Quick little plug for my Presidential Politics blog...Much like Saj and I posting everyday in the month of March with our baseball preview, I am making nine straight days of posts during my April vacation.
Anyway, random thoughts on random teams in baseball.
Arizona - They should be pretty happy with baseball's fourth best record and Randy Johnson not yet with the big club. Brandon Webb is a nice anchor, but to get a quality #2 starter will go a long way into maintaining a solid record. Now we just have to see if Johnson can return to quality.
Atlanta - Funny how much easier things are when your bullpen is three-deep.
Baltimore - I really feel bad for these fans. At 7-6 and a game out, they must be optimistic. But how much longer can Eric Bedard and Daniel Cabrera pitch well?
Cleveland & Seattle - They've played nine and eight games, respectively, which is 50% less than many teams. Not only does this throw them off their rhythm now, but they'll be playing double headers in the dog days.
Kansas City - At 3-10, the worst record in baseball. The more things change...
LA Dodgers - Best record in baseball... and Grady Little in charge come postseason time.
Milwaukee - Awww, these guys are so cute on top of their division.
NY Mets - This lineup is scary and it will come around when the weather warms up. The starting pitching is as eclectic as it gets...we'll see if it can hold together for six months.
NY Yankees - This pitching staff is in shambles. SHAMBLES I TELL YOU! Still, it looks as if there's a chance they can line up both Pettitte and Wang for the weekend's showdown at Fenway.
Boston - Starting pitching looks great. Bullpen has been solid and has yet to be involved in a decision. The offense is consistent. The manager is experienced. This is the best team in baseball.
Showing posts with label Arizona Diamondbacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arizona Diamondbacks. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Greatest Baseball Preview in America: Arizona Diamondbacks.
Sweet Sassy Molassy, it's here!! The beginning of our prelude to the 2007 MLB Season: THE GREATEST BASEBALL PREVIEW IN AMERICA. All 30 teams in 31 days (ostensibly) in ascending order by division (West to East) and league (NL to AL). Today we start with a team that tied for last place in the NL West:
THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Pitching: As if the state of Arizona didn't have enough curmudgeonly retirees, Randy Johnson brought his nasty, ugly, 43-year-old ass back to the Diamondbacks during the offseason. Despite Johnson's pedestrian numbers last year with the Yankees, he should be a shot in the arm for a lackluster Diamondbacks rotation in the pitcher-friendly NL West. And there's that guy in Arizona who proved to be the best pitcher in the National League last year: Brandon Webb. Before last season I bet Ian $20 that Webb would win 20 games. Well he didn't, but he did co-lead the NL in wins and win the Cy Young Award which I used as justification for not paying up. The rotation is rounded out by Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez, who will prove to be more than suitable three and four starters, and a player to be named later (probably Edgar G. Gonzalez). As for their bullpen, they have Jorge Julio and Jose Valverde as closer candidates with Brandon Lyon lurking about and a bunch of other guys under 30. Could be better but could be worse.
Hitting: Speaking of youth, this team is an obsessive parent-coach and a Gatorade cooler away from playing in Williamsport. Aside from Eric Byrnes (31) and Orlando Hudson (29) they have no other regulars older than 26. Lots of young talent means lots of up and down production this season. Look for Chad Tracy to again top 20 homeruns and Conor Jackson to join him. Stephen Drew (younger brother and fellow Boras-infected cash-grubber to J.D.) will probably improve on his numbers from 59 games last year (slightly lower BA, slightly higher OBP) and scouts are raving about rookie Chris Young, who is set to start in centerfield, as the best young player on a team full of good young players. Overall, don't expect great or even very good production on the whole but law of averages says at least some of these guys will take promising steps forward.
Miscellaneous: Note on Livan Hernandez: Does anyone believe he's only 31 years old? If he's 31 then I'm 14, Miguel Tejada doesn't have Down Syndrome, and the Hamburglar is the noble Robin Hood of McDonaldland. Unfortunuately I'm 22, Tejada's a Downie, and the Hamburglar is a ruthless burger-addicted thug who envelopes all those who enjoy delicious hamburger Happy Meals in a prism of fear. STOP TERRORIZING OUR YOUTHS, HAMBURGLAR.
Diamondback-related Ridiculous Proposition Bet: The line for when Randy Johnson finally admits he's first cousins with Jeff Foxworthy's is set at June 22nd. He's been itching to get this off his chest since that "You Might Be a Redneck" album came out back in 1993 so I'd take the under here.
Tomorrow, Ian tackles the Colorado Rockies.
THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Pitching: As if the state of Arizona didn't have enough curmudgeonly retirees, Randy Johnson brought his nasty, ugly, 43-year-old ass back to the Diamondbacks during the offseason. Despite Johnson's pedestrian numbers last year with the Yankees, he should be a shot in the arm for a lackluster Diamondbacks rotation in the pitcher-friendly NL West. And there's that guy in Arizona who proved to be the best pitcher in the National League last year: Brandon Webb. Before last season I bet Ian $20 that Webb would win 20 games. Well he didn't, but he did co-lead the NL in wins and win the Cy Young Award which I used as justification for not paying up. The rotation is rounded out by Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez, who will prove to be more than suitable three and four starters, and a player to be named later (probably Edgar G. Gonzalez). As for their bullpen, they have Jorge Julio and Jose Valverde as closer candidates with Brandon Lyon lurking about and a bunch of other guys under 30. Could be better but could be worse.
Hitting: Speaking of youth, this team is an obsessive parent-coach and a Gatorade cooler away from playing in Williamsport. Aside from Eric Byrnes (31) and Orlando Hudson (29) they have no other regulars older than 26. Lots of young talent means lots of up and down production this season. Look for Chad Tracy to again top 20 homeruns and Conor Jackson to join him. Stephen Drew (younger brother and fellow Boras-infected cash-grubber to J.D.) will probably improve on his numbers from 59 games last year (slightly lower BA, slightly higher OBP) and scouts are raving about rookie Chris Young, who is set to start in centerfield, as the best young player on a team full of good young players. Overall, don't expect great or even very good production on the whole but law of averages says at least some of these guys will take promising steps forward.
Miscellaneous: Note on Livan Hernandez: Does anyone believe he's only 31 years old? If he's 31 then I'm 14, Miguel Tejada doesn't have Down Syndrome, and the Hamburglar is the noble Robin Hood of McDonaldland. Unfortunuately I'm 22, Tejada's a Downie, and the Hamburglar is a ruthless burger-addicted thug who envelopes all those who enjoy delicious hamburger Happy Meals in a prism of fear. STOP TERRORIZING OUR YOUTHS, HAMBURGLAR.
Diamondback-related Ridiculous Proposition Bet: The line for when Randy Johnson finally admits he's first cousins with Jeff Foxworthy's is set at June 22nd. He's been itching to get this off his chest since that "You Might Be a Redneck" album came out back in 1993 so I'd take the under here.
Tomorrow, Ian tackles the Colorado Rockies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
