[jjgold]

-120

[gridironguy]

I agree, JJ.

No pitching = No chance

[LargeMouthBass]

No pitching + Great offense = Maybe

[Willie Bee]

Through Apr 23, 2006, the Yankees were 9-8. Fast forward to end of season, 97 wins.

Through Apr 23, 2005, New York was 7-11, slumping all the way to 11-19 through action on May 6. Jump ahead to the end of the regular season, 95 wins.

Is that -120 on the under, over or both, JJ?

[bigboydan]

I think they will go over that 85 over/under mark coach. They should get some key players back with in the next few weeks.

[onlooker]

I say they win 89. Not 90, but above your total.

Its going to be hard for them to out hit the other team day in and day out. Because their pitching will keep the other teams in the game most of the time.

[Razz]

God, everyone is so worried about their pitching. Well shit, they're throwing out minor leaguers every other day. When it's summer and their rotation is Clemens, Wang, Mussina, Pettite, and Igawa, I don't think that will be much of an issue.

[onlooker]

Pettite
Igawa

Can Mussina stay healthy?

Clemens is not inked yet.

[Razz]

Pettite

Are you stupid or do you just not know anything about baseball? Pettite is 1-0, should be 3-0, but Mo has blown two saves for him. Pettite has a 1.78 ERA, which is 4th in the AL. He walks almost no one, and he wins basically 2 out of 3 decisions. In his career, he's won 12, 21, 18, 16, 14, 19, 15, 13 (injury, only 22 starts), 21, 6 (injury, only 15 starts), 17, and 14 games. Last five seasons, his ERA was 3.28, 4.02, 3.90, 2.39, 4.20, and the current 1.78. Name another 4th starter with anywhere near those numbers. Not to mention the fact that he's one of the most successful postseason pitchers of all-time.

[Razz]

Igawa

His WHIP is fine. The ERA is awful, but that will lower once he becomes accustomed to US hitters. The Twins/Red Sox/Mets would take him as their 5th starter in a heartbeat.

[Razz]

Can Mussina stay healthy?

He's started at least 27 games the last 12 seasons. If anything, missing these irrelevant games will be good for him come postseason.

[Razz]

Clemens is not inked yet.

Are you sure about that? I've never been more certain of anything in my life than the fact that Clemens will be a Yankee in two months.

[onlooker]

Are you stupid or do you just not know anything about baseball? Pettite is 1-0, should be 3-0, but Mo has blown two saves for him. Pettite has a 1.78 ERA, which is 4th in the AL. He walks almost no one, and he wins basically 2 out of 3 decisions. In his career, he's won 12, 21, 18, 16, 14, 19, 15, 13 (injury, only 22 starts), 21, 6 (injury, only 15 starts), 17, and 14 games. Last five seasons, his ERA was 3.28, 4.02, 3.90, 2.39, 4.20, and the current 1.78. Name another 4th starter with anywhere near those numbers. Not to mention the fact that he's one of the most successful postseason pitchers of all-time.

I guess Im stupid. But he always seems to blow it, well maybe thats just when I bet against him.

[bigboydan]

Pettite is 1-0, should be 3-0, but Mo has blown two saves for him.

Forget the stats for now, because there good for agents manipulating the GM's during a players contract year.

Lets look inside the numbers here. How many of those no decisions he got this year cost Yankees backers a lot of money? He might be pitching pretty damn good right now, but do you honestly think he's going to keep up that pace over the entire season? I for one will say he won't.

[Razz]

Lets look inside the numbers here. How many of those no decisions he got this year cost Yankees backers a lot of money? He might be pitching pretty damn good right now, but do you honestly think he's going to keep up that pace over the entire season? I for one will say he won't.

Why did you say "Let's look inside the numbers," and then not post any numbers? Anyway, to your other point, no of course he won't end the year with a 1.78 ERA. No one will. But if he gets 30-35 starts, 15-20 wins (with that lineup, I'd say closer to 20) with a 3.2-3.5 ERA is about what I'd expect. That's much, much better than 90% of the other #3 or 4 starters are going to put up.

[bigboydan]

The Yankees are 1 and 4 in his last 4 starts. Just how many of those games do you think he was the chalk? The only time he was a dog in those 5 starts was when he faces Harden in Oakland, and that game was virtually a pick'um game.

[rjt721]

His WHIP is fine. The ERA is awful, but that will lower once he becomes accustomed to US hitters. The Twins/Red Sox/Mets would take him as their 5th starter in a heartbeat.

No thanks bro. I'll take Jon Lester, who will be back within the next two weeks, over Igawa as a 5th starter any day. Igawa is garbage. He should have the advantage right now over hitters that haven't seen him before, not the other way around.

[onlooker]

Igawa is garbage. He should have the advantage right now over hitters that haven't seen him before, not the other way around.

Just like Dice (so far, just no run support), Nomo, and other foreign pitchers that had success. They go to sheit once the hitters catch on to their style. Maybe Igawa is different.

You hit it on the head Razz, Andy will only win the majority of his game because of that lineup the Yankees put out. He will have a ERA in the high 3's if not low 4's. He always seems to give up those 3 to 4 run innings that gets him yanked.

[jjgold]

Petite is done, Mussina is done

-120 either way

[Willie Bee]

So since you're saying they wont get to 85, the line being set is 84½, right JJ?

[chano]

Petite is done, Mussina is done

-120 either way

Can I make a bet ?

[jjgold]

Chano how much and on what side?

[chano]

Chano how much and on what side?

What limit do I have ?

[jjgold]

Chano I am broke basically so bet has to be small but I need to know your selection 1st before a limit is made.

[chano]

Chano I am broke basically so bet has to be small but I need to know your selection 1st before a limit is made.

Just kidding Pal,

I would bet on "OVER". Yankees traditionally start slow, but end up in the 90+ wins. Although, I do not think they are the team they are made out to be. I still think they win more than 85.

[tacomax]

When it's summer and their rotation is Clemens, Wang, Mussina, Pettite, and Igawa, I don't think that will be much of an issue.

Well Wang made a cracking start. And just to add:

Igawa

[Razz]

And just to add:

Igawa

You're right, he's certainly no Julian Tavarez.

[jjgold]

My max bet is $100

[gridironguy]

My max bet is $100

Which thread was this meant for, JJ?

Re: the Yankees. People like myself doubt them every year and all they do is come back and win the pennant every freaking year.

I'll bet that when Sept rolls around, and they've been healthy since June, they'll be there right in the thick of things once again.

[tacomax]

You're right, he's certainly no Julian Tavarez.

Indeed, Tavarez isn't a starter. Never said he was.

But you said Igawa was.

[Razz]

He's a 5th starter, and I think he will turn into a pretty good one. He's been very good in two starts and very bad in two starts. So has Curt Schilling. I think that laughing at him for his first month of pitching is a bit premature.

[tacomax]

He's been very good in two starts and very bad in two starts.

Very good in two starts? Which ones were those? He has been killed against the Devil Rays and the Orioles - I'm sure you'll admit these are not the best teams in MLB. He also had a 3.375 ERA against the Athletics and 3.30 ERA against the Indians. Those are neither the best two teams either.

Please tell me which one was the good start. I'm not talking an average start, I'm not talking a slightly better than average start - I'm talking about a good start.

I'll give you a hint - Schilling has had two very good starts (1.29 ERA against the Rangers and 0.00 ERA against the Angels). Take it from there, please.

[Razz]

6.0 IP, 5 hits, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 runs against a top-3 Indians offense.
5.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 earned runs at Oakland.

Both are good starts, and both are very good starts for a #5 starter.

[tacomax]

That's fine - it depends on what you call a good start for a pitcher. It's just that I don't class a 3.375 ERA and a 3.30 ERA as a "good start". I'd call that an average start for a pitcher. I might call it a slightly better than average start for a #5 pitcher. But I wouldn't call it a "good start".

[rjt721]

Even for a #5 starter, 2/4 "good" starts isn't enough, especially when he has gotten absolutely hammered in those other 2 starts.