214 replies to this topic

[Nate River]

I'm kind of torn.

Many of the things I had heard led me to believe he wouldbe coming back so i do feel a bit jilted. I'm not angry, just disappointed. That said we knew there was a good shot he would leave when we traded for him. I think he saw his best chance for a title in Philly. The Yankees are good, but I think they are a better team on paper than in reality as some of their core parts are old.

He made the series with the Phillies and Rangers, but Texas was dominated by superior pitching with no offense to speak on in Games 2,3 and 5. The 2011 team would have been substantially similar. I think with the rotation they have he figured that was his best shot and could essentially replicate what San Fran did.

That said, tying up 120+million in one player shortly before they will have to resign Hamilton, Cruz, Wilson, and several others had the potential to turn them into the A-Rod Rangers. Would they have impacted they're ability to keep their core together long term?

The Rangers became good by building from within and using those parts for key trades and brining up others, not with 100 million dollar free agents. In the short run, they are not better off as they have no one that could replace Lee. In the long run, they may be able to keep their core together longer and develop pitchers from within, so who knows. I've heard Grienke and Garza's names tossed about as possible trades as a backup and how I'd feel depends on the parts we'd have to give up. From the sound of it I think we'd have to give up less to get Garza, but he's a No. 2 or 3 started, not an ace and Grienke's ERA was higher than both Wilson's and Lewis's.

[Jwolf0]

As an M's fan, this makes me smile for several reasons. (Not that we've had much to smile about lately outside of Felix and Ichiro)

1- He didn't sign with the Rangers. While I have nothing against Texas and was happy to see them win the West (as opposed to the Angels, because F those guys), they ARE rivals in our division and Cliff Lee pitching against us on a regular basis would have made us sad.

2- He didn't sign with the Yankees. Because HAHAYANKEES. We still took the right package for Cliff Lee, and it wasn't yours - Montero is a horrible fit for Safeco Field and he won't stick at catcher.

3- He signed with the Phillies. Good for him, better for us.
3a - He's in the NL and can't WTFPWN the M's except once every year or two.
3b - He went to the team that traded him to us because they didn't want to pay him and Roy Halladay both. HAHAHAHAHA Amaro.
3c - Seattle essentially traded Philippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, J.C. Ramirez and Mark Lowe for Justin Smoak, Josh Lueke, Blake Beaven, Matt Lawson, and several months of watching Cliff Lee pitch. Beautiful.

[Illmatic]

Wow, he snubs the Yanks so he can take his talents to South Philly. Awesome. The rotation is absolutely stacked, Halladay and Lee can pitch a ton of innings, so that should help the bullpen out a bit. The Offense needs to stay healthy though, Charlie had to move it around too much and that hurt their production. Not to mention that Werth will be missed, not sure how they figure out that one out. Oh well, at least we have the pitching to make his stay in DC a miserable one.

[Insurrection]

Man the NL Central is turning into the next division to watch. 4 teams are in the race with the Astros, Brewers, Cardinals, Reds. Now the Cubs have Garza.

Sorry Pirates.

As for the Phillies ask the Giants, pitching is great but you gotta have the clutch hitting.

[Codus N]

Granddaughter of Dallas Green one of many victims in Ariz. Shooting

[Illmatic]

As for the Phillies ask the Giants

No need to, they had plenty of clutch hits when they won it in '08. They know they need to score more runs.

Granddaughter of Dallas Green one of many victims in Ariz. Shooting

Condolences to him & the family.

Edited by Illmatic, 10 January 2011 - 11:50 PM.

[Insurrection]

This offseason as a Cardinal Fan has to be one of the most depressing that I could remember. And I had to sit in my home ballpark for the 2004 world series next to Boston fans, they were so nice! But then they won!

Everyone talked about Pujols 6 months before ESPN showed up AND then everyone else started showing up. One big collective headache. Especially you, every national ESPN host after Mike&Mike.

Never liked signing Berkman & Theriot.

Then we lose Wainwright.

And Carpenter....again, but he'll be fine.

At least we have a stocked farm system.........................so when's the NFL draft?



Oh and this also passed thru: Utley out Indefinately, weighing options on Knee

Edited by Insurrection, 09 March 2011 - 11:36 PM.

[Mik3]

Utley should probably just get the surgery. It might keep him out till the latter part of the season, or even end his year altogether. But unless he begins to respond, and they think he will, they have to be extremely careful. The Phils are going to wait til the trade deadline to trade Blanton to all the teams who are going to have injured pitchers, and probably add another bat that way. Good news is the pitching should carry the team for the first month and the offense, no matter who's in the lineup usually rallies together.



Sucks about Wainwright. At least Carpenter is only banged up. But the Cards offense, at least from last year, could benefit from some good starting pitching. Kyle Loshe sucks.


Anybody going to see some games this summer?

I got tickets in June for when the Phils play the Marlins. And might be looking to head down to the ATL to visit my sister and take over Turner field.

[Insurrection]

http://www.huffingto...s_n_846872.html

After a long career (and ANOTHER Positive Drug Test That would Result in a 100 Game Suspension) Manny Ramirez has called it quits.

@Mik3 Correction Lohse has Bad Luck.

The Following Suck:
Ryan Franklin
Shortstop
Matt Holiday's Appendix
Lance Berkman's Age
Skip Schumaker's Priority
Offensive Depth
La Russa's distaste in Rookies

Franklin has blown 2 saves in 3 tries. It Should be our two relievers in Memphis, Fernando Salas and Eduardo Sanchez in the back end of the pen. The only Bright Future the Cardinals have is in Pitching. Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez are projected to be great, but they'll need to develop.

Descalso is a Second Basemen who La Russa plays at Third base off the Bench. Oh and no one is clutch right now.

Then Again the Cardinals don't fair well in odd numbered decades unless it's the 30's.


UPDATE: OKAY NOW I'M REALLY #%^&ED OFF!!!

The Cardinals Have dropped the ball, LITERALLY DROPPED THE BALL!!! Pujols and Rasmus are supposed to be stars and Franklin can't close a game to save his life. And there's 0 run production. I seriously think the Astros have looked better than this.

Edited by Insurrection, 10 April 2011 - 04:58 AM.

[Illmatic]

http://www.huffingto...s_n_846872.html

After a long career (and ANOTHER Positive Drug Test That would Result in a 100 Game Suspension) Manny Ramirez has called it quits.

lol, Manny's a little punk.

[Nate River]

Uhhhh....Go Rangers. 8-1. Only time will tell if our starting pitching holds (can Holland and Harrison consistently perform) and whether the bullpen is better than their god-awful spring training . If it does...we'll be pretty good.


EDIT: Dang. We lost (thank you bullpen and screw you Miguel Cabrera). And Hamilton broke him arm....not that we haven't had to deal with extended stints with him on the DL before, but it still sucks.

[Insurrection]

Franklin is not a closer, Franklin is not a closer.

Free Eduardo Sanchez!!!

[Insurrection]

FRANCISCO LIRIANO OF THE TWINS HAS THROWN A NO-HITTER AGAINST THE WHITE SOX

[Mik3]

lol he never had a complete game or even a shutout before. Congrats, especially with the poor start from the twins.

[Insurrection]

5/6/11

Andre Either has a 30 game hitting streak

Jaime Garcia nearly pitches a perfect game. Pujols got mad...he doesn't get mad like that...but he hit later.

Cliff Lee career high 16 Ks...and loses. Oswalt on DL. (Psst. I can sympathize after last year watching Wainwright throw 12 K and lose to San Diego, but 16?)

Cleveland is the Best Team in the American League. Cleveland is still in first, and the Royals are second in the AL central!?! (Looks at prediction sheet) And here I thought having Victor Martinez or Adam Dunn would be helpful. I was wrong.

Brendan Ryan hit a walkoff? Oh wait...Sox have no closer. Hooray for Justin Smoak. The West looks like it should've this time last year. Haha, Milton Bradley is still mad. But hey Seattle's on a hot streak, one more game and they hit .500. But Weaver/Haren in Anaheim is good.

The hell happened to Boston?

Edited by Insurrection, 07 May 2011 - 05:30 AM.

[Insurrection]

http://mlb.mlb.com/v...ent_id=15040897

Someone pray for Marlon Byrd, even if he is a Cub he didn't deserve that.


In other news Interleague Play, a unique time/bane of my existence, has returned with unique matchups including Nates Rangers v Mik3 and Illmatic's Phillies.

And interstate matchups/ Inter city matchups, but that's not the point my question today, who wants it to go away?

Edited by Insurrection, 22 May 2011 - 05:15 AM.

[Insurrection]

I congratulate the Phillies for making it through a 15+ inning game. 5-4 19 innings the winning pitcher was Wilson Valdez.

I had to suffer through that 20 inning fiasco last year between the Mets and Cards last year. Ugh.

Edited by Insurrection, 26 May 2011 - 05:33 AM.

[Mik3]

Rollins was the winning run, but wooooooo, Valdez didn't allow a hit to to their best hitters AND he pegged b*tch ass Scott Rolen? Confirmed for Philadelphia sports legend

[Insurrection]

Rollins was the winning run, but wooooooo, Valdez didn't allow a hit to to their best hitters AND he pegged b*tch ass Scott Rolen? Confirmed for Philadelphia sports legend

You can call him that but we traded to get him and if I remember, that worked out great.

[Mik3]

Doesn't change the fact that hes a punk who deserves the poor reception that he shall eternaly receive in Philly.

And very cool too see broadcasters and analysts around the league crediting the fans for once instead of bringing up department store santa claus getting hit by snowballs