Marahiro Tanaka And Sox Starting Rotation.

[seabeachfred]

The Yankees bullpen looks a bit thin at the moment. But to borrow a page from Fred's book, I don't think the dirty conniving bastards are done yet. Who knows, maybe our old pal Papelbon is on their radar, among others.

 

Anyone out there think the Blue Jays could made a dramatic turnaround as we did last season? I don't mean going all the way and winning the WS but we have to keep in mind pundits were saying at this time last year that Toronto with their upgrades were the team to beat in the AL East. Our division is much more balanced that some people think it is and as we showed in 2013 teams can go from the outhouse to the penthouse in one swoop. I think it is possible that any one of the five teams in the AL East could sweep the prize and my one worry about the Red Sox, save from staying healthy, is whether there will be a let down this season and a loss of the hungry attitude they showed last season.

[seabeachfred]

And didnt Papelbon talk stuff against the Red Sox and then change his tune after we won WS? I guess he wanted the Phils to get smart AFTER he was signed.

 

Papelbon probably thought after 2012 that his old team had hit the skids and wouldn't be relevant for a number of years. He was had the right idea but had the wrong team in mind. It was his Phillies team that stumbled and bumbled through the 2013 season and don't look anything but a year older with a bunch of declining players and bloated contracts dragging them down like an anchor. I believe he wants out of Philly in the worst way because he knows his team has little chance to go anywhere this year. They're old and their numbers are down and many of them have become the walking wounded. He also knows the Red Sox want no part of him so his parachute might be if the Yankees decide to spend more money......on him.

[Thunder]

Anyone out there think the Blue Jays could made a dramatic turnaround as we did last season? I don't mean going all the way and winning the WS but we have to keep in mind pundits were saying at this time last year that Toronto with their upgrades were the team to beat in the AL East. Our division is much more balanced that some people think it is and as we showed in 2013 teams can go from the outhouse to the penthouse in one swoop. I think it is possible that any one of the five teams in the AL East could sweep the prize and my one worry about the Red Sox, save from staying healthy, is whether there will be a let down this season and a loss of the hungry attitude they showed last season.

 

I felt intimidated by them last season, but they ended up being the odd man out of the equation. The Sox and Rays obviously had good enough years to make the playoffs, and the Yanks and Orioles were solid contenders until September. It's really important for the Jays to start off well, and win a lot of AL East games. They had a fairly hard time doing that in the first couple months last year. If they can do that, as well as keep their starters off the DL, they should be in the thick of it, and the AL East should pretty much be a 5 team race until the dog days.

[rjortiz]

Anyone out there think the Blue Jays could made a dramatic turnaround as we did last season? I don't mean going all the way and winning the WS but we have to keep in mind pundits were saying at this time last year that Toronto with their upgrades were the team to beat in the AL East. Our division is much more balanced that some people think it is and as we showed in 2013 teams can go from the outhouse to the penthouse in one swoop. I think it is possible that any one of the five teams in the AL East could sweep the prize and my one worry about the Red Sox, save from staying healthy, is whether there will be a let down this season and a loss of the hungry attitude they showed last season.

 

It's possible. They have a lot of talented positional players who did not play full seasons. However, they don't have a lot of talent surrounding them, and they have very weak pitching depth that could implode if an injury or two occurs. If they signed Drew and Jimenez/Santana, I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the wild card mix.

Edited January 28, 2014 by rjortiz

[sk7326]

"If healthy" is a phrase that makes all of our speculation sort of moot, and what the division hinges on. The Red Sox 2013 I've maintained was not a triumph of a "new Red Sox way" so much as a spectacular vindication of the old way (the 2003-2011 one) which Cherington and Farrell had prominent roles in at various times. 2012 was just a massive perceived correction for a 2 year playoff drought which was driven mostly by lots, and lots, and lots of injuries. Between a few free agents doing well, and Farrell largely being able to field the team he wanted all season - we were able to be a wire to wire champ.

 

If we have the same sort of injury luck as last year - and expected performance from new guys (as well as Farrell improving as a tactical manager, and he showed improvement over the season there) ... we will be a contender again ... I have us behind Detroit and Texas in the AL, but not by any huge margin. But a bout of poor injury luck can change things quickly, especially in the hypercompetitive AL East.

[User Name]

With Derek Holland out until mid-season, and the Tigers getting rid of Doug Fister for essentially nothing and acquiring an injury-prone 2B and starting a rookie (albeit a very good one) at 3B while giving up their one true LHH threat, i think you can realistically make an argument for the Sox over either of them.

[sk7326]

With Derek Holland out until mid-season, and the Tigers getting rid of Doug Fister for essentially nothing and acquiring an injury-prone 2B and starting a rookie (albeit a very good one) at 3B while giving up their one true LHH threat, i think you can realistically make an argument for the Sox over either of them.

 

Oh certainly that is a fair call - the margins are pretty close. The Texas-Detroit trade is one of the great something for everybody deals - there were very strong reasons for both teams to do the deals, and both of the principal players have a lot to prove. Fielder in particular is interesting as he had a bad year, but at age 29 and batted ball stats that did not scream decline and moving into a good lefty ballpark, seems like a potential bounceback candidate. And yes, Detroit got shockingly little back for a high caliber #3 starter. And Oakland is not really behind much if at all. I also tend to skew pessimistic on the Sox generally, just how the pre 2004 18 years of fandom conditioned me.

[iortiz]

Anyone out there think the Blue Jays could made a dramatic turnaround as we did last season? I don't mean going all the way and winning the WS but we have to keep in mind pundits were saying at this time last year that Toronto with their upgrades were the team to beat in the AL East. Our division is much more balanced that some people think it is and as we showed in 2013 teams can go from the outhouse to the penthouse in one swoop. I think it is possible that any one of the five teams in the AL East could sweep the prize and my one worry about the Red Sox, save from staying healthy, is whether there will be a let down this season and a loss of the hungry attitude they showed last season.

The division is wide open to any team. I do not see a clear fav. It'll be very funny to watch.

[rjortiz]

With Derek Holland out until mid-season, and the Tigers getting rid of Doug Fister for essentially nothing and acquiring an injury-prone 2B and starting a rookie (albeit a very good one) at 3B while giving up their one true LHH threat, i think you can realistically make an argument for the Sox over either of them.

 

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Scherzer, Sanchez, and Cabrera regress from career years.

[User Name]

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Scherzer, Sanchez, and Cabrera regress from career years.

 

But you could see improvement from Verlander, Porcello, the BP and the defensive s***-show they were in 2013.

[Palodios]

Anyone out there think the Blue Jays could made a dramatic turnaround as we did last season? I don't mean going all the way and winning the WS but we have to keep in mind pundits were saying at this time last year that Toronto with their upgrades were the team to beat in the AL East.

 

I seriously doubt it. They lost Josh Johnson already, who was supposed to be the gem of the group, and that rotation looks ugly now. Reyes and Bautista are as injury prone as they get. Their bullpen has lost several players, and their farm system was ranked today as the 24th in the league -- depleted badly by the big trades last year.

[Behindenemylines]

Because all five teams play each other so often the teams that are the weak links of the division will quickly be found out and they will settle to the bottom of the division. I can see a three team race, but as much as they play each other there has to be losers.

[SoxSport]

Shouldn't that be Tanaka and the Yankee rotation? LOL

 

I was watching the movie Major League II the other night--the comedy about the Cleveland Guardians (not that the Guardians are a comedy--LOL).

Seems that the Guardians in the movie signed a kid left fielder from the Japanese Giants by the name of Tanaka. Yup, Tanaka. This one turned out to be a crazy Samurai warrior, flashing his sword around the locker room before games scattering everybody.

 

That should be a warning to the Yankee players.

[kreinbihl34]

Shouldn't that be Tanaka and the Yankee rotation? LOL

 

I was watching the movie Major League II the other night--the comedy about the Cleveland Guardians (not that the Guardians are a comedy--LOL).

Seems that the Guardians in the movie signed a kid left fielder from the Japanese Giants by the name of Tanaka. Yup, Tanaka. This one turned out to be a crazy Samurai warrior, flashing his sword around the locker room before games scattering everybody.

 

That should be a warning to the Yankee players.

 

Remember how bad-ass that guy was though? He was known to crash into walls.