Pick the playoffs now.

[Mike Aller]

AL East: New York Yankees

AL Central: Cleveland Indians

AL West: Oakland Athletics

 

AL Wildcard: Chicago Whitesox

NL Wildcard: Houston Astros

[UK1679666180]

I wish the thread still existed of the predictions back in March.

 

I believe I had...

 

Florida-E

STL-C

LA-W

ATL-WC

 

Clev-C

NYY-E

Angelsa-W

Bost-WC

[sweetpeteman]

NL:

 

ATL

STL

SD

 

(These three are pretty much set)

 

WC: FLA

 

AL:

 

NY

Cle

Ana

 

WC: BOS

[leatherguts]

I honestly think the White Sox would have to tank completely, losing almost all of their remaining games for the WC to come out of the East.

 

If the Red Sox do make the playoffs, they shouldn't even show up. Even a team as offensively-challenged as the ChiSox should gut that disgusting pitching staff.

 

As for the NL, it's hard to imagine the Cards not winning the pennant. The Braves have been scuffling lately, not too mention all the other problems with that team, and the Astros have been dominated by St. Louis this season. If the Marlins make it, maybe they'll compete, but with all their injury troubles it's unlikely.

[thedaymen]

Florida is done. Buried by the Mets of all people. I suppose thats fitting, it was the Mets' sweep of the Cubs at Shea when I wrote the Cubs off as well.

 

My preseason picks:

East: atl

Central: StL

West: San Diego

WC - Mets (whoops)

 

AL

East - Yankees

Central - Twins

West - Angels

WC - Red Sox

 

 

I now think the Astros will get the NL Wildcard,

 

the RedSox will win the AL East and the Indians will win the central and White Sox will win the Wild Card.

[Mark_R]

Those not picking the White Sox to make the playoffs: do you realize how hard it would be for them to NOT make the playoffs? Especially considering the two AL East teams play each other on the last weekend of the season?

 

Central: Indians

West: Angels

East: Yankees

Wild Card: White Sox

 

Central: Cards

East: Braves

West: Padres

Wild Card: Astros

 

Indians over the Angels

Yankees over the White Sox

 

Indians over Yankees

 

Cards over Padres

Braves over Astros

 

Braves over Cards

 

Indians over Braves

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Those not picking the White Sox to make the playoffs: do you realize how hard it would be for them to NOT make the playoffs? Especially considering the two AL East teams play each other on the last weekend of the season?

 

I'm not saying that it's a snap, but they're only 3.5 games from being out of the playoffs, and that goes down to 3 if they lose the game they haven't played yet that they're "behind" in the standings counting-wise.

[Mark_R]

Those not picking the White Sox to make the playoffs: do you realize how hard it would be for them to NOT make the playoffs? Especially considering the two AL East teams play each other on the last weekend of the season?

 

I'm not saying that it's a snap, but they're only 3.5 games from being out of the playoffs, and that goes down to 3 if they lose the game they haven't played yet that they're "behind" in the standings counting-wise.

 

And if it goes to 3 like you say (and for the sake of the argument, lets say the Yanks lose to move into a tie with the Red Sox)

 

Standings in the league would be:

 

Chicago: 91-61

Cleveland: 89-63

Yankees: 88-64

Red Sox: 88-64

 

It seems very implausible to have the Sox out of the playoffs, even if the Yanks lose

 

I'm too lazy to do the scenarios to have them not make the playoffs, but they're highly unlikely. Especially playing the (recently swept by KC) Tigers four more times.

 

Magic number for playoffs overall is 6.

Edited September 22, 2005 by Mark_R

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Boston is off tonight.

[Mark_R]

Boston is off tonight.

 

Point taken ;)

[leatherguts]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS. I personally would like the see the White Sox advance to at least the 2nd round, and not embarass themselves in the process.

 

More competition for fans between the Cubs and Sox will greatly benefit both teams, just as it does for the LA and NY markets. Were it not for the Yankees recent successes, the Mets might not have been compelled to go out and get Pedro and Beltran, and the LA teams continually gobble up big-name free agents. We need more of this tit-for-tat between our teams in Chicago.

[CoolHandLuke]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS. I personally would like the see the White Sox advance to at least the 2nd round, and not embarass themselves in the process.

 

More competition for fans between the Cubs and Sox will greatly benefit both teams, just as it does for the LA and NY markets. Were it not for the Yankees recent successes, the Mets might not have been compelled to go out and get Pedro and Beltran, and the LA teams continually gobble up big-name free agents. We need more of this tit-for-tat between our teams in Chicago.

 

So is the rivalry "bs" or is it something that will benefit us? I think your two paragraphs somewhat contradict each other

 

Personally, I want the sox to lose mainly because of a friend of mine that goes on and on about ozzie ball and how it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, not to mention some retribution for his behavior after the '03 playoffs.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

That's something else that gets overlooked too. It's not only that the Sox are the inter-city rivals, but I'd really love for them to miss the playoffs so that people could see that they weren't winning because of some garbage concept of Ozzieball or grinderball. The Sox won because of unreal pitching, that's the end of the story, not because Podsednik was a catalyst or sacrifice bunts aren't criminal wastes the majority of the time.

[leatherguts]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS. I personally would like the see the White Sox advance to at least the 2nd round, and not embarass themselves in the process.

 

More competition for fans between the Cubs and Sox will greatly benefit both teams, just as it does for the LA and NY markets. Were it not for the Yankees recent successes, the Mets might not have been compelled to go out and get Pedro and Beltran, and the LA teams continually gobble up big-name free agents. We need more of this tit-for-tat between our teams in Chicago.

 

So is the rivalry "bs" or is it something that will benefit us? I think your two paragraphs somewhat contradict each other

 

Personally, I want the sox to lose mainly because of a friend of mine that goes on and on about ozzie ball and how it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, not to mention some retribution for his behavior after the '03 playoffs.

 

The paragraphs aren't contradictory. I'm very much for an organizational rivalry, but some people let the "fan" rivalry cloud their judgement. It's better for the Cub fans that the White Sox enjoy some success, because that puts pressure on the Cubs. This is simple free-market economics.

 

Instead, there are far too many Cub fans that would be all too happy to see the ChiSox disbanded, and if you think the Tribune is bad now, just imagine them being the only game in town.

[leatherguts]

That's something else that gets overlooked too. It's not only that the Sox are the inter-city rivals, but I'd really love for them to miss the playoffs so that people could see that they weren't winning because of some garbage concept of Ozzieball or grinderball. The Sox won because of unreal pitching, that's the end of the story, not because Podsednik was a catalyst or sacrifice bunts aren't criminal wastes the majority of the time.

 

I think if anything it proves that the truly elite teams have at least one or more "feared" hitters, who change the entire dynamic of the lineup. I'm sorry, but Paul Konerko is not and never will be that guy.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS. I personally would like the see the White Sox advance to at least the 2nd round, and not embarass themselves in the process.

 

More competition for fans between the Cubs and Sox will greatly benefit both teams, just as it does for the LA and NY markets. Were it not for the Yankees recent successes, the Mets might not have been compelled to go out and get Pedro and Beltran, and the LA teams continually gobble up big-name free agents. We need more of this tit-for-tat between our teams in Chicago.

 

So is the rivalry "bs" or is it something that will benefit us? I think your two paragraphs somewhat contradict each other

 

Personally, I want the sox to lose mainly because of a friend of mine that goes on and on about ozzie ball and how it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, not to mention some retribution for his behavior after the '03 playoffs.

 

The paragraphs aren't contradictory. I'm very much for an organizational rivalry, but some people let the "fan" rivalry cloud their judgement. It's better for the Cub fans that the White Sox enjoy some success, because that puts pressure on the Cubs. This is simple free-market economics.

 

Instead, there are far too many Cub fans that would be all too happy to see the ChiSox disbanded, and if you think the Tribune is bad now, just imagine them being the only game in town.

 

It goes both ways. If the White Sox were more prominent, would the Trib spend more to get the lost fans back, or would they use a loss in fan base to justify cutting back spending?

[goonys evil twin]

That's something else that gets overlooked too. It's not only that the Sox are the inter-city rivals, but I'd really love for them to miss the playoffs so that people could see that they weren't winning because of some garbage concept of Ozzieball or grinderball. The Sox won because of unreal pitching, that's the end of the story, not because Podsednik was a catalyst or sacrifice bunts aren't criminal wastes the majority of the time.

 

That's my number 1 concern. I fear Hendry will try to emulate the Sox style, and will go after some speedy hack job at the top of the order, and fill the rest of the lineup with "gritty ballplayers". Ozzie has gone on and on whining about how his team was playing awesome but now they're playing sloppy, when in fact, they've hit like this all year, and they've just started seeing their pitchers regress to the mean.

 

But I have a feeling Hendry won't do that.

[leatherguts]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS. I personally would like the see the White Sox advance to at least the 2nd round, and not embarass themselves in the process.

 

More competition for fans between the Cubs and Sox will greatly benefit both teams, just as it does for the LA and NY markets. Were it not for the Yankees recent successes, the Mets might not have been compelled to go out and get Pedro and Beltran, and the LA teams continually gobble up big-name free agents. We need more of this tit-for-tat between our teams in Chicago.

 

So is the rivalry "bs" or is it something that will benefit us? I think your two paragraphs somewhat contradict each other

 

Personally, I want the sox to lose mainly because of a friend of mine that goes on and on about ozzie ball and how it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, not to mention some retribution for his behavior after the '03 playoffs.

 

The paragraphs aren't contradictory. I'm very much for an organizational rivalry, but some people let the "fan" rivalry cloud their judgement. It's better for the Cub fans that the White Sox enjoy some success, because that puts pressure on the Cubs. This is simple free-market economics.

 

Instead, there are far too many Cub fans that would be all too happy to see the ChiSox disbanded, and if you think the Tribune is bad now, just imagine them being the only game in town.

 

It goes both ways. If the White Sox were more prominent, would the Trib spend more to get the lost fans back, or would they use a loss in fan base to justify cutting back spending?

 

 

I think we already have the answer to this question. When the Trib acquired the Cubs in the early '80s, they went on a marketing blitz to sell the atmosphere and "fun" of Wrigley field, an obvious success. They coupled this with acquiring a few big name players, and keeping fan favorites at all costs (Maddux excepted), and had a few successful seasons along the way.

 

But there is no reason why a market as large and sports-oriented as Chicago should not fielding two playoff contenders every year. None.

[Mark_R]

27,000 fans at the Cell the other night on half price night, playing the team chasing you for the division is completely pathetic. I was there. And it was a joke.

 

Sox fans have gotta learn to start supporting their team before Reinsdorf starts putting more money into that franchise.

 

The argument, "well, if you field a winner, we'll be there" isn't holding true. And Jerry will throw out meaningless stats like fourth most in franchise history, blah blah blah.

 

Show up and show your owner that you want him to improve your team.

 

Maybe then, they'll get an annual winner.

[leatherguts]

Could you imagine if the Sox were owned by a media giant?

 

The marketing battles would be both disgusting and fascinating at once.

[1908]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS.

That's odd. It's been my impression that the opposite holds true. Those who grew up near or in Chicago understand the rivalry better than Cubs fans that didn't. I've lived in or very near Chicago my whole life and I certainly understand it.

[CuseCubFan69]

Being a NY fan I always hated the Mets and somewhat disliked the Sox. I really never disliked the Cards and when they had that blown call in 85 I was pretty mad. I was NL all the way unless Baltimore or Toronto were in the Series.

[leatherguts]

I'm not looking to start an argument, but I wonder how many of those rooting against the White Sox are either from out of town or are simply buying into the "rivalry" BS.

That's odd. It's been my impression that the opposite holds true. Those who grew up near or in Chicago understand the rivalry better than Cubs fans that didn't. I've lived in or very near Chicago my whole life and I certainly understand it.

 

Perhaps my post was poorly worded. It seems alot of people think part of being a Cub fans is automatically hating the Sox and Cards, without question. I think those from Chicagoland have a bit more perspective, and realize these franchises need each other more than the other would like to admit.

[Derwood]

NL

 

E-ATL

C-STL

W-SD

WC-HOU

 

AL

 

E-BOS

C-CHW

W-ANA

WC-CLE

 

STL over SD

HOU over ATL

 

CLE over BOS

ANA over CHW

 

STL over HOU

CLE over ANA

 

STL over CLE in 7

[CubinNY]

Sorry, I don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone know were to find/remember where is the thread where we made preseason predictions. I've been looking for about an hour and can't find it.

 

I think I was pretty close

 

I think I had

 

NL East- Brave

NL Central- Cards

NL West- Padres

WC- Phillies

 

AL East- Yankees

AL Central- Twins

Al West- LAA

WC- Boston

 

If my memory is correct I will only be off on AL Central and NL WC.