EastCoastNiner

It's hard to nit-pick at this list, but there are a few things that I would change. I would actually swap Matt Forte, Michael Turner, and DeAngelo Williams with Frank Gore, L.T., and Steven Jackson. I don't buy the Matt Forte hype. Tony Gonzolez will be a "Red Zone" target taking some touches away from Michael Turner. Jonathan Stewart will get his fair share of carries with DeAngelo Williams. I think L.T. is going to have a bounce back season. Jimmy Raye and Mike Singletary are going to use Frank Gore a lot in this offense. Steven Jackson will get the goal-line touches. Also, Tom Brady and Randy Moss will be at the top of your list at the end of the season, but I understand their rankings.

I never said that the Boston Red Sox were the best team right now, but the Boston Bruins finished 1st in the Eastern Conference for the regular season, and the New England Patriots are the favorites for the Super Bowl, as they have the best odds in Las Vegas, but I don't like to discuss them because I am superstitious. Also, here we go. In 2008, Tim Lincincum pitched 7 games against teams that made the playoffs. This year, out of the teams that would make the playoffs right now, he has pitched 5 games against teams that would make the playoffs if the season ended right now. In 2008, Josh Beckett pitched 12 games against playoff teams, and that's obviously not including the New York Yankees. This year, out of the teams that would make the playoffs right now, he has pitched 8 games, and there is no doubt that these playoff teams are better than the teams in the NL. In the AL East alone, they have 4 teams in the "Top 5" in runs scored this season. I could go on and on, but for you to say that Josh Beckett isn't nearly as good as Tim Lincincum is quite ridiculous in my opinion. I was very critical of Josh Beckett last season, and even this year as I made a thread questioning the trade of him, but I have seen him go out against the best competition that this league has, and post a 3.12 ERA after a completely [expletive]ty start to the season. I didn't include teams that were on the fringe because that would make this even more lopsided. Do you know how many times I saw Arizona and San Diego show up in Tim Lincincum's game log? . Also, I never said that Josh Beckett and Jon Lester were definately a better 1-2 punch, but thanks for trying to put words in my mouth. . And, if you still don't understand the point of Curt Shilling being there, then I don't know what else to say.

If I threw Cole Hammels in there I'm sure you wouldn't hate the argument, but anyways........ This is one sport where one individual position makes all of the difference in the world, and there have been other great pitchers that haven't fared well in the playoffs, so I fail to see how it is a dumb argument.

You have a reading comprehension problem then becuase I wasn't using Curt Shilling as an example with his ability today, but when he was in the league a few years ago, hence the part where I said I was using him to make my point.

You're just mad that not everyone, or even most people for your information, think that Tim Lincincum is the best pitcher in the MLB. Most people will tell you Roy Halladay is better, and well....he is.

How did I contradict myself? I haven't once done that, and it's not biased at all, as I have criticized the team many, many times, and you're just mad because I don't think Tim Lincincum and Matt Cain are by far the best 1-2 punch, when you bandwagon the S.F. Giants, so you're mad. Also, I mentioned Curt Shilling as a hypothetical person to help make my point. It's not my fault that all of the Boston related sports teams are good, so if people think they are the best, everyone will say Boston fans are being biased. .

That's what I though, and I would guess that most people on this boards would say the same thing, but I disagree, and this is part of my reasoning that I don't think that choosing Josh Beckett and Jon Lester over Tim Lincincum and Matt Cain is laughable. Tim Lincincum- Although he is one of the best pitchers in the MLB, he hasn't faced enough tough competition in my opinion, and he has no playoff experience. Roy Halladay- He's a great pitcher, but once again, he hasn't pitched in any playoff games, and hasn't had that type of pressure on him. C.C. Sabathia- He is the only pitcher of this group that has any playoff experience, and he has a 7.92 ERA for his career during the playoffs. Cliff Lee- He is a very good pitcher who won the 2008 Cy Young award, but he is also the same pitcher that was sent down to the minors two seasons ago, and has no playoff experience. Josh Beckett- He has a career 2.90 ERA in the post-season, even though he had a poor playoff performance last season after a poor regular season as well. He is the best playoff pitcher in the MLB right now. He also has a World Series MVP to his credit. Chris Carpenter- He was the 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, with a career 2.53 ERA during the playoffs. Johan Santana- He's a two time Cy Young Award winner, and he has a career 3.97 ERA during the playoffs, and that's including his terrible ERA in games he didn't start. Curt Shilling- He has a career 2.23 ERA during the playoffs, and has a World Series MVP Award to his credit. He is one of the best playoff pitchers in the history of the MLB. In a sport like baseball where a pitcher can change the entire game, I would feel a lot more comfortable with the second group of pitchers.

That's what he said to me too. He's waiting for "Smitty", who is intentionally avoiding this thread, whether he admits it or now. I just want to get that league going!

Get lost.

It's kind of funny how the Boston Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots use the bottom tier teams of the league to get players that will play well for them. However, I think teams need to watch out for Oakland this year, and at least they got more than they got for Randy Moss. .

It's really not that laughable. I'll post my reasons later, but which rotation would you take if you had a choice? Tim Lincincum Roy Halladay C.C. Sabathia Cliff Lee Or: Josh Beckett Chris Carpenter Johan Santana Curt Shilling(To help make my point) Assume all of these players are healthy, which staff would you want? I am taking the second staff, and I'm not even second guessing my decision.

How does that make any sense?

I may not have said it at the beginning of the season, but I will take Josh Beckett and Jon Lester over Tim Lincincum and Matt Cain.

I'm guessing that you would rank the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays lower.... What would you rank them? The Tampa Bay Rays made the World Series and give the Boston Red Sox fits, and they have hitting, pitching, speed, and fielding.....

Which division is better in your opinion? Also, give each division and team in the divisions a rating from 1-10, with a rating of how good they can be and are playing right now. I'm sure you can guess which Colorado Rockies fan keeps saying that the AL East is not that much better than the NL West...... When they are playing to their ability: New York Yankees- 10 Boston Red Sox- 10 Tampa Bay Rays- 10 Toronto Blue Jays- 7 Baltimore Orioles- 5 L.A. Dodgers- 9 SF Giants- 8 Colorado Rockies- 8 D-Backs- 4 Padres- 2 Right now, I would give the Boston Red Sox about a 3/10, if that, since they are struggling mightily, and I would give the New York Yankees a 20/10. I know I don't watch the NL West enough, but I just don't see the same talent in that division that there is in the AL East. I don't see what the NL West even has on the AL East........ I don't think I'm being bias when I say that I would take the AL East pitching over the NL West pitching as a whole anyway of the week, and I don't think that hitting is even up for debate regardless of how [expletive]ty the Boston Red Sox are playing. What are your opinions, and am I being unfair?

I wish he never would have gotten injured. He would have been better than Michael Jordan and all of the other great players.

Ughhhhh!!!!! This team needs to get it together and start hitting the [expletive]ing baseball. Nothing is going right, at all. I thought that the line-up would be awesome at the beginning of the year, and it still has a chance to be very good, but there are some MAJOR weaknesses. 1. Jacoby Ellsbury- Good 2. Dustin Pedroia- Good 3. Victor Martinez- Good 4. Kevin Youklilis- Good, but can be streaky 5. Jason Bay- He hasn't done [expletive] in well over a month. 6. J.D. Drew- [expletive]ty average, and hasn't done [expletive], and he needs to step up because this team needs him to. 7. Mike Lowell- Good, and having a better season than I thought he was, but injuries are hurting him. 8. Nick Green/Lowrie- Nick Green sucks at fielding and hasn't done well this season, and Jed Lowrie makes me want to cry when he is at the plate. 9. Jason Varitek- Would that be the first, second, or third out of the inning that he recorded? He has just sucked the past few seasons. 10. David Ortiz- He sucks dick right now, and it's actually been this way since last season. Pitcing: Josh Beckett- Excellent. Jon Lester- Excellent. Brady Penny- I don't know what to expect from him. Clay Bucholtz- He has potential, but he needs to throw strikes, and not be my least favorite player of "All-Time", which he was last season. Tim Wakefield- He needs to come back NOW! Dice-K- He can make a MAJOR impact, and he can help get this team going!!! Bullpen- Jonathan Papelbon- He has been better lately, but I still don't trust him completely. Daniel Bard- He has struggled lately after being DOMINANT! Rest of the bullpen- Has been very good. So, this team needs to get Tim Wakefield and Dice-K back, but more importantly, needs to start HITTING THE [expletive]ING BASEBALL!!!!!!! JOE MAUER IN 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ADRIAN GONZALEZ IN 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good-bye David Ortiz, J.D. Drew, and Jason Varitek, and welcome lots of spending money.......after re-signing Josh Beckett!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyways, this team can still make the playoffs, but needs to turn it around now!

I know that I use the whole, "Well, this team plays in the NL West" or "This player plays in the NL West" line a lot, and it may be a little unfair, but I do feel that it does make a huge difference. I know that Tim Lincincum is a very good pitcher, but I am interested in seeing how he would do facing the line-ups of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox(when they aren't sucking dick), and the Tampa Bay Rays. Even Toronto and Baltimore have pretty good offenses, but I would just like to see how he would perform against the AL East in particular. And, I don't watch to nit-pick, but I just checked Tim Lincincum's "Game Log", and it does appear that he does worse against the better teams, which makes sense, but he didn't do too well against most of the contending teams except for the St. Louis Cardinals one night, and the Philadelphia Phillies last week. Again, I feel that he is one of the best pitchers, and maybe the best, but it's not clear cut.

Dan Harren should have started the All-Star Game. Anyways, Roy Halladay is a work-horse, and has to pitch against three of the elite teams in the MLB, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays, all of whom are in the AL East. Johan Santana is still a very good pitcher. I'm not even going to say that Josh Beckett is better, but I could build a very good case for him, which would rely heavily on post-season performance, which is EXTREMELY important.

Actually, now that I think about it, Tim Lincincum isn't even the best pitcher in his own divsion. Anyways, just the pitchers that I think are definitely better are: Roy Halladay Johan Santana Dan Harren And, strong cases can be made for Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and some others.

Tim Lincincum is a very good pitcher, but for you to say he is clearly the best is stupid, and he is not the best pitcher in the MLB. Have him come to the AL East, and he can add at least 1.00+ to his ERA. He plays in the NL West for crying out loud. He is very good, and is one of the best, but there are better pitchers than him. Anyways, the answer is Edwin Jackson.

I'm assuming it is DeMarcus Ware, but if it is Dallas Defense, I will take DeMarcus Ware. However, I'm assuming that he chose DeMarcus Ware, so I pick: James Harrison. I'm sorry Patrick Willis, but Manny Lawson is gonig to take some tackles away this season, and you don't get too many sacks. I love you though. .

I think there are a few open spots anyways......

I'm not saying he should have turned it down, but it is going to mess up the market. Do I think he deserves that much money? I'm 50/50 on it right now. However, there is no doubt that a lot of QB's are going to be asking for more than Eli Manning.

Well, Tom Brady did exactly that without the same numbers, but I wouldn't expect that from Eli Manning. Anyways, the New York Giants should not have caved in and given him that contract. QB's are going to be getting absolutely ridiculous contracts now.