2009 MLB Season Thread

[Brass]

How so? While anything is certainly possible, he likely won't be pitching in any games that will help decide the division, and the Braves are 5.5 games out of the Wild Card (and the Rockies are starting to look like they may pull away.)

The Phillies are at least playing for home field (baring a Mets style collapse.)

I haven't been paying much attention to the NL (trying to pay most of my attention to the Sox and their cling to the AL Wild Card), but do you think the Phillies have enough to win it all again this year? Just want to see what the AL would be going up against this postseason.

[BigEd76]

The Phils have a shaky situation at closer right now, but otherwise their offense is as dangerous as last year's, the middle relief has done a decent job with Chan Ho Park and Ryan Madson, and the addition of Lee has made the rotation one of the best. Hamels had an awesome game last night (his first in about two months) but ended up with a no-decision (thanks Madson ) and hasn't won since mid-July, but if he returns to WS MVP form, they're going to be tough to beat.

[BBTV]

How so? While anything is certainly possible, he likely won't be pitching in any games that will help decide the division, and the Braves are 5.5 games out of the Wild Card (and the Rockies are starting to look like they may pull away.)

The Phillies are at least playing for home field (baring a Mets style collapse.)

I haven't been paying much attention to the NL (trying to pay most of my attention to the Sox and their cling to the AL Wild Card), but do you think the Phillies have enough to win it all again this year? Just want to see what the AL would be going up against this postseason.

They won't even make it out of the NL if they can't close games. Whether that means that Lidge grows a set of nuts and stops acting like a scared puppy on the mound, or if Brett Myers comes back and takes his place, I don't know. If they can close out games, they certainly have enough offense and pitching (Joe Blanton may be one of the most underrated starters in the NL right now with the way he's pitched the last couple of months, and of course JA Happ is pitching very well) to defeat Colorado and L.A. I think they match up very well against both of those teams, and with Lee, they now match up well with San Francisco, which was the team I was the most worried about.

Of course, anything can happen in the playoffs, so the Phillies making the WS again is far from a certainty, even if they somehow do get a closer.

IF they get into the WS, they've proven that they can take the Yankees (would have swept them at NY had Lidge not blown a save... actually, two saves, but the Phils won one of the games in extras) and they match up well with Boston too. Either way, I don't see this team being intimidated by any AL team, despite the interleague record.

[cmm]

The Rockies appear unbeatable, and in the meantime the Braves can only manage 1 run in 12 innings against the Padres. I can see the season slipping away. I guess I'll have to start actively campaigning for Hanson to win Rookie of the Year. At least then there will be a bright spot to this season...well that, and finishing better than the Mets. That's always great!

Unless he starts to choke or Hanson catches fire, JA Happ should be NL Rookie of the Year.

Not so fast. If Hanson catches more fire than he already has, he will be burning up. He got called up on June 3rd and he is 9-2 with a 3.05 ERA. Happ has been there more than a month longer and has 1 more win and 23 more strikeouts.

With that being said, it wouldn't bother me to much if Happ got it, but Hanson is not far off the mark at all.

Happ started in the bullpen though, and has the lowest ERA for a rookie since Nomo in '95. I'm not saying he should just get it, but I think he's certainly qualified... so far. He'll also be starting in meaningful games late in the season, which should only help his cause.

So will Hanson. He'll play in more meaningful games.

I didn't mean to knock Hanson; he's having a great year and has tremendous upside. But Happ's stats are better--and he's doing it at maybe the best hitters' park in baseball. And with the way Lidge has been this year, I bet he's cost Happ an extra win or two (without looking at the stats).

[BigEd76]

#$&* Happ couldn't get one more out

welp that's the highlight of the Pirates season thanks to the Phils offense going completely cold in all 3 games.

Great series coming up in Philly this weekend:

Tommy Hanson vs Pedro Martinez

Derek Lowe vs Cliff Lee

Jair Jurrjens vs Joe Blanton (ESPN Sunday Night)

[JayJaxon]

A real treat would have been to see Hanson and Happ face off against each other. A game like that could determine ROY right there.

[TFoA]

This series could end up being a big one for the Braves. 1 win out of 3 against the Padres (dammit, why can't these guys beat terrible teams on a regular basis? Jeez, they'll lay the smackdown on a team like the Dodgers, but then look lethargic for 2 games against the Padres or the Pirates. WTF.) ain't gonna cut it if they're gonna try to stay in the thick of things in the Wild Card.

[BrySmalls]

This series could end up being a big one for the Braves. 1 win out of 3 against the Padres (dammit, why can't these guys beat terrible teams on a regular basis? Jeez, they'll lay the smackdown on a team like the Dodgers, but then look lethargic for 2 games against the Padres or the Pirates. WTF.) ain't gonna cut it if they're gonna try to stay in the thick of things in the Wild Card.

They need to play the Nats more often at Turner Field

IIRC, that series won't happen until October 1st through 4th and might be moot at this point.

[JayJaxon]

If the Braves are still close at the September 20th season series final against Philly, they will have a better shot than they have had all year with only 3 games against Florida in their last 13 contests, while the rest are going to be against Washington and New York with the last 4 games of the season being a 4-Game home series against the Nats. There is still hope Atlanta fans!

[mania]

BIG day for the Rangers. Huge win in Yankee Stadium, and with both Boston and Los Angeles losing, they gain a game on each.

My only concern regarding whether or not the Rangers can keep this up is that the bullpen scares me sometimes, but with the right waiver claim, and with rosters expanding in the next few days, hopefully that will be alleviated by fresh arms coming through.

[BBTV]

If the Braves are still close at the September 20th season series final against Philly, they will have a better shot than they have had all year with only 3 games against Florida in their last 13 contests, while the rest are going to be against Washington and New York with the last 4 games of the season being a 4-Game home series against the Nats. There is still hope Atlanta fans!

Well, if we've learned anything from the Mets lately, it's that you're not really out of it unless there are actually fewer games left on your schedule than your number of games back.

[Still MIGHTY]

MLB.com is reporting that the Angels are on the verge of acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays for two prospects.

I really really like this deal. For the Angels any rotation help is good rotation help at this point.

[Gary]

Tomorrow night the Arizona Diamondbacks will be honoring Luis Gonzalez with the Luis Gonzalez Appreciation Night, a video tribute before the game to honor his days here as a Diamondback. He will also serve as the Special Assistant to the President and CEO.

Gonzo to be a Diamondback once again

Now my only bother to this is, I hope they do retire his number, there are 3 men right now that I would ever consider retiring in the Diamondbacks organization and he is one of them. It'd be a nice surprise for the team, the fans and Luis Gonzalez himself. I hope they do the right thing and retire number 20

[raysox]

MLB.com is reporting that the Angels are on the verge of acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays for two prospects.

I really really like this deal. For the Angels any rotation help is good rotation help at this point.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

It fell through.

A bunch of people hated Kaz here, but if he got through the first inning with no problem, he has a good game.

[TBGKon]

MLB.com is reporting that the Angels are on the verge of acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays for two prospects.

I really really like this deal. For the Angels any rotation help is good rotation help at this point.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

It fell through.

A bunch of people hated Kaz here, but if he got through the first inning with no problem, he has a good game.

Done deal....

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/ange...ott-kazmir.html

[raysox]

MLB.com is reporting that the Angels are on the verge of acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays for two prospects.

I really really like this deal. For the Angels any rotation help is good rotation help at this point.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

It fell through.

A bunch of people hated Kaz here, but if he got through the first inning with no problem, he has a good game.

Done deal....

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/ange...ott-kazmir.html

My link was posted 6 minutes after that.

EDIT: darn, it says Central time.

[Still MIGHTY]

It's been officially announced now.

Rays trade Kazmir to the Angels for double-A pitcher Torres, single-A 3rd baseman Sweeney, and a player TBD.

[TrueYankee26]

Cano walks off!

[BBTV]

So yet another game where Pedro Martinez and Jamie Moyer combine to form a really-old version of Devastator and take down an opposing team. This rain sucks, because we still have no idea if Pedro can be effective past three innings... not that it really matters, because he won't be in the playoff rotation anyway.

Also, Lidge (new haircut going to help?) gets a 1-2-3 save in the 9th... which means the next meltdown should happen within two outings. Who knows... maybe he can feel Myers' breath on the back of his neck and is getting motivated again. The media has been hammering him, Uncle Cholly, and Ruben Amaro about making a change. Hopefully, for his sake, I hope Lidge isn't reading the papers.

[Shumway]

Who the hell needs Kazmir when you've got this monster?

(note: I'm VERY happy to have Kazmir in Anaheim, too, but really, Kendry's the man.