ajgnydc722 wrote:Oakland usually catches fire in the 2nd half so I think they have the best shot at winning it. However if Anaheim gets Randy then they definately jump up to the favorites. If they don't, I suspect a 3rd place finish for them.
I dont see how Anaheim getting Randy Johnson makes them the automatic favourties. They were tipped as the favourites at the start of the season, but EVERYONE forgot to look at the most important part of a team's success (in my mind). STARTING PITCHING. And Anaheim seemed to have a solid starter in Colon, and then.....umm.......hang on.......there was someone.......Washburn? Hell, he got tagged for 9 runs tonight against Cleveland in 5 innings! The best thing that team could do is run Scott Shields out to start every 5th day! I do admit, Esobar has been fairly solid. He is the only starter on the staff that has an ERA under 4.
So now with Colon STANK'n the place up, and no other Angels starters doing anything special, I see Johnson giving them a bump, but that is it. A win every 5 days won't get you to the playoffs. The Angels problem has never been their offense, it has been that bridge to get to the best bullpen in baseball - called starting pitching.
As for who will win the west, i'm biased in this argument. I think the A's.
The Rangers are a great young team, but i also think that they suffer from Anaheim Angels' Syndrome. Good bullpen, great offense.....starting pitching is who? Kenny Rogers is throwing great! But then who. I know Madison will help me out here
The M's......tear it down, and build it up again.
And then there's the A's. A great second half team, yeah but that doesn't count for anything in my mind seeing as though half of the team from last year have moved on, and their centrepiece offensive player last year, was a fantastic second half player. But the A's have without question the best rotation in the West. And as it stands, they have battled on offensively without Chavez. They are 9th in the majors in batting average (I was shocked that they were that high). In my opinion, if you keep a game close with great pitching, it is easier to score those couple of runs that you need to win, and in my playing experience, it is easier to win games that way. I would rather be in that situation, than have your pitcher serving it up, and having to play catchup with your offense all day. The cleveland indians are 2nd in the majors in runs scored, but they are only playing .495 baseball because their pitching is so weak.
So. In my opinion starting pitching is so important in this game, to the point where it is so hard to be successful without it. The A's have shown that they have had the offense to go with it, so I see no reason why they can't keep it up. But i guess could also make the point of, by my reasoning, why cant the rangers' starters keep it up like they have been? I guess maybe they can. I would just prefer to have to worry less about my pitching, than my offense. But hey, like i said earlier, I am biased.
Cafe Home
Fantasy Football
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by shortsavage » Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:06 pm 
.
