I love brett gardner!!!

[koolzach1]

Wang's ERA has been top notch since he has entered the league. He was pitching with a low 3 ERA most of this year before he got shelled 3 times in a row or so.

Houston... What up with calling Beckett's 2006 year a fluke, basically? Sure, you said that his HR rate was a fluke, and that inflated his ERA. The thing is... Too be considered an ace, you cannot have a year with a 5.00+ ERA and give up 36-38 homers, or whatever it was... unless it was early in your career. I have to tell ya... Beckett is an inconsistent young Andy Pettite. By that, I mean... He's never really had ace type numbers. Sure, 2007 was an ace type year, with ace type numbers, but I need to see that consistently. Pettite has had some years where he has posted ace type numbers before, but I doubt anyone would've ever really considered him an ace at any point in his career. Another similarity about them, are that both are big game pitchers. Both step it up in the playoffs and have a great track record in the post season, to go along with solid regular season numbers.

Dickay - Need to add something. Robinson Cano does NOT walk much at all... He's a hacker, about like Vlad. The thing is, his .289 OBP looks suckish, and it is, but I don't think that anyone should discredit his previous 2 years where his OBP was .350 and .365.

[koolzach1]

I love Cano too but it seems a lot of time he just makes lazy plays, which won't count as errors but usually end up haunting us. He is a fantastic hitter and I wish they would put him in the #3 spot and let him be a little more patient at the plate.

Yeah, I think that Cano could be a HOF player on day. ****, the guy is basically Rod Carew made over. Robinson just needs to stay consistent during the whole season. He's considered by many to be the 3rd best 2B in MLB overall, right next to Utley and Uggla. If Cano could even just hit .300 during the 1st half of the season, his end of season average will be around .340 or better. I don't know about putting him in the 3 spot, though. I need to see more walks from him before I let him take Abreu's place. I would, however, not mind Giambi in the 3 spot with Abreu batting 5th or 6th, or even A-Rod in the 3 spot with Giambi 4th... works either way.

[HoustonGM]

Houston... What up with calling Beckett's 2006 year a fluke, basically? Sure, you said that his HR rate was a fluke, and that inflated his ERA.

It was a fluke. Completely out of line with the rest of his career.

The thing is... Too be considered an ace, you cannot have a year with a 5.00+ ERA and give up 36-38 homers, or whatever it was... unless it was early in your career.

He wasn't an ace that year. He was in 2007. He's been for the most part in 2008. Players of all calibers have fluke seasons. Check out Greg Maddux 1999. Superficially, it looks right in line with the rest of his career, with 19 wins, but his ERA+ was 20 points lower than any other season from 1992 to 2002, and his WHIP was 1.35, also wildly out of line with the rest of his peak.

I have to tell ya... Beckett is an inconsistent young Andy Pettite. By that, I mean... He's never really had ace type numbers. Sure, 2007 was an ace type year, with ace type numbers, but I need to see that consistently.

This is true. I just think that Beckett very likely has hit a new point in his career. He was always a top prospect with gigantic potential, bothered by blister injuries. Now that he's over that, I think he's reached a new level of performance.

[HoustonGM]

Yeah, I think that Cano could be a HOF player on day. ****, the guy is basically Rod Carew made over.

That praise is a bit too high. I've heard that comparison before but I don't see how it's true, at least not yet. Carew was faster, and walked more. Although, Carew did improve his walk rate in his mid-20's, but his walk rate was still higher than Cano's is before he improved it.

[Pavelb1]

You know, I find it pretty funny how people take such offense when somebody calls a good pitcher anything less than an ace. A #2/3 starter is a very good pitcher.

No offense taken, but i feel Dice-K gets a bad rap because of his reputation as a wild pitcher and the mercenary-like nature of his arrival to the Sox. Meanwhile Scott Kazmir last year had a rep as a lights out stud but Dice-K's stats this year are way better than Kazmirs were last year. His ERA is lower than Sabathias was last year too.

[HoustonGM]

No offense taken, but i feel Dice-K gets a bad rap because of his reputation as a wild pitcher and the mercenary-like nature of his arrival to the Sox. Meanwhile Scott Kazmir last year had a rep as a lights out stud but Dice-K's stats this year are way better than Kazmirs were last year. His ERA is lower than Sabathias was last year too.

Matsuzaka has a 2.84 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 52 walks in 82.1 innings. Kazmir had a 3.48 ERA with 239 strikeouts and 89 walks in 206.2 innings. Sure, the ERA is better, but lets wait for a larger sample size before declaring that definitive. Kazmir strikes out way more hitters, and while he walks a lot as well, Matsuzaka walks more. And Kazmir's stats this year are much better than Matsuzaka's

[Pavelb1]

One more thing with Dice-K:

If he can double his stats and go 18-2 with a sub 3.00 ERA....shouldn't he be a strong Cy Young candidate? Yet he's not even in the All-Star game.

[HoustonGM]

One more thing with Dice-K:

If he can double his stats and go 18-2 with a sub 3.00 ERA....shouldn't he be a strong Cy Young candidate? Yet he's not even in the All-Star game.

Each of the starting pitchers on the team have been better than Daisuke. Having 6 relievers is pretty ridiculous, though, and Daisuke probably would deserve a spot if they didn't fill half the staff with closers.

[dickay]

Wang's ERA has been top notch since he has entered the league. He was pitching with a low 3 ERA most of this year before he got shelled 3 times in a row or so.

Houston... What up with calling Beckett's 2006 year a fluke, basically? Sure, you said that his HR rate was a fluke, and that inflated his ERA. The thing is... Too be considered an ace, you cannot have a year with a 5.00+ ERA and give up 36-38 homers, or whatever it was... unless it was early in your career. I have to tell ya... Beckett is an inconsistent young Andy Pettite. By that, I mean... He's never really had ace type numbers. Sure, 2007 was an ace type year, with ace type numbers, but I need to see that consistently. Pettite has had some years where he has posted ace type numbers before, but I doubt anyone would've ever really considered him an ace at any point in his career. Another similarity about them, are that both are big game pitchers. Both step it up in the playoffs and have a great track record in the post season, to go along with solid regular season numbers.

Dickay - Need to add something. Robinson Cano does NOT walk much at all... He's a hacker, about like Vlad. The thing is, his .289 OBP looks suckish, and it is, but I don't think that anyone should discredit his previous 2 years where his OBP was .350 and .365.

Fair points about Beckett...but I personally count his 2006 performance more to moving to a new team/league/city and getting aclimated. Many players perform subpar their first year in a new place. I also feel his postseason and big game performance along with his 07 season earns him an ace qualification. Pettite was a solid #2 most of his career and could've been a #1 on many teams. He's put up ace type numbers at time, but you are correct he's never been a true ace. However, in the postseason he HAS been considered an ace type talent at points of his career. To say Beckett is comparable to Pettite is not a huge slight on Beck. Pettite has been a great talent, though at this point in his career I'd say Beckett has been better.

As far as Cano....I don't know why my review is being criticized. It said clearly he's been a great performer all-star type talent and this year he's struggling greatly but he'll likely rebound. Nobody has discounted his performance in previous years.

[dickay]

Yeah, I think that Cano could be a HOF player on day. ****, the guy is basically Rod Carew made over. Robinson just needs to stay consistent during the whole season. He's considered by many to be the 3rd best 2B in MLB overall, right next to Utley and Uggla. If Cano could even just hit .300 during the 1st half of the season, his end of season average will be around .340 or better. I don't know about putting him in the 3 spot, though. I need to see more walks from him before I let him take Abreu's place. I would, however, not mind Giambi in the 3 spot with Abreu batting 5th or 6th, or even A-Rod in the 3 spot with Giambi 4th... works either way.

This is exactly the kind of **** i'm referring to. Cano has performed great for what, maybe 3 seasons?? And you have the gall to say he's Rod Carew made over???? I just find it insulting to put a young player, even one who has performed as well as Cano....in the same sentence with Rod Carew or Hall of Fame. Lets let the guy rack up 8-10 seasons of top level performance before we begin 'thinking' about HOF.

Are you planning on Cano's plaque to the left or right of Gardners?

[dickay]

No offense taken, but i feel Dice-K gets a bad rap because of his reputation as a wild pitcher and the mercenary-like nature of his arrival to the Sox. Meanwhile Scott Kazmir last year had a rep as a lights out stud but Dice-K's stats this year are way better than Kazmirs were last year. His ERA is lower than Sabathias was last year too.

I hear your grief. I've had NO PROBLEMS with what Dice-K has brought to Boston. He wasn't superb last year, but many expected too much. The guy is a solid middle of the rotation pitcher, which as HGM said is not a bad thing at all. Although I feel he has performed to my expectations, I hesitate at giving him too much props because Sox haters will jump all over it. My biggest gripe with Dice, is we need to see his arm make it through the entire season. The team greatly needs quality starts from him late in the season. If he can do that, he's arrived.

[RickD]

Yankees!

[dannymac910]

I was just at the game today and I sat right behind Brett in monument park. Man is he fast! Did you see that bunt he laid down?

[koolzach1]

This is exactly the kind of **** i'm referring to. Cano has performed great for what, maybe 3 seasons?? And you have the gall to say he's Rod Carew made over???? I just find it insulting to put a young player, even one who has performed as well as Cano....in the same sentence with Rod Carew or Hall of Fame. Lets let the guy rack up 8-10 seasons of top level performance before we begin 'thinking' about HOF.

Are you planning on Cano's plaque to the left or right of Gardners?

I am just saying that his career numbers so far are very comparable to Carew. I don't think that he is a Carew right not, but I said made over, and if he keeps up his career numbers, he is right there with Carew, the same type of hitter.

[dickay]

I am just saying that his career numbers so far are very comparable to Carew. I don't think that he is a Carew right not, but I said made over, and if he keeps up his career numbers, he is right there with Carew, the same type of hitter.

And Gardner must be Lou Brock made over

Its just rediculous to put expectation and big 'ifs' on a young talent and in any way compare them with the greats. What makes these HOF'ers special is their longevity at a high level, very few can do it. Thats just my opinion.

Cano is one of the top young second basemen in the game today. Why isn't that enough? Why do we have to draw rediculous comparisons to the greats and discuss HOF in any way with a young talent???