Balta1701

The other thing to think about De Aza vs. anyone else is...if not him, who leads off? Look at any of the other roster concepts and tell me that there's anyone who could fill the role of even a quasi-traditional leadoff hitter. Beckham? Quentin? Viciedo? Morel? Alexei? Rios and De Aza wind up being about the only options unless you want to try to move Alexei there.

Detroit's ERA against: CHW: 3.27 Minny: 3.99 K.C. 3.63 Cleveland: 3.50 Detroit's pitching staff has been a lot better against the Central than against the rest of the league. Their overall ERA is 4.11.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:51 PM) Against those teams? That's their overall bullpen. Bullpen against those teams would be really hard to compile.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:51 PM) The big one even. I'm allowed a brain cramp every now and then.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:47 PM) As do I, but you have to try and salvage the 400 million owed to Rios. Extremely short leash, 1-2 months tops if he's not performing at an All-Star level, De Aza is in. And I'd rather have the potential monster corner OF of Q and Vic Especially since I'm expecting a salary cut next year, I think Quentin needs moved for whatever the best return possible is. Start me off with De Aza, Rios, Viciedo in the OF, and Rios's short leash leads to the Stealth Elf, who has flat out earned a shot.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:41 PM) Martinez doesn't count? Yeah, forgot one.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:39 PM) Yep, a lot of bad money (ie: Ordonez) Is it worth pointing out again that the Ordonez bad money actually came off their books last year, and that they wound up resigning him anyway? Guillen's bad money is actually what comes off the books this year.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:42 PM) if the Sox can be discounted based on who they have been playing, so can the Tigers. They have gotten fat off of the KC's and Minnesotas of the world. Gotten fat = 4.10 ERA, 4th worst in the AL, and 1.43 WHIP, 2nd worst in the AL.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:36 PM) With the money Tigers are supposed to have available to spend on someone like Jose Reyes this offseason, there's no reason they're not the heavy AL Central favorites for the next few years. They had similar amounts of money last year and came away with Benoit.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:20 PM) Al Al, Coke, Benoit and Valverde isn't that bad Unless you look at their stats.

Don't think so

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:11 PM) I still will never understand this line of thinking this season. To me, Tigers are so much more set up for a playoff series with their rotation than Sox are. I found the stat about Scherzer on Sunday night intriguing in that he's so hit or miss. In the playoffs, Leyland can afford to be much more aggressive and proactive in pulling him if he doesn't have anything that day. And handing the ball to the worst bullpen in the playoffs.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:08 PM) Well, we always talk about the eye test and the metric test...and those stats confirmed that Stewart's curveball is extremely mediocre. Nothing frustrated me more with Garland than when he got hammered on his offspeed pitches when they clearly weren't close to being as effective as his sinker. I've actually been more impressed from the eye test with Stewart's offspeed stuff than with his sinker. His offspeed stuff has good break, it's probably going to take him a while to develop location on it. I haven't gotten the "lots of ground balls" feel from his fastball yet though.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 01:07 PM) I know, much more patience than usual. Stewart was absolutely painting the outside corner at the knees with something offspeed that was either a slider or a curveball on Monday.

Brain injuries too.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 12:53 PM) He needs to push for more and highlight that we can borrow the money essentially for free to pay for things we're going to need anyway, like infrastructure improvements. He won't, and even this week version will get derided by Republicans as a Marxist takeover of everything wholesome and good. That's the sad thing. If that's the package, it's already a weak, negotiated down package. It's not arguing what the real problem is...it's what you'd propose if you thought things were going to turn around on their own starting now.

How do you come to the conclusion that "Getting guys out when you don't have your good stuff" is something that most pitchers pick up early in their careers? I feel like most of the really good pitchers come up and get people out totally on stuff their first year or two and then gradually learn how to work through days when they don't have their good stuff.

QUOTE (Tex @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 11:15 AM) I also believe they could easily have made the playoffs but we have different "ifs". Mine is "if" a couple key players played at 80% of potential, (which is why I give KW a passing grade). Based on how they actually performed, I don't believe they could have. You believe a different manager could have taken these same performances and somehow gotten them into the playoffs. I'm not convinced that backups to Dunn and Rios could have made up 8 games. We were clammoring for an upgrade at DH, not many people felt we had anyone in house that could fill the role. Backups would have done better, but Oz gambled, and lost, on Dunn eventually coming around. Obviously you believe the backups would have been enough to win the division. I will agree they would have given us a better chance, but I still do not believe it would have been enough. Are you really that happy with this roster? yes. I thought coming into this season that this was a solid and deep roster and I'll stand by that 100%. Hell, with the emergence of Humber it's actually been a better and deeper roster than I thought it was.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 10:54 AM) Completely agree...Humber has much better secondary stuff. I loved seeing the stat earlier today that Stewart's change-up is much more effective than his curve. We're drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of secondary pitches in 8 outings by a sinkerballer, only half of which were starts?

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 09:52 AM) Zambrano in the AL would be Fausto Carmona bad. His stuff has deteriorated considerably. and yet somehow he snapped off a great 2nd half in 2010.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 12:36 PM) He's never playing 3b again. I want Q+Vicedo on the corners. Give Rios 2 months and if its 2011 Rios, he becomes 5th OF and a pinch runner, De Aza CF. Give Dunn 2 months, if it's 2011 Dunn, rotate Bridge/Q/Vicedo/PK at DH I hate, hate, hate the idea of De Aza not having a shot at starting full time.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 12:48 PM) Should never say never IMO. At least it's an option even though it may be rare Jermaine Dye played Short Stop for an inning in 2005. That's how common Viciedo at 3b should be.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 7, 2011 -> 12:07 PM) Hope the Sox keep Quentin. De Aza, Viciedo, Quentin and I guess Rios would be a good OF and have some run production. Viciedo can play the corner spots, 1B and DH (and maybe an occcassional 3B) so he would get playing time. Dayan Viciedo should not under any circumstances be penciled in as a part time or rotating player next year. He should be written in as the starter in one of the corner OF spots from day 1. And if he struggles, which is always possible for any rookie...people should shut up, stop complaining, and realize that it happens.

Because it's working so bloody well, the Obama proposed "Jobs package" that is worthy of an NFL-Opening-Night joint session of Congress is... To do exactly what we're doing right now!!! s.Yeah, this is an excellent speech to use for drinking.

A whole lot of things.