when hopes go up in flames, when the loss totals tell you you'd have to run the table to get where you should have been. Boston is in the cruel month ( 60 losses already) because it has enough talent- the best talent in the AL- to run the table, they simply wont let let happen or anything near. Carl Crawford Jacoby EllsBury, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz is a fabulous 1-4--speed, hitting and power. Put Pedroia and Youkilis behind that group and the rest of the lineup need only tread water- Saltamachia has a big power year going and SS and RF become places for your young stars to develop. Lester, Clay Bucholz, and Josh Beckett are a top 3 rotation and Felix Doubront has been a sensation- lefty to boot. So yes, it is an amazing group of talent-- and I picked them to finish last. Add in Bobby Valentine as manager, a meddling front office, and the most selfish attitudes i have seen in recent years among players- Beckett, Lester, Pedroia and Ellsbury seem to be the worst; the team has no prayer for success. Money and talent only go so far in baseball, the rest is effort and determination. The unwise trade of Youkilis was felt when they lost the young star Middlebrooks to injury. Trading Youkilis was not the answer- trading Youk, Pedroiia and Ellsbury and Beckett was the answer. Now August was also cruel to Cleveland, they faded after a wonderful beginning but have wisely begun to cut and build for next year- wonderful fans there- they deserve a winner. The cruel month has caught Oakland even with the magical pitching- which will be a base for years to come- and the Cuban star Cespedes the new centerpiece of the offense and defense.
August will also be cruel to Texas- they will win but they no longer have any reason to feel they can survive NY, Detroit, or the Angels in the playoffs. Something about a leveling off within the club- maybe it is contracts or leadership on the field- but the invincibility has gone. I think they don't have the depth of pitching they once did, or maybe others have caught up in that category. Offense this season in the AL is outstanding so many great hitting teams. Detroit will be cruel to Chicago, and gradually pull away from them, but Chicago will be in the wild card hunt with Baltimore, and Tampa to the end.
Ahh then there is NYY; well so many injuries and yet each game the Yankees battle and seem never out of a game. Spotty starters, spotty relievers; lost ARod and Gartner, Pettitte, CC twice now-- and still they seem to be the team with the deepest resolve to win-- not nearly the most talented-- but with Jeter, Cano, Granderson, Ichiro, Teixera and a talented player in every role and position- they seem to be the real team to beat this year.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Talking Baseball and Talent in the AL
I picked Boston to finish last, and I think in the end it will not even be a close result. The reason is odd- they have the best talent in the game, just ahead of the Washington nationals and the Texas Rangers. Best talent means the most dominant- biggest advantage over other teams. The Yankees who I pick to win the division, League and World Series are not even close to the top- now without Mariano Rivera. They wil will because they have the dominant advantage is the thing i can only call- winning. They have people who -on the field- play hard and refuse to give in to adversity: Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte have shown it over and again- now they are joined by Cano, Bret Gardner, and Curtis Granderson. The weakness is pitching- some will be cured by healed injuries- they need one more reliable bullpen arm. NY, Tampa, and Baltimore are my choices for the playoffs with Texas and Detroit. I think Detroit is the riskiest pick there- they have a surprising weakness in pitching and depth on offense- Leyland is the best manager and uses the best of all of his players- and they are lacking parts now because the heart of the team is strong -Verlander, Scherzer, Cabrera, Fielder, the late inning bullpen and Valverde.
Back to Boston- the story there wil be the implosions that have already begun- Pedroia and Youkilis are talented but don't lead by performance- they seem to lead by clubhouse clique- Valentine has already lost them and the factions are in a Tong War that is visible in the press. Valentine will blame the players, the players will say- we won the Series -twice!---The Yankees fans of course are looking for # 28--so twice is what the Florida Marlins and St Louis Cardinals have done in recent years too--so you need leaders that do it o the field. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz types of guys- the true leaders. Pedroia and Youkilis are among the players who are given the most by the game- umpire calls on balls and strikes especially- the strike zone for these guys can be a postage stamp when playing at home in Fenway in the late innings. Pedroia in particular gets the ball down the middle or it is not a strike--I think he reminds the umps of their grandchildren...;)
I think many still cling to $ as the big thing in baseball --well--this year Boston and LA Angels will spend plenty ($300 million) and not get to the playoffs as i predict things here- and the Yankees will be short on talent in that playoff group despite their payroll. Tampa sent Josh Hamilton to Texas, the Yankees sent Montero to Seattle--everyone makes mistakes, judgement more than money makes great baseball teams. Baltimore is the feel good story- pitching and playing hard- maybe even over their heads. Succeeding despite injuries too. I am really shocked that Hamilton hit 4 home runs in a game there--I mean that LLIIITTTLE park-- that should happen once a week!!!
Peace OUT!
Back to Boston- the story there wil be the implosions that have already begun- Pedroia and Youkilis are talented but don't lead by performance- they seem to lead by clubhouse clique- Valentine has already lost them and the factions are in a Tong War that is visible in the press. Valentine will blame the players, the players will say- we won the Series -twice!---The Yankees fans of course are looking for # 28--so twice is what the Florida Marlins and St Louis Cardinals have done in recent years too--so you need leaders that do it o the field. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz types of guys- the true leaders. Pedroia and Youkilis are among the players who are given the most by the game- umpire calls on balls and strikes especially- the strike zone for these guys can be a postage stamp when playing at home in Fenway in the late innings. Pedroia in particular gets the ball down the middle or it is not a strike--I think he reminds the umps of their grandchildren...;)
I think many still cling to $ as the big thing in baseball --well--this year Boston and LA Angels will spend plenty ($300 million) and not get to the playoffs as i predict things here- and the Yankees will be short on talent in that playoff group despite their payroll. Tampa sent Josh Hamilton to Texas, the Yankees sent Montero to Seattle--everyone makes mistakes, judgement more than money makes great baseball teams. Baltimore is the feel good story- pitching and playing hard- maybe even over their heads. Succeeding despite injuries too. I am really shocked that Hamilton hit 4 home runs in a game there--I mean that LLIIITTTLE park-- that should happen once a week!!!
Peace OUT!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Yankeees in 2012- magical!
The 2012 season promises to be a thrill ride and I predict it ends with a great post season run. This team has a mythical quality to it some Hall of Fame calibre talents sprinkled on this roster- Jeter, Cano, ARod, and Rivera are the obvious inclusions- Cano is well on his way to being the Jeter of Yankees second basemen( Willie Randolph, Bobby Richardson come easily to mind), ARod is already in the HOF based on achievements as is Mo Rivera- the rarely disputed best ever closer, CC will be in that group in a few more years, durable and excellent.
That is not all, the overall team has a deep footprint too: Teixera will likely be an all-time Yankee great and so will Curtis Granderson who may yet inch into the upper echelon of HOF talent- his turn-around since becoming a Yankee has been amazing. He is now among the elite offensive players in the game even without a brilliant hitting average, or any statistic that stands out except the one that matters most - scoring and driving in- runs on the scoreboard.
The pitching has CC Sabatthia , Rivera, and Robertson- who is on a path to being a great middle reliever- the Yankees have had this as a characteristic- back to the 50"s on their great teams. Never the best starters but the best combination of starting-relief-closer. Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Sparky Lyle, Luis Arroyo- a long list of notable and a few great middle relievers-- Robertson has a chance to be at or near the top of the list. The starter that is missing is Pineda- wait till next year when he and Joba Chamberlain come back to add something special in that season. But for now, we have much to savor- a bench of former greats- Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez and the very good Raul Ibanez( although i would have brought back Matsui who will help lead Tampa to the post season at the expense of Boston and Toronto this year)- I pick the Yankees to win the division, Detroit the central with Tampa and Baltimore to be the Wild Cards leaving the Angels to go home empty in the West far behind Texas.
The Yankees will have to find gold in the minors, or bring in a vet like Roy Oswalt but they have enough now to get to the top-- extraordinary players even by all-time standards-- my advice, watch as much as you can!
That is not all, the overall team has a deep footprint too: Teixera will likely be an all-time Yankee great and so will Curtis Granderson who may yet inch into the upper echelon of HOF talent- his turn-around since becoming a Yankee has been amazing. He is now among the elite offensive players in the game even without a brilliant hitting average, or any statistic that stands out except the one that matters most - scoring and driving in- runs on the scoreboard.
The pitching has CC Sabatthia , Rivera, and Robertson- who is on a path to being a great middle reliever- the Yankees have had this as a characteristic- back to the 50"s on their great teams. Never the best starters but the best combination of starting-relief-closer. Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Sparky Lyle, Luis Arroyo- a long list of notable and a few great middle relievers-- Robertson has a chance to be at or near the top of the list. The starter that is missing is Pineda- wait till next year when he and Joba Chamberlain come back to add something special in that season. But for now, we have much to savor- a bench of former greats- Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez and the very good Raul Ibanez( although i would have brought back Matsui who will help lead Tampa to the post season at the expense of Boston and Toronto this year)- I pick the Yankees to win the division, Detroit the central with Tampa and Baltimore to be the Wild Cards leaving the Angels to go home empty in the West far behind Texas.
The Yankees will have to find gold in the minors, or bring in a vet like Roy Oswalt but they have enough now to get to the top-- extraordinary players even by all-time standards-- my advice, watch as much as you can!
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