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Since we've had a Spring Training thread and a predictions thread, I figured maybe we should have a single dedicated thread for the season itself.

So, my old buddy Dave James, that's a staggering four straight save opportunities blown by Mo Rivera, this one resulting in the loss. A little worrisome?

Rivera acted very offended after Tuesday's blown save, that no adjustments are needed, but after that ugly inning, Rivera's sure to deal with some doubting sportswriters who probably won't shut up til he closes 4 or 5 in a row against the Sox. Despite the annoyance of Tuesday's game, I'm perfectly happy coming out of New York 1-2.

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Dan you beat me to it. I was just about to start a new MLB 2005 thread.

Well after two miserable losses to the hated Yankees todays win was sweet sweet sweet!

The era of a dominant Mariano may be over. Now if the Sox will focus on baseball rather then book signings, press junkets and talk shows they can start winning some games and give the Yankees a run for the AL East.

Edited by bluesForBartok
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Well, I guess it was to be expected that we heard nothing from the Sox fans from Sunday night through this morning. Finally a win and now their nouveau riche supporters are out and about again.

Meanwhile, between Randy, Pavano and Mussina, our starting pitchers are looking mucho better than yours, at least for now. (Admittedly, Mariano is cause for concern).

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Meanwhile, between Randy, Pavano and Mussina, our starting pitchers are looking mucho better than yours, at least for now. (Admittedly, Mariano is cause for concern).

I have to assume that's Mussina based on his history, not today's performance. 9 hits, Marty, saved only by DPs. He's getting old, had injury problems last year, and has never won 20 games in his career.

Pavano had a nice day, no doubt, but he's still has exactly one 18 win season and a good post-season to his credit, and that's all.

And let's not forget that Kevin Brown is already on the DL, and talking about the fact that it will all depend on how much pain he can tolerate. No one to back up the aged or injury prone starters but Tanyon Sturtze, while the Sox have a former staff ace waiting in the wings.

I likes our chances.

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nouveau riche

I like that.

Well better to be nouveau riche than not be "riche" at all. As far as Yanks pitching goes. The do look a bit sharper yes. That's what a $200 Million Dollar pay roll will do for you I guess.

For that money I would expect them to win the World Series, the Super Bowl and solve the crisis in Iraq.

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nouveau riche

I like that.

Well better to be nouveau riche than not be "riche" at all. As far as Yanks pitching goes. The do look a bit sharper yes. That's what a $200 Million Dollar pay roll will do for you I guess.

For that money I would expect them to win the World Series, the Super Bowl and solve the crisis in Iraq.

I'll settle for the World Series. :rolleyes:

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Well I'm sure not going to panic three games into the season. I was listening to Jon Kruk talk to Dan Patrick on ESPN this afternoon, and he says quite a number of pitchers come out of spring training with what he called "dead arm" syndrome. A good example of this might be John Smoltz' outing yesterday. Now I'm not going to gloss over concerns about Rivera. He's trying out some new things, changing locations so the hitters don't sit on his cutter. What he lacks right now, and this is what Kruk was pointing out, is his rising fastball, the one that most hitters can only wave at. It isn't there yet, but Kruk says not to worry, it'll come around in a week or ten days. Well, I am a little worried, but I'll wait awhile before I go to the mattresses.

I'll still take the Yankee's starters over the Sox any day. Wells is no Pedro and neither is the guy they got from the Cubs, so they still need to figure out where those wins are going to come from.

I'm juiced for the season. Let the games begin.

Up over and Harold.

Edited by Dave James
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I'll still take the Yankee's starters over the Sox any day. Wells is no Pedro and neither is the guy they got from the Cubs, so they still need to figure out where those wins are going to come from.

They're replacing two guys whose combined ERA last year was well over 5, with two guys whose combined ERA last year was around 3.5. To dismiss Clement is foolish. With the ERA he posted and the batting average he allowed, he's a 17 game winner if the Cubs had provided even halfway decent run support. With the Sox offense that led the league in runs and has Trot Nixon healthy and Renteria instead of Pokey/injured Nomar/free swinging Cabrera, the Sox will almost certainly not only lead the league in runs scored yet again, but break 1000.

And even if Clement or Wells don't perform, we've got Wade Miller waiting, and he was the Astros NUMBER ONE starter. Replacing Pedro's and Lowe's wins is not going to be a problem.

But health will be a major problem for the Yanks.

It'll be a miracle if Kevin Brown makes 15 starts. It will be a minor miracle if Jaret Wright makes all of his starts. And Tanyon Sturtze is your sixth starter? Gee, who would you feel better with, Tanyon Sturtze or Wade Miller? :rolleyes:

Just as you refuse to worry about Mo based on two appearances, I'm not about to start worrying about Wells and Clement based on a start a piece, or decide that the Yanks starters are better "any day". That's dreamworld.

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hey! There are teams in baseball not called Yankees, or Red Sox! :angry:

Seeing the Marlins kick the Brave's ass Tuesday(Braves won tonight) reminded me of what a good team they can be....Miguel Cabrera is just 21, even though they dumped two pitchers with excellent stuff (Carl Pavano and Brad Penny) they still have a strong starting rotation. They look like the team to beat...

The braves still seem like a 2nd tier team, but until they well and truly lose their division, there just is no point betting against them...

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I'm going to see Curt Shilling pitch today provided the weather holds. He's doing a rehab assignment again the Indianapolis Indians at 2:00 today. It's raining now but I think it's suppore to stops soon. They keep the field covered but.....who know if they'll pitch Shilling in the shitty weather??? If the game goes on, I'll post a couple photos in the near future.

Mark

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I'm going to see Curt Shilling pitch today provided the weather holds.  He's doing a rehab assignment again the Indianapolis Indians at 2:00 today.  It's raining now but I think it's suppore to stops soon.  They keep the field covered but.....who know if they'll pitch Shilling in the shitty weather???  If the game goes on, I'll post a couple photos in the near future.

Mark

I just got home from the game which Indianapolis won by one. Schilling didn't look too good giving up 8 or 9 hits, three home runs and 7 runs. He was pretty shaky but got a little better as the game wore on and may have ended up with 6 K's. He pitched 6 innings which is longer than I thought he would go. He was walking with a noticleble limp and wasn't too quick to field many balls his way but I'm sure this will get better with time.

Edited by sheldonm
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Not good. I wonder if he's going to make his scheduled debut against the Yanks on the 13th. :huh:

Who knows. It seem as though his arm was fine with many pitches in the low to mid nineties. He wasn't wild (didn't walk anyone) but threw quite a few pitches, especially in the 2nd inning when he gave up 4 runs. Probably not a lot of movement on the ball early as the AAA batters were not fooled and were hitting the ball hard. He didn't get his first K until about the third inning and that was on a batter fouling off a bunt with 2 strikes.

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Not good.  I wonder if he's going to make his scheduled debut against the Yanks on the 13th.  :huh:

Who knows. It seem as though his arm was fine with many pitches in the low to mid nineties. He wasn't wild (didn't walk anyone) but threw quite a few pitches, especially in the 2nd inning when he gave up 4 runs. Probably not a lot of movement on the ball early as the AAA batters were not fooled and were hitting the ball hard. He didn't get his first K until about the third inning and that was on a batter fouling off a bunt with 2 strikes.

Well, the ESPN report leaves no doubt that Schilling expects to make his debut, and it also makes it sound like he was a bit better than his number suggested, at least after the 2nd inning:

"I felt great," he said. "Going into today, I wanted to get mentally ready. I stretched it out. No fatigue. I felt strong. I'm going to go out and compete against the Yankees on Wednesday. I'll be ready."

The World Series MVP, recovering from offseason ankle surgery, allowed 11 hits, including two solo homers, a triple and a double. He struck out six and walked none, throwing 77 of 104 pitches for strikes in a 7-5 loss to the Indianapolis Indians.

After throwing 47 pitches and struggling with left-handed hitters in the first two innings, he retired 12 of his last 16 batters, striking out four.

"I felt fantastic in the bullpen," he said. "I thought I was going to dominate. Sharpness-wise, I'm as ready as I always am at this point. I'm very disappointed with the outcome of the game. I gave up seven runs on 11 hits. There's nothing to be pleased about that."

Schilling allowed homers to Edwards Guzman in the first inning and to Ryan Doumit in the third. He threw strikes on 14 of his 17 pitches in the first inning but threw 18 balls and 18 strikes in the second, giving up four runs and five hits. Yurendell de Caster led off with a double, and Guzman hit a two-run single down the right field line.

"The two home runs were both on pitches I wanted to throw, in the spots I wanted to throw them," Schilling said. "The home runs come from not knowing the hitters."

Schilling was sharper in the third inning, throwing five balls and five strikes, and in the fourth, when he threw seven strikes and two balls.

Nate McLouth got a fifth-inning triple when his sinking liner skipped past left fielder Chip Ambres. Graham Koonce followed with an RBI single, but Schilling finished the inning by striking out the next two batters.

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Definitely annoying, though five runs in 61/3 isn't the worst performance. It was the bullpen that let it blow up. At least they've guaranteed next to nothing to him. If he is ineffective, he'll go to the pen, he won't reach his incentives, and there's still money to pursue someone else.

And before that even happens, you've got Wade Miller pencilled in for May 1. We'll be fine.

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