You lose Greinke, Haren, and Santana from an all ready underachieving pitching staff. Adding one bat does not fix your #2-#5 SP. Weaver is still a great #1 but Wilson has proved he's more #3/#4 than #2. Angels finished 1st in BA, 4th in R, 5th in OBP, & 5th in SLG last year. Offensively, the Angels were all ready stacked. But how much, offensively, does Hamilton really add? They finished 89-73 last year. Anyone that believes Hamilton, with what they lost pitching wise, adds more than 2-3 runs doesn't know baseball.
Texas is absolutely laughing right now. Great pro ball team, and tremendously deep system. They are still the class, long-term, of the AL West. If the Angels do not win a title within the next 3 years, they will be fucked for the 10 after. Pujols and Hamilton will be 35+ and while relying on Trout is any team's wish as the cornerstone, they're going to be tied to an old Pujols and Hamilton.
No, they were dog shit until Nolan Ryan, John Daniels, Ray Davis, Bob Simpson, the Maddux brothers, Ron Washington came to town. The Rangers have the best front office in baseball and its not even close. All that said, I do think they got caught with their pants down this year, at least so far, but im sure they are cooking up something......I think they got put in a position where they needed josh because all the other free agents signed and trades already went down. Im glad the rangers didnt get Greinke though, im just not a believer in him. I wish they would have gotten Shields though....I have also heard the rangers are putting a hole behind the dugout that eliminates the jet stream. If that is true, left handed bats are no longer as important in Arlington
Im not saying he doesnt. I never said he was anything less than a phenomenal player.....but he is somebody else daycare student now.....dont let him drink too many red bulls or he will take 2 Weeks off searching for a doctor to confirm his blurry vision claim while in a pennant race. Hopefully he wont go on a 3 month stuper while being disobedient to God for using tobacco during the season like he did last year either.... Dont expect injury free either, be happy with 60% of the time (unless its a contract year of course)
I'm not really sold on the Angels, the +350 Murph threw out there would seem way too low: Last year they probably would easily have cracked 90wins, if they hadn't packed it in after getting eliminated from the playoff race before their last 2 games @SEA and even more so, if Trout had been up in the Majors for the whole year. But Hunter was one of their best clutch hitters late in the year and Hamilton struggled in the 2nd part of the season. So they should be improved defensively, but as far as I remember they still haven't improved their shitty bullpen (even traded away Walden, who at least when healthy was one of their better RPs) and lost Greinke, Haren and Santana from there starting rotation and so far only brought in Hanson as an replacement. Two years ago that might have looked like an awesome add, but Hanson struggled and lost velocity, so not sure if he really will be an upgrade over Haren/Santana and the mediocre pitching those two delivered last season.
So far to me DET looks like the team to beat in the AL, imo best team in the weakest division and not only a rather deep rotation thanks to Scherzer, Fister and Sanchez (at least as a #4 SP that guy is solid), but also a tough lineup, especially with Victor Martinez coming back from injury and if he gains his old form. Just imagine what a bat/DH like that will do to a lineup that already features Miggy/Fielder at #3/#4. Should give Fielder lots of good pitches to hit.
Also agree that the Rangers were turned around thanks to front office changes, that team has plenty more to offer than just Hamilton. Disagree though about the part of being the best front office in a landslide, Tampa is right up there, especially if you compare the payrolls.
So far to me DET looks like the team to beat in the AL, imo best team in the weakest division and not only a rather deep rotation thanks to Scherzer, Fister and Sanchez (at least as a #4 SP that guy is solid), but also a tough lineup, especially with Victor Martinez coming back from injury and if he gains his old form. Just imagine what a bat/DH like that will do to a lineup that already features Miggy/Fielder at #3/#4. Should give Fielder lots of good pitches to hit.
Also agree that the Rangers were turned around thanks to front office changes, that team has plenty more to offer than just Hamilton. Disagree though about the part of being the best front office in a landslide, Tampa is right up there, especially if you compare the payrolls.
new odds finally up at 5dimes
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Surprised that angels went up 50 cents...
@)
-murph
| Baseball MLB Futures | |
| World Series - 4/1/2013 12:00 PM (EST) | |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +800 |
| Washington Nationals | +800 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +900 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +1000 |
| Detroit Tigers | +1000 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +1200 |
| Texas Rangers | +1200 |
| New York Yankees | +1250 |
| San Francisco Giants | +1600 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1600 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +1800 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +1800 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +2000 |
| Boston Red Sox | +2500 |
| Oakland Athletics | +3500 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +4000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +4000 |
| Chicago White Sox | +4000 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +4000 |
| New York Mets | +6600 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +6600 |
| Miami Marlins | +7500 |
| Kansas City Royals | +8000 |
| Cleveland Indians | +8000 |
| San Diego Padres | +8000 |
| Seattle Mariners | +8000 |
| Colorado Rockies | +10000 |
| Chicago Cubs | +10000 |
| Minnesota Twins | +10000 |
| Houston Astros | +15000 |
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Surprised that angels went up 50 cents...
@)
-murph
