Bedard and Roberts to the Cubs back on?

[inari]

I think that you're dramatically overrating the Dodgers.

[WrigleyinEngland]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

[UMFan83]

I think that you're dramatically overrating the Dodgers.

 

I don't know about that. I think their rotation of: Penny, Lowe, Schmidt, Kudora, Billingsley has the potential to be as good as anyones in the NL.

 

The projected lineup is:

 

Furcal, SS

Pierre, LF

Kent, 2B

A. Jones, CF

Loney, 1B

Garciaparra, 3B

Martin, C

Kemp, RF

 

That's pretty damn good, especially when their pen is headlined by Saito and Broxton.

[Flames24Rulz]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

 

[-X

 

Don't forget, we're in the National League. I think Hill has shown that he can be an effective starter and there's really no reason why Lilly can't repeat the year he had last year as well. Sure another pitcher would be nice, but I don't really think it's too big of a hole right now for this team.

[David]

The D'Backs sweeping us in the playoffs isn't changing my mind that their record last year was a fluke. They gave up more runs than they scored. It's going to catch up to them. And yes, I understand that they got great production out of their bullpen last year, which would help explain their situation with the pythag, somewhat. That's still something else that's hard to repeat or predict. Bullpen performance seems to be inherently pretty flukish.

 

 

Haren is a really nice addition, though. As for Johnson, I don't really think he has much in the tank at age 44. He made what, 9 or 10 starts last year?

 

I'm not saying they aren't a decent team, but I can't put them as top 2 in the NL. I'm not even sure that I'd put them ahead of the Cubs.

[UMFan83]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

 

[-X

 

Don't forget, we're in the National League. I think Hill has shown that he can be an effective starter and there's really no reason why Lilly can't repeat the year he had last year as well. Sure another pitcher would be nice, but I don't really think it's too big of a hole right now for this team.

 

Why is there no reason Lilly can't repeat? Career 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with a "career" season at age 31?

[UMFan83]

The D'Backs sweeping us in the playoffs isn't changing my mind that their record last year was a fluke. They gave up more runs than they scored. It's going to catch up to them. And yes, I understand that they got great production out of their bullpen last year, which would help explain their situation with the pythag, somewhat. That's still something else that's hard to repeat or predict. Bullpen performance seems to be inherently pretty flukish.

 

 

Haren is a really nice addition, though. As for Johnson, I don't really think he has much in the tank at age 44. He made what, 9 or 10 starts last year?

 

I'm not saying they aren't a decent team, but I can't put them as top 2 in the NL. I'm not even sure that I'd put them ahead of the Cubs.

 

My argument for the Diamondbacks is that just about their entire lineup consists of highly regarded prospects playing their in their first and second MLB seasons last year. Considering that they managed to have the best record in the NL last year despite their prospects learning on the job, I would expect vast improvement from their lineup. If they produce like last year, you are right. But they obviously got a lot better in SP, essentially replacing Livan Hernandez with Haren and Petit with Randy Johnson.

 

FYI, the Diamondbacks team OPS by month:

 

April: .714

May: .757

June: .700

July: .706

August: .715

September: .811

Playoffs vs. Cubs: .890

Edited January 30, 2008 by UMFan83

[Flames24Rulz]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

 

[-X

 

Don't forget, we're in the National League. I think Hill has shown that he can be an effective starter and there's really no reason why Lilly can't repeat the year he had last year as well. Sure another pitcher would be nice, but I don't really think it's too big of a hole right now for this team.

 

Why is there no reason Lilly can't repeat? Career 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with a "career" season at age 31?

 

He spent a lot of his career in the AL East. He's pitching most of his games in one of the weakest, if not THE weakest, divisions in all of baseball. He did have some control problems at times last year, but overall, I thought he was our most consistant starter on the staff. I fully expect him to come close to repeating the numbers he had last year.

[UMFan83]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

 

[-X

 

Don't forget, we're in the National League. I think Hill has shown that he can be an effective starter and there's really no reason why Lilly can't repeat the year he had last year as well. Sure another pitcher would be nice, but I don't really think it's too big of a hole right now for this team.

 

Why is there no reason Lilly can't repeat? Career 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with a "career" season at age 31?

 

He spent a lot of his career in the AL East. He's pitching most of his games in one of the weakest, if not THE weakest, divisions in all of baseball. He did have some control problems at times last year, but overall, I thought he was our most consistant starter on the staff. I fully expect him to come close to repeating the numbers he had last year.

 

Don't you think those are hollow numbers though? Although I would appreciate him helping us beat weak teams and win the division again, I would feel very wary about him being our #2 starter in the playoffs.

[Flames24Rulz]

Obviously we have holes holes at SS and CF with a ? at C but the one thing that stounds out most to me with this team is a #2 starter to put in with Zambrano. I think all the other shortcomings we can live with and hope that Pie or Cedeno can contribute as well as another big year from Soto. We can win with the team as it is but when playoff time rolls around it will be very similar to last year without a better pitcher to solidify our rotation.

 

[-X

 

Don't forget, we're in the National League. I think Hill has shown that he can be an effective starter and there's really no reason why Lilly can't repeat the year he had last year as well. Sure another pitcher would be nice, but I don't really think it's too big of a hole right now for this team.

 

Why is there no reason Lilly can't repeat? Career 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with a "career" season at age 31?

 

He spent a lot of his career in the AL East. He's pitching most of his games in one of the weakest, if not THE weakest, divisions in all of baseball. He did have some control problems at times last year, but overall, I thought he was our most consistant starter on the staff. I fully expect him to come close to repeating the numbers he had last year.

 

Don't you think those are hollow numbers though? Although I would appreciate him helping us beat weak teams and win the division again, I would feel very wary about him being our #2 starter in the playoffs.

 

Maybe. I think Hill has to show that he can be the #2 this year, which obviously I believe he can do. A Zambrano-Hill-Lilly rotation definitely isn't anything like a Santana-Pedro-Maine short series rotation, but it's good enough. Heck, if Josh Fogg can pitch decently in the playoffs, why can't Lilly?