Thoughts on the 2nd half of MLB

[Akileese]

Well, I figured this will work as a general MLB thread for rumors and what not.

The big one is this one:
MLB Trade Rumors: Ichiro Extension In The Works

As I was posting this, it just because official and will be announced Friday.
U.S.S. Mariner

As for what I think will happen in the 2nd half, I see it looking like this
AL:
Boston, Detroit, Cleveland (Wildcard), and I'm going out on a limb and predicting Seattle to win the West.
NL:
NYM, Milwaukee, Arizona, LA Dodgers (Wildcard).

I didn't put a ridiculous amount of thought into this, but it's just my initial gut instinct. I think Colorado could win the West, but they'd need another ridiculous run in them plus a breakdown from the Dodgers and D-Backs (not likely since the Wildcard will probably come out of the West).

Thoughts? Any good trade rumors floating around that you heard about?

[Duppin]

My thoughts are that Ichiro rocks.

That's pretty much it.

[Ham n Cheese]

AL:
Boston, New York (can't be against them yet!), Detroit, Angels

NL:
Dodgers, Brewers (WC), Cardinals, Mets

Hope the Astros don't trade Lidge and get nothing for him ala~ Wagner

[Akileese]

Yanks are 8.5 back and they're going against Cleveland, Detroit, Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland, AND Minnesota. It would take a miracle for all those teams to falter. They have a much better chance of catching Boston than they do of winning the wild card.

I love Ichiro and I think he's a great player, but I don't think he's worth 100 million.

[Duppin]

Reasons you should love Ichiro:

U.S.S. Mariner » Blog Archive » Ichiro The Underrated

[Burkex]

Here is my wish list for the 2nd half of the MLB season:

Red Sox trade 2 minor league prospects, 3 draft pics, and JD Drew for Ichiro. Sox sign Ichiro for 50 mill for 3 years.

Yankees go on a 32 game losing streak, after the 32nd loss ARod and Jeter's secret gay love affair is discovered by the press after they are discovered fooling around in the Yankee Showers and the affair goes public. It is learned that Steinbrenner knew of this love affair and even begged to join in. Yankees fail to make the playoffs with the highest payroll in baseball. The Yankee organization is disgraced forever and players no longer want to play for this organization. Roger Clemens is furious he came back to the Yankees and lost every game he pitched in the 2nd half, he calls it the biggest mistake in his career: Quote "I should have played for the Red Sox, the best team in baseball history".

Red Sox pitchers Dice K, Beckett, and Shilling each win 25 games in a season, Red Sox are first team to have 3 pitchers to accomplish this feat. Dice K wins AL CY Young Award with 18 wins in the 2nd half and a .033 2nd half Era.

Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aarons home run record and finishes with 570 home runs. Then Bonds retires after the last final regular season game.

Red Sox continue to be the best team in baseball and win a total of 115 games. Angels are the 2nd best team in baseball. Angels and Red Sox meet in the ALCS and it goes 7 games, the final game is 22 innings and is won by an Ichiro in the park home run, final score 8-7. Vlad Guerreo demands to be traded to the Red Sox after this game.

The Cubs finally make the World Series but are swept by the Boston Red Sox in 4 games. Ichiro and Big Pappi are named co-MVP's of the series after both having 22 RBI each.

Red Sox win their 2nd World Series in 5 years. Meanwhile Pats go 19-0 named best NFL football team ever, Randy Moss + Tom Brady = 31 Td's.



I can dream right?

[Duppin]

No, I'm sorry, you can't have Ichiro.

Word is that the deal is basically done.

[Akileese]

Jeter's not built enough for A-Rod...Giambi though....

Ya know, he likes those muscular women :P

As for the Sox, my wishlist is as follows:

- Cut Julio Lugo and use someone else. Start Cora at short since he's better defensively and offensively.

- Play Ellsbury more and call up Adam Stern

That's it for me and I'm happy.

[Kirun]

I don't understand the love for Ichiro. He always has been and always will be a slap-hitting bitch that relies purely on his speed to get on base. I don't really see how that's admirable at all.

[Duppin]

Yeah, a guy who broke the single-season hits record, plays fantastic defense at a premium position (he's a much more valuable player now that he's in CF), and creates tons of RBI opportunities has to hit for power to be a worthwhile player.

Fucking 05ers.

[Blumpster]

Kirun you're dumb. Ichiro is going into the hall of fame one day.

My only gripe about Ichiro is one I have with almost every non-US player in the MLB in that they never seem to take the time to learn English. Ichiro in his 7th season, still needs a translator. Guerrero in his 11th season, doesn't seem to speak a lick of it. I mean, come on...they might not live in the states during the off-season, but for half the year they're in the states, I would try and learn it just out of convenience.

He isn't just a "slap-ball" hitter. Apparently you didn't watch the All-star game where he almost jacked one out of probably the hardest park to homer in, in one of the deepest sections. He doesn't hit for power because he's not supposed to. He's a lead off man, he gets on base and lets other guys rake in the ribbies. He has one of the best eyes in baseball and if you stuck him in the 3rd slot and told him to jack a few he'd probably get 30+ a year. Seattle does need some power. After Edgar retired there really hasn't been a stellar RBI machine in the lineup. Ibanez is weak, Sexson isn't reliable, Vidro is not DH quality, he has no power. Beltre is pretty good but it's starting to look like his '04 blowout was a one time deal.

Anyways, predictions for the post-season:

Boston, Detroit, Seattle, Cleveland/Angels, who knows(WC). Yankees are done, sorry.

Mets, Cubs, Padres(pitching is too good), Dodgers (WC)

[Duppin]

Well, there's some changes coming for the Mariners:

-Vidro is going to the bench where he belongs;
-Guillen is moving to LF, Ibanez to DH;
-AAA stud Adam Jones is coming up and will be the everyday right fielder.

As far as Ichiro not speaking English goes; the general suspicion is that he understands English just fine, but feels he can express himself better with Japanese through a translator rather than his (supposedly less-good) spoken English.

Plus, well, he gets bashed in the media regularly for not acting like a Caucasian player would, so I don't blame him for not going out of his way to make their jobs easier.

[Kirun]

Did I say he wasn't effective at what he does or wasn't going to end up in the Hall of Fame one day? No, I simply don't understand why people think the guy is such a great hitter. Seriously, stop pretending he's anything but a slap-hitting bitch that uses his speed to get on base. Does he occasionally get under a ball and drive it out or deep? Sure, but big deal. The guy has only hit over 10 home-runs twice in his career. I'm not saying he has to hit 40 home-runs a year to be legitimate, but I get sick of people praising him for getting on base and having so many "hits," when the majority of the time it's due to a sissy little bunt or a two-hopper to the shortstop that he beats out because he has speed.

[Ham n Cheese]

Cool news for Adam Jones. Only reason I even know he existed this whole time is because of my baseball game. I always trade for him because he's so young then watch him go up and up

I don't actually think the Yankees are going to come back, infact I hope Cleveland goes to the playoffs... but everyone counted them out last year too and Boston got to play with themselves in October instead.

I hope the Astros pull their second half miracle as usual and make the playoffs obviously. With the Brewers in the driving seat it doesn't seem that impossible, because I keep waiting for them to stumble. I mean come on... they're the brewers!

I also don't think you're giving Ichiro enough credit, though the fanboism here after the inside the parker last night is rampant. He knows where to put the ball a lot and he's not that amazingly wtf fast that he can just bunt or ground to the SS everytime. Taveras last year was fucking ridiculously fast and hit around 300. Nook Logan I think was the fastest player in baseball last year and I think he's back in the minors. Ichiro is hitting 359 right now and has a lifetime batting average of .333

[sticktastic]

Originally Posted by Kirun

Did I say he wasn't effective at what he does or wasn't going to end up in the Hall of Fame one day? No, I simply don't understand why people think the guy is such a great hitter. Seriously, stop pretending he's anything but a slap-hitting bitch that uses his speed to get on base. Does he occasionally get under a ball and drive it out or deep? Sure, but big deal. The guy has only hit over 10 home-runs twice in his career. I'm not saying he has to hit 40 home-runs a year to be legitimate, but I get sick of people praising him for getting on base and having so many "hits," when the majority of the time it's due to a sissy little bunt or a two-hopper to the shortstop that he beats out because he has speed.

He is one of the most productive lead off hitter's we have ever seen. You do understand what his job is right? His primary role is to get on base....not hit home runs. If "slapping" the ball was that easy to do, and everyone could do it, I assure you they would, last I checked getting on base was a good thing. Next thing, speed. Speed is the one irreplaceable thing for a lead off hitter, he needs to be fast, so by you saying "dropping a sissy little bunt and beating it out because he has speed" is just silly. Did you see the post game conference last night? Leyland said ichiro hit more "effortless" home runs in BP then anyone else. Which has been said before by others, just wasnt on national television. The man has driving power. It just isnt his job. You ask anyone in MLB who they want as a lead off man and I bet you ichiro is their choice, even with him being a little older than reyes and the other 1 or 2 good lead off hitters. I would take the "slap hitting bitch" on my team any day of the week.