# Baseball - How's your team doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 1, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909 "2006-05-01T02:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/121 "2006-09-08T12:47:28Z")
The Yankees magic number is down to 15, we are only 1.5 behind Detroit for best record and the Redsox are 9 back. The additional bonus, the Angels are the one team I feel matches the Yanks the best and they are now long shots to make the postseason. I like the Yanks chances against Detroit, Oakland, Chicago and even Minnesota. The pitching is shaping up well. Johnson has been pitching better now than most of the year. Moose has enough time to be 100% and Wang looks great. I think Lidle gives us a chance to win in a longer series. Bullpen comes down to Mo being ready and Proctor not being burnt out. Of course, Farnsworth’s back is always a question mark. Joe Torre has a great coaching staff and a mix of weapons to use this year. The team will take more pitches than any other team in the majors and has power and speed options. The bench will be very strong. Just having Bernie on the bench is big. Cairo is supposed to be ready next week. Matsui should be playing by next week, which gives us one more clutch, pitch-taking bat. The trade to get Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle has made a huge difference to the team. I like our chances and I believe another Subway series could happen this year. That could be dangerous, in an ideal scenario, someone will knock off the Mets and the Yanks will face a lesser team. Jim **{Go Yanks and Jeter for MVP}** ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/122 "2006-09-08T13:53:23Z")
The Cardinals have been maddeningly inconsistent for a team consistently at the head of its division. Key regulars have been in and out with injuries, and have had streaks and slumps when playing, and substitutes have risen to the occasion. The team has had its ups and downs, and a lot depends on whether they hit the post-season during an up or a down. If the former, it’s conceivable they could make it to the World Series, though once there it’s hard to imagine them winning, given how they did against the American League earlier this season. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/123 "2006-09-08T14:02:39Z")
The Royals have improved tremendously since June, when David DeJesus returned from the DL, Mark Teahen found new life in AAA, and Mark Redman remembered how to pitch. I’m hopeful that maybe we can finish the yesr with fewer than 100 losses. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/124 "2006-09-08T14:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] The trade to get Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle has made a huge difference to the team. I like our chances and I believe another Subway series could happen this year. That could be dangerous, in an ideal scenario, someone will knock off the Mets and the Yanks will face a lesser team. [/quote] Hey, as a Mets fan I was going to say the same thing but in reverse. Mainly because if the Mets do make it to the WS and end up losing to an AL team (as is the pundit consensus), I’d want for it to be any team other than the Yankees. I’ve not generally been a “Yankee-hating” Mets fan, but I gotta tell you, being at Shea Stadium for the last game of the 2000 World Series was painful enough (being surrounded by fans of the opposing team… in the WORLD FREAKIN’ SERIES… as the home team loses) that I would not wish it on any other non-Yankee sports fan. > [@](#): > > Jim **{Go Yanks and Jeter for MVP}** Your Honor, I would like that remark stricken from the record! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/125 "2006-09-08T15:16:51Z")
Well, the Dodgers lead in the NLWest is down to half a game. If we win the division, we play the Cards, who have tromped us all year. If we get the wild card berth, we play the Mets, who also have tromped on us all season. Post-season for Dodgers is looking like just prolonging the agony one more series. All we can hope for is the Cards staying injured and us getting very lucky. Even with our late treades, our pitching is iffy. Maddux and Lowe are strong, but Penny is faltering and Billingsley, et al are erratic. We have great defense and a steady offense, but the pitching is going to kill us in the end. Andre Ethier for Rookie of the Year! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/126 "2006-09-08T15:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Well, the Dodgers lead in the NLWest is down to half a game. If we win the division, we play the Cards, who have tromped us all year. If we get the wild card berth, we play the Mets, who also have tromped on us all season. Post-season for Dodgers is looking like just prolonging the agony one more series. All we can hope for is the Cards staying injured and us getting very lucky. Even with our late treades, our pitching is iffy. Maddux and Lowe are strong, but Penny is faltering and Billingsley, et al are erratic. We have great defense and a steady offense, but the pitching is going to kill us in the end. Andre Ethier for Rookie of the Year! [/QUOTE] Hey 3 months ago, you wrote off the entire season and now you are playing meaningful games in September. Stop with the “negative waves Moriarty.” 😉 [QUOTE=Silenus] Well, what do you know? Dodgers are tied for 1st in the (say it with me now) “toughest division in baseball.” That means we get 2 more weeks of summer fun before the wheels come off. I’m just wondering how it will happen. Will Nomar get broken again? Will terminal acne strike all the rookies that are powering our offense? Will all the former Red Sox get homesick for Boston and quit to go home? Who knows? I’m loving the ride, but my cynicism is hard to conquer. [/QUOTE] My reply then > [@](#): > > On the other hand, there is not one team in the West that looks like it could run away with the division. It should be an interesting summer. Keep the faith, they could do it this year. > > Jim {of course they would still lose in the first round} ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/127 "2006-09-08T15:44:22Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] Did your team pull thru? or disappoint yet again? [/QUOTE] At the beginning of the season I expected another bottom-of-the-division finish from my hometown Mariners, and in this I was not disappointed. But I have to say, I didn’t expect them to be so _maddening._ There’s a difference between a team that’s just plain not good and a team that finds innovative new ways to suck; the first is predictable and can be ignored, but the second keeps drawing your attention to the endless frustrations. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/128 "2006-09-08T15:49:43Z")
This thread is so timely! I haven’t the foggiest idea what my Giants are doing. I know that Bulgaria trashed Slovenia in a soccer game the other night, though. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/129 "2006-09-08T15:59:40Z")
**Kyla** , the Giants are 4 games back in the NLWest, at 70-70. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/130 "2006-09-08T16:06:49Z")
Another Indians fan checking in. Man, they are tearing it up lately. They FINALLY got the bullpen straightened out some. They started playing better when they ditched all the veteran/ free agent/ reclimation projects and started playing the rookies. So what about next year? Will they play the young guys who played good and won some games the last 2 months? Nope, they’ll go and get some more veteran free agents. I blame some of that on the fans, who are always screaming for the front office to stop being “cheap” and go out and get some free agents. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/131 "2006-09-08T16:11:12Z")
Playing at .500 is good enough for four games back? God, the NL West sucks. Anyway, mediocre is about what I expected. Ah well. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/132 "2006-09-08T16:18:20Z")
Tiger fan. You can not guess what we went through the last few years.Some national pundits are jumping on us saying it is over and we wont make the playoffs. They are wrong. Leyland manager of the year. One pundit said the Yankee manager. They buy such good players that you could manage them by postcard from Hawaii. The young arms are great. We need to buy an established power hitter. Lefty preferably. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/133 "2006-09-08T16:32:29Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Tiger fan. You can not guess what we went through the last few years.Some national pundits are jumping on us saying it is over and we wont make the playoffs. They are wrong. Leyland manager of the year. One pundit said the Yankee manager. They buy such good players that you could manage them by postcard from Hawaii. The young arms are great. We need to buy an established power hitter. Lefty preferably. [/QUOTE] Please note, I think Leyland and Girardi are the clear favorites for Managers of the Year, but in Torre’s defense, he has had to manage more this year then anytime since 1996 and he seemed to do everything right. He is number two on my list for the AL. See this thread for the Boards opinions: [Baseball Fans, who are your early picks for the big awards?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=387221) Jim ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/134 "2006-09-08T17:02:59Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit] . . .Please note, I think Leyland and Girardi are the clear favorites for Managers of the Year, . . . [/QUOTE] No nod to Willie? He managed the worst team in the NL last few years to the top spot this year, or were you talking AL only? And excuse me, but no one in the NL is gonna knock us out of the series - But unlike 2000, we will at the very lest make you work for it this year, if not take it in game 7 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/135 "2006-09-08T17:05:15Z")
[QUOTE=Fugazi] Another Indians fan checking in. Man, they are tearing it up lately. They FINALLY got the bullpen straightened out some. They started playing better when they ditched all the veteran/ free agent/ reclimation projects and started playing the rookies. So what about next year? Will they play the young guys who played good and won some games the last 2 months? Nope, they’ll go and get some more veteran free agents. I blame some of that on the fans, who are always screaming for the front office to stop being “cheap” and go out and get some free agents. :smack: [/QUOTE] Shapiro has even said that they have a bigger budget his year. Nooooooo. Still, I don’t know what to do with the players they have. They just can’t let Garko moulder in the minors again, so that leaves still too many players. What do you do with Kouzmanoff? Does Marte stay up and stay at 3rd? Who plays 2nd? How about Big League Choo? How can Shoppach get playing time if Garko is at 1st and Victor behind the plate? If Carmona has a couple of good starts, what to do? WHAT TO DO? Nice problems to have, though. 🙂 I love young teams. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/136 "2006-09-08T17:10:30Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] No nod to Willie? He managed the worst team in the NL last few years to the top spot this year, or were you talking AL only? And excuse me, but no one in the NL is gonna knock us out of the series - But unlike 2000, we will at the very lest make you work for it this year, if not take it in game 7 [/QUOTE] Actually in the other thread I linked to, I picked Willie first, but some convincing arguments have me putting Joe Girardi 1 and Willie 2. (Either way, I am going with a Torre Bench coach, not bad) Jim ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/137 "2006-09-08T17:11:46Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Well, the Dodgers lead in the NLWest is down to half a game. If we win the division, we play the Cards, who have tromped us all year. If we get the wild card berth, we play the Mets, who also have tromped on us all season. Post-season for Dodgers is looking like just prolonging the agony one more series. All we can hope for is the Cards staying injured and us getting very lucky. Even with our late treades, our pitching is iffy. Maddux and Lowe are strong, but Penny is faltering and Billingsley, et al are erratic. We have great defense and a steady offense, but the pitching is going to kill us in the end. Andre Ethier for Rookie of the Year! [/QUOTE] I shudder a bit as I look at the rest of our schedule. I think we might still manage a split with the Mets, and we have four more games against the Padres, so we’ve got a chance to make up some ground. On the other hand, the toughest opponent the Padres have left (other than us) is Cincinnati. They’ve got SEVEN games left against Arizona. Scratch that…they’ve also got three games left against the Cardinals, but who knows which Cardinals will show up for that series? Especially if they’ve already got the division locked up at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/138 "2006-09-08T17:18:32Z")
Oakland, 5.5 up with 23 games remaining on their schedule. I think they’ll hold on and get the division, and I’ll be satisfied with that. Whatever happens in the crap shoot playoffs, I’ll call this season a success. I’m originally from Philadelphia, so I’m also gratified to see the Phillies putting up a fight, and very excited to see Ryan Howard swinging the big stick. It would be great to see the Phils get the wild card, since they’ve been out of contention for so long. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/139 "2006-09-08T17:21:49Z")
[QUOTE=Not A Tame Lion] Oakland, 5.5 up with 23 games remaining on their schedule. I think they’ll hold on and get the division, and I’ll be satisfied with that. Whatever happens in the crap shoot playoffs, I’ll call this season a success. I’m originally from Philadelphia, so I’m also gratified to see the Phillies putting up a fight, and very excited to see Ryan Howard swinging the big stick. It would be great to see the Phils get the wild card, since they’ve been out of contention for so long. [/QUOTE] I don’t think the Phillies will be the wild card - it looks like SD or SF will have that honor ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909/140 "2006-09-08T17:26:35Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] I don’t think the Phillies will be the wild card - it looks like SD or SF will have that honor [/QUOTE] Don’t count out the Marlins. Holy moly, they’re playing well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-hows-your-team-doing/354909.md?page=8)