2009 MLB Season

[million$$man]

Akinori Iwamura tore his ACL and will be done for the season.......The Rays will now be platooning Reid Brignac, Ben Zobrist, and Willy Aybar at 2B until they can make a trade

[Lowerdeck]

Aybar and Zobrist aren't terrible, but probably there's better out there.

Question is, what could the Rays get that'd be quality and could keep up in the East.

[EddieG]

I know this is for the 2009 MLB season.. but there is no actual Baseball thread, this I guess is more for the history fans.

I watched Major League yesterday, and am now very interested in reviving that movie, by taking on the 1989 Cleveland Indians and well.. turn em into shit.

So I'm looking for the historians to give me suggestions on players to get.

[DMN in the House]

Can anyone tell me who has the best record in the league?

[Lowerdeck]

Can anyone tell me who has the best record in the league?

Cause everyone else in their division sucks ass?

[gunnar hendershow]

Can anyone tell me who has the best record in the league?

Cause everyone else in their division sucks ass?

They are 5-1 against the Mets and Phillies. They aren't pretenders, they're a good team, but that record is so inflated by the fact that Arizona, Colorado, San Francisco, and San Diego all suck. Don't let that 10-game winning streak fool you.

[Lowerdeck]

Even with SD's 10 game win streak, they're barely over .500. That says wonders about how much they suck the rest of the time.

The division is pitiful, and LA should run with it. As long as they play well in the East and against the Central leaders, they'll be fine. Best record meanwhile is padded due to the 21-8 in the shit west.

[gunnar hendershow]

Matt Wieters makes his MLB debut on Friday against the Tigers. There's very little to hope for as an Oriole fan, but his call-up has been something we've all been waiting to hear for awhile. He's got a ton of hype to live up to.

[livid]

So the Cardinals pitching is scary good right now. With Ankiel and Ludwick coming back, hopefully our offense can get on track too.

[Ananas]

When Doc decides a slump is over, a slump is over. Now let's actually get some wins in the weekend series with the massholes, mmkay?

[Pizza]

Not if the bullpen decides that the slump continues. Sigh.

[DMN in the House]

Even with SD's 10 game win streak, they're barely over .500. That says wonders about how much they suck the rest of the time.

The division is pitiful, and LA should run with it. As long as they play well in the East and against the Central leaders, they'll be fine. Best record meanwhile is padded due to the 21-8 in the shit west.

They have the best line-up in the NL, Manny or no Manny, and the pitching is adequate. Don't let the division fool you, LA is a legit WS contender.

[livid]

Best lineup or no best lineup, you need pitching in the playoffs though, especially in the bullpen and their's is mediocre at best. They'll need to have some people step up or they'll have to go out and get an arm or two to be considered contenders for the pennant. They'll probably at least make it to the NLCS but unless they add a person or they start playing better, they're not going to go all the way.

[DMN in the House]

Who has good enough pitching in the NL to beat that line-up four times? Not being cocky, I'm genuinely curious.

Of course, it could all be solved if we morgage the farm system for Peavy

[VerbalPuke]

It's funny that this year the Tigers were supposed to have an awful pitching staff, yet it seems that everything has worked out thus far. Granted we lost to Baltimore yesterday, but that can be blamed on the fact that our bats have just not been hot enough this year.

Still, we're in first place because our starting pitching is really coming together. The bullpen has been solid as well, and hell, Dontrelle Willis might actually be a worthy starter again. He may never be the superstar he was in his early years, but he looks like he could turn out to be a good rotation guy.

[gunnar hendershow]

Who has good enough pitching in the NL to beat that line-up four times? Not being cocky, I'm genuinely curious.

Of course, it could all be solved if we morgage the farm system for Peavy

I think the Cardinals pitching could take the Dodgers in a series. That is if Carpenter stays healthy.

It's funny that this year the Tigers were supposed to have an awful pitching staff, yet it seems that everything has worked out thus far. Granted we lost to Baltimore yesterday, but that can be blamed on the fact that our bats have just not been hot enough this year.

Still, we're in first place because our starting pitching is really coming together. The bullpen has been solid as well, and hell, Dontrelle Willis might actually be a worthy starter again. He may never be the superstar he was in his early years, but he looks like he could turn out to be a good rotation guy.

I think we all knew about Rick Porcello. But Edwin Jackson has been a big surprise. You guys have 3 solid starters and then if Willis can keep it together a fourth. Galaragga hasn't been too impressive this season, but last season he did so well that he could turn it around.

[VerbalPuke]

Galaragga started off good, then had a series of shitty games. He pitched well last night, but the bats didn't give him any run support. Thus far Jackson has been great, Verlander after two rough starts has been lights out, Porcello has done a great job considering he's only 20, and Willis might be turning it around. It's only been two games for Willis, but it's encouraging consider how awful he had been prior to those two games. There is also Jeremy Bonderman who should be making his return sometime this season, but again he's no guarantee to return to his old form.

A lot of folks are crediting the turn around to our new pitching coach, I forget what the hell his name is. I know that Chuck Hernandez is the guy we had last year when our pitching completely went into the tank.

[livid]

Who has good enough pitching in the NL to beat that line-up four times? Not being cocky, I'm genuinely curious.

Of course, it could all be solved if we morgage the farm system for Peavy

In risk of sounding very homerish, I do think the Cardinals could if, like damshow said, Carpenter can stay healthy. Other than them though, the Mets could if they can add another starter on the backend of their rotation and the Braves would fall under the same category. Though they need some bats too if they're going to last the rest of the season. And the Brewers could too if they do end up with one of the rumored big arms (Peavy, Bedard, Cain), who they are one of the teams thought to be heavily in the mix.

But like I said, the playoffs are dominated by pitching and good pitching will always win out against a good lineup. I just don't think that the Dodgers would make it through with the current staff that they have.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Livid Soprano

[Toe]

Blue Jays finally break the losing streak. Hopefully, they can go back to winning games and will be in the picture in August and September.

[Lowerdeck]

Jumped all over Wake in the 5th there, it happens.

Then you got Penny and Lester. Penny is inconsistent, Lester hasn't done well this year so far. I can see the Jays getting one if not both.