4/6 Cheering, Venting, Spring Break & KY Luebke

[bigh0rt]

In My Team News...

I'm starting Cory Luebke and Colby Lewis today, and since I had a free roster spot with Tim Stauffer being placed on the DL, I figured why not roll the dice on my first spot start of the year. Enter Jake Arrieta. All I'm hoping for here is a Win. Pavano's Road Splits are fugly, so all I need him to do is not suck, and pitch long enough to hopefully earn a Win. I'm sure this will all blow up in my face. Can't wait.

[GardnerRunsRampant]

Probably going to leave John Danks on the bench in Texas today. Hopefully my bats come alive though.

Yeah i would probably bench Danks in Texas. Better to be safe than sorry.

Based on yesterday's pitching, start 'em all! While your at it, go grab Chen (Pujols last opening day was a GIDP machine!) and injury queen Pavano.

On a serious note, I'm very curious to see the White Sox lineup today.

[kab21]

Another note on last night's games: Johan Santana did well but fastball velocity was under 88 MPH. For a pitcher that relies so heavily on a fastball/changeup combination, that's not so promising. The change-up isn't likely to fool many people when they don't need to worry about catching up to his fastball.

All of the reports out of the Mets camp these past few months have said that Johan has been forced to 'reinvent' himself as a finesse pitcher, because he is never expected to fully regain that velocity (though he did dial it up a few times into the 90s yesterday). I don't think he will be as reliant on that speed differential between his fastball and change, and is looking to rely more on location and mixing in his breaking ball curve/slider (I think it's a slow slider), which he used a lot more in yesterday's start than I've ever seen before.

Johan has been a finesse pitcher for awhile. I think most were fooled into thinking he was a flamethrower because of his K rates but he was great because of his change. the big thing will be durability and the quality of his pitches (arm angle, movement, difference in speeds). I'll be rooting for him.

[Syfo-Dyas]

Probably going to leave John Danks on the bench in Texas today. Hopefully my bats come alive though.

Yeah i would probably bench Danks in Texas. Better to be safe than sorry.

Based on yesterday's pitching, start 'em all! While your at it, go grab Chen (Pujols last opening day was a GIDP machine!) and injury queen Pavano.

On a serious note, I'm very curious to see the White Sox lineup today.

De Aza CF
Morel 3B
Dunn DH
Konerko 1B
Pierzynski C
Rios RF
Ramirez SS
Viciedo LF
Beckham 2B

[bigh0rt]

Annoying seeing Ramirez batting 7th

[Skin Blues]

Morel, Dunn, Pierzynski, Rios... that is an atrocious middle part of the order. Bookended nicely by De Aza, Ramirez, and Viciedo. All of whom I like for this season.

[Skin Blues]

Ladies and gentlemen, the opening day DH for the Tampa Bay Rays, batting cleanup, is none other than... Jeff Keppinger??

[GardnerRunsRampant]

Morel, Dunn, Pierzynski, Rios... that is an atrocious middle part of the order. Bookended nicely by De Aza, Ramirez, and Viciedo. All of whom I like for this season.

Your forgetting Konerko. Also, Dunn has been generating a lot of noise in spring training (granted it's ST). In 57 AB, he walked 14 times, struck out 12, hit 6 HR, generating 9 Runs and 15 RBI leading to a .263/.408/.596. Beckham has also been generating some buzz.

This lineup could very well be awful. The fact is they have a lot of talent that fell short last year. If enough players on that team can right the ship, they could be quite good.

[Syfo-Dyas]

Ladies and gentlemen, the opening day DH for the Tampa Bay Rays, batting cleanup, is none other than... Jeff Keppinger??

Jennings CF
Zobrist LF
Longoria 3B
Keppinger DH
Rodriguez SS
Johnson 2B
Pena 1B
Molina C
Joyce RF



edit:
it's a Sabathia special

[interchange]

I wonder if Joyce is going to be an everyday starter now. Obviously hitting 9th against a lefty is a bad play. But, against right-handers he can hold huge value in daily leagues.