The 2012 MLB Thread

[Gribbz]

Might as well. I'm really happy "Baseball Tonight" is up and running again. Also, I have high expectations for the Diamondbacks this year. Especially after the off season moves we made.

[nosurprises12]

Even though I think we're destined to miss the playoffs again, I'm glad that the Dodgers were able to avoid arbitration by signing Clayton Kershaw to a two year deal the other day.

[Gribbz]

I think the Dodgers are going to be better than you think...

[summerkid]

I think the Dodgers are going to be better than you think...

Really? Why? Their rotation got worse, their bullpen is still a relative mess as I don't see Javy Guerra as a legitimate closer and think he'll be exposed this season.

[Still-ill]

Really? Why? Their rotation got worse, their bullpen is still a relative mess as I don't see Javy Guerra as a legitimate closer and think he'll be exposed this season.

We ended last season quite well, and that sort of thing tends to spill over into the first half of the next season. Also Guerra was 21/23, not bad.

[summerkid]

We ended last season quite well, and that sort of thing tends to spill over into the first half of the next season. Also Guerra was 21/23, not bad.

He also had a FIP of 3.40 and an xFIP of 4.07 which suggests that he was rather lucky last season. I would expect quite a regression next year. Anybody playing fantasy baseball this year, there's your tip of the day. Stay clear of Guerra he'll probably lose his job to Kenley Jansen at some point during the season.

[Down Rodeo]

Really? Why? Their rotation got worse, their bullpen is still a relative mess as I don't see Javy Guerra as a legitimate closer and think he'll be exposed this season.

Not exactly true. De la Rosa and Eovaldi are two young pitchers with talent who pitched fairly well last season and could improve this year's rotation if they make the next leap in their development.

[nosurprises12]

I think the Dodgers are going to be better than you think...

I'm not saying they're going to be terrible, but they really haven't done much to improve the team's offense and that was what did them in so often last year. I'm sure it will be nice to have the ownership situation resolved, and if Ethier can be more productive I'm sure that will help, but I think we're destined for another .500 year again unless someone gets brought in or if one of the younger players has a break-out year.

[paulb]

2012 has lots of exciting things going on.

Should be neat to see how Pujols does for the Angels, how Florida with Jose Reyes works out, I wanna see if Pineda can handle the Bronx.

[Miroir Noir]

I can already tell that I am going to have to watch late night NL west games to keep up with you guys this season.

[Gribbz]

I can already tell that I am going to have to watch late night NL west games to keep up with you guys this season.

Ha, yes. I love how there are so many Pac-12/NL West/NFC West fans on this board.

[rag and bone]

I think Dee Gordon is going to have a break out year for them but don't quote me on that

[GolfWang]

I think Dee Gordon is going to have a break out year for them but don't quote me on that

I think so too. -I predict that the Dodgers will end up with around 80 or so wins at the end of the season. Same as 2011.

Go Red Sox though. I like that nobody expects them to be as good this season. I actually think they'll win more games than they did last year when everybody was picking them to win the WS.

[ArcadeParade]

Go Jays! Yu would've been nice..back end is weak

[rag and bone]

De La Rosa's coming off Tommy John surgery though. Won't be ready until August at best.

[Down Rodeo]

Fuck, that's right. I forgot about that.

[icedKeg]

[rag and bone]

103 and counting...

[Grandma]

[zenidogx]

I'm just glad I got Angels tickets as a Christmas gift. Pujols is gonna be expensive as the year goes on. Unless he falls into the visitor dugout and the Angels have another mediocre season.

[theklein25]

I'm expecting 2 NL West teams to be in the playoffs this season. My early predictions are Phillies, Reds, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers.

[SepaGroove]

The Angles are gonna own this year. Can't wait for baseball

[Alchemy]

I never really liked baseball, because it's the sport that I suck at the most. But I watched the World Series last year, and I was very entertained. I think it finally snapped for me because I stopped thinking of it as guys running around bases, and more as a pitcher trying to throw the ball to the catcher, without fail. That paradigm shift really made the game intriguing for me. I hope to be able to catch the Rangers at Yankee Stadium this year.

[Gribbz]

I used to hate baseball and now it's one of my favorite sports. Never really played it either.

[zonarob]

I used to hate baseball and now it's one of my favorite sports. Never really played it either.

Greatest team sport ever. Period! I have high hopes for the Dbacks as well. Playoff games @ Chase.....?

[GuyInTucson]

I used to hate baseball and now it's one of my favorite sports. Never really played it either.

I am the exact opposite. I grew up playing baseball from age 5 to 17. I played on travelling AAU and American Legion teams instead of high school. Could have played in college if I wasn't a moron about my school work. Used to LOVE the sport. The last 10 years or so have killed a lot of my love for the sport. Now, if it's not about the Indians, I really don't care.

I will stay interested until the Indians are out of it, which will probably be sometime in mid June.

[summerkid]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/hotst...m-baseball-mlb

Best farm system in baseball.

[santasutt]

The Boston Red Sox will be off the national radar screen this year and already picked to finish third or fourth in the AL East. This means they will probably win the division going away. If Beckett, Bucholz and Lester can stay fit and healthy and pitch well into September, the Sawx will contend.

Shored up bullpen with Bailey, Melancon and Padilla after losing Papelbon. Bard and Aceves will probably contend for the 4th/5th starter spot. Matsuzaka should help things in July going forward after he rehabs the Tommy John.

Love the Punto and Shoppach signings. Aviles and Punto will be keeping the SS position warm for Jose Iglesias as soon as he learns how to hit big league pitching.

If Carl Crawford becomes even half the player he was when he was #1 Sox-killer for the Devil Rays, I will be happy. Last year was, as my kids say, "epic fail."

Ellsbury: your 2012 AL MVP?

[Miroir Noir]

The Boston Red Sox will be off the national radar screen this year

No, they will continue to be the second-most written about and analyzed team in the sport. As you point out, they have all the pieces to be good. And if they're horrible, it's an even better story. There's no such thing as an under the radar season for the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or Mets.

[santasutt]

There's no such thing as an under the radar season for the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, or Mets.

The Sox have always enjoyed regional popularity but, for most of my baseball-watching lifetime,they have not been the national powerhouses like the Yankees and Dodgers. This whole Red Sox Nation thing has blossomed over the last 10-15 years. And the Werner-Lucchino-Henry ownership is largely responsible, for better or worse.