tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post101725701083591798..comments2023-11-03T09:23:28.156-04:00Comments on Pinstripe Postings: American League Breakdown (Part II of III)Middle Reliefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09413753701900586090noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-33808490290980608442007-03-15T09:17:00.000-04:002007-03-15T09:17:00.000-04:00check out lead story on yankees .com!! you heard i...check out lead story on yankees .com!! you heard it here first!!!!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-10350554499610553032007-03-15T09:04:00.000-04:002007-03-15T09:04:00.000-04:00Karstens has pitched well and should be given cons...Karstens has pitched well and should be given consideration for the number 4 or 5 spot on the roster. However, there are two free agents sitting in his way - Pavano and Igwa. Because they are free agents with big contracts and Karstens still has options, don't expect him to be in the starting five. <BR/><BR/>In all likelihood, he will be put in the pen as the long reliever or the occassional spot starter. He will stay there until (a) Pavano gets severly injured while making his way from the mound to the dugout, (b) Igawa completely implodes or (c) one of the front three suffers an arm injury.<BR/><BR/>Since there seems to be this need by all to look at numbers being generated in spring training. How about Bronson Sardinha (okay so my spelling my be a little off- the kid from Hawaii). Here is a former #1 pick for shortstop, who has been moved to the outfield and can DH. He is hitting over .400 this spring and has shown some pop in his bat. They say his swing and concentration is similar to Abreu. Maybe he should be given a spot on the roster.<BR/><BR/>There are still some unanswered questions once the Spring raps up. (1) Who will the backup catcher be - of Davis, Nieves and Pratt, only Davis has been able to go the entire Spring without an injury. Nieves has an elbow that is barking and Pratt has problems with his heel. My bet is Davis - at 28 he is a switch hitter and has good mechanics behind the plate.<BR/><BR/>Pratt is too old (40) for catching which could make him Torre's favorite to catch with the team. (2) How many first basemen will the team carry. The defensive replacement that was signed this winter has not hit the weight of a newborn. Phelps and Phillips are reliable, but you can't carry four first basemen. <BR/><BR/>There is only one spot left in the bullepen so it looks as if Briton, Bruney, Henn and probably Rasner are all headed to the minor leagues.old professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823684296552393738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-21250169377711672007-03-14T22:19:00.000-04:002007-03-14T22:19:00.000-04:00Karstens is frickin' unbelievable right now. He pi...Karstens is frickin' unbelievable right now. He pitched 4 innings giving up one hit. He's 3-0 with an ERA of 0.00!!! Slightly better than Hughes' 7.71 ERA. Mussina got smoked again too. He's been terrible. I know it won't happen but if it were an open competition Karstens would probably be your #2 guy right now (behind Pettitte 2-0 ERA 0.00). <BR/><BR/>Scooter, I second that motion. There's only one LT in my book.Crashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04284399970885438293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-6702851038110954042007-03-14T08:21:00.000-04:002007-03-14T08:21:00.000-04:00Mr,Yea that's because Karstens in used to facing m...Mr,<BR/><BR/>Yea that's because Karstens in used to facing minor leaugue hitters. It bodes well for the kind of year he is going to have............In Colombus.<BR/><BR/>Crash,<BR/><BR/>"NO ONE SHOULD REFER TO THEM AS THE M&M BOYS...EVER!!!"<BR/><BR/>I have a problem with them calling Ladanian Tomlinson "LT" too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-24909116906264662402007-03-14T07:51:00.000-04:002007-03-14T07:51:00.000-04:00Karstens has been performing better than Pavano, M...Karstens has been performing better than Pavano, Mussina, Hughes, and Igawa combined!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-12644934883501283482007-03-13T19:13:00.000-04:002007-03-13T19:13:00.000-04:00First let's address the Central mess put up by our...First let's address the Central mess put up by our host. The Royals may be the surprise team this year in the Central. They may still finish last but they will be competitive. You ask where George Brett has gone...look no further than Alex Gordon. This kid is amazing and will be <B>better</B> than Brett if he remains healthy (no joke). Spending on Meche is not at all a good sign. It was the most ridiculous signings...ever. KC had a payroll of $45 mil last year. Spending $11 mil on Meche equals losing season. When 25% of the payroll is spent on a "star" player (if you call Meche a star) the team doesn't finish above .500. If the Royals could develop pitching like they do hitting they would be in contention next year. <BR/><BR/>The rest of the league you could really flip a coin. I think it will come down to the Twins and Indians. I think the Sox and Tigers are overrated. The Twins have real good young pitching this year behind Santana. Mauer and Morneau will continue to produce. <BR/><BR/><B>NO ONE SHOULD REFER TO THEM AS THE M&M BOYS...EVER!!!</B> <BR/><BR/>It's going to be a tight division race but in the end it just doesn't matter.<BR/><BR/>I'm thinking Pavano will be the #4. Igawa will be #5. I'm forecasting 3 starts before Igawa is sent to triple A and Hughes is called up.Crashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04284399970885438293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-34489804265293294752007-03-13T08:26:00.000-04:002007-03-13T08:26:00.000-04:00Mid,Pavano looked alright last night. He got ahea...Mid,<BR/><BR/>Pavano looked alright last night. He got ahead a lot with his fast ball and he stayed on the field. His velocity and movement arent there yet, but that's to be expected. We are still early in the game. <BR/><BR/>While Torre is saying all the right things about he needing Pavano to be the #4 starter in front of Igawa at #5, I still think it would be a surprise if Carl was on the opening day roster.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-65565872203158666222007-03-13T08:16:00.000-04:002007-03-13T08:16:00.000-04:00Mid-Relief,Exactly what game were you watching. P...Mid-Relief,<BR/><BR/>Exactly what game were you watching. Pavano was not roughed up. He pitched three innings gave up four hits and two runs. He struck out Manny and J.D. and got Ortiz to ground out. Rasner was ineffective as was the pitcher they got from Arizona Russ O.(who happened to take the loss).old professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823684296552393738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-81657438518123306252007-03-12T21:14:00.000-04:002007-03-12T21:14:00.000-04:00Pitching roughed up in exhibition with the Sox ton...Pitching roughed up in exhibition with the Sox tonight - Pavano and Rassner go 5.1 innings and give up 5 earned.<BR/><BR/>Score is tied at 4.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-90392709169768202532007-03-12T12:58:00.000-04:002007-03-12T12:58:00.000-04:00Tough to pick against the Tigers with the quality ...Tough to pick against the Tigers with the quality of their young arms and a lineup that boasts some serious pop.<BR/><BR/>Sheffield is good for 30 and 100 when he gets out of bed in the morning.<BR/><BR/>Here's the lineup:<BR/><BR/> Curtis GrandersonCF<BR/> Placido Polanco 2B<BR/> Carlos Guillen SS<BR/> Gary Sheffield DH<BR/> Magglio Ordonez RF<BR/> Ivan Rodriguez C<BR/> Sean Casey 1B<BR/> Craig Monroe LF<BR/> Brandon Inge 3B<BR/><BR/>I hate to say it but this rivals anything the Yankees can put out there.<BR/><BR/>This looks like the best division in baseball.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35713616.post-92218976837658716792007-03-12T10:05:00.000-04:002007-03-12T10:05:00.000-04:00Mid relief, your projection regarding Cleveland is...Mid relief, your projection regarding Cleveland is based on their bullpen holding up. They have added three good (not solid - remember Joe B. could not make it with the Yankees and pitched well with a second tier team for the last two years)relievers.<BR/><BR/>Last year their starting pitching staff was good (I believe third in the AL in ERA)and their offense was second in runs scored. It was their defense and bullpen that killed them.<BR/><BR/>If those last two items have been addressed, they could challenge for the division title.<BR/><BR/>Minnesota's starting rotation with the loss of Radke and Lariano could be a source of a problem for that team.<BR/><BR/>Detroit still has the arms, lets see if they can perform two years in a row.old professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07823684296552393738noreply@blogger.com