MLB 2K5 Pt 2

[zoney!]

I almost feel bad for the fans who root for perenial losers in small markets like Kansas City, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay etc....

It's no fun when April comes and you know you have ZERO chances of making the post season.

Minnesota is also lumped into this "small market" category...yet they are able to achieve decent success yearly (this year may be a loss though).

Minnesota has a strong farm system and achieve success that way.

I hate sounding like Bud Selig.

 

[phanan]

and hermanson has only blown 1 save

Yeah, Dustin Hermanson has had a decent year, but when it comes playoff time against the good teams, do you think you'll be able to trust him? Maybe I'm biased because he didn't impress much during his brief stay here, but he just doesn't seem to have that closer mentality, in my view.

Of course, neither does Schilling...

 

[randhail]

Minnesota is also lumped into this "small market" category...yet they are able to achieve decent success yearly (this year may be a loss though).

Minnesota has a strong farm system and achieve success that way.

I hate sounding like Bud Selig.

Oakland is another small market team that has been pretty successful. Teams like Cincinnati are victims of poor decision making as well. They are willing to spend money, Junior Griffey, but they have no pitching whatsoever.

Teams like Tampa need to realize that that have to spend some money if they ever hope to be competitive. They have great young players, but for whatever reason I would say none have developed into stars. Aubrey Huff may the closest to being one. The future is bright with Crawford and BJ Upton, but it could be that they are overestimating the quality of the prospects.

If you spend no money, you won't win no matter what. They key is spend some on a couple building block players and have good young players.

 

[speedracer]

Oakland is another small market team that has been pretty successful. Teams like Cincinnati are victims of poor decision making as well. They are willing to spend money, Junior Griffey, but they have no pitching whatsoever.

Teams like Tampa need to realize that that have to spend some money if they ever hope to be competitive. They have great young players, but for whatever reason I would say none have developed into stars. Aubrey Huff may the closest to being one. The future is bright with Crawford and BJ Upton, but it could be that they are overestimating the quality of the prospects.

If you spend no money, you won't win no matter what. They key is spend some on a couple building block players and have good young players.

True, but it seems that teams like Oakland and Minnesota need that one high-priced slugger to put them over the top.

 

[Got Philk?]

True, but it seems that teams like Oakland and Minnesota need that one high-priced slugger to put them over the top.

Well yeah. But if you look at these two teams, they usually get that slugger without the high price from their systems, then lose them. Jason Giambi to the Yankees or Tejada to the Orioles. Or in Minnesota's case, David Ortiz...even though he left with only hitting around 20 homeruns in a season.

In fact, this is exactly Minnesota's problem. They needed Justin Morneau to be that slugger and he hasn't done that for them. This is one of the reasons this team has struggled.

My point is, these teams can get sluggers from their farm systems, and sign one of them to a big contract while letting another go. See Eric Chavez.

 

[randhail]

Well yeah. But if you look at these two teams, they usually get that slugger without the high price from their systems, then lose them. Jason Giambi to the Yankees or Tejada to the Orioles. Or in Minnesota's case, David Ortiz...even though he left with only hitting around 20 homeruns in a season.

In fact, this is exactly Minnesota's problem. They needed Justin Morneau to be that slugger and he hasn't done that for them. This is one of the reasons this team has struggled.

My point is, these teams can get sluggers from their farm systems, and sign one of them to a big contract while letting another go. See Eric Chavez.

Ortiz doesn't really fit into that group. The Twins decided they didn't want him and he didn't sign with Boston with all the fanfare that accompanied Giambi and Tejada's signings. The Twins didn't expect him to turn into the Huge Clutch Performer that he is now.

I think expectations with Morneau were way too high, at least right away. Give him a couple years, then expect him to be the 30 homer 100+ rbi guy.

 

[phanan]

I'm not sure if Morneau will ever reach that level.

 

[zoney!]

well, it isn't much of a consolation at this point, but the Twins scored five runs in the 16th inning, and Joe Nathan came on in the bottom of the inning and struck out three consecutive white sock to seal a 9-4 victory.

 

[I'm Ready]

Yeah, Dustin Hermanson has had a decent year, but when it comes playoff time against the good teams, do you think you'll be able to trust him? Maybe I'm biased because he didn't impress much during his brief stay here, but he just doesn't seem to have that closer mentality, in my view.

Of course, neither does Schilling...

well i think if his back is ok ill trust him in the playoffs but he did blow his 2nd save tnight so maybe i jinxed him

 

[speedracer]

Well yeah. But if you look at these two teams, they usually get that slugger without the high price from their systems, then lose them. Jason Giambi to the Yankees or Tejada to the Orioles. Or in Minnesota's case, David Ortiz...even though he left with only hitting around 20 homeruns in a season.

In fact, this is exactly Minnesota's problem. They needed Justin Morneau to be that slugger and he hasn't done that for them. This is one of the reasons this team has struggled.

My point is, these teams can get sluggers from their farm systems, and sign one of them to a big contract while letting another go. See Eric Chavez.

Ok. But being able to keep both of them is a huge plus, even if you have to pay top dollar for one of them because he's in the prime of his career and hitting the free-agent market.

Two good sluggers are more than twice as valuable as one. The one can be held in check with selective pitching, but if you have two of them hitting back-to-back, you can really unleash both of them. (Think Ortiz-Manny, Sheffield-ARod, Pujols-Edmonds. Also think Bonds-nobody.)

 

[Chizip]

hell St. Louis is a small market team. in terms of actual market size St. Louis is ranked 26th out of the 30 MLB teams. being a small market doesnt mean you HAVE to have a tiny payroll, there are ways to make it work.

btw the Cardinals now have the most wins in MLB

 

[randhail]

hell St. Louis is a small market team. in terms of actual market size St. Louis is ranked 26th out of the 30 MLB teams. being a small market doesnt mean you HAVE to have a tiny payroll, there are ways to make it work.

Very true, a lot of factors go into making a winner. An owner needs to be willing to spend some money and spend it wisely, though that is easier said than done. As long as fans come out to support the team, the team will have money to spend, a good tv deal helps too. It's cycle that is tought to initially start but once the team is good, fans will come out, money can be spent back into the product, keeping the fans there and so on.

 

[phanan]

well, it isn't much of a consolation at this point, but the Twins scored five runs in the 16th inning, and Joe Nathan came on in the bottom of the inning and struck out three consecutive white sock to seal a 9-4 victory.

Joe Nathan has turned into one hell of a closer.

 

[Calvin N. Hobbes]

btw the Cardinals now have the most wins in MLB

I really like how the Cardinals are built - thank god they dont give up as easy as your fantasybaseball team.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

btw the Cardinals now have the most wins in MLB

suck it.

 

[Imarocker]

sure thing Nostradamus.

Just out of curiousity, what team do you root for?

I root against the sux & anyone who's playing NY...if it wasn't for a dumb move by Trammell last night thie Tigers would've SWEPT the bums

 

[phanan]

btw the Cardinals now have the most wins in MLB

A shame it won't matter in the World Series.

 

[Chizip]

im actually hoping the White Sox or some other team ends up with the best record because thats a bad omen for winning the world series.

 

[popacrobat]

is it october yet

 

[I'm Ready]

im actually hoping the White Sox or some other team ends up with the best record because thats a bad omen for winning the world series.

maybe the redsox will but the whitesox are gonna be scuffling until podsednik is back in the lineup

i mean cmon we havent won since hes been injured

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

maybe the redsox will but the whitesox are gonna be scuffling until podsednik is back in the lineup

i mean cmon we havent won since hes been injured

I know. I'm going to need to be talked off the ledge soon.

 

[Chizip]

injuries shminjuries

 

[popacrobat]

yeah, try having 50% of your starting lineup on the DL

 

[I'm Ready]

ugh sox lost again

johan santana dominated

buerhle forgot how to pitch these last two games

offense doesnt exist anymore

 

[zoney!]

It must be August on the Southside of Chicago

I mean, if doubt they can blow a 11 game lead...but anything is possible on the Southside!

Oh, and by the way:


SWEEP

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I'll sweep your face.

 

[zoney!]

Twinkies!

 

[popacrobat]

mulder was brilliant tonight.

hopefully he keeps up like this the rest of the year

 

[Chizip]

yeah my big worry is that he really needs surgery and wont get it until the offseason, and that he won't ever really be "right" this year. he hasnt pulled a ball for power since he's been back

it looks like my biggest fear has come true, Rolen is likely out for the season

 

[Hewson]

I root against the sux & anyone who's playing NY...if it wasn't for a dumb move by Trammell last night thie Tigers would've SWEPT the bums

And just how much ground did the mighty Yankees make up playing Tampa Bay while the Red Sox were losing 2 of 3 in Motown?

If I were a Yankee fan, I'd be more concerned with Oakland, Cleveland, Minnesota and Toronto in the wild card race.