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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jun 17, 2008 22:02:29 GMT -5
we could all get tshirts to sport for our team, mine would say "got bullpen?" i like it
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Post by Administrator on Jun 18, 2008 14:24:47 GMT -5
I'm going to have the "im with stupid" style shirts only they say "He's on the DL" Can I put an order in for one of those.
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Post by tbone9922 on Jun 18, 2008 14:31:04 GMT -5
Yeah i think i need some of those for my starting pitching.
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Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Jun 22, 2008 11:22:45 GMT -5
Chin Music AL Power Rankings
Disclaimer: If you don’t want to hear some idiot pontificate on the state of his league, don’t read Swo’s column. The less cluttered version posted following Swo's list.
Hey guys, specifically all you AL GM’s out there, I know you’ve been missing your Power Rankings. You’ve been dying to see how you stack up against the rest of the league, I can tell. So in your honor, Chin Music Presents Real Men of Genius. Real Men of Genius. Today we salute you Mr. Anxious Chin Music Power Rankings Waiter. Mr. Anxious Chin Music Power Rankings Waiter. Checking in on the message boards a dozen times a night, you are always on the ball. Getting Carpal Tunnel. Losing sleep, promotions at work and quality time with your kids, you make the necessary sacrifices to chase your dream of fantasy supremacy. I’ll see them in October. Always wanting to improve your team, you send 15 PMs a day inquiring about all of your favorite players. How much for Big Papi? So crack open this edition of the Power Rankings O’ Master of the Message Boards, you’ve earned them. Mr. Anxious Chin Music Power Rankings Waiter.
14. Oakland Athletics: Ownerless teams are sure to find their way to the cellar of power rankings and this one is no different. Their league score, nearly double that of the ‘last place’ team, doesn’t really paint an accurate picture in my opinion. I really think this roster needs a special GM to get things back on track- we’re talking Billy Beane type brilliance here. What don’t I like about them you ask? Well, when you’re not going to make the playoffs (or even log on in this case,) you ought to be building around guys who theoretically will get better over time, right? That’s my personal strategy anyway. The A’s have some respectable players, however most of them are old or injury prone. I foresee a firesale around the trade deadline to pick up some younger guys to build around, as there are always optimistic challengers willing to sacrifice youth for valuable production come playoff time. I may be getting ahead of myself, though, seeing as how nobody’s at the helm at the moment.
13. Toronto Blue Jays: It’s not difficult to figure out why the Jays are near the cellar of the AL. Absent ownership (I desperately need to find replacements, I know) along with underperformance and injuries is always a recipe for fantasy disaster. They have some very attractive pieces on paper (Rios, McGowan, Halladay, etc.) so with new competent ownership, they could conceivably turn it around.
12. Kansas City Royals: I still like quite a few of the pieces in the puzzle out in KC. Longoria, Teahen, Bannister and Soria along with a nice farm system are definitely a start, but don’t count on the Royals wearing the league crown this year. As Napoli was plummeting back to earth, Guillen was finally beginning to earn at least a portion of his enormous paycheck. This franchise will return to relevance in years to come, but in the meantime, look for the Royals to improve upon their mid- 70’s score.
11. Cleveland Indians: Obstacle 1- previous ownership that wanted a title in Cleveland about as much as they did in Major League. Obstacle 2- the real life Tribe have been awful so far this year. With that said, current ownership has started looking towards the future, apparent by their influx of quality farmhands in exchange for current production. The trade just posted is exactly the type of move required to extricate oneself from mediocrity. The one move that has backfired, however, is the Juan “Willie Mays Hayes” Pierre trade. Cleveland couldn’t wait to get him out of town and off the payroll, but had they waited for Joe Torre to start giving the speedster more playing time, they would have been able to get more for him and his 26 SBs.
10. Chicago White Sox: How to describe the South Siders’ roster? Aging and average. My advice from the previous column stands- get younger. Kent, Helton and Dye won’t be around for too much longer, so management (if he’s alive) needs to decide if he’s going to shit or get off the pot. By shit, I mean make a run at glory in their baseball lifetimes and by get off the pot, I mean sell off the old pieces to contenders for younger pieces. Stay tuned.
9. Seattle Mariners: What happened? They were on top of the world and the scoreboard once upon a time, but their descent into mediocrity has been swift. If hype and self-promotion were categories, the M’s would probably be ranked considerably higher, but sadly this is only a 6X6 league. They aren’t as bad off as the real Mariners, so they’ve got that going for them, which is nice. The offense looks very solid and prepared for the future (Jay Bruce), but they could use some arms in the rotation for sure. The Mariners are not strangers to dealing, so it’ll be interesting to see what approach he takes from here on out.
8. Baltimore Orioles: Tough to say why they aren’t any better off in terms of score than they are, because I really like this roster. The Pujols injury hurts, but they knew he was banged up when they dealt for him and weren’t really playing for this year anyway, so unless its effects linger into the future they’ll survive. The collection of young talent is quite impressive, so look out for Baltimore to be a force in years to come. The O’s are definitely on the right track.
7. Texas Rangers: I was a fan of this roster last time I wrote this column, but even I, with my great wisdom and foresight, didn’t give the Rangers enough credit. Lopez, whom I’ve inquired about like 50 times, is absolutely raking and providing just about the only bright spot on an abysmal Mariners team. Salty is coming around like most thought he would, though the platoon at catcher isn’t helping his development (though I see him at 1B long term anyway.) Add those guys to Adrian Gonzalez, David Murphy, Shumaker and Michael Young and you’ve got yourself quite an offense. The pitching is still a weakness, but ownership still looks pretty smart with their FA pitching acquisitions. I see good things down the road in Arlington.
6. New York Yankees: I’ll try my best to be impartial and not let my anti-NY bias get in the way here. The Yankees SUCK…just kidding. They’re really not so bad. They’ve got a top notch pen and a decent offense when everyone is healthy. Joba’s move to the rotation came not a moment too soon and has gone much better than expected, which is a start towards filling their most glaring weakness- the rotation. With Mr. Frosted Tips back from his chronic hangnail affliction and Posada in the lineup on a consistent basis, I expect the Bombers to begin making up some ground here very shortly.
5. Detroit Tigers: The offense looks good, the rotation looks OK, the pen is atrocious. While the Tigers were lobbying for a good Power Rankings spot, flame throwing Guitar Hero obsessed Joel Zumaya came off the DL. There was talk about his velocity never returning, rendering him ineffective, but it seems that he’ll get back on track to be the successor to Todd Jones. Edwar Ramirez is an intriguing bullpen option, seeing as how the Bronx Bombers are looking for a setup man not named Farnsworth. The roster looks great, but if Detroit has any desire to make the playoffs, they ought to be looking to bolster their pen.
4. Minnesota Twins: One of the most complete teams in the league and improving as we speak. Lineup is stout, top to bottom and the relatively unheralded pitching staff has been remarkable. They could use some more help for the rotation or pen, but expect to see the Twins playing meaningful ball late in the season and into the postseason. Truly a testament to what good ownership can do with some decent pieces.
3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Tough luck has befallen the Angels as injuries to Kendrick, Figgins and JJ Putz (how useless is that guy?!?), not to mention the departed Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey, have hampered their production thus far. But with CC Sabathia finding his groove and everybody getting healthy, the Angels will be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the season. A sleeper for the league crown.
2. Boston Red Sox: Despite what the scoreboard may say at the moment, the Sox are not as formidable as they may appear. With their slugger out of commission for an unknown amount of time and a shaky (to put it nicely) return from Dice-K, there are just as many questions as answers in Beantown. I like the squad overall, but guys like Aubrey Huff, Giambino and Joe Saunders have to be playing over their heads, right? Statistically, the biggest weakness is in the pen where they’re just a middle of the pack team in Holds, and they could certainly use another MI, but who couldn’t? Well, our top ranked team is more than set at MI….
1. Tampa Bay Rays: Holding down the coveted top spot in the AL are the Rays. At present, they’re battling back from a barrage of injuries that set them back a bit to start the year, but they’ve managed to hold their ground and keep themselves in good shape for a run in the postseason. When you’ve got 3 all star MIs in a league this deep, you’ve done a pretty good job. Add Miggy Cabrera, an impressive Ryan Ludwick and a solid staff to the mix and you’ve got a favorite come playoff time. Barring injuries or gross underperformance, the Rays have the best shot at bringing home the hardware in September.
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jun 22, 2008 11:25:40 GMT -5
CHIN MUSIC NL POWER RANKINGS
Here ya go, this is the inaugural NL Power Rankings. Well, I suppose I could just say the Power Rankings, as that other league (the BL or CL i forget what they call themselves its not important) is run by a man with the same skills for being a commissioner as Bud Selig. I mean seriously, you never hear any complaints coming out of my league, most of the original members of my teams, still here (except for the fish, Dbacks (who left because of people in the other league) and the Mets (who had personal things to deal with)). Its pretty clear who has done a better job of managing their league, plus the NL has 4 of the top 8 in this league, which proves my point (wait for it, yes there is some shifty math there). All in all what I'm calling for is the AL GMs to finally realize they are being led around the world like Magellan and they need to impeach Ty and make me Supreme Ruler of the Fantasy World.
16. St. Louis Cardinals Here’s another team that boggles my mind as to their ranking, they have arguably the best offensive force in the league and some quality pitching and good hitters. Admittedly the GM has said he does not care about this year, as he feels he has no shot this year, which if it wasn’t true before it sure is now. However, this is not a team I want to compete with next year as they are loaded in the minors and their young players are gonna be even better next year. And this Josh Hamilton character, ill tell you what watch out for this kid , I don’t think he is quite there yet, but next year he could prove to be a decent player, maybe 90 Rbi or something 15. San Francisco Giants They have some pretty good young guys, but are still a ways off from making any waves. Hopefully, Zito remember how to get outs, Lowry and Capuano can get healthy and make the contribution that they are capable of. You never know maybe Bonds will come back (did everyone just have a mild coronary… good I was just kidding) 14. Florida Marlins I think this team could have been a lot better if the team wasn’t destroyed in the off-season, which is no fault of the current GM. On the other hand (you have different fingers, sorry its my dad’s joke its like a reflex), their farm system might be able to beat their ML team, ala Major League 3. Hopefully, the rest of us can get some prospects down the road; otherwise this team could be posed to create a dynasty in a couple of years. 13. San Diego Padres This is a case of the fantasy team matching the real life team, fantastic pitching, but questionable hitting. They were hurt by Peavy going down. Another team that has made some trades for a group of young guys that will most likely pay off in the long run, so watch out in a year or two. 12. Washington Nationals You know you’re in trouble when your best offensive threat is Casey Blake. I think we can all agree the Nationals are doing a very good job of not being the team they should be (that being the worst team in the league). Their GM has pulled the trigger on some questionable moves, and they seem to turn out well for him everytime. They are still a ways off from competing for a title, but that was assumed, and he has done better than anyone would have thought. He could have an outside chance at GM of the year. Also a contender for best bullpen. 11. Colorado Rockies Unless the Rockies, have decided to best way to make it to the world series is to not exert themselves in the fist half of the year, in order to save their strength for the second half, I don’t see this team doing much. However next year, they could be very dangerous, their trade to get Alicides Escobar, Matt Laporta and Manny Parra, could be the steal of the year. And with Garret Atkins, Matt Holliday (2nd only to Pedro Cerrano in total baldness, which is another category we may add next year), this team has some serious offensive potential. Their pitching looks good too, come to think of it, this team is an enigma, they shouldn’t be this bad, clearly it’s the yahoo who is running these guys. 10. Milwaukee Brewers Well this team pretty much won HR. And Prince only has 13, which is kind of scary because this team could end up hitting 250 HR or more...not in one game, that’d be a record. This team knew they were in trouble to start the year, with the injuries their staff suffered in spring, but they could be a serious contender next year with the right moves. Unfortunately, they have already sent off there best prospects, but luckily the Brewers have proven they are able to scout talent and hopefully this GM can pick up some more prospects. 9. Houston Astros They have to two best nicknames in the league… The Big Puma and El Caballo. Unfortunately, these are not categories for which we award points, although it may be added for next year, so keep your eyes out for guys like “Oil Can” Boyd, Randy "Large Mouth" Bass, Lance "You sank my" Blankenship, Steve "Kentucky fried" Chitren, Curt "Devil with the blue" Dressendorfer… ok I’m done now. The Astros have a good team, unfortunately they are relying too heavily on the Astros pitching staff, but they still are hanging in their. If they wish to move up they will need to get some young players via trade, because the real life Astros have yet to grasp the concept of talent evaluation. (apologies to any real life Astros fans, but seriously they had a horrible draft and this wasn’t the first time) 8. Philadelphia Phillies As seems to be a recurring theme, the Phils have a good offense, but no pitching although they can get strikeouts with the best of them. They have solid enough starters, they could stand to add one more, they need to work on their pen, and it appears this team will need to make some deals, to add these parts. 7. New York Mets A buttload of good Starting pitchers, is the strong point of this team, with three projected Aces (Sheets, “Don’t mess with the” Johan Santana and Bedard, ok so he sucks this year but he was supposed to be good). Their piecemeal offense though isn’t able to get it together and that seems to be this team’s drawback. 6. Los Angeles Dodgers By far one of the best young lineups in the league, Votto, Adam Jones (the one that plays baseball and doesn’t refer to himself as a legendary video game character), and Matt Kemp, all have bright futures. The only low point of this offense is the ability to go deep, they don’t have a true power hitter, but they seem to make up for it by everyone doing their share. But without some more pitching they won’t be any better than they are right now, it really hurt that Bonderman went down, and that Brad Penny forgot how to pitch. 5. Cincinnati Reds By far one of the best top to bottom pitching staffs in the NL. They are consistent throughout every category, and have a good core of young guys, including some studs in the waiting, Samardzija, Gorkys, Kasey Kiker. But for this year I think their bats are too young, and its inevitable that Dusty Baker will make Edinson Volquez throw so many pitches his arm breaks, then Dusty will have him throw two more games, just to see what happens. 4. Arizona Diamondbacks All I have to say is WOW. A few weeks ago, I was staring up at this team and wondering, how is anyone gonna beat this team, I figured they would cool off, but only cause they had a 40 pt lead over 2nd place. Whether their fall from grace was a result of the slowing of the bats and some bad starts for their starters, or a result of an absent GM not making the moves to stop the fall, we’ll never know. But this team is entirely too good to be this low, even with their young bats. I see them getting into the mix by the end of the year. 3. Pittsburgh Pirates It was thought this team was a flash in the pan, that they would soon begin to start playing to their projected level and fall. Well, I guess we were wrong, this team is here to stay. While their team is without any recognizable type A star, they have a multitude of guys who do their job everyday, and it appears their manager is getting the most out of their team, obviously Willie Randolph is not a part of this organization. This team could be ready to make up even more ground on the leaders, with Rafael Furcal coming back to the lineup. 2. Atlanta Braves By far the best organization in this league, they’ve got it all, consistently in the top3 since day 1, solid minor leagues, even without the present of a true star, and by far one of the best looking GMs in this league. Their major downfall has been injuries to their pitching staff, Smoltz and Soriano (maybe there’s a trend here, don’t have guys named Soriano they get hurt a lot), and the signings of Derrick Turnblownsave and Mike "spends every summer in the” Hamptons (gotta give credit where credit is due, that came from TY). While their biggest weakness is their bullpen, the only thing keeping them from first place really (I mean seriously their bullpen is horrible, there are talks that they might try to be able to get the pitching stats from the GM’s softball league to count), they could also stand to add another power bat. 1. Chicago Cubs The biggest news with this team is that they are in second place overall, and they have the “Canadian Nightmare” on their team, Eric Gagne. For the past couple of weeks they have been the class of the NL, but with injuries to Soriano and an impending MRI on the Big Z, they might be looking at a tough road for the next couple weeks. The key to their success is their deep bullpen and they have a bunch of quality bats in their lineup, I still think they need another starting pitcher, even though their top three are pretty darn good.
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Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Jun 22, 2008 11:30:08 GMT -5
And to remove all doubt about how each team stacks up against the rest of the league, here are the numerical rankings for the whole league. Last Power Rankings spot in parenthesis. The Favorites1. (12) Tampa Bay 2. (5) Chicago (NL) The Contenders3. (2) Boston 4. (3) Atlanta 5. (4) Los Angeles (AL) The Dark Horses6. (17) Minnesota 7. (8) Pittsburgh The Enigmas8. (1) Arizona 9. (13) Detroit 10. (18) New York (AL) The Sleepers11. (6) Cincinnatti 12. (7) Los Angeles (NL) 13. (21) Texas 14. (20) Baltimore Stuck in the Middle15. (9) New York (NL) 16. (11) Philadelphia 17. (10) Seattle Playing for Now18. (14) Houston 19. (15) Milwaukee 20. (19) Chicago (AL) Run by a Yahoo21. (16) Colorado Playing for Later22. (25) Washington 23. (22) San Diego 24. (27) Florida The Redheaded Stepchildren25. (26)San Francisco 26. (28) Cleveland You Can’t Make Chicken Salad out of Chicken $#!&27. (29) Kansas City The Unclassifiable28. (30) St. Louis Absentee Ownership 29. (24) Toronto 30. (23) Oakland
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Post by Administrator on Jun 22, 2008 12:00:23 GMT -5
I mean I love it I got to being selected #1 in power rankings even though I have only gotten as close as 3rd place this season and seem to have settled in 4th. However I would love to hear how this power ranking for me was achieved? I was just expecting a 4-6 Ranking, def not 1 though.
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jun 22, 2008 12:06:26 GMT -5
well, we use a very precise mathematical formualtion, that if i were to explain it to u, ur head would explode becuase it is so complex and crazy and it has 4 dimensions up and down, left right, depth and a fourth u dont even know about.
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Post by Administrator on Jun 22, 2008 16:13:12 GMT -5
ok yea, could have just said....... Quantum Physics
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2008 21:54:56 GMT -5
Run by a Yahoo21. (16) Colorado Rockies management cannot express in words how happy they are to receive this award. At first it seemed we had a great team, one able to contend this season, but that was far too easy. It's been a long hard first half, but thanks to facebook friendships with Tanya Harding, Jeff Gillooly and the ghost of Shawn Eckardt we've really done our best to crazy things up! People we should know indeed! Special thanks really go out to Tulo and Hank Blalock though. We couldn't have done this without you guys!
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jun 24, 2008 20:08:23 GMT -5
o here come the excuses, 2 of my best three hitters are out, my hands are broken so i cant work a keyboard/mouse to change my roster, im in jail and have no internet access, save it for someone who cares... ahh internet
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Post by tylernorton on Jun 24, 2008 21:56:39 GMT -5
o here come the excuses, 2 of my best three hitters are out, my hands are broken so i cant work a keyboard/mouse to change my roster, im in jail and have no internet access, save it for someone who cares... ahh internet am i the only one who thinks those situations escalated REALLY fast?
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Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Jun 24, 2008 22:27:51 GMT -5
o here come the excuses, 2 of my best three hitters are out, my hands are broken so i cant work a keyboard/mouse to change my roster, im in jail and have no internet access, save it for someone who cares... ahh internet am i the only one who thinks those situations escalated REALLY fast? Nope, thats about par for the course for Swo. You'd understand if you knew him.
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Post by tristolio on Jul 24, 2008 19:54:43 GMT -5
is a third power rankings in the mix?
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jul 24, 2008 20:27:31 GMT -5
welll to be honest we didnt really get a lot of response from the second round, so I dont know how Ty feels, but if no one is gonna read them, it deosnt seem worth it. I enjoy doing it but it is quite time consuming. IF people would like to haev them however, we'd be more than happy to brign out another round.
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Post by Rangers GM (jfleming) on Jul 24, 2008 21:12:01 GMT -5
I thoroughly enjoyed the last power rankings and I would love to see another edition come out. I think ya'll have done a great job with it.
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Post by tbone9922 on Jul 24, 2008 21:47:09 GMT -5
i agree that they are a great addition to the league. they make for great reading.
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Post by Cubs GM (Scott B) on Jul 24, 2008 22:42:54 GMT -5
Keep em coming!
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Post by tylernorton on Jul 24, 2008 23:12:48 GMT -5
me three!
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Post by bwolters on Jul 24, 2008 23:20:12 GMT -5
How the Hell am I gonna say that its a bad thing when I was #1 overall (which was bullshit, but I cant wait to see how the playoff system goes).
I gotta say as a huge supporter as the first one went I went #12, I loved it and just expected a normal following of people like me expected it to go on as a usual thing. In my opinion as a flake in a lot of leagues and a stayer in few up until this league, It's the most enticing factor in this league nobody wants to be called out publicly for how shitty of a manager they are(I mean I have seen someone start with the Royals or the Orioles roster and win for that matter). Changes can happen and if people are keeping up with their team like they are in this league only good can come from a regular segment like this
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Post by robinhj99 on Jul 25, 2008 4:24:30 GMT -5
Big fan of the power rankings.
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Jul 25, 2008 17:32:20 GMT -5
dont worry Brett, if I do the Al ill put you last, i have faith in your ability to screw it up
only partially serious
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Post by bwolters on Jul 26, 2008 9:21:40 GMT -5
LMFAO
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Post by Red Sox GM (Ty) on Aug 25, 2008 1:38:21 GMT -5
Chin Music Power Rankings: Playoff Push Edition
With the postseason right around the corner (9/7 to be exact), it’s time for the powers that be gaze into their crystal balls to handicap the playoff race. Many spots are foregone conclusions at this point, but a few are still potentially up for grabs. As in the past, these team evaluations will be based largely on personal opinions, not necessarily current league standings (especially for those teams out of the playoff hunt.) Please take these constructive criticisms with a grain of salt and appreciate them for what they are- a hack pontificating on a topic that’s way over his head. Thanks to all for their continued support throughout the season and good luck going forward. Last Power Rank in parenthesis.
30. (27) Kansas City Royals: Young stud centerpiece to build the franchise around? Check. Solid bullpen? Check. Everything else is absent, including ownership. We’re working on it, and with Longoria on the squad, it shouldn’t be impossible to fill, but things aren’t great right now in KC. Aviles is worth mentioning though. Where the heck did that guy come from?
29. (26) Cleveland Indians: One of the best GMs in the league stuck with one of the worst teams. He’s got some nice pieces (Navarro, Francisco, Scott, Perez, Nathan) that could be valuable trade bait or cornerstones for his franchise going forward and he’s got some gems that need some polishing down on the farm before they can shine. The Tribe, despite their current woeful state, are headed in the right direction.
28. (28) St. Louis Cardinals: This team is destined for better things. With Josh Hamilton’s oft celebrated comeback story in the outfield along with big hitters Jacobs, Cust and Markakis give the Cards a legit offense. They’re pitching could use a little improvement, but they’ve got two legitimate top of the rotation guys in Carpenter (when healthy) and Lester (excluding his most recent start) to build around. Two relics at the MI spot raise some concerns, but aside from that, things can only go up, right?
27. (29) Toronto Blue Jays: This team has a lot of promise, but we’ve yet to find an owner willing to lead this team to greatness. They’ve got marketable pieces all around (Halladay, Rios, Ryan, etc.) and a few roster spots to play with, so once we get them a quality owner- I think we’re on the verge of doing so- they’ll be set. The AL East is tough, but with time, effort and good decisions, this team can compete with anyone.
26. (24) Florida Marlins: The quantity and quality of the youth on this squad is absolutely astounding. They’ve got a very bright future ahead of them if even half of their super prospects pan out. These guys will be competing with the big boys in the East for a long time starting possibly as early as next year.
25. (30) Oakland Athletics: This team has a long way to go, but we’ve got good ownership in place after months of inactivity. Unfortunately, their roster is loaded with players who are currently underachieving (Harang, Hill and Barton just to name a few), but a few adjustments here and there and they should rebound from their abysmal inaugural season.
24. (14) Baltimore Orioles: I’ve been talking up this team since day one, and I haven’t changed my mind- they’re gonna be good. They’re set up very similarly to the Marlins, but I like the O’s a bit more, given that their young guys are closer to or already at the big league level. Add that youth to a proven stud like Pujols and Baltimore is well on its way to contention.
23. (25) San Francisco Giants: Break up the Giants! Has anybody been paying attention to what they’ve been up to lately? Well, I have and they’ve picked up 14.5 pts in the last week alone! That said they’re still not a team that strikes fear into the hearts of the NL at this point. If they continue to produce like they have of late though, watch out.
22. (23) San Diego Padres: The Fathers are in pretty good shape long term. Their trio of young, promising OFs, Sizemore, Gonzalez and Lind coupled with a few very nice arms in Hamels and Garza and a division that doesn’t have a juggernaut franchise could spell success for the Padres. The NL West is wide open going forward in my opinion and I expect San Diego to be in the thick of things.
21. (22) Washington Nationals: The Nats are a wonderful example of how a little elbow grease can go a long way. Their GM has kept at it all year and taken an awful situation and carved out what looks like a promising future. I don’t think they’re title contenders even next year, but he’s WAY better off than he was only a few months ago. A leading candidate for GM of the Year.
20. (17) Seattle Mariners: After a torrid start, the Mariners have slid to about where most expected them- the middle of the pack. They’ve managed to stockpile some decent young talent to build around, but I still think they’re an arm or two away from really pushing the Angels for the division.
19. (20) Chicago White Sox: I like this team, the only real weakness I can see, aside from maybe a depleted rotation, is their age. Helton, Dye and Kent would be a phenomenal core 10 years ago, but now, on the downside of their careers, they’re not helping anybody long term. They’re not devoid of players without AARP memberships, Alexei Ramirez comes to mind, but they could certainly stand to get younger. Overall a nice squad though.
18. (10) New York Yankees: The Yankees and their titanic payroll haven’t gotten their money’s worth to this point. With the Sox, Rays and O’s looking at fairly promising futures Big Stein’s Boys could use some good luck or wise spending. Maybe they’d be better off in the NL- though their ownership is convinced that the Senior Circuit is severely behind the times. In fairness, they’ve had injuries and underperformance, but those excuses simply will not fly with Hank Steinbrenner and his itchy trigger finger running the operation. How long will the current GM last?
17. (9) Detroit Tigers: I expected much more from this team, though the world expected a lot more from the actual Tigers this year as well, so it’s tough to assign any of that disappointment to our Tigers GM. The offense can compete on paper with the best in the league, while their pitching is lacking. They’ve signed some pretty nice arms, but they’re still a few arms short. I don’t expect to see Detroit in the playoffs this year, but May will bring new life and if they can keep Teixeira, they’ll have a good shot at making a run next year.
16. (19) Milwaukee Brewers: Their offense is stout, there’s no two ways about it, but they just don’t have enough arms to compete in the pitching totals categories. If they can get a decent season out of either Thome or Junior next year and add some pitching over the offseason while keeping KRod, they could be in contention in a very tough division. Those are some big IFs, but conceivable.
15. (8) Arizona Diamondbacks: They busted out of the gate like a thoroughbred, but inactivity led to a revolving door of ownership and now they’re struggling to stay in the race for the playoffs. They’ve got a ton of guys with high ceilings, but they’ve been inconsistent. Theirs should be one of the more compelling stories down the stretch. Stay tuned to see if the baby snakes can put their growing pains behind them and earn a spot in the postseason.
14. (13) Texas Rangers: Consistently one of my favorite teams throughout the season, the Rangers have managed to keep up their solid play and have really turned it on in the past week, picking up 16.5 points. They don’t really have any huge names aside from maybe Mourneau, but they are solid all around. Their piecemeal rotation is what has me impressed. They’ve built a fantastic pitching staff around the previously unheralded AL Cy Young leader Cliff Lee and the likes of Ricky Nolasco. Davis and Salty have big upside and Lopez seems to have turned a corner this year. If the Rangers can add some young arms, watch out for Texas in the years to come.
13. (11) Cincinnati Reds: This team has the potential to be scary good in the not so distant future. The Reds are the O’s of the NL, except they’ve got better results right now. The only bad news is that they’re stuck in a tough division, but these guys are for real. Not a whole lot more to say than that.
12. (21) Colorado Rockies: Colorado’s season got off to a bumpy start. They lost SS phenom Tulowitzki for an extended period, Matt Holliday wasn’t tearing it up early on and most importantly, their young arms were severe disappointments. The offense seems to be on track now, and they’ve got a top notch bullpen, but they could still use another arm if they plan on making the playoffs. Currently only 6.5 points separate the Chin Music Rockies from our version of ‘Rocktober’ so it’ll be interesting to see how the very tight NL West race shakes out.
11. (12) Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers lead probably the most compelling race for the post season, and they seem to be peaking at the right time. I still think that they’re an arm away from competing in the postseason, and they don’t seem to be shy about making deals. I think they have enough ammo to hold off their NL West adversaries, but it’s far from in the bag.
10. (18) Houston Astros: A balanced attack is necessary if you want to succeed in this league and the Stros are a very well rounded team. They’re not spectacular in any one area, but they’re solid across the board. Berkman has been an offensive force this year and has kept both versions of the Astros respectable, while Oswalt and a solid pen have kept Houston competitive in the pitching categories. The NL Central is tough and it doesn’t appear to be getting any easier so the Stros could use a youth movement if they want to compete long term.
9. (15) New York Mets: The Mets currently stand about 18 points out of the playoffs right now at 3rd place in the NL East. Their offense could use a boost if they want to make a playoff push, but their pitching staff looks good with the exception of a tough injury to their closer, Billy Wagner. They’ve been slumping of late, but are not completely out of contention yet, so keep an eye on the NL East/NL Wildcard race
8. (7) Pittsburgh Pirates: While there are other GMs worthy of note for their performance this year, none has accomplished the success of the Pirates GM. Nobody has done so much with so little. Despite his enormous success, the Pirates stand 15 points out of the NL Wildcard and 75 points out of the NL Central. Making the playoffs will be a small miracle, but regardless of how this season ends for the Pirates, they’re incredibly well set up to compete long term.
7. (5) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angels have a 23 point lead over the Rangers in the AL West, so the playoffs are all but assured at this point. The major questions at this point are: will Sabathia and Santana provide enough pitching to get them over the hump during the playoffs and will their streaky hitters get hot at the right time? Overall, they’ve got a good blend of veteran producers and young up-and-comers that should keep them competitive for a while.
6. (16) Philadelphia Phillies: The Phils have hit midseason form here towards the end of the season. There are no real weaknesses that I can see at this point. After eventful beginnings to their seasons, both Brett Myers and Justin Verlander seem to have figured things out and got themselves back on track in time for the playoffs. Their lineup is formidable to say the least, and the Phillies are rapidly gaining ground on the division leading Braves. Only 5.5 points separate the NL East leader from the NL Wildcard leader, so that race should go down to the wire.
5. (4) Atlanta Braves: After an early run at the top of the scoreboard, the Bravos have been on the slow but steady descent down in the standings. They should be able to keep it together long enough to earn a playoff spot, but will they be able to make any noise when they get there? Their bullpen has been their Achilles heel all season, and of late, their offense has floundered. The Braves will need to turn things around in a hurry if they want to make a run at a league title this year.
4. (1) Tampa Bay Rays: I’ve been on the Rays bandwagon since before the season started and I stayed on even when things looked bleak. They’ve put together, in my opinion, the best team in the league on paper, but fortunately league titles aren’t awarded on paper. These Rays should be a force in the playoffs and if they don’t claim the crown this year, assuming they can keep their star-studded lineup, they should become a fixture atop the leaderboard for years to come.
3. (6) Minnesota Twins: The Twinkies have stayed under the radar for a very long time, but they’ve certainly got the league’s attention now. As with most teams, the weakness lies in the pitching, and their lack of proven starters may cause their ultimate demise, but everywhere else they are incredibly strong. They’ve quietly put together a powerful offense and a quality bullpen which will easily carry them into the playoffs.
2. (2) Chicago Cubs: These Cubbies look a lot more like title contenders than the lovable losers that they’ve built a reputation as. They have zero weaknesses and should cruise through the NL barring any catastrophes. The only potential problem I can think of is if the Giants, with nothing to gain, shut down Lincecum a few weeks prior to the end of the season.
1. (3) Boston Red Sox: I think it’s tacky to toot your own horn, but what the heck. The Sox, despite some inconsistent pitching and only 2 OFs, have managed to stay atop the standings for most of the year. Cuddyer should be back soon, which should provide an offensive boost, but the concern is that the starters (Maine, Bergmann, Beckett) will look more like they have recently than what they’re capable of. Will that prove to be their undoing come playoff time? Only time will tell.
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Post by gaskins on Aug 25, 2008 4:36:28 GMT -5
15th huh? Well, at least we can now put the ownership problem to rest and now I can concern myself with the righting of the ship. - AZ GM
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Post by Cubs GM (Scott B) on Aug 25, 2008 7:34:40 GMT -5
Well done Ty.
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Post by KC Royals GM (Kevin) on Aug 25, 2008 7:36:41 GMT -5
Chin Music Power Rankings: Playoff Push EditionWith the postseason right around the corner (9/7 to be exact), it’s time for the powers that be gaze into their crystal balls to handicap the playoff race. Many spots are foregone conclusions at this point, but a few are still potentially up for grabs. As in the past, these team evaluations will be based largely on personal opinions, not necessarily current league standings (especially for those teams out of the playoff hunt.) Please take these constructive criticisms with a grain of salt and appreciate them for what they are- a hack pontificating on a topic that’s way over his head. Thanks to all for their continued support throughout the season and good luck going forward. Last Power Rank in parenthesis. 30. (27) Kansas City Royals: Young stud centerpiece to build the franchise around? Check. Solid bullpen? Check. Everything else is absent, including ownership. We’re working on it, and with Longoria on the squad, it shouldn’t be impossible to fill, but things aren’t great right now in KC. Aviles is worth mentioning though. Where the heck did that guy come from? 29. (26) Cleveland Indians: One of the best GMs in the league stuck with one of the worst teams. He’s got some nice pieces (Navarro, Francisco, Scott, Perez, Nathan) that could be valuable trade bait or cornerstones for his franchise going forward and he’s got some gems that need some polishing down on the farm before they can shine. The Tribe, despite their current woeful state, are headed in the right direction. 28. (28) St. Louis Cardinals: This team is destined for better things. With Josh Hamilton’s oft celebrated comeback story in the outfield along with big hitters Jacobs, Cust and Markakis give the Cards a legit offense. They’re pitching could use a little improvement, but they’ve got two legitimate top of the rotation guys in Carpenter (when healthy) and Lester (excluding his most recent start) to build around. Two relics at the MI spot raise some concerns, but aside from that, things can only go up, right? 27. (29) Toronto Blue Jays: This team has a lot of promise, but we’ve yet to find an owner willing to lead this team to greatness. They’ve got marketable pieces all around (Halladay, Rios, Ryan, etc.) and a few roster spots to play with, so once we get them a quality owner- I think we’re on the verge of doing so- they’ll be set. The AL East is tough, but with time, effort and good decisions, this team can compete with anyone. 26. (24) Florida Marlins: The quantity and quality of the youth on this squad is absolutely astounding. They’ve got a very bright future ahead of them if even half of their super prospects pan out. These guys will be competing with the big boys in the East for a long time starting possibly as early as next year. 25. (30) Oakland Athletics: This team has a long way to go, but we’ve got good ownership in place after months of inactivity. Unfortunately, their roster is loaded with players who are currently underachieving (Harang, Hill and Barton just to name a few), but a few adjustments here and there and they should rebound from their abysmal inaugural season. 24. (14) Baltimore Orioles: I’ve been talking up this team since day one, and I haven’t changed my mind- they’re gonna be good. They’re set up very similarly to the Marlins, but I like the O’s a bit more, given that their young guys are closer to or already at the big league level. Add that youth to a proven stud like Pujols and Baltimore is well on its way to contention. 23. (25) San Francisco Giants: Break up the Giants! Has anybody been paying attention to what they’ve been up to lately? Well, I have and they’ve picked up 14.5 pts in the last week alone! That said they’re still not a team that strikes fear into the hearts of the NL at this point. If they continue to produce like they have of late though, watch out. 22. (23) San Diego Padres: The Fathers are in pretty good shape long term. Their trio of young, promising OFs, Sizemore, Gonzalez and Lind coupled with a few very nice arms in Hamels and Garza and a division that doesn’t have a juggernaut franchise could spell success for the Padres. The NL West is wide open going forward in my opinion and I expect San Diego to be in the thick of things. 21. (22) Washington Nationals: The Nats are a wonderful example of how a little elbow grease can go a long way. Their GM has kept at it all year and taken an awful situation and carved out what looks like a promising future. I don’t think they’re title contenders even next year, but he’s WAY better off than he was only a few months ago. A leading candidate for GM of the Year. 20. (17) Seattle Mariners: After a torrid start, the Mariners have slid to about where most expected them- the middle of the pack. They’ve managed to stockpile some decent young talent to build around, but I still think they’re an arm or two away from really pushing the Angels for the division. 19. (20) Chicago White Sox: I like this team, the only real weakness I can see, aside from maybe a depleted rotation, is their age. Helton, Dye and Kent would be a phenomenal core 10 years ago, but now, on the downside of their careers, they’re not helping anybody long term. They’re not devoid of players without AARP memberships, Alexei Ramirez comes to mind, but they could certainly stand to get younger. Overall a nice squad though. 18. (10) New York Yankees: The Yankees and their titanic payroll haven’t gotten their money’s worth to this point. With the Sox, Rays and O’s looking at fairly promising futures Big Stein’s Boys could use some good luck or wise spending. Maybe they’d be better off in the NL- though their ownership is convinced that the Senior Circuit is severely behind the times. In fairness, they’ve had injuries and underperformance, but those excuses simply will not fly with Hank Steinbrenner and his itchy trigger finger running the operation. How long will the current GM last? 17. (9) Detroit Tigers: I expected much more from this team, though the world expected a lot more from the actual Tigers this year as well, so it’s tough to assign any of that disappointment to our Tigers GM. The offense can compete on paper with the best in the league, while their pitching is lacking. They’ve signed some pretty nice arms, but they’re still a few arms short. I don’t expect to see Detroit in the playoffs this year, but May will bring new life and if they can keep Teixeira, they’ll have a good shot at making a run next year. 16. (19) Milwaukee Brewers: Their offense is stout, there’s no two ways about it, but they just don’t have enough arms to compete in the pitching totals categories. If they can get a decent season out of either Thome or Junior next year and add some pitching over the offseason while keeping KRod, they could be in contention in a very tough division. Those are some big IFs, but conceivable. 15. (8) Arizona Diamondbacks: They busted out of the gate like a thoroughbred, but inactivity led to a revolving door of ownership and now they’re struggling to stay in the race for the playoffs. They’ve got a ton of guys with high ceilings, but they’ve been inconsistent. Theirs should be one of the more compelling stories down the stretch. Stay tuned to see if the baby snakes can put their growing pains behind them and earn a spot in the postseason. 14. (13) Texas Rangers: Consistently one of my favorite teams throughout the season, the Rangers have managed to keep up their solid play and have really turned it on in the past week, picking up 16.5 points. They don’t really have any huge names aside from maybe Mourneau, but they are solid all around. Their piecemeal rotation is what has me impressed. They’ve built a fantastic pitching staff around the previously unheralded AL Cy Young leader Cliff Lee and the likes of Ricky Nolasco. Davis and Salty have big upside and Lopez seems to have turned a corner this year. If the Rangers can add some young arms, watch out for Texas in the years to come. 13. (11) Cincinnati Reds: This team has the potential to be scary good in the not so distant future. The Reds are the O’s of the NL, except they’ve got better results right now. The only bad news is that they’re stuck in a tough division, but these guys are for real. Not a whole lot more to say than that. 12. (21) Colorado Rockies: Colorado’s season got off to a bumpy start. They lost SS phenom Tulowitzki for an extended period, Matt Holliday wasn’t tearing it up early on and most importantly, their young arms were severe disappointments. The offense seems to be on track now, and they’ve got a top notch bullpen, but they could still use another arm if they plan on making the playoffs. Currently only 6.5 points separate the Chin Music Rockies from our version of ‘Rocktober’ so it’ll be interesting to see how the very tight NL West race shakes out. 11. (12) Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers lead probably the most compelling race for the post season, and they seem to be peaking at the right time. I still think that they’re an arm away from competing in the postseason, and they don’t seem to be shy about making deals. I think they have enough ammo to hold off their NL West adversaries, but it’s far from in the bag. 10. (18) Houston Astros: A balanced attack is necessary if you want to succeed in this league and the Stros are a very well rounded team. They’re not spectacular in any one area, but they’re solid across the board. Berkman has been an offensive force this year and has kept both versions of the Astros respectable, while Oswalt and a solid pen have kept Houston competitive in the pitching categories. The NL Central is tough and it doesn’t appear to be getting any easier so the Stros could use a youth movement if they want to compete long term. 9. (15) New York Mets: The Mets currently stand about 18 points out of the playoffs right now at 3rd place in the NL East. Their offense could use a boost if they want to make a playoff push, but their pitching staff looks good with the exception of a tough injury to their closer, Billy Wagner. They’ve been slumping of late, but are not completely out of contention yet, so keep an eye on the NL East/NL Wildcard race 8. (7) Pittsburgh Pirates: While there are other GMs worthy of note for their performance this year, none has accomplished the success of the Pirates GM. Nobody has done so much with so little. Despite his enormous success, the Pirates stand 15 points out of the NL Wildcard and 75 points out of the NL Central. Making the playoffs will be a small miracle, but regardless of how this season ends for the Pirates, they’re incredibly well set up to compete long term. 7. (5) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angels have a 23 point lead over the Rangers in the AL West, so the playoffs are all but assured at this point. The major questions at this point are: will Sabathia and Santana provide enough pitching to get them over the hump during the playoffs and will their streaky hitters get hot at the right time? Overall, they’ve got a good blend of veteran producers and young up-and-comers that should keep them competitive for a while. 6. (16) Philadelphia Phillies: The Phils have hit midseason form here towards the end of the season. There are no real weaknesses that I can see at this point. After eventful beginnings to their seasons, both Brett Myers and Justin Verlander seem to have figured things out and got themselves back on track in time for the playoffs. Their lineup is formidable to say the least, and the Phillies are rapidly gaining ground on the division leading Braves. Only 5.5 points separate the NL East leader from the NL Wildcard leader, so that race should go down to the wire. 5. (4) Atlanta Braves: After an early run at the top of the scoreboard, the Bravos have been on the slow but steady descent down in the standings. They should be able to keep it together long enough to earn a playoff spot, but will they be able to make any noise when they get there? Their bullpen has been their Achilles heel all season, and of late, their offense has floundered. The Braves will need to turn things around in a hurry if they want to make a run at a league title this year. 4. (1) Tampa Bay Rays: I’ve been on the Rays bandwagon since before the season started and I stayed on even when things looked bleak. They’ve put together, in my opinion, the best team in the league on paper, but fortunately league titles aren’t awarded on paper. These Rays should be a force in the playoffs and if they don’t claim the crown this year, assuming they can keep their star-studded lineup, they should become a fixture atop the leaderboard for years to come. 3. (6) Minnesota Twins: The Twinkies have stayed under the radar for a very long time, but they’ve certainly got the league’s attention now. As with most teams, the weakness lies in the pitching, and their lack of proven starters may cause their ultimate demise, but everywhere else they are incredibly strong. They’ve quietly put together a powerful offense and a quality bullpen which will easily carry them into the playoffs. 2. (2) Chicago Cubs: These Cubbies look a lot more like title contenders than the lovable losers that they’ve built a reputation as. They have zero weaknesses and should cruise through the NL barring any catastrophes. The only potential problem I can think of is if the Giants, with nothing to gain, shut down Lincecum a few weeks prior to the end of the season. 1. (3) Boston Red Sox: I think it’s tacky to toot your own horn, but what the heck. The Sox, despite some inconsistent pitching and only 2 OFs, have managed to stay atop the standings for most of the year. Cuddyer should be back soon, which should provide an offensive boost, but the concern is that the starters (Maine, Bergmann, Beckett) will look more like they have recently than what they’re capable of. Will that prove to be their undoing come playoff time? Only time will tell. nowhere to go but up lol
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Post by tbone9922 on Aug 25, 2008 7:40:16 GMT -5
Nice job, we are looking to next year and a fresh start with a young rotation and some big bats.
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Post by tristolio on Aug 25, 2008 13:45:06 GMT -5
good job, i appreciate all the effort put into this.
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Post by The Ghost of Swo on Aug 25, 2008 15:26:25 GMT -5
what a homer
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