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I know, I know, it's only April, but my White Sox are looking good so far. And while I am sure it will be short lived, it's nice to see my guys back in first place again...

Wt. Sox lineup is sick. I think you have a reason to be excited this year. Anything your team can to do help make my fantasy of a Yankee-less, Red Sox-less post season I am all for.

Edited by WorldB3
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I know, I know, it's only April, but my White Sox are looking good so far. And while I am sure it will be short lived, it's nice to see my guys back in first place again...

Wt. Sox lineup is sick. I think you have a reason to be excited this year. Anything your team can to do help make my fantasy of a Yankee-less, Red Sox-less post season I am all for.

Should be more interesting in the AL central than we thought. NL central as well.

I know Dan, Zen, et al, wouldn't like it...but not having those 2 in the playoffs = more interesting ball. They play "winning" ball, but 4 hour games...yech.

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I know, I know, it's only April, but my White Sox are looking good so far. And while I am sure it will be short lived, it's nice to see my guys back in first place again...

Wt. Sox lineup is sick. I think you have a reason to be excited this year. Anything your team can to do help make my fantasy of a Yankee-less, Red Sox-less post season I am all for.

Should be more interesting in the AL central than we thought. NL central as well.

I know Dan, Zen, et al, wouldn't like it...but not having those 2 in the playoffs = more interesting ball. They play "winning" ball, but 4 hour games...yech.

The fact is that the Yankees and Sox are successful offensive clubs because they have professional hitters who give professional at-bats. You wear out the starter and get to the bullpen early. The result is long games and more offense. So sue us - but if you think there is any chance that both teams will miss the playoffs, well, I'll take that bet.

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Miguel Tejada "confessed" to the Astros today that he's actually 33 years old, instead of the 31 he's previously claimed to be.

Not sure if that will affect anything, except maybe his next contract (whoever that's with), since he's suddenly getting up in age.

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The fact is that the Yankees and Sox are successful offensive clubs because they have professional hitters who give professional at-bats. You wear out the starter and get to the bullpen early. The result is long games and more offense. So sue us - but if you think there is any chance that both teams will miss the playoffs, well, I'll take that bet.

Its not the brand of ball they play its the east coast media bias on them that gets shoved down my throat. There are lots of interesting stories and players on other teams, great rivalries that don't require the director of Gigli telling me how great it is on a espn promo. Just sick of it.

Edited by WorldB3
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Man

Anyone seen Andruw Jones' game?

Maybe his ass swallowed it.

As a NL East fan who got to watch Jones a lot this comes as no surprise. Andruw's weight has been going up and his hitting has been going south for the for the past 2 seasons. The only surprise for me was that the Dodgers took such a big chance on him w/ that huge contract. Previous mention from the Hot Stove thread

That said, it's still early in the season and there is plenty of time for Andruw to turn it around. Dodger fans cross your fingers.

Edited by J.H. Deeley
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Rangers win two in a row.

As Duke Pearson would say, "Wahoo!"

As Vizzini would say, "Inconceivable!!"

_vizzini.jpg

No offense Al but the Sox need to put an end to that pretty quickly. This series is their little break in an April that started in Oakland, went to Toronto, home for Detroit and the Yankees, at Cleveland and the Yanks, and then have the Angels in town after Texas. After that its 9 against the much improved Rays and Jays, then 8 on the road against Detroit and Minnesota.

We gotta take any gimmes on the schedule we can! And no, I don't regard the Rangers as total pushovers, but as much as the Yankees complain about their 20 games in 20 days, with 18 on the road, this stretch of the schedule isn't exactly conducive to a fast start for us, either. I should probably be glad to be 10-7 at this point when you factor in Ortiz' struggle.

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Man

Anyone seen Andruw Jones' game?

Maybe his ass swallowed it.

As a NL East fan who got to watch Jones a lot this comes as no surprise. Andruw's weight has been going up and his hitting has been going south for the for the past 2 seasons. The only surprise for me was that the Dodgers took such a big chance on him w/ that huge contract. Previous mention from the Hot Stove thread

That said, it's still early in the season and there is plenty of time for Andruw to turn it around. Dodger fans cross your fingers.

Re-reading what I said back in December, I take it back...Juan Pierre is a better player than Andruw! At least he tries! Everything I have ever read about him is no one works harder on his game than Juan. You'd think some team would take a chance on him in left....

Andruw looks like a guy who can't see, when he's up at the plate. He swings at pitches I'd swing at!

When he left town, one local station showed a clip of him against the Yankees as a 19 year old in the WS of 1996...he looked very different at the plate. Closer, more upright, just looked better...why not go back to what worked for you in the WS???? Can't be any worse than what he's doing now...

Oh, just remembered this. D.H., you'd get a big kick out a story I read in spring training(Don't think I posted it here) where Andruw thought one of his problems last year was he was too light, and purposely gained weight for this season! :rofl:

Edited by BERIGAN
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There are three certainties in life:

1. Death

2. Taxes

3. Whenever the Rangers play the Red Sox, Dan starts off a post to me with the words, "No offense." All this time I thought he was merely commenting on my team's current lack of run production; turns out he just doesn't want to hurt my feelings! I think? :g

Man, I've been a Ranger fan for close to my whole life. If I'm not used to losing now, there's no hope left! I wouldn't be surprised if the Sox run roughshod over my guys, but then I certainly didn't expect them to take two in a row from Toronto after having been swept by that same team back here in Texas last weekend.

Anything's possible, but the only thing that would surprise me anymore is a World Series title for the Rangers. That won't happen as long as Tom Hicks owns the team.

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I mentioned before the braves pitching woes...Well, Glavine is going on the DL for the very first time in his career! Think it's a smart move, actually. I was sure he'd pounce off the mound for a bunt, and tear his hamstring in half. Our 8th inning guy, that looked likely to be the 9th inning guy with Soriano on the DL, has a bone spur growing into a ligament, that is very frayed, and will more than likely need TJ surgery. This is the 2nd time Soriano has had to rest his arm this year already. So, that's the top 2 arms from the bullpen in peril.

Starters. Well, Mike Hampton didn't even make it into his first game before getting injured. Already mentioned Glavine. Tim Hudson in his last start lost 5-6 MPH off his fastball, for no reason. Yeah. Right. He felt no pain, everyone says it's a non issue. Same thing happened last year with Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez...no pain, but lost a lot off his fastball. Then, next time out, his elbow hurt, and TJ surgery.

Smoltz struck out 10 in 5 innings the other day, but his shoulder is clearly killing him. So, that's 4/5ths of the rotation. Chuck James was the 3rd starter last year. He has/had rotator cuff issues late last year. He made one start this year after starting in AAA. He was rocked, and said he wasn't really ready yet...Made one more start in AAA. Now with Glavine injured, he pitches today.(Jo-Jo Reyes is pitching well in AAA but he just pitched) I predict Andruw Jones gets his first homer today.

It's funny, seemed like we had way more than enough starting pitching leaving Spring training. How many times do I have to be reminded before it sticks that there is no such thing????

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There are three certainties in life:

1. Death

2. Taxes

3. Whenever the Rangers play the Red Sox, Dan starts off a post to me with the words, "No offense." All this time I thought he was merely commenting on my team's current lack of run production; turns out he just doesn't want to hurt my feelings!

:rofl:

See that, Dan? Nothing to worry about! What'd I tellya? :g

Yeah, and I like our chances against Jennings today, an NL pitcher against what is, somewhat surprisingly, the best offense in the AL right now (I especially like those 5 HRs he's given up in fewer than 15 innings). I say surprisingly because of Papi's struggles (before last night) but I feel as though this is the offense we should have had last year, and with Manny and (dare I say it?) Drew raking the ball, I think that right now there is a margin for error with the pitching not yet up to par. If the offense keeps it up and the pitching just stabilizes, I think the quest to repeat could go very well.

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Sonnanstine throws complete-game 3-hitter vs. ChiSox on Saturday night ... nice rebound for Rays from Friday's debacle.

And the Rays lock up their third-baseman of the future, Longoria, for the long term -- good move! Some wishy-washy commentary on the airwaves about whether the Rays got a steal with the deal, which I think pays him around $400k - 500k each of the first three years ... but that's not all that unusual for an unproven young player just entering the league, I don't think. He's going to make some decent guaranteed coin later on in the contract.

Key play Saturday: Gomes escapes a rundown trying to steal second with two outs in the second inning. Rays go on to score three runs in the inning. ... woo-hoo!

Looking for Edwin Jackson to bounce back Sunday ... we'll see.

Edited by papsrus
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And the Rays lock up their third-baseman of the future, Longoria, for the long term -- good move! Some wishy-washy commentary on the airwaves about whether the Rays got a steal with the deal, which I think pays him around $400k - 500k each of the first three years ... but that's not all that unusual for an unproven young player just entering the league, I don't think. He's going to make some decent guaranteed coin later on in the contract.

Its an interesting turnaround, from sending the guy down out of Spring Training, to offering him a long-term deal that could last 9 years and 44 million dollars. No way he gets sent down now if he ever has some rookie growing pains.

I'm not sure the salaries at the start but he is guaranteed 18 million or something over his pre-free agency years, and then they have I believe three option years. To me its a very surprising deal because I don't think anyone has locked up someone, even someone this good, with so few days in the majors. And its a huge savings when you consider that the Red Sox gave Nomar something like 6/42 after he won the RoY award. I heard on Baseball Tonight that the Union and other players were very disturbed at this signing, because assuming that he is the player so many people think he will be - the Rays are getting him at a tremendous discount over those arbitration-eligible years. They have no reason to pay him beyond $400-500K in the first few years, because those players aren't eligible for arbitration and teams can simply renew their contracts at whatever level they wish. But starting in those arbitration years, the savings will be enormous. I mean think of Ryan Howard's arbitration award - 10 million. Even if this isn't the guy to hit 50 HRs a year, he could easily get 8 or 9 million a year - if he performs.

That's the rub - teams want cost certainty, and smart players realize that they can get injured or for that matter discover that its not so easy against the greatest pitchers in the world. So they get a chance to set their families up with guaranteed money - and still get a chance at the silly bucks while they are still young.

IMO, Rays fans should be ecstatic that the ownership seems genuinely committed to building the team. The old ownership would have renewed him for three years, and then traded him when he became eligible for arbitration.

Meantime, what is up with the Yanks? Its like their 15 runs wore them out - they've scored two runs over two games against the O's, and while Hughes had a marginally better game on Friday, Kennedy got hammered and couldn't make it out of the third inning. This really could be the year that the Yanks miss the playoffs - if these young pitchers don't get it together.

And the Sox - sorry Al, I'm sure that was an annoying loss tonight. But one good sign for this team is that they've scored more runs in the seventh inning and beyond then any other team in baseball, and they did it once again tonight, after being shut down for six straight innings, Pedroia doubled, Papi singled him home to tie it and Manny, who is on fire, hit another one over the Monster for the win. I wonder if Manny could win MVP and Comeback Player of the year? :g

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Yeah, and I like our chances against Jennings today, an NL pitcher against what is, somewhat surprisingly, the best offense in the AL right now (I especially like those 5 HRs he's given up in fewer than 15 innings).

And who'da thunk it? Jennings has an outstanding performance against your guys, only to be given away by the bullpen. {{{{{{{{{{{{{SIGH}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

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