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<!--quoteo(post=38050:date=May 14 2009, 09:20 PM:name=leonardsipes)-->QUOTE (leonardsipes @ May 14 2009, 09:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37162:date=May 10 2009, 06:51 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ May 10 2009, 06:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37042:date=May 10 2009, 09:47 AM:name=leonardsipes)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (leonardsipes @ May 10 2009, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Right now, the central is the strongest division in the NL.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well the NL West is god awful outside of the Dodgers. The NL East is a much better division outside of the Nats. I think the Cards are the only team outside of us that could finish higher than 4th over there.
Remember when people were crowning the Pirates' asses just a week or two ago? They're 12-19 now. I've yet to see anything that makes me think this division is any better than we expected it to be. We're just over a month into the year(remember the season started a week late this year), let's see where everybody is in a month or two.
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4 teams in the central have a better record than the east leader.
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The Blue Jays, Royals, and Rangers are all in first place in the AL. We're 5 weeks into the season. I don't think the Brewers or Reds are as good as the Mets, Phillies, or Braves. We'll see where they are in a couple months.
@TheBlogfines
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the reds and the brewers will fade just before or just after the all star break. the cardinals are already fading. the cubs have one advantage that no other team in the central has: the ability to make deals.
Wang.
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<!--quoteo(post=37876:date=May 14 2009, 02:09 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ May 14 2009, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37841:date=May 14 2009, 10:05 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ May 14 2009, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm starting to have fun again.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm warming up to this team, but I'm still scared about the injuries and our pen. A nice deadline trade would go a long way towards me feeling confident about this season.
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Once this team gets healthy, what kind of deal would you like them to make? If this team ever gets to 100% then we will have no problem with the offense. The only place I could see making a trade for would be bullpen, but I am not sure who we would go after and I am not sure that trading prospects for a bullpen guy is a good idea.
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<!--quoteo(post=38085:date=May 15 2009, 08:23 AM:name=Runnys)-->QUOTE (Runnys @ May 15 2009, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37876:date=May 14 2009, 02:09 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 14 2009, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37841:date=May 14 2009, 10:05 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ May 14 2009, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm starting to have fun again.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm warming up to this team, but I'm still scared about the injuries and our pen. A nice deadline trade would go a long way towards me feeling confident about this season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Once this team gets healthy, what kind of deal would you like them to make? If this team ever gets to 100% then we will have no problem with the offense. The only place I could see making a trade for would be bullpen, but I am not sure who we would go after and I am not sure that trading prospects for a bullpen guy is a good idea.
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What I'd love to see is a deal for a true, shut-down ace. All of our starters are very good -- and sometimes great. But we're still lacking that Curt Schilling or Josh Beckett or Cole Hamels who is absolutely nails in the postseason -- someone you can almost count on to throw a shutout or a 1-run game. If someone like that became available, I'd love to make the deal. No idea who that would be...any guys like that in the last year of their contract?
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Just to add to the above thought -- if we had someone like that, I think we would've won at least one of the playoff series from the last two seasons.
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<!--quoteo(post=38093:date=May 15 2009, 10:56 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ May 15 2009, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38085:date=May 15 2009, 08:23 AM:name=Runnys)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runnys @ May 15 2009, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37876:date=May 14 2009, 02:09 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 14 2009, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37841:date=May 14 2009, 10:05 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ May 14 2009, 10:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm starting to have fun again.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm warming up to this team, but I'm still scared about the injuries and our pen. A nice deadline trade would go a long way towards me feeling confident about this season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Once this team gets healthy, what kind of deal would you like them to make? If this team ever gets to 100% then we will have no problem with the offense. The only place I could see making a trade for would be bullpen, but I am not sure who we would go after and I am not sure that trading prospects for a bullpen guy is a good idea.
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What I'd love to see is a deal for a true, shut-down ace. All of our starters are very good -- and sometimes great. But we're still lacking that Curt Schilling or Josh Beckett or Cole Hamels who is absolutely nails in the postseason -- someone you can almost count on to throw a shutout or a 1-run game. If someone like that became available, I'd love to make the deal. No idea who that would be...any guys like that in the last year of their contract?
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That's what I was thinking as well. And as far as the bullpen is concerned, we may actually be able to acquire someone for very little if we are willing to assume some payroll. It may not be a necessity in a month or two though, so we need to let things play out for a little while longer. At the end of the day, our lineup when healthy is good enough, and 3-4 of our SPs should be decent enough. Everything in between is still a little suspect, but we don't need to make any panic deals unless these injuries are more prolonged or become more widespread than we thought.
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<!--quoteo(post=38082:date=May 15 2009, 08:14 AM:name=veryzer)-->QUOTE (veryzer @ May 15 2009, 08:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the reds and the brewers will fade just before or just after the all star break. the cardinals are already fading. the cubs have one advantage that no other team in the central has:<b> the ability to make deals.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hadn't thought of that, but that is a big advantage. Last year, the Brewers pulled the CC shocker, so you never really know what a club will do, but in this economic environment, we should be in the driver's seat.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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<!--quoteo(post=38100:date=May 15 2009, 11:22 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 15 2009, 11:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38082:date=May 15 2009, 08:14 AM:name=veryzer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (veryzer @ May 15 2009, 08:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the reds and the brewers will fade just before or just after the all star break. the cardinals are already fading. the cubs have one advantage that no other team in the central has:<b> the ability to make deals.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hadn't thought of that, but that is a big advantage. Last year, the Brewers pulled the CC shocker, so you never really know what a club will do, but in this economic environment, we should be in the driver's seat.
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We should be, and hopefully the ownership situation is settled soon, but I still worry more about what we'll have as trade chips at the deadline, and not so much who will be available.
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<!--quoteo(post=38104:date=May 15 2009, 11:33 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38100:date=May 15 2009, 11:22 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 15 2009, 11:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38082:date=May 15 2009, 08:14 AM:name=veryzer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (veryzer @ May 15 2009, 08:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the reds and the brewers will fade just before or just after the all star break. the cardinals are already fading. the cubs have one advantage that no other team in the central has:<b> the ability to make deals.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hadn't thought of that, but that is a big advantage. Last year, the Brewers pulled the CC shocker, so you never really know what a club will do, but in this economic environment, we should be in the driver's seat.
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We should be, and hopefully the ownership situation is settled soon, but I still worry more about what we'll have as trade chips at the deadline, and not so much who will be available.
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That's a good point, but there's also this: at every trade deadline, there are teams that are basically trying to trade <i>contracts</i>. Last year, Seattle was so desperate to get out of Jarrod Washburn's deal, that he was offered for practically nothing. In fact, the only reason the deal didn't go down was because the Yankees refused to give Seattle freaking <i>anything</i> for him...they just were going to take over the contract.
In this economy, and with attendance down in many cities, there may be a few more of these type of deals this summer.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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<!--quoteo(post=38110:date=May 15 2009, 12:58 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 15 2009, 12:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38104:date=May 15 2009, 11:33 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 11:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38100:date=May 15 2009, 11:22 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 15 2009, 11:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38082:date=May 15 2009, 08:14 AM:name=veryzer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (veryzer @ May 15 2009, 08:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the reds and the brewers will fade just before or just after the all star break. the cardinals are already fading. the cubs have one advantage that no other team in the central has:<b> the ability to make deals.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hadn't thought of that, but that is a big advantage. Last year, the Brewers pulled the CC shocker, so you never really know what a club will do, but in this economic environment, we should be in the driver's seat.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We should be, and hopefully the ownership situation is settled soon, but I still worry more about what we'll have as trade chips at the deadline, and not so much who will be available.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's a good point, but there's also this: at every trade deadline, there are teams that are basically trying to trade <i>contracts</i>. Last year, Seattle was so desperate to get out of Jarrod Washburn's deal, that he was offered for practically nothing. In fact, the only reason the deal didn't go down was because the Yankees refused to give Seattle freaking <i>anything</i> for him...they just were going to take over the contract.
In this economy, and with attendance down in many cities, there may be a few more of these type of deals this summer.
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I think Erik Bedard is a free agent after this year, so maybe they'll be looking to move him. Lackey is too, I think, but I'd imagine the Angels will be both competitive as the year moves on and more financially well-off than Seattle.
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I'll pass on Bedard. If we trade for a SP, he'd better have balls of steel.
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<!--quoteo(post=38135:date=May 15 2009, 02:31 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'll pass on Bedard. If we trade for a SP, he'd better have balls of steel.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pettitte's a free agent too.
I don't think there are ever going to be any true type aces available. Teams who have one (Halladay) build around them.
Bedard's having an exceptional year so far, and there's a good chance that last year was the odd duck to his career.
I'd feel better with Bedard going than Dempster or Lilly, but that's just me.
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<!--quoteo(post=38136:date=May 15 2009, 01:35 PM:name=FlyAtTheThigh)-->QUOTE (FlyAtTheThigh @ May 15 2009, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38135:date=May 15 2009, 02:31 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'll pass on Bedard. If we trade for a SP, he'd better have balls of steel.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pettitte's a free agent too.
I don't think there are ever going to be any true type aces available. Teams who have one (Halladay) build around them.
Bedard's having an exceptional year so far, and there's a good chance that last year was the odd duck to his career.
I'd feel better with Bedard going than Dempster or Lilly, but that's just me.
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If we're talking pure talent, sure. I just hear so much about Bedard not being a big-game pitcher, and wonder if he's sort of a pussy. Then again, it's not as if Lilly or Dempster have great postseason records either.
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how bad is lilly's post season career? he didn't even pitch last year, so he's 0-1, right? lilly is one guy i don't worry about.
Wang.
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<!--quoteo(post=38138:date=May 15 2009, 02:44 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38136:date=May 15 2009, 01:35 PM:name=FlyAtTheThigh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FlyAtTheThigh @ May 15 2009, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=38135:date=May 15 2009, 02:31 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ May 15 2009, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'll pass on Bedard. If we trade for a SP, he'd better have balls of steel.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pettitte's a free agent too.
I don't think there are ever going to be any true type aces available. Teams who have one (Halladay) build around them.
Bedard's having an exceptional year so far, and there's a good chance that last year was the odd duck to his career.
I'd feel better with Bedard going than Dempster or Lilly, but that's just me.
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If we're talking pure talent, sure. I just hear so much about Bedard not being a big-game pitcher, and wonder if he's sort of a pussy. Then again, it's not as if Lilly or Dempster have great postseason records either.
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yea, I've heard things like that too, but I'm not sure where they come from. I mean, he's never pitched in the playoffs.
I am a big proponent of taking the best players over a 162 game span and hoping they weather the crapshoot that are short-series playoffs. I know there are others who think there's some sort of playoff gene that kicks in in October.
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