2002 Baseball Season!!
 

OK, so I know baseball season doesn't officially start until April...but what the heck, I've gone too long without talking about baseball!! :D

Have a question for you guys...do you think the Giants have made good moves in the off-season?

Ahem, Ex Greek, this post is supposed to get you out of your "GC retirement" and into posting again! :D :cool:

I think the Giants look pretty good. I still think Arizona looks the best especially their pitchers. The Yankees I am not sure about they have done alot of moving around but should still be contenders. All I have to say is go Boston Red Sox!

Oh yuck, I hate the D-Backs. Who do you think will be the winners of their respective divisions?? I have to admit, I have no clue!

The AL east I would give the edge to the Yankees but Boston not far behind maybe a wildcard.
The AL central maybe the Indians that entire division sucks.
The AL west the Mariners they still look strong and if they don't face the Yankess in the playoffs will make it to the Series.
The NL east I think the Mets might look pretty good this year and will edge out the Braves.
The NL central I would have to go with the Cards they are a good team even without McGuire.
The NL west the Diamondbacks will dominate. San Fran and the Braves will fight for the wildcard.

As a Yankees fan, I will attempt to suspend my favoritism, but...

THe Yanks are still the team to beat - they have at least 6 legit starting pitchers, and their lineup is unreal. From 1-9, they're stacked, and Derek Jeter has always been good in the lead-off spot, so that could be an even better help. If Rondell White stays healthy, he could have a monster season. Even some of the minor free agents they picked up, like Ron Coomer, could help. The Mariners lost Aaron Sele, in what may be a bigger loss than they think.

In the National League - the Mets/Braves race could be really good. Depending on how Mo Vaughn plays, the Mets lineup could be straight nasty, while the Braves are still tough. The Diamondbacks may be getting too old, although I will never count out a team with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in the rotation. The Giants are going to be solid again, although losing Estes hurts.

I'm still cracked out from Mardi Gras, I'll post more later when I feel complete.

Collin

Yeah, I was shocked/mad/sad when we traded him away :(. But Estes himself asked for a trade (wanted a new environment), but Giant fans are still gonna miss him :(.

I can't wait! The Mets are looking damn good after all the awesome trades they made and I'm looking forward to them not sucking this year. ;) I LOVE the Mets and always will, and I hope they make me proud this season! :D

My lovable Chi. Cubs
 

Even though my lovable Cubbies have had more downs than ups, it would be so great for them to do well for an ENTIRE season. Granted the talent is lying elsewhere, like the Mets and Yankees, so the chance is looking tiny...again.

AL -

East - gotta be the yankees . . . these clowns keep adding, and almost never seem to subtract. By far the best squad in baseball on paper. After that, Boston, the Jays, the O's, then the D-Rays (although they may be better than we think)

Central - Minnesota? Sure, why not - pitching, plus if two guys break out they'll have a nasty year (and possibly stave off contraction . . . ). Then the Sox, Indians, detroit, and KC

West - gotta be the A's, even w/out Giambi, if they can score runs . . . I don't think the M's are as good as their record last year, esp not now . . . the Angels will surprise, but the "new" Rangers experiment will fall flat as all hell.

NL -

East - BRAVOS! The Mets will pull a Texas and pitch their way to underachieving, although they may pull a wildcard. The Phils are close, as are the Marlins . . . the Expos still suck.

Central - I like the Cubs - if young players develop into even mediocre players, and they get some young pitchers up, they'll contend. The Cards are sick, too, and the Astros have some arms . . . but they still play in the bandbox. The rest will fall away early

West - Watch out for the Pads! And remember, the important parts of the DBacks team is still there . . . but even older, although they get back prinze and mantei. Doesn't matter if you never get ahead though . . . SF needs to have a sick season from some other players, b/c Bonds probably won't have the best hitting performance in history again. The Dodgers are still the Dodgers, but the payroll-trimming of the Rockies will hurt them a lot.

I'm still gonna support and root for the St. Louis Cardinals! I loved them and think they're the bomb! Hopefully this will be there year!

Hootie

im going to go and agree with zntke, Go Red Sox!!! theyre my favorite baseball team!

We'll see ;) And yes, the Expos do suck.

What one baseball star may do off the field
 

Unbelievable story. Palmeiro is the same age as I am...I didn't think that Viagra was supposed to be used prior to age 40. :p

ESPN.com: Sports Business

Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Updated: February 21, 10:07 AM ET
Palmeiro will endorse, but will he use?

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By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com

What do Rafael Palmeiro and Bob Dole have in common?

Viagra.

Palmeiro, the 37-year-old Texas Rangers first baseman/designated hitter, is close to finalizing an endorsement deal that will make him the first active athlete among the four major sports to serve as a spokesman for the drug that helps correct erectile dysfunction in men.


Rafael Palmeiro could become the new face of Viagra.
Palmiero's agent, Fernando Cuza, told Sports Business Journal that his client "does not suffer from this problem." But when contacted by ESPN.com, Cuza declined to elaborate.

Palmeiro reportedly is scheduled to appear in advertising for the drug, which will begin a three-year sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball this season. However, neither deal has been finalized yet, said Geoff Cook, spokesman for Pfizer, which manufactures and distributes the drug.

Some question the relevance of Palmeiro, assuming he doesn't need the product.

"The medical profession frowns upon the drug being used as an enhancement for people with otherwise normal functions in their sex life," said Frank Vuono, founder of 16W Marketing, a sports marketing firm. "With the association, the implication would seem to be that (Palmeiro) would take the drug even if he doesn't have a problem. Pfizer, as a regulated company, obviously has to be careful about the communication, and I'm sure they will be."

While athletes don't have to use the products they endorse -- remember Joe Namath and Beautymist pantyhose, and Steve Garvey and the Fat Trapper -- the appeal of the product likely would be enhanced if the endorser could vouch for its benefits through firsthand experience.

"The best endorser might be some athlete or former athlete who is still relatively young who would be secure enough to say, 'I'm 45, but I use the product legitimately,' " Vuono said.

Palmeiro's endorsement could make for easy fodder on late-night talk shows, as it did when Dole began pitching the product.

"(Palmeiro) better give me some free samples," ESPN Radio's Rob Dibble said on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday afternoon.

Pfizer and Viagra have been the main sponsor of NASCAR driver Mark Martin's Winston Cup race car since last year. While the campaign is meant to increase the visibility of the drug, Martin talks about the company's initiative to get men to get frequent checkups, instead of his personal use of the drug. So far, Pfizer has given 50,000 free exams to men at a mobile screening unit that travels to each Winston Cup race, Cook said.

The drug has been used by 10 million men in the United States since its inception in April 1998, Pfizer says. The company says the dysfunction, in some degree, affects about half of U.S. men from ages 40 to 70.

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at darren.rovell@espn.com.


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my sentiments exactly. i've been a fan for many a years and it's hurt like i don't know what to watch the yankees win almost everything these last 5 years. gooooooooooo mets, mets, mets.

just got tix to a cubs v cards game come june at wrigley stadium. of course I am still rooting for my cards, but I got a dirty look wearing my jd drew cards shirt working out in a chicago area gym! its funny how chicagoans love their sports, and cards, rams and blues are dirty words here.

oh, ankiel looks good so far, we'll see if he comes back ...