MLB 2009

[Paelos]

I'm not so sure Toronto can't be a 100 win club. I think May will be a very telling month for them because they finally have to face some decent opponents. They have a series with LA, 2 series with Boston, and a series with the Yankees. They are coming off a sweep of Baltimore, they are #1 in team batting average, runs, hits, doubles, and RBIs. They are #2 in HRs and slugging. Frankly, they are statistically the best hitting team in all of baseball right now. Couple that with being top 10 in team ERA, and you have a pretty solid shot at going the distance.

[Ingmar]

Their level of offense is (imo) unsustainable with the players they have on the team now, though. They're statistically the best hitting team in baseball, but they're not the best hitting team in baseball talent-wise and over the course of the season I expect that to drop. Time will tell of course, and they may be able to play over their heads long enough for the late season slide to leave them with enough wins for a wild card still. I expect Boston to win the division, really, and the Rays should be able to recover from their current record (they've actually scored more than they've given up, so they've been getting unlucky in close games - that tends to even out over a season.) The Yankees on the other hand are in the opposite situation from the Rays (given up more runs than they've scored but have a winning record) but it is hard to say how much of a difference getting A-Rod back will make for them so I hesitate to make any predictions.

[Paelos]

I predict if they can halve the two series with the BoSox, go 2/3 against the Yankees, and avoid a two game sweep in LA, they will have 35ish wins at the end of May. That would be good enough to be on pace for a wild card spot minimum considering the crappy performance of the other two divisions.

[Fordel]

I guess the real question is, is there a bandwagon and should I be riding it?

I still have all my jays shit from way back when!

[Ingmar]

There is probably a bandwagon. Bust out your powder blue jacket and go for some poutine!

[Fordel]

YES!


O K

O K

BLUE JAYS

BlUE JAYS

LETS
PLAY
BAAAAALLLL

[Paelos]

I'm going to say it now. They are winning the fucking division.

Is it insane? Yes. But I believe. 

[Paelos]

True to form the Yankees fell below .500 at 13-14 yesterday. This isn't the NBA and you can't score your way to the playoffs without playing some good defense in baseball. Their 5.77 team ERA is 29th/30 in the MLB.

[Rasix]

This just in: Manny is a dumbass.

[Paelos]

He's blaming his suspension on a drug his doctor gave him, that's banned under the drug policy.

What he actually tested positive for was a WOMEN'S FERTILITY DRUG. Apparently, it's common for steroid users to take it to jumpstart their natural hormone production.

[WayAbvPar]

This just in: Manny is a dumbass.

Water wet, report adds.

[Paelos]

So far, the Jays are holding up ok through May. They are on a 3 game win streak, and are getting dangerously close to their series' with Boston. If they go 2/3 through those, they will have at least a 5 game lead on the division going into June, and on pace with my 35ish win prediction at the end of the month. However, the Yanks are on a 5 game streak and their pitching is steadily improving.

Texas is doing their typical winning thing before it gets supremely hot in Dallas, and they enter the epic fail months of July and August. I fully expect LA to overtake them at that point and walk away with the division yet again. The AL Central is a mess with Detroit and KC at the top, and no good explanation as to why the White Soxs are sucking so hard right now on a 4 game skid.

In the NL, Atlanta's picking up to go back to .500, but the Mets are charging while Florida has completely tanked. Right now the NL East is shaping up to be a 2, and perhaps 3 team race if Atlanta can stay healthy. If they can't, it will be another battle to the finish between Philly and the Mets. The Brewers are the shocker right now, though. They are on a 5 game winning streak to make their way back into first, after an absolutely DREADFUL start. I thought at 4-9 they had zero chance of rebounding, and they are now 23-14. They are 11-4 in May. That's an unreal turnaround.

In the West, it's pretty obvious the Dodgers don't need Manny. Thirteen games over .500, best record in baseball, and 6 games up on the nearest competition. They are going to walk away with that division barring a missile hitting their bullpen.

[HaemishM]

The Dodgers won't need Manny until the playoffs, as that division is a wasteland, and will probably remain that way for another 2-3 years if not longer. Allowing Manny to rest as well as giving him incentive to prove himself when he gets back is only going to help the Dodgers.

The Brewers will fade. The Cubs will win the Central, as despite their injuries, I think they are the only team with the pitching to last. Neither the Cards nor the Brewers' pitching staff scares me, and the rest of the division is either too young or sucky to stand up. I'm still hoping Florida makes a comeback in the East - they have the talent to compete in that division, it's just all very young.

[Azaroth]

Gives him a chance to get another cycle in, too.

Expect some DINGERZ.

[Paelos]

I'm not sure about your point on Cubs pitching being the dealbreaker for the Central, Haemish. They are 5th in the division in team ERA, and they give up a shit-ton of hits. Granted, they have some deadly strikeout artists, and they lead the league there, but I think they are middle of the run for the league. I don't think they will run off the Cards easily. Also, I don't think the Brewers will last, but nothing about the Cubs is jumping out at me this year except that they had a shitty April and a great May so far.

Still, they've played the Cards 3-3 this year. I think it will be a good battle all year long with those two.

[HaemishM]

The starting rotation for the Cubs is much MUCH better than their ERA would leave you to believe at this point. There isn't one guy in the regular rotation who couldn't slot in at least 3rd on anyone else's rotation in the league. Zambrano's been hurt, they are treating Harden with silk gloves to keep his arm from exploding in the second half and Marhsall is young. Their biggest problems this year have been lack of consistency in the bullpen and injuries to their main hitters. In the long run, that Cubs staff is going to be better than the Cards or Brewers' staff.

[Azuredream]

I just don't watch Indians games anymore, it's too depressing. Blowing a 7-0 lead, really? At least we got our boy LeBron to take our minds off it.

[Paelos]

Cleveland needs another Major League movie. A good one though.

[Paelos]

The starting rotation for the Cubs is much MUCH better than their ERA would leave you to believe at this point. There isn't one guy in the regular rotation who couldn't slot in at least 3rd on anyone else's rotation in the league. Zambrano's been hurt, they are treating Harden with silk gloves to keep his arm from exploding in the second half and Marhsall is young. Their biggest problems this year have been lack of consistency in the bullpen and injuries to their main hitters. In the long run, that Cubs staff is going to be better than the Cards or Brewers' staff.

Granted I've only watched them play on non-WGN televised games, so I'm not as close to team as the Braves, but I'll get a better view of them in a heads up series in about 2 weeks.

[Azaroth]

Jays lose 7 in a row, by the way. It was only a matter of time.

[Paelos]

They got swept by my Braves. Frankly, I was shocked. Pleasantly so, but still shocked.

[Ingmar]

More surprising to me than the Blue Jays coming back down to earth (ITT: me saying I told you so, probably too early) is the fact that Tampa Bay is still underperforming so badly. A +40 run differential, 3rd best in all of baseball, and they're one game under .500.

San Diego has made an amazing charge to a winning record, winning 10 in a row. That won't hold up but I bet it makes for a bunch of retarded decision making down the line as they fool themselves into thinking they're a contender.

[Fordel]

Does this mean I should put my Jays crap away again? 

[Ingmar]

Keep hope alive, they've got a reasonable shot at the wild card!

[Fordel]

Who am I supposed to be rallying behind at a player level?


<Blah> is a hell of a player, eh?

[Paelos]

Aaron Hill, the Jays 2B has more hits than anyone in the league. Also, Roy Halladay is tied for most wins in the league.

[Azaroth]

Halladay is the best pitcher in the league. But Aaron Hill is just on a hot streak.

[Azaroth]

http://tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=282035

My world is shattered.

"SAY IT AIN'T SOSA". Rofl.

[Ingmar]

Just want to register a general WTF @ the Giants record. Maybe *we* will be the team that goes full retard instead of the Padres.

Tampa Bay is recovering from their weird early underperforming stretch, as predicted.

[HaemishM]

http://tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=282035

My world is shattered.

"SAY IT AIN'T SOSA". Rofl.

I'm pretty sure all Cubs fans knew Sosa was a juicer when a sneeze threw out his back bad enough to put him on the DL for a month and when he came back he hit fuckall for power.

[Paelos]

Or when he sprayed cork all over the infield from a shattered bat.

[Ingmar]

Or when he sprayed cork all over the infield from a shattered bat.

Hey, corked bats are a time-honored and acceptable kind of cheating, like nail files and spitballs. 

[Fordel]

Does bat corking actually work?

Seems like this is something the Mythbusters should figure out.

[Ingmar]

Does bat corking actually work?

Seems like this is something the Mythbusters should figure out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHIJCjdU4wI

[Fordel]

Of course you manage to link the video that doesn't answer the question!