Spring training thread

[Dick Whitman]

Nats will win 103 games.
Strasburg will win Cy Young.
Harper will win Rookie of the Year.
Zimmerman will win World Series MVP.

And will beat the Royals in 6 for the crown?

That's what I would like to see anyway.

The Royals are going to score some serious runs this year.

And give up even more of them.

 

[imjustagirl]

I'm just going to sit over here in the corner and wait for the serious baseball chatter.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I'm just going to sit over here in the corner and wait for the serious baseball chatter.

Damn you for correcting yourself before I could.

 

[imjustagirl]

I had said "heavy baseball talk" to someone else, and then after I posted, I was like "wait, did he say serious?"

Victory!!!

 

[Zeke12]

I'm just going to sit over here in the corner and wait for the serious baseball chatter.

Joe Mauer will hit a "soft" .370. The Mets will suck. Twas ever thus.

 

[imjustagirl]

They're talking about Braun's fantasy worth over on the other thread. That's silly baseball chatter.

This cheer? This serious chatter, man.



(all fun and games, ****. Promise)

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

They're talking about Braun's fantasy worth over on the other thread. That's silly baseball chatter.

This cheer? This serious chatter, man.

A Wire reference? This is seriously one of the biggest asshole moves in the history of this board.

**** you.

 

[imjustagirl]

They're talking about Braun's fantasy worth over on the other thread. That's silly baseball chatter.

This cheer? This serious chatter, man.

A Wire reference? This is seriously one of the biggest asshole moves in the history of this board.

**** you.

HAHAHAHAHAHA I didn't even think of that. My humor transcends single thought processes.

Oh, and in the spirit of the thread, I think a really good team will win the World Series, and Nick Punto will be vastly underused despite his awesomeness, all because Mike Aviles apparently has Shortstop DNA.

 

[Zeke12]

That, and the ability to hit.

 

[imjustagirl]

That, and the ability to hit.

Potayto, potahto.

 

[TigerVols]

The unintentionally funniest quote of Spring Training so far comes courtesy of new Angels reliever Jason Isringhausen, explaining why he was fat last year:

"I wasn't in the best shape of my life last year … but I wasn't planning on playing," Isringhausen said. "I was home playing softball. My arm felt good, so I went and played with the Mets."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0224-angels-20120224,0,6876359.story

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

I'm not a huge Tigers fan..but the battle for the 5th slot in the rotation will be a fun one to watch.

Top prospect Jacob Turner vs. Drew Smyly, Andy Oliver, Casey Crosby, Duane Below, and Adam Wilk.

Wilk doesn't throw real hard, but has pinpoint accuracy. Below is probably more of a long relief/spot starter.
They may move Crosby to the back end of the bullpen. He supposedly has the stuff for it.

I think Smyly and Turner are the top candidates. I've heard a couple scouts say they think Smyly is major league ready now (mind you, he's only pitched a half season in each High A and AA).

 

[nmmetsfan]

****a buncha you guys. You know, low hanging fruit and all.

 

[MankyJimy]

I know it bothers some of you when I talk about Jeter, but I wondered what kind of year you guys think he will have in 2012.

I think when making projections you have to give weight to recent history as well as the player's overall body of work.

Here's what we know: Jeter reached 3000 hits faster than anyone in modern history. Ty Cobb and Pete Rose are the only comparable players. Gwynn, Ripken, Boggs, Biggio, Henderson, pretty much all the recent 3000 hit players were on their last legs when they got to the milestone. Jeter was the Yankees best hitter in the second half of 2011 (he hit .338, with power from July 9 to the end of the season).

So Jeter obviously still has the talent. Girardi has also started giving him a few more days off because Jetes just doesn't have the stamina he had in his 20s. (I'd rather see Jeter put up great numbers playing 135 games than play 160 games and be spent by the time October comes).

I am going to predict a .320 batting average with 20 homers and 85 RBIs.

What do you think?

 

[jr/shotglass]

Anyone else you want predictions on?

 

[MankyJimy]

Anyone else you want predictions on?

OK. How about Strasburg, Pujols, or Manny?

 

[bigpern23]

Despite Manky's consistent absurdity (including, I think, his projected numbers), it is interesting to speculate what Jeter will do this year. A guy who hit .334 three years ago, was awful for a good chunk of last season, but turned it around and was as hot as anyone during the second half last year. His 2011 season really gives either side a legit case to argue he's going to be horrendous, awesome or anywhere in between.

I'm going to throw it out there that he'll bat .302 with a .373 OBP, about 12 HR, 65 RBI and 100 R.

Of course it's all silly guesswork, but I guess I'm just saying I think he'll have a slightly better year than last year, but nothing close to 2009, which I think was his last stand as a great player.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I know it bothers some of you when I talk about Jeter, but I wondered what kind of year you guys think he will have in 2012.

I think when making projections you have to give weight to recent history as well as the player's overall body of work.

Here's what we know: Jeter reached 3000 hits faster than anyone in modern history. Ty Cobb and Pete Rose are the only comparable players. Gwynn, Ripken, Boggs, Biggio, Henderson, pretty much all the recent 3000 hit players were on their last legs when they got to the milestone. Jeter was the Yankees best hitter in the second half of 2011 (he hit .338, with power from July 9 to the end of the season).

So Jeter obviously still has the talent. Girardi has also started giving him a few more days off because Jetes just doesn't have the stamina he had in his 20s. (I'd rather see Jeter put up great numbers playing 135 games than play 160 games and be spent by the time October comes).

I am going to predict a .320 batting average with 20 homers and 85 RBIs.

What do you think?

.285, 11 HRs, 60 RBI, 10 steals.

 

[Versatile]

For a guy often thought to be a backwoods goober, I'm pretty damned impressed by how articulate he is about the condition he had.

God, I ****ing love grammar.

 

[Dick Whitman]

For a guy often thought to be a backwoods goober, I'm pretty damned impressed by how articulate he is about the condition he had.

God, I ****ing love grammar.

I don't get it. Are you referring to my use of present tense "is" in the sentence?