Mlb 2012

[Mackflava99]

I have been happy to see the Pirates doing well because i have 2 close friends who are big Pirates fans.

Bryan

[indytraveler]

Long season ahead. Cubs fans though are already thinking next year. The weakest division in baseball NL Central, is living up to its billing.

I can admit that the AL Central is just as bad but I'd still give the weakest division title to the NL Central due to the Cubs and Astros.

It will be interesting to see which teams can mount a second half charge. Tigers maybe?

[Melanie]

Let's hear it for Cliff Lee on his first win of the season! Ohhhh, it's July you say?

[PirateLover]

Let's hear it for Cliff Lee on his first win of the season! Ohhhh, it's July you say?

It was a 4th of July miracle! Ugh this has been a tough season.

[Hammer]

Gee, Mel, that's hardly necessary...a lot of the reason for that is not his doing. If you pitch 10 innings of shutout baseball in a game, it is not too much to ask for the offense to give you 1 measly run.

Not the Phillies year. Too many things have gone wrong. Setbacks in Ryan Howard's rehab, not enough information from Chase on his knee problem, Halladay getting injured (I think his first time on the DL ever), Cliff Lee's struggles and a bullpen which has a solid closer and the rest are garbage. I will not complain, as we have enjoyed 5 years of playoff baseball, and there are fans of many teams who would love to have had that.

So happy for Carlos Ruiz going to the all-star game! He has been such a bright spot in this season and deserves this honor.

I am really happy for Pirates fans. They deserve a good season!

[Melanie]

Gee, Mel, that's hardly necessary...a lot of the reason for that is not his doing. If you pitch 10 innings of shutout baseball in a game, it is not too much to ask for the offense to give you 1 measly run.

It's all in good fun. Ugh.

Facts are facts - it's July, he's just getting his first win, and I think it's funny after all the hype this team received pre-season. What would you expect from someone who hates the Phillies and is a huge fan of a division rival? I expect, and get, ribbing on my side when it's due. It's sports. Again, ugh. Every team has it's issues/excuses.

[Ian]

Facts are facts - it's July, he's just getting his first win, and I think it's funny after all the hype this team received pre-season.

Mel I get what you're saying and I can take it as well as I can dish it out, but this team had no pre-season hype. Hardly anyone picked them to even win the division let alone make any noise in the playoffs.

[barnaby]

It's all in good fun. Ugh.

Facts are facts - it's July, he's just getting his first win, and I think it's funny after all the hype this team received pre-season. What would you expect from someone who hates the Phillies and is a huge fan of a division rival? I expect, and get, ribbing on my side when it's due. It's sports. Again, ugh. Every team has it's issues/excuses.

Pitcher wins and losses is an overvalued stat. Only reason I pay attention to it is because of it's use in the fantasy leagues I play in. Probably is the least telling of a pitchers performance, it's more team-based, then individual based. Take Lee for example, he's pitched well with nothing to show for it because of weak hitting early in the season and a bad bullpen lately. Another example is Dan Haren this year on the opposite side of the spectrum. He went 3-2 in June, but gave up 4+ runs in 4 of the 5 games and split those games.
BTW, I am not a Phillies fan.

Mel I get what you're saying and I can take it as well as I can dish it out, but this team had no pre-season hype. Hardly anyone picked them to even win the division let alone make any noise in the playoffs.

There were ESPN guys and others picking the Phillies to be contenders again this season. How could they not, they were 100+ win team last year, and Utley and Howard were supposed to be back sooner, plus you had one of the best rotations in baseball going in. They have been slowed by injuries and a weak 'pen.

With the 2 WC spots and as bad as the NL and NL East is, now that the Phillies are getting healthy on offense, if they get some bullpen help, they could easily turn it around and make the playoffs. They are 8.5 out of the wild card in July. Cardinals last year were 7 or so out in September and you know what they did.

[Melanie]

Mel I get what you're saying and I can take it as well as I can dish it out, but this team had no pre-season hype. Hardly anyone picked them to even win the division let alone make any noise in the playoffs.

I guess I need to stop reading Twitter and all the uber Phillies fans then. Instead, I'll feel sorry for poor Cliff Lee. Maybe they'll give him the Cy Young out of pity.

Oh, and what about that old saying 'good pitching beats good hitting'? Again, all in good fun. I'm ready for all those stats of no run support for Phillies pitchers to be thrown at me.

[Hammer]

Pitcher wins and losses is an overvalued stat. Only reason I pay attention to it is because of it's use in the fantasy leagues I play in. Probably is the least telling of a pitchers performance, it's more team-based, then individual based. Take Lee for example, he's pitched well with nothing to show for it because of weak hitting early in the season and a bad bullpen lately. Another example is Dan Haren this year on the opposite side of the spectrum. He went 3-2 in June, but gave up 4+ runs in 4 of the 5 games and split those games.

Fantasy baseball geek as well (though I keep the # of Philles I have on the 29 man roster to 3 as it makes it too nerve wracking for me as a fan). I avoided Lee because he either has a fantastic season or is totally the other end of the spectrum. No middle ground. First year I did not have Halladay (I had him on my team when he was in Toronto too). Guess that's a good thing! Last year, my catchers were Joe Mauer and Buster Posey . Not a good year when you have use scrap heap catchers!

There were ESPN guys and others picking the Phillies to be contenders again this season. How could they not, they were 100+ win team last year, and Utley and Howard were supposed to be back sooner, plus you had one of the best rotations in baseball going in. They have been slowed by injuries and a weak 'pen.

With the 2 WC spots and as bad as the NL and NL East is, now that the Phillies are getting healthy on offense, if they get some bullpen help, they could easily turn it around and make the playoffs. They are 8.5 out of the wild card in July. Cardinals last year were 7 or so out in September and you know what they did.

Please, don't give me false hope !

[PirateLover]

I do remember a lot of people still picking the Phillies to win the division, but I think that was more out of habit looking at the past 5 years than out of hype. LAST year, was DEFINITELY the hyped season. The Phils ended up winning the most games in their history, but completely unraveled. With the Utley and Howard injuries, not too many people were out there claiming that it would be another record season. Earlier in this thread I expressed some concern, but also some optimism. At this point the optimism is pretty much gone, but I will continue to root for my team.

And, more often than not, good pitching DOES beat good hitting... but you do need to put some runs on the board to actually win the game!!! And those pitchers have to stay healthy

[barnaby]

Fantasy baseball geek as well (though I keep the # of Philles I have on the 29 man roster to 3 as it makes it too nerve wracking for me as a fan). I avoided Lee because he either has a fantastic season or is totally the other end of the spectrum. No middle ground. First year I did not have Halladay (I had him on my team when he was in Toronto too). Guess that's a good thing! Last year, my catchers were Joe Mauer and Buster Posey . Not a good year when you have use scrap heap catchers!

How is your team doing?

I am in 3 leagues. I am in 2nd a half game out in my 10 team mixed head to head keeper league and 11th in a deep 14 team mixed head to head. I am 8 games out of a playoff spot.
I also do a roto league. I am 4th in that one currently 11 pts back.

The 10 team keeper league is a league I run. It has been the same guys for the most part for the last 9 years. We just made it a keeper league last season. We keep 3, I kept Hosmer, Strasburg and Ryan Zimmerman, but drafted really well. The keeper status adds another depth of strategy. You can trade draft picks too.

[DizneyFreak2002]

AL East
New York Yankees 47-30
Baltimore Orioles 42-35 (5 games back)
Boston Red Sox 41-37 (6.5 games back)
Tampa Bay Rays 41-37 (6.5 games back)
Toronto Blue Jays 40-38 (7.5 games back)

AL Central
Chicago White Sox 42-36
Cleveland Indians 39-38 (2.5 games back)
Detroit Tigers 38-40 (4.0 games back)
Kansas City Royals 35-41 (6 games back)
Minnesota Twins 32-45 (9.5 games back)

AL West
Texas Rangers 50-29
Los Angeles Angels 43-35 (6.5 games back)
Oakland A's 37-42 (13 games back)
Seattle Mariners 34-46 (16.5 games back)

The above standings were from June into July... Now, let's see hwo much things have changed in one month...

AL EAST
New York Yankees 60-43
Baltimore Orioles 55-49 (5.5 games back)
Tampa Bay Rays 54-50 (6.5 games back)
Boston Red Sox 53-51 (7.5 games back)
Toronto Blue Jays 51-52 (9.0 games back)

AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox 56-47
Detroit Tigers 54-50 (2.5 games back)
Cleveland Indians 50-53 (6.0 games back)
Minnesota Twins 44-59 (12.0 games back)
Kansas City Royals 42-60 (13.5 games back)

AL WEST
Texas Rangers 59-43
Los Angeles Angels 57-47 (3.0 games back)
Oakland A's 56-47 (3.5 games back)
Seattle Mariners 49-57 (12 games back)

The Yankees hit a bit of a rut ending the month of July and have seen their 10 game lead shrink to only 5 games... The Orioles continue to play above their talent level... Kudos have to be given to Buck Showalter for that... I'm a little shocked at the Rays being mediocre... I thought they had a much better team...

Detroit is picking it up and finally getting themselves into the thick of the race... The White Sox continue to impress.. The rest of the Central?? Playing as expected....

The West is getting interesting... The Angels are right there, as expected... And the A's have picked it up... Should be an interesting last 2 months of the season in the race for the West... And the wild card.. This may be the first year no Wild Card teams come from the East....

[DizneyFreak2002]

NL East
Washington Nationals 44-32
New York Mets 43-36 (2.5 games back)
Atlanta Braves 41-36 (3.5 games back)
Miami Marlins 37-40 (7.5 games back)
Philadelphia Phillies 36-44 (10 games back)

NL Central
Cincinnati Reds 43-34
Pittsburgh Pirates 42-35 (1 game back)
St. Louis Cardinals 40-38 (3.5 games back)
Milwaukee Brewers 35-42 (8 games back)
Houston Astros 32-46 (11.5 games back)
Chicago Cubs 28-49 (15 games back)

NL West
San Francisco Giants 44-35
Los Angeles Dodgers 43-36 (1 game back)
Arizona Diamondbacks 39-38 (4 games back)
Colorado Rockies 30-47 (13 games back)
San Diego Padres 29-50 (15 games back)

The standings above show how the teams stood at the end of June heading into July... Now, here is how they stand on August 1...

NL EAST
Washington Nationals 61-41
Atlanta Braves 59-44 (2.5 games back)
New York Mets 50-54 (12.0 games back)
Miami Marlins 47-56 (14.5 games back)
Philadelphia Phillies 46-57 (15.5 games back)

NL CENTRAL
Cincinnati Reds 62-41
Pittsburgh Pirates 59-44 (3.0 games back)
St. Louis Cardinals 55-48 (7.0 games back)
Milwaukee Brewers 47-56 (15.0 games back)
Chicago Cubs 43-59 (18.5 games back)
Houston Astros 35-70 (28.0 games back)

NL WEST
San Francisco Giants 56-47
Los Angeles Dodgers 56-49 (1.0 games back)
Arizona Diamondbacks 53-51 (3.5 games back)
San Diego Padres 44-61 (13.0 games back)
Colorado Rockies 37-64 (18.0 games back)

Washington continues to be the cream of the crop of the East... The Mets ar eback down on earth, toying with their fans' emotions, then finally breaking their hearts... The Marlins, biggest disappointment in baseball.. And the Phillies??? Well....

The Reds are in the middle of one amazing run... The Pirates continue to hold strong... But I think the Cardinal fans have to realize no repeat this year...Will Theo win a championship in Chicago before the Red Sox win another one?? Maybe... But he has a lot of work to do... And the Astros, are they still even a team???

The Giants and Dodgers battling it out in the West while the Diamondbacks hold strong...

The races are heating up... A lot of teams still in it, and with the added Wild Card team this year, should be one heck of a finish to the season!!!

[DizneyFreak2002]

I didn't so an August to September update... Since we are a week into September already, I won't... all I will say is, BRING ON THE PENNANT RACES!!!!

[tjstrike]

GO BRAVES !!! Send Chipper out with one more world series ring !!!

[DizneyFreak2002]

Well we have reached the last 4 games of the season... Huge race in the AL East between the Yankees and Orioles... The Tigers come from nowhere to lead the AL Central over the fading White Sox... And the Rangers look to clinch the West... As for the wild card, two teams no one expected to do anything, the Orioles and A's seem to have the playoffs wrapped up...

Wow, what a final week!!!