Allow me to apologize now before I ruin the dreams of the many fans in New York, Boston, and Chicago. Also, sorry to those who are fans of any National League team because we all know they won’t be winning the big one this year.
Although I believe A-Rod is the games best player, everyone in New York seems to think that that title belongs to Derek Jeter. Why you ask, I have no idea. In any sense, Jeter and company haven't won the big one since 2000 so why start now. Their starting staff is nowhere near World Series caliber talent. Who really wants to put their money on Mussina, Wright, Chacon, and Small? Not I.
Now for Boston, I know you are all excited and your hopes are at an all time high now that your hero Theo is back in town, but even he can't help all the past their prime guys on that roster. Yes, Manny and Big Papi can still hit the cover off a baseball but with Coco Crisp atop the lineup there may be an empty table more often than not when those two step up to the buffet. Boston's staff is a pretty big question mark also. You don't know what you will get with Schilling due to his injuries and I know they got Beckett but he hasn't made 30 starts in a year in his entire career. Then you have two senior citizens in Wells and Wakefield that are more likely to spend more time on the DL than on the mound this year. And to top it off you have a closer in Foulke that forgot how to close. So sorry Red Sox fans, you're done.
Onto the Chicago White Sox, back to back championships just don't happen! It's happened twice in the last 25 years and I'm not counting on a third. Losing Aaron Rowand will hurt a lot more than adding Jim Thome will help. They were extremely lucky not to have any significant injuries occur over the course of the season. Forgive me for saying this but last year was a fluke and I just don't see this happening again.
As I said earlier, no one from the NL will challenge for the title so now onto the team who will take it all this year...the Oakland A's!!!
Yeah you read that right, the Oakland A's will win the World Series. Don't Hate. Just accept it. For those of you who don't believe me and won't just take my word for it, I guess I'm gonna have to do a little convincing. Here we go:
First of let me start by saying Oakland was hit with a rash of bad injuries last year.The two biggest losses of the year were losing the former AL Rookie of the Year for over half the season due to a freak injury during Spring Training and the other was losing future ace Rich Harden for a little less than two months.Those two players alone could have accounted for the 7 games that the A’s finished behind the Angels but the injuries didn’t stop there.They lost their stud closer and Billy Beane’s prized DH Erubial Durazo for the entire year less than a month into the season.All three of Oakland’s outfielders (Bobby Keilty, Mark Kotsay, and Nick Swisher) were all bothered by nagging injuries throughout the season.The Angels on the other hand stayed fairly healthy throughout the season and all of this is very unlikely to happen again.The AL West is the A’s to lose.
Now we all know that pitching wins in the playoffs and the haters will say that the A’s had the Big 3 (Hudson, Mulder, and Zito) during its playoff run and never made it out of the first round.For those people I say this, they never actually had all 3 of them pitching in the same series in the same year.One of them was always hurt and if Jason Giambi’s brilliant little brother Jeremy had just been taught to slide when he was younger there would be no talk about the Big 3 not being able to win a series.So why is this team different you ask?They’re better and more importantly they’re deeper.With the addition of Estban Loaiza they now have 5 potential starters who could throw over 200 innings each and the bullpen is much better suited to handle a playoff run.
With the addition of Milton Bradley and the more than likely addition of the Big Hurt, the offense will be better.Eric Chavez has had the whole off-season to get his shoulder better and he will now have protection in the lineup.A full year of having Dan Johnson at the plate is a huge upgrade over Scott Hatteberg and all of the young A’s will only continue to get better.
As long as the A’s wake up in time from their winter hibernation and don’t start the season 17-30 or whatever it was, they should run away with the West and head into the postseason as the favorites to win it all.Take my word for it and get those prop bets in as soon as they come out and you will be cashing a very big ticket come November.
Quite a unique pick. I would like to disagree, but I'm not going to. This team has a real shot. The Yankees failed to upgrade their starting pitching, and the BoSox have made so many moves...they may have gone backwards.
The A's are loaded with pitching, and should win their division.
But who will they be playing in the World Series? The Cards...or do you have a bold pick for the NL also?
I don't think the Angels are going to want to hear that. (Rangers, either, if they can charm the Rocket out of retirement). I won't even mention the M's, because they won't be ready for contention for at least another year, barring, of course, a 69 Miracle Mets season.
I have no problem picking the A's to win. They are a quality team and they are certainly one of about six teams that can put it together and win the World Series. My problem is writing the White Sox off and saying that last year was a fluke. First of all, NO SIGNIFICANT INJURIES!? What about Frank Thomas, the guy you seem very excited to be getting. Frank hit 12 homers in one month. If he played the whole year he would have hit fifty! I'd call that significant. Secondly, you say pitching wins. Well the Sox have the best staff in the league, arguably. We have five starters who all pitched at least 200 innings last year and if one should go down, Brandon McCarthy is more than ready. Also, with all the talk of our great rotation lately, people failed to realize the Sox had the best pullpen in the league, too. If you didn't notice, check out my post on the Sox pen.
By the way, my favorite player is Frank Thomas and I hope he does great in Oakland, if that is where he winds up. I am excited about Thome, tho, and can't fault the Sox for doing what they felt they had to do considering Frank's injuries of late.
The Sox are certainly one of those six teams I mentioned who have a shot to put it all together, again, and win the World Series.
The outright dismissal of the White Sox is borderline insanity. Did Fox black out the playoffs in your region? They don't have Rowand, yet picked up Thome and now can't win it again? Just for giggles, name a better starting rotation than the Chi Sox. The Sox arent 5 deep, they're 6 deep.
First let me start with Mr. Mets over there, you are not getting Zito! Sorry.
Now for Sleepless. I could give a damn what the Angels, Rangers, or Mariners want to hear. They will not win the West, plain and simple. Yeah, I said it.
Sorry fellas, I'm a die hard A's fan and that was the best I could do with justifying that the White Sox won't win again. I'm a numbers kind of guy and the numbers tell me that it is very unlikely that they will pull off back to back championships.
On some of the points that you guys mentioned, Jim Thome will be hurt just as much if not more than Frank Thomas this year. Yes, the White Sox rotation is good but will Garland, Garcia, and Contreras do it again. Only Buehrle and Vazquez are proven starters and we all remember what Vazquez did the last time he was in the AL, absolutely nothing. Also, yes their bullpen is good but can Bobby Jenks close for an entire year? The White Sox are a very good team but a repeat is just not very likely. Sorry fellas.
Don't worry Shooter, I didn't forget about you. My prediction for the NL rep in the WS, it's gotta be the Cards simply because all the other teams have some pretty big holes in some critical areas. But my dark horse to make it is the LA Dodgers. They will win the West and surprise some people. They had a very good offseason and they have some big time prospects ready to make the jump to the Bigs. You like that one Shooter?
Last edited by DJ_BoTaks on January 25th at 9:41 AM.
DJ, we all know history says it is hard to repeat. But when rating the quality and talent of the team, the Sox are right there with the best. I also think you are selling Freddy Garcia short. He has been a quality pitcher for ahwile. Garland had a career year, but the last three years before that he won twelve games each year. Remember, he is our fifth starter! Twelve wins out of the five slot is productive. Contreras's stuff is arguably the best in the league. One might say next year will be better than this year. As for Thome, he is not injury prone. Last year was the first time he ever missed alot of games and the nine years before that he averaged 40 HRs, 103 RUNS, and 114 RBI! Everything points to him bouncing back from his injury.
Now, if we can only win a game or two on the WEST COAST!
I forgot, as for the closer position. Jenks will be fine, I think, but remember it was Dustin Hermanson who led the team with 34 saves and an ERA of 2.04.
Last edited by dnkascher on January 25th at 9:52 AM.
dnkascher, ok I admit Garcia is solid but not spectacular. I just don't like because he came from Seattle. Sure, Garland is a nice #5 guy but that's all he is a #5 guy so I don't get all too excited about him. As for Contreras, he has always had the stuff but his makeup and conditioning was always in question and he may well have turned the corner but as I've said before, I'm a numbers guy and the numbers tell me that prior to last year he finished 3 staright years with an ERA above 5.25 and managed to win 10 games only once so excuse me if I want to see another solid year before I consider him a solid pitcher.
As for Jenks, you said you "think" he'll be fine which leads me to believe that there is a good chance that he may very well struggle as a full time closer. I know Hermanson led the team in saves but Jenks will close for them with that outstanding 11.44 K/9 ratio. As for Hermanson, he's another one that had a career year. 34 saves on only 33 strikeouts? c'mon man, the last guy to save that many games with that little strikeouts was Danny Kolb with the Brewers and we all saw what happened to him last year. There's a reason they went to Jenks in the postseason and it wasn't because Jenks is a stud, it was because he was a better option than Hermanson who made only one apperance in the whole postseason.
Oakland, wow talk about a far leap. who knows you maybe right. But, Chicago, a Fluke. I don't think so. I believe it was a work in progress. They were walking softly carriing that big stick. It, for me was awsome to see a former student pitch hios heart out. I can't wait to see what they do this year. I am still holding out for my Cubs. Maybe one day....I know when hell freezes over right?
Obviosly, we can go back and forth all day. First off, did you read my post on the Sox pen? I don't think you did. Jenks, Hermanson, Pollitte and Cotts all have closer type stats. Hermanson the least of them. He was slightly hurt last year and that's why they went to Jenks. Then Jenks earned it after that. That said, Hermanson's ERA was 2.04!
As for waiting for another year from Contreras. Don't we all have guys like that? Barry Zito- After his 23-5 start in 2002, he has averaged 13 wins with a 4.00 ERA, and he is your ace. Harden-certainly fits in the 'show me one more year' guys. 11-7 and 10-5 last two years, ERA 3.60. Loaiza- 14 years in the league, one twenty win season, after that, his high is twelve. career ERA of 4.60. Saarloos- one ten win season, career ERA of 4.80. Haren-won 14 last year, not more than three first two years. Certainly fits the same description as Contreras as far as wanting to see another good year.
Ok well we both got our points out on Jenks and Hermensen. Enough said. Now here's my rebutal on Pollitte and Cotts. Pollitte already tried the closer thing out in Toronto and it didn't work. Sure they all have closer type numbers but some guys are just not cut out to be major league closers, just ask Guillermo Mota, Kyle Farnsworth, and the many other top notch relievers who couldn't slam the door in the 9th. It's always a wait-and-see with first time closers.
Now to defend my boys. Let me start by saying Barry Zito is not our ace, that title belongs to Mr. Rich Harden. He went 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA last year in 19 starts. If he stays healthy this year and gets some run support he's guarenteed 15 wins with a good shot at 20. Opponents hit .201 aggainst him and in his 5 losses he was only given 6 runs of support. He's a stud, trust me. As for Zito, he has a career ERA of 3.50 and has averaged 15.8 wins through his first 5 full major league seasons all while averaging 223.1 inning over that time span. I'll take my chances with those numbers. As for Esteban, I look at his numbers starting from that 20 win season where he learned to throw the cutter. During that time he averaged a little over 14 wins per year along with 208 innings, which as you know being a White Sox fan those innings are very important. I'll take that from a guy who is projected to be our #4 starter. Haren is our projected #3 and in his first full year of major league ball he went 14-12 with a 3.73 ERA. Now he is truly a show-me-another-year kind of guy but let me tell you that I fol
Personally, I think the 'mentality' thing about closers is over-rated. This might be why it is so hard for the guy with the most saves in history, Lee Smith, and guys like Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage to get into the Hall of Fame. The respect for the position is just not there yet. Most decent major leaguer pitchers, I think, can come in, get three outs, and get the save most of the time.
Anyway, we both love our teams, obviously, and I think it's safe to say they both have a shot at putting it together this year. Talent level is there for both teams. I never like to say this team or that team will win the World Series because there are so many factors that go into it. Injuries, chemistry, luck. I like to pick a group of five or six that have a shot to do it. This year I think the top six would be the White Sox, the A's, the Angels, the Yankees, the Cardinals and my one darkhorse, the Mets. Good luck and I hope Big Frank hits 50 homers for you guys, should you sign him. I wrote a post on his Hall of Fame credentials if you want to check it out. It was my first post.
The A's are a great organization and this actually isn't the first time I heard someone pick them to win it all this year. Guess we'll see how they fare come playoff time, recent history hasn't been too kind to them in the playoffs.
As for no NL team winning, I don't buy that at all counting them out, when it comes down to it, in a 7 game series anything can happen, who knows the NL entry could match-up favorably with the AL team, even if the AL team is the favorite. Just because no team really stands out right now in the NL other than maybe the Cards doesn't mean they have no shot.
Besides if the Angels win it all it will be like an NL team winning anyway, the Angels play NL style baseball, how many other AL teams actually bunt the ball?
Their prior playoff woes are largely due to injury and you could even say some stupidity with the Jeremy Giambi - Derek Jeter toss play. In each series that they played, on of the Big 3 (Hudson, Mulder, and Zito) was injured so I think a healthy Oakland ballclub would have fared much differently.
I know you can't count out the NL like that but I just think there are much more "complete" teams in the AL but I guess that's why the season is 162 games long right? I actually have downgraded the Cards after studying each team and I now like the Mets as the early favorites. Believe it or not I also like the Cubs.
As for the Angels, don't even get me started on them. I think the A's got stronger while they got weaker and so it will be an interesting season this year. They play "NL style" ball because they have the players that can do that, they have speed. I don't believe in playing "small ball" and giving up free outs, depending on the situation of course. I am a big A's fan and if you have read the book Moneyball then you would know that is how Billy Beane sees it. The Angels very well could win it but I think the A's winning it sounds a whole lot better :)
It's ok to a little bias, isn't it? If you read my playoff predictions, the team I picked to win it all, I'm bias toward them. A little bias never hurt anyone though, right?
DJ, then A's? Bias is bias, but give me a break. Email me at pulen527@gmail.com so we can start talking about a debate. Maybe ShooterB would like to join us.
I just read in the papers today that the Yankees are now targeting Zito for when he becomes a free agent. I'm not sure but, that may make a trade to my Mets happen all the sooner, this year could be. maybe, maybe not.
Last edited by Metswon on February 24th at 5:00 PM.
I don't usually say this to my competitors but since I feel so sorry for you and I realize that you have no chance of winning this year, I will wish you good luck. On another note, assuming you like the Seahawks, you guys got screwed. Sorry man.
DJ - I'm disappointed in Loaiza's first start. I thought he'd be a steadying influence on the rotatoin. Perhaps it is WBC hangover. How many of our damn players were in that thing?!
We are almost on the clock (Bush, Brick, Leinart, Mario gone ... GB/SF up next) so if you have round 1 advice get ready to unload it on me.
Honestly I'm not that Happy about the Loaiza signing. I think we are paying him way too much money. I think we should have traded Zito in the offseason and have gotten a serviceable young starter in return to go along with a good prospect or two or maybe another lefty reliever. They should have given the "ace" job to Harden followed by Haren, Blanton, whomever we recieved in the Zito trade, and stayed with Sarloos and hoping that Dan Meyer or another prospect will be ready to be called up later in the year. We would have saved a lot of money that way and there isn't that much of a drop off but oh well, I'm still happy with this team.
As for the draft, I would like to trade down a couple spots but that isn't an option so to me I think we have three options. I think we take Vince Young as I believe he is an unbelievable talent that you can't pass up no matter what he scored on the Wonderlic test. OR we take Vernon Davis who arguably had the best combine EVER. OR we help out that poor secondary of ours and take Michael Huff. You're the GM so I'll let you decide but my vote goes to Vince Young. If he's gone, I'll take Vernon Davis as I think this years secondary is very deep and think we can get an impact player in the 2nd. Huff will help right away but my goal is to win a championship and that will not happen right away so I take Davis if Young is gone.
Here is my rationale for choosing Davis over Young, which is what I will do if SF does not take him:
Art Shell is bringing the team back to where they were, old school. He is not going to be running the shotgun offense with OC Tom Walsh (whoever the hell that is, has Al Davis lost his mind?). I see VY as a guy who should start in 2007. The Raiders always want to win NOW and have enough holes to fill beyond QB. Brooks behind an improved line is enough. Patience will yield Croyle in round 3 (hope no one else is listening in!) if you are passionate about adding a QB.
Vernon Davis is the guy Rickey Dudley was supposed tot be. He can go down in history with the great Raiders of the past. Defenses will be mystified by who to double team because Moss, Davis, Porter, Curry can line up at once and in that scenario there is really no defense.
I hope you can understand the logic in this because I am not totally against Vince (if you didn't know one of his relatives is a member of my yearly FFL). If the 49ers take Vernon I might just have to pull the trigger on him because I am nowhere close to sold on Huff at #7. Thee only other non-Davis/Young option to me is DT with Ngata or Bunkley.
First off, I'm not concerned in picking up a QB, only Young so if we don't get him, we don't draft a QB this year. Walter will do. I just don't think Vince can be passed up. I understand he was a shotgun QB in college but I don't think that is that importnant for him but you're the GM.
I will be okay with taking Davis ahead of Vince but I don't buy your argument of winning NOW. In my view, I don't care if we make the playoffs or not. If I had a choice, we take Davis this year, go 0-16 and draft Brady Quinn next year. My thinking is we are at least 2 years away from being able to have a Super Bowl contending team and a Super Bowl is all that matters to me. We won't get there with Aaron Brooks, with or without Vernon Davis. That's why I think we take Young but once again it's your call.
Huff is legit, that's all I can say.
Take Bunkley over Ngata, but those 2 are not options at 7.
I'm a young kid, just graduated from college and I am a die hard fan of the Oakland Athletics and Oakland Raiders. I bleed green and gold and silver and black. Nothing makes me happier than watching those two teams win. As the man Al Davis says, "Just Win Baby!"
