2007 AL Central

[pokerbobo]

Time to take a lok at the AL Central now that we are 25 percent in to the 2007 season. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Detroit- Have beaten up the weak part of the schedule....look for them to drop in the standings in the next 4-6 weeks. My prediction, they will be 5 games back by the AS break and finish well back. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Cleveland- Playing good ball and will be at or near the top of the division for the remainder of the year. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

White Sox- Just started hitting in the past two days.... are they finally out of the team wide slump or is this just a temp surge. My bet is that the Cubs series woke them up and the hitting will improve from the dismal level. With the ChiSox above 500 as bad as they have been.... hitting will bump them up in the standings. They have already been out west twice this year (where they historically play poorly) so the hardest part of the schedule is over. I look for them to gain ground on Cleveland, maybe catch them at some point past the AS break. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] (injury problems could change this. Thome and Pods already have been on DL, Crede now having back problems) [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Minnesota- Hard times up north.... Good organization though, and I think as bad as things look, when all is said and done, they will finish above Detroit, but will not be able to catch ChiSox or Cleveland. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

KC- Alot scrappier than last year's team...but still a doormat. Could play spoiler late in year if the top two teams are close in division race. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[nsdjoe]

I think it's pretty obvious the White Sox are gonna score 8-10 runs every game for the rest of the season.

Edit: For seriously, though, it is amusing how EVERYONE was correct, and as soon as Thome was back in the lineup the offense went crazy.

[pokerbobo]

[ QUOTE ]
I think it's pretty obvious the White Sox are gonna score 8-10 runs every game for the rest of the season.

Edit: For seriously, though, it is amusing how EVERYONE was correct, and as soon as Thome was back in the lineup the offense went crazy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Great to see the SOX bats come alive! They will be ahead of Detroit by the All Star Break, and Cleveland has some competition. Detroit's fade started yesterday. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[nsdjoe]

Keep in mind MIN was still worse off than they are now at this point last season and they won the division. Granted they don't have Liriano..

[mrbaseball]

[ QUOTE ]
lol, the 2006 AL Central thread was so funny for the first few months when the White Sox fans were harping on how awesome they were and that the twins have no shot at the division. Also, mrbaseball tilting against "statgeeks" who didn't buy into the fact that the Sox were the best team in baseball was funny too.


Quote:
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I'm talking about the clueless masses here at 2+2 and the braintrust at BP who had them ranked 3rd in the AL Central going into Sundays action. All of those stats that that the statgeeks like to slobber over and rank teams with may be fun for them but they are wildly inaccurate and pretty much pure BS.


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[/ QUOTE ]

Wow! I never look at this forum anymore as it represents everything I hate about 2+2 but today is extremely slow and boring. Anyway my quote is way out of context here and if you search my responses in that thread (as I have) I wasn't exactly saying the Sox were the best team in baseball and was very respectful and concerned of the competition.

But as for the accuracy debate. At the time BP had the Sox third despite the best record and they had them behind Cleveland (hah!) and ahead of the Twins (eventual division champion) so I stand by my feelings that that stuff is WILDLY inaccurate and 100% pure BS.

[pokerprose]

This is such an awesome division- I hope it gets crazy around september.

[bonds]

[ QUOTE ]
Great to see the SOX bats come alive! They will be ahead of Detroit by the All Star Break, and Cleveland has some competition. Detroit's fade started yesterday. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Making up 3 games over the next 6 weeks? Bold prediction!

Oops, Thome pops another muscle, White Sox finish 4th.

[bottomset]

[ QUOTE ]
Keep in mind MIN was still worse off than they are now at this point last season and they won the division. Granted they don't have Liriano..

[/ QUOTE ]

they have a couple AAA pitchers that could make a solid impact, but highly doubtful it will match or top Liriano's performance last year

getting Mauer back will help a bunch in the shortterm as well(though that might be delayed [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img])

[iron81]

Kyleb got quiet in a hurry.

[kyleb]

the indians rlz

there i am not quiet anymore, what do you want me to say? fine:

1) the indians are the best team in the division
2) the twins are much better than they appear (but really need to trade some pitching prospects for a bat - Pat Burrell comes to mind)
3) the tigers are the #2 best team in the divison
4) lol whitesox

there