Spring Training

[Joe]

It starts this month. I don't know about you all, but I'm jacked. I already got tickets for 6 regular season games this year and may catch a couple spring training games here in Phoenix.

So any early predictions? And I know it's been brought up before, but any instrest in a fantasy baseball league?

[Ollie]

GO TWINS.

[RJ Stone]

Well, being the stubborn New Englander....GO SOX

Bolstered starting pitching (and with a healthy and to form Beckett, Daisuke and Lester...possibly the best top to bottom rotation in baseball with the addition of Lackey)

High grade defensive infield and possibly a big bat addition with Beltre at third. Nevermind if Pedroia and Youkilis hit the way they can. Then add in Scutaro, and if he has a 25 home run season as he did last season. Plus Jacoby, Cameron and JD Drew (who can be ON when he's on)

I am very, very excited.

Except for Papelbon...overpaid bum. He better get 50 plus saves for the money he asked for. >.<

[Joe]

Well as a lifelong Yankees fan, it pains me to admit this, but...

The Red Sox did an amazing job upgrading their team this offseason. Across the board it seemed like you guys got better in every respect. I wish I could say the same for the Yankees, but we certainly didn't seem into it this offseason.

But of course, it all depends on what happens in the regular season.

[RJ Stone]

I'm just surprised the Yanks didn't shell out the bread for Mauer or Bay like I thought they were going to.

I hate to admit this for the Yankees, but even with Damon and Matsui gone...let's see.

A-Rod
Cano
Cabrera
Posada
Jeter
Teixeira

And I haven't really been paying attention at their trades and such, but I feel as though they still have a deep and dangerous lineup. Not as much as before with a leadoff man who could hit 30 home runs, but many threats still exist.

And you can't argue with Sabathia, Burnett a possibly healthy Chien Mien Wang and some of the demons they have in their bullpen.

Good games to come between these two clubs and the over rated Rays.

[Joe]

The lineup we have is okay, but really when we've had to replace players, I feel we took steps down.

Matsui was replaced by Nick Johnson. Step down.
Damon was replaced by Randy Winn. Big step down

We did pick up Granderson and he's by far the best guy we got this offseason. I'm happy with him in Center, but Left is going to be iffy all year. It's not the natural spot for Gardner and Winn just plain sucks. I'd really prefer Damon out there, but Scott Boras fucked that up.

I'm also surprised we didn't go after Joe Mauer, but I'm not upset about it. Posada has a couple more years and then Cervelli is our future and I really like him.

Wang also is gone, replaced by Javier Vazquez. I've never been a fan of Javier, but Wang totally fell apart and had to be replaced.

Basically I feel we didn't make any moves to get better, while the Sox made plenty. Your rotation is going to give us nightmares.

[Josh]

Granderson is world's better defensively now than Damon. And he's a center fielder.

[RJ Stone]

Granderson, nice.

As long as Daisuke and Beckett don't break down, I can see our rotation giving plenty of teams nightmares. 

Especially with Bucholz waiting in the wings and Wakefield possibly having some stellar work out of the bullpen.

[kid gloves]

Well, another season of below par mediocrity begins for all of us devoted Reds fans.

[RJ Stone]

Well, you guys have some nasty pitching you can look forward to.

Didn't you just sign that kid who can throw like 103 mph fastballs and has like three other pitches?

Then you have Edinson Volquez and Cueto.

[The One Man Show]

Here's to a healthy season for the Mets............... wow, couldn't get that out without laughing.

And here's hoping the Mariners topple the yankees in the AL. I'm not going as far as many people picking them to win it all because they're the trendy team this season, but they were way better last year than they should have been, and they made some moves that should work well if they all stay healthy. If Junior can get past the injury bug and be productive all season, I think it would be the best story in baseball.

Might be too big of an 'if' though.

[Joe]

Seattle is my pick to win the AL West and they deserve it.

However, no way they get past my Yankees.

[RJ Stone]

Angels will win the west, they always do.

Cliff Lee and the few other additions to Seattle won't be enough to stop them. Especially if they  play like they did at the end of last season.

And don't forget the Rangers.

[Joe]

AL West should be fun this year. I'm picking Seattle, but Texas and Anaheim certainly will be in it. Actully I expect this will be the rare year where the Wild Card does NOT come from the AL East.

9 days left till Spring Training!

No football, no baseball make Joe something something.

[The One Man Show]

Go crazy?

[Joe]

Don't mind if I do!

[RJ Stone]

Give me the bat Marge....

Give me the BAT BAT BAT BAT BATBATBATBAT BAT

[ekedolphin]

Go Nats!  2010 World Series Champions, write that down, you heard it here first!

...

...

*tries very hard to keep a straight face*...

*fails*...

*starts laughing!*

Oh, well.  The Nationals, first in my heart, last in the NL East.

[Shaman]

I am a Red Sox Fan, we have a solid top three pitchers right now with Becket, Lester, and Lackey, then Dice K in the fourth spot. Now thinking on it a bit the fourth spot in the rotation is down to Wakefield and Buckholz. Both guys are a solid number 5, but i think Buckholz will hold up a bit better.

If Dice K finds the form he had when we beat Colorado for the World Series the rotation will be the best in MLB.

Our Batting order can be an awesome deal. We have speed and Quickness and also have bats. Cameron and Ortiz can be solid bats, not to mention Youkilis and Beltre. If any of these guys find their stroke and it carries for the full season Boston will be a nightmare to play. The order by far isn't weak it is just finding the right combination and stroke.

[Ollie]

Isn't Wakefield moving to the bullpen?

[RJ Stone]

Right now they don't know.

There could even be a six man rotation using both Bucholz and Wakefield if he seems healthy enough come the regular season.

Gawd damn our infield is scary now with Beltre, Scutaro, Pedroia, Martinez and Youk.

And all of those guys can hit about .300.

Nevermind Victor Martinez at catcher. Boohoo, we lost Bay....but now we have this beast for a full season, and he can catch the knuckleball so we don't have to take him out if Wake is indeed a starter. Add in that Scutaro is a shortstop who can hit almost 20 home runs, Beltre may come back to form and be hitting about 30 HR's and Youk and Pedoria will be as productive as always, with Ellsbury, Drew and Cameron hitting the way they usually do. AJ Burnett better be hoping that all this work he's doing on his changeup pays off, or the Yankees are going to have nightmares about playing the Sox.

To say I'm excited for this season is an understatement.

[Josh]

Not to shit on your parade, but Martinez isn't a good catcher. He's a good hitter, but he has one of the worst arms I've ever seen (I'm originally from Cleveland area).

As for Scutaro, he was a career backup until last year. I don't think he's the answer. Beltre isn't great offensively.

I think the R.Sox are a lot better defensively, but still behind the Yankees. What they should do is swing a trade for Carl Crawford when the Rays trade him this season. Move Ellsbury to DH (Papi is finished) and let the speed run wild.

[Joe]

Crawford is ours. Get your dirty Red Sox hands off him. 

I think my Yankees have a better lineup, but Boston has a better defense and better pitching. Should be a fun season.

[Ollie]

I just hope the Twins do something.

Anything.

[Josh]

Twins are going to be real good. Target Field looks amazing, too.

[Ollie]

Twins are going to be real good.

Joe Nathan.