04-28-2009, 05:27 PM
<!--quoteo(post=33726:date=Apr 28 2009, 03:05 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Apr 28 2009, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=33724:date=Apr 28 2009, 04:01 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Apr 28 2009, 04:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=33722:date=Apr 28 2009, 03:00 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Apr 28 2009, 03:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Cards, Reds, and Pirates are all better than last season.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No they're not.
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Yeah, I'm not sure any of those teams are better than last year.
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I'm pretty sure of it.
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Because 20 games into the season tell the whole story. Let's look at the battling Buccos for example:
Catcher(with Doumit out 2 months): Jason Jaramillo
First Base: Adam LaRoche
Second Base: Freddy Sanchez
Third Base: Andy LaRoche
Shortstop: Ramon Vazquez
Left Field: Nyjer Morgan
Center Field: Nate McLouth
Right Field: Brandon Moss
Rotation: Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens.
If that team finishes with over 70 wins it should be considered nothing short of a miracle.
The Cardinals are playing great ball right now, but at this time last year they were 13-7, just 1 game behind where they are right now. That bullpen is crap, the defense is atrocious, and the rotation isn't what it was last year. At least a couple of those things must be pretty good to have long term success.
The Reds have the potential for a breakout season, but I really don't see it happening. Cueto's starting out well, but he did this last year as well. Harang looks like his pre-2008 self, but Volquez has been complete ass, same with Arroyo. Their young mashers in Votto and Bruce are certainly impressing and that's not going to stop anytime soon, but Dusty continues to throw a couple shitty old vets into his lineups. If anybody else is managing that team, I might have some hope for them. Maybe they're a few games better than last year, but certainly not a threat to us so I really don't care.
It's also worth noting that's it's about impossible for us to play too much worse, and we're without our 3-4-5 hitters and the best setup man in the game on top of that. We also have an All-Star catcher who's been awful at the plate. Cotts sucks, but he's a shitload better than he's been so far, and ditto for a few of our bullpen arms. All of this and we're still 9-9.
No they're not.
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Yeah, I'm not sure any of those teams are better than last year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm pretty sure of it.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because 20 games into the season tell the whole story. Let's look at the battling Buccos for example:
Catcher(with Doumit out 2 months): Jason Jaramillo
First Base: Adam LaRoche
Second Base: Freddy Sanchez
Third Base: Andy LaRoche
Shortstop: Ramon Vazquez
Left Field: Nyjer Morgan
Center Field: Nate McLouth
Right Field: Brandon Moss
Rotation: Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens.
If that team finishes with over 70 wins it should be considered nothing short of a miracle.
The Cardinals are playing great ball right now, but at this time last year they were 13-7, just 1 game behind where they are right now. That bullpen is crap, the defense is atrocious, and the rotation isn't what it was last year. At least a couple of those things must be pretty good to have long term success.
The Reds have the potential for a breakout season, but I really don't see it happening. Cueto's starting out well, but he did this last year as well. Harang looks like his pre-2008 self, but Volquez has been complete ass, same with Arroyo. Their young mashers in Votto and Bruce are certainly impressing and that's not going to stop anytime soon, but Dusty continues to throw a couple shitty old vets into his lineups. If anybody else is managing that team, I might have some hope for them. Maybe they're a few games better than last year, but certainly not a threat to us so I really don't care.
It's also worth noting that's it's about impossible for us to play too much worse, and we're without our 3-4-5 hitters and the best setup man in the game on top of that. We also have an All-Star catcher who's been awful at the plate. Cotts sucks, but he's a shitload better than he's been so far, and ditto for a few of our bullpen arms. All of this and we're still 9-9.
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