Willie Harris

[Texsox]

Even with these moves, they are still one of the favorites to win their division.

[Pants Rowland]

Even with these moves, they are still one of the favorites to win their division.

 

This just amazes me. How can anyone look at the Red Sox and make them the favorite? They have two majorly potent bats, but a very suspect pitching staff. They are a resilient team but their level of talent is on a steep decline.

[Chisoxfn]

This just amazes me. How can anyone look at the Red Sox and make them the favorite? They have two majorly potent bats, but a very suspect pitching staff. They are a resilient team but their level of talent is on a steep decline.

Yanks have to be favorites.

[Pants Rowland]

Yanks have to be favorites.

 

Even they have suspect pitching. Their offense/defense is over the top and should lead them to the playoffs, but I question the depth of their staff and bullpen. Toronto needs to jell as a team before anyone is going to jump on that wagon, but you have to think they will give that division some fits.

[redandwhite]

QUOTE(Beltin'Bill @ Jan 24, 2006 -> 02:47 PM)

Even they have suspect pitching. Their offense/defense is over the top and should lead them to the playoffs, but I question the depth of their staff and bullpen. Toronto needs to jell as a team before anyone is going to jump on that wagon, but you have to think they will give that division some fits.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect. usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it. curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

[Balta1701]

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect.  usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it.  curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

Wells also doesn't want to be there.

 

Schilling and Beckett are far from mediocre when healthy. I see no reason right now to believe that they will be more healthy than Mark Prior and Kerry wood next year. Both have significant and recent histories with injuries that just won't go away.

 

Clement has been inconsistent at best. They need a lot more from him before they can count on him at crunch time, which is why they took the chance on Beckett.

 

That rotation is suspect. So is the Yankees. One of them is probably going to get lucky and have it perform and have enough people stay healthy. I don't know wh ich one it will be.

[Milkman delivers]

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect.  usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it.  curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

 

This is the second time I've seen you use the term "above average" while referring to David Wells. What, exactly, is above average? A mid-4's ERA? Wells' ERA was 4.45 last year. That is average, at best.

[SSH2005]

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect.  usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it.  curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many injury-prone starters do the Red Sox have? Let's see... Beckett, Schilling, and sometimes even Wells. And one of Boston's other starters is well-known for his proclivity to tanking in the second half (Clement). It's a good rotation on paper but so is Zambrano, Prior, Wood, Maddux, and Miller. If they don't actually pitch, it isn't a solid rotation. This is how I see the A.L. East right now...

 

1.) Yankees

2.) Blue Jays

3.) Red Sox

4.) Orioles

5.) Devil Rays

Edited January 24, 2006 by SSH2005

[Chisoxfn]

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect.  usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it.  curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

Until either of them can prove me they are healthy, I have my doubts on those two. I like Beckett's chances more than Curt's. I'm leaning toward Curt's career being done at least from what I saw of him last year.

[Rowand44]

Until either of them can prove me they are healthy, I have my doubts on those two.  I like Beckett's chances more than Curt's.  I'm leaning toward Curt's career being done at least from what I saw of him last year.

Curt is done imo. Josh obviously needs to stay healthy and to be honest I don't think he's going to be very dominant healthy or not in that park with that team but we'll see obviously. That rotation is suspect at best, they'll compete for the al east but they are not series contenders imo.

[Dick Allen]

This is the second time I've seen you use the term "above average" while referring to David Wells.  What, exactly, is above average?  A mid-4's ERA?  Wells' ERA was 4.45 last year.  That is average, at best.

Wells is a big fat slob, who is a bit of an asshole, but the guy wins games, and has for awhile except for 2001. I don't think saying he is above average is stretching the truth at all.

[Chisoxfn]

Curt is done imo.  Josh obviously needs to stay healthy and to be honest I don't think he's going to be very dominant healthy or not in that park with that team but we'll see obviously.  That rotation is suspect at best, they'll compete for the al east but they are not series contenders imo.

I agree with you. Now if Beckett and Schilling both are healthy and pitch like they can and have, than they are, but I don't expect that to happen. I would say the same for the Cubs. If they had Prior/Zambrono and Wood healthy all season they would be damn scary in the playoffs (if they got in).

[SSH2005]

Wells is a big fat slob, who is a bit of an asshole

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[YASNY]

I agree with the majority that Red Sox pitching staff is very suspect at this point in time. I'll also go along with SSH2005's AL East prediction. That sounds about right as things stand now.

[witesoxfan]

so if not the red sox, yankees or jays who wins the al east?

 

i also love how the red sox rotation is suspect.  usually you say that when five mediocre players are apart of it.  curt schilling and josh beckett are far from mediocre, wells and wake were both above average last year, and clement, arroyo, papelbon are more options.

 

again though, answer my original question.

 

Wells ERA+ of 99 indicates he was slightly below average...albeit very small. That clearly points out to me that he was not above average.

 

Wakefield was above average, with an ERA+ of 106.

 

I would agree with you on Schilling that he is far from mediocre, as I see his starting pitching days over, thus making him a very bad starting pitcher. I love Beckett, and if he can control his blister issues, he is a bonafide ace. We'll have to see about that.

 

I've always disliked Clement as a pitcher, as he is just incredibly inconsistent and has virtually no control whatsoever. Over the past couple years he has also become a 1 half pitcher, having posted a 5.09 ERA, 1.46 WHIP in the second half of 2004, and a 5.72 ERA, 1.51 WHIP in the second half of '05. It's also pretty apparent that Bronson Arroyo is about as average a pitcher as there gets, posting a 4.51 ERA last year with a WHIP of 1.30. He also didn't do the Red Sox much help in the second half, posting a 5.08 ERA.

 

I like Papelbon, but he's as unproven as so many prospects before him and after him will be.

 

For anyone to suggest that the Red Sox have a strength in their SP are lying, unless they are talking about pure depth...which is the case. They should be able to keep enough starters around this year to have a full rotation throughout the year. However, as far as actual production is concerned, I'll take many teams over the Red Sox.

[samclemens]

another poor move by boston.

 

i feel confidant that the bluejays are going to end up in 2nd place in the al east, not boston

[redandwhite]

wite, i respect your opinion, i just dont happen to agree with it. excellent post though, especially considering how used i am to people like ssh who can't form a sentence.

[SSH2005]

wite, i respect your opinion, i just dont happen to agree with it.  excellent post though, especially considering how used i am to people like ssh who can't form a sentence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do know that sentences begin with capital letters.

[qwerty]

I do know that sentences begin with capital letters. 

 

Just stop it.

[redandwhite]

QUOTE(q\/\/3r+y @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 04:17 PM)

Just stop it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

unless im writing a school paper, i rarely, if ever, use capital letters. its just what i do. again though, theres no need to explain myself, ssh has truely shown his true colors this afternoon.

[GoodAsGould]

unless im writing a school paper, i rarely, if ever, use capital letters.  its just what i do.  again though, theres no need to explain myself, ssh has truely shown his true colors this afternoon.

 

His true colors?....R&W.... Let me just say you and WSJ are my favorite posters.

[SSH2005]

His true colors?....R&W.... Let me just say you and WSJ are my favorite posters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My true colors are black and silver... not red and blue.

[redandwhite]

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 09:22 PM)

His true colors?....R&W.... Let me just say you and WSJ are my favorite posters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

your opinion means nothing to me.

Edited January 26, 2006 by redandwhite