2003 ML Baseball Playoff Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

Maddux wouldn't go to the Yankees anyway. Just like Smoltz didn't when he turned down the offer from the Yankees. That's a situation where Maddux wouldn't ask and neither would the yankees I think.

 

[MikeM]

Is Weaver done for good in the Yankees system?

I remember seeing his name on the lineup card during the ALCS...maybe I was imagining things. Is he still a a potential starter for next year?

 

[MikeDeVincenzo]

MikeM

I think Weaver still has a shot at making the rotation next year. He's just too young to give up on yet. The problems he has really can't be addressed during the season: they are too extensive and are the kinds of problems that need to be worked on during Spring Training.

However, competition will be stiff, even with Clemens retiring. Wells, Pettitte, and Mussina will be back next season. Fighting for the 4th and 5th spots will be Contreras, Weaver, Jorge Depaula (Farm system pitcher, had a September call-up and pitched a very strong game against the Orioles), and a possible free agent aquisition (Millwood?, Jason Schmidt?), and finally Jon Lieber, who is coming off Tommy John surgery.

If Wells falters, I think you might see Weaver tonight.

 

[MarkHastings]

(and in the NHL you still have the matter of too many teams making it into postseason)

That's exactly what I meant in response to:
In Major League Baseball *more* teams have a chance to win the World Series then in any other sport with their championship.

Since so many teams make the playoffs, a large percentage of teams get the chance to go all the way. And yes, the past 6-8 years have been somewhat dominant, but I was talking about the 'chance' to win. It always seems like every play off game in hockey has to go into double and triple overtime. A lot of teams (that you'd never figure) get to the Stanley Cup.

 

[Phil L]

Wells, Pettitte, and Mussina will be back next season. Fighting for the 4th and 5th spots will be Contreras, Weaver, Jorge Depaula (Farm system pitcher, had a September call-up and pitched a very strong game against the Orioles), and a possible free agent aquisition (Millwood?, Jason Schmidt?), and finally Jon Lieber, who is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Wells and Pettite aren't a sure thing. I wouldn't count on Depaula either, the Yankees don't seem to be letting pitchers develop at the Major League level, a couple bad starts and they're in the bullpen or back to AAA.

Jason Schmidt isn't a free agent and just had elbow surgery.

I think the most likely rotation for next year is Pettite-Mussina-Wells-Contreras-Lieber.

 

[John Madia]

What good pitchers are (possible) free agents next year? So far I've come up with:

Maddux
Millwood
Pettite
Wells
Colon
Foulke
Ponson
Escobar

 

[MikeDeVincenzo]

Whoops!

My bad on Schmidt, I got my Giants FA pitchers mixed up. Ponson was who I was thinking of.

I'd say Pettitte and Wells are much closer to sure things after their heroics in the Sox series. I'm sure George was very moved. If they win the WS, I'd almost say its a 100 percent certainty both will be back.

Depaula might win himself a spot if he's impressive in Spring Training and some combination of Weaver, Contreras and Lieber all prove to be less than spectacular. For all we know, Weaver might continue to have his mental block, Contreras might still not be able to find consistency (and probably find himself as a Mendoza-style long man in the bullpen/spot starter permenantly), and Lieber might turn out to be Sterling Hitchcock Redux. All of these things might open the door for Depaula.

But on to more important things! Time for a beer run, then WS action with da boys!

 

[Steve_Tk]

Why did the muppet have to sing that song?

 

[Eric Paddon]

Utterly lame that Fox has to force such a rotten choice for the National Anthem. Yankee World Series should mean Robert Merrill only for the National Anthem.

 

[ThomasC]

Who was it? Miss Piggy? I have a cold, I was knocked out by Dimetapp until the bottom of the 8th.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Somebody I'd never heard of from some Fox series.

 

[ThomasC]

Oh, Clay Aiken? That would make sense with the muppet reference.

 

[Steve_Tk]

I thought the guy in the 7th had a great voice. He didn't jazz it up like certain people do. Just sang it fine.

Now the Muppet, that was bad.

Oh and congrats to the Marlins.

 

[Eric Paddon]

The Yankees, whatever one thinks of them, always know how to put class into the proceedings. Whether Robert Merrill and Ronan Tynan with their dignified singing, Bob Sheppard with his dignified PA work (since 1951!) and Eddie Layton on the organ (leaving at the end of the WS after 26 straight years and 30 overall) it's nothing but class.

MLB and the choices they force on the teams just to plug the network's bad TV shows, shows how class and good taste is devoid from their PR department.

 

[Richard Kim]

Anyone find it ironic that for the player intros, the Stadium PA played The Imperial March for the Marlins, and the SW theme for the Yankees? It should have been the other way around.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Not in the House That Ruth Built. Let the Fish do it their way in their football stadium.

 

[Steve_Tk]

I hope they get creative like they did with the Giants. When JT Snow came to bat they played Frosty the Snowman for him at Pro Player.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Eddie Layton used to do that sort of thing a lot in the 70s and 80s but unfortunately not anymore. Some of his gems included:

Don Slaught-"Slaughter On 10th Avenue"
Rafael Santana-"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (You have to think of a new lyric like "Santana is coming to bat")
Wayne Tolleson-"Ding Ding Ding Goes The Trolley" (his nickname was Tolly)
Jim Leyritz-"Puttin' On The Ritz"
Claudell Washington-"Washington Post March"

 

[Joseph S]

The Yankees, whatever one thinks of them, always know how to put class into the proceedings. Whether Robert Merrill and Ronan Tynan

Whatever happened to all the Shania Twain and Celine Dion can't sing "God Bless America" (though Canadian) or the National Anthem due to their nationality talk, but the Yankees run out the Irish Tenor every night to keep the opposing pitcher from warming up? Double standards??

 

[LewB]

Bob Sheppard actually made a mistake when introducing the Yankees. He introduced David Wells in the bullpen before he introduced Karim Garcia batting 9th. I guess he's allowed. Bob is probably the only person in the ball park older than the Marlin's manager.