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[jman2050]

Well this is what I meant when everyone jumped me on the Lowell thing. Out of the 3 major players in the AL East coming from the previous season us and the Rays don't really need to get much better in terms of huge signings. All of these players are risks but if they can stay healthy they can really contribute in several ways. Of course this coming season isn't the previous and there could always be drastic dropoffs from key players.

Another thing people forget is for some reason Buchholz hasn't been dealt or anything. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets another shot at the big league club as he has now had the time to develop his pitches.

The thing I'm getting at is that there is reason to believe that this year's team won't actually be as good as last year's team even with essentially the same roster. Obviously it may or may not be true but sitting down doing nothing and waiting for your prospects to succeed is a tenuous affair, as the Yankees (and hell, let's go one farther, the 2006 Red Sox) demonstrated quite succinctly. Especially when your biggest rival has done everything in its power to substantially improve their team by addressing glaring weaknesses.

For the record, the Rays won't be as good as they were last year, at least not in 2009.

 

[Y2Kev]

Kawakami deal is done, pending physical. No word on how much money yet though. Rumor is that its 3/21.

totally better than smoltz

 

[Y2Kev]

rays definitely had a lot of overperformers based on projections in 08, so it could be a year of regression or the players really could have improved

 

[captmcblack]

Longoria will improve.
Upton will improve.
Iwamura will likely stay the same.
Pena will stay the same or regress.
Carl Crawford will stay the same or regress.
Navarro will regress.
Burrell will stay the same or regress.
Bartlett will stay the same or regress.
Floyd is done.

Shields will regress.
Kazmir will improve.
Jackson will improve.
Price is ungodly.
Garza will regress.
LOL SONNANSTINE.

Rays will still be very, very good.

 

[Sanjuro]

rays definitely had a lot of overperformers based on projections in 08, so it could be a year of regression or the players really could have improved

I still think the Rays will be a competitive team and still a contender for the playoffs. If their pitching staff stays healthy that is, a full A-game season of Kazmir would be great for them.

 

[clemenx]

I'm curious captmcblack, why would Shields and Garza regress? and more importantly why the LOL on Sonnanstine? He was actually very good.
And for the record, Jackson is the only one who really sucked on that rotation and they robbed the Tigers trading him for Matt Joyce.

I feel the people are undervaluing the Rays. Yes, they overperformed a bit but they were by no means a fluke.

 

[jman2050]

Longoria will improve.
Upton will improve.
Iwamura will likely stay the same.
Pena will stay the same or regress.
Carl Crawford will stay the same or regress.
Navarro will regress.
Burrell will stay the same or regress.
Bartlett will stay the same or regress.
Floyd is done.

Shields will regress.
Kazmir will improve.
Jackson will improve.
Price is ungodly.
Garza will regress.
LOL SONNANSTINE.

Rays will still be very, very good.

I think Garza and Navarro stay the same, otherwise that sounds about right. Certainly capable of 90 wins still, but still not as good as last year.

 

[Joe]

let's see if they can get another year of 5 starters with 150+ ip. if not, they'll finish in 3rd.

 

[firex]

how old is Carl Crawford? I actually really wanted the Reds to go after him if possible, but I'm pretty sure he's under a relatively big contract already.

 

[Core407]

David O'Brien says, "Deal is done, pending physical." Kenshin Kawakami is an Atlanta Brave. Says Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown, the contract is a three-year deal.

Woo, 1 pitcher down, 1 more to go. Here's hoping Kawakami won't be a bust.

 

[R_GILL]

Longoria will improve.
Upton will improve.
Iwamura will likely stay the same.
Pena will stay the same or regress.
Carl Crawford will stay the same or regress.
Navarro will regress.
Burrell will stay the same or regress.
Bartlett will stay the same or regress.
Floyd is done.

Shields will regress.
Kazmir will improve.
Jackson will improve.
Price is ungodly.
Garza will regress.
LOL SONNANSTINE.

Rays will still be very, very good.

Crawford was awful last year. He will probably improve back to his career averages at least if not back to his 06/07 averages.

Upton also had some shoulder injury last year and didn't play well till the playoffs. If he is back to his 07 production then that is a pretty big upgrade.

 

[Windu]

from mlb trade rumors:

Fresh off closing the deal on Kenshin Kawakami, it seems as though the Atlanta Braves are the latest front runners in the Derek Lowe sweepstakes. Citing a source, Rosenthal says the Braves are "all over" Lowe. As for the team that was perhaps overtaken in this case, Rosenthal writes, "Mets officials seemed pessimistic."

Any pending offer from Atlanta is not likely to include a fourth year, according to Rosenthal. However, an offer for three years in the $40-42MM range with a club or vesting option is "one possibility."

 

[Ninja Scooter]

3 years $42 million? For Derek Lowe? When i die i want to be reincarnated as a pitcher.

 

[Y2Kev]

frank wren lol

 

[eznark]

I don't know how I missed it (50 hours of class this week was a fucking bitch) but what the fuck are the Royals doing?

What was the rational behind Bloomquist?!?

 

[Link]

from mlb trade rumors:

Fresh off closing the deal on Kenshin Kawakami, it seems as though the Atlanta Braves are the latest front runners in the Derek Lowe sweepstakes. Citing a source, Rosenthal says the Braves are "all over" Lowe. As for the team that was perhaps overtaken in this case, Rosenthal writes, "Mets officials seemed pessimistic."

Any pending offer from Atlanta is not likely to include a fourth year, according to Rosenthal. However, an offer for three years in the $40-42MM range with a club or vesting option is "one possibility."

Wow, word of a late-entry offer from another team for a Scott Boras client? I'm shocked!

 

[rc213]

BOO! Saito signed with Bawston.

 

[pizzaguysrevenge]

BOO! Saito signed with Bawston.

How many players have the Dodgers lost this offseason? :lol

 

[rc213]

How many players have the Dodgers lost this offseason? :lol

Not enough, Andud Jones and Pierre are still in L.A.

 

[CygnusXS]

So is my avatar working then?

 

[firex]

every single piece of homework I had with my japanese 101 class last semester was about some dude named Takeshi or some chick named Mary. when they ask me to write sentences in japanese 102 I'm going to have to figure out how to write "Takeshi signed with Boston and left Mary in LA."

 

[Core407]

3 years $42 million? For Derek Lowe? When i die i want to be reincarnated as a pitcher.

You make it sound like Lowe is garbage. The guy is a solid #2 and we are throwing less money at him than we did at Burnett and Burnett is WORSE. Lowe has been consistent and thrown around 200 innings for the past 5 years. Burnett is a question mark and with the way injuries hit Atlanta, I wouldn't even want to take the chance. Hudson won't pitch until 2010 most likely but once he comes back, and assuming he's the same as he was before, we'll have the two top ground ball pitchers on our team in a pitchers ball park.

 

[vas_a_morir]

every single piece of homework I had with my japanese 101 class last semester was about some dude named Takeshi or some chick named Mary. when they ask me to write sentences in japanese 102 I'm going to have to figure out how to write "Takeshi signed with Boston and left Mary in LA."

Answer me this: Did your text book ever make you feel... Genki?

 

[firex]

no, but that was the name of it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's used by like 50% of all colleges. or at least the state universities like mine.

 

[Joe]

you either pay for potential or you pay for what you know you're going to get. it may be a lot of money for lowe but you know those 3 or 4 years you're going to get 170+ innings per year of good, solid pitching.

 

[Grecco]

I dont have a problem signing Lowe

kawakami on the other hand. Dont really like the move. He could be Kuroda part 2 or he could be Igawa part two. We cant afford that risk

 

[Karakand]

How many players have the Dodgers lost this offseason? :lol

The McCourts are terrible big market owners.

 

[Y2Kev]

the dodgers are having a worse off season than the angels so far, but you get the impression the angels will sign the bat they need, whereas the dodgers won't and will still win the division

 

[Grecco]

Braves emerging as an emerging location for Adam Dunn via Nick Caffardo of the Boston Globe

yes plz. A Hilarious way to top this offseason

 

[firex]

shit, Braves would be pretty good with Dunn honestly. I mean it's not like I watch them now that TBS stopped showing most of their games, but he'd definitely give them a big OF bat.

 

[Karakand]

the dodgers are having a worse off season than the angels so far, but you get the impression the angels will sign the bat they need, whereas the dodgers won't and will still win the division

They did already.

MARION, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners have sold the playing contract of all-star first baseman Tim Dorn to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dorn will be invited to the Angels 2009 spring training in Tempe, Ariz.

Dorn holds the Miners career record for home runs (35), RBI (118) and runs scored (100). He is a .313 hitter in 125 games with Southern Illinois over the last two seasons. The six-foot-eight-inch slugger began the 2007 season with the Miners but signed with the St. Louis Cardinals after just 32 games. He battled through a wrist injury with the Cardinals Single-A affiliate in the Quad Cities before re-signing with the Miners prior this past season.

[ESPN fantasy football commercial]champ-iiiiiiiiii-onship[/ESPN fantasy football commercial]

 

[Windu]

Dunn? .....

 

[Y2Kev]

WHY DO YOU HATE DUNN

 

[eznark]

Why would you not want Dunn?

 

[Windu]

.230 avg, can't play D, slower than my grandmother, ugh, make me sick. Its like a worst version than andruw. At least he played amazing Defense. And I don't give a fuck about the walks, Francouer will probably be hitting behind him anyway. If dunn doesn't hit into a dp, Francouer will.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

LOL batting average

 

[Karakand]

WHY DO YOU HATE DUNN

I don't. I'd love to have him.

Like Epictetus said, I must watch the scrubbiest offense of all time. But must I watch them weeping?

edit: nvm missed the Braves fan post above me. They all kind of bleed into the gray of the forum.

 

[eznark]

.230 avg, can't play D, ugh, make me sick. Its like a worst version than andruw. At least he played amazing Defense. And I don't give a fuck about the walks, Francouer will probably be hitting behind him anyway. If dunn doesn't hit into a dp, Francouer will.

Holy shit. You deserve whatever you get. My God, you might as well say Perez is better than Matsuzaka.

When did MLB GAF get so fucking stupid?

 

[Windu]

meh, whatever, I guess I should keep my dumb opions to myself. I just don't like watching non-aggressive power hitters (too patient for his own good) who are slow as fuck and are horrible in the field.

 

[clemenx]

Batting Average :lol
He'll be a little better on average if that's what worries you, he had a flukly low BABIP.

Dunn is great he's definitely underrated by dumb fans (and GM's) But I do think he's overrated by stat geeks, and for some reason everyone forgets about defense when talking about Dunn :lol must be because he's Vladimir Putin idk.

Oh and btw, i'd prefer that you guys signed Dunn and leave Lowe for us!

 

[Y2Kev]

meh, whatever, I guess I should keep my dumb opions to myself. I just don't like watching non-aggressive power hitters (too patient for his own good) who are slow as fuck and are horrible in the field.

Yeah, he's pretty bad in the field, but your alternative is Bobby Abreu, who is pretty bad as well. At least Dunn gets on base 40% of the time.

 

[eznark]

His defense is overlooked because a shitty left fielder really isn't a big deal, especially when you consider what he brings to the plate.

 

[captmcblack]

Adam Dunn's low batting average is irrelevant, because his appearances at the plate either result in a strikeout, walk, or home run. He's not going to kill your rally; he's either going to get on base, or clear the bases.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

he's no Jack Cust.

 

[Alex Anderson]

Ugh, this sucks. I'm gonna have to root against two of my favorite pitchers now -- Smoltz and Saito.

 

[vas_a_morir]

Adam Dunn can be clutch as fuck, though. If you need a big hit in the bottom of the 9th, he's the man you want. That Cleveland Indians game two years ago sits well with me. Walk off grandslam with 2 outs. We won by one run. Amazing.

 

[Y2Kev]

Adam Dunn can be clutch as fuck, though. If you need a big hit in the bottom of the 9th, he's the man you want. That Cleveland Indians game two years ago sits well with me. Walk off grandslam with 2 outs. We won by one run. Amazing.

borowski?

 

[Joe]

 

[Kuroyume]

That's wierd to see still...

 

[jman2050]

It's funny seeing all the Qwerty/Triumph virgins in the NFL thread. Almost makes that Giants loss worth it. :lol