Major League Baseball 2009

[Sylar]

Can't wait for the start of the 2009 season! Was disappointed in the Tigers last year, after being touted to do so well - this year, we've strengthened our bullpen, maintained our immense offense (despite losing Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees and Edgar Renteria moving on as well) but are flying quietly under the radar, which puts us in a good position!

Spring training starts tomorrow for us in the Grapefruit league, with Verlander starting against the Braves in Florida.

And, ESPN America starts its coverage next Thursday with the World Classic.

Don't know who to tip this year, as who would have honestly predicted that the Phillies would have won the WS last year!!!

Can't quite see the Rays maintaining their blistering form from last season - the Yankees have been quiet for a few seasons now but with all the hype surrounding A-Rod, how will their baseball play on the field!

If forced, I'd opt for either Chicago White Sox or Boston to take it all! The Dodgers may also step up under Torre's second year, but a lot might depend on the decision of Manny Ramirez, as they would be crippled without his slugging average from last year.

[Haymaker]

Im not a big baseball fan as I am an NFL fan but I support the Red Sox so im hoping they have a good season.

Yankees have spent obscene amounts on a few players contracts IIRC? Crazy money.

[Shrekko]

Im not a big baseball fan as I am an NFL fan but I support the Red Sox so im hoping they have a good season.

Yankees have spent obscene amounts on a few players contracts IIRC? Crazy money.

The Yankees have actually reduced their payroll-and that is a fact. The amounts being quoted are for the entire duration of contracts that are between 4 and 8 years long. It's the way the media work in the US.

The league will once again be wide open and very hard to predict. In the AL, the usual suspects will all be challenging IMO- the Yanks, the Red Sox and the Angels and in the NL it's hard to see past the Phillies and maybe the Dodgers if they as expected sign Manny Ramirez.

[Haymaker]

The Yankees have actually reduced their payroll-and that is a fact. The amounts being quoted are for the entire duration of contracts that are between 4 and 8 years long. It's the way the media work in the US.

The league will once again be wide open and very hard to predict. In the AL, the usual suspects will all be challenging IMO- the Yanks, the Red Sox and the Angels and in the NL it's hard to see past the Phillies and maybe the Dodgers if they as expected sign Manny Ramirez.


Rafa? :greengrin

[NYHibby]

Yankees have spent obscene amounts on a few players contracts IIRC? Crazy money.

Boston isn't much better. They usually have the second or third highest payroll which is still several times more than other teams.

Looks like its going to be another long season for those of us who support the Hibs of the AL east, the Baltimore Orioles.

[James.]

Boston isn't much better. They usually have the second or third highest payroll which is still several times more than other teams.

Looks like its going to be another long season for those of us who support the Hibs of the AL east, the Baltimore Orioles.


Ouch, it was bad enough when it was just the Yankees and Red Sox to contend with but now you've got the Rays looking good too! Was hoping the Os or Nationals would land Teixeria but as in all leagues whether its the mlb or the spl money talks; I can see the Hibs comparison right enough. At least you can console in the fact Markakis looks like an all star.

Mets fan - confident of reaching the playoffs this year, no horrible collapses now that the bullpen is sorted.

[Haymaker]

Boston isn't much better. They usually have the second or third highest payroll which is still several times more than other teams.

Looks like its going to be another long season for those of us who support the Hibs of the AL east, the Baltimore Orioles.


Fair enough, I dont know much about baseball but I watch out for the Sox scores...

[Sylar]

Boston isn't much better. They usually have the second or third highest payroll which is still several times more than other teams.

Looks like its going to be another long season for those of us who support the Hibs of the AL east, the Baltimore Orioles.

Ran by a board who seem incompetant with implementing change, keeping key players on the roster and facing fan protests - I definately see the reasoning for the Hibs comparison!

I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing young Matt Weiters stepping up to the O's from their minor league setup. The kid has been putting up some seriously impressive numbers in the Minors and I hope he gets a chance to shine in the Majors this year. Felix Pie is a good acquisition too, which should bolster the O's offense.

The Red Sox have me slightly peplexed this year with their signings - they have a superb rotation in place (easily the best in the AL and probably the majors) yet they have added a very injury prone John Smoltz (41 and coming off shoulder surgery) and an equally unpredictable (in terms of his health) Rocco Baldelli (OF). The starting pitching lineup for the Sox is intimidating featuring Matsuzaka, Wakefield, Lester and Beckett, but health problems appear to be a continuing issue, with Wakefield having recently undergone shoulder and back surgery and Beckett obviously missed a lot of last season due to injury - I understand their need to strengthen their rotation further, but surely the likes of Smoltz (who I thought was a cert to return to the Braves) is a seriously expensive gamble!

The Yankees by contrast have made 4 HUGE money signings during the closed season - Swisher, Burnett, Teixeira and Sabbathia will take a huge sum out of the Yankees salary levels for the year - the focus of the Yankees will surely be around A-Rod, following his "steroid use" admission from the earlier period of his career!

The main talking point just now appears to be the fate of free agent Manny Ramirez, as talks keep stalling between his agent and the Dodgers! They'd better fix it soon as I ended up getting him in my fantasy lineup! :wink:

[Sylar]

Pre-season is proving to be busy! Alex Rodriguez follows up his "steroid scandal" by getting surgery on his hip which will rule him out for up to 9 weeks at the start of the season. Manny Ramirez finally signs for the Dodgers for silly volumes of money - he's probably still not happy either :rolleyes:

The World Baseball Classic is gradually taking shape, with some shocks happening already! Team Canada were outed last night by Italy and the Netherlands also outed Puerto Rico! Good to see some of the European teams starting to bridge the previously HUGE divide between American (continental) and European baseball. There's been a lot of positive noises made in recent years about the training academies in both Holland and Italy and it looks like there's progress coming through!

Team USA still look very strong at the moment though - I still fancy them to win the tournament.

Spring Training is shaping up nicely as well - the Mets look fairly strong as do the Rays and the O's. Dodgers have been playing some nice ball too but Spring Training is rarely indicative of things to come.

[Sylar]

Well, first pitch takes place this evening, with the Mets meeting the Cincinnati Reds.

Can't wait :thumbsup:

Going to be a good year for baseball.

Let's go Tigers! :thumbsup:

[Sylar]

Nick Adenhart (Angels pitcher) was killed in car crash on Thursday night after throwing 6 scoreless innings vs the Athletics in Anaheim after some moron ran a red light in a minivan and ploughed into Adenhart's car.

Kid was only 22 as well :boo hoo:

In terms of games so far, Toronto, Texas and Florida are looking hot early doors. Baltimore are also having a good start against some appalling Yankee's pitching (ERA of 6.32 just now!!!).

Tigers suck, but not as bad as the Indians, which is quietly satisfying - the only team yet to get on the board at the moment, other than the Nationals, who are always pish!

Baltimore host Tampa in the weekend series' which should be good! Tigers are hosting the Rangers :duck:

[Sylar]

Cleveland Indians 22-4 New York Yankees :thumbsup:

[Sylar]

After a quite deplorable opening to the season, the Yankees seem to have turned their season around, now leading the AL East! Sensational how well the new Yankee stadium suits their big-hitting offense - surely there will be an inquiry should they go all the way??

Tigers are sitting pretty in the AL East at the moment too, despite going through a bit of a slump - lost the last 2 at the hands of Francona and the Sox.

Just watching the conclusion of the Angels vs Jays game from Toronto - Angels were 5-1 in front, and are 6-5 up, bottom of the 9th, with one out and two on for the Jays - great game! :thumbsup:

[Houchy]

Boston isn't much better. They usually have the second or third highest payroll which is still several times more than other teams.

Looks like its going to be another long season for those of us who support the Hibs of the AL east, the Baltimore Orioles.

That's my team too:agree:.

Was at Camden Yards, the year we were in the playoffs :agree: and that little ***** reached over and caught the ball with Brady Anderson right under it but it was given as a HR which gave the Yankees the game and ultimately the series:grr:

Team with Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken jn, Surhoff, Alomar, Ramirez etc

Loved it and would love to go back someday:agree:

[Shrekko]

After a quite deplorable opening to the season, the Yankees seem to have turned their season around, now leading the AL East! Sensational how well the new Yankee stadium suits their big-hitting offense - surely there will be an inquiry should they go all the way??



Are you serious? What sort of enquiry?

All the visiting teams big hitters seem to be enjoying it too.

Home teams will always have an advantage in being used to quirks within their park, and Fenway Park would probably be a good example. Maybe there should be an enquiry as to why Boston are so average away and outstanding at home (by your logic)?

[Sylar]

I wasn't being serious, no. I certainly thought it looked obviously tongue-in-cheek, but maybe I wasn't clear enough!

The park is well designed, with so many wind channels and slip streams, which allow for big hitting, which, lets be honest, is what we fans want to see - big offense.

[Sylar]

Cracking game between the Angels and Tigers at Commerica last night!

Angels took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st, before the Tigers rallied in the bottom of the inning, to 3-2. Tigers then scored two runs in successive innings to bring it to 4-3, before 2 Angels RBI's and a later run by Detroit in the 6th tied the game at 5. It stayed that way until a disasterous 8th inning for LA, where they walked the bases loaded, leaving Clete Thomas to clear them with a grand slam. The Angels responded with 1 in the top of the 9th to leave it at 9-6! Great result, keeping us on top of the AL Central, as we roll into Chicago (inter-divisional) for a double header vs the White Sox today :thumbsup:

[Sylar]

Well, the regular season has come to a close for all teams except Minnesota and Detroit, who will fight it out in a one-game playoff at the Metrodome in Minnesota, to decide who goes through to the playoffs.

It's on ESPN (417) live tomorrow at 10pm - I'll be watching it, but hiding at the same time - huge game, but the Twins already have a huge advantage with home-field support behind them.

Other teams in the playoffs include New York Yankees, St Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox (WC), Reigning World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies and one of either Detroit/Minnesota.

Ties as follows:

Minnesota/Detroit vs New York Yankees

Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies

St Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers

[James.]

Well, the regular season has come to a close for all teams except Minnesota and Detroit, who will fight it out in a one-game playoff at the Metrodome in Minnesota, to decide who goes through to the playoffs.

It's on ESPN (417) live tomorrow at 10pm - I'll be watching it, but hiding at the same time - huge game, but the Twins already have a huge advantage with home-field support behind them.

Other teams in the playoffs include New York Yankees, St Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox (WC), Reigning World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies and one of either Detroit/Minnesota.

Ties as follows:

Minnesota/Detroit vs New York Yankees

Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies

St Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Some cracking ties! Anyone but the Phillies to win it - I think I hate that organisation more than the Yams.

[Sylar]

Well, that hurt like an absolute mother******er last night, losing out in the 12th, after looking safe most of the night.

Roll on next year. Someone other than the Yankees, Sox, Dodgers or Phillies will suit me.

[duncs]

Well, that hurt like an absolute mother******er last night, losing out in the 12th, after looking safe most of the night.

Roll on next year. Someone other than the Yankees, Sox, Dodgers or Phillies will suit me.

Watched the Phillies-Rockies first game, and the Phillies deserved their win, though they lost the second.

Caught the end of the Dodgers-Cards game on repeat from last night -awesome 9th inning performance from the Dodgers.

I'm a Sox fan but to be honest I can't see past the Yankees this season - just full of big hitters and solid pitchers.

[Sylar]

Well, that hurt like an absolute mother******er last night, losing out in the 12th, after looking safe most of the night.

Roll on next year. Someone other than the Yankees, Sox, Dodgers or Phillies will suit me.

Ugh - it just had to be a Phillies vs Yankees final.

Couldn't give a flying one who wins this year to be honest...

[Fat Stu]

Well, the first season I didn't watch any baseball since the d-backs won the world series and guess what the yankees won, giruy all you red sox fans :wink:.

did manage to watch a couple of the world series games though.