From the Mailbag”¦
C’mon, guys, the “Jonathan” Damon jokes ceased being funny about a week after he signed. He got a haircut, we get it.
Derek N.
Hey, now, for the record, I was the only one of the three who didn’t go there, but I’m not about to use this intro to run letters that indirectly praise me, while bashing my peers.
Well, maybe one more”¦
Frank Thomas is the “worst free agent signing”? The guy’s barely making league minimum, for f*ck’s sake! Hell, even the A’s aren’t counting on him for more than 80 games. And, all this “clubhouse cancer” nonsense is crap, anyway, or did I miss how much trouble that the long-reputed “tumor” A.J. Pierzynski caused in Comiskey last year?
Endy R.
For those of you who missed part one of our preview, go find out what’s got Derek and Endy all up in my area. When you get back, I promise we’ll have a fresh batch of five more questions addressing the upcoming season.
OK, fine”¦they’re right here:
Q: Which team is the most overrated heading into the season?
Aaron: Toronto? Nah”¦too easy. Besides, most of the so-called experts think the Jays will be better in ’06, but still not good enough to unseat either of the AL East’s postseason incumbents. The New York Mets, on the other hand, had several things break right for them last year and still couldn’t outlast Atlanta. There’s lots of talk that this will be the year of the Mets, but I don’t see it. I dare Pedro to pitch 217 innings for the third straight year. Tom Glavine’s career is hanging by his two front teeth and I’m not convinced that manager Willie Randolph knows what he’s doing. 3B David Wright and 1B Carlos Delgado will mash and CF Carlos Beltran should rebound, but this team won’t win half their games.
Daniels: For the reasons referred to in question #2, I have to pick the Dodgers. Their starting lineup, presuming I have it correct, will look something like: Rafael Furcal, JD Drew, Kenny Lofton, Jeff Kent, Nomar, Bill Mueller, Jose Cruz, and Dioner Navarro. When the meat of your lineup is one bad swing from the end of their season, that makes your chances at a solid year overrated.
Hulse: I hate to say it as a tried and true Mets fan, but the bandwagon to Flushing has become way too full for my tastes. I’m not saying they won’t win the division, or that they don’t have the talent to be perhaps the best team in the National League, but in the end, they haven’t actually won anything yet, and until someone knocks the Braves off that perch which they’ve held for 14 seasons now, it’s their division.
Q: Which team is the most underrated heading into the season?
Aaron: I’m amazed at just how many people are already counting out the Boston Red Sox. Sure, they’ve got question marks, but this offense still features Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, plus a made-for-Fenway hitter like 2B Mark Loretta. Can Jason Varitek continue to produce at 33? Is 3B Mike Lowell done? To say nothing of the issues surrounding the pitching staff, this club could finish anywhere from first to fourth. Still, I think there’s enough gas in the tank here for one more run. Plus, if they’re close to contending in July, they’ll do what it takes at the trade deadline to make themselves better. Believe me, this hurt me much more to type it, than for all of y’all to read it. Maybe.
Daniels: When you’re stuck in a division with New York and Boston, you tend to get overlooked by everyone. It’s a fair statement. Most of the talk of the AL East is the combined $350 million the Yanks and the Sawks spend. However, I think the most solid team in that division this year are your Toronto Blue Jays. They started spreading around that funny colored money this year and put together a team that can take out New York and Boston. I think these guys are going to come out of no where and take the East this year.
Hulse: Assuming Barry Bonds is healthy all season and not suspended or reprimanded for anything related to steroid use, the NL west is the Giants division to lose, yet nobody seems to be talking about them. He’s a one man army, and enough to change the landscape of the entire league based on whether or not he’s simply hitting.
Q: You’re given one mighty swing with 32 ounces of Louisville Slugger Goodness”¦whom do you choose to whack in the back of the head: Harold Reynolds or John Kruk?
Aaron: No contest here”¦I’m going for Kruk’s head, like Unit did in the ’93 All Star Game except, y’know”¦with a bat. As bad as Harold Reynolds is, at least he’ll occasionally offer up some insight on things like defensive positioning (he was a former Gold Glover) or baserunning. Kruk is the guy you invariably sit behind at the game, who loudly explains every detail of the game to his disinterested girlfriend. And, 99% of the time, he’s wrong. He’s from that “don’t be correct, be controversial” school of broadcasters that ESPN seems determined to corner the market on. Just a thought for the “worldwide leader””¦when prospective applicants send in a résumé with the words: “Best Damn Sports Show” on it”¦keep looking.
Daniels: I can’t even watch this show anymore, so I choose Peter Gammons’ lips. I mean”¦ look at them. They’re just so odd. Once you look, you’ll never be able to stop watching his lips. I apologize, but now you will have to watch them at all times also.
Hulse: Reynolds, only because I have serious doubts that a 32 oz bat is heavy enough to actually damage the rock on top of Kruk’s shoulders.
Q: In the non-Barry Bonds division, what will end up being the biggest story in baseball this season?
Aaron: Some how, some way and at some point and time this season, Roger Clemens will be pitching for”¦some team. In fact, it would not surprise me in the least to see the future Hall of Famer sit out until the All Star Break, so that his price tag will be at its highest for any potential employers. Tell me this story isn’t ready made for ESPN and its cadre of sycophantic scribes? I can’t predict exactly where Roger will end up, but expect him to toy with one or two unexpected suitors (White Sox? Angels?), before ending up in Boston, the Bronx or (the state of) Texas.
Daniels: The Cubbies’ Curse. If the Cubs make any attempt at a run at the NL Central, this will be huge news, especially after the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Black Sox have been lifted in consecutive years. The Curse of the Billy Goat is up on the chopping block after nearly 100 years after it started. Besides, the sports media world seems to love curses and this is really the last one to talk about. That being said, when we get to next year, and it starts approaching the actual centennial, prepare to be completely sick and disgusted with hearing about the stupid curse.
Hulse: While steroids will undoubtedly cast the biggest shadow on the league all season, the next biggest story would probably be the constant attention given to the Yankees and the Red Sox. The rivalry always gets people talking, and this year Toronto my close the gap and finally make it a 3 team race. Both Boston and NY are powerful, but have enough flaws that they don’t seem unbeatable. It should be interesting to watch.
Q: Who are this year’s top potential breakout players?
Aaron: One of these years, Oakland’s Rich Harden is going to be healthy from April to October and put up one of those statistically superlative seasons that defines one’s career. For all his hype, he’s never won more than 11 games in a major league season, but what the hell”¦he’s my pick. He won’t win a Cy Young this year and he’ll surely find a new and inventive way to get hurt, but 18 wins is conceivable, provided the A’s offense scores enough for him. Over in the NL, I really like what the Brewers have done in the offseason and I think Prince Fielder, at 22 years of age, will light it up this year.
Daniels: Up until he went down in a spring training game last week, I was going to pick Kaz Matsui. I had a nickname for him (KazMat) all ready and everything. Now it looks like the third year of his Mets contract will be similar to the other two, that being sitting in the dugout and watching. My reasoning was solid: he’s finally had time to adapt to the US, he can handle the pressure better, etc, etc. Oh well.
Hulse: David Wright of the Mets had a big season last year, second only to ARod in OPS at his position, and is still only 23 years old. Coco Crisp has always been a nice young player in Cleveland, but the attention given to the Sox will make more people realize how good he is. Finally, Felix Hernandez, a pitcher who still can’t buy himself a beer, yet can K 10 a game, has people comparing him to Doc Gooden… and not in a bad way either.
Check back on Friday for Part III, as our intrepid trio discuss Manny’s trade rumors and Barry’s (alleged) back acne, plus Coco, Damon and The Big Hurt!
