How can you be serious? 80 Games? Washington?
Stats link for the Nat's-
http://washington.nationals.mlb.com...&sitSplit=&venueID=&Submit=Submit&timeFrame=1
Hard to see 80 even with Dunn on the team.
Call me a homer but couldn't disagree more about the Braves. They had one of the best under-the-radar offseasons IMO. Signed a #1 a #3 and a #4 starter and a decent LF. Yes they lost a ton of 1-run games last year but they didn't have their #1/#2/#3 relief guys most of the season, all of whom are back now. Not to mention losing 1 run games is mostly luck, and they should revert toward the mean this season...
Not a problem. Their OF was probably the worst in the majors last year, and granted Garrett Anderson isn't a savior but he's serviceable, will hit 280 and 15 HRs.
Furthermore they added Lowe, Kawakami and Vazquez in the rotation. Went from Glavine having the #3 slot last year to fighting for the #5 in SP this year. And they bring back Mike Gonzalez, Soriano and Moylan all at the end of games. Really think 84 is low for them.
Sorry not a salesman ... just my opinion!
The team really wasn't as bad as the outcome last year. They got hammered by injuries. Consider
-they lost their #1/#2/#3 starters for the majority of the year (Hudson/Smoltz/Glavine)
-they lost their closer and setup guy for the entire year (Gonzalez/Soriano)
-they lost their 3rd reliever, who became their fill-in closer, midway through the year (Moylan)
Replacing all those lost parts is worth several wins IMO. Not to mention they have three of the top prospects in baseball waiting in the wings for this year (Hanson/Heyward/Schafer)
Don't buy it if you don't like, but I think they will be a surprise team this year.
The team really wasn't as bad as the outcome last year. They got hammered by injuries. Consider
-they lost their #1/#2/#3 starters for the majority of the year (Hudson/Smoltz/Glavine)
-they lost their closer and setup guy for the entire year (Gonzalez/Soriano)
-they lost their 3rd reliever, who became their fill-in closer, midway through the year (Moylan)
Replacing all those lost parts is worth several wins IMO. Not to mention they have three of the top prospects in baseball waiting in the wings for this year (Hanson/Heyward/Schafer)
Don't buy it if you don't like, but I think they will be a surprise team this year.
Not many easy wins in the NL East. The problem is they are counting on all of those players last year that were old, then hurt. Now they are filling holes with more old/expensive players. If they start off bad, they could be dealing Garrett Anderson back to the AL. I believe they should have went young instead.
Not sure I see what you mean here. Last year they counted on Smoltz, Hampton, Hudson and Glavine in their starting rotation. They all are old and/or got hurt. Not one of them is being counted on this year, with the exception of Glavine in the 5 hole. But they also have one of the top 3 prospects in all of baseball waiting in AAA for a chance to start. And the bullpen guys who got hurt--Moylan, Soriano, Gonzalez--are hardly old. Injuries happen to young guys too. And yeah you can't expect Chipper to play more than 120 games but the guy hit .400 for half the season last year...I'll take 120 games of .350 all day.
I do agree Garrett Anderson isn't the best signing, I would have liked to see them get rid of Glavine and go for Abreu, but so it goes. If they can get just a decent bat out of him that should be enough.
since I take the summer off with my gambling....I just dont bet baseball...but I do want to make one over / under wins total.....right now Im leaning on the under for the Yankees.....but what does anyone think about going over 79 for the Giants? They have all those great arms....but their offense is brutal!
Gasm~
Gasm~
Best strategy is to look for teams who will break their veteran team up if they get off to a slow start, or look for bad teams with bad minor league systems. I played Balt, Atlanta, Wash, SD under, and St Louis, and Texas overs.
I don't see enough hitting for SF to get to 80 wins.
