It's no secret that the Rays lineup is stacked from top to bottom and if you ask me, we have the best overall starting pitching in the game today...Our pitching talent is simply amazing Im not sure if the Rays will have the best overall record in the American league but I am pretty confident that the Rays will win the AL East once again only because the Yankees have ALOT of question marks and injuries can be the Yankees downfall this year (Due to age) A.Rod is already out and Im going on record right now...C.C Sabathia will CHOKE under the NY pressure and im talking about a losing record...Sabathia....Welcome back to the AL, you about to get ROCKED And as far as the Red Sox go...No Manny=NO AL EAST CROWN. What have the Red Sox done in the offseason to get better? Smoltz? yeah, ok...
AL East- Rays Red Sox Yankees Jays O's AL West- Angels A's Rangers Seattle AL Central Chicago Minnesota Detroit Cleveland Royals
Sabathia pitched in the AL before, just so you know, and he was pretty good. The Red Sox got healthy, which was their main issue last season. They failed to add a bat, but that's niether here nor there.
If you actually READ and pay attention to the original post...I said... Sabathia, "Welcome back" to the AL... So I think I made it REALLY clear that I knew Sabathia pitched in the AL before. The Red Sox are healthy and @ the same time....The Rays are also healthy. Last year (Just in the lineup alone) Pena, Longoria, Crawford, Upton, Navarro and Bartlett all went on the DL for an extended ammount of time and players like Floyd and Rocco (Who are no longer with the team) Were hit with the injury bug... So lets no act like the Red Sox were the only team hurt All in all...The Red Sox DID not improve the lineup The Rays did with the additions of a power bat in Burrell as our everyday DH and Joyce as our RF And the Yankees are in a mess without A.Rod if you ask me and I just feel that C.C Sabathia will have a down year
Do you really believe all your drivel? If the Yankees are a bat or pitcher short in July they will just go out and buy the best available. So will the Sox. What will Tampa Bay do?
The Rays have something special going on around here...And it's called the best farm system around as of right now. This team will be good for years to come Look @ the money the Yankees have been spending on big name players...How many times have they been to the World Series after signing A.Rod? Zero. Spending money crazy cant buy you a championship, just go ask the Red Skins. The Rays young talent is the reason why we will be the class of the AL East for years to come...For example...J.Shields is our oldest starting pitcher and he's only 26 years of age I believe Most of our young talent is also signed long term which is always a good thing and we are keeping our talents players like Crawford and Kazmir with the franchise, signed both last year The owner of the Rays has money...Something many of baseball fans dont understand
boston, cleveland, detroit, and anaheim have some value here, I think. No value with Tampa Bay. I really don't see them doing it again this year. No value with the Yankees. How could anyone justify betting on them with only 7/5 odds? 7/5 odds implies 41.67% chance of winning the pennant. I think it's more like 30%.
The Rays of 09 will be MUCH improved over last years team that made the world series...Two words, David Price. And lets not forget that the Rays now have...Postseason and World Series "Experience" (Thats the main reason why baseball fans on the GangGreen thought the Rays had no chance in 08) Because we "Lacked" the "Experience" and all I could do is laugh, Im just glad fans cant say that garbage anymore You say you dont see Tampa doing it again this year? But then you say teams like the Indians and Tigers have good value? Now thats funny because those two teams have like a ZERO % chance @ winning the AL
Which will be their downfall here in 09. The Yankees could be a good 10+ games out by the time ARod gets healthy (If he even does get healthy)
geez. Look at what you're saying. I would say the Rays would have good value if they had more favorable odds here. I'm basing "value" off of the odds presented and my opinion of their chances. The Indians are 10/1 here. The Tigers are 13/1. The Rays are only 5.5. If they were 8 or 9, I'd say they had value. I don't even know who I'd have the favorite as in the AL, but say I had the Yankees as the favorite. I still wouldn't say they had value here because of the unfavorable odds.
nah, I disagree. Missing A-Rod hurts the lineup, but this is still a team that will be right there even with him out. They won't be 10 games out unless they suffer some other crushing injuries.
Pitching can and will carry the NYY this year. We don't have a patchwork rotation now, and can rely on everyone who takes the mound. I don't expect the offense to fall apart without ARod either, there's still got some good hitters in there.
The Yanks minus Pusada and Roids wont hit as much, but they have a great rotation(potentially) that will keep them in it till the ASB.
