Phightins

Eh.... Fielder Howard Dunn With Carlos Pena getting honorable mention. The Ortiz of a couple years ago would be up there too.

If anything that just goes to show that in a seven game series anything can happen, especially in a game 7. Experience was a factor in my pick of Detroit I will give you that, however it was based primarily on the fact that on paper they were a much deeper roster. Also, using your logic, I am sure you were picking against the Celtics in the postseason two years ago because of their lack of experience, right?

It's because you have earned that reputation. It goes beyond "being positive". If it were not 1:45 am and I actually felt like it, I would search for examples (although there probably are not many on the new forums).

See, those guys all have playoff experience or "big game" experience, so you can actually construct an argument. There is statistical evidence to back it up. Until Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, and Cliff Lee pitch in the postseason or a meaningful September game, you cannot use their lack of experience against them. /thread. Please, for the sake of the last ounce of your credibility, do not try to fight this.

I don't know if this will make up for Ricciardi's Halladay deadline [expletive]up, but losing every penny of Rios's contract without taking a hit back at all is pretty damn impressive.

What does this have to do with anything? You are still a huge homer. I am too, as is everybody on OTR, but you especially.

1. It is Cole Hamels...1 "m". 2. You really are not in a position to be suggesting somebody else is a homer, sorry... 3. It is comparing apples to oranges, that is why it is a dumb argument. If you cannot justify why Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, or Cliff Lee will or will not perform well in a playoff game since there are no statistics to back it up one way or the other, there is absolutely no use of bringing it up. It is like saying Ryan Zimmerman is a [expletive]ty player because he is a Washington National, or Adrian Gonzalez should not be compared to Kevin Youkilis (or any other good first baseman on a good team, Youk was just the first to come to mind) because he plays on the [expletive]ty San Diego Padres. When comparing these guys in those two hypothetical rotations, we only have two things to compare...pure talent and regular season numbers. Sure you can use Beckett's postseason numbers as a reason to call him clutch, but you cannot use Roy Halladay's lack of postseason experience against him. Doesn't work, sorry.

I hate this argument that you are using. Because Lincecum, Halladay, and Lee have not had the privilege of pitching in meaningful games yet, we are to assume they will not perform well in them? This should not even be a factor, since frankly we have no idea how they will do in the playoffs. There is a good chance we will find out in October about Lincecum and Lee, but until then it's a pointless argument. This argument should be based on what we do know, not what we don't know. Beckett, Carpenter, and Schilling have all done it in the postseason, in part because they have all been lucky enough to play for winning teams. With that said, I would still take the first rotation although I agree I don't think the two rotations are as far off as most would think (minus your inclusion of Schilling of course).

I'd honestly rather keep Bruntlett. Not saying Bruntlett is a better hitter, but now that we have Francisco there would be very few times where we'd need that 2nd right handed bat off the bench to come up in a big pinch hitting spot. Bruntlett can play every single position on the field and play them well, which Nomar can't do.

Haha I guess I'm the only one who likes the jerseys.

Yeah I really dig the court.

I think the retro ones they wore at home occasionally last year will be the full time home jerseys this year, and the red ones will be the new road ones. Not 100% sure though.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/photos/large/22500383.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0ZRYP5X5F6FSMBCCSE82&Expires=1249942781&Signature=kj1KbFkbwvfIBKZJQzXpKO%2BpilM%3D That is the court, since Diesel was too lazy to post it.

They just showed a video of Jrue wearing the new road jersey on DNL. Can't find it online though.

Lots of news coming in... Pedro Martinez will join the starting rotation and will make his debut on Wednesday. The team will make a roster move Wednesday morning to make room for him (my guess is Kyle Kendrick). The addition of Pedro to the rotation means that Jamie Moyer has been bumped and will now pitch out of the bullpen, which is a major surprise to me. Although, now that I think about it, if they use him properly he could be very effective. My initial thoughts were "a guy with an 81 mph fastball is not going to survive in the bullpen", but there are certain hitters that Jamie absolutely owns and if Charlie picks his matchups right, this could work. Guys who are impatient and free swingers usually have tons of trouble against him, which is why he has dominated the Marlins for so long I guess, however recently they have been doing a bit better against him. But still, for a guy who is 46 and has never pitched out of the bullpen before, I have my questions as to if this will work. Also, Chad Durbin has been activated from the DL and Rodrigo Lopez has been optioned down to AAA (I thought he had to clear waivers first, but apparently not). Pitching matchups in Chicago: Tomorrow: JA Happ vs. Rich Harden Wednesday: Pedro Martinez vs. Jeff Samardzija Thursday: Cliff Lee vs. Ryan Dempster Also kind of surprising to me that they are waiting until Thursday to pitch Lee. He will be on 6 days rest. Also, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Scott Eyre, and Pedro Feliz attended UFC 101 at the Wachovia Center on Saturday night following their game against the Marlins. Tons of Philly athletes were there (I know a bunch of Flyers, like Riley Cote, Jeff Carter, and Chris Pronger were). Anyway, here is a pic of Jayson checking out a big fight in the stands. http://www.thefightins.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/JaysonWerthUFC101.jpg Also apparently after the fight they were out partying until 6 am. Of course Phillies fans are now wondering if that's why Werth got the day off yesterday afternoon, and if it's any coincidence he looked hung over and played like absolute [expletive] when they put him in the game.

I will take the Red Sox rotation as a whole, but Lincecum and Cain as a top 2.

Giants fans....sorry but your offense is not that good, even at it's fullest potential. Don't take that as a knock because you still are a damn good team. That pitching staff is dynamite and can match up IMO with any staff in baseball, especially in a playoff short series, and your team really fits that huge stadium like a glove. So if your pitching lives up to the hype, your team plays solid defense, and you play small ball and use those huge gaps to your advantage, honestly the team could do serious damage if they make the postseason. But please do not try to say your offense is good lol. With that said, AL East no question. I honestly think if you subbed the Dodgers with either the Blue Jays or Orioles, the Dodgers would be in 4th in the AL East. That is just how strong that division is.

Rockies?

Okay.

They are not hitting with runners in scoring position....starts and ends with that. The offense is in a lull which will happen in a 162 game season, but they just picked a bad series to go cold in.

Also, looks like Pedro will be getting a start in Chicago this week. The team has not announced a pitching rotation going forward, but sadly I think today may have been the last we will see of Jamie Moyer in a Phillies uniform.

Seriously Joe West and his crew should not be allowed to step foot in a Major League stadium ever again. How the [expletive] has he been around so long? The umpiring has been pathetic all series, and today is just a joke. Also I have never seen an entire stadium give an umpire as much hell as they are giving Ed Rapuano right now, even in a city like Philadelphia that is always tough on umpires and referees. He deserves every bit of it though. Worst part is Shane Victorino will probably be suspended and Ed Rapuano will not even get a slap on the wrist. This crew is a disgrace. And as I type this the Marlins have blown this game open.....[expletive] this.

Seriously, what the [expletive] is with the horrible umpiring all over baseball this weekend? I think Ed Rapuano takes the cake though...I can't even describe what just happened. Watch SportsCenter.

The hatred is mutual my man.

Eklund is an idiot though.