2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

Yep, they were in first place on July 27th last year. Finished the season a sturdy 19-43.

This team is certainly better constructed. Burnett and McDonald are legit 1-2 guys, Karstens is a decent 3, and Correia and Bedard should at least be serviceable (plus, Rudy Owens and Jeff Locke are ready at AAA to step in if those two falter). The offense will not hit like this forever, but the pieces are there if they can bring in one more bat to stay in the race into the late summer.

They may not make the playoffs, but if they don't break the 19-year losing streak now, I'd be surprised. Didn't think it was possible to even do that when the season started.

 

The lightning strike videos are hilarious: the way the umps race off the field immediately while the grounds crew run ONTO the field.

 

Maybe this is my fanboi

 

They are better constructed. No McDonald and Burnett are not legit 1-2 guys. Maybe, and it's a big maybe, Burnett can be a decent No. 2. The last 3 years he wasn't a good No. 3, way too inconsistent. He comes unraveled and loses command of his pitches. If the Pirates are leading in Sept it will be interesting to see what he does. But the last 3 seasons a lot of people were writing/saying that the Yankees overpaid by a lot for a guy who is an above average No 3 or 4 guy. Tough to believe he's now an ace at 35.

 

Maybe this is my fanboi memory faltering but I always felt thr pirates were doing just enOugh to win those games offensively last year. And the pitching completely fell apart in that late-season run. But. I one was pitching dominantly all season. A lot of guys painting corners and getting out of jams. This year seems different. Burnett and macdonald are pitching dominantly, confidently. And don't short-change karstens. He's a sneeky ace in the three hole. He pitches with a chip on his shoulder. And in his starts back from the dl, three I think, he's shown steady improvement and pitched an a solute he the last time out.

Leadership is better, both on the field and off. Mccutchen, I have never seen a guy as hot as he has been for this long a stretch. Yes, that includes bonds. Neil walker has gotten his average to .290 from an abismal start. They have a lot of talent at Aaa just waiting.

I am legitimately anticipating a nice run from this team. Of course, check back in a month and it may be a completely different outlook.

 

And I the pirates land Justin upton without losing any of the parts they have at the major league level, as is quietly rumored right now, that could go a long way in sending this team to a division title.

 

Yeah, that's not happening.

 

Ooo, I'll be darned if I see Justin Upton as anyone's game-changer.

 

I know this board in general and this thread in specific is about at East Coast-centric as it comes, but I just wanted to point out the local LA radio shows are finally talking about the Dodgers. Specifically, Matt Kemp's insistence he's going to play in the HR Derby despite his being on the DL for weeks.

As an Angel fanboi, I'm as excited to see him swing for the fences on a bad leg as any Giants fan would be.

 

Verlander and Cain are your all-star starters:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120709&content_id=34762286&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 

The amount of writers who are getting worked up over who starts the all star game is highly entertaining. It's likely that there's going to be a new pitcher every inning. Who cares who throws the first 20 pitches?

Same with writers breaking down the favorites for a HR derby. It's batting practice!

Mind-boggling.

 

Who knows. Rumors are always all over the board. But the one I saw with the most steam was Jamison tailion and possible starling marte. Marte is ml-ready.