Who will fade?? I

[Mudcutter]

To keep this short, I think the tigers are passed by the white sox sometime in late july early aug and the white sox finish at least 4-5 games ahead. I see no weak spots at all on the White sox, but the Tigers bullpen is starting to show it's true colors and Todd Jones is Todd Jones,, thou this year with a era around 6. Can't expect to score 7-8-9 runs a game. The Twins continue to play well (just not a 18-1 clip like now) about .600 and it's a fight to the WC between the Tigers,Yanks and Twins. I think Santanna and Liriano both win very close to 20 games. IF (a very big if) the Twins get into the playoffs with those guys, the sky is the limit.

Will be intersting to see what the Twins front office does right before the trade deadline if still 7-8 games outta of the WC race,,, if they are within 5 games,,, they need a proven lefty outta the bullpen to make a push even with the 2 lefties in J.S and F.L.

My thoughts,

Muddy

[SledNeck]

I say we ship out Rondell and we trade lew ford and Carlos Silva for a starting pitcher.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Mudcutter,

You are wise beyond your years, grasshopper. I could not agree with you more. I think I said something similiar about two weeks ago. I think the Kitties in 06 are the Tribe of 05 but will fade faster. Twinks could slip into the WC race but you know that Georgie will open up the fat checkbook if he gets a sniff of the playoffs. Let's see what some of the other faithful have to say on this subject...

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[34inwalleye]

Detoit wins AL central.

New York wins AL east.

LA wins west.

Twins win wild card.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Hey Mud,

Let's get a bunch of money together and make a bet with 34 about his predictions. Kitties winning and Twinks in the WC, que the Jimmy Hendrix music cause I think 34 is in a PURPLE HAZE, too much wacky tobaccy out there!

Sox win the central by at least 6 games, Twinks finish 2nd in WC race to Yanks who buy their way into the playoffs and then get smoked!

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[Mudcutter]

I got about as much MN fever as anybody (born and raised in Twinkie land) ,, but the Twins in the playoffs this year is very tough shot with basically 2 teams ahead of them that are having DIv winning years any other year, plus the 2 ahead of them that are on pace to win over 105 games easy.. The Twins chances come to down to games agst the Tigers, period. When the Tigers play the W.sox-- I'am pulling for the SOx,, cause I think they will help the Twins in giving the Tigers losses and the Tigers will come back to with-in striking distance of a Yanks or Twins. I'am 32 yrs old-- and seen some good-great teams,, but the TIgers don't have it where it counts.... (the end game.) YOu ABSOULTELY need that. Granted, Jenks is no Riveria (not yet) but he has been impressive and I would take him hands down agst Jones or Rodney of the Tigers. IN my OP, it's huge come Fall.(Jenks does have the exp from last fall) No matter what-- it's going to come down to closing a game or two in the Bronx or Bean-town in OCt with a run to spare if that, and you need a stud. Nathan can do it-- just don't know if he will get a chance.

AL Cent-- W.Sox

AL East-- R.sox

AL West-- A's-- thou does it really matter??

WC. Yanks by a hair over the Twinks and the Tigers 3-5 out.

Windy is correct- Steinbrenner will find away to bring a playoff appearence once again to NY. DOntrelle Willis or even Smoltz---- the Yanks will make a move and probably beat out the Twins because of it.-- But the Tigers need middle relief and a closer-- you can put that on the board.

Muddy

[Spinner1]

Mud and Windy,

Your offense is intimidating for sure. But I think you see the W-Sox pitching through rose colored glasses. I don't see the Sox or Tigers fading significantly. Most of the division is playing out of their mind. Either that, or the Sox, Tigers and Twins are the three greatest baseball teams of all time. We shall see who comes down to earth first.

Only real predictions I got for you. Nobody has a significant lead in the Central for long. And the Yankees will miss the playoffs this year.

Preceding pitching arguments backed up by these stats.

MLB Ranking Team ERA For last 30 days.

MN 1st 2.68

DET 3rd 3.07

CHW 21st 4.88

MLB Rank Team ERA Full Season

DET 1st 3.52

MN 10th 4.27

CHW 13th 4.46

[soldoncass]

It is a well known fact that great pitching shuts down good hitting! SSOOO....... I don't see the Sux making it this year. Good hitting gets shutdown by the TIGERS and TWINS great pitching. Add to that a "loose canon" in the dugout that will lose them more games yet this year. Sorry, Windy, start thinking about "next year".

The Bosox will win their division with the second place team going NOWHERE. The winner won't go anywhere after that either.

In the national....I used to think the Cardinals were the "cream of the crop", but now I don't think so. Houston or Mets in a horse race--to get "thumped" by the Twins or Tigers in the W.S.

The only thing left to figure out , then, is which one? hmmm, How about this.... Rondell's shoulder gets fixed, and he comes back to take over the DH from Sierra and gets the big hits to decide it. A class guy that deserves a fairy tale season. YOU CAN put that "on the board" as some say!!!

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Soldon,

I guess you are right. The team with the second best record in baseball right now should be thinking about next year....

Like where to celebrate the THIRD WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP next year!

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[friendlyfisher]

I always hate to agree with windy so I will not comment on this topic.

friendly

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Friendly

Your silence speaks volumes! I think everybody kind of knows it, may not like it, but really expects it. I think they can all see the train coming down the track and it is running right through the windy city.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[friendlyfisher]

Wheere are theese tracks you speak of? So I can tinker with them to make this train of yours derail.

Hey Windy, is there a chance that the best three teams in baseball all belong to the AL Central? OR am I giving my twinkies to much credit? And does on of the best teams in baseball loose two of three down in Missouri? Didnt think so, never mind.

friendly

[Spinner1]

"Hey Windy, is there a chance that the best three teams in baseball all belong to the AL Central? OR am I giving my twinkies too much credit?"

If your statement isn't true, it certainly isn't far off base IMO. The only team who legitimately has any argument is Boston. They too have the talent, and consistency to take a series from any MLB team. No NL team has demonstrated the consistency to be considered "Twins Caliber"

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

I would have to agree with Spinner. I think the Carmines have a little more depth and pitching than the Twinks but in a short series with YO-HAN and Liriano, they could dump the BoSox. The problem is that they, the Twinks, won't get to the dance because they are playing behind the two best teams in baseball. My beloved Pale Hose and in second place, the Kitties, who in my humble opinion are out way too far over their skis. I see a crash coming and if the Twinks stay hot, they could snag the Wild Card spot and get their chance to dump the BoSox in the first round.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[soldoncass]

WHO will FADE???????? hmmmmmm interesting...The sux are leading so far!! Stay tuned, long way to go yet.

[sunkinboat]

Yeah it seems the winds have shifted. Twins and Tigers are hot. Sox are not. Sox pithcing is taking a big dive. Sox are 3-9 in there past 12. They will never pass the Tigers and the twinkies will catch them within 3 weeks. And wont look back. But the yanks are gonna beat us out for the wild card, Hate to say it but them a-holes rob us every year.

[Dahitman44]

Big series coming up that will tell us who will fade.

[buzzsaw]

From ESPN:

By Mark Simon, ESPN Research

We might have a new wild-card leader in the American League in the next few days, and don't be surprised if that team is the Minnesota Twins, who continued their amazing roll by beating the White Sox 7-4 Monday night.

By now, you probably know the names Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and Johan Santana, but during this run you can add Francisco Liriano and even Nick Punto to the list of those whose performances have been simply astounding.

It's clear the Twins are a team worth taking seriously. Remember the runs the 2002 Angels and the 2003 Marlins went on once they figured out the secrets to their success? Minnesota may be headed in the same direction.

MINNESOTA FATS: LAST 40 TEAM GAMES

Justin Morneau .400 BA, 15 HR, 43 RBI

Joe Mauer .392 BA, 3 HR, 25 RBI

Nick Punto .333 BA, 18 RBI, 29 R

Francisco Liriano 8-1, 1.58 ERA

Johan Santana 6-1, 2.67 ERA

Brad Radke 5-0, 2.70 ERA

Joe Nathan 3-0, 1.23 ERA, 12 SV

Twins: 32-8 in last 40 games, tied for best 40-game stretch in franchise history

[SledNeck]

I think Radke is by far the player Im most impressed with. He's been going out and doing his job well. Takes the blame when he doesnt do well (havent seen any of that lately), gives his teammates the credit when he wins. If he does retire, what a way to go out.

[deadminnowcatcher]

ahhhh white sox