Thank you, sir. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Your reply simply should have been:

 

Your reply simply should have been:

 

 

Now this makes me smile!

Your reply simply should have been:

 

What has two thumbs and likes the long ball? This guy ^

Oh, and I don't think the Tigers have a chance in hell at winning the division. They seem to be a 78-86 win team, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Could not disagree more. Certainly some things have to go right for them but they have big time power arms in their rotation as well as their bullpen. And Vmart and Miggy could be do massive damage in the middle of that lineup. They scare me more than a healthy Morneau and Mauer. Both Det and Min had very good springs and seem like they're ready to kick off the season strong. Plus they don't seem to be such p*****s when they play the Twins like the Sox do, and since the Twins are still the team to beat, I would say they have a very good chance in hell.

Could not disagree more. Certainly some things have to go right for them but they have big time power arms in their rotation as well as their bullpen. And Vmart and Miggy could be do massive damage in the middle of that lineup. They scare me more than a healthy Morneau and Mauer. Both Det and Min had very good springs and seem like they're ready to kick off the season strong. Plus they don't seem to be such p*****s when they play the Twins like the Sox do, and since the Twins are still the team to beat, I would say they have a very good chance in hell.

 

I'm with Wite. I see the Tigers as a .500ish team with huge injury and pitching worries.

Could not disagree more. Certainly some things have to go right for them but they have big time power arms in their rotation as well as their bullpen. And Vmart and Miggy could be do massive damage in the middle of that lineup. They scare me more than a healthy Morneau and Mauer. Both Det and Min had very good springs and seem like they're ready to kick off the season strong. Plus they don't seem to be such p*****s when they play the Twins like the Sox do, and since the Twins are still the team to beat, I would say they have a very good chance in hell.

 

Well they only play the Twins 18 times, so even if they go above .500 against them, they still have 144 games with other teams.

 

I think the Tigers are going to have some problems getting the ball to Valverde. It shouldn't be a big problem, but I think they are about middle of the pack in terms of bullpen talent. I also don't like the back end of the Tigers rotation - Penny, Porcello, and Coke doesn't exactly inspire a ton of confidence. They are still injury prone and older, and the defense is not really that great either. Brandon Inge, Jhonny Peralta, Alex Avila, and Boesch/Wells are all going to be in their opening day lineup. Austin Jackson has always hit for an above average BABIP, but to expect him to be able to retain a .396 BABIP is too much. I wouldn't be surprised at all if his batting average dropped anywhere from 20-40 points, and either one would leave his OBP around .300-.330. You want more out of a guy who is going to be your leadoff hitter. Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen are supposed be in the lineup everyday this year, but Maggs is 37 and hitting for less and less power each year, and Carlos Guillen is already starting the year on the DL and it's not likely to be his last trip either.

 

I also think Victor Martinez is a bit overrated around here. He's not a good defensive catcher, which is why he's mainly DHing at this point, he isn't a particularly patient hitter, he's not an amazing hitter for average - he's just a good hitter. I think he'll probably put up an .850 OPS or so, which is good, but not amazing.

 

I also don't care how any team is ever playing in spring training. The Royals have 20 wins this spring - I'm not concerned. Let's see how it all unfolds in the regular season.

I also don't care how any team is ever playing in spring training. The Royals have 20 wins this spring - I'm not concerned. Let's see how it all unfolds in the regular season.

 

This is true.

 

I think Coke has moved to the starting rotation for the Tigers, and while it's true their bullpen has question marks I don't think it's any more than the Sox or Twins. In fact, I have a feeling that Sergio Santos will be our closer before the season is finished.

This is true.

 

I think Coke has moved to the starting rotation for the Tigers, and while it's true their bullpen has question marks I don't think it's any more than the Sox or Twins. In fact, I have a feeling that Sergio Santos will be our closer before the season is finished.

 

A lot will have gone bad if that happens.

A lot will have gone bad if that happens.

Not necessarily. Sergio might well just pitch well enough to be moved to that spot.

Opening Day Team Rosters:

 

Indians

Lineup: Brantley CF, A Cabrera SS, Choo RF, Santana C, Hafner DH, O Cabrera 2B, Kearns LF, LaPorta 1B, Hannahan 3B

Bench: Everett IF, Buck OF, Duncan OF, Marson C

Rotation: Carmona, Carrasco, Masterson, Tomlin, Talbot

Bullpen: Durbin, Pestano, Herrmann, Germano, Sipp, R Perez, C Perez

 

Royals

Lineup: Aviles 3B, Cabrera CF, Gordon LF, Butler DH, Ka'Aihue 1B, Francouer RF, Escobar SS, Treanor C, Getz 2B

Bench: Maier OF, Dyson OF, Betemit IF, Pena C

Rotation: Hochevar, Francis, Davies, Chen, (Vin Mazzaro will be called up in a couple weeks)

Bullpen: Crow, Adcock, Collins, Jeffress, O'Sullivan, Texeira, Tejeda, Soria

 

Tigers

Lineup: Jackson CF, Rhymes 2B, Ordonez RF, Cabrera 1B, Martinez DH, Raburn LF, Peralta SS, Inge 3B, Avila C

Bench: Kelly OF, Santiago IF, Boesch OF, Wells OF

Rotation: Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello, Penny, Coke

Bullpen: Thomas, Perry, Villareal, Gonzalez, Schlereth, Benoit, Valverde

 

Twins

Lineup: Span CF, Nishioka 2B, Mauer C, Morneau 1B, Cuddyer RF, Young LF, Kubel DH, Valencia 3B, Casilla SS

Bench: Thome DH, Tolbert IF, Repko OF, Butera C

Rotation: Pavano, Liriano, Blackburn, Baker, Duensing

Bullpen: Slowey, Manship, Perkins, Hughes, Mijares, Capps, Nathan

 

White Sox

Lineup: Pierre LF, Beckham 2B, Dunn DH, Konerko 1B, Rios CF, Quentin RF, Pierzynski C, Ramirez SS, Morel 3B

Bench: Teahen IF/OF, Lillibridge OF/IF, Milledge OF, Vizquel IF, Castro C

Rotation: Buehrle, Jackson, Danks, Floyd, Humber

Bullpen: Pena, Ohman, Santos, Sale, Crain, Thornton

Not necessarily. Sergio might well just pitch well enough to be moved to that spot.

 

The only way Matt leaves the closers role is if he pitches badly. Ozzie doesn't yank his closers very easily.

The only way Matt leaves the closers role is if he pitches badly. Ozzie doesn't yank his closers very easily.

yeah but he's hinted that it could be situational. I do think Thornton is great but I don't think he's closer great. We'll see.

yeah but he's hinted that it could be situational. I do think Thornton is great but I don't think he's closer great. We'll see.

 

Ozzie saids crap like that all of the time. At the end of the day, it took a lot for Jenks to get yanked.

Ozzie saids crap like that all of the time. At the end of the day, it took a lot for Jenks to get yanked.

 

Getting hurt. I think had Jenks been healthy in September, he would have been closing then too. In fact, his last day pitching for the White Sox, he got 2 saves in 1 day.

Ozzie saids crap like that all of the time. At the end of the day, it took a lot for Jenks to get yanked.

There's a difference for Ozzie with lefties though.

Opening Day Team Rosters:

 

Indians

Lineup: Brantley CF, A Cabrera SS, Choo RF, Santana C, Hafner DH, O Cabrera 2B, Kearns LF, LaPorta 1B, Hannahan 3B

Bench: Everett IF, Buck OF, Duncan OF, Marson C

Rotation: Carmona, Carrasco, Masterson, Tomlin, Talbot

Bullpen: Durbin, Pestano, Herrmann, Germano, Sipp, R Perez, C Perez

 

Royals

Lineup: Aviles 3B, Cabrera CF, Gordon LF, Butler DH, Ka'Aihue 1B, Francouer RF, Escobar SS, Treanor C, Getz 2B

Bench: Maier OF, Dyson OF, Betemit IF, Pena C

Rotation: Hochevar, Francis, Davies, Chen, (Vin Mazzaro will be called up in a couple weeks)

Bullpen: Crow, Adcock, Collins, Jeffress, O'Sullivan, Texeira, Tejeda, Soria

 

Tigers

Lineup: Jackson CF, Rhymes 2B, Ordonez RF, Cabrera 1B, Martinez DH, Raburn LF, Peralta SS, Inge 3B, Avila C

Bench: Kelly OF, Santiago IF, Boesch OF, Wells OF

Rotation: Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello, Penny, Coke

Bullpen: Thomas, Perry, Villareal, Gonzalez, Schlereth, Benoit, Valverde

 

Twins

Lineup: Span CF, Nishioka 2B, Mauer C, Morneau 1B, Cuddyer RF, Young LF, Kubel DH, Valencia 3B, Casilla SS

Bench: Thome DH, Tolbert IF, Repko OF, Butera C

Rotation: Pavano, Liriano, Blackburn, Baker, Duensing

Bullpen: Slowey, Manship, Perkins, Hughes, Mijares, Capps, Nathan

 

White Sox

Lineup: Pierre LF, Beckham 2B, Dunn DH, Konerko 1B, Rios CF, Quentin RF, Pierzynski C, Ramirez SS, Morel 3B

Bench: Teahen IF/OF, Lillibridge OF/IF, Milledge OF, Vizquel IF, Castro C

Rotation: Buehrle, Jackson, Danks, Floyd, Humber

Bullpen: Pena, Ohman, Santos, Sale, Crain, Thornton

Sox the only team carrying 5 on the bench and 6 in the pen, as opposed to 4 and 7.

 

Sox the only team carrying 5 on the bench and 6 in the pen, as opposed to 4 and 7.

 

One year too late.

 

I mean, seriously, what's so hard about carrying both Thome AND Kotsay? Not that I actually want to start that again, but it still to this day seemed like such an obvious move.

One year too late.

 

I mean, seriously, what's so hard about carrying both Thome AND Kotsay? Not that I actually want to start that again, but it still to this day seemed like such an obvious move.

 

Not sure.. what about all the games Tony Pena had to play long-man in.

Twins have a nice first inning. Go 1,2,3, then Pavano gives up 4 with base hits, HBPs and an error from Nishioka in his first chance.

Pavano looks terrible. Doesn't mean much though.

Pavano looks terrible. Doesn't mean much though.

 

Make that 10-0 Jays. Forgetting about the Twins for a second, this Blue Jays team has quite a bit of potential. If Hill/Lind can bounce back, that's a stellar offense. Big J.P. Arencibia fan. He could be what Posey was last year, I believe. The catcher position has seen a rather large exponential rise in talent the last few years.

Pavano looks terrible. Doesn't mean much though.

It is only one game, but that contract is not going to be a bargain. Pavano is the blueprint for not giving some multiyear contracts. He seems like an obvious poster boy for bust of the year.

It is only one game, but that contract is not going to be a bargain. Pavano is the blueprint for not giving some multiyear contracts. He seems like an obvious poster boy for bust of the year.

 

For a team that's won 6 division titles in 9 years, they've made some rather boneheaded moves in regards to the major league team.

We're the only team with a win in our division, I think it's pretty obvious that this division race is over!

I know it's cliche but every game we put between us and MIN now counts just as much in September. Here's to them continuing their slow start