Phillies too...but how about we talk about those Mets, and one of the worst closers coming off a good season...Armando Benitez...Oye!

[jet1213]

Can anyone with actual MLB knowledge give me a Blue Jays prediction, pretty please? Humour me a little...


they may be good.. but it doesnt matter.. cuz there is no way they are coming out of a division headed by the yankees and red sox

[mr_pikachu]

Can anyone with actual MLB knowledge give me a Blue Jays prediction, pretty please? Humour me a little...

Well, the Blue Jays spent over 100 million dollars on starting pitcher A.J. Burnett and closer B.J. Ryan. They also increased the salaries of several existing players.

If the Jays want a shot, they've got to take down either the Yankees or the Red Sox. And if they want to do that, they'll need to win early, plain and simple. In the first 23 games alone, they play New York and Boston a combined 11 tmes. And it doesn't get much easier after that.

The problem is that they're stumbling out of the gate a little. Toronto is 4-4 to begin the season. And Burnett's looking shaky; he's already missed two starts due to some elbow troubles.

The basic point is that these next few weeks should be very revealing. If you want to find out the Jays' chances, look at how they perform in these next twenty or thirty games.

[Dark Dragonite]

Toronto's problem...You can spend all the money you want, but if you don't have a leader to bring everyone together, and the right staff to push them, noone will do anything, remember what happened to the Mets the past few years...

[Ghost]

Personally here, I'm a big mets fan (Got my David Wright jersey on atm, and watching the mets beat the Nationals 8-3) I also like the Red Sox, got myself a Josh Beckett jersey the other day (incase you didn't notice, i'm a big jersey fan).

Currently both teams are off to a great start, and the Mets have the most runs scored, best era, best record (if they win this game) and some other titles that i'm very proud of :)

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, if the Mets can hold together, not have wagner blow up in their faces, as well as delgado, they have a chance...Boston is Boston, and being a NYer, I hate them, lol...

[Ghost]

I was born in New York, but I live in Boston, so if you don't wanna get the **** beat out of you, you gotta like the Red Sox...

BTW- Mets are winning 13-3 now :)

David Wright= MVP! MVP! MVP!

[Perfect Chaos]

*joins in with fellow Mets fans Raven and DD*

Yay, I'm not alone! Yes yes, Mets are the best team in the NL right now with their 8-2 record. Xavier Nady is quite a pleasant surprise and we have the most potent 3-6 hitters in the batting order other than everyone in the entire NL.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope Beltran has a bounce-back year, or else I WILL think that he's a serious bust (as most people that came to New York have been, unfornately)

I swear, if the Braves win for the 15th straight year...something's SERIOUSLY wrong with us and the rest of our division.

[SupremeChampion]

[i]being from south jersey i'm obviously a phillies fan, though i'm not always proud to say it lol. but seriously, i was actually looking towards the start of the season for the phillies with hope, which was quickly dashed after opening day. and for the next 4 games that followed. but anyway, the phillies have turned it around and have been winning, but they haven't been able to do it consistently enough as of right now. now i know its just the beginning of a very long season and anything can happen, but really right now the phillies need to get solid work out of their starting rotation. their bullpen is decent enough to get the job done, and the offense is doing much better now than it has done in recent years. hopefully they will be able to keep it up, and with even more hope i hope the starting rotation starts to pick it up. if these things happen, i think the phillies will be in decent shape this year.

~The Italian Stallion

[Dark Dragonite]

The Phillies gave up some key players, like Thome, and Wagner, Thome has hit 7HRs, 14RBI, 18 Runs, .349 avg...The Phillies are missing that...and Wagner is 1-0 with 4 Saves, 5Ks, and a 1.29 ERA in 7 innings...they gave up Padilla to Texas for R.Rod, but released him...

Let's just say, as a Mets fan, I am happy with a 10-4 start.

Oh, and Toronto is 7-7...like I said, they won't do too well this year.

[Perfect Chaos]

Let's just say, as a Mets fan, I am happy with a 10-4 start.



Amen to that

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

Carpenter did it again for the Cards today, pitching near-perfect baseball for eight innings to lead St. Louis to a 4-0 win over Pittsburgh. This win, finished by Isringhausen, brings the Cardinals to within one game of the NL Central leaders, the Houston Astros.

So yeah, as long as we don't have to use any middle relief for the rest of the season, we'll be fine. XP

[Ghost]

Amen to that

-Sean


Yeah baby! Kaz Matsui inside the park home run! I hope the mets win this game!

[Jeff]

I'm not a very close follower of baseball, but one thing's for sure, I support two teams: The Orioles (who won today :)), and whoever is playing the Yankees.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

I'm not a very close follower of baseball, but one thing's for sure, I support two teams: The Orioles. (who won today) and whoever is playing the Yankees.

[color=magenta]XD thank you for that 18-9 beating that you gave the Indians on Wednesday, and the 9-4 beating today!! I actually kinda enjoyed that game on Wednesday. I was wondering how many runs the Orioles were going to end up scoring. After your team gets blown out, it just gets kinda funny when the other team keeps on scoring, you just kinda want to see how many runs they can get!!

[mr_pikachu]

Okay, it's not exactly baseball news, but anyone who participates in fantasy baseball (or fantasy sports in general, for that matter) should see the article that's up right now in Yahoo! Sports:

The reality of fantasy (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AviBz4UT7rRqfY.13hh4c4MRvLYF?slug=jp-fantasy042006&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)

So the MLB is going to own the rights to players' stats, now? What's up with that? After all, they're just events, not property. Next court reporters aren't going to be able to report about criminal cases - not because of confidentiality issues (which are understandable), but because a person's rap sheet is personal property. :P

[Dark Dragonite]

I have and will never pay for fantasy baseball, I do it for fun, if it goes paid...I'll focus on the hockey more, then maybe pick up on a few I haven't done, like nascar, bball, and golf.

damn whiney rich people, apparently they don't have enough money to swim in yet...

[Ghost]

Sadly, nothing good in life is free. (Unless you steal it)

Mets lost 2-1, with Delgado homering again. The Mets need to get their offense running again, espically against the Padres. We got Pedro pitching tonight, so let's go for #201!

Sadly, Red Sox lost. Beckett gave up 5 runs (Which is totally abnormal) And Mike Timlin (AKA I like to give up lots of runs) lets a man score and ties it up. Game goes to the twelth inning and... BAM they lost :( Now Beckett is stuck at 3-0... Hopefully he'll rebound and win next week.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, look at the Cards, they aren't doing super, but they have Izzy doing well, Carpenter getting into last year's form, and Marquis 4-0 excelling

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I'm actually surprised about Marquis. I was a little worried about him being in the starting rotation again, because he's got some crazy antics at times, but he's doing well right now. Hopefully he can keep it up.

[Dark Dragonite]

Baseball changes so drastically year to year, and personally, I hate Mr.Selig, think he's one of the worst things to happen to Baseball, but, that isn't the point, thing is, some players start out slow, like J. Santana of the Twins, he heats up after a month or two, same with Carpenter, then there are the players that start hot, and are too good to be true, they cool off, and do nothing more for you. I'm hoping shelton, wigginton, and wright aren't like that

[mr_pikachu]

Man, Isringhausen just blew another save today. Pujols was able to pull his can out of the fire in the bottom 9th, but I'm getting concerned. We can't afford to rely on a game-saving hit every time Izzy comes in. If he can't get it together, I hate to think about using our even less reliable middle relief to make up for it.

Of course, compared to others like A.J. Burnett and Carlos Beltran, our closer woes are nothing at all. Not to mention Derrek Lee, who's out for the next two months. I'd say that all things considered, the Cards have to be pretty happy with a 14-7 record at this point in the season.

[Dark Dragonite]

Yay, Mets are in first by like 4.5 games over the Braves, and 14-7 as well...
They beat the Giants in 11, who knew you could have 2 blown saves in 1 game...and win as well...

[Perfect Chaos]

Yay, Mets are in first by like 4.5 games over the Braves, and 14-7 as well...
They beat the Giants in 11, who knew you could have 2 blown saves in 1 game...and win as well...


For real...

Beltran is supposedly going to start Friday in Atlanta after his little hamstring injury. Bastard better have a good year, or I will deem his ass a bust.

And I pray that Bannister's injury doesn't cause him to miss months of time or else we royally screwed ourselves by trading Benson AND Seo away. God only knows what happens if we move Heilman into the rotation.

And I must definitely say that Xavier Nady is quietly becoming a VERY pleasant surprise for us this year. Hopefully it goes good for him this year.

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

Xavier Nady? Who the heck is - ah.

Hitting .317 after a week of only .214 (with 2 homers, mind you), with a career average of a mere .269... he's having a pretty darn good start. It's no wonder the Mets are leading the NL East if the average players are picking up the slack like that.

And it appears that Barry Bonds is drawing ever closer to the legendary 714. I wonder if they'll be cutting into broadcasts of other games to show his at-bats?

Meh. Cue the boo-a-thon.

[Dark Dragonite]

I agree about Beltran, Bannister, and Nady.
There is one good thing about Heilman in the SR...he can't blow saves, lol
if Pedro, and Glavine can stay healthy, it should be a nice year.
Oh, and if Beltran gets injured a few more times, I'm going to start chanting Mo Vaughn

[mr_pikachu]

Dang... is anyone looking at this Kevin Mench guy? He's now homered in six straight games! Whoo!

And yet the Rangers are 11-11 after another Cordero blown save. Let's get Mench on a team that actually has some chance at winning so that maybe, just maybe, his slams will actually mean something.

[Dark Dragonite]

I think Texas's stadium has something to do with high HRs, not as much as Colorado, which is why I wasn't impressed by Bond's first HR of the year...
You want some amazing finds:
Papelbon(Closer for Boston)
Shelton(1B Detroit)
Wigginton(3B TB)
Ensberg(3B Hou)

[Reborned-Dragon]

I'm not ready for this!

[mr_pikachu]

Well, it's probably a good time to breach a new subject in terms of baseball for this year...

As many of you who follow baseball closely are probably aware, Barry Bonds now has 711 home runs in his career. You're probably also aware that Babe Ruth earned 714 during his time in the major leagues, and that only one player - Hank Aaron, with 755 blasts - has ever topped the Babe's total. Thus, it seems almost certain that in the next few weeks, Bonds will surpass one of baseball's greatest legends.

However, this is not such a welcome event for all fans of the sport. While most probably would rather avoid such problems as resulted from the treatment of Roger Maris upon breaking the single-season home run record (with 61 to Ruth's 60, in case anyone is unaware), many are nonetheless incensed at the idea of Barry Bonds toppling such a figure. This seems to be due in part to Bonds' character - many fans outside of San Francisco see him as arrogant and abrasive - as well as to the recent controversy surrounding his and many other major leaguers' involvement with enhancement drugs. In fact, argument over this latter point has now reached a boiling point, with an investigative book detailing the mounting evidence of Bonds' dealings with such substances (in spite of flat denials throughout the affair), his closing in on the legendary 714, and the continuing debate through the whole of the MLB community about steroids all serving to ignite and strengthen the flames of passion on the subject.

So, what are your thoughts on the matter? Do you think there should be an asterisk assigned to any record which Bonds now sets? Should that be extended to some other baseball players, as well? Or is this simply a new evolution of the game? Are the benefits for sluggers cancelled out by the pitchers who also take performance-enhancing supplements? What does this mean for the future of baseball, and for competitive sports in general? Whatever your opinions on the matter, let us know!

[Dark Dragonite]

If Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGuire get asterisks, Barry Bonds should have a giant one, or an X, lol...
Seriously though, he may not reach it, between his bad knees, back, and lack of production when not on steroids...look, he's hit how many HRs this year? 3 in 21 games, granted in 49 ABs, he's been walked 26 times this year, last year he hit 5 HRs in 14 games, 42 ABs with 9BBs...big difference, most people are going to walk him nowadays...look at his career, he hit 73 HRs out of nowhere, the rest, he's averaged in the 40s, highest he hit besides 73 was 49...BIG difference...24HRs right there, which is how many he hit in 88 with the Pirates.
There's no celebration planned for him hitting 715, Selig(one of the worst comishes ever) said there's no celebration for passing second, but I think he would like to strip Bonds of many HRs...he's BSed everyone about it, atleast when Clinton was found out, or Pete Rose, since this is baseball, they admitted it...Bonds is still trying to act like he did nothing wrong.
The irony is, isn't Hank Aaron Bonds's godfather or related somehow?

Just to even my statements out, I think the game itself needs a clean sweep, just test everyone, those who fail, sit, I'd rather see naturals hit HRs, and come from the minors...

[Hatake Kakashi]

Good ol' Sox showing the Yankees that Damon didn't make them great ;)

[Dark Dragonite]

Good ol' Sox showing the Yankees that Damon didn't make them great ;)


y'know what?
I agree with you, and actually, I found it hysterical.

[mr_pikachu]

Hey, all you baseball card collectors out there! Listen to this!

This card costs 'cause you aren't supposed to have it' (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2429888)

Man, to have a copy of that card... whoo! That would really be something. It's always ironic how, in the card collecting business, the most valuable cards are always the ones that were screwed up. But it's funny that this card wasn't supposed to exist at all. That usually doesn't happen.

[Dark Dragonite]

*reads story*
Hmmmm.....
*runs to Walmart*
Time to make some $$!!

[Ghost]

Red Sox won, so i'm happy, but John Maine lost his game last night :(. Hopefully Pedro can pick it up tonight :)

[mr_pikachu]

Heh... as of yesterday, Albert Pujols has as many home runs this season as the entire Kansas City Royals team. Guess his record of 14 in April really was a big thing after all, huh?

[Ghost]

Heh... as of yesterday, Albert Pujols has as many home runs this season as the entire Kansas City Royals team. Guess his record of 14 in April really was a big thing after all, huh?


Not to accuse or anyting but uh... Is it just me or does Pujols look bigger then when he did in the minor leagues? I'm not accusing him of taking steroids, its just... Well he looks bigger.

[Dark Dragonite]

Not to accuse or anyting but uh... Is it just me or does Pujols look bigger then when he did in the minor leagues? I'm not accusing him of taking steroids, its just... Well he looks bigger.

Isn't he on the same team as that guy who set a record years ago, and suddenly got huge, and his name was Mark McGuire or something?
lol

[Perfect Chaos]

Damn, we got blown out pretty bad against the Braves today (lost 13-3).

I actually thought we'd get a rally going after Castro's "bloop" error-hit past the shortstop for Braves (I know it wasn't Renteria).

Well, we're at 21-10 and still have an 8 game lead over the Braves. First series against Phillies coming up and the matchups look good (Pedro vs. Brett Myers Tues., Glavine vs. Corey Lidle Wednesday, and Trachsel vs. Gavin Floyd Thursday).

I didn't watch today's game too much, but I heard that Beltran had a good day at the plate (2-3, HR, BB), so it seems he's picking up the slack. We had Jose Lima start (which came out of nowhere for me, though I heard about Maine on the DL).

This is great...we have three starting pitchers on the DL now (Bannister and Maine, and Zambrano might get onto the DL too with his elbow issue).

Right now, I'm going to go ahead and rant on how garbage Victor Zambrano is. One of the WORST trades we Mets have EVER DONE (giving up a top-rate prospect for his sorry-ass). Many people have said that his pitching ability is even higher than Pedro and that he has the best chance of all Mets' pitchers at throwing a no-hitter. Then again, those same players have also stated (which I TOTALLY agree with) that Zambrano has the best chance of throwing a no-hitter, and then LOSING it. He has been a complete under-achiever and was TOTALLY not worth having trading Scott Kazmir for (Kazmir would be having a MUCH better career right now with the Mets than the Devil Rays.) I mean c'mon, I see the guy throw an 8-inning game with 11 K's and he STILL loses the game (I'm talking about Kazmir BTW).

OK...I'm done

EDIT: It's been made official. Victor Zambrano has been placed on the 60-day DL and is considered done for the season due to a torn tendon in his right elbow. AGAIN, what a waste of a player

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

Zambrano was bad, but let us not forget Mo Vaughn...*cough*GARBAGE*cough*
That was the Red Sox Nation getting us back for Billy Buckner, eh?
We also have former starter Daren Oliver on the DL...but the real question is... Jose Lima?
His prime was so long ago, it's a dot on the horizon...I don't know much about Jeremy Gomez, but he has to be better than Lima, and I hear the Marlins are looking to trade a certain pitcher the Mets should jump on...anyone know who? LOL
Our rotation should look like this when Bannister gets better:
Pedro
Glavine
Trachsel
Bannister
Heilman(atleast he can't blow saves...hmmm...maybe we should start wagner, lol)

[Perfect Chaos]

The Marlins are REAL idiots if they do trade Willis. He and Cabrera are their cornerstones for years to come. They get rid of those two, the organization is DONE for a few more years to come.

Yeah, Mo Vaughn was garbage, but that was years before, when I was little and baseball didn't matter as much to me.

I think that our rotation SHOULD'VE looked like this:

Pedro
Glavine
Benson
Trachsel
Kazmir

And keep Seo and Heilman in the bullpen and then pull Bannister up another year or two later when Glavine retires. But that's just me

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

I can't argue too much, other than I think Benson is a sub-par pitcher, with a 4.89ERA, I believe, no, Lima was a bad decision too, but, oye...Kris and his loud mouthed, scantily clad wife needed to exit stage right.

As for the Marlins, do some research on their owner, he's the guy who held Montreal hostage for a new stadium, sold all their players, didn't they have Vlad? and sold the team off to Washington, then bought Florida. Yes, he was a hero to start, he brought a World Series home, BUT, immediately has expected a new stadium, and I don't think Joe-Robbie is half as old as Shea, Yankee, or the other parks.

[jet1213]

anyone see the 9-0 comback the yanks made against the rangers the other night?


orgasmic.

[Dark Dragonite]

no, and I didn't hear about a 9-0 comeback by the Yankees either, I did hear about Derek Jeter, and Jorge Posada coming back from a 9-0 deficit, lol

[mr_pikachu]

I'm starting to wonder if Bonds is ever going to tie Babe Ruth for second on the home run list. He played in eight straight games while sitting at 713, and that's the longest streak of consecutive starts for him in several years.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, there was a pitcher who plunked him, got ejected, and a standing ovation, lol

[mr_pikachu]

Springer, you mean? (No, not Jerry.) Yeah, I saw the replay of that. Apparently the MLB is looking into how intentional the HBP was.

[Ghost]

Anyone see Duaner Sanchez get booted out of the game for no reason? That was crazy! I started freaking out after it, lol.

[Ghost]

Sorry for the Double post but...

METS OPEN UP THE SERIES BEATING THE YANKS! and we got Pedro going against Mussina tonight, thats going to be good... Red Sox also beat the Phillies, with David Ortiz hitting a monster upper deck shot! That ball must of went 450-500 feet...

Anyways, I agree with what our Rotation should look like, though I am kinda of glad we got Sanchez... Though we could of got him for alot less. Kazmir never should of been traded for Zambrano, but Rick Peterson can do anything, right?

I think our Rotation is looking bad. Other then Pedro and Glavine, we have almost 3 guaranted loses until Bannister comes back (Then we can get rid of Lima, I like Jeremi Gonzalez) We really need to dish out for Zito ( I don't like Livan Hernandez, he's too inconsistent), then we can be even higher in contention.

[Dark Dragonite]

Zito could be iffy, I mean, look at Hudson, and how Zito is now...I'd prefer Dontrelle, as long as they don't give up Wright or Milledge

[mr_pikachu]

IT (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AtQpooxVzGvnSY4GLcXIb2IRvLYF?slug=ap-bonds-714&prov=ap&type=lgns) HAS HAPPENED.

[Dark Dragonite]

SHIT (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=260520121) HAS HAPPENED.

Thanks Billy Wagner, you were handed the keys at 4-0, 1 friggan inning...you let the Yankees right in...expensive chump...

[Pm-5000fan]

I just went to the Diamondbacks-Braves game and I can tell ya, this will be a good season. (Not because of the Diamondbacks-Braves game) :biggrin:

[Perfect Chaos]

SHIT (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=260520121) HAS HAPPENED.

Thanks Billy Wagner, you were handed the keys at 4-0, 1 friggan inning...you let the Yankees right in...expensive chump...


Can you say utter meltdown? Jeeze, I watched the entire thing unfold (unfortunately) and it killed me when we lost




Kazmir never should of been traded for Zambrano, but Rick Peterson can do anything, right?

I think our Rotation is looking bad. Other then Pedro and Glavine, we have almost 3 guaranted loses until Bannister comes back (Then we can get rid of Lima, I like Jeremi Gonzalez) We really need to dish out for Zito ( I don't like Livan Hernandez, he's too inconsistent), then we can be even higher in contention.


DEFINITELY don't think Rick Peterson can do anything. Or else Zambrano would be like the GOD of our staff based on the ceiling he's considered to have pitching-wise. I have to agree that I think we should try to deal for Zito, but from the looks of it, we don't have much to give (no way in HELL we'd give up Wright and Milledge).

But I swear, if we trade Wright away by some GOD-AWFUL possibility, I will condemn the ENTIRE Mets organization and I will NEVER watch any of their games EVER again.

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

Well, with none out and Steve Finley on first in the bottom of the fourth in today's Rockies-Giants game, Barry Bonds slammed a 3-2 pitch from Colorado's Byung-Hyun Kim over the center field wall for home run #715. He has now passed Babe Ruth and is 40 blasts away from Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755.


EDIT: This (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2461485) ESPN article just came out two minutes ago.


EDIT2: And I just love it when the mass media gets their information wrong. (It was the bottom of the fourth, moron! Your own site says that!)

[Dark Dragonite]

Screw Bonds, there are bigger stories...
DETROIT is winning the AL Central..holy shit, after losing 119 games last year...THIS should be bigger news...Bonds has consistantly hit HRs, since the steroids...'nuff said...

How about them Mets?

make a few trades...Julio for El Duque...Gonzalez for Adams...don't know about the Adams trade yet, he looks like a decent set up guy...El Duque just beat the Marlins:
5 innings, 3 hits, 3ERs, 3BB, 1HR...best part...7Ks!!
Time things changed from ex-Met pitchers having perfect games for the Yanks...

[mr_pikachu]

Forget winning the AL Central; they've got the best record in the majors! It's also surprising to see that the entire NL West is above .500. Of course, Pujols' saga continued in today's Padres-Cardinals slugfest with his 24th slam in St. Louis' 50th game of the year. That puts him on pace for 78 home runs this season. The Mets are a pleasant surprise this year; it's about time someone challenged the Braves for the division! Good to see the "other" New York team do well for a change.

And the Royals are in last place. Who didn't see that coming?


EDIT: Looking at the stats, the Royals have 11 wins in 48 games. They're on pace for 37 wins this year, which is less than half of the pace Pujols is setting with home runs.

I do love baseball sometimes! :D

[Dark Dragonite]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/05/03/bc.bba.royals.allegiance.ap/?section=si_latest

Some guy sold his loyalty to the Royals of 25yrs on Ebay, LOL....

[mr_pikachu]

...I wonder how much money I could make by selling a bunch of my loyalties, with a pixel's worth of fine print for each?

That's hilarious, though. I can't blame him for getting fed up, but dang! That's one odd reaction.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

And the Royals are in last place. Who didn't see that coming? Looking at the stats, the Royals have 11 wins in 48 games. They're on pace for 37 wins this year.

I do love baseball sometimes! :D
[color=magenta]Luckily for the Royals, they still have 10 more games against Cleveland, who have given them almost half of their wins this year. (5-4 record against Cleveland.) The Indians have been pretty lousy to watch this year. I miss American Idol...

Seriously, I haven't even bought any tickets for this year, I haven't went to a game for over 2 years now. I just don't like the way that ownership has handled the team since 2001. If they would make a little more effort and get some decent players and increase payroll, I would have an easier time spending money on them. But it is really disheartening when the team consistently gets off to lousy starts, especially this year with Chicago and Detroit already running away. It makes it really hard to get excited about it. I guess I was just spoiled growing up watching Cleveland when they were good, I kinda used to think it would last forever. ^_^

OMG I read that SI article about the guy selling his Royals loyalty on eBay, and it said he is taking a liking to the Indians?! What the heck is wrong with the man?! I can see jumping off the Royals bandwagon after 25 years, but jeez, at least pick a decent team!! What does he want, another 25 years of lousyness? XD Maybe I will go on eBay and sell him all of my Indians crap, that way he can get off to a good start with his new favorite team!!

[Perfect Chaos]

I actually went to the May 27 game between the Mets-Marlins and blissfully managed to witness Glavine and 5-6 innings of perfect pitching. Unfortunately, he lost it, but we still got the win, which is all that matters.

On the matter of trades, if ONLY we could pull off more trades similar to the Julio for El Duque one, we'd be UNSTOPPABLE. Anyways, at least now we have four dependable starters (Trachsel is a bit iffy sometimes, and we still don't know too much about El Duque). But if they both pull together and Beltran still has the type of season he's having now, I think we'll pull through. Hopefully, his minor knee injury won't hamper him too much

I'm actually glad that Bond's got 715 (hell, we all know its almost impossible for him to get Aaron's record) and I doubt he will be able to break it, considering this if most likely his LAST year, and there's no way he would push himself for another season.

-Sean

[Number1ChanseyFan]

I'm actually glad that Bond's got 715 (hell, we all know its almost impossible for him to get Aaron's record) and I doubt he will be able to break it, considering this if most likely his LAST year, and there's no way he would push himself for another season.

I don't know, I heard that there is a good chance that he will head to the American League and become a DH next season, possible with New York or Detroit.

BTW interesting fact: Cleveland is the only team that Barry Bonds has never played against.

[+conspiracy+]

I don't know, I heard that there is a good chance that he will head to the American League and become a DH next season, possible with New York or Detroit.

BTW interesting fact: Cleveland is the only team that Barry Bonds has never played against.


yup, I heard that as well, and I think that if it does happen, hell most likely play 150+ and might even have a chance at the record assuming that his knee holds up

[Perfect Chaos]

Well, we all know his knee just can't handle running in the outfield. Maybe they'll try him out at 1B too (become another David Ortiz type of player, though I think Ortiz is MUCH better with a glove anyways)

-Sean

[Ghost]

Well, we lost today, but Wright got 2 HRs and Milledge got his first HR, but we still lost :(

I would like to acquire some better starting pitching, but for now i think im fine.

[Perfect Chaos]

Ditto on that Raven, though we don't have much to give

Who knows, maybe if Milledge got into a sudden hot streak, we could trade Matsui AND Nady and get another decent starter (we have Jose Valentin, Chris Woodward and possibly Anderson Hernandez to fill in for Matsui)

-Sean

[Ghost]

I'm with you on getting rid of matsui....But Nady? I think he's been doing pretty good this year and deserves a chance to stay here.

Sad news is, we lost again last night :(

[mr_pikachu]

How long has it been since the Braves last missed the playoffs? The Mets definitely want it to happen this year... their recent six-game win streak has given them a 7.5 game lead in the NL East. What's worse for Atlanta is that's they're another 3.5 games behind second place; that is, they're 11 games behind New York! This could be the year that the consistent Braves finally falter...

And of course, the battle between the Tigers and the White Sox for the best record in baseball is crazy. I mean, come on! The ChiSox? Detroit?! If I suggested five years ago that this might happen, I'd have been deemed clinically insane.

On the other hand, I love the pressure that's being placed on the traditional AL East powers, the Yankees and Red Sox. It would just be perfect if we could find a way for them to both miss the playoffs... go Blue Jays!

And the Royals? They still suck. Better get used to it.

[Ghost]

ZOMG!!!! The Mets got rid of matsui!!!!!(old news, I know, but im still so effing happy). They apparently got Eli Marrero from the Rockies. Hopefully he turns out better the Matsui did :)

[Dark Dragonite]

Let's hear it for El Duque back in the Big Apple!!

Oh, and the only reason Detroit has a better record than the Mets is...They played 2 games more so far, if the Mets win those 2, and catch up, it's a dead tie...

Could it be a NY-Detroit Series looming?

Oh, and for a close to all-rookie team, with a rookie manager, Florida is still better than KC...LOL

[Perfect Chaos]

Yeah, I was SO surprised that they got rid of Matsui. I was hoping we could have gotten someone a LITTLE better, but I heard Marrero is decent enough, and Valentin is picking up the slack pretty well.

And what about that little hot streak Beltran's having now huh? Scored more runs in the Arizona series than the ENTIRE TEAM (Beltran: 10 runs ; Arizona: 9 runs). Pretty funny to hear. From what I last saw, he's batting .298, 18 HRs, 52 RBIs which is just friggin awesome.

Anybody know what happened to Floyd?

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

Floyd: Jun 14 Marty Noble, of Mets.MLB.com, reports New York Mets OF Cliff Floyd (ankle) remains out of the lineup with a sprained left ankle. Floyd was expected to return to the lineup Tuesday, June 13.

Jun 13 Floyd, out since twisting his left ankle while reaching third base on June 6 in Los Angeles, expects to be back Tuesday when the Mets open a three-game series at Philadelphia, the NY Daily News reports.
Recommendation: Floyd's return should push Lastings Milledge back to right field, and Endy Chavez again to a reserve role. But the outfield soon will get even more crowded as Xavier Nady may be ready to return next Monday from his appendectomy when the Mets start a series versus Cincinnati. With the team starting three straight series against the AL on June 23, manager Willie Randolph will be able to use Floyd as a DH and hope that the situation sorts itself out by the time the Mets resume play against the NL.

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
*comes streaking through the topic*
GO TWINS!!! I LOVE YOU JOE MAUER!

*is chased by security*

[Ghost]

Meh. Stupid Twins beating the Red Sox. Who hit that GS last night? BTW Matt Clement sucks.

Another win... I believe that makes it 7 or 8 in a row for the mets? BTW their playing right now and we're winning by one run. Hope Wagner doesn't blow it. SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP*Knock on wood*

Also, from now on, Every week,seeing as Mr.Pikachu does all around baseball, i will update the Mets Stats. Jeez i think we need a fricken Mets Fan club discussion lol.

Name AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB OBP AVG
Reyes 276 52 72 12 8 6 31 29 35 28 .333 .261
Wright 250 42 84 18 2 13 47 30 48 10 .406 .336
Delgado 246 40 66 11 0 19 49 25 57 0 .350 .268
Lo Duca 212 30 61 14 0 3 18 11 15 3 .330 .288
Beltran 203 40 61 16 0 18 51 39 46 12 .412 .300
Floyd 181 25 43 10 1 6 19 19 24 4 .330 .238
Nady 161 23 43 8 0 9 22 12 31 2 .331 .267

[Perfect Chaos]

Wow, even Reyes looks like he has better power numbers than Floyd and Nady (lol) but that's because those two haven't played for a while. I hope Floyd can SOMEWHAT return to his 2005 form and Nady just plays decently (18-20 HR is not bad at all).

Yeah, I hope that we sweep the Phillies, cause then we come back home with like an 8 game winning streak X)

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

Sweep finished!!
Wagner was great, hell, even Sanchez, and Heilman pitched 2 great innings each!!

Wright hit another HR!!
MVP!! MVP!! MVP!!

They now have an 8 game streak going, 9-1 in a 10 game road trip from LA-Ari-Phi...not bad...
And, the best record in the League, thanks to Tampa beating the Tigers in extra last night!!

[Perfect Chaos]

Sweet! Now we just need to keep this up until the All-Star break and we'll be in the clear X)

And I heard that David Wright is leading all NL 3B in All-Star balloting. So this means we might have at least three Mets on the All-Star team this year X) (Wright, Beltran, and Lo Duca)

This is seriously FRIGGIN AWESOME

-Sean

[Ghost]

Wow I just realized we are 9 and a half games up... Fawesome.

I think this just might be the year. *Knock on wood again*

Also, I think it is awesome that Wright is leading 3B and that Beltran is playing as good as hes getting paid.

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I'm the all-around baseball guy. :cool:

And speaking of stats that concern everyone, it's time to take a look at the current leaders in voting for the 2006 All-Star Game!



AMERICAN LEAGUE

First Base
1 David Ortiz, Red Sox 915,362
2 Jason Giambi, Yankees 626,289
3 Paul Konerko, White Sox 429,572
4 Travis Hafner, Indians 364,246
5 Chris Shelton, Tigers 274,730

Second Base
1 Robinson Cano, Yankees 602,637
2 Mark Loretta, Red Sox 535,043
3 Tadahito Iguchi, White Sox 499,643
4 Placido Polanco, Tigers 268,728
5 Jose Lopez, Mariners 265,692

Third Base
1 Alex Rodriguez, Yankees 1,067,369
2 Mike Lowell, Red Sox 468,031
3 Joe Crede, White Sox 341,224
4 Troy Glaus, Blue Jays 338,899
5 Eric Chavez, Athletics 311,301

Shortstop
1 Derek Jeter, Yankees 1,121,712
2 Miguel Tejada, Orioles 776,442
3 Michael Young, Rangers 293,249
4 Alex Gonzalez, Red Sox 249,094
5 Juan Uribe, White Sox 232,635

Catcher
1 Jason Varitek, Red Sox 630,657
2 Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers 595,132
3 Jorge Posada, Yankees 489,480
4 A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox 370,020
5 Victor Martinez, Indians 324,575

Outfield
1 Vladimir Guerrero, Angels 1,115,476
2 Manny Ramirez, Red Sox 1,080,426
3 Johnny Damon, Yankees 754,396
4 Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners 677,392
5 Vernon Wells, Blue Jays 554,409
6 Gary Sheffield, Yankees 466,520
7 Jermaine Dye, White Sox 407,162
8 Scott Podsednik, White Sox 384,119
9 Hideki Matsui, Yankees 362,289
10 Coco Crisp, Red Sox 354,181
11 Torii Hunter, Twins 349,262
12 Trot Nixon, Red Sox 323,813
13 Magglio Ordonez, Tigers 315,390
14 Grady Sizemore, Indians 288,314
15 Jonny Gomes, Devil Rays 225,432


NATIONAL LEAGUE

First Base
1 Albert Pujols, Cardinals 1,442,273
2 Carlos Delgado, Mets 443,747
3 Ryan Howard, Phillies 352,555
4 Nomar Garciaparra, Dodgers 332,668
5 Lance Berkman, Astros 316,477

Second Base
1 Chase Utley, Phillies 732,592
2 Craig Biggio, Astros 581,079
3 Jose Castillo, Pirates 284,886
4 Marcus Giles, Braves 283,313
5 Jeff Kent, Dodgers 280,128

Third Base
1 David Wright, Mets 661,184
2 Scott Rolen, Cardinals 644,412
3 Morgan Ensberg, Astros 375,651
4 Miguel Cabrera, Marlins 352,951
5 Chipper Jones, Braves 347,546

Shortstop
1 David Eckstein, Cardinals 540,237
2 Jose Reyes, Mets 489,781
3 Edgar Renteria, Braves 483,639
4 Jimmy Rollins, Phillies 426,532
5 Omar Vizquel, Giants 293,628

Catcher
1 Paul Lo Duca, Mets 631,896
2 Mike Piazza, Padres 528,110
3 Yadier Molina, Cardinals 450,995
4 Brad Ausmus, Astros 360,412
5 Brian McCann, Braves 321,463

Outfield
1 Andruw Jones, Braves 813,990
2 Ken Griffey, Jr., Reds 761,091
3 Carlos Beltran, Mets 737,830
4 Alfonso Soriano, Nationals 736,907
5 Jim Edmonds, Cardinals 574,133
6 Jason Bay, Pirates 555,764
7 Bobby Abreu, Phillies 527,356
8 Barry Bonds, Giants 408,579
9 Aaron Rowand, Phillies 401,802
10 Carlos Lee, Brewers 401,503
11 Adam Dunn, Reds 304,364
12 Pat Burrell, Phillies 261,501
13 So Taguchi, Cardinals 250,433
14 Jeff Francoeur, Braves 250,375
15 Xavier Nady, Mets 246,067



(Thanks to CBS Sportsline (http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/allstar/voting) for the info.)

[+conspiracy+]

omg soriano is closing in on beltran... well, either way both of them will make it :)

we should have a TPM fantasy baseball league.. :)

[Ghost]

omg soriano is closing in on beltran... well, either way both of them will make it :)

we should have a TPM fantasy baseball league.. :)


Hell yeah, that would be awesome.

BTW, thanks for the Info Mr.Pikachu. Nady made it to the top 15!

[Dark Dragonite]

I have a few problems with the voting so far...

1)Matsui has a broken wrist, why are people voting for him?
2)Nady had an apendectomy...see above...
3)Why is Posada not higher? he's more clutch than Varitek...but then again, why aren't more Detroit players up there, they are in 1st in all AL, second only to Mets in MLB?

[Perfect Chaos]

Its because the All-Star game REALLY is a popularity contest. Sure, there are alot people that DESERVE to get on (coughwrightbeltrancough), but over in the American League, its always about the Yankees and the Red Sox, no one else. That's why I'm sort of neutral over the All-Star game voting, cause some people that deserve to go do go, and some who don't but are extremely popular still manage to get in.

I mean come on, Alber Pujols has no timetable on WHEN he's coming back from his muscle strain (correct me if I'm wrong) and he STILL has the most amount of votes out of everyone in the MLB

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

No problem, Ghost. It's what I do. ^_^


...A fantasy baseball league for TPM, huh? You know, that actually sounds like a really good idea! I wouldn't mind running the league, if we have one. After all, I do collect stats like a madman anyway, and I've played in several fantasy baseball (as well as football and basketball) leagues before. We could even have one this season and make it start at the end of the All-Star Break.

So I guess the main point of this post is to ask how many people might be interested in participating in something like that. C'mon, let's see a show of hands! Who among us would at least be interested in trying it?

*raises hand eagerly*

[Dark Dragonite]

I'd do it, I have a good track record...on yahoo?
I'll have to use another sn, I have 4 teams on one already...

[mr_pikachu]

Well, I was actually thinking that we could do it through TPM, rather than make everyone go through an outside service. For instance, if we did a head-to-head league with each match lasting one week, it'd be rather easy to get the stats together by hand. Then, a couple of fast calculations (or better yet, a simple formula using something like Excel) would be a simple way to determine the winner of each game.

[Ghost]

That definately sounds like a good idea. I'd join no doubt :P

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
I don't care if the Twins aren't leading or anything... but *hypergirlymode* omg, best looking team ever. ^_~ *endhypergirlymode*

And... might I add that Joe Mauer leads the league with his batting average... a whopping .376, and that Santana has 104 strikeouts putting him in the lead currently as well. Mwhaha...

Hey, no one around here lives in MN so I am the lone one here. ^^;;

[Perfect Chaos]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind trying to join a TPM fantasy baseball league. Sounds like a really good idea.

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

that's rad, how many players, would we have an AIM draft, and are there bench spots, or just credit for any pitchers you have?

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
I don't care... as long as I get my Joe Mauer....

*blink blink*
... I'm not obsessed.... seriously...

[mr_pikachu]

Okay, let me just tell you all what I'm thinking, and you can all give your input about it.

First of all, we'd definitely need bench spots. This is crucial, especially to deal with the inevitable injuries that players incur throughout the season. However, we probably wouldn't designate that a certain number of bench spots are pitchers-only or hitters-only; you, as the coach, could decide what roles were most needed for your bench players.

(In this area, which you're reading at this moment, I had typed a very large paragraph which attempted to explain some overly complicated concerns. However, as I wrote the rest of this post, I found a good league system that simplifies the issues while still making things fair, so I've deleted the original paragraph. Instead, I'll explain everything using the aforementioned league system as a reference.)

As for what positions would be included, the starting lineup would be divided into either nine position players and seven pitchers. For the position players (or "batters"), each team would have one player at each of the infield positions (catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop), three outfielders, and a "utility" player who could be an extra position player or a designated hitter. It's basically a "wildcard" spot where any player other than a pitcher can be placed. This adds up to 16 total players. However, teams may have as many as 22 players at a time; extra players will be placed on the bench.

For scoring, we can have a standard set of head-to-head point values in place. Teams will earn points based on the following statistics:


Batting Categories
Single 1 point
Double 2 points
Triple 3 points
Home Run 4 points
RBI 1 point
Run 1 point
Base on Balls 1 point
Stolen Base 2 points

Pitching Category
Win 10 points
Save 10 points
Complete Game 5 points
Strikeout 1 point
Base on Balls -0.5 points
Inning Pitched 2 points
Hits Allowed -0.5 points
Earned Runs -1 point

(Note: Pitchers do not accumulate points for hitting, even if they do bat. Similarly, position players cannot earn or lose points for pitching, even if they do so during a game. Each player will always be designated by their typical position, whether or not they happen to play other roles during some games.)


Teams will be paired against each other, and each team will play one game a week (unless we have an odd number of teams; then we may have bye weeks or doubleheaders). In each game, the team that earns more points will win.

Trading will be allowed between teams, and even "lopsided" trades (such as three players for one) will be permitted. However, the other team owners can object to trades if they believe that the teams involved in the trade are conspiring to purposely make one team stronger at the expense of the other. There's a bit of a difficult process that occurs if there are sufficient objections, but I wouldn't expect such problems to occur. They certainly aren't common.

At the end of the year, there will be playoffs between the four best teams in the league. In a two week period, the champion will be determined in two rounds of final games. In the first week, the #1 team will play the #4 team, and the #2 team will play the #3 team. In the second week, the two teams will play each other to determine the champion. (Alternatively, we may choose to disregard the playoffs if there is agreement throughout the league beforehand.)

The draft would probably be conducted through the league itself, rather than through a chat service such as AIM. It often works better that way, because everyone can be more certain of what players are being drafted, regardless of any typos or omitted pieces of information. Also, teams will be allowed to add and drop players during the season, as long as such actions don't become too drastic (for instance, dropping your entire team at once).

Anyway, I think I've pretty much got all the questions explained; at least, I've explained the ones that have been posed so far. Please, let me know if you have any more questions. In the meantime, I'm going to see if I can sign up for a good league managing service. Because now that I really think about it, it might not be good for everyone to have to rely on me to collect all the statistics accurately and in a timely manner, so an automated system may be much better.

[Crazy Elf Boy]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind trying to join a TPM fantasy baseball league. Sounds like a really good idea.

-Sean


Sounds great if we do it i would so love to play

[mr_pikachu]

Okay, in regards to a TPM Fantasy League, we'll need to set a time and date to draft players. We could use an automated draft, in which it is done automatically based upon a "queue" of players that each team creates. However, from what I've seen, that often leaves people with very poor lineups (for instance, a ton of pitchers, both good and bad, along with the worst hitters you've ever seen).

So, if we're going to start the league at the beginning of the second half, we should probably run the draft during the All-Star break (or at least close to it). As a first suggestion to get some discussion going, how does 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time on Sunday, July 9th sound? (Even though the last MLB games of the first half are on that day, they shouldn't factor into any league games, as the draft will not be completed before they begin.)

I apologize for being a bit hasty with this, but under the free system that I've found which appears to work best, I can't change the draft date or time once I've created the league. So basically, I can't create the league until we can agree on when we'll be doing the draft.

I've made a list of the people who appear to be interested in the league; you can see that below. But there are still some spots left for more people who want to join, so just let us know here if you want in the game, like everyone else has!



Interested TPMers:
mr_pikachu
c0n5p1r4cy
Ghost
Dark Dragonite
Bulbasaur4 (?)
Perfect Chaos
Crazy Elf Boy

To clarify, were you interested in participating, B4? I wasn't sure.

(Wow, I never thought you all would be this excited about an idea like this! Excellent!)


Once we get everything going, and the league is established with a draft date and time, I'll send PMs to everyone who has decided to play. Those PMs will have a link to the league as well as the password for it, so you can each sign up and create your team.


EDIT: By the way, we'll need precisely ten teams in order to have a league. Considering that we've got so many people interested in such a short time, I fully expect that we'll be able to reach that limit. But since we can't have any more than ten teams, let us know right away if you're interested in playing so that you can get on the list!

[Ghost]

July 9th... (Runs to check calendar) It doesn't look like i'll be doing anything, but then again, School will be out.

I am actually really excited about this league. Although sadly we still need 3 more people.

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I'm psyched about this, too. I do think we'll end up with our 10 teams. After all, just look at how many people who have replied to this thread:



mr_pikachu
Dark Dragonite
Number1ChanseyFan
DragoKnight
Pokemaster Ash
Hatake Kakashi
jet1213
Myster Myuu
Ghost
Perfect Chaos
SupremeChampion
Jeff
Reborned-Dragon
Pm-5000fan
c0n5p1r4cy
Bulbasaur4
Crazy Elf Boy

Bolded members are on "the list."


In non-fantasy news, Oakland has jumped to the top of the AL West, passing the Rangers with their seventh consecutive win. That's a pretty drastic swing, especially considering that (1) the gap between first and last in that division is a mere five games, and (2) many sportswriters have spent all of this season trying to figure out why the A's have fared so poorly.

Then again, if we want to discuss a close race, we should probably look at the NL West. The Dodgers (36-30) are in first, while Arizona (35-31) stands at a game back. But San Diego, San Francisco, and Colorado are all just two games back with records of 34-30. That kind of margin is simply nuts at this point in the season.

It's funny... the NL West has both the second-weakest division leader (Oakland, at 35-31, is a game back from the Dodgers) and the strongest last-place team (the closest is the LA Angels, again of the AL West, at 30-34). So all the teams in both leagues' West divisions seem to be pretty much average. Go figure.

[Dark Dragonite]

Ok, 2 things, I need to clarify...

1)This will be in PCG I assume, as it is a game?

2)How will we be doing the benching moves, as pitchers would be a pain, like in yahoo fantasy, you have to set it up so your starters rotate in for their starts, or you don't get credit for those games. Will we be posting everyday, or in advance, depending on when they start?
Example:

P J. Santana(Min) @NYY
Bench  T. Glavine(NYM) ^Atl

"Switch Glavine to P, Bench Santana" ?

EDIT: Oh, I forgot, the best looking division in the league is NL West:
Team                  GB
L.A.                      --
Arizona                1
Colorado              2
San Diego            2
San Francisco        2

EDIT2: Also, yeah, Oakland has a 7 game streak, but people make such a big deal about that when, NYM has an 8game streak going, had a 7game streak earlier in the season, and haven't played this good since:
1986-Won the WS
1988-Lost the NLCS

[+conspiracy+]

ummm... i'm confused :) yay, im happy im confused :cool:

anyways, I'm definitely in as my fantasy track record is great [/brag], but what im thinking is that having a yahoo mid-season league would be incredibly easy... if thats not what we're already doing... -_-

oh and btw *checks calendar* o0o July 9th is a Sunday, which means that I have a game at *checks schedule* 1:00... but that's Hawaii time :grin: so that time is definitely suitable for me.

and back on topic... well, not exactly, but this is something that I've brought up numerous times with people regarding the 2004 NL Cy Young in which Roger Clemens took home oh so not deservingly over Randy Johnson... and here are the stats..

Randy Johnson
Record: 16-14
4 CG's, 2 Shutouts, 1 Perfect Game
290 K's, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, .197 BAA

so he lost 14 games with an ERA under 3 which just means that Arizona gave no run support... but those stats are amazing

Roger Clemens
Record: 18-4
0 CG's, 0 Shutouts
218 K's, 2.98 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, .217 BAA

now, unless my eyes decieve me, that's only two more wins then the unit, which is the only stat that he prevails in.

I know this is two years ago, but seriously, if A-rod can win the MVP (which takes into account how you help your team to victory) with the RANGERS, then Randy should have definitely won the Cy with the Dbacks...

:) I'm living in the past.

[Perfect Chaos]

Ah...July 9 huh?

If that's the case, then I'm afraid I'll have to pull out. I'll be on a flight to India this coming Monday and I'll have no Internet access until August :dead: So I guess this means that I'm off "the list"

Sorry, maybe the next time this thing starts again (if it continues?)

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

Randy can't win the NL cy young...the Yankees are AL, I believe the AL cy young winner of 2004 was Johan Santana of the twins:

G GS W L CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP BAA
34 34 20 6 1 1 228.0 156 70 66 24 54 265 2.61 0.92 .192

You have to admit, santana is impressive, with the last 3 years, he has like 5 CGs, and 3SOs

This year, I'd say Santana is up for it again, Johnson has W-L ERA K Walks WHIP
8-5 5.32 69 31 1.36

VS. Santana

W-L ERA K Walks WHIP
6-4 2.99 104 16 1.02

and in the NL...Brandon Webb? holy shit...

[mr_pikachu]

Okay, to answer your questions...


Dark Dragonite: If we do have this in PCG, I'll need to get it approved really quickly. I was actually hoping that we could manage this through an automated league, at least this during this first semi-season.

Each league game lasts for a full week, so whatever roster you set at the beginning of the week cannot be changed until the following week. Therefore, your starting pitchers will accumulate stats only for the games that they start during that week (unless they happen to serve as a relief pitcher, as well). That actually helps to balance things out with the statistics; otherwise relief pitchers wouldn't stand a chance. Also, it makes it easier to manage your team if you're not able to look at your lineup every single day; missing a day isn't catastrophic.

Note that your lineup automatically remains the same from week to week unless you make changes to it. Any lineup changes made during one league game will go into effect at the beginning of the next league game.


c0n5p1r4cy: Glad to hear that you've done this before! You should pick this up fairly quickly, then.

However, I'm actually not a big fan of Yahoo's fantasy baseball, as I've found that their head-to-head leagues leave a lot to be desired. (Frankly, I don't like their rotisserie system all that well, either, but their head-to-head format just doesn't make much sense.)

...You know what? Heck with it. Instead of explaining everything indirectly, I'm just going to direct you all to the league system that I've been considering using for this: CBS Sportsline.com Fantasy Baseball Rules (http://baseball.sportsline.com/splash/baseball/spln/single/rules). Note that WE WILL BE USING THE FREE LEAGUE. I do not want to make people pay to play, because frankly, we probably won't get enough people in that case. That also means no money prize at the end, but hey, it's not about the money. Right? ;)

It'll be a private league (I'll provide the password to any TPMer who participates) played under the weekly head-to-head scoring system, and we will be using a live draft.


Perfect Chaos: Hey, don't drop out! The date was only a suggestion! We'll be using a time that best works for everyone, so if you can suggest a time that would work for more participants than the first idea, then you're in business! (Alternatively, you could choose to conduct your portion of the draft using the automated system, if you liked. That would be another way to participate, regardless of when the draft day was.)

On the other hand, if you won't have internet access until August, then that might also make it difficult to conduct your lineup well in the first few weeks... :undecided:


Dark Dragonite: ...I thought that the Unit was traded in 2005... am I mistaken?

[Perfect Chaos]

Thanks mr_pikachu

If you guys don't mind, I'd prefer if we could start it around the end of August/beginning of September. I'll be back in the U.S. by that time (and have Internet access :D) and I'll also be in college, but I'm not sure how long it will take for me to adjust to college life in general. Anyways, this is just a suggestion on my part, and I'll still to do my best in trying to participate in this.

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

You are right, I forgot about that trade...I'm not a huge Yankee fan, lol

It has to start around all star break, they end registration by August I believe, and baseball regular season ends in October.(I mention that because a lot of bad teams do have a great player or 2, but will not be in the playoffs)

If we're using a site to do it, why can't we do daily changes, I mean, say instead of having a lot of bats on your bench, you went with pitchers, if there are 7 pitching spots, and more pitchers...ok, an example...in one of my yahoo leagues, I have:

SP C. Hamels
SP T. Armas
RP B. Lidge
RP B. Wagner
P J. Isringhausen
P T. Coffey
P B. Penny
BN J. Santana
BN B. Arroyo
BN W. Rodriguez
BN D. Willis
DL J. Patterson

EVERY pitcher is going to have a start in almost EVERY week...am I supposed to keep Arroyo or Santana benched for a whole week, and potentially miss a huge game?
Also, in other leagues I stockpile more closers than I have here, I rotate my closers depending on their record, and how they and their team has done against their opponents, I change my lineups in all 4 yahoo leagues everyday.
Just incase you are wondering if I got a lousy team in the field...

C I. Rodríguez
(Det - C)  C @ChC Top 5, 5-2 -/- - - - - -
1B J. Thome
(CWS - 1B)  1BUtilBN @Cin 7:10 pm -/- - - - - -
2B B. Phillips
(Cin - 2B)  2BUtilBN CWS 7:10 pm -/- - - - - -
3B T. Wigginton
(TB - 1B,2B,3B)  1B2B3BUtilBN @Phi 7:05 pm -/- - - - - -
SS N. Garciaparra
(LAD - 1B,3B,SS)  1B3BSSUtilBN @Oak 10:05 pm -/- - - - - -
OF G. Jenkins
(Mil - OF)  OFUtilBN Cle 8:05 pm -/- - - - - -
OF Pr. Wilson
(Hou - OF)  OFUtilBN KC 8:05 pm -/- - - - - -
OF J. Dye
(CWS - OF)  OFUtilBN @Cin 7:10 pm -/- - - - - -
Util A. Kearns
(Cin - OF)  OFUtilBN CWS 7:10 pm -/- - - - - -
BN M. Jacobs
(Fla - 1B) 

currently in 3rd by 3 games, and only 1.5 behind 2nd


EDIT: I typically go for every position and util in batting, then get everything else a pitcher, more chances to stockpile Ws, Ks, SVs, etc...

Also, I only push yahoo, due to a lot of people having yahoo accounts, I have multiples, so I can easily get another league going there, plus I am very used to it there...
Finishes
1st: 4
2nd: 3
3rd: 2, including a winner's league

[mr_pikachu]

Perfect Chaos: Well, the really big problem (besides league registration times ending) is that if we start that late, we won't be able to play very many games. For instance, if we started right at the beginning of September/end of August, we'd really only have time for four games, since there would only be four full weeks left in the season. So I'm not sure that such an abridged schedule would work, unfortunately.


Dark Dragonite: You mentioned that you might bench your starters, because they would usually only start one game a week. But don't forget that pitchers accumulate a good amount of points for each inning they pitch, as well. For instance, a starter would earn as many points for throwing five innings as a closer would get for a save. Furthermore, that would be doubled if those five innings resulted in a win. And don't forget that since closers don't pitch in every game, it would be very unlikely for one to go five innings in a single week. Also, these points are in addition to the full point for every strikeout; since a pitcher only loses half a point for a walk, it can be very beneficial to accumulate innings in this manner.

On the other hand, closers do accumulate 10 points for each save they earn. While they're not going to get, say, seven saves in a week, they will get them frequently enough for the stats to come about even with an equally skilled starting/middle relief pitcher. That's why this method can work; you only need to make major adjustments in the event of an injury (or if a starter is scheduled for zero or two starts in a given week, rather than the usual one). Otherwise, it's more about tracking the performance of your players and making timely lineup changes and Drop/Add moves.

And one of the good things about this is that you don't necessarily have to check your lineup every single day in order to stay in contention. It certainly helps to keep track of how your team is doing; you don't want to come back after a month's absence to find that you've got five starters on the DL. But it helps to make a more even playing field for people who may not be able to get online everyday. For people who might be in a situation similar to Perfect Chaos', that might be better. Although it still comes down to superior team managing; if you've got more time to spend with managing, you'll probably have a better season.

Now, we can do a Yahoo league if everyone decides they'd prefer that; I just don't care for their scoring systems, myself. For the purposes of comparison, let me provide their method:


In a Head-to-Head League, your team will square off in a weekly matchup against another manager's team to see who can compile the best stats across a number of different categories.

A new weekly matchup begins every Monday and will consist of a set number of games based on your league's statistical categories. Each stat category counts as one game, with the win going to the team that finishes the week with the highest total in that category (the cumulative total after each Sunday's games).

So, if in a given week, your team hits more home runs than your opponent's, you would be credited with a victory. However, if your opponent's team ended the week with more saves than your team, you would be charged with a loss. If the two teams end up tied in a given category, each will receive credit for a tied game.

This weekly win-loss total will be added to a cumulative season record, which will be used to determine standings and playoff seedings. These standings will be based on your team's overall winning percentage, which is calculated by taking your win total and adding 1/2 of your tie total and dividing the sum by the total number of games your team has played.


So basically, you're comparing stat against stat, usually totalling ten statistics (such as Wins, Saves, Home Runs, Batting Average, etc). In each week's game, for every stat in which your team was superior, you get a win. For each stat in which your opponent is superior, you get a loss. Any stat that is tied yields a tie, for ten total results per week. The problem is that some managers will purposely get a team whose players are very deficient in a few of the stats but can almost always combine to win a slight majority. So when you play a team like that, even if you've got a much better lineup overall, you may lose just because you blow them away in three or four stats but lose the remainder by small margins. It certainly isn't a system that rewards balance, although it can be rewarding for people who strategize in that manner.

Anyway, I'll let you all decide what you'd prefer to use. I know some of you are probably more familiar with the Yahoo! leagues, so if more of you want to use that than the accumulation method from CBS Sportsline, that's fine. Just say whatever method you'd prefer.

And don't forget, there are still some spots open for participants in the league!

[Dark Dragonite]

I see your point, but injuries can not be predicted, and neither can good games, so if I have say Matsui in the OF, and he breaks his wrist, I'm stuck with a player not playing for 5 games?

[+conspiracy+]

yah, I'm kinda like Dark Dragonite in that in both rotisserie and head-to-head leagues I have to change lineups almost daily for better matchups or if I anticipate a day off or something...

and btw, ummm Crazy Elf Boy, can I ask if you even keep up with American Baseball?

[Crazy Elf Boy]

Sorry i don't, but i do know how to play i have played a couple of times at school and i have finsihed Mario Baseball LOL

[Dark Dragonite]

HAHAHA...I just got this offer:

I get:
1B Ortiz(BOS)
OF Mathews Jr.(TEX)
P F.Rodney(DET)

I give:
1B J.Thome(ChiSox)

First, Ortiz hasn't homered since jun 11, and isn't batting that well, Thome hit another bomb last night, and has 4 on Ortiz, secondly, Rodney is not the closer, Jones is, and mathews would mean dropping a good player for junk...

[mr_pikachu]

But... but you're getting three players for one! Haven't you ever heard of strength in numbers? XD

Gotta love people who offer trades like that. Does he just think you're an idiot, or what?

[Dark Dragonite]

he changed up the trade:

I give:
Thome

I get:
Ortiz
Mathews Jr.

A.Harang(Cin SP)

tough call, harang is good:
A. Harang
(Cin - SP) ^CWS
O-Rank Rank IP W K ERA WHIP
123 28 89.2 7 90 3.91 1.28


my team is dead last in roto league:
C B. McCann
(Atl - C) CUtilBN Bos 8:05 pm -/- - - - - -
1B J. Thome
(CWS - 1B) 1BUtilBN @Cin 1:15 pm -/- - - - - -
2B T. Wigginton
(TB - 1B,2B,3B) 1B2B3BUtilBN @Phi 1:35 pm -/- - - - - -
3B M. Ensberg
(Hou - 3B) 3BUtilBN KC 2:05 pm -/- - - - - -
SS D. Jeter
(NYY - SS) SSUtilBN @Was 1:05 pm -/- - - - - -
OF A. Dunn
(Cin - 1B,OF) 1BOFUtilBN CWS 1:15 pm -/- - - - - -
OF Lui. González
(Ari - OF) OFUtilBN @Tex 2:05 pm -/- - - - - -
OF C. Ross
(Fla - OF) OFUtilBN Tor 1:05 pm -/- - - - - -
Util C. Shelton
(Det - 1B) 1BUtilBN @ChC 2:20 pm -/- - - - - -
BN P. Lo Duca
(NYM - C)

SP C. Capuano
(Mil - SP) SPPBN Cle 2:05 pm - - - - - -
SP R. Nolasco
(Fla - SP,RP) SPRPPBN Tor 1:05 pm - - - - - -
RP B. Jenks
(CWS - RP) RPPBN @Cin 1:15 pm - - - - - -
RP K. Ray
(Atl - RP) RPPBN Bos 8:05 pm - - - - - -
P T. Glavine
(NYM - SP) SPPBN ^Bal 1:10 pm - - - - - -
P A. Burgos
(KC - RP) RPPBN @Hou 2:05 pm - - - - - -
P W. Rodríguez
(Hou - SP) SPPBN KC 2:05 pm - - - - - -
BN B. Penny
(LAD - SP) SPPBN @Oak 4:05 pm - - - - - -
BN O. Hernández
(NYM - SP) SPPBN Bal 1:10 pm - - - - - -
BN B. Hennessey
(SF - SP,RP) SPRPPBN @Sea 4:05 pm - - - - - -
BN C. Janssen
(Tor - SP)

[Dark Dragonite]

I hate to double post...but YAY, out of that 2 game funk against a horrible team(Bal)...9-4, with Wright getting a GRAND SALAMI!! and 5Rbis on the night for the record...
Oh, and Glavine is the first MLB pitcher to 10 Wins this season...not too shabby for a pitcher who turned 40 this year...and has 24yrs under his belt..I see another 2 left in him...

[Bulbasaur4]

[color=royalblue]
Twins won again! Woot! And Mauer *droolz* and Santana are still leaders in their respective catagories. Not only that, but Kubel and Nathan have stuck it up there. Go them. ^_~

[Number1ChanseyFan]

[color=magenta]Well, just about everything has been going wrong for Cleveland so far, and there hasn't been much excitement, but I am really looking forward to the game tonight. Greg Maddux will make his first appearance against the Indians since games 1 and 5 of the World Series in October 1995. That was my first year as an Indians fan, and I can still remember everything about those games, so win or lose, this will be a pretty cool game, it will bring back memories of the good, but not-so-old days of the Indians.

[Ghost]

Wagner blew last nights save again :(.

OH well, at least the red sox won :)

[Dark Dragonite]

I believe everyone in the NL East lost last night...
I love having El Duque, but...Jorge Julio is now Arizona's closer, and a lot cheaper than Billy Blow-it-again Wagner... I'm sick of him already, why is it that every good closer comes to the Mets, and starts sucking, case in point...Armando Benitez...ever since John Franco retired, we haven't had one dependable closer...I mean, Mariano Rivera dependable...
Good News: Nady is back, hit 2 HRs, Reyes hit for the cycle, and Wright is still amazing.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, the absence of Mr. Pikachu + the closedness of yahoo fantasy baseball...I guess = no fantasy baseball this year...what sports are coming up though...Anyone up for Football or Hockey?

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Wagner blew last nights save again :(.
[color=magenta]Well, the Indians blew the big daddy of all saves last night. Actually, they were winning by so much, it wasn't even considered a blown save. XD.

Cleveland was beting Cincinnati 7-0 in the 8th inning last night. Rafael Betancourt comes in, pitches to 4 guys, gives up a home run, 2 singles, and another home run. 0 innings pitched, 4 runs. XD Fausto Carmona comes in and retires the side without any more damage. Cleveland scores another run in the 9th, increases their lead to 8-4. Cleveland goes to the 9th, brings in their closer, Bob Wickman. He retires the first guy on a pop-up, gives up two singles, then gets a ground out which scores a run. So, Cleveland is still winning 8-5, Cincinnati is down to their last out, with a runner on second. Wickman goes on to throw one strike total to the next 2 hitters, loading the bases for Adam Dunn. Wickman throws ball one, and then puts one over the middle of the plate... a walk-off grand slam, and a 9-8 win for Cincinnati.

I may never watch another game again!!

[Ghost]

Well I guess we tie the series with the Yanks... Again.

I still cant believe Willie left in Soler that long.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, let's be honest, sometimes, players do not make the best management decesions...look at the NY Knicks, Isiah Thomas was a great player...as a president, GM, and now coach...he sucks royal ass...

Willie left Soler in, the game got out of hand, he could have put a vet in like Oliver, he put Bell in, more runs surrendered...where as Torre took Wright out after 4 runs, and they won...

I'll tell you this much, Bobby Valentine would have this team on track to win the series...aside from his antics, he was a great coach, given this talented team, damn...instead, he got fired, and he's bringing Japanese teams to the championships, and having shrines made for him...

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Willie left Soler in, the game got out of hand, he could have put a vet in like Oliver, he put Bell in, more runs surrendered...where as Torre took Wright out after 4 runs, and they won...

I'll tell you this much, Bobby Valentine would have this team on track to win the series...aside from his antics, he was a great coach, given this talented team, damn...instead, he got fired, and he's bringing Japanese teams to the championships, and having shrines made for him...
[color=magenta]Meh, I don't even knw why the Yankees wanted Jaret Wright in the first place, I guess that one good year he had in Atlanta interested them, or when he beat up the Yankees in the 1997 ALDS with Cleveland. After watching him for years in Cleveland, I could have told the Yankees that he wasn't very good. XD

As for Bobby Valentine, I still loved that time where he got kicked out of the game and then reappeared in the dugout with that fake mustache. ^_^

[Ghost]

[color=magenta]Meh, I don't even knw why the Yankees wanted Jaret Wright in the first place, I guess that one good year he had in Atlanta interested them, or when he beat up the Yankees in the 1997 ALDS with Cleveland. After watching him for years in Cleveland, I could have told the Yankees that he wasn't very good. XD

As for Bobby Valentine, I still loved that time where he got kicked out of the game and then reappeared in the dugout with that fake mustache. ^_^


Jaret Wright is horrible. He wasn't evevn that good in Atlanta. Also, Bobby Valentine is like a god among managers. Why isn't it that we havent had a good manager since Bobby? All I remember after Bobby was Art Howe and Willie... Also, when Bobby Valentine did that, I was cracking up.

Also, yesterday on YES they were showing game 1 of the 2000 World Series. Bleh.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Jaret Wright is horrible. He wasn't evevn that good in Atlanta.

[color=magenta]I know, that is why I am so disappointed that he hasn't pitched against the Indians yet... and he isn't going to this year either. I was hoping to at least get the chance to pay him back for all of the lousy pitching he did for the Indians all of those years. XD Nothing against the Yankees or anything, I just wasn't a huge Jaret Wright fan. Does he still have his attitude problem now that he is with the Yankees?

It is hard to believe that after 1997, the Indians turned down Montreal's offer of Pedro Martinez (yeah, he almost was an Indian before he was traded to Boston!!) for Brian Giles and Jaret Wright. Pedro would have got Cleveland their World Series, I am sure of it. A legit #1 starter was what Cleveland was missing when they were good. It didn't really help anything that Pedro kicked Cleveland's butt in the 1999 ALDS. He would have been unbeatable in Cleveland, with their offense and their defense... in 1999, Cleveland had Robbie Alomar, Omar Vizquel, and Travis Fryman on the infield, all of who were top defenders at their positions, as well as Kenny Lofton in center field, another premier defender at the time. Plus, the offense scored over 1000 runs that season... Imagine Pedro in his prime on that team....

[Dark Dragonite]

Mets = having Meltdown...10-1 against a team that is dead last, 29-55...Glavine better snap them out of it today...I mean, Beltran, Reyes, Wright, Delgado, etc...1 friggan run against subpar pitching?

[Pokemaster Ash]

You think you guys are having a bad year? I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. This has been absolutely disastrous (though looking better with the return of Derrek Lee). I mean...oh god...

I think they need to get rid of Ryan Dempster. I don't care if he just became a dad, he's becoming another Alfonseca/LaTroy Hawkins. He SUCKS! And yet, they're still relying on him. Haven't they learned?

At least there's the White Sox to fall back on. They're kicking butt. I really hope the Cubs can get out of this nosedive, though...

[Ghost]

Well, you guys are getting Prior and Wade Miller back, and Zambrano is pithcing good this year...

Unlike his (brother?Cousin?non relative) Victor Zambrano, who SUCKS.

[+conspiracy+]

haha.. all you Jaret Wright haters out there... 6 IP 10 Ks

not that I like him or anything, but it could possibly be a breakout performance, then again... maybe not xD

[Ghost]

It's offical: I hate Jose Lima. Why did we even trade for him? HES HORRIBLE.

Also, I still think Jaret Wright sucks.

But, the good news for us Mets fans: John Maine and Mike Pelfrey are starting tommorow, both who are really good prospects (was Maine In Baltimore?)

[Ghost]

Sorry for the double post but, I dont want this to die.

Awesome jobs by Mike Pelfrey and John Maine, even though Maine picked up the loss.

Anybody watching the HR Derby tonight? LETS GO DAVID ORTIZ+DAVID WRIGHT!

[Dark Dragonite]

Ryan Howard came out of nowhere to win...Wright did do awesome though...they actually went through the minors together, so they're friends, rad night...GO NATIONAL LEAGUE!!
Hopefully they win tonight, then the Mets will have Home advantage in the WS!!

[Ghost]

Can't believe D-Wright lost. Though now he is 3rd total in HR Derby :)

LETS GO NL!!!!!~

[mr_pikachu]

Sorry about the absence. Been having some internet catastophies (the word "problems" would be vastly insufficient). Suffice it to say, I've been having trouble just getting online. It's rather difficult to sustain much TPM activity when you have to drive half an hour just to get to a computer so that you can do research for a summer class. Not fun.

I'm sorry about the fantasy baseball. However, there are two things I wanted to mention. First of all, if we plan ahead, we should be able to get something going next season (for the full season!) without any problems at all. Second, if anyone wants to jump in for this year, feel free to try to get a second-half league started. Unfortunately, with all the problems with my internet, I don't think I'll even be able to participate; I'll just have to wait for next season to join in.

Now, a bit of MLB news that I'm sure you've all heard by now, but that I just saw (deal with it):

Major League Baseball sees indictment coming for Bonds (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=afp-baseballusadoping&prov=afp&type=lgns)

And I see another asterisk looming on the horizon. Yes indeed, you know it's summer when the MLB's in chaos.

...

Aw, crud. I just realized that, with no internet access and no TV at my house, I still have no idea who'll be playing in the All-Star Game! DANG IT!

[Ghost]

Well, NLs leading 2-1, and the two runs for the NL have been from a D-Wright homerun and a error by Holliday that let Beltran score :)

[Hatake Kakashi]

Ryan Howard came out of nowhere to win...Wright did do awesome though...they actually went through the minors together, so they're friends, rad night...GO NATIONAL LEAGUE!!
Hopefully they win tonight, then the Mets will have Home advantage in the WS!!


Assuming they get there :P

[Ghost]

Assuming they get there :P

Nice job NL. WAY TO BLOW THE GAME HOFFMAN.

But other then that, Are you trying to diss the Mets Kakashi? (BTW, like the name, Narutos awesome :) )

[Dark Dragonite]

Assuming they get there :P


Don't worry, they will, bggest threat to the Mets is Florida, a team probably not making the playoffs...
I'd be more worried about the Yankees spending their way to beating the Sox out of an AL East title again, lol

[Ghost]

Don't worry, they will, bggest threat to the Mets is Florida, a team probably not making the playoffs...
I'd be more worried about the Yankees spending their way to beating the Sox out of an AL East title again, lol


Florida has a really good team this year... Most of em are all Young guys, so they'll have a contending team for a few years, as long as they dont go on another firesale.

Our star prospect, Petit, is supposed to go in the rotation next year, once they get rid of Willis.

[Dark Dragonite]

They will not ditch willis, it makes no sense, he's too good, too young...great florida rotation:

Willis
Johnson
Olsen
Petit
get someone better than Nolasco, although he isn't too horrible...
Yahoo shows Petit in the rotation already

[Ghost]

But they need to get rid of money. he's the most at 4 mil( Jeez, thats low...) They will most likely try to pick up a stud pitching prospect... Like Pelfrey or Bannister.

[Ghost]

Sorry for Double Post, dont want this to die.

Mets won again last night. Nice job by the mets to crush the cubs :)

[Dark Dragonite]

Hahahaha...this is the year of the Bad News Bears being Cubs...

Now, Zambrano is the only worry, but Glavine can keep up with him...El Duque should beat Marshall...

EDIT: Spoke too soon, Glavine was doing great, guess got tired in the 6th, and the bullpen(namely Bradford) had a meltdown...

[Ghost]

What happened today? All I knew was they were losing like 2-0.

[Dark Dragonite]

basically, they were down 5-2...El Duque lasted a whole 1.2 innings...then...the offense happened...the scary truth to how potent the Mets are...2 grand slams in an inning, 3 HRs total...11 runs in the 6th...a Mets record...won 13-7...Hahahahahahaha...I hate Heilman though...stop whining about not starting, and start pitching effectively...

Oh, and if the Mets replace Cliff FLoyd...I don't care if it's Abreau...the Phillies will not let him go to a division rival easy...Flyd hit a granny, and a solo shot...keep him!!

[Ghost]

Phew, thank god the Mets won. I thought they were going to lose to the cubs again :eek:

Also, Pelfrey is pitching to the Reds tonight. Thank god :)

[Dark Dragonite]

Ok, we've seen Willie do some bad moves, like keeping in the starter in the yankee game, which they were blown out...but why the hell isn't Darren Oliver a Starter?? He was one in Colorado, and he should at the very least be a long reliver...he gets 4 innings max, and that happened twice, otherwise, he gets maybe 1 inning, and unlike feliciano, heilman, and bradford, he hasn't imploded on the field...

[Ghost]

God damnit, How the hell did we lose last night? I didn't see it, but all i know is that we lost 7-4.

BTW, anyone watching SNY during rain delay? They were showing the first game in NYC after 9/11. THat was pretty cool.

[Dark Dragonite]

If you're a Mets fan, you have to be a happy camper tonight!!

El Duque's start was pushed back til Sat due to a 54 minute rain delay...John Maine started...and finished...CG shut out, 4 hits, 1 walk, 4 Ks!!

Valentine hit a granny!! His 2nd in two weeks, and the Mets 5th in 2 weeks!!

[Ghost]

Nice job by Pelfrey, but of course, we couldn't finish up the sweep...

also, Mike Pelfrey has TMJ, does anyone here know what that does? All i know is that it has something to do with your jaw..

[Dark Dragonite]

They should just change the title of this thread to NY Mets and some other baseball stuff...lol

temporomandibular joint disorder
http://www.mindspring.com/~sandysimmons/tmj.html

"Symptoms directly linked to TMJ include:

Joint popping
Inability to chew or bite down on hard foods
Pain in the joint and the surrounding areas
Headaches
Ringing in the ears
Plugged ears
Ear pain
Conditions Linked to TMJ Based on Recent Studies:

TMJ is common in people who also have:

Mitral valve prolapse
Hypermobile joints (also called joint laxity or double jointedness)
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or another form of a connective tissue disorder

Conditions Linked to TMJ Based on My Own Experience and My Email:

Frozen Shoulders
Dental work
Car accidents - I get a lot of email about that
Scoliosis
Using a mouse with your hand on the side of your body where you have TMJ
Magnesium deficiency
Playing a musical instrument that puts pressure on your hands or neck "

[mr_pikachu]

Hooray, the Cards sweep the season series with the Dodgers for the first time in 115 years. Woo!

(And for the record, HOW THE HELL DID IT TAKE 115 YEARS?!)

[Dark Dragonite]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals#Franchise_history

The American Association...the Cardinals franchise began in 1882 before MLB really exsisted with the Cincinnati Red Stockings, whose name changed quickly to the Brown Stockings...and obviously, the Dodgers were the Btooklyn Dodgers in the 1800s

[Ghost]

Wow, 115 years? Jesus, that's a while....

Also, mr pikachu, where the hell have you been? It's been just me and dark dragonite talking in here for ages...

Also, this should be turned into New York Mets+some other baseball stuff...

[mr_pikachu]

DD: Well, actually, I knew that. I was just baffled by the fact that it took them that many seasons to finally sweep the Dodgers (regardless of their city). 114 years without a season sweep? Craziness!


Ghost: I've been in the land without internet access. See, I'm living in my parent's vacant house, which... aw, hell with it. You can read my explanation somewhere else; I'm not writing it out for the thousanth thim! *is tired of explaining*

(Sorry. It's just that the whole situation annoys me to no end. Argh!)

Maybe I'll change the name... for about 15 seconds. Then I'll change it back. And I won't give any warning about when it will happen. Yay?

[Ghost]

Booooooooo!!!!!!

Maybe the Mets will attract more then us 3 and the occasional NumberOneChanseyFan visit, lol!

Tonight it's going to be Trachsel vs Maddux, lets hope they win! I'm still pissed we didn't beat the 'Stros.

[Ghost]

Wow... Where is everyone?

I'm still pissed we got rid of Nads.... :(

[mr_pikachu]

Oh, yeah. Cards 13, Reds 1. It took a total of 12 pitches to score five runs off Ramirez in the first (dang!), and we just blew them away in general. This is a crucial series that could either give Cincinnati a chance in the NL Central or cement St. Louis' dominance. And this was the right way to start.

However, I don't like the Belliard-Luna trade. Belliard's a great player, and he'll hit .290 for us for years to come. But Luna's got a boatload of potential; I think they need to try to build their talent this year, looking ahead to the future. Frankly, we haven't played like a championship team this year (two eight-game losing streaks is never a good sign), so I don't think we should be trading away prospects to get temporary talent. Luna could have grown into an extraordinary player who we could've had for many years. Belliard is already strong, but he's an older player who doesn't have nearly as much time left in the majors as Luna likely does. I just hope this doesn't hurt our chances in the future.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

However, I don't like the Belliard-Luna trade. Belliard's a great player, and he'll hit .290 for us for years to come. But Luna's got a boatload of potential; I think they need to try to build their talent this year, looking ahead to the future. Frankly, we haven't played like a championship team this year (two eight-game losing streaks is never a good sign), so I don't think we should be trading away prospects to get temporary talent. Luna could have grown into an extraordinary player who we could've had for many years. Belliard is already strong, but he's an older player who doesn't have nearly as much time left in the majors as Luna likely does. I just hope this doesn't hurt our chances in the future.
[color=magenta]XD If you don't like Belliard you can always give him back. ^_^ The trade really didn't hurt Cleveland, because Belliard is a free agent at the end of the year, so they were probably going to lose him anyways, so it made sense to get something for him. Cleveland has a horrible record of trying to keep their own free agents. I think that most of them are smart enough to get out of here at their first chance. Although I have heard that the Indians may try and resign Belliard again after this season. Either way, he was a pretty good player and teammate, (although he is a little to impatient at the plate and hits into too many double plays IMO.) so this is a nice chance for him to play in a postseason, especially if he does sign back with Cleveland after this year, because if he does that, he won't be seeing the playoffs for a loooooooooooong time. XD

Belliard can be surprising though, especially late in games, he has had a couple of big hits against some tough closers over the years. He also has deceptively good home run power for a small guy, (He is only as tall as I am!! ^_^) he has the ability to hit for power at important times late in games.

On a side note, Luna is hitting .143 and finally got his first 2 RBI last night. XD I may be wrong, but I don't think that Luna is going to be irreplaceable for the Cardinals. I don't think he will hit enough to become a regular player, he is probably more of a utility guy. Most of his value comes from him being able to play just any position except catcher/pitcher, but there are plenty of guys out there like that. The Indians actually lost Luna 2 times in the minor league Rule 5 draft back when he was in the minors with Cleveland, they got him back the first time from Tampa Bay, but St. Louis drafted him the next year and kept him.

[mr_pikachu]

Oh, come on!

Edmonds rips a grand slam in the first inning... we retain a (slim) 7-6 lead going into the ninth... and Isringhausen blows another save.

Walkoff two-run blast by David Ross (who the freak is that?). 8-7 loss. I could die.

[Ghost]

Wow... Cards got swept by Pirates (or was it Padres?)

AND PEDRO MARTINEZ blows again. and again. and again.

[mr_pikachu]

It was the Pirates. This was after we botched the Reds series, mind you.

We've left the door wide open for Cincinnati with only one 3-game set left to play against them... At this rate, my Cardinals are going to miss the playoffs...

Not that we deserve to make them. In all honesty, this has been a horrendous year. I still want them to make the playoffs, but I'm not sure we're deserving this time around. We'll see.

[Dark Dragonite]

How about Boston being swept by the Royals...LOL
and almost swept by Tampa Bay back to back...

Pedro's a bum...getting injured, and still taking the mound, so that when his inning is over, the Mets have little chance of winning...

John Maine for the win!!

But as my dad said, they were due for a lousy game, since they've played so well

[Ghost]

Nice Job by Maine for the win. Could he be our next ace?

Also, anybody watching the Red Sox yankees today? Johnson vs Wang, XD

[mr_pikachu]

With less than a month and a half left to play, how is your team faring in the hunt for October?



AL East W L AVG GB
NY Yankees 70 48 .593 -
Boston 69 50 .580 1.5
Toronto 65 56 .537 6.5
Baltimore 53 68 .438 18.5
Tampa Bay 48 73 .397 23.5

AL Central W L AVG GB
Detroit 79 42 .653 -
Chicago Sox 72 48 .600 6.5
Minnesota 70 50 .583 8.5
Cleveland 54 66 .450 24.5
Kansas City 43 79 .352 36.5

AL West W L AVG GB
Oakland 68 52 .567 -
LA Angels 63 59 .516 6.0
Texas 62 60 .508 7.0
Seattle 56 65 .463 12.5


NL East W L AVG GB
NY Mets 72 48 .600 -
Philadelphia 59 61 .492 13.0
Atlanta 56 64 .467 16.0
Florida 56 64 .467 16.0
Washington 53 68 .438 19.5

NL Central W L AVG GB
St. Louis 64 56 .533 -
Cincinnati 62 59 .512 2.5
Houston 58 63 .479 6.5
Milwaukee 57 64 .471 7.5
Chicago Cubs 52 68 .433 12.0
Pittsburgh 46 75 .380 18.5

NL West W L AVG GB
LA Dodgers 64 57 .529 -
Arizona 61 60 .504 3.0
San Diego 60 61 .496 4.0
Colorado 59 62 .488 5.0
San Francisco 58 63 .479 6.0

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Also, anybody watching the Red Sox yankees today? Johnson vs Wang, XD
[color=magenta]Meh, should be an easy win for the Yankees then. Silly Jason Johnson... I wonder why the Red Sox wanted him? I am glad they did though, so at least he isn't Cleveland's problem anymore. XD It was very funny that the Red Sox traded for him a couple of months ago, and then he pitched against the Indians, and they beat him. It was the most good that Johnson did for the Indians since they signed him... then again, he usually always has been more valuable to the team that he is pitching against instead of the team that he is pitching for...

BTW earlier in the year when Jason Johnson pitched for Cleveland, he pitched against Randy Johnson, so it was Johnson and Johnson. ^_^ I'll give a cookie to whoever correctly guesses which Johnson won that game.

[Ghost]

Boston's losing 4-3 in the 6th now sadly... But hopefully they can come back, with a man on second and all. *knock on wood*

[Girafarig]

Ugh, the Braves have really slipped lately. Goodbye, 14-year division streak.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

[color=magenta]To all of the Mets fans in this topic...

Thank you for trading for Guillermo Mota!! You have made Cleveland a better place. Hopefully you guys didn't give up too much for him... although a ball and bat would probably qualify as too much. XD

So ummm... good luck. Maybe he will do something with the change of scenery... he was one of the worst pitchers that has ever played for Cleveland.

[Ghost]

Hopefully their just using him for triple A... actually, Single A may be better for him. :D

Red Sox are getting annihilated... must go back to hiding.

[mr_pikachu]

It's been 55 years since the Yankees swept a five-game series from the Sox, and another eight years since it's happened a Fenway. But they just did it again... I didn't even realize anyone still played five-game series... o_0

In other news, the Cardinals are trying as hard as they can to give up the NL Central lead, but Cincinnati refuses to take it.

...I've never loved those Pirates more. ^_^

[+conspiracy+]

yes ggBostonkthxbai

[Dark Dragonite]

Did the stock market relocate to Boston, and crash?
I could swear I've seen tons of people jumping out of their windows...oh...the Red Sox have given up? The Yankees will win another Division?
Red Sox fans complaining about other teams buying their teams?
Curt Schilling?
Keith Fulke?
Mike Lowell?

ROFL...

[Ghost]

Yes, the Red Sox fucking crashed and burned. But then again, I suppose the yankees wanted payback for choking... HAH.

anyways, hopefully they can get on a wining streak against them, and then win the Wild Card. The White Sox and twins are fading.

And yes Mr.Pikachu, I hope the Mets kill the Cards tommorow, espically with Jeff Weaver pitching tommorow. While you may have an argument that he pitched good last time, we have John Maine going, who has been lights out. Then again, we also have Dave Williams going, I have no clue what he's like.

[Dark Dragonite]

according to one site...Williams is on the DL with cramps in both legs...

So, Mets fans, our rotation looks like:

El Duque
Trachsel
Maine

While having these guys on the DL
Pedro
Glavine(Blood clot in shoulder...could be done for year)
Williams

We SHOULD call up Brian Bannister, he's had quality starts in AAA, after rehabbing his hamstring...
Also, we COULD call up Oliver Perez...former Pirate...he is 50/50, he used to get a lot of Ks...then again, look at the lack of team around him...
Oh, and Pelfrey is in the minors, and on the DL...

[Ghost]

Sorry Drago, but according to ESPN and various other sources, Glavine could be back in by next week. Also, according to probable pithcers, Williams is pitching Thursday at the finale.

[mr_pikachu]

Could be, yes. But it's actually kind of unlikely, I think. From my understanding of the situation, the blood clot that Glavine has is a bit dangerous for a pitcher. So he has the choice of ending his season to have it removed, or keep pitching and risk screwing up his arm royally (possibly a career-ender). Yeah, he could be back by next week, but from what I've heard, that's a rather unlikely scenario, despite the Mets' position right now.


EDIT: Okay, I just read the most recent reports (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2557206). I will say that in most cases, sources in situations like these don't usually lie (much). However, it is concerning that they still aren't sure whether it is, as they suspect, a series of small blood clots. It probably isn't the "knot" that they mentioned, but you never know...

[Dark Dragonite]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AhcGRwwFRN.7Zr86FtuxtzgRvLYF?slug=ap-mets-glavine&prov=ap&type=lgns

Glavine is ok, but OUT for 7-10 days, meaning he misses 2-3 starts...

"The test showed that the symptoms are caused by an old injury to an artery probably caused by pitching," the Mets said in a statement Tuesday. "The scar tissue from that old injury occasionally causes blood clots to form in Tom's finger. The condition is not serious and will be treated with baby aspirin and other medication to help his circulation."

ALSO

"Aug 20 Williams left Saturday's New York Mets game with leg cramps. He had pitched 5 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits to the Colorado Rockies.
Advice: Williams is scheduled to pitch Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals. He is 2-3 with a 6.90 ERA in nine starts this season. "

[mr_pikachu]

Fantastic.

The Reds have pulled to within a game of the Cardinals, St. Louis is squaring off against the top team in the National League, and we're got Marquis - who truly deserves to be dropped to AA ball - pitching the rubber game. Brilliant. >_<

At least Mulder's coming back. I hope he has a good game tonight, because we really, really need it.

And lest I forget, thanks for blowing another save last night, Izzy.

[Dark Dragonite]

And lest we forget...he was at one time a top Mets starting pitcher/prospect...there were 3 that they had a nickname for...

Jason Isringhausen
Bill Pulsipher
Paul Wilson

There was also Bobby Jones...but these 3 were suppossed to be the best...all went down the same year I believe with shoulder injuries...then ended up on other clubs years later...had mediocre results...Izzy is the only one I know still in the majors...but this year, he's pulling a Pedro...

[mr_pikachu]

Mulder: 3.0 innings, 9 earned runs allowed.
Mulder's ERA: Waiting for next year to start.

Thank God the Reds lost... >_<

[Dark Dragonite]

Let's just say Oakland knew when to dump mulder and hudson...

On the brightside...you guys still have Carpenter and Pujols!!

[mr_pikachu]

Well, true. But it doesn't help when Pujols hits a grand slam and a three-run bomb and you end up losing 8-7 on a blown Izzy save... And even Carpenter hasn't been spectacular this year, but that's mostly because the bullpen can't hold a lead to save their lives (or more applicably, their jobs).

On an unrelated note, would any of you be interesting in participating in a fantasy football league for TPM? I know a couple of people are already interested, and I'm trying to see who exactly would want to do it. (No, this isn't a sign-up thread, and I'm not asking for any sort of commitment here at all. I'm just trying to get a general idea of the interest in the Misc. crowd. I know it will be completely skewed, since most of you are probably more baseball fans than football fans, but I'm taking that into account. Just... would anyone in this thread be interested?)

[Dark Dragonite]

I'd go for it, I have 2 teams already, as well as a salary cap team, and pro pick em

[Ghost]

I'm in a fantasy football league already, and i'd love to be in another one.

BTW, nice job by the mets ^^

[Dark Dragonite]

nice job almost blowing the win...I hate heilman...he was whining about starting...we get rid of benson...he's not good enough to be in the rotation, hell, we pulled Jose Lima out of our asses before giving Heilman a start...

Hopefully, we can sweep, keep this streak going though...

Oh, and now the eternal question...do we uh yahoo?

[Ghost]

I believe that Billy Beane wanted Heilman as a starter for the A's... I wonder how that would of worked out. Then again, We could still trade Heilman to the A's for someone good... Like if we could somehow get Bobby Crosby or Scutaro... lol

[Dark Dragonite]

I would take Nick Swisher from the A's...that's the only bat I like in their lineup...we don't need a SS batting .229
On the other side, I would give up Heilman, and Pelfrey/Bradford for Dan Haren, or Zito, maybe even Heilman for Loaiza and a minor leaguer...

We don't need a SS with Reyes and Woodward there, the only positions we could really use is:

Catcher...I love loduca, but he can't play every game...Castro is injured...Let's pray Atlanta, or a 3 trade deal could bring a stud in like B. McCann

Starting Pitching...We have 4 active starters? WTF...Bannister should be ready, and up...this is rediculous...rest glavine and pedro a while...we'll be paying their contracts for years, might as well try to make them last that long...

[Ghost]

Woot. We nailed the sweep, We got Bannister pitching tommorow, and Perez pitching Saturday. And we're getting a new car tommorow^^. But other then that, all I have to say is that I hope Banny and Perez both do good, and that hopefully Oliver Perez is back to his old form with the mets.

Also, Crosby plays 2B aswell. Swisher would be good too, because he can play Outfield too.

[mr_pikachu]

Fantastic. Now that the Cards have been swept, I'm reduced to desperately rooting for the hated Giants to keep Cincinnati from tying for the division lead. If San Francisco doesn't hold their suddenly narrow lead, St. Louis will be in major trouble. Go, Giants!

...I think a little part of me just died.

[Ghost]

Awesome job by Oliver Perez tonight. If only the umpire wasnt such a Nazi...

Also, Awesome job by Mota. He's been a lifesaver since we got him, unlike Chanseyfan said :ninja:

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Also, Awesome job by Mota. He's been a lifesaver since we got him, unlike Chanseyfan said :ninja:
[color=magenta]Meh... I dunno, he was really bad in Cleveland... maybe he just lost his focus or intensity or something by pitching on a bad team, and now that he is on a good team, maybe he is trying harder or something. (Going by his career numbers, a few good years caused him to be rather over-rated.) He was a total disaster in Cleveland though... I remember one game where he came in and walked the first 4 batters that he faced to start an inning. Oh well XD. I'm glad he is doing good for you, but I'm still very happy that he is gone.

[mr_pikachu]

*groans*

Cubs-Cardinals... Ugh. Innings like this one are very irritating. Frankly, they fully demonstrate the problems we're having this year.


Pierre hits a single off Weaver to start the first. Fine, whatever, it happens. But Bynum hits a pop-up to center that Edmonds normally catches easily. His replacement, Encarnacion, not only doesn't get to the pop fly, but he drops it while trying to field the ball, so Pierre gets to third!

Bynum "steals" second (really, they just didn't know whether to call it a wild pitch or a passed ball), but Weaver at least strikes out Ramirez. But he walks Jones after getting him in an 0-2 count, and then he advances everyone with a wild pitch. A groundout scores another run, and another strikeout ends the inning. But guess what? We're down 2-0 when decent play would've kept it scoreless. :P

[/rant]


EDIT: HOLY COW! Rolen takes a well-placed pitch and slaps it to right for a single, knocking in Preston Wilson. But Jacque Jones in right makes a three-base error, allowing Rolen to score!

We have a game. :eek:

[Dark Dragonite]

Mets Fans...Rain out, make up DH on Monday!!

Mr. Pikachu, no offense, I wanted St. Louis to beat Boston...Chris Carpenter is an amazing come-back pitcher...Izzy can be a great closer, pujols...there are no words...NY will have the best record in the League, and take home field adantage in the playoffs...

I love those underdog Marlins!!
Win 7 in a row, now, 3 games out of the wild card, and they have 2 more games left than the Reds...I would actually like to see a team of rookies, with a rookie manager make the playoffs in a year they were slated to lose 100-120 games...they're 3 under .500, probably the 3 best team in the league behind NY and St.Louis

[Girafarig]

Mets Fans...Rain out, make up DH on Monday!!

Mr. Pikachu, no offense, I wanted St. Louis to beat Boston...Chris Carpenter is an amazing come-back pitcher...Izzy can be a great closer, pujols...there are no words...NY will have the best record in the League, and take home field adantage in the playoffs...

I love those underdog Marlins!!
Win 7 in a row, now, 3 games out of the wild card, and they have 2 more games left than the Reds...I would actually like to see a team of rookies, with a rookie manager make the playoffs in a year they were slated to lose 100-120 games...they're 3 under .500, probably the 3 best team in the league behind NY and St.Louis


Ah, no. The Marlins must fail. If Atlanta has any hopes of the playoffs then the Marlins must mess up their last games.

[mr_pikachu]

Sorry to say it, but that's one heck of a big "if" you've posed there... the Braves have been out of legitimate contention for awhile now.



Teams ahead of the Braves in the Wild Card Race
Cincinnati Reds
San Diego Padres
Philadelphia Phillies
San Francisco Giants
Florida Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks
Milwaukee Brewers


Ouch.

[Dark Dragonite]

If you haven't noticed, with maddux, glavine, and almost 50yo julio franco gone...Alanta reminds me a lot of this:
http://objection.mrdictionary.net/go.php?n=862595

[Ghost]

Hey, who do we have pitching today other then Maine? I think it's going to be Trax right? And is Dave Williams going to get another start?

[Dark Dragonite]

Reports are...Glavine will start Friday against Houston...For some reason, it looks like no DH tonight...originally I was excited there would be one, now I only see the 12:10pm one, it would be perfect, the second game should have ended around 8pm...

Hernandez was pushed back as a precaution, he was throwing in the outfield recently...he has no timetable, but since no dl, I would figure, he could go Thursday or Saturday

Maine Vs. Moyer...Maine has made two starts against the Phillies this season. He won both, giving up just two runs in 12 innings.

Traschel last pitched 5 days ago against St.Louis for 5 innings

Williams pitched in St.Louis for 6 1/3 on the 24th

Perez just pitched on the 26th, so he won't pitch until Wednesday, thursday

Pelfrey and Bannister still in the minors...

At Colorado Tuesday, Wed, Thurs...basically, the Mets have only 1 day off in September...the 14th...they better not fuck up their starters...a lot of divisional games with Atl, Fla, and Was

[mr_pikachu]

Mets fans should be quite happy right now. Even if it's only a percentage-point lead, the New York Mets have vaulted themselves into the best record in baseball.

Now for some news I care about (but don't want to hear). Cardinal pitcher Mark Mulder will likely be out for the remainder of the season with more shoulder problems. Not good, considering that he's one of the guys we thought would provide a critical boost for the playoffs. Things could get tricky come October...

[Ghost]

Who did you guys give up for Mark Mulder during that trade BTW? If I'm not mistaken it was Dan Haren right?

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, they also got Kiko Calero and some guy named Daric Barton.

Actually, I'm almost (but not quite) happy that Mulder will be out for awhile, because it'll surely hurt his value during contract negotiations. (He's a free agent after this year.) It seemed unlikely that the Cards could afford to keep him, but if he's too risky for other teams, we might be able to win a small-scale bidding war to keep him.

[Dark Dragonite]

Mets Mets Mets Mets!!

What, like 15 wins from the penant? that will be nice, first to a division, and home field advantage!!

Mets should make it to the World Series, who is a challenge in the NL? the Marlins are my biggest concern as a NY Mets fan...and they may not make it now...

Send us your best AL...Detroit Vs. Mets or subway series again?

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Send us your best AL...Detroit Vs. Mets or subway series again?
[color=magenta]Meh, Detroit is very over-rated IMO. They have overachieved for most of the year, and now reality is setting in on them. I think that if the Twins get Francisco Liriano back and performing, then they will make it to the WS. (Santana/Liriano could be like Johnson/Schilling for Arizona back in 2001.) Otherwise I say the New York Yankees will make it. I just hope that the White Sox collapse and miss the playoffs entirely. I seriously hate that stupid team... I still don't know how they won the World Series last year.

[Dark Dragonite]

they won because they were motivated by more than the extra 0s on their paychecks...they were/are a bunch of rejects that nobody wanted...and they kicked ass...I can appreciate a team like that.

Bosox are done...Ortiz with a heart monitor, Manny with a bum knee, Papelbon with a shoulder injury, Lester with Lymphoma...oh, and I believe schilling is down too...no more curse of the Bambino, but how about the start of the curse of the Damon

[Ghost]

Red Sox are slowing coming back, and the Mets were rained out. Ugh.

[mr_pikachu]

Sometimes I tell myself, "You know, I'm being negligent. I should really be watching more of the Cardinals' games. Why have I let myself lose track of everything?"

Then I watch one.

Heading into the ninth, the Cardinals were trying to come back from a 5-4 deficit. One out and a man on first, and Preston Wilson jacks one into the upper deck. 6-5, Cards. Izzy comes in to make the save.

Then he gives up two walks and hits a guy while only recording one out. The next batter slaps a two-run single to win it, 7-6.

Suddenly my memory returns, and I say, "Good luck getting to October, guys."

[Ghost]

Holy Shit, Anibal Sanchez of the Marlins just threw a no hitter.

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I know. Now the only question that remains is: "Who?"

Anyway, I just looked up a crazy stat. Isringhausen has 33 saves this year, but he's blown 10 chances. Imagine where we'd be if we could add those ten games to the "Win" column... X_X

[Dark Dragonite]

Mets fans are cruisin'!!

4 games til Penant clinched, and we pretty much have Home field advantage through the play-offs...best record in Baseball, with injuries to Glavine, Pedro, Beltran, Floyd(multiple injuries), reyes...

I wish Bobby V was here for this!!

[Perfect Chaos]

Sorry for not posting in this topic for a LONG LONG LONG time but I have some great news:

:dance: :dance: THE NEW YORK METS ARE THE 2006 NL EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS!!!! :dance: :dance:

After being stuck with their magic number being at 1 since last Friday, the Mets blanked out the Marlins today 4-0, with a strong pitching effort by Steve Trachsel and the majority of the offense provided by unexpected "superstar" Jose Valentin

Linkage (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AgztBM2cbq81b1Wy3AJuxvYRvLYF?gid=260918 121)

[mr_pikachu]

HOLY WHOA.

Dodgers get back to first in the N.L. West with a win over the Padres. And if you think that's the big story, it isn't.

It's how they did it.



Going into the bottom of the ninth, L.A. was down 9-5.

Kent steps up to the plate and pops one out of the park. 9-6.

Drew rips a 2-1 pitch into right. 9-7.

Hoffman comes in to throw, but Martin still blasts one to right. 9-8.

Marlon Anderson comes up. The first pitch didn't stay in the park for long. 9-9.

Back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs. That hasn't happened since 1964, when the Twins did it. But that definitely wasn't a bottom of the ninth comeback affair. I can guarantee that.


And yet, the story's not over yet. Because it went to the tenth, and San Diego scored to make it 10-9.

Bottom of the tenth. Hoffman's done, so Seanez comes in to try and close it out. But he walks Lofton, bringing the winning run to the plate.

I'll give you three guesses what Garciaparra did next. If you use more than one, then you haven't been listening.


Linkage (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/060919)

[Ghost]

WB perfect Chaos!

and yes, the mets are NL East Champs

[mr_pikachu]

As we move into the final weeks of the season, where does your team stand? Are you still in contention, or have you dropped out of the hunt?



_____________________________
A.L. EastWL.PCTGB
y-NY Yankees9362.600-
Boston8373.53210.5
Toronto8273.52911.0
Baltimore6888.43625.5
Tampa Bay6095.38733.0


_____________________________
A.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
z-Detroit9462.603-
Minnesota9263.5941.5
Chicago Sox8769.5587.0
Cleveland7283.46521.5
Kansas City5897.37435.5


_____________________________
A.L. WestWL.PCTGB
Oakland9065.581-
LA Angels8471.5426.0
Texas7878.50012.5
Seattle7581.48115.5


_____________________________
N.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Mets9362.600-
Philadelphia8273.52911.0
Florida7680.48717.5
Atlanta7581.48118.5
Washington6887.43925.0


_____________________________
N.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
St. Louis8074.519-
Houston7778.4973.5
Cincinnati7679.4904.5
Milwaukee7383.4688.0
Pittsburgh6591.41716.0
Chicago Cubs6393.40418.0


_____________________________
N.L. WestWL.PCTGB
San Diego8372.535-
LA Dodgers8274.5261.5
San Francisco7580.4848.0
Colorado7482.4749.5
Arizona7382.47110.0


x-Clinched Best League Record
y-Clinched Division
z-Clinched Playoffs
Eliminated from playoff contention





_____________________________
A.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Minnesota9263.594-
Chicago Sox8769.5585.5


_____________________________
N.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Philadelphia8273.529-
LA Dodgers8274.5260.5
Houston7778.4975.0
Cincinnati7679.4906.0
Florida7680.4876.5
San Francisco7580.4847.0



And the Tigers make the playoffs for the first time in 19 years. Yeah, the team that set an AL record for most losses in a season three years ago has reached the postseason. Celebrate, Detroit! You earned it.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

[color=magenta]Yay!! The White Sox come to Cleveland for a 3-game series starting tonight... The magic number for the White Sox to be officially eliminated from the Wild Card race against the Minnesota Twins is 2... so after Cleveland was eliminated from the playoffs in the final regular season series last year by the White Sox who had already won their division, it is time to give them a proper payback!! ^_^ As everybody probably knows, the White Sox are by far my most-hated team, so in a terrible season in which nothing has went right for Cleveland, this has the chance to be the silver-lining to the season.

Sorry for sounding so nasty and vengeful... Cleveland fans are bitter by nature though. ^_~

[mr_pikachu]

Well, you've got a shot, Christen. I suppose it would be in you guys' nature... the Indians, the Cavs, the Browns... it can't be easy rooting for those teams.



_____________________________
A.L. EastWL.PCTGB
y-NY Yankees9362.600-
Boston8373.53210.5
Toronto8273.52911.0
Baltimore6888.43625.5
Tampa Bay6095.38733.0


_____________________________
A.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
z-Detroit9462.603-
Minnesota9263.5941.5
Chicago Sox8769.5587.0
Cleveland7283.46521.5
Kansas City5897.37435.5


_____________________________
A.L. WestWL.PCTGB
Oakland9065.581-
LA Angels8471.5426.0
Texas7878.50012.5
Seattle7581.48115.5


_____________________________
N.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Mets9362.600-
Philadelphia8273.52911.0
Florida7680.48717.5
Atlanta7581.48118.5
Washington6887.43925.0


_____________________________
N.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
St. Louis8074.519-
Houston7778.4973.5
Cincinnati7779.4944.0
Milwaukee7383.4688.0
Pittsburgh6591.41716.0
Chicago Cubs6394.40118.5


_____________________________
N.L. WestWL.PCTGB
San Diego8372.535-
LA Dodgers8274.5261.5
San Francisco7580.4848.0
Colorado7482.4749.5
Arizona7382.47110.0


x-Clinched Best League Record
y-Clinched Division
z-Clinched Playoffs
Eliminated from playoff contention





_____________________________
A.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Minnesota9263.594-
Chicago Sox8769.5585.5


_____________________________
N.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Philadelphia8273.529-
LA Dodgers8274.5260.5
Houston7778.4975.0
Cincinnati7779.4945.5
Florida7680.4876.5
San Francisco7580.4847.0

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Well, you've got a shot, Christen. I suppose it would be in you guys' nature... the Indians, the Cavs, the Browns... it can't be easy rooting for those teams.
[color=magenta]Well, put a line through the White Sox on your list, because they are officially done!! The Indians beat up the Sox tonight 14-1, hitting their major-league record tying 14th grand slam of the year in the process. The Twins also beat the Royals tonight, so that was enough to end the White Sox's attempt at making the playoffs. It was quite funny to see the fans tonight holding up signs with Ozzie Guillen's picture blown up on it, where he was giving the choke sign to the fans last year when the White Sox ruined the Indian's playoff run last year. The fans were on him all night long, I think that is why he was afraid to go to the mound and take his starting pitcher out of the game until he had already let 10 runs in. XD I think he was hoping to avoid having to go to the mound to make a pitching change during an inning. It was really fitting that Chicago season came to an end here in Cleveland, especially with newly aquired Jim Thome on their team, who left Cleveland after the 2002 season as a free agent who was only concerned about money.

[Blademaster]

(is just wandering past, looking for something to do; stops and peeks inside)

Goddamn, thassa big thread...

(exits and walks off, in search of greater things...)

[mr_pikachu]

*ignores Blademaster's comment*

Hooray, the Sox are out! Excellent!

I don't much like them. It's hard to like Chicago when you're a Cards fan. ^_^

And by the way, Giants = done. I'm pleased about that one as well. :D


EDIT: FANTASTIC.

I just noticed something weird about the Cardinals' schedule. They're scheduled to play five games in the remainder of this season.

Why is that weird? Because they've only played 156 out of 162...

So I looked back and realized that the game against the Giants on September 17 was postponed due to rain. Let me quote from ESPN.com:

The Game Has Been Postponed Due To Rain. The Game Will Only Be Made-up If Deemed Necessary For Determining Play-off Participation.

At the time, it looked like it would certainly not be necessary. After all, we had a titanic lead in the division. There was no question who'd win the N.L. Central crown.

Since then, St. Louis has played nine games and won one.

Great.



_____________________________
A.L. EastWL.PCTGB
y-NY Yankees9662.608-
Toronto8474.53212.0
Boston8475.52812.5
Baltimore6890.43028.0
Tampa Bay6197.38635.0


_____________________________
A.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
z-Detroit9563.601-
z-Minnesota9464.5951.0
Chicago Sox8871.5537.5
Cleveland7484.46821.0
Kansas City5999.37336.0


_____________________________
A.L. WestWL.PCTGB
y-Oakland9166.580-
LA Angels8572.5416.0
Texas7979.50012.5
Seattle7682.48115.5


_____________________________
N.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Mets9365.589-
Philadelphia8375.52510.0
Florida7781.48716.0
Atlanta7781.48716.0
Washington7088.44323.0


_____________________________
N.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
St. Louis8176.516-
Houston8078.5061.5
Cincinnati7880.4943.5
Milwaukee7385.4628.5
Pittsburgh6593.41116.5
Chicago Cubs6594.40917.0


_____________________________
N.L. WestWL.PCTGB
San Diego8573.538-
LA Dodgers8474.5321.0
San Francisco7682.4819.0
Arizona7583.47510.0
Colorado7484.46811.0


x-Clinched Best League Record
y-Clinched Division
z-Clinched Playoffs
Eliminated from playoff contention





_____________________________
A.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Minnesota9464.595-


_____________________________
N.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
LA Dodgers8474.532-
Philadelphia8375.5251.0
Houston8078.5064.0


Magic Numbers by Division[U]Magic Number
A.L. East - New York Yankees
Clinched
A.L. Central - Detroit Tigers
4
A.L. West - Oakland Athletics
Clinched
N.L. East - New York Mets
Clinched
N.L. Central - St. Louis Cardinals
4
N.L. West - San Diego Padres
4
A.L. Wild Card - Minnesota Twins
Clinched*
N.L. Wild Card - Los Angeles Dodgers
4**

*- If the Minnesota Twins win the A.L. Central, the Detroit Tigers will receive the Wild Card.
**-If the Los Angeles Dodgers win the N.L. West, the San Diego Padres may win the Wild Card.

[Perfect Chaos]

Anyone know what the team matchups would be once the playoff teams are finally set in stone?

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

And it's time for the postseason! Here's your final standings and the first round schedule for the playoffs:





Final Standings

_____________________________
A.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Yankees9765.599-
Toronto8775.53710.0
Boston8676.53111.0
Baltimore7092.43227.0
Tampa Bay61101.37736.0


_____________________________
A.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
y-Minnesota9666.593-
z-Detroit9567.5861
Chicago Sox9072.5566.0
Cleveland7884.48118.0
Kansas City62100.38334.0


_____________________________
A.L. WestWL.PCTGB
y-Oakland9369.574-
LA Angels8973.5494.0
Texas8082.49413.0
Seattle7884.48115.0


_____________________________
N.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Mets9765.599-
Philadelphia8577.52512.0
Atlanta7983.48818.0
Florida7884.48119.0
Washington7191.43826.0


_____________________________
N.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
y-St. Louis8378.516-
Houston8280.5061.5
Cincinnati8082.4943.5
Milwaukee7587.4638.5
Chicago Cubs6795.41416.5
Pittsburgh6696.40717.5


_____________________________
N.L. WestWL.PCTGB
y-San Diego8874.543-
z-LA Dodgers8874.543-
San Francisco7685.47211.5
Arizona7686.46912.0
Colorado7686.46912.0


x-Best League Record
y-Division Champion
z-Wild Card
Did not qualify for playoffs





_____________________________
A.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Detroit9567.586-


_____________________________
N.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
LA Dodgers*8874.543-
*-Lost N.L. West title to San Diego Padres on head-to-head tiebreak


Playoff Teams
A.L. East - New York Yankees
A.L. Central - Minnesota Twins
A.L. West - Oakland Athletics
N.L. East - New York Mets
N.L. Central - St. Louis Cardinals
N.L. West - San Diego Padres
A.L. Wild Card - Detroit Tigers
N.L. Wild Card - Los Angeles Dodgers





[U]Playoff Schedule - First Round



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics
Detroit at NY Yankees, October 3, 8:00 P.M. ET | Oakland at Minnesota, October 3, 1:00 P.M. ET
Detroit at NY Yankees, October 4, 8:00 P.M. ET | Oakland at Minnesota, October 4, 1:00 P.M. ET
NY Yankees at Detroit, October 6, 8:00 P.M. ET | Minnesota at Oakland, October 6, 4:00 P.M. ET
NY Yankees at Detroit*, October 7, TBD | Minnesota at Oakland*, October 7, TBD
Detroit at NY Yankees*, October 8, TBD | Oakland at Minnesota*, October 8, TBD

Series tied 0-0 |
Series tied 0-0
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, October 4, 4:00 P.M. ET | St. Louis at San Diego, October 3, 4:00 P.M. ET
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, October 5, 8:00 P.M. ET | St. Louis at San Diego, October 5, 4:00 P.M. ET
NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 7, TBD | San Diego at St. Louis, October 7, TBD
NY Mets at LA Dodgers*, October 8, TBD | San Diego at St. Louis*, October 8, TBD
LA Dodgers at NY Mets*, October 9, TBD | St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, TBD

Series tied 0-0 |
Series tied 0-0

*-if necessary

[Ghost]

YEAH BABY! LETS GO METS!

Let's go Duque! Crush Derek Lowe!

[mr_pikachu]

All right! Cards shut down San Diego, 5-1! Woohoo!

*dances*





Final Standings

_____________________________
A.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Yankees9765.599-
Toronto8775.53710.0
Boston8676.53111.0
Baltimore7092.43227.0
Tampa Bay61101.37736.0


_____________________________
A.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
y-Minnesota9666.593-
z-Detroit9567.5861
Chicago Sox9072.5566.0
Cleveland7884.48118.0
Kansas City62100.38334.0


_____________________________
A.L. WestWL.PCTGB
y-Oakland9369.574-
LA Angels8973.5494.0
Texas8082.49413.0
Seattle7884.48115.0


_____________________________
N.L. EastWL.PCTGB
x-NY Mets9765.599-
Philadelphia8577.52512.0
Atlanta7983.48818.0
Florida7884.48119.0
Washington7191.43826.0


_____________________________
N.L. CentralWL.PCTGB
y-St. Louis8378.516-
Houston8280.5061.5
Cincinnati8082.4943.5
Milwaukee7587.4638.5
Chicago Cubs6795.41416.5
Pittsburgh6696.40717.5


_____________________________
N.L. WestWL.PCTGB
y-San Diego8874.543-
z-LA Dodgers8874.543-
San Francisco7685.47211.5
Arizona7686.46912.0
Colorado7686.46912.0


x-Best League Record
y-Division Champion
z-Wild Card
Did not qualify for playoffs





_____________________________
A.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
Detroit9567.586-


_____________________________
N.L. Wild CardWL.PCTGB
LA Dodgers*8874.543-
*-Lost N.L. West title to San Diego Padres on head-to-head tiebreak


Playoff Teams
A.L. East - New York Yankees
A.L. Central - Minnesota Twins
A.L. West - Oakland Athletics
N.L. East - New York Mets
N.L. Central - St. Louis Cardinals
N.L. West - San Diego Padres
A.L. Wild Card - Detroit Tigers
N.L. Wild Card - Los Angeles Dodgers





[U]Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics
Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 | Oakland 3, Minnesota 2
Detroit at NY Yankees, October 4, 8:00 P.M. ET | Oakland at Minnesota, October 4, 1:00 P.M. ET
NY Yankees at Detroit, October 6, 8:00 P.M. ET | Minnesota at Oakland, October 6, 4:00 P.M. ET
NY Yankees at Detroit*, October 7, TBD | Minnesota at Oakland*, October 7, TBD
Detroit at NY Yankees*, October 8, TBD | Oakland at Minnesota*, October 8, TBD

NY Yankees lead 1-0 |
Oakland leads 1-0
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, October 4, 4:00 P.M. ET | St. Louis 5, San Diego 1
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, October 5, 8:00 P.M. ET | St. Louis at San Diego, October 5, 4:00 P.M. ET
NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 7, TBD | San Diego at St. Louis, October 7, TBD
NY Mets at LA Dodgers*, October 8, TBD | San Diego at St. Louis*, October 8, TBD
LA Dodgers at NY Mets*, October 9, TBD | St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, TBD

Series tied 0-0 |
St. Louis leads 1-0

*-if necessary

[Ghost]

Damn. I wanted The Padres and Detriot to beat the skanks.

Atleast Oakland won :)

[mr_pikachu]

Hey, I have no problem with the A's making the World Series. Just as long as the Cardinals stop their run. ^_^

Speaking of Oakland, it's looking like they'll finally make an ALCS this millennium. About time...




Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 |
Oakland 3, Minnesota 2

Detroit at NY Yankees, October 4, 8:00 P.M. ET |
Oakland 5, Minnesota 2

NY Yankees at Detroit, October 6, 8:00 P.M. ET |
Minnesota at Oakland, October 6, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Yankees at Detroit*, October 7, TBD |
Minnesota at Oakland*, October 7, TBD

Detroit at NY Yankees*, October 8, TBD |
Oakland at Minnesota*, October 8, TBD

NY Yankees lead 1-0 |
Oakland leads 2-0
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

LA Dodgers 5, NY Mets 6 |
St. Louis 5, San Diego 1

LA Dodgers at NY Mets, October 5, 8:00 P.M. ET |
St. Louis at San Diego, October 5, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 7, TBD |
San Diego at St. Louis, October 7, TBD

NY Mets at LA Dodgers*, October 8, TBD |
San Diego at St. Louis*, October 8, TBD

LA Dodgers at NY Mets*, October 9, TBD |
St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, TBD

NY Mets lead 1-0 |
St. Louis leads 1-0

[Ghost]

Yeah baby, the Mets win game 1! only two more to go.

And their on Fox! Have I ever told you guys that I think Joe Buck is like, the best annoucer ever?

[mr_pikachu]

Well, I think his father Jack was a little better. But I'm hardly going to criticize Joe; he's awesome. ^_^

And Cardinals are up 2-0, baby! I feel a sweep!



Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 |
Oakland 3, Minnesota 2

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 3 |
Oakland 5, Minnesota 2

NY Yankees at Detroit, October 6, 8:00 P.M. ET |
Minnesota at Oakland, October 6, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Yankees at Detroit, October 7, 4:00 P.M. ET |
Minnesota at Oakland*, October 7, 4:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at NY Yankees*, October 8, 7:30 P.M. ET |
Oakland at Minnesota*, October 8, 4:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 1-1 |
Oakland leads 2-0
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

LA Dodgers 5, NY Mets 6 |
St. Louis 5, San Diego 1

LA Dodgers 1, NY Mets 4 |
St. Louis 2, San Diego 0

NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 7, 7:30 P.M. ET |
San Diego at St. Louis, October 7, 1:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at LA Dodgers*, October 8, 4:00 P.M. ET |
San Diego at St. Louis*, October 8, 1:00 P.M. ET

LA Dodgers at NY Mets*, October 9, 8:00 P.M. ET |
St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets leads 2-0 |
St. Louis leads 2-0

[Ghost]

Never heard Jack annouce, though my dad told me he was quite good.

Mets are up 2-0 in the series! Here's for the sweep!

Oh yeah, BTW Mr Pikachu, the Cards are going to have to get past the Mets to stop the A's/Detriot/Skanks/Minnesota :D

[mr_pikachu]

We will win our series! We will win our series! We will win our series!

*crosses fingers*

...Oh, and the Yankees lost. Badly. If I had any empathy for Yankees fans, I'd feel sorry for them. But I happily don't. :D



Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 |
Oakland 3, Minnesota 2

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 3 |
Oakland 5, Minnesota 2

NY Yankees 0, Detroit 6 |
Minnesota 3, Oakland 8

NY Yankees 3, Detroit 8 |
Oakland wins 3-0

Detroit wins 3-1 |
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

LA Dodgers 5, NY Mets 6 |
St. Louis 5, San Diego 1

LA Dodgers 1, NY Mets 4 |
St. Louis 2, San Diego 0

NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 7, 7:30 P.M. ET |
San Diego 3, St. Louis 1

NY Mets at LA Dodgers, October 8, 8:00 P.M. ET |
San Diego at St. Louis, October 8, 4:00 P.M. ET

LA Dodgers at NY Mets*, October 9, 8:00 P.M. ET |
St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets leads 2-0 |
St. Louis leads 2-1





Playoff Schedule - League Championship Series


[CENTER]Oakland Athetics vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit at Oakland, October 10, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland, October 11, TBD

Oakland at Detroit, October 13, 8:00 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit, October 14, 7:30 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit*, October 15, 4:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 17, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 18, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0
-----------------------------------------------

TBD vs. TBD

TBD at TBD, October 11, TBD

TBD at TBD, October 12, 8:00 P.M. ET

TBD at TBD, October 14, 4:00 P.M. ET

TBD at TBD, October 15, 7:30 P.M. ET

TBD at TBD*, October 16, 8:00 P.M. ET

TBD at TBD*, October 18, 4:00 P.M. ET

TBD at TBD*, October 19, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0

[Perfect Chaos]

...Oh, and the Yankees lost. Badly. If I had any empathy for Yankees fans, I'd feel sorry for them. But I happily don't. :D



I second that.

Oh and the "other" New York team is currently leading the Dodgers 7-5 going into the 6th or 7th (can't remember), so HUZZAH to that :D :D :D

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

7th right now. Actually, I'd rather the Cardinal game be played early (since I need to drive back home afterward), and it'll be pushed to the prime-time slot if the Mets-Dodgers series is already over. So, um... go Dodgers!

EDIT: Looks like I'll be getting home late tomorrow...



Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 |
Oakland 3, Minnesota 2

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 3 |
Oakland 5, Minnesota 2

NY Yankees 0, Detroit 6 |
Minnesota 3, Oakland 8

NY Yankees 3, Detroit 8 |
Oakland wins 3-0

Detroit wins 3-1 |
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

LA Dodgers 5, NY Mets 6 |
St. Louis 5, San Diego 1

LA Dodgers 1, NY Mets 4 |
St. Louis 2, San Diego 0

NY Mets 9, LA Dodgers 5 |
San Diego 3, St. Louis 1

NY Mets wins 3-0 |
San Diego at St. Louis, October 8, 4:00 P.M. ET
|
St. Louis at San Diego*, October 9, 4:00 P.M. ET
|
St. Louis leads 2-1





Playoff Schedule - League Championship Series



Oakland Athetics vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit at Oakland, October 10, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland, October 11, TBD

Oakland at Detroit, October 13, 8:00 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit, October 14, 7:30 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit*, October 15, 4:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 17, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 18, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0
-----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. TBD

TBD at NY Mets, October 11, TBD

TBD at NY Mets, October 12, 8:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at TBD, October 14, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at TBD, October 15, 7:30 P.M. ET

NY Mets at TBD*, October 16, 8:00 P.M. ET

TBD at NY Mets*, October 18, 4:00 P.M. ET

TBD at NY Mets*, October 19, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0

*-if necessary

[TKnHappyNess]

Message to the Yankees: Just because you guys have the highest payroll in the major leagues doesn't guarantee you a trip to the World Series. Look at the Tigers. They didn't rely on a payroll. They earned a spot to the ALCS, plus there isn't any tension in the clubhouse between the players. *sees Torre getting fired like Steinbrener reportedly says*

[Master Rudy]

I may be speaking way too early but the way the playoff tree is looking right now I'm seeing the Mets winning the World Series this year.

Ya gotta believe! ^_^

[mr_pikachu]

All right! Look out, Mets! St. Louis' best are gunning for you!

I just drove for six hours to get back to my dorm after the Cardinal win tonight. It's four in the morning, and it is completely worth it. :D



Playoff Schedule - Division Series



New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers |
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 8 |
Oakland 3, Minnesota 2

Detroit 4, NY Yankees 3 |
Oakland 5, Minnesota 2

NY Yankees 0, Detroit 6 |
Minnesota 3, Oakland 8

NY Yankees 3, Detroit 8 |
Oakland wins 3-0

Detroit wins 3-1 |
----------------------------------------------- | -----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

LA Dodgers 5, NY Mets 6 |
St. Louis 5, San Diego 1

LA Dodgers 1, NY Mets 4 |
St. Louis 2, San Diego 0

NY Mets 9, LA Dodgers 5 |
San Diego 3, St. Louis 1

NY Mets wins 3-0 |
San Diego 2, St. Louis 6
|
St. Louis wins 3-1





Playoff Schedule - League Championship Series



Oakland Athetics vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit at Oakland, October 10, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland, October 11, TBD

Oakland at Detroit, October 13, 8:00 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit, October 14, 7:30 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit*, October 15, 4:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 17, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 18, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0
-----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis at NY Mets, October 11, TBD

St. Louis at NY Mets, October 12, 8:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis, October 14, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis, October 15, 7:30 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis*, October 16, 8:00 P.M. ET

St. Louis at NY Mets*, October 18, 4:00 P.M. ET

St. Louis at NY Mets*, October 19, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0

*-if necessary

[Number1ChanseyFan]

I just drove for six hours to get back to my dorm after the Cardinal win tonight. It's four in the morning, and it is completely worth it. :D
[color=magenta]Meh, you are awfully dedicated to your team to make that drive back and forth XD. I am just glad for you that they won, or else that probably would have been a long drive back!! ^_^

[Perfect Chaos]

I definitely want the Mets to go all the way, but the way our starting pitching is, the only real person we can rely on completely is Tom Glavine (as you saw in Game 3, Trachsel will give up alot of runs, even if we did win). So realistically, I have NO clue who might win the World Series (pulling for the Mets though, definitely)

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

I have to admit, I'm a bit concerned about the ongoing injury situation (i.e. Rolen). It's hard to say whether he can be at full form any time during these playoffs, or if he'll even play at all these next few games.

The three-man rotation is also a little tough, but it's workable. I disagree with the pundits who think we'll need someone else after Carpenter's presumed game 3 start; I think we can wrap it around from Weaver, Suppan, Carp and back with no problem. The full day of rest before games 3 and 6 should help in that regard. Besides, I don't care how tired those three are; I don't want anyone left on the roster starting - least of all Marquis. (Frankly, I don't want most of our relievers even touching the mound.)

[Ghost]

I trust in Trachsel and John Maine, and Oliver Perez if needed(I'd definately rather have Dave Williams start, but Beggars can't be choosers i suppose). Games 1 and 2 should be easy; Jeff Suppan didn't do so well in his start (He actually did pretty good, he only gave up 2 runs, right?) and even if Jeff Weaver pitches his 5 shutout innings we should be able to get to the bullpen.

Only thing i'm worried about is Pujols and Carpenter.

BTW, what times the game tonight?

[mr_pikachu]

The networks will switch to the game at 8:00 Eastern (first pitch is likely 8:17, or something). I'll check to see if they've announced the times for tomorrow night's games, and I'll edit it here if they have.

EDIT: Yeah, here it is.



Playoff Schedule - League Championship Series



Oakland Athetics vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit 5, Oakland 1

Detroit at Oakland, October 11, 8:00 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit, October 13, 8:00 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit, October 14, 7:30 P.M. ET

Oakland at Detroit*, October 15, 4:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 17, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit at Oakland*, October 18, 8:00 P.M. ET

Detroit leads 1-0
-----------------------------------------------

New York Mets vs. St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis at NY Mets, October 11, 8:00 P.M. ET

St. Louis at NY Mets, October 12, 8:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis, October 14, 4:00 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis, October 15, 7:30 P.M. ET

NY Mets at St. Louis*, October 16, 8:00 P.M. ET

St. Louis at NY Mets*, October 18, 4:00 P.M. ET

St. Louis at NY Mets*, October 19, 8:00 P.M. ET

Series tied 0-0

*-if necessary