Post: #251

Trade deadline is a week away with lots of questions to answer.

The West has already been one, and the smart money is on the Dodgers and Astros meeting in the World Series.

Bold End of Season Predictions:

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Astros
Wild-Cards: Royals, Yankees

NL East: Nationals
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Dodgers
Wild-Cards: Diamondbacks, Rockies

What you guys looking forward to down the stretch?

Post: #252

Dodgers without Kershaw may have some issues. Kershaw is almost a guaranteed W most of the time he's out there, even this year.

I think the NL Central is totally up for grabs. The Cubs could make a run at it, the Brewers may prevail, who knows.

AL Central is the same way. The Twins may make it interesting until the end of the year, but I agree that Cleveland is probably going to win the division. I don't see the Royals winning a WC, they're just too streaky.

Post: #253

I hate seeing a player like kershaw miss extended time but as a Rockies fan I suppose I'll take it. I don't see it affecting their lead in the division too much aside from their lead going from 11 games to maybe 7 or 8. They are scary good this year and seem to have a lot of depth. Obviously I hope the Rockies can catch them somehow but I definitely wouldn't put any money on that happening.

Seems like the only real race in the NL this year is gonna be the central, which I envision the Cubs taking by a handful of games.

As for the AL, Houston is clearly in a class of their own but I think Cleveland and Boston are both good enough to challenge them for a WS berth and I don't think it matters much who wins the two wild cards.

For the NL, I think all five of the teams are good enough to make the World Series. LA is clearly the best team but the Dbacks, Rockies, Nats and Cubs all seem to be good enough to knock them off in the playoffs. I think it's gonna be a great post season.

Post: #254

As a Houston native, seeing a dominant Astros for basically the first time in my life is a real treat. Honestly the best chance we've ever had at a world series victory (even considering 2005!)

Post: #255

(07-25-2017 08:24 PM)HermeticAlly Wrote:  As a Houston native, seeing a dominant Astros for basically the first time in my life is a real treat. Honestly the best chance we've ever had at a world series victory (even considering 2005!)

Oh man do I know how you feel right now. It just seems like we've got something really special with this group, great team chemistry along with all sorts of younger players hitting their peak performance all at the same time. As an Astros fan I've never experienced a team so fun to watch night in and night out.

My only (slight) concerns are some of the injuries that keep popping up (Correa out til late August, Springer and Bregman with some recent knocks) but fortunately it seems like we have the luxury of playing it safe with the large division lead and no reason to rush anyone back until they are fully healthy.

It'll be interesting to see if any moves are made before the trading deadline. It would be nice to get a little bullpen help, if not another quality starter, but with Keuchel and McHugh getting healthy again we might be okay in that department.

Fun times. If they fall short this season, I feel pretty confident that they'll be a force for years to come as long as they can keep most of the group together in the future.

Post: #256

I'd like to see Houston get some rotation help, though its debatable that a shutdown reliever in the playoffs provides more value than a starting pitcher.

What do you Houston guys prefer?

The bullpen is close to elite right now, but bolstering it with yet another arm can shorten the game for starters, and make the potentially questionable rotation depth even more of a non-issue.

Either Justin Wilson or Zach Britton would be nice lefty additions. Wilson probably makes most sense, more cost controlled, and not coming off an injury.

Giles, Gregerson, Devenski, Feliz, maybe Martes + Britton/Wilson is a filthy pen.


Jose Altuve is also having the quietest MVP caliber season I can remember. 364 AVG, > 1000 OPS, and it doesn't seem like anyone gives a shit.

Post: #257

The Astros won me over in the 2015 postseason. I hope they make it to the World Series. I'm pulling for the Nationals to go all the way, which I think is possible with 1 more solid bullpen piece. If not for their 14 blown saves, they'd be where the Dodgers are now.

I think the Braves could make a run at the NL Wild Card if they had an ace starter. Their offense is blowing up when they're healthy.

Post: #258

(07-23-2017 08:18 PM)Chunnel Wrote:  What you guys looking forward to down the stretch?

For my Royals to make the playoffs one last time with this group. 2 World Series' appearances and 1 World Championship is fucking wonderful, don't get me wrong. However, we just cannot afford to keep all our stars after this year (Hoz, Moose, Cain, Vargas) so this is the last hoorah for this current group together. I'm afraid 2018-2021 is going to be like the late '90s and early 00's for the Royals again.

And it's frustrating to have a current 7 game winning streak and the Indians have their own 5 game winning streak. We haven't made up any ground during this streak. Obviously I want to win the Central but a Wild Card will work.

Lots of baseball yet to go.

Post: #259

I'd like to see the Yankees go after some starting pitching. Rumor has it they are targeting Sonny Gray, but I think the Yankees will need a lot more than Sonny.

Post: #260

(07-26-2017 12:33 PM)dark_g Wrote:  I'd like to see the Yankees go after some starting pitching. Rumor has it they are targeting Sonny Gray, but I think the Yankees will need a lot more than Sonny.

Who do you think the Yanks would have to give up to get Gray?

Frazier + Adams + Mateo + a wildcard (a Dermis Garcia type)?

I think I heard the Yankees don't want to move their top I guys (especially after dealing Rutherford), but as they say: you gotta give value to receive value

Interesting hypothetical trade:

Yankees get:
Sonny Gray
Yonder Alonso

A's get:
Greg Bird
Torres
Andujar
Mateo
plus a flyer pick

too lopsided any one way?

Post: #261

Houston is easily the best team in the AL.

With that said if the Yankees could get some starting pitching they could be dangerous. They already have the best 7, 8, 9 in baseball with Robertson, Betances, Chapman. With the addition of Sonny Gray they could be really dangerous.

The only team that is dangerous from the AL Central are the Indians.

Blue Jays just need to unload. Theres no point in us keeping guys like Josh Donaldson when we aren't in contention.

Dodgers and Nats are the two biggies in the NL. One of them will make the world series. Teams like the Rockies and Diamondbacks don't have the pitching. The Cubs star pitchers are having bad seasons. (Arrieta and Lester)

Post: #262

(07-27-2017 07:10 PM)lavidaloca Wrote:  Houston is easily the best team in the AL.

With that said if the Yankees could get some starting pitching they could be dangerous. They already have the best 7, 8, 9 in baseball with Robertson, Betances, Chapman. With the addition of Sonny Gray they could be really dangerous.

The only team that is dangerous from the AL Central are the Indians.

Blue Jays just need to unload. Theres no point in us keeping guys like Josh Donaldson when we aren't in contention.

Dodgers and Nats are the two biggies in the NL. One of them will make the world series. Teams like the Rockies and Diamondbacks don't have the pitching. The Cubs star pitchers are having bad seasons. (Arrieta and Lester)

I think an argument can be made that Houston's 7,8,9 is better than the Yankees.

Houston:
Harris: 10.1 K/9, 1.3 BB/9, 1.3 HR/9
Giles: 10.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, .5 HR/9
Devenski: 12 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 1.2 HR/9
(Feliz, Gregerson, and Martes all have closer stuff too, and have been good)

New York-
Chapman: 12.8 K/9, 4.1 BB/9, 0.0 HR/9
Betances: 16.5 K/9, 7.5 BB/9, .3 HR/9
Robertson: 12.8 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 1.2 HR/9
(Kahnle, Green, and Warren have all been excellent this year too)

I'd still give the Yankees the edge, especially after the Robertson/Kahnle deal. But I'd be extremely worried about Chapman and Betances' walk rates going forward. In the case of Betances, giving the equivalent of .8 free base-runners per inning to a team like Houston in the playoffs is damn near suicide.

I still think Houston needs to trade for a lefty relief arm, be it Justin Wilson, Zach Britton, or Brad Hand.

If Britton can come back from his injury and be merely 90% of the pitcher he was last year, he can be scary in the playoffs. Having hitters succumb to weak off the end of the bat contact on a crisp November night almost isn't fair.

Personally I think Cleveland should go for Britton him for two reasons:

1. He'd fair well pitching behind Cleveland's good infield defense
2. Gamesmanship, preventing the Astros from acquiring him

Post: #263

Sonny Gray is a Yankee.

Yu Darvish is a Dodger.

Needle movers for either?

Yanks had to give a decent (albeit mostly injured) prospect haul.

Post: #264

I admit all the trades by playoff teams kind of sicken me anymore. You can completely re-tool your lineup before the playoffs, it cheapens the game IMO.

Yankees picked up todd frazier, Jamie Garcia, and now sonny gray.

You should be able to acquire like 1 player and other than that youre stuck with your guys, and be forced to use your minor leaguers if necessary.

I think the Astros will take down the Yankees anyways. They score so many runs and I feel the Yankees are too streaky and flash-in-the-pan this year.

Post: #265

(07-31-2017 07:53 PM)Disco_Volante Wrote:  I think the Astros will take down the Yankees anyways. They score so many runs and I feel the Yankees are too streaky and flash-in-the-pan this year.

I hope you're right. I'm a bit disappointed the Astros didn't do more to get some pitching help. They have plenty of prospects available to offer for a big arm but only ended up with Francisco Liriano....that won't exactly put them over the hump in the playoffs.

Definitely discouraging too seeing the Dodgers get Yu Darvish, the Yankees get Sonny Gray and several other contenders bolstering their bullpens more than Houston did before the deadline. I guess I'll be hoping for the best regarding Keuchel and McCullers (back on the DL as of today) eventually re-gaining their top form by September/October, but I'm suddenly not as confident about making it to the World Series as I was last week.

Hopefully they'll just slug teams to death in the playoffs with the regulars healthy again by then, but that might be tough to do against elite pitching night in and night out.

Post: #266

(07-31-2017 06:51 PM)Chunnel Wrote:  Yu Darvish is a Dodger.

As a lifelong Dodger fan, I hope this breaks the 30 year World Series drought. I think that this could be the move that finally gets them over-the-hump.

Post: #267

(08-04-2016 01:13 PM)kaotic Wrote:  Never forget this day

Never forget. Happy anniversary everyone!

Post: #268

(08-01-2017 02:08 AM)MajorStyles Wrote:  

(07-31-2017 06:51 PM)Chunnel Wrote:  Yu Darvish is a Dodger.

As a lifelong Dodger fan, I hope this breaks the 30 year World Series drought. I think that this could be the move that finally gets them over-the-hump.

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but will Darvish make that much of an impact in LA? He's ERA is around 4, he is constantly injured, and the starting rotation is pretty damn good already. I guess it depends on who they gave up for him.

As a Nationals fan, I think they did well at the deadline- they could have been more active, but at least they made a move to shore up the terrible bullpen. I grew up a Yankee fan, and I think they did well too. Gray is younger and has a better contract than Darvish, and they seem to have given up very little for him (some decent players, but with significant injury histories, while still managing to keep their best almost-MLB-ready prospects). They also tweaked third base (an easy move since anything would have been an improvement there) and the bullpen.

I'm most surprised by the 'good-but-flawed' teams that should have been more aggressive, like Cleveland, the Royals, the Brewers and Boston. Those divisions are still up for grabs yet they failed to make any significant moves.

Post: #269

Darvish will do great in the national league with no DH. It's fucking tough pitching in the AL where you're facing all the high-powered offenses, that skews era's higher.

Post: #270

As an A's fan, I am pissed Oakland didn't get more for Gray. I mean you need to actually keep a few pieces to build around if you are going to build for the future, unless the other team is unloading their top prospects, and not their injured list, it just doesn't make much sense.

Post: #271

The prospects the Yankees gave up for Gray are actually pretty good, especially Mateo, but he's young. You never know how these trades turn out until a few years have passed anyway.

I do think Oakland could have received more for Gray, but my post was more of a complement to Brian Cashman who managed to get the guy he wanted without giving up the guys he wanted to keep, rather than a critique of Billy Beane.

Post: #272

(08-05-2017 05:05 PM)Stirfry Wrote:  The prospects the Yankees gave up for Gray are actually pretty good, especially Mateo, but he's young. You never know how these trades turn out until a few years have passed anyway.

I do think Oakland could have received more for Gray, but my post was more of a complement to Brian Cashman who managed to get the guy he wanted without giving up the guys he wanted to keep, rather than a critique of Billy Beane.

Beane certainly makes some puzzling trades (I feel the Yanks probably won the Gray trade slightly). The Donaldson trade could turn out to be one of the worst this decade, unless Barreto becomes the next Miguel Tejada.

Post: #273

(08-04-2017 03:35 PM)Stirfry Wrote:  I'm most surprised by the 'good-but-flawed' teams that should have been more aggressive, like Cleveland, the Royals,

I'm pretty happy with the moves we made. Most of KC seems to be happy. It is nice to have Melky back. Although I would have liked to traded for one more SP, but I can't complain. DM is going for it.

I am surprised Cleveland didn't do more. Glad, of course...but surprised.

Post: #274

I'm so sad the Astros did not get a pitcher. I'm so worried they will get to the World Series or even before it and get swept because of it. I'm not sure our bats will all be healthy by then.

Post: #275

(08-07-2017 11:51 AM)TravelerKai Wrote:  I'm so sad the Astros did not get a pitcher. I'm so worried they will get to the World Series or even before it and get swept because of it. I'm not sure our bats will all be healthy by then.

I feel the exact same way. Their pitching (both starters and relievers) since the trade deadline passed has added salt to the wound, as the numbers and results haven't been pretty.

Still, I just saw this rumor suggesting it may not be too late to get Verlander, which would be a big upgrade to the rotation. Even though he's not in his prime, he's got the tools and playoff experience to be a huge difference maker and I'm hoping they make this work as long as they don't have to give up too much to get him (and maybe get the Tigers to pay a portion of his remaining contract).