Baseball!

[James Ko]

I heard this too and more specifically that the *possible* players are Johnny Damon and Roger Clemens.

Ouch that would hurt... since Damon is having a great year and well Clemens everyone knows heard of his story of getting old and getting better... but if they are proven then it would be bad news for both of their careers.

[Moinllieon]

Not that anyone cares except me, my fantasy team has climbed to 6th, but I have a question for y'all.

I have 8 keeper candidates, if I finish anywhere from 5th - 8th (out of 16) this year, I will get to keep only 7. If I finish 4th or higher, I only get to keep 6.

Which one of these 8 would you cut?

Schilling, Tim Hudson, Harden, Bonderman, Delgado, Beltran, Wright, Weeks.

I am definitely keeping Beltran, Wright, and Harden, but there are pros and cons to the other 5, it's too hard to choose.

Weeks is the least accomplished, but he has incredible upside, and the 2B position is just so thin. Outside of M Giles and Soriano, there aren't any 2B who is definitely better.

Schilling is the biggest injury/age/effectiveness question mark, but he IS Schilling.

Hudson has been pretty non-spectacular this year and last, and he has the least upside of the 4, but he pitches in the most favorable situation among the 4.

Arghhhhhhhh. Tough call.

I was going to advice you keep Wright then I re-read your post and found you were keeping him too (if only he can play against the Braves every game eh?).

I keep Weeks, since I'm a sucker for "upside". Beside, 2B, like you pointed out, is WEAK. It's the 2nd weakest position in terms of offense (behind C). You get any kind of production out of that position you are already playing with house money.

Hudson is almost assured to put up some good numbers, but I wouldn't call him a sure keeper. I don't see him ever putting up numbers above Petite's (back when he was in NY).

Personally, I'd cut Schilling, sold his soul to the devil last year he did.

Also, I'd be on the look out for good trade opportunities for Delgado, 1B are dime a dozen, especially aging ones.

I heard this too and more specifically that the *possible* players are Johnny Damon and Roger Clemens.

I brought up Clemens as one of the pitchers I've always suspected so that's no surprise if that was true. But I am very surprised if Damon was the other one. Did not see that one coming at all.

[flyingfox2002]

I was going to advice you keep Wright then I re-read your post and found you were keeping him too (if only he can play against the Braves every game eh?).

I keep Weeks, since I'm a sucker for "upside". Beside, 2B, like you pointed out, is WEAK. It's the 2nd weakest position in terms of offense (behind C). You get any kind of production out of that position you are already playing with house money.

Hudson is almost assured to put up some good numbers, but I wouldn't call him a sure keeper. I don't see him ever putting up numbers above Petite's (back when he was in NY).

Personally, I'd cut Schilling, sold his soul to the devil last year he did.

Also, I'd be on the look out for good trade opportunities for Delgado, 1B are dime a dozen, especially aging ones.



I brought up Clemens as one of the pitchers I've always suspected so that's no surprise if that was true. But I am very surprised if Damon was the other one. Did not see that one coming at all.

Problem solved hehe. As my league trade deadline nears, I sent out a number of trade offers with a package of Schilling + Delgado for one player upgrades. One team agreed to trade me Abreu since he would be able to keep more players by virtue of being lower in the standings. Now I will have 2 30-30 threats heading into next year in the OF with Beltran and Abreu. Of course, that only looks good on paper, they still have to do it on the field.

1B is a deep position, so I hope to be able to get a decent 1B next year and not lose all that much.

Haven't heard about Clemens or Damon or seen anything yet...

Today I played a full 9 on 9, 9 inning game with a legit baseball (not softball or foshball) for like the first time ever. It was pretty fun even though it was on ghetto concrete with random shards of broken glass all over LOL. Broke the lace on the webbing of my glove though. Gotta git a new one I guess.

[Han Solo]

I don't think that the Clemens/Damon rumor is true. It has been floating for so many days now, and one thinks that if it is really substantial, it would have been broken big time by now.

Having said that, America sure is a funny place. Karl Rove is perhaps responsible for the Plame affair and the pressure on him from the media has evaporated. Think of the possibilities, Watergate 2 circa 2003.

Anyway, i think that i will quit watching baseball for sure if Clemens is found to be using steroids. (I understand the arguements for legalization of all sporting enhancement aids and medications) but Clemens being one of the main baseball hero to me, if found to be guilty, would be akin like an betrayal to me.

Han Solo

[Moinllieon]

I don't think that the Clemens/Damon rumor is true. It has been floating for so many days now, and one thinks that if it is really substantial, it would have been broken big time by now.

Having said that, America sure is a funny place. Karl Rove is perhaps responsible for the Plame affair and the pressure on him from the media has evaporated. Think of the possibilities, Watergate 2 circa 2003.

Anyway, i think that i will quit watching baseball for sure if Clemens is found to be using steroids. (I understand the arguements for legalization of all sporting enhancement aids and medications) but Clemens being one of the main baseball hero to me, if found to be guilty, would be akin like an betrayal to me.

Han Solo

I don't think it's true that they were busted either. However, there are definitely things about Clemens that's suspicious. Think about it, here's a guy whose career was going down hill, he was having problems blowing people away in Boston. So Boston let him go. Then what happens? He "discovers" the joys of working out, buffs up, and revitalizes his career. Of course, that doesn't mean anything, but it is definitely suspicious, especially coming smackin the middle of the steroid explosion.

[Han Solo]

yeah, but he did not have out and outright dominance like bonds etc. He merely did the things that he was able to do before in 1987-1991.

[Moinllieon]

yeah, but he did not have out and outright dominance like bonds etc. He merely did the things that he was able to do before in 1987-1991.

True, but he did that at a much more advanced age. Besides, steroids doesn't mean outright dominance. Palmeiro comes to mind, Giambi wasn't "outright dominant" either. They were both just really good.

[Han Solo]

True, but he did that at a much more advanced age. Besides, steroids doesn't mean outright dominance. Palmeiro comes to mind, Giambi wasn't "outright dominant" either. They were both just really good.

However, there were more precedents for Clemens to play well in his forties as he is a power pitcher, big, and built in the mold f the other texan, Ryan.

[Moinllieon]

However, there were more precedents for Clemens to play well in his forties as he is a power pitcher, big, and built in the mold f the other texan, Ryan.

And that's the other side of it. That there is one precedent of another Texan (as if it is somehow important where they came from) being good pass his 40s. There are also other examples of not very notable players whose longetivity gave him great numbers: Eddie Murray and Don Sutton comes to mind. Doesn't mean Palmeiro didn't use steroids. Ryan is Ryan, Clemens is Clemens. At that level of greatness, these players are almost singular in who they are. Just because Ryan did it doesn't make it "make sense" for Clemens to do what he did either.

[Han Solo]

NYY no. 1 in AL East!

[flyingfox2002]

NYY no. 1 in AL East!

Haha.

Hopefully the last 3 gms of the season between the Yanks and Sox will be meaningful. If the Indians play well, they probably will determine who gets in and who doesn't.

It'd be a great story if CLE went to the WS. Shapiro guaranteed that the team would compete by this season when he traded away Colon to the Expos a few yrs back. I hope the folks who sit in the front office in Flushing are paying attention. To Minaya's credit, at least he didn't make any idiotic trades like Kazmir for Zambrano. Maybe retarded Duquette thought he was trading for CARLOS Zambrano instead of Victor.

Edit:

So Palmstero is looking to drag down Tejada with him huh? He says Tejada gave him the juice.

[Han Solo]

Yanks won the AL East and is going to the playoff!

My only hope right now is the Red Sox to lose on Sunday and then lose to the Indian for the Special playoff spot Muahhhahhahah

Han Solo

[James Ko]

hehe Sox won and Indian lose... so it will be another instant classic this fall again

[KJ]

hehe Sox won and Indian lose... so it will be another instant classic this fall again

Another Sox-Yankees matchup again for the ALCS. Question is, which Sox? It's gonna be a tough matchup. I think St. Louis will run away with the NL title though.

[flyingfox2002]

The Yanks actually drew the tougher opponent by beating BOS (sort of) to the division. I think ANA is a much tougher opponent with Colon, Lackey, KROD, Vlad, Shields et al. than the White Sox who have... Buehrle and Konerko and that's it. Cmon does anyone actually trust Senior Contreras in a big spot?

MAYBE CHI gets lucky and wins a bunch of 2-1, 3-2 games if Buerhle, Garcia and Contreras pitch lights out, but BOS should be able to advance.

ANA is flawed too, but with a superior pen and two superior SP's in Colon and Lackey than CHI, it's a tougher matchup. Will we have a 2002 replay right here? I sure hope so.

I think SD and HOU have the best chance to advance to the WS... There, I jinxed them.

---------

I don't recall who exactly I picked for the division winners and WC (I think that post might've been wiped out when the forum lost posts), I think I picked ANA, MIN, NYY, and BOS (WC) in the AL, and SD, STL, FLA, and PHI in the NL. Did better in the AL than the NL again.

[Moinllieon]

I wasn't that far off. I predicted the Sox, Angels, Twins, Cards, Marlins, and Padres to win the divisions with the Yanks and Cubs as wild cards. Well, basically I didn't count on the Braves rookies being that good and the Sox coming out of nowhere. But other than that, not too bad on my part I must say. Don't remember who I picked as AL MVP but I picked Pujols for the NL MVP (which he should be if one just look at his numbers, but, at this point, even I'd vote for Jones). Had Santana and Pedro for Cy Youngs... well... whatever, those are always a crapshoot.

I see the Red Sox, Angels, Cards, and Braves advancing. Then Cards-Red Sox, and this time, the Cards come out on top, despite of Tony La Russa.

[flyingfox2002]

Hmmm...

I predict Yankees will beat the Angels! AROD will smash 19 homers in 3 games as Yanks will outscore ANA 116-3 in a lopsided series. Other notable performances include a 9 hit game from Jeter in game 2, and a 7 run homerun from Sheffield.

Then Yanks will advance to the ALCS vs. CHI where the Moose will throw a 17 inning complete game 2 hit shutout in game 1, a game that the Yanks will win on a game winning single by the Giambino. The Big Unit will then follow with a 29 strikeout game. (2 hitters will reach on strikeout wild pitches, allowing RJ to K 2 extra guys). Then Bubba Crosby will dive into the stands 8 times to steal 8 homers away in game 3 as Yanks win 72-1. Finally, in a nail bitter, Yanks will win 9-3 as Wang volunteers to bat so the Yanks can rest its regular DH's, and Wang proceeds to hit an inside-the-park grandslam. Yanks advance to the WS!!!!

The Cards decide to forfeit the Series after a 82-5 pounding in game 1.

Yankees win! Daaaaaaaaaaa Yankees win!

[Moinllieon]

You know, there is such a thing as a reverse jinx. That's where you try so hard to jinx someone on purpose that it doesn't jinx anymore.

[Han Solo]

Apart from the Cards who stands heads and shoulders apart from others, the others are rather crapshot chance including the yanks and bosox.

[Crazy8]

the sox are at it again, this time they are wearing white!!!!
GO CHI-TOWN!!! SOUTH SIDE!!