Jordan4life_2007

Alright, I'm sitting here giddy as can be that we're less than a week away from pitchers/catchers reporting. Despite the fact that steroids is once again dominating the news (thanks A-rod), I think we can all agree that, when it's all said and done, the game itself takes precedence over any outside distractions. Anyway, I thought it would be cool to make a BOLD predictions thread. Pretty self-explanatory. Basically, you predict something to happen that at the present time seems highly unlikely to damn near impossible. It could be anything from an unproven player having a breakout season (Josh Hamilton) to a team coming out of nowhere to contend (Rays). As we get into the season and things start to shake out, we can continually look back at this thread and see who's predictions were right, way off, or somewhere in between. I'll start it off: The Cincinnati Reds will WIN the NL central. Yes, I really do believe this. I'm not just throwing crap on the wall and hoping it sticks. I've tracked them pretty much all offseason, as well as doing my homework on the other teams in the division. Why I think the Reds can win: 1:A disgusting amount of elite/young talent that only figures to get better in 2009. In Volquez/Cueto/Votto/Bruce/Phillips/Encarnacion you have a core, similiar to the Rays, that has the potential to be special. Not just good. But special. 2: I think will see a bounce-back year from Aaron Harang. This is absolutely critical. If Harang pitches more like he did in '06/'07 (he pitched with an injury most of last year; did finish strong), the Reds will have arguably the best rotation in the division, if not the NL. 3: They have an underrated bullpen. Franciso Cordero is the key. Not that he had a bad year last year, but it certainly wasn't on par with his spectacular 2007. Can he revert back to that? Even if he can't, he's still at worst the second best closer in the division. Ramon Ramirez, Bill Bray, Mike Lincoln, David Weathers, Jared Burton and even Nick Masset, after the Griffey trade, performed well. Arthur Rhodes, who's 100 but still gets the job done, adds even more depth to what I believe it a very underrated group. 4: The rest of the division, well, stinks. Obviously, the Cubs will be favored. But for all the talk about how the Sox have done "nothing to improve," can somebody tell me what the hell the Cubs have done to improve? The Brewers lost Sabathia and Sheets. Yovani Gallardo, despite being super talented, looks to be quite injury prone. I do like Manny Parra. But the rest of that rotation, well, not good. Cardinals? Other than Pujols, not much to get excited about. Astros? Pirates? No and no. 5: Dusty Baker is their manager. Fine, I'm joking about #5.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 10:53 AM) this was actually talked about quite a bit in the past 2 years or so. kw and ozzie already said that wont be happening. fields cannot play 2nd. that he doesnt have the footwork to play there. does that mean it would be impossible? no but it just isnt happening. if fields and dayan both do great in ST, than if anything you move someone like dye and do something like cq in rf, dayan in lf, fields at 3b etc I don't think so. I don't care if both Fields and Viciedo put up OPS' of over .1000. You don't trade a proven guy to make room for an unproven guy just because of a good spring training performance.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 02:10 PM) oh so it was for 3 years. hall of famer? I really have no idea. This is all so disturbing. If people say Bonds' career should have a big asterisk around it, why not A-rod as well now? So sad.

QUOTE (Melissa1334 @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 02:06 PM) so since arod only* cheated that one year and he admitted it, it should be forgotten and he still should be a hall of famer? im curious He admitted to cheating from 2001-2003.

Like with Bonds, the thing that is so frustrating (I'm assuming A-rod is telling the truth in that he only cheated from 2001-2003) is that the dude was already the best player in the league prior to 2001. That's what gets me. I can see the average/fringe player looking for that "edge."

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 01:57 PM) I look forward to the reaction he's going to get in his 1st AB at the new Yankee Stadium (and I don't think it's going to be a good one). Those idiots were booing him more than half the time anyway.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 9, 2009 -> 01:50 PM) Great job by ARod being a stand-up person about this. The Bonds/Clemens stuff is going to scare people into being honest, which is good for everyone involved. That's what I was thinking. I consider myself a pretty merciless person at times. But I actually felt bad for A-rod while I was watching that interview.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Feb 7, 2009 -> 04:15 PM) He looked good I guess? Most minor league players can look good taking measly BP. Sure, he some line drives as you could see from the reverse angle, but go by some high school playing fields and guys are raking. I won't be ready to make any judgment about his readiness for the Majors until I see him live in ST against real pitchers. I am sure Borchard put on quite the show during BP and look where it got him. Pretty much my thoughts. Not sure what we're supposed to take from a BP session (though this is appreciated, Cubano). I will say that Viciedo is the #1 reason I haven't been this excited for spring training to get underway since the spring of 2006 (that spring was special for obvious reasons).

QUOTE (lostfan @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 09:38 PM) Who on here has disrespected Dye or failed to appreciate him? Besides that one guy that got drunk and later softened his stance. Seriously. Just because people don't get emotionally attached to players doesn't mean they don't like them. s***, I am emotionally attached to Dye. But I'm even more emotionally attached to the franchise. If moving Dye can help make this team better, so be it.

Down 10 more pounds! I'm now at 197. I'm not going to reach 170 by February 15, obviously. Which is fine. I'll get there soon enough. I do think I'm going to have to cut down on my cardio workouts some. I've been tired as hell of late. And I'm struggling to finish them. Something I wasn't having a problem with before.

No matter how hard I try, I simply can't get into the pro-bowl.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 04:53 PM) http://www.fieldingbible.com/ Thanks. This seems kinda interesting.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 04:39 PM) Big difference between being named to an All Star Team and being an All Star caliber player. Joe Crede has never had an All Star caliber season even though he's been named to a team, he's also never even come close to a Silver Slugger caliber season but was awarded one in 2006 because everyone hates Alex Rodriguez. It's also rather silly to call a player gold glove caliber when he's never won a gold glove or a Fielding Bible award. Um, can you tell me what the hell a Bible award is?

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 03:15 PM) Sabean's really gotten his act together this offseason. I'd say the addition of Crede would make them the class of the division. And their farm is pretty stocked as well. If they can generate a decent offense (i.e. something a little more than 94 HR's), they'll be a major player in the NL.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 8, 2009 -> 01:00 PM) Another national big ten game, another terrible job of officiating. The last three drives: jackson (and 1 - not a foul), frazier (a foul- no call) and mccamey (and 1 - not a foul). Just terrible. I'm not even asking for fouls to be called or not to be called, just a little consistency. Purdue and Illinois are essentially the same team. Good defensive teams with no go-to guy on the offensive end that can be a difference maker. It also hurts when the best defenders are no threat offensively (Frazier/Kramer), the bigs are too small to bang down low (tisdale/johnson), and the one player that can be a difference maker falls asleep a lot (mccamey/moore). Everyone else is just icing on the cake if they do something good. Robbie Hummel hasn't been right for a while now. Otherwise, I think he's a legit go-to guy/difference maker. I agree with your other points. We better start learning how to play on the road, like, soon.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 10:34 PM) BTW..last year Meacham averaged a little over 10 pts per game in Big 10 play and made just under 40% from 3. This year he is averaging 7 pts and shooting 29% from 3 and that is counting the Indiana game where he scored 21 pts and went 7-9 from 3, I don't even want to know the numbers without that game. I remember complaining about Trent's shot selection (80% of his shots are 3's) a few weeks ago. Nobody (not talking about anybody from this board) wanted to hear it because he was shooting so well. But you knew those shots weren't going to keep falling at that rate. And Trent is worthless if his 3 isn't goin' down.

I can't believe how far Duke Robinson has fallen in a lot of mocks. The ones I've come across have him going in the middle of the 2nd round. If he's there when we pick, I'd scoop him up without hesitation.

QUOTE (TheBigHurt @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 01:10 AM) IMO the only one who sounds stupid in that quote is KW. Not about Crede, but that defense of Colon is hilarious. Huh? All Kenny said was that "maybe" he'll be better than Garland this season. That's supposed to be hilarious?

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Feb 4, 2009 -> 01:32 PM) I can't stand the holier than thou people who say we're stupid for finding today interesting because recruiting is inexact and these are 17 and 18 year old kids. They are idiots, today is the college football version of the NFL draft, except the teams get a lot more players today than they do that day in April. Anybody who says today isn't important but follows the NFL Draft (and the latter group includes almost everybody who says today isn't important) is a hypocrite. Michael Wilbon, who I normally like, is one of those people and he should be ashamed. I think some people talk today and it's importance over the top, but most people (like everybody posting in this thread today) take the events of this day for what they are and just have fun with them. And sorry for that rant, but I wanted to throw this topic out there. I agree with most of this. However, I know a lot of people that think football recruiting is a joke (I actually love recruiting) due to the fact the same schools get the top players every year. Which is kinda true. So you can't truly compare it to the NFL draft. Anyway, I feel much better about our haul after landing Buchanan, Hawthorne and Green. It wasn't looking too good before that.

Awesome. Can you just combine the one I just made with this.

Can a mod pin this? If in the next few weeks the thread doesn't appear to be very active it can always be unpinned. I'll start off by saying I have now flip-flopped in what area (originally wanted an O-lineman) I want the Bears to address with their first pick. I believe upgrading the defensive line (I could, of course, change my stance on this every other day) is priority #1. Looks like at least one of Everette Brown from FSU, Tyson Jackson from LSU, and Aaron Maybin from PSU will be available at #18. I'd be fine with any one of these three guys.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 06:48 PM) Thanks fellers! I'd like to thank my cousin Hank and my uncle Baxter for making this all possible! And to you guys who share my same birthday, cheers! Happy B-day. Will you now admit you were just kidding when you said Ben Gordon is as good as Brandon Roy?

Would anybody be against an NFL draft only thread? I think it would be cool.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 08:34 PM) Kobe's going to put up well over 50 against the Knicks when it's all over. As soon as I read this post I went to nba.com to see who they were playing (I obviously read this post way too fast. You clearly stated the team they were playing). Point is I had already assumed before I had even gotten to the nba.com page that they had to be playing either the Knicks or Warriors. lol. Not hating on Kobe. He's at worst the second best player in the league. But when he goes crazy like this it's usually against bottom-feeders that play ZERO defense. And the Knicks do indeed qualify.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Feb 2, 2009 -> 03:16 PM) Game of the season, IMO, to be played tonight. UConn@Louisville. You don't have to be a fan of either team to get stoked for this one. Um, yeah. I think UConn is pretty good. lol. That was a major ass whoopin' they put on Pitino's crew. Thabeet pretty much made up his mind that nobody from Louisville was going to do a thing in the paint. Dyson/Price/Walker thoroughly outplayed Smith/Sosa/Knowles. Adrien did what he pretty much always does. No debating who #1 is at least for the moment.