I like this team, I think. It promises to be able to win 3-2 ball games...AND...8-7 ball games. That's some difference over last year.
I'm now of the belief that the hinges that this season swings on are:
1. The Felix and Lee and pray for rain idea. Anything close to recent normality from those two guys and we have the best 1-2 in baseball. Barring injury, the upside between these two guys is something like 37 or 38 wins and 12 to 14 losses. Man, your 2 dozen games over 500 right there.
2. Injury, injury, injury. (DUH!!) This is always the case, I suppose, for teams expected to contend. But if the two big cats at the top of the order stay healthy, along with Ichiro, Guti, and Figgins. We can afford a tweak and tear elsewhere.
3. Finding a hot closer. We have enough arms at the back ofthe bullpen that somebody should do this well. And I like all the mid-game arms we can bring at you. Tex is vicious!
4. The next smokin' bat. Ichiro, Guti, Figgins and Lopez will all produce.. One or two more bats makes this a VERY potent offense. Tui? He may be it. Sweeney? For the last 8 months he's hit nothing but frozen ropes all over the place. hot damn...he even legged out a triple! Bradley? History says he will get on base and wear out pitchers. My heart says the first time he deals with White Sox or Yankees fans after going 0 for his last 9 and some newspaper reporter asks him a seemingly reasonable question that it might be time to hide the Gatorade jugs and water despensers. Junior? He will never really be Junior again...but as a situational hitter who can punish you...well, look at last year and consider he seems to be in beter shape and more health this year. I consider it even money (or better) that we get a VERY productive 400-500 AB's out of two of those guys. That would be HUGE!
5. Against all hope...I'm hoping for a solid mental state from Bradley all year. I'm now pushing back the over-under on the first Bradley meltdown from mid-May to early June. I'm beginning to trust the Jr-Sweeney-Ichiro babysitting service on this one. At least for a bit. A reminder...Problem children remain problem children.
And if I might beat the Tui drum again. What we've seen this spring is a SIX position outside linebacker. I think that speaks to the athleticism of the guy. Tui is listed at 225 right now. That's more than Ed Kranepool (for you 50+ guys) weighed! That only 5 lbs less than Boog Powell (bball-reference)!!! That's more than Willie Stargell!!! Minus the left handedness of a couple of those guys...can you imagine them capable of playing SSor 2B? When Hannahan becomes available...Langerhans will have pulled a muscle or tweaked a toe-nail. Bet on it. The best school for Tui right now is in the classroom with Jr. and Sweeney and Ichiro. He's about to be a B/B+student....and then the honor role from there. Tacoma offers him nothing.
Early odds. 50/50 he's a fulltime starter next year.140 games plus. .290 and 25 plus.
LF, 3B, 1B.....Place your bets.
Happy Easter.
Keith
Add new comment
1