PlayBall - 05 Season & Sox vs Yanks

[CMJ]

We're now roughly a tenth thru the season - which doesn't mean a heckuva lot, but it's something.

My surprise team so far
Chicago White Sox

Anyways, as of right now here's how I see the divisons playing out.

AL EAST
Boston Red Sox

AL CENTRAL
Minnesota Twins

AL WEST
LA/Anaheim Angels

AL WILDCARD
Chicago White Sox


NL EAST
Atlanta Braves

NL CENTRAL
St. Louis Cardinals

NL WEST
LA Dodgers

NL WILDCARD
Florida Marlins

[JMK]

The Dodgers and White Sox are definetly the big surprises this year so far. What's even more surprising about the Dodgers is that they're off to their best start in decades without Eric Gagne and Brad Penny

[CMJ]

I expected the Dodgers to contend. But you're right, without Penny and Gagne their record so far is unreal. Since the Giants won't have Bonds till like.....July(if at all) I think LA looks like they might run away with it.

[JMK]

Yeah, the Giants are just dead without Bonds, unless a miracle happens.

I don't expect the Dodgers to keep playing at this level. These guys can't do anything wrong right now. Everything they try is working out for them. I expect them to come back to earth a little bit and for the Padres to turn up the heat.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think they could get better when Penny and Gagne come back. They should win the NL West but who knows they could have the best record in the NL by season end.

[JMK]

Well one thing's for sure, the rest of the NL West teams don't pick it up then the Dodgers will win the National League.

[JMK]

David Wells is down with a foot injury. It's still early but with a 2-3 record and now an injury, it looks like this may not have been the best move for the Sox.

[CMJ]

I thought he was bad bad pickup.

[JMK]

The news gets better and better for the Sox; Wells could be out for a month, and Schilling is out for at least 2 weeks with an ankle bruise.

I guess that's what you get when you depend on old guys to carry your team's pitching staff. Then again, the Cubs depend on 2 young guys and they're always on the shelf too.

[CMJ]

I'm still gonna follow the Sox all summer, but I'm about to write us off this year.

[JMK]

Yep, I think the AL East is going to be a really tough division this year. I'm not prepared to write off the season yet, but this team doesn't look like it's got the same talent or fire as previous years.
It will be up to Epstein to retool the team with some good young arms sooner rather than later. In the time being though, Matt Clement and Bronson Arroyo need to be stellar.

[CMJ]

If we can keep the Yankees from making the playoffs, I'd be fine with losing the division and the WC.

[JMK]

I think the Red Sox would be satisfied in missing the playoffs altogether as long as the Yankees did too.

[jjwr]

Don't forget that other guy Miller will be coming back soon so that gives the Sox another quality starter to go along with Clement and Arroyo and Wakefield. Not sure who #5 would be though?

The real problem with the team seems to be the bull-pen, I think at least 4 games were blown late including a pair in the 9th inning on walk off HR's.

The offense has pop but the pitching is missing the 3 headed Lowe - Pedro - Curt combo.

[Morgan Evanar]

FISHFISHFISH! I could easily see the Fish taking the NL East. But I am biased.

[JMK]

Death to Loria & Samson.

[jjwr]

Its really tough to figure the Yankee's out, either they score 12 Runs or they Score 1 Run. They are in the top 5 in runs scored but have also had a 19, 12 and a 10 run game which are keeping that # floating. No consistency and Brown wasn't even that bad last night.

[TheHolo.Net]

This thread is long enough now that it is getting to be a strain on the Data Base. To continue this thread please start a new one and I will make a link to the new thread in this post.

This thread is now locked.