The Energon Pub

Well, now that the free-agent signing bonanza is mostly over (Yankees go blank yourselves), I figure it's time to start the new 2009 MLB thread. My prediction is that the Yankees have ruined baseball and will once again win the World Series at the apparent asking price of $400 million dollars. Really, what's the point? If the Yanks are going to do this every year and no one can out bid them, there really is no point in even playing the seasons anymore. They are going to keep spending until they buy the Series again. And it will remain this way until either the Union concedes the salary cap issue or Congress steps in and threatens the anti-trust exemption to restore any semblance of competitve balance in the game.

Now, predictions anyone?

Yep, I still hate the Yankees.

My Twins will be just fine. Predidtions from me will come later next year as spring training winds down and all aquisitions and injuries are accounted for. Last year my picks didn't go so well. Damn you Tigers and Mets!

First-Aid wrote:Well, now that the free-agent signing bonanza is mostly over (Yankees go blank yourselves), I figure it's time to start the new 2009 MLB thread. My prediction is that the Yankees have ruined baseball and will once again win the World Series at the apparent asking price of $400 million dollars. Really, what's the point? If the Yanks are going to do this every year and no one can out bid them, there really is no point in even playing the seasons anymore. They are going to keep spending until they buy the Series again. And it will remain this way until either the Union concedes the salary cap issue or Congress steps in and threatens the anti-trust exemption to restore any semblance of competitve balance in the game.

Now, predictions anyone?

All that money doesn't mean jack unless they win the thing. The Yankees have had the biggest payroll for years, yet they haven't won squat since 2000.

You can start bitching if they win the next five or six straight World Series. Until then, you're just sounding like your typical jealous Anti-Yankee, who just wishes that your team had all that cash.

As for predictions... Well, after spending all that cash, Yankees had better win!

The Mariners will have a decent comeback from their dismal effort last year. I don't see them in the world series but closer in the pennent race than 08's craptastic season.

I think the thing that ticks me off the most about the Yankees is them saying, "Oh my God, it's the end of the world because we haven't won a WS since 2000." I'm a Cubs fan so, as far as i'm concerned, they have no reason to bitch. If they get to 101 years without a title, then they may be justified.

MLB thread my ass

Won't don't you just call it the Lets bash the Yankees thread

Naa...to unoriginal...

Besides, it was time. We're 6 weeks from spring training...(as I sit here surrounded by 2 feet of snow).

I will confirm that the Cubs will win the NL Central. If they can pull the trigger on the Jake Peavy trade (who knows at this point) that will be the nastiest pitching rotation in the majors, bar none. Can you imagine having Carlos Zambrano and him NOT being your number one pitcher? That's a sick rotation...

OK...two questions.

One: Is anyone else sick of A-Rod yet?

Two: Is Peter Gammons really that much of an idiot?

Position players report this week. Let the fun begin...

Question 1) Yes
Question 2) Yes

Whisper wrote:All that money doesn't mean jack unless they win the thing. The Yankees have had the biggest payroll for years, yet they haven't won squat since 2000.

You can start bitching if they win the next five or six straight World Series. Until then, you're just sounding like your typical jealous Anti-Yankee, who just wishes that your team had all that cash.

As for predictions... Well, after spending all that cash, Yankees had better win!

Whisper because of this I won't post here
I could be fair to the other teams I have nothing against like the Twins and the other cities that aren't Boston but all these people want to do is bitch and moan and instead of talking baseball they seem to let there fustrations out on one team

Its not baseball discussion its Yankees bashing

If one these people here had there team constantly bashed all the ime they wouldn't like it either

We quit Yankee bashing two pages ago.. Now we're just making fun of A-Rod! heh heh...

As for baseball, looks like David Ortiz is the next in line with this Angel Presinol guy...

Season starts in 6 weeks and Manny Ramirez isn't even signed yet. Anyone have any idea where he'll end up?

The Cubs are going to the World Series this year. No one in the NL can compare pitching staffs.

Anyone notice Tom Glavine was back in the ATL?

Back when I actually could tolerate baseball, I was a Yankees and Indians fan. But the Indians being well, terrible, and always getting bashed for being a Yankees fan, baseball kind of lost the fun. That and well, it is terrible boring to watch on TV. In person that's a different story. The only Tribe game I've ever seen live was against the Twins and they destroyed the Tribe. We left in the 7th Inning and it was 11-0.

Akron Aeros were quite fun to go to though.

It's waaay too early for me to look all around baseball and say who will win what, but from a hometown perspective I'm very pleased that my Phillies kept their nucleus intact this offseason.

As for the Yankees, they are far from my favorite team but it's hard to knock a franchise that has won 26 World Championships. Believe it or not, they are currently on their 3rd longest drought between titles ever. That being said, their current strategy of overspending and taking tons of steriods doesn't seem to be the proper one to get them back to another Championship.

Delicon wrote:It's waaay too early for me to look all around baseball and say who will win what, but from a hometown perspective I'm very pleased that my Phillies kept their nucleus intact this offseason.

As for the Yankees, they are far from my favorite team but it's hard to knock a franchise that has won 26 World Championships. Believe it or not, they are currently on their 3rd longest drought between titles ever. That being said, their current strategy of overspending and taking tons of steriods doesn't seem to be the proper one to get them back to another Championship.

I will give them that they know how to win. The problem being that they have two players who make more per season than three major league team's entire rosters. I will also say it is not just the Yanks that do it, though they are the most obvious target because they shell out the most. THe Mets, Dodgers, Angels, Red Sox, and Cubs all shell out enormous jack. I truly believe that a salary cap is inevitable...the problem is someone stole Bud Selig's backbone- if he ever had one in the first place. From a strictly profit prospective, the Yanks would stand to benefit greatly from a cap: they already pull in more money on uniforms, memorabilia, etc than any other team (the Cubs are a distant second followed by Boston) so, if you aren't paying your players that extra money gets to pad your pocketbook. Hell, that's what I'd do...especially in a year you are going to open a new ballpark! Could you imagine if they even cut their payroll to $100 million how much profit they'd haul in? It's an interesting prospect.

Was bored today and decided on a whim to put the White Sox game on in the background. Glad I did...I've never seen a perfect game before. What a remarkable game! I've never seen a pitcher dominate like that...and Wise's catch in the 9th was incredible. Grats to Mark Buerhle on a remarkable feat.

To put this in perspective:
this was the 18th perfect game in MLB history. In all, there have been 11,300,000+ games played in MLB history. Just goes to show how difficult the feat is. It really needs to be recognised for the event it is. What's more remarkable is that Buerhle joins an extremely elite group of pitchers that has thrown a no hitter AND a perfect game- a list that includes Randy Johnson, Cy Young, and Sandy Koufax. That's pretty high company.

BTW, I swear to Primus that I won't bash the Yankees anymore unless they do something stupid.

I never liked the White Sox, being division rivals and all, but that was special. I didn't think I was going to see one. Good for him, he is a damn good pitcher.

Now, for my team. That I can barely think about without spewing my guts out. The Cleveland Indians 2009: decent talent ruined by worthless managers and mediocre ownership. Nothing new in Cleveland, but it's starting to wear thin. I don't know, maybe because I became a fan in 96 when the Indians were so good, and I'm just spoiled. But this year they're reaching new lows. Then trade some of their better guys. Now there's talk to trading Cy Young winner Cliff Lee. If that happens, I will have nothing to do with the Indians until the owner sells the team to a competent buyer.

I feel your ownership pain. The Cubs don't even know who their owner is going to be! The Ricketts family won the bidding for the team (over Mark Cuban, among others) but as it turns out they are having issues getting the money together and the bidding was re-opened. Now no one wants the team. It's sad because only one team in baseball makes more money than the Cubs.

Just reported on ESPN (literally...I'm watching it right now): Matt Holliday has been traded to St. Louis from Oakland for three minor leaguers. So the Cards get protection for Albert Pujols...like he really NEEDS protection. As a Cubs fan, I must say...

...oh S**T.

First-Aid wrote:I feel your ownership pain. The Cubs don't even know who their owner is going to be!

But I'm sure they'll still be better than the Dolans. Cheap ass idiots.

Anyway, good luck trying to beat the Cards now.

Go Braves. Nuff said.

OPTIMUS MAGNUS wrote:Go Braves. Nuff said.

Very eloquent. LOL

SOrry, but I have to say I don't think anyone in the NL can match up with the Phillies right now. That lineup is solid top to bottom. The pitching is good too...the only issue I can see is the bullpen. THey are kind of erratic. They sure made mincemeat out of St. Louis this weekend...and we thank them for that, BTW. Thanks to them, my Cubbies are sitting on top of the NL Central. Not that another Division title means squat in Chicago anymore. The fans are getting edgy in Wrigleyville...they used to be happy just seeing the Cubs, then they were happy seeing the Cubs make the playoffs. Now they won't be happy with anything less than an end to 101 years of desperation. That being said, I have to say it'll be between Philly and the Dodgers for a trip to the Series.

The AL is so wide open right now...well, sort of. I have to say no one has surprised me (or the experts and the rest of the fans) more than the Texas Rangers. The AL Central is a wash...whoever wins that Division will be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. So more than likely we will see a matchup of Texas vs. Boston or New York; Texas will likely be the number two seed; the Sox and the Yanks will have to fight it out between them as one will likely win the Wild Card and the other will probably have the #1 overall seed.

On another note, congratulations go out to Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice on their induction into the Hall of Fame. In a shocking turn of events, Rickey didn't refer to Rickey in the third person a single time in Rickey's speech. Rickey apologizes to his fans over this and vows that Rickey will try harder in the future.

First-Aid wrote:we will see a matchup of Texas vs. Boston or New York; Texas will likely be the number two seed; the Sox and the Yanks will have to fight it out between them as one will likely win the Wild Card and the other will probably have the #1 overall seed.

Ooooooooo...no love for the LA Angels, huh...we'll see. I don't think Texas has what it takes. Maybe the wild card for them, and they get kicked out in the first round. The AL this year will most likely be the Boston Ratcox against the New York Yankers. Same old.

Angels got hot recently, but I think the Rangers offense is just too potent. I will say, they are making it more intersting than i expected it to be so props to them.

The Indians just won their 5th game in a row. They beat...the Angles. World Series, baby!

Rodimus Prime wrote:The Indians just won their 5th game in a row. They beat...the Angles. World Series, baby!

If that happens, I will eat my G1 Devastator set.

First-Aid wrote:

OPTIMUS MAGNUS wrote:Go Braves. Nuff said.

Very eloquent. LOL

SOrry, but I have to say I don't think anyone in the NL can match up with the Phillies right now. That lineup is solid top to bottom. The pitching is good too...the only issue I can see is the bullpen. THey are kind of erratic. They sure made mincemeat out of St. Louis this weekend...and we thank them for that, BTW. Thanks to them, my Cubbies are sitting on top of the NL Central. Not that another Division title means squat in Chicago anymore. The fans are getting edgy in Wrigleyville...they used to be happy just seeing the Cubs, then they were happy seeing the Cubs make the playoffs. Now they won't be happy with anything less than an end to 101 years of desperation. That being said, I have to say it'll be between Philly and the Dodgers for a trip to the Series.

First-Aid your OK in my book...


Phillies are going deep in the playoffs again. No one can touch them in the NL East. I was at the Phils- Mets July 3rd game 19 rows up from Ryan Howard and the game was in the books for the Phils by the 3rd inning. The Mets are supposed to be one of the better teams in the NL East and the Phils wiped the floor with em. Ive been a Phillies Fan since i was a kid I'm glad they are kicking ass and taking names. I just hope they keep at it and roll into the World Series for back to back Hardware.