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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 14:56:25 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Apr 13, 2011 14:56:25 GMT -5
The Carmines will hit the ball at some point. They will score runs consistently at some point. Pitching was their problem last year and nothing has changed in 2011. Matsuzaka is terrible and needs to go to the bullpen. Lackey's ERA has gone up every season since 2007, so expect it to eventually level off at about 5 runs a game.
Pedroia is the best player in the American League right now. Josh Hamilton is out for two months, so Pedroia is my early pick for MVP. I haven't seen the Yankees play, so I don't have a good read on what they might do this year. Obviously they dig the long ball, but they have some pitching issues (read Phil Hughes.) The Rays are going to finish in last place despite their pitching. They have Longoria (when healthy) and that's it in terms of run producers.
I haven't seen Toronto yet, but I don't see them finishing above Boston or New York. My heart is with Baltimore, but they have very young starting pitching. Showalter is 40-26 as skipper of the Orioles. I'm not going to offer a prediction just yet, but I think Baltimore will be in the running for the AL East title all year.
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 15:04:10 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 13, 2011 15:04:10 GMT -5
We are not expecting miracles from the Os but, as a fellow passenger on my flight from Boston to BWI put it, they need to at least keep us interested. If they have a winning season, play some good teams tough, as they've done so far, finish respectably and maybe play the spoiler at times, Baltimore will be very happy with that.
I don't know how the Rays got to the playoffs last year. I lost count of the number of games they lost 1-0, 2-1, etc. Seemed like a season-long run production drought.
The Sox are bound to rebound at the plate, but I agree their pitching has been shaky for at least 2 years and they did nothing to help themselves over the winter. I'm hoping Paplebon's last couple of slam-the-door closings vs. the Yanks are for real; that would be a real plus. But you need good starters to get you to Pap. Lester has looked very good the last 2 starts but the anemic Sox were shut down 1-0 in Cleveland and 3-2 last night, so he has nothing to show for his work.
I never count out the Evil Empire (NYY).
allen
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 15:36:13 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Apr 13, 2011 15:36:13 GMT -5
Most assuredly, never dismiss the Behemoth of The Bronx. They will always be in the mix.
The Diamond Days thread began in 2010, and I'm still waiting to read a post from a Yankee supporter. Either they don't reside on this forum or they have chosen to remain silent. I work with two Yankee fans so I'm not exactly pining away here...but if there are NYY fans out there, please feel free to speak up.
If you do speak up, all I ask is that you bear in mind what happened in the month of October 1964, and we'll get along famously!
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 17:22:34 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 13, 2011 17:22:34 GMT -5
Oh, I recall that only too well! I was stationed in Iceland and we got very scratchy radio broadcasts of the game (Joe Garagiola and Phil Rizzuto as play-by-play; post game show by, of all people, Jean Shepherd) on Armed Force Radio; no TV, although films of the games were flown up later for broadcast by the base TV station. I recall Mantle's sudden death homer off Barney Shultz (one pitch and it was over) and, of course, the Cards ultimate victory. Sorry to admit that I was a Yankees fan at the time, but I got over it.
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 17:23:44 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 13, 2011 17:23:44 GMT -5
Great news out of Boston!! The Sox are rained out today!
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 17:49:32 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Apr 13, 2011 17:49:32 GMT -5
Great news out of Boston!! The Sox are rained out today! Allen,
All you need now is the reincarnated Spahn and Sain, to go with the rain, and Red Sox Nation will be sine cura.
Hiram
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AL East
Apr 13, 2011 20:56:18 GMT -5
Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 13, 2011 20:56:18 GMT -5
Look at it on the bright side, fellow Sox fans: When you're in last place, you can only go up.
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AL East
Apr 14, 2011 8:50:58 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 14, 2011 8:50:58 GMT -5
Hey - more good news; no game today either! This is the best 2-day streak the Sox have had so far this season!
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AL East
Apr 14, 2011 16:45:58 GMT -5
Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 14, 2011 16:45:58 GMT -5
We'll take any non-losing streak we can get.
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AL East
Apr 15, 2011 22:01:30 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 15, 2011 22:01:30 GMT -5
Well, April is passing fast and the Horrible Hose have won a grand total of 2 games. Tonight they showed they can't beat Toronto either.
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AL East
Apr 16, 2011 19:17:24 GMT -5
Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 16, 2011 19:17:24 GMT -5
Well, April is passing fast and the Horrible Hose have won a grand total of 2 games. Tonight they showed they can't beat Toronto either. Make that three .....
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AL East
Apr 16, 2011 20:46:27 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 16, 2011 20:46:27 GMT -5
Yeah, and Becket had his second straight stellar outing; a bit of good news among the wreckage. Pap finished up OK, but the finish was a bit sloppy. I'll take it!
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AL East
Apr 17, 2011 18:34:23 GMT -5
Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 17, 2011 18:34:23 GMT -5
Holy guacamole, Allen. The Sox have a (count 'em) TWO GAME WINNING STREAK! I'm downright giddy!
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AL East
Apr 18, 2011 19:31:54 GMT -5
Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 18, 2011 19:31:54 GMT -5
Anything's possible! Or am I in a dream-haze from all that Novocain the dental surgeon fed me today??? Dice-K went all of 7 innings, allowed 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk and the Sox clobbered Toronto 8-1. Not possible!
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AL East
Apr 18, 2011 22:59:17 GMT -5
Post by Hiram on Apr 18, 2011 22:59:17 GMT -5
Orioles dropped their eighth straight game tonight. It appears each game they find yet another way to lose. Playing the Rangers and the Yankees didn't exactly boost their confidence level.
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