01-06-2009, 10:28 PM
<!--quoteo(post=9634:date=Jan 6 2009, 08:05 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 08:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9629:date=Jan 6 2009, 07:52 PM:name=Brock)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brock @ Jan 6 2009, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9621:date=Jan 6 2009, 07:39 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 07:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9615:date=Jan 6 2009, 07:24 PM:name=Brock)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brock @ Jan 6 2009, 07:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9605:date=Jan 6 2009, 07:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 07:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9601:date=Jan 6 2009, 06:57 PM:name=CFOrfan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CFOrfan @ Jan 6 2009, 06:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think were worse because of the moves we made. I also think we are worse because some guys had terrific years and probably won't repeat. I think we are worse by a good margin. Maybe a whole 10 games.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
10 games? Even if you've hated this offseason and expect everyone to regress next year, that seems pretty extreme.
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When you consider that pretty much everything went right for this team and it won 97 games last season I don't think it's too far-fetched.
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Everything went right for the team? I'm not sure I'd go that far.
- Alf missed over 50 games.
- Fukudome fell off a cliff and was a complete non-factor after the ASB.
- Zambrano pitched the fewest innings of his career post-2003 and was a roller-coaster ride.
- Rich Hill. Need I say more?
- Our number 3 hitter turned into a groundball/double-play machine.
Lots of good things happened too, of course.
- Dempster had an All-Star year.
- Soto's rise to stardom.
- Unexpected production from CF (Johnson/Edmonds).
I don't think we had some sort of lucky/charmed season by any means.
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Ok, how about "Significantly more things went right than went wrong?"
For me, some of those things that went wrong were not probably all that hard to predict (Alf getting hurt, Z struggling/getting hurt, DLee declining).
I guess maybe I'm just getting a bad feeling about this team next season. I think last year was a pretty charmed season (regular season that is) and there is plenty to be worried about for next year.
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Shit is going to go wrong -- there's no doubt about that. And I wouldn't be surprised if we win fewer than 97 games. All I'm saying is that (unless we get a ridiculous rash of injuries) a 10 game swing is pretty extreme. We would have to suffer a TON of injuries.
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And unfortunately we've got a couple too many guys that seem to be injuries waiting to happen.
Other than injuries my biggest concerns:
1. Ryan Dempster remembering that he is Ryan Dempster.
2. 2B - Fontenot realizing that a guy that could pass for a Hobbit probably shouldn't put up a .909 OPS in the Major Leagues, and Miles just being Miles.
3. As Rok just said... the bullpen. I don't have much faith at all in Gregg. If Marshall ends up starting is Cotts our only lefty in the pen? Scary thought.
4. The Reed/Fuk/Pie (?) CF situation - could be a pretty ugly season offensively here and will likely be a huge dropoff from what we got last year from this spot.
10 games? Even if you've hated this offseason and expect everyone to regress next year, that seems pretty extreme.
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When you consider that pretty much everything went right for this team and it won 97 games last season I don't think it's too far-fetched.
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Everything went right for the team? I'm not sure I'd go that far.
- Alf missed over 50 games.
- Fukudome fell off a cliff and was a complete non-factor after the ASB.
- Zambrano pitched the fewest innings of his career post-2003 and was a roller-coaster ride.
- Rich Hill. Need I say more?
- Our number 3 hitter turned into a groundball/double-play machine.
Lots of good things happened too, of course.
- Dempster had an All-Star year.
- Soto's rise to stardom.
- Unexpected production from CF (Johnson/Edmonds).
I don't think we had some sort of lucky/charmed season by any means.
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Ok, how about "Significantly more things went right than went wrong?"
For me, some of those things that went wrong were not probably all that hard to predict (Alf getting hurt, Z struggling/getting hurt, DLee declining).
I guess maybe I'm just getting a bad feeling about this team next season. I think last year was a pretty charmed season (regular season that is) and there is plenty to be worried about for next year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Shit is going to go wrong -- there's no doubt about that. And I wouldn't be surprised if we win fewer than 97 games. All I'm saying is that (unless we get a ridiculous rash of injuries) a 10 game swing is pretty extreme. We would have to suffer a TON of injuries.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
And unfortunately we've got a couple too many guys that seem to be injuries waiting to happen.
Other than injuries my biggest concerns:
1. Ryan Dempster remembering that he is Ryan Dempster.
2. 2B - Fontenot realizing that a guy that could pass for a Hobbit probably shouldn't put up a .909 OPS in the Major Leagues, and Miles just being Miles.
3. As Rok just said... the bullpen. I don't have much faith at all in Gregg. If Marshall ends up starting is Cotts our only lefty in the pen? Scary thought.
4. The Reed/Fuk/Pie (?) CF situation - could be a pretty ugly season offensively here and will likely be a huge dropoff from what we got last year from this spot.