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Post by Free Agent GM on Oct 27, 2008 7:16:08 GMT -5
It's always hard to gauge what teams are playing well early in the season. It could be some hot bats that make a team good or a brutal schedule that makes them bad. But here we are on May 29th and the cream is starting to rise to the top as we get a good idea who is a contender, and who is just a pretender. In the AL East it's the Blue Jays starting to pull away, lead by an unlikely MVP candidate in Shannon Stewart. This 83 rated player has showed all 5 tools this season with a .341 avg, 12 hr, 45 runs, 35 rbi, 7 sb, and errorless play out in LF. When you look at this lineup on paper you think...eh there not so good. But when guys like Homer Bush, Josh Phelps, and Darrin Fletcher can hit .295 or better with ratings under 80 then something must be right there. Oh and the fact that Doc Halladay is putting up a Cy Young caliber season helps too. Out in Cleveland the Indians are also stringing together some wins. They have stretched the lead out to 6 games in a top heavy AL Central. While I wouldn't count the Twins out yet, the sinking Royals look to be rebuilding and taking themselves out of the race after being a first place team early on. Getting back to Cleveland, they are slugging teams out of games. Sosa, Juan-Gone, Higginson and Thome combine for 59 HR, that's more then 18 teams have with their whole roster. The Tribe also has great depth and at any given moment could bring in another superstar player without losing a key piece. Elsewhere around the League the Marlins are in first place with the lowest budget in baseball. The Cards are still the best team in the game. You'd think losing Polanco would slow them down a bit but 78 rated Fernando Vina has stepped in and done more then expected with a .330 avg. The NL West continues to be a tight race with 2 inactive teams on top of the mountain but all 5 teams within 4 games of the lead. Hard to believe that a new GM might come in and walk right into the playoffs. Ok I've rambled enough for one morning. Sorry the results are a little later then usual. Next sim is Thursday so get uour lineups in by Wednesday night midnight eastern, 9pm pacific. The draft is still going so be sure to check that out. Also don't forget to vote for Jeff Ba... I mean your favorite all stars. Boston would like everyone to know that Nomar is hitting .375
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Post by Ex-Boston Red Sox GM on Oct 27, 2008 22:20:25 GMT -5
Thank you for telling everyone Nomar's batting average
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Post by Ex-NY Yankees GM on Oct 27, 2008 22:22:09 GMT -5
nomar still stinks
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Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Oct 28, 2008 8:31:50 GMT -5
Shannon Stewart has been a quiet hero for my Jays so far this season. I hope he can keep it up! This team has got a great mix of young and old, from the baby faced Orlando Hudson to the venerable David "Boomer" Wells. Mixing veteran experience with youthful enthusiasm is typically a great way to build a ball club. It has worked for Toronto so far.
Toronto is a club that is only going to continue to improve. I sometimes worry about the future of the division with teams like New York following suit with the youth movement, trading away aging All Stars for promising kids like Mark Teixeira. But, with a host of talented youngsters of my own, I know Toronto will keep it's head above water.
Thanks for the mention!
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Post by Commish KC-GM on Oct 28, 2008 10:53:03 GMT -5
I hope you keep the coverage up all season and for seasons to come. You are articulate and astute in your analysis of the goings on in the league. Obviously you enjoy this league, and it is feature articles like this that bring an entirely different atmosphere to a league like this. A breath of fresh air from the mom jokes, ethnicity laced tirades, and childish jabs at manhood. Yeah the Royals were in first early in the year, but reality was staring them in the face. Having 16 pending free agents and all of their top guys, there is just no way they could resign them bringing their payroll from around 28 million into the 50 million bracket. They would have been a longshot to make the playoffs, (did it once in 12 sims), without some absolutely marvelous moves. Should they have made those moves they would have entered payroll purgatory, setting this once proud franchise back a decade along the rebuilding process. The Royals made a bold move, signed an energetic and creative mind to steer the good ship lolly pop towards the promise land. A vision and a 4 year strict economic plan have a map laid out to make a run towards the playoffs in 2004 and sustain a run of 4 or 5 years. With an expected boost in the fan base, the Royals should be able to sign some core guys and continue to reload as opposed to rebuild hopefully well into the next decade. They will continue to plug along this year, sending out the best players available, platoon hitters maximizing lefty righty match-ups, and look for possible long term guys that can help now.
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Post by chuckinarizona on Oct 28, 2008 14:24:58 GMT -5
Nomar's wife can come by anytime though.
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