MLB Offseason Thread: 2007-2008

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Cole Hamels is good, but it's the other four schlubs in the Phillies' starting rotation I'd be worried about.
 
I wouldn't exactly call Brett Myers a schlub, and Kendrick's not terrible either. Granted, Jamie Moyer is spotty, and Adam Eaton has to really improve this year.

Gordon, Romero, and Madson should be able to eat up a few innings, and Lidge is a definite improvement for the bullpen, and is on par with Billy Wagner.

The Mets definitely have superior pitching, but it's not such a vast difference that the Mets ought to be handed the pennant on a silver platter.

The Phils have by far a better offensive lineup and infield with three perennial MVP candidates, and Philadelphia didn't absolutely decimate their farm system to pull off a blockbuster trade. If the Mets get wracked with injuries this year, they're done, whereas the Phillies have the depth (on the MLB team, at least) to patch any holes that might come up.

The more I think about this whole Santana business, the less I'm worried. The Phillies did improve too, after all. :up:
 
Personally I think the Mets-Phillies will both have great seasons.

Hasn't Rollins guaranteed 100 wins this year?

As long as the Braves bomb:wink:
 
DaveC said:
I wouldn't exactly call Brett Myers a schlub, and Kendrick's not terrible either. Granted, Jamie Moyer is spotty, and Adam Eaton has to really improve this year.

Gordon, Romero, and Madson should be able to eat up a few innings, and Lidge is a definite improvement for the bullpen, and is on par with Billy Wagner.

The Mets definitely have superior pitching, but it's not such a vast difference that the Mets ought to be handed the pennant on a silver platter.

The Phils have by far a better offensive lineup and infield with three perennial MVP candidates, and Philadelphia didn't absolutely decimate their farm system to pull off a blockbuster trade. If the Mets get wracked with injuries this year, they're done, whereas the Phillies have the depth (on the MLB team, at least) to patch any holes that might come up.

The more I think about this whole Santana business, the less I'm worried. The Phillies did improve too, after all. :up:
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it's fairly vast.

let's call a spade a spade here. the phillies had a nice little season last year, but it's not as if they just ran away with the division. if the mets didn't choke two separate times last year, they win the NL East by 7 games or more. they dominated the NL for every month except september. now they add johan santana.

by far the better offense? really? by far? i guess... but wright, reyes, beltran, and yes, johan are all MVP candidates in their own right. there's 4 for your 3. and as for your assertion that the mets ruined their depth with this trade... please. the only one of the 4 guys they got rid of who would have stood a chance at seeing any sort of time in 2008 was gomez. and with kenny lofton or kevin mench coming shortly to fill a last backup outfield spot, there goes that issue.

Since Santana went into the Twins' rotation for good on July 11, 2003, he is the winningest pitcher in the game at 78-34; Roy Oswalt and Carlos Zambrano are next, with 74 and 71 wins respectively. Among pitchers who have thrown a minimum of 750 innings in those 4½ seasons, Santana has the lowest ERA (2.92) and the most strikeouts per nine innings (9.63).

Now take him out of the American League and put him into the National League, which essentially is Divison 1-A.

Someday the Yankees might rue the day they did not get Santana. The Red Sox might rue the day they didn't put Santana next to Beckett, then figure out how to make Beckett whole on the $13 million difference in their respective contracts.

But the Mets had the money, they were in the right place and Minaya never gave up. In the wars of the ballpark openings, regional television networks and My Back Pages, the Mets have struck a mighty blow.

And in the National League East, where the Phillies and Braves are very good and very aggressive, the Mets now have what no one else has.

The best pitcher on the planet.
-Peter Gammons
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:hi5:
 
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Your points are all valid, and obviously we're on two different sides of the same issue. I just don't think anybody ought to be crowning the Mets just yet. The Phillies aren't so far back from New York that they don't stand a chance, and I think the race for the NL East is going to be close, and probably the best one in the National League.

I gotta admit too, I'm a little jealous. All the Boston fans here have the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics, and now you have the Giants, and the Johan Santana trade. Meanwhile, I have the Eagles, the Vancouver Canucks (on a 9-game losing streak - they went from 3rd in the conference and winning their division to 9th - 4th of 5 in the div - in a week and a half), and the Phillies (Pedro Feliz and Brad Lidge - I can hardly contain my excitement :| ).

Enjoy it. Some time in my life I'll hopefully get to enjoy a period of sports fandom where all my teams are red-hot too, but being a fan of Philadelphia sports teams, I don't count on it for a while. :sigh:
 
a team i root for hasn't won a championship in 18 years, while i've had to sit through 4 yankee world championships, 2 red sox world championships, 2 cowboy super bowls, the knicks losing in the finals twice before eventually turning into the laughing stock of the nba, the mets losing to the yankees in the world series IN shea stadium, and heck... back in the early 90's i was even an islander fan and had to watch the rangers sweep them out of the first round on their way to their first stanley cup in 54 years.

i feel your pain :hi5:
(look it's like a mets fan in blue and a phillies fan in red :happy: )
 
The Phillies pitching still sucks.

It's Hamels, Myers, and Kendrick.

That's it, really.

To the wild card, Phils.
 
I'm excited to hear the finalised Bedard/Jones deal. If Seattle gets Bedard, it will have a pretty formidable starting rotation (Hernandez, Bedard, Silva, Bautista, and Washburn).
 
Tell me life is not good:

I have spent well over $1000 today.

- Put a deposit down on a place for a reception for our wedding

- Bought a "package" for Sunday games at Reds games that will include the Mets, Cubs, Indians, Red Sox, Phillies, Giants (and a few other teams I could care less about)

- Bought Red Sox tickets for the interleague game against the Brewers (both the Red Sox tickets and the Reds package conveniently fall under the guise of "Birthday presents" for the fiance)

:hi5:
 
zonelistener said:


Because of ONE Pitcher? That is a bit extreme...I did not realize he could pitch every game.

fourth? They play in the same division as K.C.
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And the same division as Cleveland, Detroit and the White Sox...so yes 4th. If the White Sox have a bad year...otherwise its 5th...Royals will be 3rd.
 
Don Mattingly's wife arrested
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The estranged wife of Los Angeles Dodgers coach Don Mattingly was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct after police say she refused to leave his property in Indiana.

Police arrested 45-year-old Kim Mattingly after they were called to the home of the former Yankee first baseman to investigate reports of a person refusing to leave on Saturday, a probable cause affidavit said. The affidavit, signed by a Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Howard, said she smelled of alcohol and screamed at officers.

The couple filed for divorce in November on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. The divorce has not been finalized, and no further action has been taken.

Kim Mattingly was released from the Vanderburgh County Jail after posting $50 bond shortly after her arrest and made her first court appearance Monday on the charges. She is scheduled to appear next on March 3.

Her lawyer, Angela Freel, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

Kim Mattingly told investigators that Don Mattingly had taken her phone and she wanted it back, the affidavit said. Police spoke to Mattingly, who said he did not have the phone.

Police had told her not to go to the house earlier in the day, Howard said in the affidavit.

On Monday, Don Mattingly filed for a protective order against his wife, which the court granted. In the petition, Mattingly cited three examples of his wife appearing at his home, including an incident on Jan. 22 during which she tried to kick down his door.

Mattingly, who grew up and lives in Evansville, cited family reasons when the Dodgers announced last month that he would serve as special assignment coach for the 2008 season instead of hitting coach.

A former AL MVP during 14 seasons with the Yankees from 1982-95, Mattingly spent the past four seasons as a coach under Joe Torre. After losing out to Joe Girardi for the Yankees' manager job, Mattingly followed Torre to the Dodgers.
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The only reason why I post this is to post her photo:

bilde


As Schmeg just stated: "Come on Donnie (Baseball)...she's got the crazy eyes."
 
Lol at the incredible hype surrounding Johan Santana. With all the media coverage he's gotten the past couple months, one could be forgiven for thinking he's the next coming of Jesus.

Many people tout him as being the best pitcher in baseball, and while his stats from the last five years might suggest that he is, I would personally stick to measures of more recent performance. The knock on Peavy is that he has to prove he can consistently pitch like he did last year. However, I still think the title for "current best pitcher in baseball" has to go to one of the following: C.C. Sabathia, Jake Peavy, Josh Beckett, Brandon Webb, or even John Smoltz. Santana might belong in that group, but remember that his stats were in decline by the end of last year, which could or could not be an indicator of how he will perform in general this year.

And remember, moving to the NL does NOT always equal better numbers or greater success. (See: Barry Zito)
 
Hey, I think Santana is awesome, but, if you think that Brandon Webb is not even good enough to merit comparison to Santana, Headache, then I think you're underestimating just how good that dude is.
 
The main reason Santana's ERA spiked last year is because he gave up more home runs, and that will very likely go way down because of the NL.
 
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Nobody knows what the hell is going to happen to Santana next year.

Again, I think he's awesome, and expect that to continue. But, yeah, maybe his ERA will drop because he's in the NL.

But, maybe it will go up because he's pitching in NYC. I need not tell any of you that not every mega-star that comes to NY thrives. Many wilt. Will Johan? I have no idea. Neither do any of you.
 
No spoken words said:
Hey, I think Santana is awesome, but, if you think that Brandon Webb is not even good enough to merit comparison to Santana, Headache, then I think you're underestimating just how good that dude is.
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he's very good.

but the only reason why i even put beckett in the conversation is because of his post-season dominance.

santana - last 4 years
20-6, 2.61 era, 265 k's, 0.92 WHIP, .192 BAA
16-7, 2.87 era, 238 k's, 0.97 WHIP, .210 BAA
19-6, 2.77 era, 245 k's, 1.00 WHIP, .216 BAA
15-13, 3.33 era, 235 k's, 1.07 WHIP, .225 BAA

webb - last 4 years
7-16, 3.59 era, 164 k's, 1.50 WHIP, .248 BAA
14-12, 3.54 era, 172 k's, 1.26 WHIP, .265 BAA
16-8, 3.10 era, 178 k's, 1.13 WHIP, .246 BAA
18-10, 3.01 era, 194 k's, 1.19 WHIP, .237 BAA

santana's stats came in a significantly more difficult league and division, playing in a hitter's park.
webb's stats came in a much easier league and mostly bad division, playing in a pitcher's dream park.

i know full well how good webb is... he's just not as good as johan santana has been. obviously anything can happen, and johan could very easily not be able to handle the new york media, get injured, or just stop performing for no apparent reason. but i doubt it.

oh... i will give you that johan is older than webb. a whopping 2 months older.
 
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