Add new comment

It would be a different story if all were producing at career levels (we'd be roughly 5-10 games in true talent behind). Still, that didn't happen this year and a Beltran move wouldn't have made much of a difference. Too much of a gap in talent this year even when the pitching was overperforming.
The pitching has regressed because we were running an extremely low HR/FB% as a pitching staff (beyond good pitching). It is still low in the bullpen and we will probably see more regression there.
For '12, I think we need to see some good moves made by Z coupled with a couple guys like Seager and Carp panning out. Whether we can contend next year or not will depend on how the holes in the OF are filled IMO. I think Ichiro will bounce back in the 2nd half and have a better 2012 season (though hes no longer in his prime). Guti MUST get healthy or Halman has to suprise. Then you only have to fill one OF spot for next year.
The rotation will still have Felix-Pineda-Fister-Vargas with $25mil to spend.