2010 MLB Season

[Quincy]

You in the general business of making predictions based on one game?

I can do one better than that. Or maybe the number is 9. Another Red Sox fan friend of mine emailed me after the 1st inning, "Okay, the Red Sox will win the World Series. Check back with me in November."

[WorldB3]

^ like 04 and 07 the Red Sox on paper look like the team to beat, though in 07 playoffs I thought the Angels would run them out of the park but as we saw last night double steals are nice but two run homers are better. We shall see.

Speaking of homers Pulojs went yard in his first at bat.

Taking my furlough day to enjoy opening day festivities. Play ball!

[BERIGAN]

in his first AB,Jason Heyward just FUCKING DESTROYED a ball from Zambrano!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:

Edited April 5, 2010 by BERIGAN

[Dan Gould]

On the one hand you couldn't script it any better but on the other, let's be honest, that home run swing isn't nearly as pretty as Junior's.

OK, he's mighty impressive, and in fact, while I didn't post my predictions, I think the Braves have a great shot at the wild card and possibly the division if everything falls into place ... until I saw Melky Cabrera leading off. What the fuck is the matter with Bobby Cox? He doesn't have a single solitary option for leadoff better than Melky and his .330 career OBP? The man is a lifetime 4th outfielder, but he's leading off for the Braves. Pathetic.

[WorldB3]

Heyward catches the ceremonial first pitch from Hank Aaron and then goes yard in first ab. Have a day kid.

[BERIGAN]

On the one hand you couldn't script it any better but on the other, let's be honest, that home run swing isn't nearly as pretty as Junior's.

OK, he's mighty impressive, and in fact, while I didn't post my predictions, I think the Braves have a great shot at the wild card and possibly the division if everything falls into place ... until I saw Melky Cabrera leading off. What the fuck is the matter with Bobby Cox? He doesn't have a single solitary option for leadoff better than Melky and his .330 career OBP? The man is a lifetime 4th outfielder, but he's leading off for the Braves. Pathetic.

First off Dan, I hope my course language did not offend you!

As for Melky, he is clearly a guy managers like a lot. He has had over 400 ab's the last 4 seasons.

Better choices at leadoff??? Sure! Matt Diaz last year hit .313, 13 Hr's 58 Rbi's with a .390 OBP. in 371 AB's. But doesn't hit righties as well as lefties.

Yunel Escobar would be a good fit, but he drives in a fair number of runs, hit .370 with runners on last year(or with runner in scoring position, I forget) so he hits down in the order.

Martin Prado had .307 .358 numbers last year, but like Diaz, has no speed.

Nate McLouth had some injuries last year but has some speed, (19 steals) and played leadoff. But between Pittsburgh and the Braves had 20 HR's and 70 RBI's. A bit of a waste to have him leadoff.

Really, the Braves would be a great team to have in the AL, with the DH, but that ain't going to happen....yet!

[Quincy]

If it doesn't rain I'll get to see Heyward in STL on the 27th.

He's got a long way to go to be the franchise's all-time HR leader, but what a nice start.

[Dan Gould]

As for Melky, he is clearly a guy managers like a lot. He has had over 400 ab's the last 4 seasons.

There is a difference between getting the chance to play and actually deserving the opportunity. A big part of Cabrera getting the chance to start was predicated on the realization that Damon couldn't play CF anymore, and even then, Cabrera was optioned to the minor leagues in 2008 because his numbers were so bad and the team felt he needed a wake up call. He lost his starting position to Brett Gardner last spring, only to take it back due to the fact that Gardner couldn't hack it (and still can't).

Since his promotion to the majors, the debate in Yankee Land has been whether Cabrera is a major league starter or a career fourth outfielder. And everybody I know recognized him as a fourth outfielder and were thrilled when the Yankees got Granderson and ecstatic when they got Vasquez for Cabrera.

[Aggie87]

Astros down 3-0 in the top of the 5th, versus the Giants.

Gonna be a long season, when you are rooting for a team to simply go .500.

Enjoy your good teams out there!

[BERIGAN]

As for Melky, he is clearly a guy managers like a lot. He has had over 400 ab's the last 4 seasons.

Since his promotion to the majors, the debate in Yankee Land has been whether Cabrera is a major league starter or a career fourth outfielder. And everybody I know recognized him as a fourth outfielder and were thrilled when the Yankees got Granderson and ecstatic when they got Vasquez for Cabrera.

Don't forget the pitchers the Braves got. Mike Dunn, and Arodys Vizcaino, the real reason the deal was made.

From Scout.com.

The Braves acquired a potential future ace when they dealt right-hander Javier Vazquez to the Yankees last year, as Vizcaino has a world of potential in his right arm. With a fastball that sits comfortably at 92-93 mph and can reach 96, Vizcaino is already armed with one plus pitch. His best pitch, however, is a true hammer curveball that can be devastating and could be one of the best in all of baseball once he reaches his peak.

[vajerzy]

MLB Extra Innings Free Trial from April 5-12 on Directv!!

[Tim McG]

Nice start for Gigantes.

Lincecum looked good and the SF defense played flawless baseball.

The [hated] dodgers, however, got stomped by the Pirates, 11-5.

I like this season already

Edited April 7, 2010 by GoodSpeak

[Dan Gould]

It will take a miracle, or the Yankee bullpen dropping a gigantic steaming turd, for the Red Sox to win this game now. Delcarmen does not belong on the major league roster. He belongs on the DL, in extended spring training, either admitting his shoulder still bothers him or figuring out where his fastball went. The guy throws mid-90s - normally. He sucked the second half of the year and decided to tell Francona that his shoulder has been hurting, oh, around the last week of the season. It is so obvious that he is still not right. He's been appalling all spring long, and he continues to barely reach 90 on the gun.

Chalk this up to Francona and Epstein not recognizing when you have someone who is not remotely right and doesn't belong on the mound in games that count until he is right.

[Matthew]

Barry Zito got lit up by the A's last night.

How many more years does he have left on his contract...?

The nightmarish gift that just keeps on giving. Ugh.

Hey Goodie, you have to admit Zito was very good the send half of the season last year, after the All-Star game, he went 5-4, with a 2.83 ERA. I'd take that any day of the week for a number three starter. If he's even close this year, that's going to be a killer top three: Lincecum, Cain, and Zito. I think the Giants can go a long way in a weak National League.

I would too if the season was only 80 games long.

In short: Zito sucks.

Zito really sucked tonight: 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 BB, 5 K's. Get rid of the bum....

[Quincy]

Zito really sucked tonight: 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 BB, 5 K's. Get rid of the bum....

I saw the score and assumed it was Cain. Shame on me, as starting the rotation R-L-R does have the symmetry thing going for it. I wonder if Zito was going through that classic phase when a pitcher loses a little velocity and has to readjust. Could it be he finally figured it all out late last summer? Or is that the Astros just really suck, especially without Berkman? Just another 160 games to go to see what happens.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Quincy

[BERIGAN]

Man, I cannot believe the Red Sox media is already questioning Ortiz about a slow start after 2 games! He should just stop talking to the media....idiots.

[BERIGAN]

Man, hate to say it, but I have to agree with the Yankees Prez. Any team that takes handouts from the richer teams, should have to say what they do with the moola. At least the brewers spend some of it, but they draw 3 million and cry like they are some teeny tiny market. I know, they don't have a tv contract like the Yankees, but teams like them(and especially, the Padres, Pirates, and Marlins) should have to show they are know just pocketing the free money... that they are using it to strengthen the farm system, and to sign some of their players long term.

The Marlins did do that with a few key players, but didn't even sign one free agent this off season(at least I think I just read that)

[Aggie87]

Or is that the Astros just really suck, especially without Berkman?

This.

[WorldB3]

Man, hate to say it, but I have to agree with the Yankees Prez. Any team that takes handouts from the richer teams, should have to say what they do with the moola. At least the brewers spend some of it, but they draw 3 million and cry like they are some teeny tiny market. I know, they don't have a tv contract like the Yankees, but teams like them(and especially, the Padres, Pirates, and Marlins) should have to show they are know just pocketing the free money... that they are using it to strengthen the farm system, and to sign some of their players long term.

The Marlins did do that with a few key players, but didn't even sign one free agent this off season(at least I think I just read that)

Do what the NFL does and spit the TV revenue. Teams that have the benefit of drawing 3-4 million a year and sell luxury box seating get to keep and do whatever they want with the profits.

Red Sox and Yankees should have an advantage due to location and loyalty but they shouldn't have a 500 dollar million advantage just for TV revenue. They wouldn't make that kind of money playing split squad games so give the other team some of that like the NFL. In this case have a minimum cap but not a maximum cap to see if helps change things.

[papsrus]

In tonight's rare broadcast of a Yankees-Red Sox game on ESPN, as the camera panned around outside Fenway prior to the game, I thought I saw a sign for 'House of Blues.' Is that correct? Is there a blues bar across the street from the park?

Cool.

[Dan Gould]

My understanding is that the Fens is not a particularly "hot spot" outside of baseball season (its more or less residential) so I am not sure why a club like House of Blues would set up shop there when a sports bar would make more sense.

[Chalupa]

Man, hate to say it, but I have to agree with the Yankees Prez. Any team that takes handouts from the richer teams, should have to say what they do with the moola. At least the brewers spend some of it, but they draw 3 million and cry like they are some teeny tiny market. I know, they don't have a tv contract like the Yankees, but teams like them(and especially, the Padres, Pirates, and Marlins) should have to show they are know just pocketing the free money... that they are using it to strengthen the farm system, and to sign some of their players long term.

The Marlins did do that with a few key players, but didn't even sign one free agent this off season(at least I think I just read that)

Do what the NFL does and spit the TV revenue. Teams that have the benefit of drawing 3-4 million a year and sell luxury box seating get to keep and do whatever they want with the profits.

Red Sox and Yankees should have an advantage due to location and loyalty but they shouldn't have a 500 dollar million advantage just for TV revenue. They wouldn't make that kind of money playing split squad games so give the other team some of that like the NFL. In this case have a minimum cap but not a maximum cap to see if helps change things.

Agree. The money the Yankees take in from YES dwarfs what other small market teams can get from their TV markets.

From the article....

Randy Levine:

"We play by all the rules and there doesn't seem to be any complaints when teams such as the Brewers receive hundreds of millions of dollars that they get from us in revenue sharing the last few years.

In the initial seven years of the luxury tax, the Yankees have paid teams nearly $175 million in revenue sharing, according to the BizofBaseball.com.

Okay Randy let's do the math - $175 Million divided by 29 teams = $6 Million per team Divided by 7 years = less than $1 million per team per year. That's significantly less than the "hundreds of millions of dollars" that he claims the Brewers received from the Yanks the last few years.

[Tim McG]

Barry Zito got lit up by the A's last night.

How many more years does he have left on his contract...?

The nightmarish gift that just keeps on giving. Ugh.

Hey Goodie, you have to admit Zito was very good the send half of the season last year, after the All-Star game, he went 5-4, with a 2.83 ERA. I'd take that any day of the week for a number three starter. If he's even close this year, that's going to be a killer top three: Lincecum, Cain, and Zito. I think the Giants can go a long way in a weak National League.

I would too if the season was only 80 games long.

In short: Zito sucks.

Zito really sucked tonight: 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 BB, 5 K's. Get rid of the bum....

See me in July.

Then we see how smug you are.

Or is that the Astros just really suck, especially without Berkman?

This.

Nope.

This: SWEEP!

[papsrus]

My understanding is that the Fens is not a particularly "hot spot" outside of baseball season (its more or less residential) so I am not sure why a club like House of Blues would set up shop there when a sports bar would make more sense.

Googled it and no sign of a House of Blues near Fenway. Just thought I saw a sign for it real quick out of the corner of my eye earlier. Swing and a miss for me, I guess.

Garza looked good tonight. Fastball, slider. Four hits over 8 innings. Nine K's. But, you know, Baltimore.

[Dave James]

I assume Dan is doing a time out in the Mr. Turtle pool. For any Sox fan, tonight's loss would be a tough one to swallow. You get a solid start from John Lackey and then, really, nothing from the pen. Bard might throw as hard as anyone, but he has a tendency to put the ball right in the hitter's wheelhouse. Never a good sign. And Papelbon continues his now you see him now you don't act which would drive anyone nuts. Kudos to Curtis Granderson for nice start. I still don't think he's going to hit lefties worth a darn, but he's sure going to hit some home runs. Nice bounce back from Chan Ho Park who pitched three innings, gave up one hit and collected the win. On to Tampa and another tough series. Let's hope guys like Johnson and Texiera who are 0-9 and 0-12 respectively, will start to get their groove on.