Top 10 NL East Starting Pitchers to Watch For
by ChopMaster on Feb 11, 2012 5:46 PM EST
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PrintI've been looking over this blog now for a couple of weeks, and I've thought about a possible FanPost, and this is it. With baseball season soon approaching, and previews and predictions rolling out, I thought I might do some of my own. This Post is a Top 10 list featuring the Top 10 pitchers in the NL East to watch for this year, and my predictions for them. But do know, this list is for the Top 10 Pitchers to look out for, like what changes may happen, surprising performances, records, disappointments, etc., not in increasing order of likely sucess.
10. Jordan Zimmermann, Washington Nationals
This may be hard to see, but Jordan Zimmmermann is a strong, young pitcher to compliment Stephen Strasburg in the Nats' rotation. Jordan Zimmermann was a bright spot when the Nationals had little strength in their rotation, going 4-7 with a 4.71 ERA in 23 starts over two partial seasons in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, though, Zimmermann showed his real stuff, going 8-11 with a 3.18 ERA and 3.16 FIP. Zimmermann will take a back seat in 2012 however, due to the additions of Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson, and the return of Stephen Strasburg. Bill James' projection give Zimmermann an 11-8 record and a 3.39 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 175 innings.
My Final Thought:Zimmermann will be a young pitcher to go to should Gonzalez or Jackson regress in their new environments. However, he will be a somewhat average pitcher for them.
My Projection:8-7 record, 4.00 ERA, 110 strikeouts
9. Vance Worley, Philadelphia Phillies
Rookie Vance Worley was a legitimate 4th ace of the Phillies staff last year. In his initial year in Philadelphia in 2010, he was strong in 5 games, 2 of them starting, to earn a 1.38 ERA and a 3.16 FIP. You guys know his stuff and stats, 11-3, 3.01 ERA, and 3.32 FIP last year. Vance Worley was a strong pitcher in the second half of the season for the Phillies, and can do even more damage with a full season to come next year. However, Bill James' projection doesn't think too highly of him, giving him an even 8-8 record with a 3.86 ERA and FIP.
My Final Thought:Vance Worley will be an unsung hero for Philadelphia, and I think he'll be a 10-game winner, but as a number 4 starter.
My Projection:12-6 record, 3.22 ERA, 130 strikeouts
8. Mark Buehrle, Miami Marlins
Mark Buehrle has had a long and successful career with the Chicago White Sox, and will begin a new chapter in Miami. Buehrle's FIP has fluctuated around 4.00 since 2007, but has kept it under 4.00 for the last two years, 3.90 in 2010 and 3.98 in 2011. I still see Buehrle as a reliable number 3 starter for the Marlins. I expect Buehrle to keep pitching over 200 innings in 2012, as he has in each season since 2001. Bill James' projection give Buehrle a 12-11 record in 2012 in addition to a 3.98 ERA and 4.08 FIP.
My Final Thought:Buehrle will regress a little in 2012 in his new environment, and opponents will jump on him easily in the first half, but I do think he'll settle in when the time comes.
My Projection:12-12 record, 3.89 ERA, 105 strikeouts
7. Brandon Beachy, Atlanta Braves
This man has been flying under the radar since he started in Atlanta last year. Brandon Beachy was an undrafted free agent, and was signed by the Braves in 2007, and worked his way up to the Majors, earning a September nod in 2010, and made the best of it. In 3 games, Brandon was 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA and a 2.48 FIP. This small sample was enough to earn him a nod as a permanent starter in the Braves' rotation last year, and he sure didn't disappoint. In 25 games in 2011, Beachy was 7-3 with a 3.68 ERA, and 3.16 xFIP, and led the Braves in strikeouts with 169. However, his first full season as a Braves was hampered by an injury that caused him to miss over a month. This year, hopefully Brandon will have a full, healthy season, and Bill James' projection gives Beachy a 11-6 record, a 3.14 ERA, and 183 strikeouts over 155 innings of work.
My Final Thought:I see Brandon Beachy as a strong number 4 starter for the Braves, and as a reliable guy to go to.
My Projection:13-8 record, 3.83 ERA, 172 strikeouts
6. Carlos Zambrano, Miami Marlins
Where do I start? I'm putting Zambrano on this list to see how he responds to a number of factors. One, his new environment. Two, his new opponents. Three, his new manager. Fourth, his new teammates. Any old thing will seem to set Zambrano off and his season in doing so. Zambrano was a disappointment last year, going 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA and 4.59 FIP. Can Zambrano fight back (not literally I hope) and regain his form and dominance? His new team will need it. Bill James' projection says Zambrano will be 10-10 with a 3.83 ERA and 4.01 FIP.
My Final Thought:Zambrano will be no match for what is to come in the NL East. The hitters are better, Ozzie won't tolerate any of his frustration, and his career will collapse. Zambrano's role will liekly fluctuate from the rotation to the 'pen, and the Marlins will wish they still had Chris Volstad.
My Projection:9-10 record, 4.50 ERA, 130 strikeouts
5. Johan Santana, New York Mets
I believe that Johan Santana is going to comeback with a vengeance for the New York Mets. When absent, New York always seems to be struggling with finding a reliable starter (you know, when they're not climbing mountains). But, Santana will be back soon, just not on Opening Day. Johan will settle easily back in as the ace of the Mets' staff. Hopefully, I hope he will get injured again just to see the Mets' fans cry he will regain his true dominance he had with the Minnesota Twins. Bill James' projection gives Santana a 14-7 record, a 3.19 ERA, and a 3.49 FIP.
My Final Thought:The paragraph above says it all. He'll return to dominance and win at least 13 games.
My Projection:16-8 record, 3.14 ERA, 172 strikeouts
4. Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves
Tommy Hanson was a force for the Braves in the first half of last season and was arguably an All-Star snub, going 10-4 with a 2.44 ERA. However, he showed a very disappointing second half, sidelined by an injury, in which he went 1-3 with an 8.10 ERA. Hanson has showed this offseason that he has revamped his delivery and has gotten healthier. Tommy will be the number 2 starter in a Braves' rotation that is healthy, strong, and is getting a fresh start. Last year in total, Hanson was 11-7 with a 3.60 ERA and 3.67 FIP compared to a 3.29 xFIP. Bill James' projection gives Hanson a 10-7 record with a 3.18 ERA and 3.39 FIP.
My Final Thought:As a Braves fan, I hope Hanson can stay healthy all year, and is a young force for the Braves throughout the year. Hanson should be able to get double-digits in wins, and keep an ERA under 3.50 while racking up over 150 strikeouts.
My Projection:14-10 record, 3.41 ERA, 152 strikeouts
3. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Stephen Strasburg is coming off Tommy John surgery, with a repaired arm that is prepared to create dispair. I see Strasburg as a strong ace for the Nationals, something they badly need. In 2011, Strasburg was 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 24 innigs, in addition to a 1.28 FIP. That is absolutely crazy. Bill James dosn't have a projection for Strasburg, so I'll give the projection RotoChamp has for him. RotoChamp gives him a 13-7 record, a 2.38 ERA, a 1.97 FIP, and 185 strikeouts in 155 innings.
My Final Thought:I see Strasburg winning at least 14 games for the Nationals in 2012, and with his stuff he certainly earns it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Strasburg with double-digit strikeouts in a few games.
My Projection:14-6 record, 3.02 ERA, 202 strikeouts.
2. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
I'm up to Halladay now. You guys know him better than he knows himself. A 19-6 record, 2.35 ERA and 2.20 FIP, and 220 strikeouts in 233 innings. Halladay has been one of the most electric guys in baseball, if not the most impressive. Halladay is a potential HOF man, and he has the tools to get him there. Bill James' projection gives Halladay an impressive 17-8 record, a 3.03 ERA, and a 2.96 FIP, but only 188 strikeouts in 232 innings, the same amount of innings last year (233) where he collected 32 more strikeouts (220), over the projected 188 this year.
My Final Thought:Halladay will remain an electric ace and will dominate the NL East as usual, but not as good as the next guy on my list.
My Projection:18-9 record, 2.97 ERA, 210 strikeouts.
1. Josh Johnson, Miami Marlins
First, remember. This list is about the top 10 pitchers to watch for. This doesn't mean in increasing order of projected success. This list means pitchers to look for changes, impressive years, record-setting performances, and disappointments. That's why Carlos Zambrano is number 6. You may be angry at me for this pick for number 1, but the fact is, many people have forgotten about Josh Johnson. In 2010 with the Marlins, a full year, Johnson 11-6 with a 2.30 ERA and 2.41 FIP, and 186 strikeouts in 183 innings pitched. In 2011, a year cut drastically short, Johnson was 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA, 2.64 FIP, and 56 strikeouts in 60 innings. Bill James' projection gives Johnson a 12-6 record with a 3.09 ERA, and 2.92 FIP, and 146 strikeouts in 160 innings.
My Final Thought:Josh Johnson will have a full season with the Miami Marlins, one to be remembered. As the ace, he will be responsible for the most reliability, which he will give to his team.
My Projection:18-8 record, 2.96 ERA, 200 strikeouts
Honorable Mention from TGP: Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals
You guys suggested him, and I believe now he should. Unlike my thoughts on Mark Buehrle, I'm expecting Gio Gonzalez to fit right in. The reason: Gio is adaptable to change. He started 12 games for the Athletics' AAA club, and was then thrust into the Major Leagues. In 2009, Gio was 6-7 with a 5.75 ERA, starting 17 games. Then, in 2010, he turned up the fire and finished with a record of 15-9 and an ERA of 3.23. Last year, Gonzalez's numbers were 16-12, a 3.12 ERA, and a 3.64 FIP. Compared to Mark Buehrle, Gonzalez is much younger and is in the prime of his career. I expect Gio to pitch at least average for the Nationals, and so does Bill James. James' projection gives Gio Gonzalez an 11-13 record, 3.83 ERA, and 3.94 FIP.
My Final Thought:Gio Gonzalez was the ace of the Oakland Athletics a year ago. This year, he'll be the #2 starter for a team that needs him, Edwin Jackson, and Stephen Strasburg to pitch and to be in the best shape of their lives. And I think Gio will prove as a reliable starter.
My Projection:14-12 record, 3.78 ERA, 190 strikeouts.
That completes my list of the Top 10 NL East Starting Pitcher to Watch For [coming from a Braves fan]. What's your opinion? Vote in the poll too.
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Halladay seems like he’s aging backwards. I doubt he’s going to regress
Baseball is like Crack but better for you
by kmrblue1027 on Feb 11, 2012 11:13 PM EST up reply actions
Apparently Cole Hamels is too… glad we figured this out BEFORE spending all of the money to extend him beyond this year!
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
His ERA is slowly approaching zero. I guess that counts as regression.
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 12, 2012 1:54 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
This made me smile. Thank you.
"Learning to eat soup with a knife"
by h2o_34_35_44 on Feb 13, 2012 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
Sure, but Chopmaster’s projecting a whole bunch of regression for Halladay, and enough for Hamels to make him uninteresting.
Chopmaster OR Bill James?
I am assuming the numbers Chopmaster quoted are correct, but he seems to be citing to somebody else in predicting the dramatic regression. As for Halladay or Johnson being the most interesting pitcher in terms of talent, I would be willing to buy that Johnson could do it if he were to stay healthy- which is a big if.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
Bill James is projecting a 'whole bunch
I’m giving the projections from Bill James. I’m interpreting his projection (17-8, 3.03 ERA, 188 K, 232 IP) as a thought that Halladay will regress, because last year in 233 IP Halladay racked up 220 K, 32 more than what James projects Halladay will throw next year. Again, I’m guessing that Bill James thinks Halladay will regress, not that I personally believe he’ll regress, because I think he won’t, with my projection of 18-9, 2.97 ERA, and 210 K.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
That’s still a whole bunch of regression. He’s going to go from 2.35 to 2.97? He hasn’t posted an ERA that high since 2007. And you’ve got no real basis for it, other than Bill James and just because.
well, but look at his FIPs & xFIPs over that time period:
2008: 3.03/3.11
2009: 3.06/3.00
2010: 3.01/2.80
2011: 2.20/2.71
As much fun as it is to argue with ChopMaster, projecting a 2.97 ERA is well within reason, and is pretty much a normal, to-be-expected regression. Again, projection systems don’t know about his change up, or any other changes to pitches. It only knows the data it has, and the player’s age. And Halladay is going to be 35 in May. Meanwhile, 2.97 is a damn fine ERA as it is.
even PECOTA has him projected at 2.92
so, you have to ask yourself why all of the projection systems have him projected at more or less the same place, but are still somehow unrealistic.
(that is, btw, 3rd among MLB starters)
I suspect that the systems are, in Halladay’s case, giving too much weight to seasons prior to 2010… and, again, there is the age factor.
But, Lincecum is 2nd, at 2.82. Again, likely his Cy Young years are being given undue weight here. I don’t know if PECOTA knows, or can know, anything about his decreased velocity, new changeup, etc.
rather, I think I speak too forcefully in saying “too much” or “undue” weight, in either case.
that is, we might think that those earlier years are being given too much weight, in those individual examples, but the projection systems can’t factor in all the little things we think we know about Roy Halladay’s awesomeness…
also, of course, weighted projections are mid-points, an average of all of the projections that resulted from the data being used
If I were to project him this year, it would be something like 2.40, an equally weighted average of his last two seasons. Those are overwhelmingly more relevant than anything else, especially in his situation.
I realize projection systems are inherently flawed, because they don’t and can’t know everything.
but you’re only using ERA… what about the FIPs & xFIPs? 2.40 is extremely low. I don’t see how that’s realistic as a projection. It’s not at all outside the range of possibility, obviously. Also, you’d have to regress somewhat just for age, wouldn’t you?
I don’t care how healthy Johnson stays that defense in Miami is full of butchers, with the exception of Stanton.
Even with the defensive butchers...
Johnson had been very successful- in part because of his strike out abilities- if you can miss enough bats the fact that your defense is awful does not matter so much (other than foorcing you out all too soon after the pitch count gets too high from all of the Ks.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
I can hear the announcers now…. “And this looks like an end to Johnson’s night. He’s pitched 5 & 2/3s throwing 112 pitches giving up 1 earned run and 4 unearned & struck out 12.”
"Learning to eat soup with a knife"
by h2o_34_35_44 on Feb 20, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
You guys yourselves are saying that about Hamels. I’m not saying anything about Hamels, I just didn’t include him on the list. I think that the years of Worley and Halladay will be more interesting than Hamels.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
I don't know about you...
But an elite lefty in a contract year is going to be pretty interesting to watch from this viewer’s perspective.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
where are we saying that about Hamels? And what exactly makes a pitcher interesting to watch?
Sid Bream was out, Jeremy Giambi was safe, Pete Rose should be in the Hall, Walter O'Malley shouldn't, and the Expos should be in Montreal.
by Veni Vidi Vici on Feb 13, 2012 10:36 PM EST up reply actions
to be fair, any projection system will project regression in cases like Halladay’s, or Hamels’
by yolacrary on Feb 12, 2012 7:43 AM EST upreplyactions
.Sure, but Chopmaster’s projecting a whole bunch of regression for Halladay, and enough for Hamels to make him uninteresting.
by Phrozen on Feb 12, 2012 4:16 PM EST upreplyactions
I had said absolutely nothing about Cole Hamels in the post. You guys assumed, because he wasn’t on the list, I projected much regression for Hamels.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
I can't speak for Chopmaster....
But this article got me to thinking of what pitchers interest me the most (and more importantly why)…
The pitchers that I find interesting are not all elite pitchers (although those are always interesting), but also guys who have switched teams (more interesting still if they switched leagues in the process), rookies, those coming back from injuries (particularly those who lost most if not all of their 2011 to injuries), very young players (1st or 2nd full year in the big leagues), and those coming back from injuries.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
I had to take 10 pitchers, and adding Lee and Hamels to Halladay and Worley would just be monotonous. We already know you guys have the best rotation in baseball, even without Oswalt, but I needed to put in pitchers of other teams.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
No, you wanted to put in pitchers from other teams.
But, giving you credit for leaving your criteria undefined, what, exactly, is the point?
To tell people some of the pitchers that will be fun to see pitch in 2012, whether they are national stars or under-the-national radar.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
Besides,
It’s a list of the Top 10 NL East Starting Pitchers to Watch, not All These Phillie Fellers are Perty Dang Good
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
I really don’t understand this list. You said you excluded Hamels and Lee because you needed to include pitchers from other teams, which I agree with, but some of your additions are questionable. Carlos Zambrano? Jordan Zimmerman over Gio Gonzalez? Worley over Lee or Hamels?
I’m not sure if I’m missing something. Does “players to watch” just mean you’re interested in seeing how they do this season? Or did you mean top 10? If it’s players you’re interested in, then the list is good, though I still have Gonzalez in over Zimmerman. If it’s who you think is best, your list is way off. Either way, you should specify before posting.
Just talkin about practice
Follow me on Twitter - @Teachin2daChoir
It’s players that I’m interested in seeing how they do this season, due to their new clubs, or playing a full season this year, etc., in increasing order from 10 to 1, not in order of success. I did specify that in the introductory paragraph of my post.
But do know, this list is for the Top 10 Pitchers to look out for, like what changes may happen, surprising performances, records, disappointments, etc., not in increasing order of likely sucess.
For example, I want to see how Vance Worley does because he was 11-3 last season, and this season he’ll be a full time starter. Also, I always want to see how Roy Halladay does because of his performances. However, I’m not that intersted in Hamels or Lee. I do want to see how guys like Zimmermann, Santana, and especially Johnson will do now that they will be pitching for a full season, because Santana and Johnson were dominant before their injuries. I’d expect the same from Hamels or Lee, but for me Halladay is the one guy out of the Phillies’ rotation I’d like to see pitch an impressive game against the Braves or another NL team.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
That makes sense, I just got lost in the numerous times you said Top 10, that I disregarded the last sentence. That’s my mistake. I agree with your list, based on what it is, with the only minor change being that I would put Gio Gonzalez on for the same reason you have Mark Buehrle on, I’m curious to see how he does in the N.L. East after being in the less competitive A.L. West for so long. I’m curious more to see if Johnson can stay healthy, because we already know he is a stud. Same goes for Santana. And it will be interesting to see how Zambrano and Ozzie deal with each other.
A Very good list and post, now that it’s clear what you were doing.
Just talkin about practice
Follow me on Twitter - @Teachin2daChoir
by The Mad Hopper on Feb 12, 2012 2:37 PM EST up reply actions
But is Santana still the pitcher he used to be?
He was showing signs of decline prior to the shoulder surgery, and that type of shoulder surgery is fairly rare, so there is not a complete template as to how pitchers who have been through the surgery turn out in the long run. I am very interested to see what he looks like over the course of the season.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
For what it’s worth, I read it as players to be interested in, though the sort of one-upsmanship rhetoric of Johnson over Halladay confused that a little.
I think it’s an interesting list for enumerating some of the stranger cases in the NL East this year, though if it were strictly that, you’d almost want more prospect-y types: how’s Julio Teheran going to do, for instance, would be the kind of thing I’d expect on a list of pitchers to watch strictly from an intrigue point of view.
It lost me when it mentioned that Beachy has been flying under the radar. What radar? ESPN’s radar? As an avid reader of TGP and TC, Beachy is directly in the middle of the radar. The inferiority, woe-is-me complex of Atlanta fans is ridiculous.
Sorry, I didn’t specify that. I mean like national attention, e.g. ESPN, MLB Network, those guys.
The inferiority, woe-is-me complex of Atlanta fans is ridiculous.
Please explain that further to me. The reason we may not be cheery or downright spiteful of our team is because we collapsed in September last year. That’s a perfectly valid reason to feel spiteful or somewhat depressed about it, but all Atlanta fans also have a perfectly valid reason to be happy and enthusiastic about this upcoming season. In fact, there’s a few:
-Our weakest link, Derek Lowe, is gone, and his spot in the rotation has been filled by Mike Minor.
-Alex Gonzalez is gone, and so is his offensive mediocrity. Rookie Tyler Pastornicky is filling the void at shortstop.
-We’re getting Michael Bourn for a full season now, so we can reap the benefits of the guy who’s led all of baseball in stolen bases the past 2 years, and to have above average defense in center.
-Chipper’s coming back for at least next season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back for 2013.
-Jason Heyward is back to his old self, he’s lost some weight, and he’s hitting the ball like he did in Spring of 2010.
-Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens are feeling healthy, and have solved their problems. Jurrjens now wears a knee brace which he says has solved the problem, and Hanson and revamped his delivery, like I said in the post.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
The Atlanta Braves: In the best shape of their lives.
by philsandthrills on Feb 12, 2012 2:39 PM EST up reply actions
Now if only we could figure out to get that guy in from third….
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
Put a keg and a dozen wings on home plate, and tell him vanilla ice is playing after the game. Also, have your sister show him her boob. Not boobs, boob. THE CHIPPER tm likes to fantasize a lil bit
"Sometimes, the balls that fall in are jam shots"...Hunter Pence, on BABIP
by Joecatz on Feb 13, 2012 8:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
No, my point is that we all know you have a billion reasons to be excited. Still, Brave fans harp on the fact that you don’t get enough ESPN attention. The simple point is that attention comes from playoff success. Without that recently, you won’t get the deserved attention for the young talent. To complain about that is just unnecessary. We all know the talent in the Atlanta farm system.
The point is though, they don’t give credit where credit is due. You don’t have to be in the playoffs to be considered an above average team, and that’s what ESPN doesn’t even look at.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
Ok then make the point to ESPN, not the intelligent fans here. Every night you can see TC comments about the lack of attention on ESPN. You then tell us that Beachy is flying under some radar. Nobody here ignores his talent. You’re taking lame ESPN issues and using them as reasons to talk about him here. We get it.
My problem is that Braves fans do this each and every night, like ESPN owes them something. Again, win more baseball games and you’ll get more attention. Is that fair? No, but get over it.
you'r absolutely right
as a braves fan, I hate every braves fan that whines about us not getting enough attention. It’s worse than the whole, “Frank Wren won’t get us a big bat and Liberty Media sucks,” complaint
Mike Scott was what Willis was talking about.
I like how you throw caution to the wind (not to mention historical precedent and logic) and predict that the pitcher moving from the AL to the NL is going to have a hard time adjusting to the new settings.
I say Mark Buehrle will regress a little in 2012 for a number of reasons:
-Bill James gives him an ERA of around 4.00.
-It is a fact that the NL East’s hitting is stronger than the AL Central’s, and that he’ll have to adjust to his new opponents he’s facing.
-His age could be a big factor. Remember he’s a veteran now, and that he’ll have to adapt whether he likes it or not.
-Example: Javier Vazquez. He came from the New York Yankees. He had a very impressive September. September. Don’t you remember how badly he struggled in the first half of the season? ERA was well over 5.00, and he wasn’t able to adjust. I’m thinking something like this, but a little less worse, will happen to Mark Buehrle. It’s a completely new place for him. The only thing he still has is his manager Ozzie.
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
You know what’s going to be interesting to watch? Baseball.
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 12, 2012 4:27 PM EST reply actions 7 recs
I want to see Night Owl the most but, if I take the Phillies fan out of me than it would be SS or JJ. #1 can they stay healthy? #2 will they return to normal dominance form.
"Learning to eat soup with a knife"
Interesting picks...
I am also intrigued by Jordan Zimmerman- he will be in his second full season after Tommy John surgery, and showed signs of being quite a talent last year- the Nationals may have themselves a pretty good rotation.
"Valdez can pitch, Lee can hit... and pigs can fly."
I don’t understand why there are 50 comments on this post.
1. This post was basically pointless.
2. Because it was pointless, it was also pretty inoffensive.
3. Chopmaster is, like, 14 years old. Give him a break.
1: Do absolutely no research
2: Make a pointless post on an opposing team’s fan blog
3: ??
4: Get 50+ replies!
Sid Bream was out, Jeremy Giambi was safe, Pete Rose should be in the Hall, Walter O'Malley shouldn't, and the Expos should be in Montreal.
by Veni Vidi Vici on Feb 13, 2012 10:39 PM EST up reply actions
So people can post it whenever the other team they follow is in the doldrums? /flyersfan’d
A tie may be like kissing your sister, but it's better than getting screwed by a skills competition.
Because baseball.
Some people don't think it be what it is, but it do.
by TheOrangeCone on Feb 13, 2012 7:35 PM EST up reply actions
I like all the feedback here, but is anyone on my side regarding Halladay and Hamels?
"Tim Tebow isn't a quarterback, he's a tight end lining up in the wildcat." -Daniel Tosh
Not really. Hamels is the young home-grown ace, and expecting Phils fans to not want to see him is ludicrous. Doc is simply the king. I’ll certainly defend putting Johnson first, though, he’s fantastic. Just hope he’s helpful.
I will say, though, that the RA predicions are reasonable, but I would not expect a decline in K rate. And who knows? Maybe all the weak contact and lack of dingers is repeatable, in which case another sublime season is in the cards.
That said, though, I expect that was mostly luck, as I can’t remember anyone being able to do stuff like that since Maddux. And Doc isn’t Maddux.
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