Power Pros Forum

But the olympics are way easiar then the Majors or even Triple A. How was his stuff? I mean his breaking balls and speed?
Its amazing that a pitcher (Ching Ming Wang) can come from and pitch for a few years in a league (Taiwan) that doesn't compare to our Triple A and still be dominant and one of the best closers in the league of his time. Now I know he's certainly not the best, but since he started he's be third in Cy Young votes for all three years. How are they the NL Yankees? Manny certainly isn't. And what's to hate about Torre? Most Red Sox fan don't hate him now that he's not on the Yanks. He's very classy, an incredibly kind man, a brilliant manager, a players manager, and there's nothing not to like. I think of Francona in a similar (but not as good, sorry Sox Fans) way. He too is very classy and a players manager. I know they both have there own charities, or at least I think Francona has his. I know Torre has a huge one.
Why don't you like the Giant any more Jackson? You have to be loyal to your own team.

1. They sucked. Badly. No self-respecting 11 year-old would cheer for a horrible team.
2. Barry Bonds. Enough Said.

Bonds maybe, but other then that you really should stay loyal. In every other sport, my teams are rarely successful, my only Big Bad Franchise are the Yanks. Even with Bonds, (who is now gone), I still would be loyal if I were you and route for other teams also at the same time who don't compete with the Giants (A.K.A. the Rays). As I asked before, what do you have against Torre and how are the Dodgers the NL Yanks?

uhh, he wasn't the most modest guy (torre)
and the dodgers also throw their money around (no offense) like the yankees, and they have a lot of swagger (and manny, eww)

I'm happy that the Dodgers are going to the postseason, because the Yankee's disgraced Torre with that deal, and I'm happy to see him keep his postseason streak going, and see the Yankee's streak end

actually, the phillies' offense was MIA for about eight weeks this season, and the pitching carried them through. jamie moyer is a crafty, intelligent, wily veteran whose performance cannot be discounted this year. he's got the most wins on the team, and he'd have even more if he would have gotten some better run support mid-season. even when he's not pitching, he functions as another pitching coach. he's a mentor for hamels (you can often see them together in the dugout working on their changeup grips). he is just as important to the phils as hamels or lidge. and when myers has his head on straight, he's very good. the bullpen has been spectacular as well: j.c. romero, chad durbin, ryan madsen, and even clay condrey have all posted stellar numbers this year, and the phils owe many of their victories to their pen (see the mets for an example of what happens when a team's pen can't hold the leads their hard-working starters give them). the only unmitigated pitching disasters were adam eaton (who was promptly shipped to the minors and hasn't started a big-league game since) and kendrick (who is off the playoff roster and is going to an instructional league to refine his game).

so you see the phils are anything but a one-dimensional team. yeah, they rely on the longball a bit too much, but their pitching has been excellent this year, too.

If anyone could be called the Yankees of the NL, it should be the Braves... they seemed to always be there... until recently.... The Dodgers were/still are like the current Mets, great first half /start 2nd half team, fading fast in August/September. It's nice to actually be clutch in September for once.

And just because the Dodgers inherited former Bombers/BoSox/Fish/etc... doesn't mean they inherit their old team's traits...

While the Phillies starting pitching wasn't terrible or anything, it was still sub-par. The Mets have had some of the best pitching and a strong offence all year. The Phillies have had a tremendous offense and without doubt one of the best, if not the best in the NL. When these even out, the Mets have a small advantage. However, the biggest difference between the two teams is bullpen. The Philies have one of the best bullpens in the game where the Mets are their exact oppisite. If you look at teams throughout recent history, the biggest collapses have all been with teams with no bull-pen. Starters feel they need to pitch 7-9 innings and try to stretch themselves out, messing up their mechanics. Hitters aren't always putting their heart into it because they know what ever they score will be blown later. The list goes on and on. The Mets were in a better shape when they had a bad bullpen but still had a very good closer in Wagner. Now, without them, their bull-pen is horrible with the exception of Heilman (who isn't exactly at his best this year), and that is why the Phillies have the better record and now have the better team.

but the braves don't have the money or the swagger!
plus, no offense, but that is a little biased...

COncerning the Mets-
Their starting pitching is great
Bullpen is CRAP
So pitching is weak because its hard for them to close out a game, despite having good starting pitching.
OFFENSE- Their offense really started waking up 2nd half, there wasn't that much offense first half, at least not as much as 2nd half. Really it started to pump up with Delgado getting good.

and then there's david wright...

Who was great, but now is only getting basehits, not hrs or big hits

Well, based on the fact my Sox play the Angels in the first round, I'd say it's gonna be Red Sox-Rays in the ALCS... I could be wrong though, I mean the Angels have gotten better.

The Red Sox have the mind advantage.

Yes but there not as good as a team as the Angels or the Rays. However, they do have the most experince and are good against the Angels. Generally a new team doesn't do so well in the post season but the Rays mentality is so amazingly solid that I think that they can do it.