The Jays are the best team in the AL East

[ QUOTE ]

the rest of the article then says:

"There's also a negative indicator, though. Actually, there are two of them: The Blue Jays scored 41 more runs than their underlying offensive statistics would predict and they allowed 23 fewer runs than their underlying defensive statistics would predict.

So considering the Blue Jays' run differential, they should have won more games ... but their run differential shouldn't have been as good as it was."

dude, you should know by now you cant slip [censored] like that past us.


[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry I actually never saw that part of the article because I was interested with that first little bit but anyways I think the one thing everyone is forgettign is how big a difference having Halladay for the whole year will be.

[cdxx]

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As I said earlier the Sox and Yankess are going downhill and the Jays look like they should be able to win the division

[/ QUOTE ]

so your argument that they will win is the other two teams (three, if you count the orioles) will beat themselves?

btw, just so all stats are in the open, let's list the jays offense. i am not saying any or all of these are relevant, i am just citing them for completion. the AL rank is in parenthesis.

runs 8th (5th)
hits 13 (9)
hrs 23 (11)
rbis 9 (6)
tb 20 (11)
bb 18 (6)
sb 18 (8)
OBP 12 (4)
SLG 22 (11)
BAA 14 (9)

oh, and do you know in how many categories TOR was actually ahead of either NYY or BOS? just one. boston was ranked 28th in stolen bases.

[Voltron87]

nyy > boston > toronto

but the > from boston to toronto used to be a >>>

if anyone actually thinks the yankees have a chance at having a losing season, name your odds, i'll make a big bet with you.

[cdxx]

i'd make that bet also. doesn't matter when, now or in april.

p.s.: voltron, when did you get a *?

[sublime]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
burnett's just not that good

[/ QUOTE ]

12-12 last year with a 3.45 ERA, on a disappointing Marlins team last year. His WHIP is a little high, 1.26, but I think those 198 Ks make it a little better. I feel like he would be one of the premier pitchers in the league by now if he could complete back to back seasons without injury.

[/ QUOTE ]

aj burnett (when healthy) + a great defense + pitchers park = matt clement+ a bad defense + a hitters park

this deal isn't a coup by any stretch of the imagination.

[sublime]

[ QUOTE ]

nyy > boston > toronto

but the > from boston to toronto used to be a >>>

[/ QUOTE ]

lets see. NYY had everything go right for them last year and finished tied for the AL east lead. the red sox have everything go wrong and finished tied for the AL east lead. this offseason the red sox added solid front of the line pitcher while the yankees degraded thier bullpen. do you really think at this point in time the NYY have a better chance of winning the al east than the red sox? [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

EDIT: i suppose saying everything went right for the NYY is a tad much, but i dont think anyone can argue they were much more fortunate than the sox (giambi, chacon, small is enough good karma for a decade)

[cdxx]

it's going to be another good race.

the red sox replaced a solid pitcher (wells) with another (beckett), are about to lose a 130 rbi hitter (manny), and still have doubts about their ace (schilling), bullpen, and closer (foulke).

the yankees lost a declining setup man (gordon) for an promising setup man (farnsworth). shedded a couple of contracts, but still have questions in their rotation (pretty much everyone), and centerfield.

[Voltron87]

[ QUOTE ]
NYY had everything go right for them last year

[/ QUOTE ]

whoa, whoa, whoa...

i believe some pitching injuries played a part in the yankees season

If you want to say the nyy and boston are equal i won't argue with that, im biased of course.

I dont see how boston can be a favorite, look at the lineups of the teams. bostons bullpen also sucks. as for the upgrade downgrade part... this is a pretty identical yankee team to the one which was supposed to be the best in MLB last year in preseason talk. i know they are older and theres definitely a lot im worried about, but I still don't see how boston can be more heavily favored.

[Pudge714]

IMO the jury is still out. The two keys will be which bat do the Jays add to their lineup, and will Manny Ramirez get traded.
Assuming the the Red Sox trade Manny and don't get full value for Manny, which is a reasonable assumption. I believe
2006 Jays > 2005 Jays
2006 Sox < 2005 Sox
2006 Yanks < 2005 Yanks

If people talk about Burnett being a question mark, I will remind you that Schilling and Beckett are question marks as well.

This Yankee team doesn't appear to be improving significantly this offseason. They are getting older, and several of thier players are getting worse. I don't feel confident in thier starting rotation, will Small and Chacon stay consistent? Is the Unit done? Is Moose done? Will Wang continue? IMO between all of thier starters they don't have one who I presently feel is a competent ace.

As for the bet with the Eagles I agree it would be stupid for him to make a bet before all the information was put in. He probably shouldn't have made such a bold statement especially with so many NYY and BOS fans ready to flame. To Kneel B4 Zod anyone taking an even money bet on one team winning a five team division would be a stupid bet.

cdxx said "It's going to be another good race." I agree now a third horse may have been added.

[ QUOTE ]

aj burnett (when healthy) + a great defense + pitchers park = matt clement+ a bad defense + a hitters park


[/ QUOTE ]
Tell me this is a joke.