2007 MLB Thread

[KungFuDude]

In the past I think the Yankees were just so good that they won despite all the small ball stuff and not because of it.

I agree. They were loaded in the rotation and the bullpen. Pitching wins championships. This is why I think he is overrated, because of the team he is on. What exactly did he bring to the table that they didn't already have? Many have said he is good with the New York media? Come on.

Sacrificing is almost never a good idea except maybe in a very limited set of circumstances. In any case the team is built even less for that kind of stuff now.

Yes, I agree.

Let's go back to the ALDS last year. I can't remember exactly which game it was, but it was either game 1 or 2 at Yankee stadium. Yanks are down one run in the 9th and they get the lead off guy aboard. Torre orders his batter to swing away - out 1. Next batter - out 2. Next batter - hit - runners advance. Next batter - out 3 - game over. Now I'm thinking as I'm watching this, why didn't he move the guy over to second when nobody was out? They would of scored on the hit , tied the game, (at the very least had 2 cracks at getting him in), and the whole series is different.

If your team isn't hitting well in certain situations, baseball logic demands you manufacture the runs. He fails in this department, because he believes his team will always hit no matter what.

Once you get to the playoffs you have to remember that a lot more luck is involved in who wins. The Cardinals won it last year, and they weren't the best team by any means.

Yes, pitching, and luck. Cardinals got into the playoffs and the WS, because their league was monumentally bad last year. That was their luck, so to speak. Their pitching stepped it up a notch in the WS, to go along with that already playoff tested lineup.

People have to keep in mind that if only a few things went differently since the last time the Yankees won there would be an extremely good chance they would have won two or three more World Series.

Exactly. And many of those things are the manager's responsibility. He makes poor decisions around every turn. Keeps guys into long, doesn't move a guy over into scoring position in early and late innings, puts his aging star closer in too early, too often. He throws his best hitter under the bus in the media, etc.

The manager simply sets the stage and he has been setting it all wrong lately, imho. All managers need to be recycled every once in awhile to get a new voice, a new point of view. I just think the New York Yankee fans and media types over rate him simply because of his past record with a different group. He clearly can't take them all the way anymore and division titles just won't do for a team/company spending $200+ million every year.

:2 cents:

 

[ckjedi66]

Well it's true, with the teams Torre had, just about anyone could have won the WS with them...not that he didn't have a hand in it, but it's as if the games just one themselves and he just had to make adjustments here and there. It's like Phil Jackson being touted as a great NBA coach...he is nothing close, every team he has coached has been overloaded with talent, I will call him a great coach if he takes a team of nobody's and makes them champions, but he wont ever do that because he won't be coaching instant winners. I still think Torre is better than a lot of coaches out there, but there is no doubt his time is winding down.

 

[Iamforever]

Well it's true, with the teams Torre had, just about anyone could have won the WS with them...not that he didn't have a hand in it, but it's as if the games just one themselves and he just had to make adjustments here and there. It's like Phil Jackson being touted as a great NBA coach...he is nothing close, every team he has coached has been overloaded with talent, I will call him a great coach if he takes a team of nobody's and makes them champions, but he wont ever do that because he won't be coaching instant winners. I still think Torre is better than a lot of coaches out there, but there is no doubt his time is winding down.

how about wedge? :rofl:

 

[ckjedi66]

how about wedge? :rofl:

Yes, even Red-2 could have done it :1orglaugh

 

[Iamforever]

Yes, even Red-2 could have done it :1orglaugh

not if he had casey blake on the team.

 

[ckjedi66]

not if he had casey blake on the team.

Ok you got me there :rofl:

 

[Iamforever]

Ok you got me there :rofl:

i do think wedge and blake are lovers. why else is casey blake in the lineup every game? :dunno:

 

[ckjedi66]

i do think wedge and blake are lovers. why else is casey blake in the lineup every game? :dunno:

:dunno:

 

[pornlover21]

My poor, poor, poor, Cardinals...

 

[Knightley12]

I'm going to give my advantage to the Yankees this year as always. The always have the upper hand. Indians are definitely going to be in it this year, I know it. Their pitching is way to fucking good and consistent, plus the run support is always there. Sizemore, Hafner, Martinez, Peralta, Nixon, Garko, Dellucci, Blake, Barfield, Michaels, Rouse, Westbrook, Sowers, Sabathia, Lee, Byrd, Davis, Betancourt, Cabrera, Borowski, Mastny, Shoppach, Hernandez, Fultz, Marte, Francisco, Choo.....All gonna be tearing it up this year. I would also like to see the Tigers have a good season again....In memory of my grandfather, he was a huge Tigers fan.

 

[Iamforever]

i do think you are right. the indians will be there at the end. :glugglug:

 

[Knightley12]

yeah baby....cliff lee making his first start tonight!! i feel bad for carmona though....pitching two awesome games and then the only promotion he gets is going back down to Buffalo. at least we will have him as a back up though.....and hopefully he can keep his good times going and not slump like his 0-11 start.

 

[Iamforever]

westbrook came out of yesterday's start in the 2nd inning. so maybe the indians will play it safe and put him on the 15 day dl. then carmona can have two more starts. it does feel good to have lee back too.

 

[Knightley12]

yeah, i'm sure they will put jake on the DL. they have so many pitchers that can actually have the comfortable situation of doing that. how is marte doing anyways? is he in rehab in buffalo?

 

[Iamforever]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7291/news



marte will not rehab in buffalo. the job is his when he comes back. i didnt know he was a stud. just look at his batting average. :eek:

 

[Knightley12]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7291/news



marte will not rehab in buffalo. the job is his when he comes back. i didnt know he was a stud. just look at his batting average. :eek:

oh yeah...thats amazing. he's lucky that he's got mad skills in the field even though i haven't really seen that many sweet plays of his yet.

 

[D-rock]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7291/news



marte will not rehab in buffalo. the job is his when he comes back. i didnt know he was a stud. just look at his batting average. :eek:

I just took a look at his career stats on that page you linked, and they don't look pretty.

 

[Iamforever]

I just took a look at his career stats on that page you linked, and they don't look pretty.

its a wonder why atlanta and boston both gave up him.

 

[Clarkie25]

I'm really starting to doubt this Dice-K experiment. So far he's been less than a mind blowing pitcher. In 5 innings he gave up 5 hits - 7 runs - had 5 walks and only 1 strikeout. I hope to god he doesn't turn out to be another Hideo Nomo or even worse Hideki Irabu. Without Manny's 2 homers and the bullpen cleaning up the mess it's a no doubt win for Seattle.

 

[Iamforever]

the best hitters in the world are in mlb. now dice-k knows that.