Lillian Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) One of the reasons that the Sox were able to go on this streak, while playing National League teams on the road, is that there was no DH. Normally, not being able to use its DH places an American League team at a slight disadvantage. However, that's not the case with the Sox, for one good reason; They don't have one!!!! It's not like they had to sit anyone whom they'd miss. They better get a legitimate DH quick, because they're almost finished with inter league play, and they'll be home anyway, so they'll be using a DH the rest of the way. If they're going to add someone, it better be a middle of the order left handed hitter. That's the only piece missing, providing of course that everyone plays close to their potential. Not like the major under achieving effort we painfully watched for the first two months of the season. Edited June 21, 2010 by Lillian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 09:07 PM) Yeah, and do you remember Michael Jordan's game against Boston in the playoffs at the beginning of his career, when he put up 63 and we still lost? You've got to have players around you in basketball and football...but in baseball, as in hockey, if you've got a stud arm or a stud goalie, you can win games you've got no business winning... Very true. LeBron did have his game vs. Detroit where he was the only one to score in the 4th and they won, but I see exactly what you mean. Strasburg would easily win double digits in Pittsburgh right now and Halak took Montreal to the conf. finals this year. It's amazing how much better a team can look when their starting pitchers pitch so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 09:07 PM) Yeah, and do you remember Michael Jordan's game against Boston in the playoffs at the beginning of his career, when he put up 63 and we still lost? You've got to have players around you in basketball and football...but in baseball, as in hockey, if you've got a stud arm or a stud goalie, you can win games you've got no business winning... You cite a single game to support your theory? Come on, basketball is easily the most obvious sport where a single great player can make a nobody team into a contender. In baseball, a player can carry a team for a stretch, but they cannot single-handedly make a team a contender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 10:51 PM) You cite a single game to support your theory? Come on, basketball is easily the most obvious sport where a single great player can make a nobody team into a contender. In baseball, a player can carry a team for a stretch, but they cannot single-handedly make a team a contender. Eh, that's both true and false. Before they were given Pau Gasol for a used tampon (lol J4L) the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers were barely a playoff team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 One of the reasons that the Sox were able to go on this streak, while playing National League teams on the road, is that there was no DH. Normally, not being able to use its DH places an American League team at a slight disadvantage. However, that's not the case with the Sox, for one good reason; They don't have one!!!! I think this is an excellent point. Would they really trade Dunn? If so, why would they? I'd love to have him, even tho it's another hitter that faces the dreaded shift when he bats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 08:51 PM) You cite a single game to support your theory? Come on, basketball is easily the most obvious sport where a single great player can make a nobody team into a contender. In baseball, a player can carry a team for a stretch, but they cannot single-handedly make a team a contender. I'm not writing a term paper, Milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 21, 2010 -> 12:30 AM) I'm not writing a term paper, Milk. Also, I see no bibliography. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (lostfan @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 10:20 PM) Eh, that's both true and false. Before they were given Pau Gasol for a used tampon (lol J4L) the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers were barely a playoff team. But they were a playoff team, which makes them a contender. I honestly don't think you can say that about baseball. Albert Pujols is likely the best player in baseball, but I still don't think he'd make the Pirates contenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 20, 2010 -> 09:07 PM) Yeah, and do you remember Michael Jordan's game against Boston in the playoffs at the beginning of his career, when he put up 63 and we still lost? You've got to have players around you in basketball and football...but in baseball, as in hockey, if you've got a stud arm or a stud goalie, you can win games you've got no business winning... Do you remember Gavin Floyd carrying a no-hitter into the 7th and losing? And Garcia did it several years ago against Santana and lost 0-1 as well. The best pitcher in the world cannot single-handedly win the game, at least in the AL. And the best position player isn't going to make up for a gas can on the mound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jun 22, 2010 -> 07:53 AM) The best pitcher in the world cannot single-handedly win the game, at least in the AL. Gavin tried hard last Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamshack Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 The point is that 1 player in baseball or hockey can dramatically render an overall talent disparity irrelevant. Additionally, lesser quality baseball teams beat higher quality ones all the time. It's a game where the most talented team does not always win, but rather, one where the team that is playing better at the time often does. Additionally, the team with the better SP often wins. In fact, the team with the better pitcher wins 59 % of the time, according to Bill James. In 2009, the Seattle Mariners were 24-9 in Felix Hernandez's starts. In games he did not start, they were 61-68. You explain that disparity, Milk. In 2008, the Blue Jays were 21-13 in Roy Halladay's starts, and 65-63 when he did not start. In 2008, the Giants were 22-12 when Tim Lincecum started, and 50-78 when he did not start. During the last three seasons, the Giants have won 64.7 percent of the time with Lincecum on the mound. The Blue Jays/Phillies have won 60.3 percent of the time with Halladay. And the Mariners have won 61.4 percent of the time when Hernandez starts. Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 With regards to the thread title....LMAO He didn't get it in 2005 when we won 99 games but you think he deserves it now? BWAHAHA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jun 22, 2010 -> 10:45 AM) With regards to the thread title....LMAO He didn't get it in 2005 when we won 99 games but you think he deserves it now? BWAHAHA! Well, first of all, there is no GM of the year award. It's the Sporting News executive of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 22, 2010 -> 09:52 AM) Well, first of all, there is no GM of the year award. It's the Sporting News executive of the year. Well yeah but I got the gist of his insinuation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 22, 2010 -> 08:29 AM) Gavin tried hard last Friday. Has a pitcher ever gotten a solo HR or even the RBI in a 1-0 game? It has to have happened before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milkman delivers Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 22, 2010 -> 09:42 AM) The point is that 1 player in baseball or hockey can dramatically render an overall talent disparity irrelevant. Additionally, lesser quality baseball teams beat higher quality ones all the time. It's a game where the most talented team does not always win, but rather, one where the team that is playing better at the time often does. Additionally, the team with the better SP often wins. In fact, the team with the better pitcher wins 59 % of the time, according to Bill James. In 2009, the Seattle Mariners were 24-9 in Felix Hernandez's starts. In games he did not start, they were 61-68. You explain that disparity, Milk. In 2008, the Blue Jays were 21-13 in Roy Halladay's starts, and 65-63 when he did not start. In 2008, the Giants were 22-12 when Tim Lincecum started, and 50-78 when he did not start. During the last three seasons, the Giants have won 64.7 percent of the time with Lincecum on the mound. The Blue Jays/Phillies have won 60.3 percent of the time with Halladay. And the Mariners have won 61.4 percent of the time when Hernandez starts. Link And if any of those three pitchers could start every game, then a single player would be able to make a team a contender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Amazing quarterbacks can carry a team (league average) much further than any other position in sports. The same goes for terrible quarterbacks making their team (league average) horrendous. The ball is in his hands at some point every single play of the game, for the good, or the bad. That is just about as direct as it gets. Aberrations aside of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.