VeeshanVault

These are going to be wide open playoffs this season. There's no one dominant team going into October.

Boston Red Sox @ Chicago White Sox
New York Yankees @ Anaheim Angels

San Diego Padres @ St Louis Cardinals
Houston Astros @ Atlanta Braves

Chicago and SD are the only new teams from last year. I was really hoping the Indians got in, but they simply choked the last week of the season, being entirely too aggressive at the plate. With the way the Cardinals are pitching right now, don't sleep on the Padres this next week, regardless of how crappy of a team they were during the regular season.

My prediction is the Astros beat the Yankees in 6.

^^^^^what he said.Astros all the way baby!

will be a real pleasure seeing Bagwell and Bigio striking out in the postseason...again...

rofl a braves fan talking about postseason choking

Didn't Bagwell and Biggio beat the Braves last year? Why yes, I believe they did.

I'm a Cubs fan. I could care less about Roy Oswalt, Roger Clemens, and the fat tub of lard that calls himself Lance Berkman. I want to see Bagwell and Biggio win a WS before they both retire and go to the Hall of Fame. I think this year is their best chance and they have a good chance.

Why does baseball only have 8 playoff teams? Wouldn't it be more lucrative for the industry to have 12 like football with a bye for the top 2? I mean they play 162 games during the year surely they can squeeze in 3 more.


But what do i care? MLB is a joke, the entire industry is full of greed and corruption from the owners right down to the minors.

Xyun wrote:But what do i care? MLB is a joke, the entire industry is full of greed and corruption from the owners right down to the minors.

You mean like every other corporate business that's ever existed?

Oh noz! The Killer Breeze! Many a year I have preached that the Braves needed power pitching to win in the playoffs. This is the year they finally have it. Hudson, Smoltz, Sosa. I am calling 3 game sweep for the Braves over Houston. 7 game series win over the Cards. 6 game repeat whipping of the Indians.

Xyun wrote:
But what do i care? MLB is a joke, the entire industry is full of greed and corruption from the owners right down to the minors.


You mean like every other corporate business that's ever existed?

Most corporate employees don't take steriods, go on strike for months at a time, or have outrageous salaries.

Baseball wrote the book on how NOT to run a professional sport.

Most corporate employees don't take steriods

First of all, there's no way to estimate who does and does not take steroids. I can just as easily say "Most baseball players don't do cocaine and hire hookers." We can get into all the stereotypes you'd like. Football and olympic sports are all as deep into steroids as baseball is.

go on strike for months at a time, or have outrageous salaries

Both of those statements are incorrect.

First of all, there's no way to estimate who does and does not take steroids. I can just as easily say "Most baseball players don't do cocaine and hire hookers." We can get into all the stereotypes you'd like. Football and olympic sports are all as deep into steroids as baseball is.

Thats just stupid. The olympics, and NFL both have strict doping policies. Your right we don't know the number, but we do know its pretty high. I am not talking out of my ass, there is speculation by mlb players that the number is around 50 percent.

go on strike for months at a time, or have outrageous salaries


Both of those statements are incorrect.

Hello 10 years ago, a 232 game strike, and in 10 years the average mlb player salary has doubled. You don't remember the contraction debate? If you remember it was because the owners claimed they where not making any money because of high salaries.

Is this thread about hockey?

NM, someone above beat me to it.

Sumdaor wrote:

Xyun wrote:
But what do i care? MLB is a joke, the entire industry is full of greed and corruption from the owners right down to the minors.


You mean like every other corporate business that's ever existed?

Most corporate employees don't take steriods,

A good number of corporate employees could be accused of trying to gain an unfair advantage regardless of their industry. That's the correlation.

go on strike for months at a time

It doesn't happen frequently. And if you feel you are being underpaid and/or not receiving the benefits you believe you deserve, and you're in a union, you strike.

, or have outrageous salaries.

They get the people into the ballparks and the sport makes shittons of cash. Why shouldn't it go to tthe players? The 700 highest paid at most notable positions make a oodles of cash. Is it just becuase they can't hide their salaries in stock options?

Baseball wrote the book on how NOT to run a professional sport.

The sport is more successful than it's ever been. Revenue streams in from all over the place. People are enjoying the product in record numbers. I'd say that's the goal of professeional spectator sport.

A good number of corporate employees could be accused of trying to gain an unfair advantage regardless of their industry. That's the correlation.

Thats horseshit, no "good number" of employees use unethical or illegal means to get a advantage on the job. I think most of us forget that steriod usage is ILLEGAL.

go on strike for months at a time

It doesn't happen frequently. And if you feel you are being underpaid and/or not receiving the benefits you believe you deserve, and you're in a union, you strike.

When you miss a year and half thats insane. Baseball does have some of the most inflated players salaries vs the revenue of the sport.

Baseball wrote the book on how NOT to run a professional sport.

The sport is more successful than it's ever been. Revenue streams in from all over the place. People are enjoying the product in record numbers. I'd say that's the goal of professeional spectator sport.

And how much more popular could the game be if it was run correctly? The game should bring in more revenue every year because your going to be spending more on players.

Baseball would want Yankees / Astros for the World Series. It owuld be the best for ratings. I'd also like to see it, but as a Yankee fan I fear it. Hell, I think we'd be lucky to just get to the series this year with our pitching. I believe predicting this years series is different than trying to predict all 16 games correctly in a weeks worth of football....impossible. So, I'll just wish for a Yankees / Astros World Series. I also hope that Boston loses against the Chi Sox. I fear playign them the most.

Sumdaor wrote:Thats just stupid. The olympics, and NFL both have strict doping policies. Your right we don't know the number, but we do know its pretty high. I am not talking out of my ass, there is speculation by mlb players that the number is around 50 percent.

That doesn't mean there aren't players taking steroids in those sports. Speculation is just that, speculation. Meanwhile, every player in major league baseball was tested at least twice during this season and spring training and there were only a handful of positive tests that we know about. And no major sport tests for HGH.

Hello 10 years ago, a 232 game strike, and in 10 years the average mlb player salary has doubled. You don't remember the contraction debate? If you remember it was because the owners claimed they where not making any money because of high salaries.

That's not what the "incorrect" meant. You said that employees of corporations don't go on strikes and don't make outrageous amounts of money. Both of those statements are incorrect. Employees are paid based on the amount their company makes and the profit margin set. MLB is no different. The NFL is no different. The NHL is no different. MLS is no different. MLB is a free market and the players are paid based on their value to that team. If a player isn't valuable to a team, then they won't sign them.

Go Padres!!!

Their pitching staff is on right now. The last 5 starts have shown they are ready. Adam Eaton, Jake Peavy, and crew are going to surprise many. Now if only the bats will wake up. Remember the Padres swept St Louis in 4 games in May. They can do this.

Padres are lucky to get in....since the rest of thier division is as bad/worse as they are.I'm sorry,but when your only 2 games above 500%,you have no chance in the playoffs,especially against the best in the N.L.

B.T.W.-GO ASTROS!!!
Braves might have good pitching, but the Astros have GREAT pitching.Thier pitching staff is the main reason for most of thier wins,since they lacked runs in the beginning of the season,and maybe through the whole season.Since losing Berkman in the beginning,losing Beltran and Kent from last year,and Bagwell through midseason,that meant that the rookies/unexperienced players had to step up.

Also,who (if they announced it yet) got Rookie of the year? I sure hope Willy Taveras from the Astros gets/got it,cause he added some good stats for the team.

Padres are lucky to get in....since the rest of thier division is as bad/worse as they are.I'm sorry,but when your only 2 games above 500%,you have no chance in the playoffs,especially against the best in the N.L.

Record in the regular-season means nothing. The 73 Mets finished 82-79 and went to the World Series. I think the Padres have a very good chance to knock off the Cardinals with the way the Cardinals are pitching.

Sumdaor wrote:Thats horseshit, no "good number" of employees use unethical or illegal means to get a advantage on the job. I think most of us forget that steriod usage is ILLEGAL.

No, it's not horseshit at all. Not at the highest level of many businesses. People do things that would be considered unfair to their fellow employees all of the time. And since, again, we are referring to the individuals at the highest levels of their professions, I'm sure there are plenty of instances of unethical activity for that individual to attain their status.

When you miss a year and half thats insane. Baseball does have some of the most inflated players salaries vs the revenue of the sport.

Bullshit. You can't even guess where the revenue streams are coming from to make such an asinine statement. Money pours from all sides, do the players not deserve it even though they are the product? Who the fuck made you boss on what constitutes a labor negotiation and the length of which is considered insane?

And how much more popular could the game be if it was run correctly? The game should bring in more revenue every year because your going to be spending more on players.

Again, they are at record highs, what's run correctly to you? You must be a business genius I guess. So much so that no one else has figured it out besides yourself.

That doesn't mean there aren't players taking steroids in those sports. Speculation is just that, speculation.

True but in no other sport are x-players making claims that half the players where juiced.

Meanwhile, every player in major league baseball was tested at least twice during this season and spring training and there were only a handful of positive tests that we know about. And no major sport tests for HGH.

Yeah thats because the players now know they are gettng tested. You would have to be a idiot to not drop the juice now.

Who the fuck made you boss on what constitutes a labor negotiation and the length of which is considered insane?

Tell that to fans of the disposed expo's they gave up on that team wholesale after the 94 season.

Also,who (if they announced it yet) got Rookie of the year? I sure hope Willy Taveras from the Astros gets/got it,cause he added some good stats for the team.

It hasn't been announced yet, but Taveras has absolutely zero shot. It will be Jeff Francouer or Ryan Howard.

Sumdaor wrote:Yeah thats because the players now know they are gettng tested. You would have to be a idiot to not drop the juice now.

And yet players in every sport that tests for steroids has players test positive. So what, exactly, is your point?

Damn,Red Sox getting blown out right now by the White Sox,it's 13-2 in the bottom of the 8th.

Kilmoll the Sexy wrote:Oh noz! The Killer Breeze! Many a year I have preached that the Braves needed power pitching to win in the playoffs. This is the year they finally have it. Hudson, Smoltz, Sosa. I am calling 3 game sweep for the Braves over Houston. 7 game series win over the Cards. 6 game repeat whipping of the Indians.

Still think the Braves are going to sweep?

Angels/Cards

Cards in 6

That is all