Senor Frederico Wilponzo

New York Mets, Adam Eaton, Aaron Heilman, Billy Wagner, Major League Baseball - CBSSports.com

That is one of the worst articles I've read in a long time. I got a good laugh out of it.

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Paulie: You're late!
Ralph: I can always be on time tomorrow, but you'll be stupid forever.

freakzilla11

I don't get this stupid idea that Castillo's defense is bad or is getting worse. He had 2 errors in 50 games, which is about 6 in a full season.

That's Gold Glove territory.

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mets84

People say this, and I seriously don't get where this is coming from.

Maybe this is the case if the Mets get two more starters, but as of right now the Phillies have to be considered the favorites, and the Braves (whose pythag record was better than the Mets' last year) got better when they signed Glavine (sorry folks).

It's a long offseason, so it doesn't matter what the teams look like on November 30th, but as of right now it's the Phillies' division. That's the way it is.

dak11

Not if his range is 4 feet to both sides.

13th Inning

From the article:
"Their rotation is anchored by two 25-year-old starters, who averaged eight strikeouts per inning in 2006..."

Jeez no wonder the bullpen is overworked - striking out eight guys per inning has a way of really running up the pitchcount...

metman

He said the Cubs (page 2) were more flacid up the middle than a midwest housewife.

What the ****?

Did I really read that? He has a job writing? How?

mets84

dr rick? is that you?

Matt

Why? The Phillies were the favorites last season after the Mets won the division...remember?

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Outfield

freakzilla11

But their real record wasn't, which is all that matters in the real world.

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mets84

That doesn't mean the reverse should be true.

Their strengths are better than the Mets' strengths, and the Mets' question marks are AT LEAST as big as theirs.

Obviously the season is played on the field, but as of this moment I don't see how the Phillies aren't the favorites.

mets84

Woo hoo, we finished second, they finished third. Break out the champagne.

The point is that they scored more runs than the Mets and allowed fewer, AND they filled their biggest need with Glavine. As of right now, they are better than the Mets.

Matt

The Mets were the better team going into last season. That's my point...everyone defended Rollins when he made his comments last season even though the Mets ON PAPER were still the better team.

Now, you're bashing this guy for saying the Mets are the favorites even though the talent level of the teams are about the same. It's not even clear that either team is definitively better at this point...

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Outfield

freakzilla11

You kidding me? By using SABRE metrics, I can tell you that the Mets are the 12th best team in the NL. I can't give you the exact stat, but I'll keep looking until I find one that proves my point.

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mets84

Then we disagree here. I think the Phillies, as of right now, are more talented. IMO they upgraded both the bullpen and the top of the rotation with the Lidge trade, whereas both of those things are MAJOR question marks for the Mets (even including Wagner, who must be considered at best an uncertainty).

On offense, Rollins + Howard > Reyes + Beltran, and Utley (when his hand isn't broken) > Wright. And given the rapidly declining Alou and Delgado, I don't think the Mets have an answer to the complementary offense Burrell gives them.

They may be losing Rowand's offense, but I think that in their ballpark it will be easier for them to replace him. It also makes it easier to find guys like Dobbs and Werth who thrived and made real contributions.

mets84

Yup, runs scored and runs allowed, REAL tough statistics to wrap your mind around.