Monday, October 04, 2010

The 2nd Season Begins

What can be said about the regular season that we haven't already? In review:

Regular Season Grade: B+. Made the playoffs, didn't win the division, tied for best record in baseball.

I did not see anything to change my mind during the season that getting rid of Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, Ian Kennedy, Nady, Johnny Damon or Matsui was a mistake.

I also did not like how the team couldn't close down the stretch. They had ample opportunity to wrap up the division and home field advantage but lost two very winnable series in a row.


Post Season: Love the matchups in the NL - it'll probably be better baseball to watch than the AL series. Really glad to see the Reds back in the mix.

It has been a given that the AL East was the toughest division - yet neither the Rays or the Yanks showed a champions grit down the stretch. I think both the Twins and the Rangers have been playing better ball and could very easily find themselves in the ALCS.

The next 3 to 5 games would be the perfect time for Jeter to show why he's Jeter, and erase the worst regular season of his career.

I like Wood and Chamberlain as the bridge to Mo.

That's it - let's see where the chips fall!!

9 comments:

Crash said...

Just one quibble with the post Mid...Yankees did not finish tied for best record in baseball. Phillies finished with 97 wins, Rays at 96, and Yankees had 95.

I agree that the NL could be much better than the AL. Reds and Phillies is a great matchup. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Reds pull it out. But I would love to see a Phillies v. Giants NLCS with the 2 best starting rotations going head to head.

Yankees beat Twins...not sure on the Rangers/Rays matchup, could go either way. I'm going to say Yankees v. Rangers.

Yankees and Phillies in a rematch but with the same outcome.

Looking back to the first post of the regular season my forecast which I usually am terrible at was pretty close this year. I did pick the Phillies and Braves to win the NL Wild Card. I did pick Rockies and Cardinals but said the Giants and Reds could be surprise teams.

I also picked Yankees and Rays in a close division (but got them reversed), and picked the Rangers for the AL West. I went out on a limb picking the Tigers but had the Twins right there.

old professor said...

The Rays and Yankees had some injuries going down the stretch. The rays lost Longoria for a short time period and missed his bat. The pitching also hit a speed bump. Yankees had the same issue. They lost Gardner, Texeira, A-Rod and Pettitte for periods of time as well as Swisher. As the Red Sox found out you cannot replace quality with Triple A talent.

As for your assessment regarding the trade of those players: Kennedy would have been an upgrade over Vasquez, Jackson played a great centerfield and it was not until the last month that Granderson started hitting homeruns.

Phil Coke had a great year in Detroit and you can't tell me the Yankees didn't miss his lefthanded pitching. Marte went down and the only lefty they had was Boone Logan. To beat the Twins they will need another lefty in the pen. Bottom line, the team gave up way to much in a three team deal just to land Granderson.

Yankee rotation has to be a concern for a short series.

Mid said...

I think the only thing I got close in my original post was Cano for MVP. I don't think he'll win it - but he will definately be in the conversation.


The Phils have a great starting rotation to make it through to the Classic again.

Could this be the stage for vintage Barry Zito to emerge????

As far as who should be who in matchups - with these 5 games sets, I think it is tough to make a definative call one way or the other.

I truly have no idea any of these series are going to go.

Crash said...

I keep hearing the pro analyst talk about question marks about the Yankees rotation after CC...these guys are complete idiots trying to make compelling story lines. In my mind there are no question marks. CC is obviously the ace. Pettitte is clearly the #2 guy, he was held back a bit by Girardi pitch count wise following the injury, but have no doubt he will be able to go 100+ pitches in 6+innings and give you a typical Pettitte outing. The #3 guy is Hughes with 18 wins. I have a question for the analysts...since when is 18 wins a question mark. Hughes has 176 IP pitched. He will be fine. The only question mark is Burnett and that doesn't have to be answered until game 4 or 5 in the ALCS, not the ALDS.

The more I think about it the more I can see the Braves upsetting the Giants. The Giants starters were so good in September it would be next to impossible for them to keep that pace. And their offense isn't great. They need to win games at 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc. The Braves pitchers are really good veteran pitchers. Hudson had a great year and Lowe had his typical year (15+ wins, ERA around 4)and he has come up big int the post-season before.

Crash said...

NY Post reporting AJ is officially out of the rotation for the ALDS. Glad to see Girardi is using his head here. This was an easy decision unless you let things other than performance, like the size of his contract, enter into it.

old professor said...

Regarding the ALDS, you better hope the Yankees sweep in three. The team cannot continue to ride CC on short rest eventually he will breakdown.

Crash said...

What do you mean continually ride CC on short rest??? To my knowledge he hasn't pitched on short rest all season. And even though his innings went up this year (237)compared to last year (230), the Yankees haven't been as hard on him as Cleveland and Milwaukee. His IP are actually down as a Yankee compared to 2007 (241.0I P) and 2008 (253.0 IP). CC can handle it a start or 2 on 3 days rest.

Mid said...

CC did it last year, and the year before - I say go with him on short rest until he shows he can't.

I think Pettitte will surprise on the upside - and this is the series that could make Phil Hughes "a Yankee". 18 wins shows he has the goods - 2 quality starts in the ALDS/CS could show us he may be ready to assume ACE status.

Crash said...

Mid I absolutely agree with everything you said. This could be the time Hughes catapults himself into the elite-starter class.

I also hope that this lights a fire under AJ. Maybe the next time he takes the mound he comes out a little angry and throws some filthy 2-hit shutout in the ALCS.

Anyone else watching the MLB Network "Path to the Pennant". Their coverage so far has been great.

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