I won't post predictions this early on because I would only post with my heart. The end result would be Dodgers vs Red Sox, Dodgers winning or Dodgers vs Indians, Dodgers winning.
But you my friend. Are you absolutely sure you are OK? I find it real hard to understand how any Cardinal fan would ever take the Cubs over the Cards, but wait! You go a step further. You go so far as to say the Cubs will sweep a World Series over the Tigers.
The possibility of the Cubs getting into the playoffs and the Cardinals are quite possible because I feel that's the weakest division in baseball. But to win in the playoffs and world series you have to have good pitching. Pitching is always the key. No pitching, no championship.
It's a good thing the internet keeps you're identity hidden because if anyone knew you posted this and went to Busch Stadium this year, you may have to leave by EMS. It is sacralidges to pick the Cubs over the Cards in Red Bird land.
That would be like me picking the Giants over the Dodgers. I don't care how good the Giants looked I would never pick them to do anything except for candidates to throw pies at.
I'm also a Red Sox fan, have been since 1969 when I lived for a short time in the Boston area. In 1981 I lived in New Jersey and went to a Yankees/Red Sox game at Yankee stadium complete with my Red Sox cap. Red Sox got creamed that day and the good people of the Bronx did not follow through on any of their threats to throw me on the third rail at the subway.
I might not be here writing this had the Sox won.
Back to the point: Do you think a Yankee fan would pick the Red Sox? I mean there are some things you just don't do.
Oh and for what it's worth in 1981 the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the strike shortened season. I walked into the local tavern after the game and was told to sit down, drink my beer and keep my mouth shut.
Gentelmen, I said far be it from me to point out to you how my Dodgers just kicked the crap out of your Yankees......(long speech and moans and groans).
__________________
Go Dodgers!
Fan Since 1958
First game, 1958 at age 5
Wally Moon and the Moon Shot
In all honesty I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Brewers take the NL Central. It's a fairly weak division and the Cubs really aren't that great. For the sake of argument:
C - Soto v. Kendall
1B - Lee v. Fielder
2B - DeRosa v. Weeks
SS - Theriot v. Hardy
3B - Ramirez v. Braun
LF - Soriano v. Hall
CF - Pie v. Cameron
RF - Fukudome v. Hart
SP - Zambrano, Hill, Lilly, Dempster, Marquis v. Sheets, Gallardo, Bush, Capuano, Suppan
RP - Wood, Howry, Marmol v. Gagne, Turnbow, Riske
Neither team has a significant advantage anywhere. The starting eight are all but a push, the rotations are basically a push (a healthy Sheets is probably better than Zambrano, but I won't count on that), and the bullpens are a push. Let's not forget that the Cubs only won the Central by two games last season... and, if anything, the Brewers are the more improved team (continued improvement of Weeks and Hardy, a full season of Braun, strengthened bullpen).
In all honesty I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Brewers take the NL Central. It's a fairly weak division and the Cubs really aren't that great. For the sake of argument:
C - Soto v. Kendall
1B - Lee v. Fielder
2B - DeRosa v. Weeks
SS - Theriot v. Hardy
3B - Ramirez v. Braun
LF - Soriano v. Hall
CF - Pie v. Cameron
RF - Fukudome v. Hart
SP - Zambrano, Hill, Lilly, Dempster, Marquis v. Sheets, Gallardo, Bush, Capuano, Suppan
RP - Wood, Howry, Marmol v. Gagne, Turnbow, Riske
Neither team has a significant advantage anywhere. The starting eight are all but a push, the rotations are basically a push (a healthy Sheets is probably better than Zambrano, but I won't count on that), and the bullpens are a push. Let's not forget that the Cubs only won the Central by two games last season... and, if anything, the Brewers are the more improved team (continued improvement of Weeks and Hardy, a full season of Braun, strengthened bullpen).
I still like the Cubs... but only slightly.
Our pitchiong and defense are far superior than the Brewers, and Lieber and Dempster are our 4 and 5 pitchers
Our pitching and defense are far superior than the Brewers, and Lieber and Dempster are our 4 and 5 pitchers
The pitching and defense are not far superior. There's nothing that supports that - last year's stats show the Cubs pitching being slightly better and the defense overall being a push. The Brewers, with a full season from Sheets and Gollardo, are on-par with the Cubs in terms of starting pitching. The Brewers bullpen (a strength last season) lost Cordero, but gained Gagne, Riske, Mota, and Torres.
The pitching and defense are not far superior. There's nothing that supports that - last year's stats show the Cubs pitching being slightly better and the defense overall being a push. The Brewers, with a full season from Sheets and Gollardo, are on-par with the Cubs in terms of starting pitching. The Brewers bullpen (a strength last season) lost Cordero, but gained Gagne, Riske, Mota, and Torres.
defense
C Soto vs. Kendall Soto
1B Lee vs. Fielder Lee
2B Weeks vs. DeRosa Weeks
SS Theriot vs. Hardy Hardy
3B Ramirez vs. Hall Ramirez
RF Fukudome vs. Hart Fukudome
CF Pie vs. Cameron Pie
The pitching I dont need to explain
LF Soriano vs. Braun Soriano
defense
C Soto vs. Kendall Soto
1B Lee vs. Fielder Lee
2B Weeks vs. DeRosa Weeks
SS Theriot vs. Hardy Hardy
3B Ramirez vs. Hall Ramirez
RF Fukudome vs. Hart Fukudome
CF Pie vs. Cameron Pie
The pitching I dont need to explain
LF Soriano vs. Braun Soriano
Pie has roughly 400 innings of outfield experience in the majors and Cameron is consistently a Gold Glove caliber defender. Fukudome has yet to play a single inning in the major leagues and Hart was in the top five in FPCT, ZR, and RF among major league right fielders. While I doubt Braun is going to be spectacular in left it isn't as if Soriano is a spectacular left fielder - in fact, he is mediocre at best. The stats support all of these claims, thus far.
And how do you not need to explain the pitching? Ben Sheets, over the course of his career, is virtually identical to Zambrano - his ERA is worse, but he beats him in WHIP, K/BB, BAA, etc. Gallardo and Hill are on an even course and are a push for now. Suppan and Lilly are also virtually identical, though Lilly performed better last season. Dempster hasn't started more than six games in five years (and hasn't started any in three) and Lieber hasn't been even mediocre since 2004 - if you rate them as better than Bush and Capuano (coming off of down years) then you are being a hypocrite. For their careers Bush and Capuano are at least equal to Dempster and Lieber.
The bullpen is more of the same. Gagne, Riske, Mota, Turnbow, and Torres (for their career) are at least equal to Marmol, Howry, Wood, Wuertz, and Eyre. Gagne, Riske, and Turnbow each have experience closing (albeit very flakey off and on with Turnbow), whereas the Cubs only have Howry as accustomed to the ninth inning. Marmol and Wood are still relatively inexperienced in the major league bullpen (and Wood is always an injury risk).
Gallardo (3.67 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 2.73 K/BB) v. Lilly (3.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.16 K/BB)
Pie has roughly 400 innings of outfield experience in the majors and Cameron is consistently a Gold Glove caliber defender. Fukudome has yet to play a single inning in the major leagues and Hart was in the top five in FPCT, ZR, and RF among major league right fielders. While I doubt Braun is going to be spectacular in left it isn't as if Soriano is a spectacular left fielder - in fact, he is mediocre at best. The stats support all of these claims, thus far.
And how do you not need to explain the pitching? Ben Sheets, over the course of his career, is virtually identical to Zambrano - his ERA is worse, but he beats him in WHIP, K/BB, BAA, etc. Gallardo and Hill are on an even course and are a push for now. Suppan and Lilly are also virtually identical, though Lilly performed better last season. Dempster hasn't started more than six games in five years (and hasn't started any in three) and Lieber hasn't been even mediocre since 2004 - if you rate them as better than Bush and Capuano (coming off of down years) then you are being a hypocrite. For their careers Bush and Capuano are at least equal to Dempster and Lieber.
The bullpen is more of the same. Gagne, Riske, Mota, Turnbow, and Torres (for their career) are at least equal to Marmol, Howry, Wood, Wuertz, and Eyre. Gagne, Riske, and Turnbow each have experience closing (albeit very flakey off and on with Turnbow), whereas the Cubs only have Howry as accustomed to the ninth inning. Marmol and Wood are still relatively inexperienced in the major league bullpen (and Wood is always an injury risk).
Gallardo (3.67 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 2.73 K/BB) v. Lilly (3.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.16 K/BB)
Ok, Pie is our best outfield defender, Fukudome won 3 GG's in Japan, and how can you say Soriano isnt spectacular? He led the league in OF assist, and he had a Rate2 of 114
Ok, I wont argue that the starting pitching, but the bullpen? We have one of the 3 best bullpens in baseball, have you seen Marmol? He and Wuertz have some nasty sliders. Lilly is better than Gallardo, you cant base it off of half a season and A done of minor league success
Early 2008 Predictions
It is sacralidges to pick the Cubs over the Cards in Red Bird land.
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