WS 2003: Diamondbacks Vs. Mariners

[Zeno]

I have been sipping a Paulaner Original Munich Premium Lager, relaxing after watching the Diamondbacks wax the Rockies - So I feel good and more than my usual cocky self as evidenced by my recent posts.

This is how it will go down buckaroos:

Diamondbacks are getting some players back (Craig counsell hit a homerun today: I love to watch him bat- what a stance) and Johnson and Schilling will be prime after the all-star break. They will go on a 20 game win streak and win their division going away. The Dodgers are dead and San Fan will self-destruct. The Arizona team will paste all the competition in the playoffs including the Braves, who will dissolve in a cloudy dust of hopeless dreams. Diamondbacks win the NL and of course the Mariners will waltz through the AL and it will be my dream WS - Mariners Vs. Diamondbacks. Mariners will win 4-2. You can all mark it on your calendars - it's a done deal.

[Break - sip beer]

Round two.

The Supreme Court can Kiss My Ass. NO American with any salt pays attention to anything these overblown windbags have to say and most could not comprehend what they do say, even if they listened. So pipe down and relax, its all a joke anyway. Life is too short to waste on Lawyers and their singsong sophistry.

[ ahhh – that was a good beer, time for another]

-Zeno

PS I’m sure the Mariners won tonight also.

[andyfox]

Note that as soon as I disparaged the Diamondbacks chances they went on a 12 game winning streak and passed the Dodgers. I still don't think they'll make the playoffs (though I note that brilliant analyst Bobby Valentine has now changed his mind). Johnson will still be 90 years old when he comes back. Though it is hard to believe he is probably only the 3rd hardest thrower on that team (behind Schilling and Mantei). Not that Kim was Mr. Clutch, but I won't believe in Mantei until he gets through a post-season intact.

I though the Red Sox, with Bill James advising them, were onto something, until I heard today they're interested in Ashby from the Dodgers. Feh. The Yankees look like world beaters one week and then like minor leagues the next. The Twins look terrible. Oakland is inconsistent.

So I like your pick of the Mariners to make the W.S.

But I'm going with the Braves in the NL and to go all the way. Despite Bobby Cox. And Mike Hampton.

(BTW, you know who was the Braves's previous manager before Cox? And the previous manager before that guy?)

Interesting how Clemens gets all the attention for throwing at people (which he definitely does) when Pedro Martinez, who walks far less than Roger does, hits people all the time (knocking out Soriano and Jeter in one fell swoop yesterday). Pedro also walks through vistors' dugouts and claims Sammy Sosa was the victim of racism. Someone should be following him around, he's not a bad pitcher and says and does some interesting things.

Sean Green looks like death. He's trying to be stoic in the face of his hitting troubles and the media and fans have turned on him for his apparent lack of passion. He was really quite a popular guy here. There was a big deal a couple of years back about players getting in trouble for fraternizing (great word) with the opposition and a few people in Dodger management said they wanted their players to be intense and not be friendly with the "enemy." In the same edition of the newspaper, I remember reading how Carlos Delgado, in town for a series with the Dodgers, would be staying at his old friend Sean Green's house while in L.A. Hmm . .

(Mondesi was still with Toronto then and my wife saw him at lunch, just him and his bodyguard, eating two hundred pounds of sushi, washed down with 3 beers.)

Prettiest swing in baseball? Chipper Jones, and it's not close.

Ugliest body in baseball? David Wells, and it's not close.

[Zeno]

What a great post Andy. Thank You.

Of course you saw through my bluster about the diamondbacks, but it is good to see them win and think they have a chance. Without a little hope, life gets dull. The Diamondbacks have a three game home stand against the Giants just before the all-star break. It will be worth watching.

I'm banking on the Mariners - Bob M is a good manager, steady, cool, and patient, the players are solid and the pitching is good. It would be tough for them to win a WS but it is not suppose to be easy. They have as good a chance as anyone other top 5 team in the AL.

You don’t like the way Craig C. Bats? That is hard to believe – Chipper’s swing is sweet but Counsell’s swing is much more, shall we say – interesting.

“(BTW, you know who was the Braves's previous manager before Cox? And the previous manager before that guy?)”


A - Bob Melvin and - a, a , a , Yogi Berra? NO. a,a,a,a Billy Martin? Sparky Anderson? Joe Torre?

Too Many Beers, Andy. I don’t know.

Pedro was a madman the other night. But against the Yanks this can be excused.
Sort of.

Ditto on David Wells.

Best swing – I have to contemplate that one when sober – Chipper is up there but others have attractive swings also.

-Zeno

[andyfox]

I believe the Braves manager immediately preceeding Cox's current run was indeed Joe Torre. And the manager who immediately preceeded Torre was, I believe, Cox. (He went to Toronto for a while.)

I think I saw that the Red Sox intentionally walked Jason Giambi with 2 outs and nobody on base in the 8th inning with the score tied 1-1 in the Martinez/Mussina game. WTF?
I wonder what Bill James thinks about this strategy.

BTW, have you even watched Jim Tracy in the dugout? He's a madman. Even worse than Bowa. Reminds me of Jim Leyland. All he needs is the cigarettes. I guess losing takes its toll on everyone in different ways.