Bryce Harper Megathread

**gilesfan** · 08-01-2013, 10:32 AM

Then don't say outlandish things. "They have stars throughout the lineup!" Well, really 3-4 in a lineup of 8.

**gilesfan** · 08-01-2013, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Dunit24

seperates the Dodgers from those teams are that they seem to be the hungriest team in the majors.

Can you help me figure out how to judge a teams appetite?

Where do the Braves rank on the hunger list?

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:34 AM

I can say the Knicks are the best team in the NBA, doesn't make it true. Usually people have a reason/s for thinking that, that is backed up with actual data.

**Julio3000** · 08-01-2013, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by MadduxFanII

It does, if nothing else, join a lot of the recent NL East drama in demonstrating how impressive our division title run was.

Go back to 2006 when the Mets won 97 games and lost in seven in the LCS. There was a lot of age on that team, but there was also an incredible core (Beltran-Wright-Reyes), all the resources in the world and every reason to think they'd dominate the division for a few years. Instead, you have an epic choke the next year, another in 2008, Madoff and the franchise spun into the gutter.

The Phillies won five straight division titles, including a 102-win campaign in 2011. They had a staggering amount of talent, enough resources to get anyone they wanted and a GM who had no hesitation about making a decisive move to acquire the likes of Lee and Halladay. And then they got very old, very fast, and they become a mediocre club with some massive contracts choking up the books.

The Nationals win 98 games in 2012 and seem poised for even more dominance this year. They have every sign of a team that should be at the top of the NL for another decade, led by Strasburg and Harper and supported by a skilled front office with ample funds. But there are some injuries, guys inexplicably struggle, things go awry and they're almost certainly not winning the division this year.

Weird things like that happen; you get unlucky, projections fail, good players fall apart. What made our run so incredible was that it just didn't happen to us. Well, it did, but it took 15 years.

That's exactly what I had in mind.

**MadduxFanII** · 08-01-2013, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by gilesfan

Great points. As impressive as the run was, it sucks that the Phils was much shorter, but they still got the same number of titles.

Which is its own lesson: you don't know how many shots at the brass ring you're going to get, and you certainly don't know how successful those shots are going to be. We had 14 of them in 15 years, led by what was probably the greatest pitching staff in MLB history, and our shots didn't turn out so well.

In terms of the Nats' decision to sit down Strasburg, then, you can look at that reality in one of two ways: First, there's no guarantee the Strasburg-Harper core is ever getting back to the playoffs (though I think it's exceedingly likely), so you kind of have to screw the future and fire all your ammunition every year. On the other hand, there's not necessarily a reason to believe that Strasburg affects a playoff series, and if you genuinely believe that keeping him out for the last month or so of 2012 enhances his future than you don't risk that for a small possible gain in win expectancy.

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:37 AM

The Dodgers have a run diff of +7, that ranks 12th in baseball.

**thethe** · 08-01-2013, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by BRule

The Dodgers have the best team in baseball? LOLWUT?

I'll also take STL, TB, TX over LAD's top 3. With PIT and DET being close or a step below.

If the Dodgers were healthy all year they would have one of the best records in baseball. They are absolutely freakin loaded.

**thethe** · 08-01-2013, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by BRule

The Dodgers have a run diff of +7, that ranks 12th in baseball.

What does that have to do with how good they are now?

**thethe** · 08-01-2013, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by BRule

I can say the Knicks are the best team in the NBA, doesn't make it true. Usually people have a reason/s for thinking that, that is backed up with actual data.

But you would be the only person in the room who would believe that.

**zitothebrave** · 08-01-2013, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by gilesfan

Oh so you have an out either way? How are you going to prove your statement that they are the best team in baseball?

"Nobody has a top 3 like they do"

You wouldn't take Verlander, Scherzer, Sanchez over them? Lynn, Wainwright, Miller?

The Dodgers have some offensive talent, but people are really overating it. What happens when Puig comes back to earth (.452 BABIP)? Gonzalez, Ramirez, Kemp (if healhty?)

Give me the Tigers any day over the Dodgers. Give me the Cardinals. Give me the Rays over them.

So BABIP is a factor when you want it to be (Puig) but not when you don't (Ruf)?

Love your selective facts Giles.

**gilesfan** · 08-01-2013, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by zitothebrave

So BABIP is a factor when you want it to be (Puig) but not when you don't (Ruf)?

Love your selective facts Giles.

Um, I talked about how Ruf is going to come down. Nice try tho, jack leg.

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by thethe

If the Dodgers were healthy all year they would have one of the best records in baseball. They are absolutely freakin loaded.

It's the SAME team other than Puig and Hanley. And if you think Hanley and Puig are going to stay this hot, all year, then I'd like to sell you some things.

**thethe** · 08-01-2013, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by BRule

It's the SAME team other than Puig and Hanley. And if you think Hanley and Puig are going to stay this hot, all year, then I'd like to sell you some things.

Greinke wasn't hurt this year?

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:43 AM

I'll take STL and PIT and you can have LAD....I'll give you 2:1 odds on an avatar bet.

**thethe** · 08-01-2013, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by BRule

I'll take STL and PIT and you can have LAD....I'll give you 2:1 odds on an avatar bet.

Picking any team to win a world series is a crapshoot. You are such a degenerate gambler. I feel sorry for you.

I will still say and believe the Dodgers are the best team in baseball even if they don't win the world series.

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by thethe

Greinke wasn't hurt this year?

He missed 5 starts....

**BRule** · 08-01-2013, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by thethe

Picking any team to win a world series is a crapshoot. You are such a degenerate gambler. I feel sorry for you.

I will still say and believe the Dodgers are the best team in baseball even if they don't win the world series.

An avatar bet = degenerate gambler?

LOL

**zitothebrave** · 08-01-2013, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by gilesfan

Um, I talked about how Ruf is going to come down. Nice try tho, jack leg.

Didn't talk about it when you posted slash lines of him and Gattis.

**bravesnumberone** · 08-01-2013, 10:48 AM

The Dodgers are really good, but how are they any "hungrier" than the Rays? Have you guys seen what they've been doing?

I'm not going to get into the advanced stats because any of these teams mentioned could beat any of the others on any given day.

But if I had to pick one team right now over any other, I'd stick with my preseason WS pick of the Tigers.

**gilesfan** · 08-01-2013, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by zitothebrave

Didn't talk about it when you posted slash lines of him and Gattis.

Its in the same effin thread. Maybe I should add an idiot factor to the posts so Zito can follow.

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