I just hope the Sox have more wins than the Twins, Tribe, Royals, and Tigers.

 

AMEN!!!!!! POST OF THE YEAR!!!!!

lol@rowand,  Remember how everybody in here had the Slubs in the series and we were the only two that said they would eventually choke?  I believe everybody said we needed to take off our white sox colored glasses and get out of denial.

Last years cubs team just reminded me to much of sox teams in the past. Josh, you think 90-95 wins is to many wins to expect from this team. I really believe this team is capable of 95 victories if they can stay healthy.

If you've just got $200 to blow like that, may as well put it on Tampa Bay. At 200-1 odds, that's quite the payoff...

If you've just got $200 to blow like that, may as well put it on Tampa Bay. At 200-1 odds, that's quite the payoff...

 

Not like I'm loaded or anything...and I wasn't the one that threw out the wager...I just accepted it. Anyway...I've got till August or September to save up just in case. I like the bet. Hell...I won a case of long-neck Miller Lites last year betting that the Sox would have a better record than the Royals (he threw that out there too). Maybe if I just accept bets instead of being the initiator it's a better thing.

 

Tampa Bay huh.....knock yourself out on that bet dude. I think mines a little safer.

I made a bet this weekend of Rowwand vs. Beltran I have to win 3 of the 5 categories, avg. RBI's, HR's, SB's and FLD%

I think you'll be $200 richer. Not because I think the Sox will win more than 89 games (Cub 04), but because I can't see how the Cub will win 89 games. Nomar is good for about 400 ab's at best. I don't care how good his physical was that's just reality with this guy. He will be down for a 1/3rd of the season.

 

When I look at the R+RBI lost betw Alou, Sosa that is a much bigger slice than Maggs, Lee. Hairston & Burnitz do not equate to Dye+Pods as replacements. Hairston has yet to prove he can be an everyday player & Burnitz is a K-out waiting to happen. For one of the slowest teams in the majors that's not going to help the Cub manufacturer runs. It's a team that has been built on the big hit for the past 4 yrs. It's not re-invented itself this year. It's simply downsided from an 8 cylinder to a 6 cylinder.

 

With a 90M+ payroll it amazes all MLB fans how it can go into the season with tryouts in the closer position. A 5* rotation can not win you a division. You must have an offense that ranks in the top 5 in run production. I don't see that from the Cub.

 

I'm picking the Cub to finish 3rd .. again.

Tampa Bay huh.....knock yourself out on that bet dude.  I think mines a little safer.

 

Not that I'd ever specifically ever put any money on the Devil-Rays themselves, rather, speaking of bets w/ larger payoffs in general. When the 2003 season began, I had $100 on the 75-1 Marlins to win the series. $7,500 later, thank you Steve Bartman.

A 5* rotation can not win you a division.  You must have an offense that ranks in the top 5 in run production.

Oh? In 2003, the Oakland A's (about as close to a 5 star rotation as there's been in the past few years) won the AL West with an offense that averaged 4.7 runs per game, ranking them 9th in the American League. Their team leader in HR was 29 (Eric Chavez), and their leading RBI man had 106 (Miguel Tejada).

 

The A's also won the division in 2002 with an offense that averaged 4.9 runs per game - also not in the top 5.

 

If you have stud pitchers and a solid defense, which the A's had, you will be there until the end, regardless of your offensive output.

Oh?  In 2003, the Oakland A's (about as close to a 5 star rotation as there's been in the past few years) won the AL West with an offense that averaged 4.7 runs per game, ranking them 9th in the American League.  Their team leader in HR was 29 (Eric Chavez), and their leading RBI man had 106 (Miguel Tejada).

 

The A's also won the division in 2002 with an offense that averaged 4.9 runs per game - also not in the top 5.

 

If you have stud pitchers and a solid defense, which the A's had, you will be there until the end, regardless of your offensive output.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The A's in the years you mentioned had top 5 #1's in the first 3 slots in the rotation.

That was the best rotation in the game. Much better than a 5* rotation. I would agree if you have the best rotation in the game you can win a division with a top 10-15 offense. But you can't win a World Series. Not in the modern game.

The A's in the years you mentioned had top 5 #1's in the first 3 slots in the rotation.

That was the best rotation in the game.  Much better than a 5* rotation.  I would agree if you have the best rotation in the game you can win a division with a top 10-15 offense.   But you can't win a World Series.  Not in the modern game.

The Marlins in 2003. They didn't have the best rotation in the game (ranked 7th in the NL in ERA), and their offense was 8th in the NL, and 17th overall.

 

It can be done. It all comes down to who gets hottest and comes together as a team at the right time.