The OFFICIAL 2006 MLB Discussion Thread

Originally Posted by quazi

Why do I watch the Orioles? They always find new ways to lose. Ever since the end of the 1998 season we've just constantly thrown games in the stupidest ways. This series the Yankees are bringing out our worst once again with errors from our two all-stars that led to both loses so far. At least no one fell down on their way to home plate.

Actually, that would be the end of the 1997 season... 1998 was a complete wash as well, once word got out that Ray Miller was a flake when it came to managing. It's sad when the highlight of the year was our closer effectively ending Tino Martinez's season with a 100mph fastball to the upper back and igniting an all-out brawl.

Also, we were pretty creative in the 97 playoffs as well...Highlights include a game-winning steal of home and Mussina striking out 15 guys en route to a loss versus a weak-ass Cleveland team with no pitching.

Let's just write this season off, pray we sign Zito (to go with the rest of our collection of ex-Atheletics), dump Matos and Millar, let Markakis develop, and come in fresh next year...

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by knkwzrd

At least we can all be glad we don't live in Kansas City.

Dunno...I always liked Kaufman Stadium. I always look forward to home runs (mostly by visiting teams) going out near the fountains.

Camden Yards needs a fountain...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

True...I just look at it as neither team is going to make the playoffs. At least the few KC fans who tune in get to watch the cool-looking fountains every night...

Truthfully though, I would MUCH rather us be in the Central division, away from playing Boston and New York 40 games a year (and Toronto's not looking too bad with all of those free agents). KC is probably closer to turning things around than we are, once they get their upper management straightened out, simply because there's more bad teams in the central (or at least ones that can't afford $20 million players and still have enough to spend on the rest of the team).

Just look at the spectacular Detroit Tigers this year...

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

Predictions for playoffs:

Tigers over Yanks in 5
A's over Twins in 4
A's in ALCS in 6

Pads over Cards in 3
Mets over Dodgers in 4 (will be interesting with no Pedro)
Pads take Mets in 6 or 7

A's win series in 5

Always been an A's fan. I'm glad to see Detroit make it and I'm definitely pulling for them over the Yanks (the Yanks starting pitching will be their downfall, I predict), but I'll never root against the A's.

Cards look awful right now and the Mets are extremely vulnerable with no real ace to fall back on. Dodgers and Padres aren't great, but they're consistant, have solid starters and not missing any huge parts.

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

Amazing how limp the Padres lineup has been...I feel like I could pitch through them, the way they're going. Cards are the perfect example of a great team that goes streaky too much.

I'm calling it right now: Detroit kills NY tonight. Randy Johnson has no chance of having a decent outing with his back. Only way he wins is if Detroit swings too much at crap pitches and hopefully Leyland is lecturing his players right now NOT to do that.

Detroit in an even 5.

Currently 1-0 Oakland. Bye bye Minnesota.

And uh...yeah, never thought the Dodgers had a real shot at the Mets.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by GoldfishX

I'm calling it right now: Detroit kills NY tonight. Randy Johnson has no chance of having a decent outing with his back. Only way he wins is if Detroit swings too much at crap pitches and hopefully Leyland is lecturing his players right now NOT to do that.

Loving every second of it (I'm even taping it). Kenny Rogers is my new favorite non-Oriole player.

Seeing all of the so-called experts backpeddling on their claims on how the Yankees are going to destroy everyone is always nice to see.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

That's what happens when you have a surprise team going against a team with the storied history as the Yanks do and who've been to the playoffs for the past...11 years. The people covering the stuff just get lazy and make assumptions. They conveniently forgot the Yanks have no starting pitching (Wang is a fluke, Mussina is useless in the postseason and Johnson is old, inconsistant and hurt), no middle relief, a powerful line-up that falters every post season and a veteran team that almost seems bored to death to be there. I really thought Toronto or Boston would have overtaken them this year (Orioles are still a few years away...heh).

Honestly, seeing the "experts" screw up like that is the sweetest part of seeing the Yankees lose...After the 1996 WS win, everyone turned so "Pro-Yankees", it made me sick to my stomach. Fox Baseball would go on and on about how the Yankees overcame the odds and what not (conveniently forgetting the only reason they won in 1996 was because of Jeffrey Maier, not to mention their payroll). Then they got beat in the 97 division series and it was a great feeling to watch everyone backpeddling as to why the Indians were great.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEES LOSE!

Nothing more needs to be said.

That said, I stand by my pick of Oakland to go to the World Series. Although...Detroit looks pretty damn scary right about now. Should be a low-scoring game with these pitching staffs.

So far, I've been dead on with predictions, Pads and Cards aside (though I still think San Diego could pull the series out if they were to...I dunno...HIT THE FUCKING BASEBALL AND SCORE SOME RUNS!)

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

Alright, my predictions are now shot to hell, but...

Good shit, Detroit!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Nail-biter here...Pujols pops up with 2 on against a lefty.

I'm feeling the Mets score in this next inning...They definitely have the momentum.

And Valentin taking the shot to the face was cool...He didn't know what zip code first base was in.

Edit: Shit, Perez is staying!? Damn...Ballsy move.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Kenny Rogers is downright EVIL...He's also my favorite non-Oriole player now. GO KENNY!

Notice that no one answered the question about the crap on his hand in the first inning...Fox announcers asked both him and Leyland and never got an answer (and La Russa said at the press conference his guys thought some funky stuff was going on with the ball, so it wasn't a direct accusation).

The scary thing about young pitching...The Tigers aren't too far away from becoming a dominant team. They already have an Oakland-esque "Big Three", then Rogers then...Um, some guy. But look how far Mulder/Huson/Zito went alone. And the Tigers actually have $$$ to spend, unlike Oakland, so they could conceivable get better in the off-season.

Of course, the Orioles have the intimidating combination of Bedard/Cabrera/Loewen, with Kris Benson for back-up and look how bad we finished...But we'll get better! We can't get worse! (although maybe if we hit rock-bottom, our ownership will finally wake up, like Detroit's did).

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

More like...Detroit lost the World Series. Can't win if you don't hit and keep trying to throw the ball in the stands.

Congrats to Jeff Weaver for being THE MAN in two games...He was really the key for the Cardinals, since their staff was so thin behind Carpenter.

This is good for Pujols...The thing that seems to seperate the greats from the really-goods is always whether or not they have a championship. So now that Pujols has a ring...

As long as it ain't the Yankees...

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