Pre-Season Picks

[daske17]

1. Cards

2. Brewers

3. Astros

4. Reds

5. Pirates

 

The Cubs will be so bad, they won't finish

 

The Cubs will be so bad, they finish last in the NL West. :lol:

[baseball7897]

With the Cubs pitching staff, I dont see how they cannot make the playoffs, but again "They must stay healthy the whole year, and be consistent"

 

NL Central: Cubs

NL East: Mets

NL West: Giants

NL Wildcard: Card's

 

AL Central: Sox

AL East: Yankees

AL West: Angels

AL Wildcard: Indians

 

Playoff's

NLDS Cubs Vs: Giants

NLDS Mets Vs: Card's

NLCS Cubs Vs: Card's

NL Champions: Cubs

 

ALDS Sox Vs: Angels

ALDS Yankees Vs: Indians

ALCS Sox Vs: Yankees

Al Champions WhiteSox

 

World Series

 

Cubs Vs: WhiteSox

 

World Series Champions

Cubs

[goonys evil twin]

With the Cubs pitching staff, I dont see how they cannot make the playoffs, but again "They must stay healthy the whole year, and be consistent"

 

I think you just answered your own question, even though it wasn't really a question. A 100% Cubs staff could dominate the season. But a 100% Cubs staff is going to be next to impossible to have come to fruition.

[rjchapma]

my picks are:

Cards

Cubs

Brew Crew

Stros

Pirates

Reds

 

Believe me I hope we do well and I hope we win the division. But right now we still aren't as good as the Cards. We still need a number 2 hitter which i think should be Lugo where ever we put him. We can put him and second and cedeno at SS. We also still need a starter yeah miller was a nice additon but we need someone who will be ready for the start of the season. I hate to say it but small ball and good pitching worked and thats what we need i feel Lugo and Weaver equal that. So those are my picks let me know what you guys think.

[CubinNY]

I think it is a bit early to make predictions but here goes mine

 

NL East: NY Mets

NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers

NL West: SF (with Bonds) LAD if no Bonds

NL Wild Card: St. Louis

 

AL East: Toronto

AL Central: Minnesota, Ozzie's luck will not hold

AL West: Oakland

AL Wild Card: NY Yankees

 

NL Champs: Milwaukee

Al Champs: Oakland

 

World Series Champs: Milwaukee

 

CubinNY goes to Vegas and collects $6,000

[BigbadB]

Yeah, you won't see my picks until a few days before opening day.

[Catman61]

The only way Albert will win a gold glove at first base is if DLee and the rest of the NL use ping pong paddles instead of gloves. The guy is awkward and uncoordinated. And yes I live in STL and watch the Cardinals games quite a bit. He had 11 errors in '04 and 15 errors in '05. That is regressing at its best. He is the best hitter in the league w/o a doubt.

 

Obviously you watch with your Cubbie blue tinted shades on then. Pujols is neither "awkward" nor "uncoordinated"

 

First base: Todd Helton. Helton, like Maddux, was a repeat winner (albeit only two times in a row, not 13) who got knocked off in 2003 but has been restored in 2004. We can't disagree, since Helton has the best BP marks in the league for the fourth time in five years, missing the fifth year by two runs. He's got a 24/18, in part due to a league-leading 144 assists. Watch out for Lyle Overbay (20/14) and, as he showed in the playoffs, Albert Pujols (17/11) to contend for future Gloves, along with last year's winner Derrek Lee (a solid 14/8 ).

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=3603

Baseball Prospectus on the 2004 GG awards.

 

Now why would Baseball Prospectus say that if Pujols was a liability in the field, as well as being awkward and uncoordinated as you claim?

 

Then we have his ESPN scouting report prior to the 2005 season

After three years of moving between third base, first base and left field, the Cardinals made Pujols their everyday first baseman last year. Despite limited range, he grew into a solid defensive asset with an accurate arm and improving ability to pick low throws from the dirt

 

Its hard to imagine that if Pujols was as defensively deficient as you claim that major baseball news sources and publications (such as Lindys and Street & Smith) wouldn't be make note of or commenting on this flaw in Pujols game. Can you direct me to, quote from or link to an article that talks about Pujols subpar defensive skills?

[vaball]

Yeah, Catman, I don't get the whole Pujols can't play D assertions. Anyone who reads the stats, scouting reports, or just watches him play the position can tell that, while no D. Lee, he is a very good defensive 1B and that he is improving.

 

NL Central:

Cards 97 wins

Astros 90 wins

Cubs 88 wins

Brewers

Reds

Pirates

[STLoserdenial1]

Cubbie blue tint huh? That must be similar to STLoserdenial. Enough man, I told you the guy is the best hitter in the national league and all of baseball. Just accept the fact that he is average in the field. He is not a future gold glover unless the voters buy into the marketing and hype that MLB is pouring his way. After the steriod era they needed someone to market as the next great "complete" player. Anyone that has followed baseball for the last I don't know....50 years knows that he is the best hitter in the game that has to play somewhere. Take off your red tinted shades and take him for what he is.....one of the best hitters of all-time.

[Catman61]

Just accept the fact that he is average in the field. He is not a future gold glover unless the voters buy into the marketing and hype that MLB is pouring his way

Oh, so now he is just AVERAGE in the field, what happened to

simply a DH playing in the national league

and

The only way Albert will win a gold glove at first base is if DLee and the rest of the NL use ping pong paddles instead of gloves. The guy is awkward and uncoordinated

To go from that to average is quite an upgrade.

 

In regards to the "marketing and hype" there are some questions just begging to be asked such as until last season Pujols got very little national exposure and had virtually no major endorsement contracts especially in comparison to players on either coast, particualrly the east coast. Next, are you suggesting that MLB has cowed every baseball writer, every media covering baseball, every scouting source (such as Baseball Prospectus, Hardball Times, Lindys, etc) as well as every baseball geek blogger to not expose Pujols subpar/average (depending on your post) defensive skills?

 

Just accept the fact that he is average in the field

FACT: 4 : something that has actual existence

5: a piece of information presented as having objective reality

 

To suggest something as FACT implies that it is provable, that was the thrust of my post. If Pujols is in FACT "a DH playing in the national league " or "average in the field", shouldn't you be able to provide some source other than your own obviously biased opinion (as testified to LOUDLY by your choice of moniker) I find it rather incredulous that EVERYONE has sacrificed their personal ethics to kowtow to the wishes of MLB regardng Pujols.

[STLoserdenial1]

Your aggression and angst is funny. Your starting to sound like a Cub fan. I guess 24 years and counting is starting wear on you.

[Catman61]

Your aggression and angst is funny. Your starting to sound like a Cub fan. I guess 24 years and counting is starting wear on you.

Calling someone out for claims they cannot and have not made any attempt to support is "aggression and angst"? Rather telling that you choose to attack the poster rather than make any attempt to support your allegations.

[UK1679666180]

Pujols is a good defensive 1B, he has good range for a 1B and will show a good glove, he had a down year defensively last year. He shifted from the OF to 1B b/c of the arm injury and not an overall inability to play the OF. Had his throwing ability still existed, he would've remained a corner OF'er.

 

But, he's below Lee and Helton.

[wolf stansson]

Pujols is a good defensive 1B, he has good range for a 1B and will show a good glove, he had a down year defensively last year. He shifted from the OF to 1B b/c of the arm injury and not an overall inability to play the OF. Had his throwing ability still existed, he would've remained a corner OF'er.

 

But, he's below Lee and Helton.

Thankyou.

[CubinNY]

 

But, he's below Lee and Helton.

 

Way below.

[BigbadB]

 

But, he's below Lee and Helton.

 

Way below.

 

But, the Gold Glove, for unknown reasons, gives defensive merit for offensive prowess. Ask Rafael Palmeiro. With that in mind, Pujols probably finished 3rd in the GG voting last year at 1b.

[STLoserdenial1]

Such sensitive Cardinal fans we have here on the forum. Why don't you ladies try the stltoday forum. Everyone over there is stroking your boy Pujols off. What do you think is going to be said on a Chicago Cub forum?

It wasn't good enough that I said he was one of the best hitters of all-time, you had to take to his defense that he is a "great" gold glove caliber defensive 1st baseman as well. Get a life card fans, the guy is average in the field. As much as you want his defensive abilities to be at the level of DLee, Helton or Casey its never going to happen.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I can't say that I could disagree any more.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Did that really need to be said thrice?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Did that really need to be said thrice?

 

Got his point across, I guess. :-k

[STLoserdenial1]

sorry fellas, itchy trigger finger

[rocket]

All of your 10 posts have been anti-Cardinals or to rip on a Cardinals poster here.

 

Maybe someone else should get a life.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

All of your 10 posts have been anti-Cardinals or to rip on a Cardinals poster here.

 

Maybe someone else should get a life.

 

Bonnie Hunt makes me giggle.

[Andy]

You think between STLoser and Soccer that we might have people that can rival our buddy Edward K. in Indianapolis? :wink:

[Brewhaha]

I think it is a bit early to make predictions but here goes mine

 

NL East: NY Mets

NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers

NL West: SF (with Bonds) LAD if no Bonds

NL Wild Card: St. Louis

 

AL East: Toronto

AL Central: Minnesota, Ozzie's luck will not hold

AL West: Oakland

AL Wild Card: NY Yankees

 

NL Champs: Milwaukee

Al Champs: Oakland

 

World Series Champs: Milwaukee

 

CubinNY goes to Vegas and collects $6,000

I like it :wink: