June MLB Thread

[JMK]

So here we are in June...the races are getting interesting, even though we're just barely 1/3 of the way through the schedule....and go! Discuss! :D

[CMJ]

Baltimore keeps winning, and they're about to enter a fairly favorable stretch in their schedule. It's gonna be tough for the Yanks or Sox to make up much ground the next few weeks.

[Jedieb]

The O's beat up on the Sox to take the rubber game of their series and open up their AL East lead. Meanwhile, the Yankees are in danger of being swept by the MLB juggernaught that is the Kansas City Royals. Oh the shame, the shame..... It's up to the rookie Wang to avoid the humiliating sweep tomorrow night. Ughh.

[jjwr]

I know theres a lot of season left but for a combined 335 Million Payroll these two teams aren't playing very well :)

On the brightside the Sox get the O's again tonight in a makeup game, hopefully they can take this and get a split, they can' t afford to lose another to the O's.

[JMK]

Not really, they've got to narrow that gap with the O's while at the same time separate themselves from the Yanks while they still can.

[CMJ]

Can I say once again - I'd take a bullet for David Ortiz. :smokin

[Jedieb]

Papi is simply a Bostonian diety. He won another big game for the Sox with a walk off HR today. Meanwhile, Pavano has given up two HR's in the 6th and the Yanks trail the mighty Royals by 5-2. After being on fire for three weeks and getting back in the race, the Yanks now look as inept as they did in April. They're playing badly and losing to the worst the league has to offer. Crap, crap, crap.

[JMK]

Swept by the Royals. You have got to be kidding me. You would have thought the Yankees would have one at least one game simply by showing up. Nope. Unbelievable.

[Jedi Master Carr]

That is a shock, the Royals are the worst team in the league I am not even sure what is happening to them.

[jjwr]

I know the Yankee's aren't this bad, they also aren't as good as the 16 - 2 stretch had some believing. The real Yankee's are somewhere in the middle and unfortunetly the way things are playing out this year that could mean no playoff berth for them.

O's are tough, it took everything the Sox had just to get 2 of 4 against them this weekend and the 2 the O's won weren't even close, they killed the Sox.

[JMK]

It's looking more and more like the O's are for real. The only question will be if the pitching can hold up, and I still think it won't, but they will hang around long enough to keep the Sox or Yanks out of the postseason.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah their pitching won't hold up, two of their starters are awful and they lost their best pitcher for at least a month. I think they will eventually falter but as you said it will keep one of the other teams from winning the wild card at least.

[jjwr]

Their lack of pitching will kill them in the playoffs but their offense can easily carry them to a playoff berth.

[CMJ]

BTW - I'm gonna give props to the Cubs for winning the last seven in a row to get back into the Wild Card race.

[JMK]

Where would they be without Derek Lee? The guy is having one of those special years that go down in history as one of the greats. It's been nearly 40 years since we've had a triple crown winner...Yaz was the last IIRC in '67.

[Jedieb]

Boy, don't we SUCK!!!!! This is the 3rd "worst" team in the majors the Yankees have lost a series to. It's siimply humiliating. Best case scenario, George suffers a stroke during a classic Steinbrenner verbal attack on Torre and Cashman. Aside from that, this is a team that will be hard pressed to make the playoffs. And if they do, they're not scaring anyone.

I like what the Cubs are doing, especially with Prior and Wood having injury problems. Watch out for the Rangers. That's the one team that I think has a realistic chance of getting Clemons for the home stretch. It's only 4 hours away from the Rocket's home (probably a 30 min. flight) and that may be close enough to make Roger agree to a trade. I don't believe he's going to the Yankees. It's not just about winning for him anymore. It's about winning and still being able to see his kids most of the week. Only the Rangers can give him that.

And today we take on the Twins. Thank goodness Santana pitched yesterday. ughh.

[JMK]

Yeah, I think the Rangers very well may get him, and sooner rather than later. There's no way he goes back to the Yankees. Besides, what are the Yankees going to give in return? Straight cash? That's all they have left!

[JMK]

Now please try and tell me there was no steroid problem in MLB:

• As recently as 2001, Barry Bonds (remember him?) awoke on June 1 to find himself with 27 home runs. This year, a mere four seasons later, only four players rumbled into June with even half that many.

• By June 1 last year, there had already been eight games in which the losing team had scored 10 runs or more. By June 1 in 2000, there had already been 17. But by June 1 this year, there had been just four such games. And all of them had taken place either in Colorado or a dome.

• The mighty Yankees don't have a home run from a cleanup hitter since April 8.

• C.C. Sabathia has as many homers as the Devil Rays' cleanup men (one).

• And all the Astros' outfielders combined have hit nine home runs all season – only one more than Carlos Beltran hit last year in the postseason.


:eek

There's not much else out there to explain this. Sure, sluggers are injured and not playing. But isn't chronic injury a symptom of steroid abuse?
Weather? Please. Every year the weather is lousy at the beginning. These are some startling numbers.

[CMJ]

Boston picked up another game on the Birds tonight thanks to a late rally. NY falls to the Twins. ;)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah I saw that, also heard the Boss is very unhappy with their performance against the Royals. Things are starting to heat up in the Bronx and not in a good way.

[JMK]

Something's gotta happen there sooner than later. But they are every bit as capable of snapping out of it and going on another 16-2 run.

[jjwr]

At this point my main reason for wanting the yankee's to fail is to see what George would do if this roster missed the playoffs altogether. For pure comedy's sake alone.

[JMK]

Exactly. :)

I wish at some point he would just understand the fact that it isn't about having the best players on the market. You've got to put a strong team together, the way the Patriots, Pistons and Devils do. That would be the ultimate victory, the make George give up on his overspending ways. Wishful thinking at its best though.

[Jedi Master Carr]

First the Red sox took the series against the angels I was happy for the win today after yesterdays awful performance by the bullpen. The Yankees struggles continues with another loss today. Also what about the NL East, the Nationals are now on top after sweeping the Marlins, but all five teams are within 1.5 games of each other, that division looks like it will be nuts this year.

[JMK]

Ugh, it kills me to see the Nationals in first. They won't stay there, they don't have the horses, but I'm betting MLB will let them go out and and expand their roster later this year, and maybe will even let them get a couple new players to help out down the stretch.

[Jedieb]

Way to go Nationals! ;)
I was sticking that to my Marlins loving father today. That division is a blast to follow right now. I can't recall seeing an entire division that close this late in the season before.

[Jedieb]

The Yanks and Sox are opening up road series against a couple of the hottest teams the NL has to offer, the Cards and Braves. Methinks we're both going to get our nads handed to us. The Cubs are up 7-1 right now and the Yankees have to square off against St. Louis tonight.

[jjwr]

St. Lous is a very good team this year, their pitching lineup is downright scary and has a chance at four 20 game winners!

Yanks got a good win tonight while the Sox continue to go up and down, no consistency at all. The way they are currently playing either of these teams will be lucky to make the playoffs let alone both.

[CMJ]

I don't think any way both make the playoffs.

[jjwr]

Sox salvaged one yesterday and the Yanks took another close loss. 0-24 this year when scoring less than 4 runs...ouch! So if they aren't hitting, they aren't winning.

Right now no one in that division is really impressing anyone, any of those 3 teams could have a very commanding lead right now but all have been very mediocre the past few weeks and the standings haven't changed much as a result.

[JMK]

Check out how tough the NL East is. Everyone is over .500.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Baltimore is starting to fade, it is pathetic losing to cellar dwellers like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

[CMJ]

Originally posted by Jedi Master Carr
Baltimore is starting to fade, it is pathetic losing to cellar dwellers like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

Starting to fade? They've had the same 3-4 game lead for a month at least.

[JMK]

That's also partially because the Sox and Yanks can't seem to pull it together. The O's are 4-6 in their last 10, the Sox are 5-5 and the Yankees are 3-7. If the Sox and Yankees were playing like teams with disgusting payrolls then that lead by all rights should be gone.

[jjwr]

Yup, any other year and the O's would be in 2nd or 3rd but neither of those teams are stepping up.

Sox had a big win tonight, it doesn't seem like much but its 2 in a row which they haven't done for a while. Manny is starting to heat up a bit too with 2 HR's in his last 2 games now.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I still think the Orioles will fade they just don't have the pitching.

[CMJ]

Forty percent thru the season. Some big changes since last time.

AL EAST
Baltimore Orioles

AL CENTRAL
Chi White Sox

AL WEST
LA/Anaheim Angels

AL WILD CARD
Minnesota Twins

NL EAST
Washington Nationals

NL CENTRAL
St. Louis Cardinals

NL WEST
San Diego Padres

NL WILDCARD
Philadelphia Phillies

[Jedi Master Carr]

The cubs are coming on strong though, I bet they catch the wild card by season's end.

[JMK]

I still think things will revert to where they were earlier this year. The Nationals won't be able to hold on all year. The Phillies may have turned the corner. Once Jim Thome heats up they will be that much tougher to beat. And they just picked up Urbina, their bullpen is that much stronger now.

[CMJ]

BTW - looks like I'm gonna have to make a trek out to Yankee Stadium before they get rid of it. I'm not even a Yankee fan, but that just makes me ill. >_<

[JMK]

It is going to be weird. From what I hear it sounds like they're going to build it much like Yankee Stadium currently is. And I hope it doesn't carry some silly sponsor name like every other park. I hate the Yankees too, but the little traditionalist in me wants to keep that part of baseball around.

[Jedi Master Carr]

It will be just Fenway and Wrigley then luckily both clubs are determined to keep those parks around for a while.

[jjwr]

Go Devil Rays!!!!!

[Jedieb]

Evil, you're just plain EVIL!!!!!!! Man, what is that, 4 of the last 5 times they've played the D-Rays have beat the Yanks? Oh the horror....

[jjwr]

It won't last though, its just funny to see them doing so well against them early. I could still see the Rays losing the season series 14-5 or something silly(currently up 5-2)

[JMK]

Well at the beginning of the year the Yankees and all of their fans look at any series vs the D-Rays and see it as nearly 20 guaranteed victories. That hasn't been the case this year so that's going to hurt in the end.

[CMJ]

I was telling Eb last night...I really think this is the year the "curse of the thrown series" gets broken. The White Sox look better and better. They can win low scoring games...high scoring games...walk offs...the whole bit.

I've watched them a few times this year on ESPN and Fox Sports and I just like the make up of the team this year. Then again I thought the Cardinals were gonna win it all last year, so what do i know? ;)

[jjwr]

The Cardinals are downright good this year, 20 games over .500, 4 potential 20 Game winners, they are stocked and right now are my pick for the Series win.

Last year the Sox caught ligtning in a bottle and got very hot with their pitching for an 8 game stretch and dominated, no way they do that again. They have the talent to win it all but its a much harder road this year and the Cardinals are for real.

[JMK]

It's almost a lock at this point that the Cardinals are going to be in the World Series. No one in the NL even matches up. The West is a joke, and the East winner is going to be spent by the time the playoffs roll around.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah I agree unless the Cubs can recover and win the wild card and get hot in the playoffs that is the only other team that could come of the NL, IMO.

[Jedieb]

The Rays are handing the Yanks their nads yet again. The Yanks scored 4 in the bottom of the 5th to make a game of it, but right now they're trailing 11-7 to the mighty, mighty Devil Rays. Both Boston and the O's are up big in the 8th.

I think the Cubs could be dangerous with the WC spot, especially if Prior and Wood can get healthy and dominant. They've got the bats and Maddux isn't a bad pitcher to have as your #3 or starter or even a middle reliever. But the Cards do look like they're the NL team to beat now.

[jjwr]

Boston & O's won, Yanks are rallying in the 8th, down 2 with 2 on and Matsui on deck.

Boston bats are heating up...look out!

[Jedieb]

Speaking of bats heating up, no it's not a football score
Rays 11
Yanks 20
Pretty decent 8th inning. Can't wait for the SC highlights. :)

[CMJ]

Thirteen runs in one inning. They musta batted around 3 times.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I remember somebody did that a few years ago, so it has been done before.

[jjwr]

I think it was last year, I just don't remember the game.

Course the sad thing is when you need a monster 8th inning just to beat the D-Rays :)

[JMK]

What the hell was that? 16 batters in one inning? I'm sure it's been done before, but a lot of damage was done with 2 outs. That's the type of thing that can awaken a giant and kill a bunch of scrubs like the D-Rays. They may very well have been electrocuted back to reality when it comes to them vs the Yankees.

[Jedieb]

Not only has it been done before, but it was done to the same Devil Rays. I can't remember if it was Toronto or the Tribe. Well, they lost to the D-Rays again today. They only scored 3 runs so that makes them around 0-26 when they score 3 or fewer runs. Ughh. Boston and the Tribe are tied at 1 and the O's have a 1 run lead over Toronto. The Yanks have 5 games against the O's before the All Star break. There's the season right there. If they drop 3 or 5 games further behind from those games then its over. They either have to have some kind of gain or only go down 2-3. Either way, they're so damn inconsistent I can't see them turning things around any time soon. :cry

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Red Sox are quietly catching up on the O's, one game back. Hopefully the Yanks and O's knock each other round and then Boston will be in 1st in time for the All Star Break :)

[CMJ]

It's been a long process, but Boston has mostly reeled in the Birds. Schilling looks like he'll be back soon,so things are looking up for Red Sox fans. :)

The other divisions are pretty static at the moment. I'm a bit shocked the Nationals are still leading the NL East.

[JMK]

I don't want to go there just yet because I know what they're capable of, but I'm awfully close to saying the Yankees SUCK.

I still don't believe that the Nationals are going to hang around on top, but hen again, it would be just my luck.

[Jedieb]

I think the Nationals have as good a shot as any one in the NL East. That division has given us surprises in the past, it could do it again. Robinson is doing a great job with the team and they are really responding to having a home field advantage again.

The Yanks, O's, Blue Jays, and Sox are going to be feasting off each other in the second half of the season. Even if the O's and Blue Jays fade, they're going to do enough damage to ensure that the AL East only sends 1 team to the playoffs. It's probably going to be the Sox unless the Yankees completely turn things around.

Yanks have a man on with 2 outs in the bottom of the 3rd and are down yet AGAIN to the D-Rays. There's some kind of sick Karma at work here paying me back for all my past Tampa joys. Curse you Karma!!!!!!!!!

[jjwr]

Go Rays! :) I could have this stat wrong but I think the Rays are 4-2 at Yankee stadium this year and 4-27 in all their other road games.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Rays must have the Yankees number. The O's go down too, at this rate Boston will be in first by Monday.

[JMK]

Hopefully I can be in the stands at Fenway when they take over first place! :rollin

[Jedieb]

And tonight we lost to Pedro and the Mets. Man it keeps getting worse. BTW, the Yanks have provided the D-Rays with 27% of their wins this season. Curse everyone who's taking joy in this. I HATE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!! :shootin

[CMJ]

Boston is in first place...for the first time in about 2 months.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yep they dominated the Phillys tonight, they are just very hot.

[jjwr]

6.5 is a good number :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Sure is, hopefully the Sox's will stay in first place rest of the season.

[CMJ]

I'm not sure Boston can hold onto first the rest of the year. We're not quite half way thru. It's kinda rare for a team(not the Yankees) to have a stranglehold on first that long. A team just needs a hot streak and can claim first for a day or two.

That said, it's looking good for Boston to win the East.

[Jedieb]

The Mets just bombed the Yanks today. Looks like we're on another miserable streak. Which will be followed by a hot streak, then back to crap land, then hot, then crappy, and on and on. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yanks end the season at .500 going hot and cold the entire way.

[Jedi Master Carr]

That is there problem too inconsistent, and that comes down to their poor pitching staff.

[jjwr]

Their pitching staff looked very solid early too, course injuries and relying on Kevin Brown turned out to be a big problem.

There are some decent pitchers availalbe for trade and I can see them going for broken and picking up a starter and some middle relief, the real question is what do they trade. They have plenty of bats, I wonder if they would send Sheffield packing to pick up the pitching help they need.

[Jedi Master Carr]

They have nothing in the minors at this point they will have to trade a regular to get anything, but the salaries of those guys might scare some teams off, unless they do a three team trade.

[Jedieb]

They've actually got quite a bit of trade bait. Shef, Matsui, and another big bat that I can't recall, are all in the last year of their contract. If the Yankees found themselves out of it by the trade deadline they could unload a few bats to contenders and get some decent prospects to build on for next year. But that would be acknowledging defeat and I can't see George doing that until they're mathematically eliminated.
The Mets go for the sweep on ESPN tonight. True to form, the Yanks will probably win big and get my hopes up yet again.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Red Sox won a wild game, Braves helped Boston by sweeping Baltimore. That New York-Baltimore series could be very interesting, if the Orioles swept them, the yankees are done, if its the other way around Boston will have a big lead.

[CMJ]

Statistical midpoint standings....

AL EAST
Boston Red Sox

AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox

AL WEST
LA/Anaheim Angels

AL WILDCARD
Minnesota Twins


NL EAST
Washington Nationals

NL CENTRAL
St. Louis Cardinals

NL WEST
San Diego Padres

NL WILDCARD
Atlanta Braves

[Jedieb]

Man, I wonder when I can order my playoff tickets for the Nationals? Bitter sweet for some, new Homer joy for others. ;)

[JMK]

Way to twist the knife Eb. :shootin

[CMJ]

Originally posted by Jedieb
Man, I wonder when I can order my playoff tickets for the Nationals? Bitter sweet for some, new Homer joy for others. ;)

Typical Yankee frontrunner, jumping on a winner. ;)

[Jedieb]

Just for that you're off my X-mas card list. BTW, ya lost today, we're only 5 back. Let the second half chase begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :crack

[CMJ]

I eagerly await your next 8 game losing streak ;)

[Jedieb]

Bite my overpriced collection of aging superstars butts!!!!!!!!!!!! :shootin

[CMJ]

Originally posted by Jedieb
Bite my overpriced collection of aging superstars butts!!!!!!!!!!!! :shootin

At least you don't have illusions of granduer.

Year two thousand.

>D