Bad day to be a Red Sox fan/Division winners

by Prospector on Aug 21, 2006 5:23 PM MDT

How in the world does a team in the thick of a pennant race allow itself to get swept in a five game series to their sworn enemy AT HOME?!?!?!!! Is there any word on how many fans jumped from the upper levels at Fenway? The Red Sox might as well not even play the rest of their games. Their season is done, kaput, finito. It only took until the end of August for some of these pennant races to sort themselves out. So, with little else to talk about on the Rockies off day, let's see some predictions for the division winners and wild card. Here are mine:

AL East: The stoopid Yankees.
AL Central: Too easy-Detroit
AL West: The Angels
AL Wildcard: Minnesota (seven games left against the Royals seals the deal)

NL East: The stoopid Mets
NL Central: The Cardinals (just by a hair though, Cincinatti's remaining schedule is against the NL West, and we know how weak that division is...)
NL West: The Diamondbacks.
NL Wildcard: Cincinatti by that same hair.

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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AZ?

Are you seriously picking the Diamondbacks to finish ahead of the Dodgers?

Also, give me the As over the Angels.

by MADness on Aug 21, 2006 5:51 PM MDT reply actions

My reasoning

Two things went into who I picked for the division winners.

I didn't want to go strictly with the current division leaders. It's too easy, opens me up for the "dude, did you put any thought at all into this?" berating, and it doesn't stimulate any discussion. That's why I went with the Angels and the snakes.
I looked at the schedules for each teams remaining games. I figured that while the Dodgers still have seven games remaining against the Cubs and Milwaukee they still have to play three against the Mets sandwiched in between those two series. On the road too, which means they have to go to the midwest, to New York, then back to the midwest. Granted they have a day off to prepare for the Cubs after New York, but I bet that is still some pretty brutal traveling late in the season.

The Diamondbacks meanwhile still play nine games against the cellar dwellers of the east, Florida and Washington. Yes, they have four at home against St. Louis, but those nine against the east will either really help their cause, or kill it.

The remaining games for both teams are within the NL West, with six coming against each other. I just figured Arizona would have a little easier go at it, so I picked them. Who knows what will happen, but that's what makes August and September fun for a baseball fan. Right?

by Prospector on Aug 21, 2006 7:15 PM MDT up reply actions

My best guess

AL East- Yankees: Rarely does one man make a difference at the deadline, but Abreu makes this team embarrasingly deep.

AL Central- Detroit: Too far out front to falter, but taxing young pitchers could prevent future runs.

AL West- Oakland: Traditionally a second half team, too far in front and playing too good.

AL Wildcard- Chicago: Twins could be a force in two years with their pitching, but Sox have too much offensive talent, better overall product.

NL East- New York: Easy call, but record hides troubles in pitching, are very vulnerable to an October letdown right now.

NL Central- St. Louis: Reds aren't consistent enough, but this isn't that superior a team.

NL West- Los Angeles: The type of team that could win it all, getting hot at the right time, ala Florida three years ago.

NL Wildcard- Arizona: I've picked front runners the whole way, and Cinci's bullpen is crumbling with injuries. The kids are for real in Arizona, but the pitching? Chris Young's injury keeps me from picking San Diego. Houston is no different than Colorado, can't score...

by David "ohno" on Aug 21, 2006 7:23 PM MDT reply actions