SI Preview Issue
by Roger Dorn on Mar 22, 2007 7:32 PM EDT
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PrintSI has the Tribe as the seventh best team in baseball and the favorite to win the AL Central. While I normally don't put a lot into preseason rankings (see last season), I just wanted to note for everyone the SI top 5. 1. NY Yankees 2. LA Angels 3. Boston Red Sox 4. LA Dodgers 5. NY Mets. I know the media loves the big markets, but this to me seems a little ridiculous.
The Tribe feature spoke mainly about Peralta's eye condition. They also have a sidebar which asks fans to vote on their favorite Indians blog with LGT being one of the selections. Overall, it appears the Tribe will go into another season with big expectations from most media sources even after disappointing last year.
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Re: SI Preview Issue
This team didn't have enough pitching last year and they let Jaret Wright, Shawn Chacon, and Randy Johnson go, in favor of Kei Igawa, a supposedly healthy Carl Pavano, and an old Andy Petite who's been in the NL.
They didn't really do much to help out a bullpen filled with pitchers that are either lousy or old and overworked.
I mean, really? I'm supposed to think this team is the best in baseball and, according to most conventional media outlets, there doesn't appear to be much debate?
Re: SI Preview Issue
With all the injuries this team suffered offensively, and the fact that all but, two(Cano, Posada) are close to HOF quality players, they should be able to mash their way through things.
Also, Chacon for Pavano? I'll take that. Wright for Igawa? Who knows. RJ for Pettitte? Probably a wash. Then they have Hughes on the brink. The starters won't be great, but for this team. They don't need to be.
As for the pen, they didn't really have to do much in my opinion. This isn't a great bunch, but it is okay. And thats all they really have to be, as there shouldnt be that many close games in NY.
by Brandini on Mar 22, 2007 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Re: SI Preview Issue
As for the trading of pitchers stuff, I think we're kidding ourselves if we think Pavano is going to stay health, Igawa who knows, and I don't exactly love Petite with the league/park switch.
If Clemens signs, then things change, obviously.
Re: SI Preview Issue
Maybe I missed the memo, but Bernie is gone and so is Sheff. Matsui's injury last season had probably as little to do with "age" as an injury could.
While the team is not filled with spring chickens, they are also not AARP. The average age of the hitters is 33. Again, not spring chickens, but also not over the hill veterans - especially at their skill level.
by Brandini on Mar 23, 2007 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Re: SI Preview Issue
You have to anticipate decreased production and/or injuries out of these guys.
Even if they do all produce just like last year, so what? They weren't good enough then.
I think the Yankees are a good team. One of the very best teams in the league. But this business of them being a "galaxy of stars" that's the number 1 team in baseball seems vastly overstated, just as it has been for the last 5 years.
Re: SI Preview Issue
By "good enough then" are you referring to winning the world series? I think ranking them #1 has a LARGE part to do with SI assuming ARod will not go 1 for 11 in a DS EVER again!
now has an injury history.
So breaking your wrist once = "injury history"? Again, a bulging disc like Giambi, okay. But breaking your wrist on what could be argued was a freak incident. If this was an anual injury, thats history. But from what I can see, this is the first time Matsui has missed any time of significance in his 13 year professional career. If you consider that an "injury history", then what do you label CC and Pronk as?
But this business of them being a "galaxy of stars" that's the number 1 team in baseball seems vastly overstated, just as it has been for the last 5 years.
So what you are saying here, is the BEST team in baseball always wins the WS? That is why a team just above .500 won it last season, right?
The fact is, this is an excellent team, and a team that no one in the majors would want to face in a playoff series. Do they have their flaws? Sure, but is there a team in the majors that does not have a flaw? And if the age of perennial HOFers is their biggest issue, well they are sitting pretty.
by Brandini on Mar 23, 2007 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Re: SI Preview Issue
I think the team ranked #1 in some preview, or every preview as it seems to be, should be the team most likely to win the world series.
I don't really care about this. And I'm tired of talking about it.
Re: SI Preview Issue
Of course Sabathia and Hafner have more significant injury histories than Matsui, but Matsui is entering the age when each year there is a solid chance he starts to fall off a cliff, and injuries are part of that and exacerbate it. Significant past injury is a significant injury risk factor in and of itself, just ask Will Carroll. The cliff scenario could be this year, could be in five years, but the point is the difference between 29 and 33, which is significant.
I think Matsui is not even among the top five injury risks on that roster -- even ignoring Pavano, which I do -- so arguing this minor point doesn't really get you very far in the larger discussion.
In sum: This Yankees team isn't one iota better than the 2000 Indians.
Re: SI Preview Issue
But notice I did not say, "100% absolutely no doubt a lock", and instead used "perrenial"...Or, potential.
by Brandini on Mar 24, 2007 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
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Re: SI Preview Issue
Damon - no way - he's going to be compared with Griffey and Edmonds
Jeter - yes
Giambi - no (compare he and Thome, not to mention the steroid issue)
Rodriguez - yes
Matsui - heck no (first year in MLB was at age 29)
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ALl of these are big ifs. If they do not happen, and they get an injury ot two, they are Vlad and no one else. This is really a feast or famine team.
Re: SI Preview Issue
Anybody wanna help refine some picks?
AL
East - NYY, BOS (wc)
Central - CLE/DET (toss up)
West - ANA
NL
East - NYM, PHL (wc)
Central - CHC?
West - ARZ?
The two best teams are NYY, BOS.
Next tier is CLE/DET/NYM/PHL
Then ANA/CHC/ARZ
Feel free to contribute or tell me I'm crazy. I'd rather think about it this way then 1-30.
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