Baseball mid year prediction.

[Dan26]

Well, the all-star break has arrived, and that means the baseball season is half over. I'm a Braves fan myself, and yet again (for the 13th straight year) the Braves look like winning their division. This year they are doing it with the batting, rather than with their pitching.

So, for those of you that follow the grand old game, who will be the World Series Champion for 2003? The win loss record of the teams are listed in brackets.

 

[Steve76]

diamondbacks

I think Arizona re a huge chance - they have a very solid batting lineup and with Schilling and Johnson out, they have unearthed some very handy backups - esp Webb and Batista. When the big 2 retunr, they will be very hard to beat in a playoff series

Shea Hillenbrand is a huge addition to the lineup also

 

[Dan26]

With Johnson and Schilling back in the line-up, they will be hard to beat - especially a best of -7 series where the first 6 games would comprises two starts each from Johnson and Schilling.

But if you want pitching, Oakland is the team to beat. Could well be an A's/D'Backs match-up. I think the A's will overtake Seattle in the second half of the season.

 

[Steve76]

oakland

Theoretically, Oakland ought to be favourites in the AL with Zito, Mulder and Hudson in the rotation - but Zito has been pretty ordinary this year - he got flogged by Tampa last week - and their batting lineup has been anaemic - Tejada has been pathetic, only Durazo, Chavez have been hitting consistently, Ellis and Hatteberg are just base hitters. No real sluggers to pile on runs.

Thats why i like the Dbacks lineup - sluggers like Hillenbrand and Gonzalez mixed in with hitters in Kata, Cintron, Counsell, Finley

 

[Dan26]

If history is any guide the Yankees will probably pull something out of left field again and win it all. Maybe even the White Sox or Cubs could make a late run in their weak divisions (the winner of both Central divsiosn will be lucky to win 90 games), and for once a baseball title can go to Chicago! The White Sox, have added a couple of handy aquistions in Everett and Roberto Alomar. They are yet to make an impact since they joined the roster, but it's hard to see them not improving. Remember last year and the Angels? They came out of nowhere and were only a wildcard team.

 

[Steve76]

chicago

I can't get too excited about either team, both are way too erratic offensively, and the White Sox managed to get swept by Detroit last week !!!

Alomar will have to turn his form around in a big way too. Both have some good pictchers - Loiaza, Prior and Wood and not sure if the offense will do the job for them.

Still, seems Sosa is back in form for the Cubs.

 

[CURVE]

The Braves for me... but I'm biased.

Go Braves

 

[Steve76]

all star game

Well, AL has home advantage for World Series after they won the All Star game,

NL was up 6-4, but AL got past them in bottom of the 8th against Gagne no less with an RBI from Garret Anderson and a 2 run homer from Hank Blalock.

Furcal nearly tied it in the 9th for NL with a fly out at 3/2 with 2 outs that was caught about 1m inside the fence.

 

[Dan26]

Great all-star game actually. Quite a fre home runs and a close finish. Like the idea of the winning league in the all-star game getting home field advantage for the World Series. Really added some importance to the game, and you could tell both teams didn't treat it like an exhibition.

Still think home field advantage is overstated in baseball. Look at the mid-season standings, and there is virtually no difference (except for Colorado) beteen home and away form. And despite which league gets home field advantage, the first 6 games are 3-each, so the advantage only comes into play if it goes to the 7th game, and ever then, the home team isn't guaranteed to win.

 

[oh_my_hat]

Braves for me too.

 

[Chicago1]

Originally posted by Dan26
If history is any guide the Yankees will probably pull something out of left field again and win it all. Maybe even the White Sox or Cubs could make a late run in their weak divisions (the winner of both Central divsiosn will be lucky to win 90 games), and for once a baseball title can go to Chicago! The White Sox, have added a couple of handy aquistions in Everett and Roberto Alomar. They are yet to make an impact since they joined the roster, but it's hard to see them not improving. Remember last year and the Angels? They came out of nowhere and were only a wildcard team.

I seriously doubt that the White Sox will even win their division. KC seem to be too strong. Anyway, the White Sox wouldn't even fill US Cellular Field if they made the World Series. Went there a couple of weeks ago to see the Cubs play the Sox and couldn't believe how much the the park's seating is like the Great Southern Stand at the MCG. Sat five rows from the top in the Upper Deck and almost had a heart attack climbing the stairs to get to my seat. What was worse was that we lost to the Sox in the bottom of the 9th. I have disowned my Sox loving brother who was there with me!

The Cubs need more consistency from the relievers and more offence. Hopefully they can trade for a decent hitting third baseman before next week. Sammy seems to be back after a very difficult season so far.... hit in the head while at bat, broken toe and the cork incident. Kerry Wood was impressive tonight in his complete game two hitter against the Marlins in Florida. At least the NL Central race is exciting. Just as long as those damn Cardinals don't win it!

Atlanta seems to be the team to beat. Very impressive to my mind, though I have to admit I don't pay too much attention to the AL teams.

 

[Dan26]

Is it true, the Cubs have far more support in Chcago, than the White Sox? If so, why is that?

 

[Chicago1]

Originally posted by Dan26
Is it true, the Cubs have far more support in Chcago, than the White Sox? If so, why is that?

Dan,

Sorry about my late reply. Went to Branson Missouri for a few days to visit a couple of theme parks. Rode two really good coasters, one a steel and one a woody. I'm off to Cedar Point in Ohio next week to have another ride or two on Top Thrill Dragster. It's had a lot of down time since its May opening but is back up and running. Worth a couple of hours wait to fly at 120 mph and upwards to 420 feet. The ride only lasts about 15 seconds, but it's an exhilarating 15 seconds!

Now to reply to your question..... There seems to be a few reasons as to the greater popularity of the Cubs in Chicago. Firstly is the location of each team. The Cubs play on the Northside of the city in an area which is now rather "yuppified". It's in a neighborhood which has always been considered "safe' to visit. The population surounding Wrigley remains stable. On the other hand the Sox play on the Southside in an area which is ghettoesque. Even in the 50s the Sox neighborhood wasn't considered as a nice place to visit, much less live in. Even though much of the poor neighborhood around the new Sox stadium has been bulldozed, many people would hesitate entering the surrounding area.

Secondly the Cubs have been the underdogs for nearly 100 years and to some, myself included, there's something irresistable in supporting a team that struggles (no comments about my AFL team, please). The Cubs will have huge attendances no matter where they are on the ladder. We're a loyal bunch and proudly parochial. For some reason the Sox supporters seem only to attend games in large numbers when the Sox are winning and even that doesn't always hold true. They're right in the middle of the AL Central race and still can't fill their stadium. Interesting to note that in the first decade of the 1900s the Cubs were very successful and in fact were the first team to win back to back World Series. I'd imagine that just like the early successful VFL teams, many current day supporters were brought up as Cubs fans and the tradition was handed down. (That does not apply in my case.)

I guess that leads me to the third reason regarding the popularity of the Cubs which is really hard to describe to people who have never attended a baseball game at Wrigley Field. It's tradition to the extreme. Where else in the US would a team not have lights put in until 1988? The late owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley, had purchased lights for Wrigley and was about to have them installed when WWII broke out.He donated them to the War Department instead. I read that he then hesitated to have lights put in after the war because he thought that baseball was a game that should be played in daylight in the afternoon so that children could play "hooky" from school and workers could knock off early to catch a game. The Cubs apparently began developing their reputation as a "family" club back in the 40s and that got many hooked on the Cubs. Wrigley Field is a site to behold. The lack of advertising signage in the stadium and the outfield wall covered in beautiful ivy just reek of tradition. I attended my first game at Wrigley three years ago and could feel the tradition as I entered. (Unfortunately my dad is a Sox supporter so as a kid the few baseball games I attended were Sox games.) Conversely the Sox have gone the way of most US baseball teams with a shiny new stadium and fireworks and other distractions such as an "exploding" scoreboard, but the intelligent people of the fair city of Chicago can't be fooled - there really IS only ONE baseball team for the city of Chicago..... the Cubs. And THIS will be OUR year..... 95 years is a long time to wait for a championship!

I'm hoping to get to a few more games this season. So far I'm 1-4 on the year. Last year I was able to spend my 50th birthday evening at Wrigley Field enjoying a Cubs victory. There ain't nothin sweeter!

 

[Dan26]

Chicago1.

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated. I was always curious as to the differences between the Chicago Baseball teams. I had always considered the Sox more famous - probably due to that betting scandel 90 years ago, but when I heard the Cubs were more popular, it made me curious. I guess the same logic doesn't apply for Yankees/Mets.

When I manage to get the time to visit the States (I was there for a holiday in the late 80s), I definately want to go to Cedar Point, and also get to a Baseball game. I'm a Braves fan, actually, but I have a soft spot for the Cubs. There is always something enticing about hoping a team can win the ultimate prize, when that prize has been so elusive. Wrigley field looks like a great stadium. I have always noticed the brick wall behind home plate which looks just so different to any other ball park. It just looks so.... well, old. At least you're in a weak divsion this year, which gives you a good chance. If you manage to sneak a play-off berth, anything can happen.

 

[Showbag]

I am surprised that I am the only one that gives the Mariners a chance.

 

[Steve76]

Time to revisit some of these predictions with the playoffs only 2 weeks away.

My mid season pick of Arizona look out of it, Johnson and Schilling have only been a shadow of their former selves, and their batting has really dropped off.

Yankees still do not inspire with confidence, Mariners look gone too. My outside pick would be the Astros if they make it - are on a roll at the moment have a very solid top 6 bats, a top bullpen - if their starters can hold it together for at least 5 innings, they are very hard to score against.

Braves batting lineup is strong the whole way down, Giants still don't score enough for me, same with the A's, Twins are hot at the moment, White Sox will struggle top make it, if they do they will be very dangerous.

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by Steve76
Braves batting lineup is strong the whole way down, Giants still don't score enough for me, same with the A's, Twins are hot at the moment, White Sox will struggle top make it, if they do they will be very dangerous.

The Braves are about to win their 12th straight Divisional Title (surely that's got to be close to the record), but like always they appear to be dieing come the business end of the season. I think they lost a series to the Mets a couple of weeks ago, (How bad is that??), and were almost white washed by Florida. I picked the Braves (purely biased) mid season, but again I feel I'll be disappointed.

 

[The Hippie]

Originally posted by DEVO
and were almost white washed by Florida.

Nothing unusual there, Devo. They always seem to struggle against the Marlins, for some reason. Hope they don't get a wildcard berth, that'll put the cat amongst the pigeons if the Bravos' have to go against them in the first round of the playoffs.

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by The Hippie
Nothing unusual there, Devo. They always seem to struggle against the Marlins, for some reason. Hope they don't get a wildcard berth, that'll put the cat amongst the pigeons if the Bravos' have to go against them in the first round of the playoffs.

Philly beat the Marlins this morning to close the gap for the wildcard berth and have given the Braves a record 12th straight title, yet in that period they have only ONE World Chmpionship. Braves have a four game series against the Marlins strating on the weekend. Hopefully we can knock them out.

 

[flamethrower]

The Braves can't play the Marlins (or the Phillies) in the divisional play-offs, as the wild card team can't play their division champion in the 1st round.

World Series: Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants

Winner: San Francisco Giants