Major League Baseball 2003

[Betarulz!]

Just thought I'd start a discussion for this baseball season, similar in purpose to those about NCAA football, Hockey, and the NFL.

How about those Royals...can they keep it up...will they go .500 keeping Mike Sweeny in KC for the duration of his contract?

What about the (hated) Yankees...how will Jeter's injury affect them later down the line?


Any other thoughts???

[KEPike]

Originally posted by Betarulz!
How about those Royals...can they keep it up...will they go .500 keeping Mike Sweeny in KC for the duration of his contract?

The Royals can and will continue to win. Sweeney will stay in KC and we can special initiate him into Pike (we've discussed it)!

And the Yankees will lose 100 games this year but Matsui will hit 50 homers.

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by KEPike
The Royals can and will continue to win. Sweeney will stay in KC and we can special initiate him into Pike (we've discussed it)!

And the Yankees will lose 100 games this year but Matsui will hit 50 homers.

Wishful thinking on both parts.

It's great that the Royals are developing a good young pitching staff...but I don't know about this continuing to win thing.

The Yanks are red-hot out of the gates - and while Matsui won't hit 50 home runs, he could drive in 100, although his current numbers have come against a weak schedule (save for the Twins).

A guy to watch out for is Austin Kearns. The guy is a hell of a young hitter, and he's come out of the gate fast.

Collin

[Optimist Prime]

AL=Yankees
NL=Dodgers

At least that is who I'm cheering for.

[Steeltrap]

That brings crazy-a** fans out?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recaps/2...a.html?prov=ap

[bethany1982]

The Giants rock! 13-1, what a start.

[sigmagrrl]

I am and always will be a NY Mets and Yankees fan!

I am just curious to see if the feud that brewing b/w Mike Piazza and Guillermo Mota will keep up! I mean, it's nasty and I saw the fight b/w them, that whole bench clearing brawl at the exhibition game! The fury on Piazza's face was both scary and priceless at the same time....

Piazza, BTW, looks like my current crush *sigh*

[ladyj39]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
AL=Yankees
NL=Dodgers

At least that is who I'm cheering for.

Sorry Optimist Prime, but a big BOO to the Dodgers!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

GO GIANTS!!!

The team works so well together and Felipe is proving to be a great manager! He's back in SF where he belongs. There isn't just one player that is excelling on this team. It truly is a team effort, and their pitching staff is so much better than it was!

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by KEPike
The Royals can and will continue to win. Sweeney will stay in KC and we can special initiate him into Pike (we've discussed it)!

well . . . sorta. The Royals can definitely go 75-87 this year, or maybe even .500 with some major breaks (and a breakdown by the White Sox, which could definitely happen) - especially considering they'll get Beltran back. But remember - Chris George and Runelvys Hernandez, their two 'aces' for right now, have never pitched a 162-game season, so expect their numbers to fall as the season goes on. And while Mike MacDougle might be this season's Jorge Julio, his peripheral stats still aren't stellar . . . It'll be interesting to watch, but I think they'll need every inch of that 9-game streak, plus a couple more, to reach .500 - even winning 75 games would be a major accomplishment, and if they develop some hitting, they're definitely a team on the rise.

I think the pirates have a better chance at .500, personally.

Originally posted by KEPike And the Yankees will lose 100 games this year but Matsui will hit 50 homers.

Yeah . . . well, neither one of these things will happen. Matsui will hit .300/27/100, just like his translated numbers suggested, and the Yankees will win 97-100 games and win the East. The worst part is, ,Erick Almonte will hit like .275 with a little pop, and when Jeter returns the Yanks will flip him for much-needed bullpen help, even though the kid sucks.

Unbelievable.

Although, come to think of it, that's what my beloved Red Sox will do w/ Shea Hillenbrand - let him tear it up through the first half, make the All-Star squad, then trade him for a closer before the inevitable 2nd-half fall.

[mu_agd]

Originally posted by KSig RC

Although, come to think of it, that's what my beloved Red Sox will do w/ Shea Hillenbrand - let him tear it up through the first half, make the All-Star squad, then trade him for a closer before the inevitable 2nd-half fall.

I have a big feeling you are right about this.... and I'm not too happy about it...

[Betarulz!]

Originally posted by KSig RC
well . . . sorta. But remember - Chris George and Runelvys Hernandez, their two 'aces' for right now, have never pitched a 162-game season, so expect their numbers to fall as the season goes on.

Agree the pitching is likely to become more suspect as the season wears on...but that's the way it is with nearly every team except for the Yankees (and until this year, the D-backs). Even Pedro Martinez has had his late season detrioration.

The thing that will make or break the Royals this year is how they respond to any losing streaks that they will likely encounter. Being used to losing is almost a positive at this point, so long as they don't become "depressed" with themselves and lose hope (something Tony Pena's enthusiasm should help prevent). Further while the pitching staff is still young the position players are pretty experienced with guys like Brent Mayne and Michael Tucker who have been around the league, as well as Randa and Sweeny. You don't catch it out on the Coasts, or on SportsCenter but that clubhouse is alive...and the buzz surrounding this team has energized the KC area and the surrounding states, which can only help the situation. Kansas City is one of the most fairweather sports fan cities anywhere, but once they are on the bandwagon early it takes a while for people to get off. If the Royals can stretch this streak to mid-May, attendance is going to be sky high so long as they aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Something that hasn't happened since like 1988.

No matter what happens it will be interesting to see what happens with this team.


KEN HARVEY (former Husker) for Rookie of the Year!

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by Betarulz!
Agree the pitching is likely to become more suspect as the season wears on...but that's the way it is with nearly every team except for the Yankees (and until this year, the D-backs). Even Pedro Martinez has had his late season detrioration.

The thing that will make or break the Royals this year is how they respond to any losing streaks that they will likely encounter. Being used to losing is almost a positive at this point, so long as they don't become "depressed" with themselves and lose hope (something Tony Pena's enthusiasm should help prevent). Further while the pitching staff is still young the position players are pretty experienced with guys like Brent Mayne and Michael Tucker who have been around the league, as well as Randa and Sweeny. You don't catch it out on the Coasts, or on SportsCenter but that clubhouse is alive...and the buzz surrounding this team has energized the KC area and the surrounding states, which can only help the situation. Kansas City is one of the most fairweather sports fan cities anywhere, but once they are on the bandwagon early it takes a while for people to get off. If the Royals can stretch this streak to mid-May, attendance is going to be sky high so long as they aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Something that hasn't happened since like 1988.

No matter what happens it will be interesting to see what happens with this team.


KEN HARVEY (former Husker) for Rookie of the Year!

It's great what the Royals are doing...but I don't think they're going to go very far; as Rob said, their aces are in their first full year; they'll do better than anyone expected them to do though, and with George Brett in the front office, I think Royals fans have something to be excited about (although not the playoffs).

I think Almonte's a legit ballplayer - not great, but a pretty damn good shortstop who I'd like to see them hold on to, see if they can try him at third or something. Who knows.

Collin

[KEPike]

I think Betarulz and I are just happy that the Royals have won 10 games already and its not the All-Star Break.

I'd be pleased with a .500 season and I'd suspect that most Royals fans would be as well. I'd love to see them in the playoffs (worst to first) but their bullpen is suspect and they always have injuries to key players it seems. I agree that their demeanor through a losing streak is critical, as the team usually implodes at the first sign of struggle.

Obviously, Matsui is a good player but he is neither Ichiro nor Barry Bonds. As for the rest of the Yankees, I really don't care.

The Red Sox however (second favorite AL team) will have to trade Hillenbrand although they need him if they are to have any sort of playoff run.

[SSS1365]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl
I am and always will be a NY Mets and Yankees fan!

I am just curious to see if the feud that brewing b/w Mike Piazza and Guillermo Mota will keep up! I mean, it's nasty and I saw the fight b/w them, that whole bench clearing brawl at the exhibition game! The fury on Piazza's face was both scary and priceless at the same time....

Piazza, BTW, looks like my current crush *sigh*

Wow, a Mets AND Yankees fan... muy interesante I'll forever love the Mets even though I am NOT impressed with them so far this season. Benitez is really getting on my damn nerves, blowing all those saves. But then he pissed me off last summer royally and I've never been a fan of his since.

Piazza, even though not my type really, is cute in a weird sorta way He's my favorite baseball player of course!

[GiantsChic]

All I have to say is Yay for all the true Giants fans here! lol, yay for those of us who support our team (whichever team you do support) during the good and the bad (and now is definitely the good for our Giants )