Early 2009 projections?

[realmofotalk]

What about your boy Cain vs. Nolasco and RJ vs. Volstad?

[cjkalt]

Are they really having Nolasco as the 3 starter? Thats seems really wrong, he's the best guy they got, that being said I think the Giants rotation is stronger and I also forgot the Arizona Diamondbacks who also are better than the Marlins but I get where he was coming from now

I'd have

Lincecum >> Josh Johnson
Nolasco >> Cain
RJ >> Volstad
J. Sanchez > A. Sanchez
SF #5 = Florida #5

Net: Giants up >>>

Brandon Webb (RHP) >> JJ
Dan Haren (RHP) >> Cain
Doug Davis (LHP) = Volstad
Jon Garland (RHP) > Sanchez
Max Scherzer (RHP) > Florida #5

Net: Arizona > x6

[love_that_reefer]

Mofo,
Nolasco is their Opening Day starter but to answer your question, yes I would take Nolasco over Cain and Volstad over RJ.

CJ,
The Dbacks are not better than Marlins. Huge decline after Webb and Haren.

[realmofotalk]

You're right, Nolasco is their #1 starter by default. I matched Johnson and Volstad higher simply because they're younger and supposedly have a higher ceiling.

[love_that_reefer]

Nolasco is their #1 because he is their best pitcher right now.

[Porter]

The last time Porter picked the Padres to finish last they won the World Series.

But this isn't a sim league. The Pads are really that bad.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

They're predictions. They're not meant to come true. They are meant to show how truly unpredictable sports are. That being said...I'm still going to waste a half hour doing these. Here goes nothin...

AL East: New York
AL Central: Minnesota
AL West: Los Angeles
AL Wild Card: Boston

NL East: Florida
NL Central: Chicago
NL West: Arizona
NL Wild Card: New York

LDS: Boston over Los Angeles in 3, New York over Minnesota in 4, Chicago over New York in 5, Florida over Arizona in 5

LCS: Boston over New York in 7, Chicago over Florida in 6

WS: Bos....I can't do it. I just can't. I don't see how Boston's lineup/rotation/bullpen is beatable in October, but for the sake of my sanity, I can't do it. Here:
WS: Chicago over Boston in 7
WS MVP: Rich Harden (really Dustin Pedroia)

AL MVP: Mark Texieira, NYY
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester, BOS
AL ROY: David Price, TB/Matt Weiters, BAL
AL Manager of Year: Ron Washington, TEX
AL Fireman: Kerry Wood, CLE
AL Breakout Player: Howie Kendrick, LAA
AL Underrated Player: Pat Burrell, TB/Jermaine Dye, CHW
AL Comeback Player: Erik Bedard, SEA
AL Dark Horse Team: Texas

NL MVP: Hanley Ramirez, FLA
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana, NYM
NL ROY: Cameron Maybin, FLA
NL Manager of Year: Fredi Gonzalez, FLA
NL Fireman: Jonathan Broxton, LAD
NL Breakout Player: Jay Bruce, CIN
NL Underrated Player: Stephen Drew, ARI
NL Comeback Player: Chris Carpenter, STL
NL Dark Horse Team: San Francisco

[DirtyKash]

It took you a half hour to do that and you didn't even rank the teams in each division?

[NYgiantsfan5689]

i put actual thought/research into those. and i don't have time right now to do rankings. i'll do them later

[nick]

i put actual thought/research into those. and i don't have time right now to do rankings. i'll do them later

But uh... Kerry Wood isn't a Cub anymore. He's with the Indians.

[nick]

For the record, is there really suggestion that the Marlins have the NL's best staff? Really?

Maybe in 3 years, but it's doubtful all of their pitchers stay together and avoid injury in that time span, not to mention meet their full potential.

Marlins could be really solid in 2-3 years... but it's really a crapshoot. Their only proven starter is Ricky Nolasco. Josh Johnson is very good when healthy, but he is aiming for his first full season back from TJ. Volstad should settle in, but given the fact that he doesn't have overwhelming stuff, once the league gets a 2nd look at him there's always a chance he doesn't have the same kind of success. If you're counting on a 2.88 era again, I'd move expectations a little higher to 4.50.

Andrew Miller was awful this spring and probably could use some AAA seasoning in the best scenario, and Sanchez isn't the same pitcher he was pre-surgery as he still builds shoulder strength up, and who knows really if/when he'll ever get back there?

I'd say the Giants and Cubs have two of the better rotations in the NL. Arizona's is still good, but bottoms out a little. Nonetheless, I'd take all 3 over Florida's for this season.

[DirtyKash]

But uh... Kerry Wood isn't a Cub anymore. He's with the Indians.

Don't correct NYGF. He put actual thought and research into these.

[Slyder]

[U][B]
NL Central
1. Cubs- Awesome rotation and the offense looks good as well
2. Cardinals- Best player in baseball and Carpenter and Wainwright look great
3. Reds- Offense and rotation is improved
4. Astros- What's worth a damn after Oswalt and Wandy?
5. Brewers- Rotation and bullpen is holding that team back
6. Pirates- Can any Pirates starter post back to back good seasons?

Really Reefer? Did you see ANY of the Reds spring training games? They went almost 3 weeks worth of games without scoring more than 3 runs. Add in Duhhhsty's brilliant lineups such as 30 yr rookie batting 2nd and a team almost completely devoid of guys who understand that walks arent icky and its a recipe for maybe even historic incompetance. The only way the Reds finish above 500 is if everyone under 30 goes freaking ape and have career years together. If Duhhhsty is treated like Wayne was (fired quickly after a slow start) and someone with even a remote understand of 21st century baseball is his replacement I might like the Reds chances a bit better.

You can't win a division title in April but you can surely lose one. And for the 2nd year in a row we will find ourselves on the outside as Duhhhsty refuses to make any changes before its too late.

NL Central:
Cubs- They lose Wood and DeRosa and are the most improved team in the division (granted thats like saying choose between get sat on by Rosie O'Donnell after eating spicy chili or listen to Idol's worst tryouts sing for a month non stop).

Cards- They still have the mad scientist Dave Duncan which means their pitching will miraculous be good while the rest of baseball looks on and goes How the **** is he doing it YET AGAIN. Oh ya that guy, whats his name... PuHols i think ya I heard he's pretty good.

Brewers- Yovanni will be the ace, I think Villeaneuva will be better this year holding the closer role until Hoffman's ready, which Bush shows up might be the key to "how good" the pitching staff is.

Reds- The Reds are done if Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, and Volquez can't stay healthy. Odds are 1 of them will get hurt (like every team faces). If they are 2nd place the division is even worse than I think.

Astros- Trade the Reds killer Oswalt (I Pray to the AL) midseason, not quite as inept as Pittsburgh but they make things interesting.

Pittsburgh- They are the Pirates, nothing more needs to be said.

NL East:
Philly
Mets (WC)
Braves
Florida
Washington (The one team that might be even more inept than Pittsburgh).

NL West:
LA
Arizona
San Francisco
Colorado
San Diego

AL East:
Boston
Tampa
Yankees (all that money wasted as the depth blows)
Baltimore
Toronto

For DK, H_i_G, and Dave... It ends in a tie .

AL Central:
Cleveland (my darkhorse team)
Minnesota (theyre always tough)
Chicago
Detroit (tough 4 team race maybe within like 9 games)
KC

AL West:
Anaheim (screw you LA you got a big enough ego) division should be down a hair.
Texas (repeat of last year not enough pitching)
Oakland
Seattle

[Kingdom]

Eh, he's not worth it. I can't believe reefer is high on him. Then again, he still thinks Dallas McPherson is a major league starting third baseman.

He loves AAAA'ers.

[Kingdom]

The last time Porter picked the Padres to finish last they won the World Series.

Correction, last time he picked the padres to finish last, they made the playoffs for the first time ever in the league. He's just not very good at judging the padres.

Although it's easy to judge the real ones.