Predicting the standings

[TheKilo]

The Angels outperformed their pythag by ~12 games last season. I expect them to be around 90 this season, instead of close to 100.

[ORS]

They did that primarily through outstanding situational hitting. Even with excellent situational hitting, they still managed to score a handful of runs less than their theoretical RC. I've checked the last few years, and their RS is consistently under their RC. Best manager in baseball my ass.

[Gom]

He's among the best ORS. Who do you think is a great manager, ORS?

 

I picked the A's because they got Holliday and Giambi, and their pitching is going to be better. Add those two, and take away Krod, and more importantly Tex and Anderson, and replace them with Abreu, and you've got an older and inferior team.

 

Anyways, everyone else is picking the Angels, so I needed to be different.

 

The AL East will be a two dog race, with the Rays nipping at the heels. I expect the Rays to take a step back this year, although a small one.

[ORS]

Earl Weaver, but he's no longer a viable option.

[TheKilo]

Duchsceherer is having elbow surgery. Angels win that division.

[ORS]

Oh that's too bad, especially after Gom had to remind everyone how awesome he was for getting "a starter with a sub 3.00 ERA" so late in the draft.

[TheKilo]

^lol

[Cocos Disciples]

Here's the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090327&content_id=4079240&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Supposed to miss at least 6 weeks, so not completely devastating, but definitely not helping. Angels probably do win the division.

[Dipre]

Here's the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090327&content_id=4079240&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Supposed to miss at least 6 weeks, so not completely devastating, but definitely not helping. Angels probably do win the division.

 

Not so fast.

 

Even without Dusch, the A's still look like a far more balanced team than the Angels.

 

Oakland got better, and they'll only be without their ace for a couple of weeks.

 

Angels replaced K-Rod with Fuentes.......substantial drop.

 

Angels replaced Teixeira with Morales.......substantial drop.

 

And since their awesome hitting with RISP (See: Minnesota Twins), isn't a sustainable skill, plus the fact that they beat their expected W/L by more than 10 games last season has me thinking the Angels win no more than 88 games, making that division VERY winnable by a much improved Oakland club.

[TheKilo]

The A's have zero rotation. Zero.

 

The Angels have the better pitching. They'll win the division with like 90 wins.

[Gom]

Oh that's too bad' date=' especially after Gom had to remind everyone how awesome he was for getting "a starter with a sub 3.00 ERA" so late in the draft.[/quote']

 

Considering I got him with the 18th round pick or something like that, I'm not complaining.

[Dipre]

The A's have zero rotation. Zero.

 

The Angels have the better pitching. They'll win the division with like 90 wins.

 

The A's have a better bullpen, better offense, better Defense,.

 

And they don't have "Zero" rotation, their rotation is unproven, which is entirely different.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Here's the link: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090327&content_id=4079240&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Supposed to miss at least 6 weeks, so not completely devastating, but definitely not helping. Angels probably do win the division.

Seattle f***ing Mariners, I'm telling you.

[Cocos Disciples]

Really?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Really really.

[Cocos Disciples]

Good luck with that.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Braves (WC)

 

http://www.icanhasforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/star-wars-sand-people-orly.jpg

[TheKilo]

The A's have a better bullpen, better offense, better Defense,.

 

And they don't have "Zero" rotation, their rotation is unproven, which is entirely different.

 

How do the A's have a better offense and bullpen than the Angels?

[Cocos Disciples]

*Brilliant picture*

 

Is it more ridiculous than having them behind Washington and Florida?

[BoSox21]

How do the A's have a better offense and bullpen than the Angels?

 

They don't have a better offense but they could end up having a better bullpen. They have some good arms in Casilla, Devine and Ziegler.

[TheKilo]

I'll put money on Shields, Arredondo, and Fuentes being better.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

From the link Coco posted:

 

 

With Duchscherer, 31, out until mid-May at the earliest, the A's have four spots in their starting rotation available; GM Billy Beane suggested this week that lefty Dallas Braden has a spot secured.

 

 

4 rotation spots available at this point in the spring, and Dallas f***ing Braden is the only one to secure a spot? No thanks.

[riverside sluggers]

They don't have a better offense but they could end up having a better bullpen. They have some good arms in Casilla' date=' Devine and Ziegler.[/quote']

 

Plus they added Russ Springer and Michael Wuertz

[TheKilo]

Ziegler is going to regress hard.

[Cocos Disciples]

It's hard not to after a 1.06 ERA. His K/BB ratio is really bad though, and cause for concern. His WHIP was a solid 1.15 last year, but that's with his monster season. I expect it to rise a lot, with his ERA.

 

Is he closing or is Devine?

[BoSox21]

Is he closing or is Devine?

 

Still undecided, Devine is having an arm issue though

[TheKilo]

OK, Devine has arm issues, Ziegler is due for a regression, how are the As the better bullpen again?

[riverside sluggers]

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30016401/

 

NBC Sports has their season predictions:

 

AL East

Boston (96-66)

**New York (90-72)

Tampa Bay (89-73)

Toronto (76-86)

Baltimore (84-88)

 

AL Central

Minnesota (87-75)

Cleveland (86-76)

Kansas City (84-78)

Detroit (78-84)

Chicago (77-85)

 

AL West

Anaheim (90-72)

Oakland (79-83)

Texas (75-87)

Seattle (69-93)

 

NL East

New York (91-71)

**Philadelphia (88-74)

Atlanta (84-78)

Florida (76-86)

Washington (68-94)

 

NL Central

Chicago (93-69)

St. Louis (85-77)

Milwaukee (84-78)

Cincinnati (79-83)

Houston (72-90)

Pittsburgh (66-96)

 

NL West

Los Angeles (88-74)

Arizona (84-78)

San Francisco (77-85)

Colorado (76-86)

San Diego (69-93

 

NL Pennant: Chicago

AL Pennant: Boston

World Series Winner: Boston

[CrespoBlows]

http://www.icanhasforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/star-wars-sand-people-orly.jpg

 

 

What the f*** is that thing?

[TheKilo]

 

What the f*** is that thing?

 

Sand people from Star Wars