The OFFICIAL 2006 MLB Discussion Thread

As the resident Braves fan, I always have great expectations going into spring training and by year end I am typically mildly disappointed. But that's ok, to me in baseball, it is the journey which is important, not the destination.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Bahamut Zero

RESIDENT? Umm no.

Anyway, looking forward to the Braves owning again. Hudson was just named the starter by the way.

Man, I've been a Braves fan since you were in diapers.

But seriously, I think Hudson is going to have a big year this year, and I expect Chipper and Andruw to both put up monster seasons, keeping the pressure off of the younger guys like Francoeur and McCann. I don't know why people are suggesting that Giles wouldn't be a good leadoff hitter. He is a solid hitter who gets on base and can make a pitcher work. Just because he doesn't have blazing speed, apparently he is not leadoff material. A lineup of Giles, Renteria, Chipper, Andruw, LaRoche, Francoeur, McCann, Langerhans sounds like a good recipe for success to me. We've just got to get lucky with some overachieving performances from a few bullpen guys.

A friend of mine is trying to get us box seats for the home opener, so I'm really hoping that happens. Either way, I am going to the home opener. Too bad I'll be seeing the number 4 starter...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Yeah, for like 5 years running. Maybe when he hits homerun 713, he will blow out both knees during his trot.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Um, his ego is what has gotten him into this mess in the first place, so if you really want to just give away five dollars, just go give it to your favorite charity or something, I don't really need it.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Capo

Wow did Oliver Perez have a game yesterday. He may have only pitched 5 1/3, but during that time he had 9 strikeouts, and allowed only one run. We may have lost, but with pitching like this, the season looks semi-promising. Our "strong" bullpen dissapointed me, though. Could have gotten that win if it wasn't for them.

Yeah, that was definitely a pretty typical Oliver performance. Throw a ton of pitches, get a bunch of strikeouts, and be dominant for about 6 innings before getting tired and leaving the game.

If the Pirates can get to Mike Gonzalez in the ninth, they will be alright.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Well, Gagne is having elbow surgery again. Needless to say, this has hurt my bullpen on a couple of different fantasy teams.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I immediately went to the free agent list to see if Baez was still available. In one league of my four, he was actually available, so that was pretty lucky.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

I picked up Josh Willingham that round instead, who has proved to be a hell of a bargain. How many catcher's play the field when they're not behind the plate?

Jason Kendall and Paul LoDuca come to mind, though I don't think either of them have done that in the past couple of years. But Willingham is a solid guy to take up your C spot. In my drafts, I waited until round 18 or later to pick up Ramon Hernandez or LoDuca.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Yeah, I watched that shit, despite the fact that I was tired, the wine was making me sleepy, and I had to work early this morning. I enjoyed that inning last night a whole hell of a lot more than I have enjoyed this afternoon's game, let me tell you. At least Bonds hasn't homered.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I think the Brian Roberts analogy is correct. I have been a huge BR fan for a few years now, so I was very happy that he basically carried my fantasy team last April {15th round pick that year }. But since I had been a huge BR fan for a couple of years, I knew exactly what he was capable of, which wasn't MVP caliber numbers, so I fully expected him to cool off. Brian Roberts is a .300/10/60 guy who can score you 100 runs and steal you 30 bags. His six homers {or whatever it was} last April was an obvious abberation, as it seemed like some balls that in the past were doubles were going over the fence.

I think we'll see something similar from Shelton {though obviously Shelton is a different kind of player than BR}. I think most "experts" agree that Shelton is a guy who will hit, what, around 30 to 35 homers a year? So his fast start might bump him up above that a little. Similar to how Derek Lee rode a hot start to 46 homers last year. I think Shelton is the real deal, but let's be serious, he won't hit 95 homers this year. Pujols on the other hand...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Yeah and word is that Chipper, Giles, and Renteria will all be back next week. If the starting pitching keeps doing well {Soriano just led off with a homer against Smoltz as I type this}, then the Braves will be alright.

Most amazing jew boots

I was hoping he would blow out both knees on the trot around the bases, but alas, it was not so.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Chipper Jones starts hitting, tying a 79 or so year old record for most consecutive games with an extra base hit, and the Braves start winning. Not a coincidence that the Braves' success hinges on Chipper's offensive production picking up. I hope they can continue putting up 10+ runs a game, because lord knows they need to if they want to win, with that pitching staff.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Peter Gammons has been saying that for a couple years now. And to think, if Boston had made the A-rod trade a couple years ago, Lester would have been included. Think they're happy to have Lester and Manny instead of Alex "Knoblauch" Rodriguez?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

The team would look a whole lot different if they had gotten A-rod, that is for sure.

• Magglio would have left for free agency after his 2 month stay with the team.
• Renteria would not have signed
• Renteria would not have been traded, along with like $12 million, for Marte.
• Marte would not have been flipped to Cleveland for Crisp.

Instead, you would have probably seen Boston go hard for JD Drew after the 2004 season. Then when Damon leaves after the 2005 season, you see JD move to center. Hanley Ramirez is even more expendable with A-rod manning short, so you still are likely to see the Beckett & Lowell deal. Now there is an opening in left field, which can basically be filled by any warm body who can hit.

And there's no telling what the Yankees would look like right now if they don't swap Soriano for A-rod.

Stuff like this is part of why I love baseball. All the possibilities, all the what-ifs, all the speculation about off the field stuff.

FELIPE NO

Once a player reaches a certain point of greatness, it is stupid to try to say he is better or worse than some other very great player. If you had to decide between Maddux in his prime, or Clemens in his prime, there is absolutely no way that you can make the wrong choice.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

My Braves tried to help out last night against Clemens, but Houston came back and took tonight's game.

On a related note, I went to the Braves-Astros game last night, because it could be Clemens' last game. We sat about 15 rows back, in the section between the screen and the third base side dugout, so we were pretty close to the action. It was a pretty quick and fairly good game to watch, especially since the Braves pulled out the victory over a Hall of Fame pitcher whom I do not respect any further than his statistical achievements. I enjoyed the fact that I got to see another Hall of Fame player hit a homer, Biggio, and got to watch a player who has quickly become one of my favorites in the game, Brian McCann.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well, since the Mets' ace is pretty much Tom Glavine these days, I don't expect them to do all that well. TG is long past his ace days.

There's nowhere I can't reach.