I love it....

[Heads22]

The season begins tomorrow with Red Sox - Yankees, and even though I don't care one bit about that game, we start on Monday.

 

Despite all the stuff we can argue about with the lineup and some uncertainty heading into the year, I really think this year has a chance to be as fun as 2005 and 2008. We tend to focus on what can go wrong at times. Imagine what it could be like if Pierre, Beckham and Quentin can all play like they are capable of at the top of the lineup. Think about Alexei as our 9 hitter. Think about Jake Peavy as our number two. For all that a lot of you hated about Vazquez, you should be in love with Jake.

 

Don't know how this season will end. But I do know that it's starting off soon with the possibility of being quite a bit of fun to watch. Let's just win, dammit.

[The Ginger Kid]

[Jordan4life_2007]

The season begins tomorrow with Red Sox - Yankees, and even though I don't care one bit about that game, we start on Monday.

 

Despite all the stuff we can argue about with the lineup and some uncertainty heading into the year, I really think this year has a chance to be as fun as 2005 and 2008. We tend to focus on what can go wrong at times. Imagine what it could be like if Pierre, Beckham and Quentin can all play like they are capable of at the top of the lineup. Think about Alexei as our 9 hitter. Think about Jake Peavy as our number two. For all that a lot of you hated about Vazquez, you should be in love with Jake.

 

Don't know how this season will end. But I do know that it's starting off soon with the possibility of being quite a bit of fun to watch. Let's just win, dammit.

 

Other than Pierre playing like he's capable (not sure what that even is), I'm 100% with ya. Baseball is like therapy for me. I really need it right now. I'm going to try and enjoy this season (first of the new decade) as much as possible. I'm going to try not to spaz when we inevitably lose 7 of 10. I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy each game, each day (another wonderful thing about this amazing sport that is baseball. They play everyday!).

[shipps]

I love it too heads...

 

 

But this thread just doesnt have the same excitement and enthusiasm as a count down to 1000 post thread. What a failure you are......like the guy at the games that yells out the LETS GO WHITESOX LETS GO CLAP CLAP over and over and no one follows...

[SoxFan562004]

if the pitching stays healthy this team is going to be very tough. I am so ready to roll, since other than about 24 and 25 the roster was set by January this has been a long spring... really looking forward to this year and I know Trader Kenny will be active if he feels the O is lacking.

[mreye]

I've had a hella crappy winter. I am sooooo looking forward to Monday afternoon.

[southsider2k5]

Opening Day represents all that is good with the world.

 

[Harry Chappas]

Opening Day represents all that is good with the world

 

 

Yep

[SockMe]

While I was watching the Red Sox-Yankees game it made me even more excited for tomorrow!

 

GO SOX!

[Dizzy Sox]

It is going to be a great year. Let's go Sox!!

[greg775]

Opening Day represents all that is good with the world.

 

Every teacher in chicagoland should make the detention kids write that on the blackboard 1000 times.

It is true.

[caulfield12]

Quite a few people predicting the White Sox to win the division...despite the superstar "co-presence/s" of Mauer and Morneau.

 

At ESPN, it was actually 16 votes for the Twins for first place, 13 for the White Sox and a measly 5 for the the Tigers. None for the Indians and Royals.

 

Here in China, the opening game will start at 3 am Tuesday morning, but I'll still be listening on GameDay Audio.

 

 

[hogan873]

In Pennsylvania, the Monday after Thanksgiving is a "holiday" because of the first day of deer season. I think we should have the first day of Sox baseball off to go to the game or just sit on our duffs in front of our TVs with an ice cold beer in hand.

[G&T]

Quite a few people predicting the White Sox to win the division...despite the superstar "co-presence/s" of Mauer and Morneau.

 

At ESPN, it was actually 16 votes for the Twins for first place, 13 for the White Sox and a measly 5 for the the Tigers. None for the Indians and Royals.

 

Here in China, the opening game will start at 3 am Tuesday morning, but I'll still be listening on GameDay Audio.

 

I'm gonna say it: the Sox are going to win this division walking away. I think there are people who had a pre-conceived notion that the Twins were going to win without looking at that pitching staff. Sorry, but that staff is "meh" to garbage.

[Y2HH]

I'm also not sold on the Twins...new stadium, no longer going to have all the free wins that came along with their crap dome...and I don't care if they retooled for the new stadium, they still won't be getting the crapload of free wins that came for them at the dome.

[southsider2k5]

Quite a few people predicting the White Sox to win the division...despite the superstar "co-presence/s" of Mauer and Morneau.

 

At ESPN, it was actually 16 votes for the Twins for first place, 13 for the White Sox and a measly 5 for the the Tigers. None for the Indians and Royals.

 

Here in China, the opening game will start at 3 am Tuesday morning, but I'll still be listening on GameDay Audio.

 

I really can't believe people are picking Detroit.

[dmbjeff]

I'm gonna say it: the Sox are going to win this division walking away. I think there are people who had a pre-conceived notion that the Twins were going to win without looking at that pitching staff. Sorry, but that staff is "meh" to garbage.

 

I thought their pitching was "meh" the past 2 seasons and have made it to game 163 in consecutive seasons. I agree that their pitching isn't that great but I put nothing past that team.

[caulfield12]

If not for Jim Thome and Ken Griffey, Jr., they might realistically be looking at seven division titles out of nine...pretty amazing, when you think about it.

 

So no, you can't ever underestimate that organization, even when GM Smith makes bone-headed moves like Bartlett/Garza for Young or signing Lamb or Livan Hernandez (then keeping them around past their expiration dates).

Edited April 5, 2010 by caulfield12

[Steve9347]

Nice post, Alex.

[dmbjeff]

If not for Jim Thome and Ken Griffey, Jr., they might realistically be looking at seven division titles out of nine...pretty amazing, when you think about it.

 

So no, you can't ever underestimate that organization, even when GM Smith makes bone-headed moves like Bartlett/Garza for Young or signing Lamb or Livan Hernandez (then keeping them around past their expiration dates).

 

What is amazing is the type of talent, or lack there of, that they use and continue to win with. Nick Punto comes to mind. He is a bad baseball player, but on the Twins, serves a purpose and can still win with him. Casilla is another one.

 

The main thing they have done the past 10 years is to continue to develop good franchise players. It was Hunter and Santana in the early part of the decade but once they left, Mauer and Morneau took over. That is very impressive for a low to mid market team.

 

That new stadium should help them revenue wise for the next few years as well, that stadium looks awesome. It will certainly help them in free agency heading into the future and keeping guys like Mauer long term.

 

[G&T]

I thought their pitching was "meh" the past 2 seasons and have made it to game 163 in consecutive seasons. I agree that their pitching isn't that great but I put nothing past that team.

 

But their pen has always been better than this.

[dmbjeff]

But their pen has always been better than this.

 

Well their closer, yes, but the bullpen outside of Nathan is about the same as it typically is for them. I am not a huge believer that a great bullpen makes a team great. You need good SP first for your bullpen to be worth a damn. If you took the best bullpen and put them with the Pirates lets say, it wouldn't make them all that much better.

[ThunderBolt]

The Twins are the best team in the division, right now. That might change, our superior pitching might come into play, but they've got a much better offense then we do. I'm not going to write them off, becasue they lost a closer and they don't have any marquee pitchers.

[G&T]

Well their closer, yes, but the bullpen outside of Nathan is about the same as it typically is for them. I am not a huge believer that a great bullpen makes a team great. You need good SP first for your bullpen to be worth a damn. If you took the best bullpen and put them with the Pirates lets say, it wouldn't make them all that much better.

 

The injury to Nathan is sort of a huge deal, and I don't think that rotation is particularly good. I'm predicting that the rotation isn't good enough to go deep throughout the year which exposes that pen.

 

Frankly, it's opening day. I never make prediction about seasons, and certainly not this bold. But I'm putting the balls out there on this one, and I think I'm right.

[dmbjeff]

The injury to Nathan is sort of a huge deal, and I don't think that rotation is particularly good. I'm predicting that the rotation isn't good enough to go deep throughout the year which exposes that pen.

 

Frankly, it's opening day. I never make prediction about seasons, and certainly not this bold. But I'm putting the balls out there on this one, and I think I'm right.

 

Well the Nathan injury is huge, no doubt, having a proven 9th inning guy makes a team much better, but the rest of the pen, the 6th,7th,8th inning, LOOGY guys are all the same, minus Rauch who is now the closer. I am just saying the bullpen is still solid and Rauch could put up 40 saves and not miss a beat. Closers are so volitile, I mean look at Aardsma, who would have thought he had it in him to close at the level he did last year. Rauch could do it too. I think their bullpen is fine.