Posts Tagged ‘Marlins’
 |
When Bad Things Happen To Good PeopleJuly 31st, 2008
|
Pudge in pinstripes? That doesn’t just look wrong. That looks “Ramon Vazquez moustache” wrong. That looks “Solid Gold Brett Favre Commemorative Retirement Coin” wrong. That looks “Rosanne-Barr-in-a-thong” wrong.
Like Julio Franco, Pudge is one of our guys, even if the Hall of Fame plaque has a Tigers or a Marlins cap on the man. He grew up here, he was our hero, and he was a main cog on the best teams the Rangers ever trotted out there. For a little while, we were all sure that he was going to stay with Texas, finding a way to finish his career here, ending up with what the purists call a “clean” baseball card, only one team listed on the back.
 |
Aces LowMay 30th, 2008
|
As we leave the unofficial beginning of summer in our temporal rearview mirror and welcome the onset of June, it’s time to rethink what may be a slow start is really the beginnings of an off year. While this phenomenon affects every Major League roster, the Phillies preeminent offender is a keystone in a tenuous starting rotation. Brett Myers’ struggles on the mound this year have raised serious alarms in the one area the Phillies can hardly weather imbalance.
Back in March as the Phillies headed north to begin their 2008 season, Brett Myers was named their ace, their anchor in a rotation that contained at least three serious question marks. While some might argue that Cole Hamels is the obvious ace of the staff –and rightfully so- Myers was awarded the Opening Day start because he has been the best Phillies pitcher since 2003, handled a Smotlzian conversion into the team’s closer last year, and has always demonstrated a tenacity on the mound that few hurlers possess. 2008 has produced a different Brett Myers. Read more
|
Happy May Day!May 2nd, 2008
|
Happy May Day! In all honesty, I have no idea what May Day is really about. It has something to do with a pole, maybe? Regardless, I am celebrating all the same. You see, there’s something happening in Philadelphia today that baseball fans haven’t seen in quite some time. The Philies –wait for it- have actually managed to finish an April with a wining record. In the immortal words of Dizzy Dean, “Who’d have thunk it?”
You might ask why I’m excited over a team posting a 16-13 record in one month of a marathon season. I’ll give you that, on paper, 16-13 is not the most impressive baseball a team can play. However, in light of seasons past and a plethora of injuries, question marks, and slow starts, the Phillies have accomplished something here, if only psychologically, that could reverberate through the entire season.
As it stands of this writing, the Phillies are a half-game ahead of the second place Florida Marlins. Considering the Marlins are in fact the Marlins and will certainly fall off the pace at some point, lets celebrate the Philies sole possession of first-place in the NL East. They are a full game up on the Mets and three ahead of Atlanta. While both teams still pose serious threats, a lead is a lead is a lead. Perhaps most impressive of all though, the Phillies have managed all this despite both predictive and situational odds.
 |
NL PredictionsApril 7th, 2008
|
Without further ado, here are my NL predictions:
Arizona Diamondbacks: They have a solid rotation, solid bullpen, and solid core of young stars in their lineup. In a word, they are: solid. Unfortunately, solid won’t win them the division in the really-good West, and they’ll end up in second place. Fortunately, they’ll grab the Wild Card.
Atlanta Braves: The Braves are a trendy pick to win the East, but I don’t buy it. They have a good lineup, but their pitching staff is old and their bullpen is iffy. If the old guys in their staff can hold up (they can’t) for a good season, they could win the division like all the pundits think. Of course, they won’t, because the Mets will be too good. Prediction: second in the East.
Chicago Cubs: Here’s the thing: it’s been 100 years since they won the World Series, and lots of people are picking them to win it this year. But here’s the problem: it’s been one-hundred years. Maybe you see a pattern developing or something? We have a pretty big sample size by now (like the entire history of baseball). I say: they’re overrated and finish second in the Central, missing the Wild Card by two games.