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P-p-p-playoffs! '08
- Thread starter Counterfit
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You know, it's kinda funny, because both the Buccaneers' Super Bowl championship and the Lightning' Stanley Cup championship both went through very hopeful Philadelphia teams, when the Rays got that last out last night, you could almost hear Philadelphia fans everywhere let out a collective groan.
the story is that philly is under the billy penn curse, and it's been 25 years since a major philly sports team has won it all. the story of two losers and one winning the grand prize at the end of the series. i, of course, am pulling for the rays, but i do not want the phillies to win, as they are a braves division rival and their fans will get annoying if they finally win something (as in really mean).
the rays are not going away for some time. they are sticking around for at least 3-4 years and possibly more depending on what happens. but you never forget the first time. this is just like 1991 with the braves when they went on their worst to first run.
i'll tell you this, me, and many other fans would have not watched a red sox vs. phillies world series for various reasons (they hate both teams, and the sox fanbase is so much more annoying than the yankees were back in the late 90's).
if the rays beat them here, i think philly hates tampa bay for a very long time.
I submit that if you skip watching the World Series because your team isn't in it, then you aren't really a baseball fan.
My sentiments exactly. If anyone might be bitter it would be Dodger fans. I suppose I might feel that way if I thought we'd been cheated somehow. But since I know we were beaten by a better team, I salute the Phillies and will root for them in the Series.
I can see this going to 7 games and either team winning it. Philly has some good palyers and the Rays played like poop the last couple of games.
I hope the Rays bring it back to their top level and push it to a game 7. They can't allow the Phillies to rally big from behind. They have to play solid defense. A game 7 would be heaven!
Yeah, I'd like to know how you got options on players like Evan Longoria through 2016. I'd also like to know why Longoria's agent advised him to sign a deal that could possibly have him on one team, that may or may not be in playoff contention, for the next 8 years. I'd also like to know how you got Kazmir for pretty much nothing and possibly through 2012. You do have some free agents though, Bartlett, Navarro, Upton, Aybar, Garza, and Sonnanstine are all free agents. I bet you Garza, Upton, and Navarro get some nice offers from a few teams other than the Rays. Even Sonnanstine might have a few bidders with the difficulty in getting starters these days.
We'll see, the Rays could end up like the Rockies, really good one year, not so great the next. Should be a really competitive division next year, since C.C will probably be pitching on the Yankees or Sox. And since Manny will probably be hitting cleanup for the Yankees.
Longoria would have been under the Rays control long term anyways. Signing that huge deal was a no-brainer because of how much he is getting paid.
Garza, Upton, Aybar and Sonnanstine are all under 3 years MLB service time, so they'll be under the Rays control for at least the next 4 seasons. I believe Navarro is arbitration eligible, but he still should be under Rays control.
(In case you don't know, MLB players can't become free agents until they have amassed 6 years of MLB service time. For the first 3 years of this, they are salary-controlled by the team and receive at or close to the league minimum salary. For the 4th thru 6 years, they are eligible for salary arbitration to decide their salaries.)
The Rays aren't going anywhere. They have the best farm system in baseball. All of their young superstars are under control for quite a while. They most likely will have the best rotation in baseball next year (Garza, Kazmir, Price, Shields, Sonnanstine, Jackson if anyone gets hurt) as long as none of their starters pull a Phil Hughes.
Their bullpen is the biggest question, because guys like Wheeler used to suck and all of a sudden decided to be nasty this year. If they continue to be good, the Rays will be the best team in MLB next year. The biggest position of need that the Rays have is RF, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal to fill. I'm not familiar with the Rays farm system, but they probably have a corner OF prospect who's almost ready for the show.
Ah yes, it felt like I was forgetting something when I wrote that. Oh well, looks like they could be good for a little while. I'm sure we'll see the Sox and Yankees salaries continue to increase to try and combat the Rays talent.
Does anybody else think that Joe Maddon searches Macrumors for GENIUS baseball takes like this one????
Unless the Red Sox go after a big free agent like CC or Teixiera, their payroll next season will be around $110 million. They're currently around $90 million I believe.
I'm all for the Rays winning it (don't like the phillys) but it will take everyone stepping up. Yeah i think it will go to a game 7
Actually I think its around $130 million; according to this article the Red Sox had a payroll of $133,440,037. I don't know, I'd be surprised if the Sox didn't go after at least one. I'm not sure who I'd rather see playing for us; our starting pitching is already pretty good but so is our offense. I'd probably go for Texiera, we've got some decent pitching prospects to develop into starters, plus Matsuzaka, Lester, Beckett, and Wakefield (provided his option is picked up). Then again, CC would make us a lot stronger.
I say, lets get both.
I'm a little more concerned about Varitek. I'd love to see him back for another few years, maybe splitting time with Kevin Cash more often. I can't imagine him not being back, and can't even come up with a replacement for him.
Yeah I know it was $133 million for 2008. I meant going in to the offseason. $20 mil for Manny coming off, $10 mil for Tek, $8 for schilling, etc.
Main offseason goals contract wise: Long term deals for Pedroia, Lester, and possibly Youkilis.
Teixiera would be a great pick up. Then you'd have 2 gold-glove 1B/3B's that hit 30HR a year. Trade Lowell or use him as a backup and DH against LHP.
Lars Anderson will be in Boston full-time in 2010, and then Teixiera could move to DH with Lars at 1B or Lars DH and Teixeira at 1B. Anderson the best prospect in the system now. He's a left-handed slugger who hit .316/.436/.526 in AA this year. He probably has potential to hit 40HR a year.
If you can't get Teixiera, it's not a big deal. Keep Lowell for 2009 and then Lars will be 1B in 2010.
I don't know if the Sox will pay up the $150 million or so that it will take to get C.C. I think there's a higher chance they go after Burnett or Lowe.
Hell no. Just give Dusty Brown and Kotteras chances. At worst, they can be a stop-gap until Exposito is ready in 2010/2011.
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I really can't see the Yankees going after Manny. And we all know that he won't go back to Boston.
I really can't see the Yankees going after Manny. And we all know that he won't go back to Boston.
