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Brandon Webb and Dan Haren give Arizona two top pitchers who could steal a playoff round from a better team.
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How many better teams are there in the NL? One? Two? The D-Backs may win 95 games this year and just maybe be the best team in the NL anyway.Last edited by Honus Wagner Rules; 02-21-2008, 12:25 PM.Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.-Crash Davis -
Originally posted by Honus Wagner Rules View Post
Not without a improved offense this year. The D Backs were the best team in 1 run/ and extra innings games last year.Comment
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A problem for who? Not for Bob Melvin...sigpic
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This was the most under the radar hugely important move of the offseason.Originally posted by hudsonharden View Post
Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, these deals got more air time and newspaper inches than Haren did. But, this is a huge deal. Webb, Haren 1-2 is as dominant front of the rotation as there is in the game.
Arizona has a ton of young talent. If a few of them take steps forward at the same time, they could be extremely dangerous. Webb and Haren are both young too. The D'backs' future is one of the brightest out there. I'd be real excited if I was a D'backs fan.
Of course, I'm a Mets fan and I'm pretty excited anyway. I heard the Mets added a starting pitcher too. What's his name again...
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT COME WITH A SCORECARD
In the avy: AZ - Doe or DieComment
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Even Melvin when your team isn't scoring runs, The D Backs played over their heads all year and it caught them in the playoffs. They was 32-20 in one run games and 8-6 in extra inning games to finish 11 games over their pythagorean record. They also lost their closer Jose Valverde and have Brandon Lyon closing this year.Originally posted by hudsonharden View PostComment
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Which is why they were able to win the division title despite being outscored 712-732 (Just the 5th division winning team to be outscored). But they have a young team and young teams (team average of 26.6 years in '07) can make dramatic improvements. Also, players like Stephen Drew and Justin Upton could make GLFs and really improve the offense. Also, I expect the D-Backs pitching to allow at least 50 fewer runs. If Randy Johnson can bounce back form his injury he could potentially give the d-Backs another quality starter. I expect big things from the D-Backs in '08.Originally posted by Old Sweater View PostStrikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.-Crash DavisComment
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As long as they keep the Dodgers out of the play offs, it's fine with me.Originally posted by LouGehrig View PostComment
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We'll see. If the young players don't improve on offense, I just don't see the D Backs playing over their heads 2 years in a row. Then can Lyon continue to pitch near 2 runs under his career ERA like he did last year, now that he is the closer? Can Byrnes match that break out season?Originally posted by Honus Wagner Rules View Post
The Rockies are just a 1.3 years older at 27.9 last year, and as you say young teams can improve. None of the players are left from 1993 when the Rockies ticked you off by going 0-13 against the Braves. I just hope your team does better then 4-14 against the Padres this year, the veteran Giants almost cost the Rockies a playoff berth. If the Giants could have just won 1 more, I repeat, 1 more game the Rockies wouldn't have had to play the Padres for the wildcard.
As a Rockies fan, Webb & Haren isn't to much different then what any of the other NL West teams 1 & 2 can throw at you and that Dodger bullpen is just scary. Haren is going to have to show me something before I concede the Peavy & Young tandem that owns the Rockies, especially that Young.Comment
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The pickup of Haren was huge, but the Snakes still need to generate some offense.Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of BaseballComment
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It's going to be a four team race in the West. The Padres probably have the best pitching staff, the Rockies have the best lineup, and the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks fall somewhere in between on each but have more than enough talent to challenge based on the total package.
The only team in the West that's screwed out of the gate is the Giants. The worst offense in baseball just lost its one and only premiere hitter. And signing another grizzleed free agent to a multi-year megadeal isn't going to fix that.
The Padres are probably going to drop out of the race due to a profound lack of offense, specifically they're getting little to no power from the corner outfield positions, which must produce offensively especially in the NL where there is no DH. That said, they allowed the second fewest runs in baseball last year behind the Red Sox, and that does help take pressure off the lineup. Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Bard are definitely going to need some help though.
I rate the D-Backs as a marginal but improving crew. They had some luck last year but the pitching is good and the young offense could go any of a number of different directions. They've improved the pitching, which was probably already a strength, so I consider them probably the team that's going to push San Diego out of the race unless the Padres pull a couple power bats out of their... hat to replace Cameron and Bradley.
The Rockies have an American League style offense with power from top to bottom. They're a better leadoff man and some production from the catcher's position away from kicking tail with the stick, and in their park that matters. Combined with a possible trio of ubaldo, Morales, and Francis to head up their rotation, and Corpas and Fuentes to front their bullpen, and I really like the Colorado Rockies to turn their last-minute epiphany into dominance
The Dodgers are very much the wild card. Loney, LaRoche, Kemp, Billingsley, and Meloan all need to produce next year, and Furcal, Martin, and Lowe need to stay strong. If they shy away from the youth movement and try to ride out the year with Garciaparra, Kent, and the other members of their veteran vanguard I don't see them as nearly as big a threat next year.Last edited by Imgran; 02-21-2008, 01:46 PM.Comment
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Thats Francis, Cook and Ubaldo for the Rockies top 3 in the rotation. Morales is going for the 4 or 5 spot in the rotation and may start the season in the bullpen. I got my fingers crossed for Taveras playing the full year at leadoff and remains injury free. Torrealba done a good job hitting 8th last year.Comment
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