The Bitter Rivals Thread

[CuriousBoston]

More bad words....

Closing medically forbidden? Explain. He will be on the mound for a shorter period, so he uses his arm less. How can that be worse than acting as a starting pitcher?

He'll be up and down every day. He won't have days off. Just ninth inning? Yeah, right. Let's start placing bets on how long that will last.

He'll be on the playing field for a shorter period, but will he be throwing less pitches? Will he be able to keep up with his "strengthening program"? If his arm detached itself from his shoulder last year, after a small, but spectacular, number of outings, there is no "program" on the planet that will keep his arm connected with his shoulder.

Of course he says he's fine, of course he says his program will work, of course he told Francona and everybody on the planet he can do it.

Gender:male
Age:25
Occupation: pitcher
Team: Red Sox

C'mon, you males out there, think, you at 25, you with his bio, numbers, you are immortal, right? A little thing like a shoulder slipping out of the socket. do some exercises, no big deal.

What's in his head? "I can close, I can fill the gap, I can come to the rescue of the BOSTON RED SOX."

Minus a starter, and by July, minus a closer...:grouchy

[Erik Bedard]

12-9 is still better than 11-10, so what's there to brag about if you've got the lesser record? I still don't get it.

What's there to brag about if you're one game better? And in Spring Training?

[Mattingly]

What's there to brag about if you're one game better? And in Spring Training?

Actually, you were the one bragging in this thread about how great the O's rotation was, and last I've heard, that was also said just last week, also in spring. I was the one who'd reminded you that I don't take spring starts too carefully, so I have no idea why you're now saying how unimportant spring games are when you'd previously placed emphasis on the O's rotation in March. You'd mentioned how good 3 Baltimore starters looked this spring, how that would carry over into the regular season.

As to -Kyle-, who said I was bragging? Had you asked, I would've mentioned that it's way too early to judge players, since not everyone is even up and ready at the moment.

I presume that if you will now focus on the regular season, rather than spring results, we can see who's doing relatively well after April ends.

[Erik Bedard]

Agreed. No more bragging until the season starts.

However, I find ST is a great time to judge players, to see how well they're capable of playing. So individual stats in ST mean a lot to me, yet team records, the compilation of each of the games, mean next to nothing, for the reason that the first week or two of ST, the starters only pitch two or three innings, and players are removed after one or two ABs. You can still see how well a player is doing, despite the small sample size. However, two-thirds of the people playing in the first week will not be playing in the last week, so team records mean absolutely nothing to me.

[Mattingly]

Agreed. No more bragging until the season starts.

However, I find ST is a great time to judge players, to see how well they're capable of playing. So individual stats in ST mean a lot to me, yet team records, the compilation of each of the games, mean next to nothing, for the reason that the first week or two of ST, the starters only pitch two or three innings, and players are removed after one or two ABs. You can still see how well a player is doing, despite the small sample size. However, two-thirds of the people playing in the first week will not be playing in the last week, so team records mean absolutely nothing to me.

*thought I was gonna have to take this guy by the elevator and wallop him good!*

Anywayz, ... *shakes EB's hand on the no bragging part*

So as far as the O's go, which players have impressed you the most?

Yeah, team records are meaningless. With split squads, tied games, so many pinch hitters, it's unbelievable (like they're on sale or something).

Two quick questions:

(1) Do you gauge a team's strength upon his rotation, its pen or its lineup?

(2) When does the bragging (sigs & avs) start?! April 1st or May 1st?

[Erik Bedard]

Erik Bedard has been outstanding. Not even I could have called this performance. 0.95 ERA, threw a one-hitter (6 IP) the other day... if somebody other than Johan Santana wins the CYA, it'll be him. Adam Loewen has also impressed, with a 1.38 ERA. Daniel Cabrera has exceeded my expectations as well, with a 3.15 ERA. Watch out, Yankees and Red Sox.

(1) I first look at the rotation. It's a lot harder for a team to find a starting pitcher to step in and contribute than it is for them to find a hitter. Plus, one hitter can't blow a whole game, whereas Jaret Wri- I mean any pitcher can.

(2) I'd say around April 15th. But only then if one team is at least two games back of first place.

[Mattingly]

April 15th, huh? Just in time for the 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut ... or tax time if you're not imaginative. I say the 60th shall do.

Now then, on which day do you submit to the Evil Empire and wave the white flag?

[Erik Bedard]

Not until they win the World Series. Until then, someone can always beat them.

[Mattingly]

Anybody but Boston, Toronto and Baltimore, perhaps?

Anywayz, #27, here we come! Bragging rights, baby, bragging rights!

[Solair Wright]

The Yankees are always front runners to win the World Series, but I don't have good news for them. Jason Giambi is just an overrated stiff, whose numbers right now are on par with former Yank Steve Balboni.

You want to challenge Julio Lugo vs. Derek Jeter vs. Miguel Tejada in a shortstop contest? You got it! Whoever wins is probably the 2007 Shortstop of the Year.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

You want to challenge Julio Lugo vs. Derek Jeter vs. Miguel Tejada in a shortstop contest? You got it! Whoever wins is probably the 2007 Shortstop of the Year.

Don't forget Royce Clayton !

[Mattingly]

Don't forget Royce Clayton !

Someone way upthread asked me about a slick-hitting, well-fielding SS in the AL who wears #2. Knowing they weren't about to say you-know-who, I asked. The answer: Cleveland's own Jhonny Peralta, that's who.

[Mattingly]

The Yankees are always front runners to win the World Series, but I don't have good news for them. Jason Giambi is just an overrated stiff, whose numbers right now are on par with former Yank Steve Balboni.

I'm not sure about overrated (he is a bit, but I don't rate him as highly as his Oakland reputation would dictate), but if his vision & knees do him justice, he should have a fine 2007 season.

You want to challenge Julio Lugo vs. Derek Jeter vs. Miguel Tejada in a shortstop contest? You got it! Whoever wins is probably the 2007 Shortstop of the Year.

What's your criteria for SS? Offense? Defense? If defense, which plays do you put greatest emphasis upon?

Oh yeah, any "intangibles" which makes Jeter look especially could should mentioned several times!

[Solair Wright]

Criteria is both offense, and defense. Let's see who will be the Shortstop of the Year. Julio Lugo needs to work on his somewhat spotty defense, then he can eventually challenge Jeter. I don't know where to put Tejada, he's no Cal Ripken Jr. in defense.

[Mariano_Rivera]

The Yankees are always front runners to win the World Series, but I don't have good news for them. Jason Giambi is just an overrated stiff, whose numbers right now are on par with former Yank Steve Balboni.

You want to challenge Julio Lugo vs. Derek Jeter vs. Miguel Tejada in a shortstop contest? You got it! Whoever wins is probably the 2007 Shortstop of the Year.

I`ll make a sig an avatar bet on that one in Jeter's favor in this one....