Playoffs Preview: Senior Circuit
St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres, Initial thoughts- Well obviously the Cardinals have struggled down the stretch, almost blowing their huge lead. I don’t know why this was a surprise, the reason they struggled is because they are not that good. Outside of Carpenter on the mound and Pujols at the plate they are a relatively weak team. The Padres have been pretty steady all year long, the pitch and play quality defense. In the playoffs team who can pitch and field usually out duel hitting teams.
Pitching: This isn’t even close. Even at the top where the Cardinals have last years Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter the Padres counter with Jake Peavey. Peavey struggled early in the year but since August 1 he has given up more than 3 runs in only one out of 10 starts and has lowered his ERA from 4.81 to 4.09. The Padres also have Chris Young, and Woody Williams and the wild card in David Wells. The Cards counter with a load of questions marks, like Jason Marquis who has 0 wins in 9 post season appearances and Jeff Suppan who has been decent this year, but then they have to decide between Anthony Reyes or Jeff Weaver, yikes! In the bullpen it is a NC (no contest) the Padres have the all time saves leader in Trevor Hoffman and the Cards have Braden Looper.
EDGE- SAN DIEGO PADRES
Lineup: Both of these teams are basically middle of the pack offensively. Obviously with Albert Pujols in the lineup the Cards have some pop, but the rest of the lineup has been shaky all season. Table setters like David Eckstein and Ronnie Belliard have been disappointing this season as well as Jim Edmonds. Scott Rolen and Juan Encarnacion have been solid but not spectacular. The Padres counter with a mix of journeyman and youngsters and two veterans looking to make their mark. Mike Piazza has had a rebirth this season knocking 22 HR’s and batting .283 his best season since 2002. Veterans like Mike Cameron, Geoff Blum, Dave Roberts, and Russell Branyan make the Padres lineup a solid one, sprinkle in youngsters Josh Barfield and the surprisingly powerful Adrian Gonzalez. The X-factor for the Padres is if Brian Giles can rebound from a sub par regular season, if so he can give the Padres the edge they need offensively.
EDGE- EVEN
Intangibles: I like how the Padres have mixed in quality veterans with their usual compilation of young players. They have added quality vets who have playoff experience like Dave Roberts, Mark Bellhorn, Geoff Blum and Alan Embree. Bruce Bochy is in his 12th season at the helm of the Padres and he always does a great job, and his team will be loose and ready to have fun. The Cardinals have a great deal of pressure on them, most especially Tony LaRussa. I don’t think LaRussa is half the manager he fancies himself and he has been frequently out coached in the playoffs. I don’t see this year being much different
EDGE- SAN DIEGO PADRES
PADRES IN 4
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets, Initial thoughts- The Mets have been on cruise control since the All-Star break, while the Dodgers didn’t even wake up until about mid-July. The Mets received the news all of us Mets haters rooted for, and that is the injury of Pedro (who is Karim Garcia?). Also, over the last ten years teams that win playoff series and the whole thing have usually played meaningful games in the month of September, the last cruise control second half team to win it all was the ’98 Yankees. The Dodgers have been that magical second half team winning all sorts of crazy games in the second half of the season, and they have NOMAR!!!!
Pitching: The Mets received some bad news last week; Pedro was done for the season, but that news wasn’t all that bad at least he is shut down, better than running him out there and not knowing if he is healthy. That being said what the Mets do run out there is a triad of veterans all with their own problems. Tom Glavine has 3 wins since July 1, Steve Trachsel has the highest Era of any 15 game winner maybe in the history of baseball, and they are running out El Duque for Game 1. The Dodgers counter with Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Hong-Chih Kuo, and Brad Penny. As mediocre as Penny has been in the second half of the season Lowe and Maddux have been just as spectacular; since August 1st they are 14-4 with a 3.01 ERA. The Dodgers rotation is solid and what kept them around all summer until their bats started producing, and they have had success against the Mets as starters. The Mets have had the best bullpen in baseball all season long and every move they have made has paid off including getting Guillermo Mota as a set up man, and closing games with the lights out Billy Wagner.
EDGE- LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Lineup: This is where I think many Mets fans think they have an advantage, but I tend to disagree. I think the teams are just about even when it comes to producing runs. The Dodgers who people think have an anemic offense only scored 14 less runs than the Mets this season. The Mets have a few great hitters in Wright, Beltran, and Reyes and a consistent hitter in Delgado but the rest of their lineup does not pack much of a punch. The late addition of Shawn Greene is a wild car for the Mets. The Dodgers have a more consistent lineup 1-8 with the like of Russell Martin and Wilson Bettemit as legitimate bottom of the order producers. In the middle JD Drew and Jeff Kent know how to produce runs and nobody has more big hits this year then the reborn Nomar Garciaparra. Also the Mets have been a team that can manufacture a run better than almost anyone, except for the Dodgers. The Dodgers have 128 Stolen Bases this year (Mets 146); they have a better OBP% and strikeout less than the Metropolitans. So the one advantage the Mets usually had is neutralized by a Dodger lineup with speed and pop at the top with Kenny Lofton and Rafael Furcal.
EDGE- EVEN
Intangibles: Off the bench the Dodgers have put together a solid core of veterans like Julio Lugo, Marlon Anderson, and Toby Hall. They also have some punch with Olmedo Saenz, 3 HR 14 RBI while pinch hitting this season. Too bad the guy running the bench for the Dodger is clueless; Grady Little showed his ineffectiveness in handling a pitching a staff in his last playoff appearance, lets hope here he doesn’t do the same. The Mets hired Willie Randolph to reach this point and use his experience with the Yankees to help in the post season. His quite demeanor like Joe Torre will be a positive and calming influence on his team when they are in a tight spot. The bench for the Mets is a little weak, but they have enough youth that they hopefully won’t have to go there very much.
EDGE- EVEN
DODGERS IN 5
Pitching: This isn’t even close. Even at the top where the Cardinals have last years Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter the Padres counter with Jake Peavey. Peavey struggled early in the year but since August 1 he has given up more than 3 runs in only one out of 10 starts and has lowered his ERA from 4.81 to 4.09. The Padres also have Chris Young, and Woody Williams and the wild card in David Wells. The Cards counter with a load of questions marks, like Jason Marquis who has 0 wins in 9 post season appearances and Jeff Suppan who has been decent this year, but then they have to decide between Anthony Reyes or Jeff Weaver, yikes! In the bullpen it is a NC (no contest) the Padres have the all time saves leader in Trevor Hoffman and the Cards have Braden Looper.
EDGE- SAN DIEGO PADRES
Lineup: Both of these teams are basically middle of the pack offensively. Obviously with Albert Pujols in the lineup the Cards have some pop, but the rest of the lineup has been shaky all season. Table setters like David Eckstein and Ronnie Belliard have been disappointing this season as well as Jim Edmonds. Scott Rolen and Juan Encarnacion have been solid but not spectacular. The Padres counter with a mix of journeyman and youngsters and two veterans looking to make their mark. Mike Piazza has had a rebirth this season knocking 22 HR’s and batting .283 his best season since 2002. Veterans like Mike Cameron, Geoff Blum, Dave Roberts, and Russell Branyan make the Padres lineup a solid one, sprinkle in youngsters Josh Barfield and the surprisingly powerful Adrian Gonzalez. The X-factor for the Padres is if Brian Giles can rebound from a sub par regular season, if so he can give the Padres the edge they need offensively.
EDGE- EVEN
Intangibles: I like how the Padres have mixed in quality veterans with their usual compilation of young players. They have added quality vets who have playoff experience like Dave Roberts, Mark Bellhorn, Geoff Blum and Alan Embree. Bruce Bochy is in his 12th season at the helm of the Padres and he always does a great job, and his team will be loose and ready to have fun. The Cardinals have a great deal of pressure on them, most especially Tony LaRussa. I don’t think LaRussa is half the manager he fancies himself and he has been frequently out coached in the playoffs. I don’t see this year being much different
EDGE- SAN DIEGO PADRES
PADRES IN 4
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets, Initial thoughts- The Mets have been on cruise control since the All-Star break, while the Dodgers didn’t even wake up until about mid-July. The Mets received the news all of us Mets haters rooted for, and that is the injury of Pedro (who is Karim Garcia?). Also, over the last ten years teams that win playoff series and the whole thing have usually played meaningful games in the month of September, the last cruise control second half team to win it all was the ’98 Yankees. The Dodgers have been that magical second half team winning all sorts of crazy games in the second half of the season, and they have NOMAR!!!!
Pitching: The Mets received some bad news last week; Pedro was done for the season, but that news wasn’t all that bad at least he is shut down, better than running him out there and not knowing if he is healthy. That being said what the Mets do run out there is a triad of veterans all with their own problems. Tom Glavine has 3 wins since July 1, Steve Trachsel has the highest Era of any 15 game winner maybe in the history of baseball, and they are running out El Duque for Game 1. The Dodgers counter with Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Hong-Chih Kuo, and Brad Penny. As mediocre as Penny has been in the second half of the season Lowe and Maddux have been just as spectacular; since August 1st they are 14-4 with a 3.01 ERA. The Dodgers rotation is solid and what kept them around all summer until their bats started producing, and they have had success against the Mets as starters. The Mets have had the best bullpen in baseball all season long and every move they have made has paid off including getting Guillermo Mota as a set up man, and closing games with the lights out Billy Wagner.
EDGE- LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Lineup: This is where I think many Mets fans think they have an advantage, but I tend to disagree. I think the teams are just about even when it comes to producing runs. The Dodgers who people think have an anemic offense only scored 14 less runs than the Mets this season. The Mets have a few great hitters in Wright, Beltran, and Reyes and a consistent hitter in Delgado but the rest of their lineup does not pack much of a punch. The late addition of Shawn Greene is a wild car for the Mets. The Dodgers have a more consistent lineup 1-8 with the like of Russell Martin and Wilson Bettemit as legitimate bottom of the order producers. In the middle JD Drew and Jeff Kent know how to produce runs and nobody has more big hits this year then the reborn Nomar Garciaparra. Also the Mets have been a team that can manufacture a run better than almost anyone, except for the Dodgers. The Dodgers have 128 Stolen Bases this year (Mets 146); they have a better OBP% and strikeout less than the Metropolitans. So the one advantage the Mets usually had is neutralized by a Dodger lineup with speed and pop at the top with Kenny Lofton and Rafael Furcal.
EDGE- EVEN
Intangibles: Off the bench the Dodgers have put together a solid core of veterans like Julio Lugo, Marlon Anderson, and Toby Hall. They also have some punch with Olmedo Saenz, 3 HR 14 RBI while pinch hitting this season. Too bad the guy running the bench for the Dodger is clueless; Grady Little showed his ineffectiveness in handling a pitching a staff in his last playoff appearance, lets hope here he doesn’t do the same. The Mets hired Willie Randolph to reach this point and use his experience with the Yankees to help in the post season. His quite demeanor like Joe Torre will be a positive and calming influence on his team when they are in a tight spot. The bench for the Mets is a little weak, but they have enough youth that they hopefully won’t have to go there very much.
EDGE- EVEN
DODGERS IN 5
14 Comments:
You are such an idiot. Your love of being a Mets hater has really affected your judgement in this pick. The Dodgers pitching is better then the Mets?? HOW? First off Pedro has only won 4 games since April, so the Mets managed to win 97 games this year with VERY little help from Pedro, so losing him is not as big a deal as you make it. El Duque is the best big game starter in baseball right now, and only Mo Riveria can say he's a better post season pitcher. In their last 5 starts, Glavin has posted a 2.24 ERA and El Duque a 2.01 ERA. Let's talk about playing well down the stretch!! The Dodgers have an injured Penny, who might not play in round 1, and a rookie who's 1-5 and an ERA over 4.00. SCAREY! The bullpen isn't even close. The Mets have one of the best bullpens in all of baseball.
As for the offense, you are seriously underestimating the Mets lineup and bench if you think they are even with the Dodgers. The Dodgers are trotting out a handful of rookies and has beens. Yes they've played well the last 3-4 weeks, but look at what Reyes did all year, Lo Duca, Beltran, Delgado, Wright, even Valentin!!! And anything they get from Floyd and Green is GRAVY! Also don't forget about Endy Chavez... he puts to shame anybody the Dodgers have on their bench! This is not even going to be close. Mets in 4 if not 3! And the Yank lucked out by not drawing the Twins in round 1. They should cruise to the WS now, but Minn would have knocked them out in a 5 game series! If the Twins get past the A's, they could pitch Santana 1, 4 and 7 if they can! FEAR IT!
Dingleberyy, the Mets blow, get over it. I am not a Mets hater at all, but the facts are the facts Glavine was 10-2 at the break and 4-5 since, that is an old tired arm.
Anyway, onto your mini Johan Santana rant. In the history of baseball do you know how many times a pitcher has pitched game 1,4,7 and his team has emrged victorious? 3 times, thats it, thats the list.
John Smoltz in '92 and Vern Law with the '60 Pirates satrted those three games earning 2 victories each themselves while their team won all three. The only guy ever to pitch all three and win all three was Bob Gibson in '67.
So no, I do not fear Santana doing that to the Yankees.
First of all you said this, "The Mets received the news all of us Mets haters rooted for, and that is the injury of Pedro".... So now you're not a Met hater??
How exactly do the Mets blow when they tied the Yanks for best record in baseball this year? Split the series vs the Yanks this year? And lead or were in the top of the league in almost every team stat this year?
But the Mets blow, right? Amazing! Now El Duque may be hurt for game 1... and guess what? The Mets will still get to the world series!!!
Well obviously you wewre among the league leaders in a lot of team stats, you did win more games than anyone in the league. But th only category you lead the NL in was stolen bases.
Mostly you and the Dodgers were very similar in team stats. Batting average (Dodgers 1st, Mets 8th), Runs scored (Mets 3rd, Dodgers 4th), Total Bases (Mets 3rd, Dodgers 4th), Walks (Dodgers 2nd, Mets 8th), Stolen Bases (MEts 1st, Dodgers 2nd), On Base Percentage (Dodgers 1st, Mets 8th), Slugging (Mets 3rd, Dodgers 7th) Home Runs (Mets 4th, Dodgers 15th) ERA (Mets 3rd, Dodgers 4th), and WHIP (Mets 3rd, Dodgers 4th).
So yes the Mets were up there but so were the Dodgers whom you seem to be completely dismissing and you shouldn't be, they are just as formidable as your Metropolitans.
Nobody said the Dodgers weren't a good team, but they are not as good as the Mets... just a little FYI on the 3 "healthy" starters the Mets have going into the playoffs; Glavine, Trachsel, and Maine:
Mets record with the 3 healthy pitchers:
Maine 10-5
Trachsel 20-11
Glavine 23-8
thats 53-24 with the three sure starters!
Still convinced the Dodgers have the better pitching staff??
One other point. Why is it you bang the Mets for not playign meaningful game sin Sept, while the Dodgers have been playing playoff ball for weeks, when the Yanks are in the exact same position?? What meaningful game have they played over the past 6 weeks??? NONE, but the Tigers have been fighting for the division while holding off the White Sox up to the last day of the season....
Also you point to Glavine's second half decline and say he's got a tired arm.... well what about Mussina's second half free fall?? It was even worse then Tom's!
My Mets rotation is not looking too great right now, but I'm not so sure the Yanks shouldn't be just as scared. Wang is quality but still young and away from the Bronx he's a wild card, especially in the playoffs. Mussina is no better then Glavine. RJ is injured and may actually hurt his team, and I'd rather have Trachsel or maine over Lidle and Wright every day of the week! Let's just hope Mo isn't really that banged up!
Yeah I do, Glavine and Maddux are basically a wash in their post season careers both slightly under .500 with similar ERA's. Derek Lowe and Brad Penny are 8-3 in the second season, both helping teams win the World Series
And.... The Mets have scored 15 runs in 18 innings off Maddux this year, most recently chasing him in 3 after 5 runs. Go check out how Lowe has done against the Mets in his career.... Turd could do better! It's that bad! Matter of fact if he weren't hurt, they probably would hold him back to game 4 anyway. The Dodgers are starting a rookie in game 2, who's only had 1 good start in his short career... yes it was vs the Mets, but they're that desperate to get arms to pitch against the Mets succesfully!
Oops I meant to say Penny in that last post... he sucks big wang!
As cute as this tirade has been, I'm a huge Mets fan and realize that only those with hearts pure and full of orange and blue believe we'll sweep the Dodgers.
I didn't think we would roll through any team once Pedro was average against the Pirates and with El Duque down, I still think we'll get past the Dodgers but I'm not betting the farm on it.
Yurrie, I don't really know you but get off the Yankee Bashing already. They have 26 World Titles. We have two.
Those two are still more than the Red Sox in the last 80 years, but it's also the same amount as the Marlins.
Yankee fans, for the most part, are band wagon jumpers that would throw their own mothers in the way of a moving bus if it would protect Jeter. They're brainless and the only thing they hold onto is those 26 titles, but you know what? They also have 26 TITLES.
They're the best team in NYC and that's that. Except that fact and move on. Be comfortable in your own skin, that of a Mets supporter that knows our day will come. Just not right now...
And all Jet fans know exactly what I'm talking about...
Al Toon OUT
My dearest Anonymous-
No, you don't know me, and I ACCEPT the fact the Yankees are the better team in NY. I was never bashing them, how can I, they're stacked! I was simply asking him to justify his criticism of the Mets when the same criticism also applies to the Yanks. I'm not a basher. They won those 26 titles with damn great teams! Hiwever since 2000 when they've been doubling the payroles of the competitors, it has become a lot less impressive! It's expected that they be great, and a complete failure if they don't add another title. The Mets are at the top of the NL payrole but still competative with the other large market teams. The Yanks are now in the business of buying titles. And if that impresses you, then you are not a baseball fan and a dunce!
I'll bleed my blue and orange however I want with or without your permission... thank you!
Nothing the Yanks have done impress me, you Johnny Bravo wannabe. Plus, you will bleed blue and orange the way I decree. This I command...
With that said, we shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves, especially after that win, but I'm curious your thoughts now that Duque is out for the rest of the playoffs.
I'm under the impression that we can play with the Dodgers and hope the Cards make the NLCS, so Dave Williams and Oliver Perez won't look so bad on the mound.
I have an XM radio and told Rob Dibble and Kevin Kennedy (The Show on XM 175) that the Mets could make the World Series without Pedro. That was in late August and I still think that way now, even with Duque out.
My hopes are the youngsters on this team live with all this experience and soak in the pressure of the World Series, so they have the fire to get back next year...
Sepentor OUT
I still think the Mets will get to the World Series and not have much trouble doing it. If you look at my second post on here, I state they will still make it without Duque. I do not have the same faith as I once did with a healthy rotation at winning the world series. At this point just get there and hope you can hold a lead on the Yanks past the 5th inning and let our BP shut them down. The key is to get Wang, Moose and RJ out early and pick apart their pathetic middle relief. If the Mets trail past 7, we all know it's over!
Jonny Bravo wanna be? Hmm, not really. It's just a pic! But at least I put a name behind my words and my identity can easily be found!
This tool of a blogger is 0-4 on his baseball picks and we need all these posts from yurrie stating how much of an idiot he is? Then we have anonymous crowing about how he told rob dibble this and that on XM radio. Well take your ron and fez and shove it. We need Kris talking about college football and nothing else so let's end this chain, shall we? The guy obviously doesn't know about anything else. Now let him get back to his thoughts on the ol' pigskin so some of us can call the bookie.
non-anonymous sleepy chris
Post a Comment
<< Home