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They're Gaambole-ing heere!!Comment -
Thank you Big Red for your reply to the Contrarian Mafia Opening Day Bash. If things work out, let us know.
Baseballs will be officially underway, this is the place for insight and entertaining banter. Selections will be posted here prior to gametime using a 1 to 5 unit system.
You will be able to track the selection success at www.thecontrarianpick.com. (free of charge for SBR thread followers). Since these bastards won't enable the signature on the SBR system, we need to go outside.
The ContrarianComment -
I smell pine tarComment -
I smell TheJewBear's bagged lunch.Comment -
Can't wait boys for this MLB. I am on fire with College Hoops but this -110 thing is onerous. Don't forget you will be able to track the Contrarian selection on www.thecontrarianpick.com. Free to my SBR brethren, go register, it's kinda cool. Go see.
The ContrarianComment -
Looking forward to it!!!Comment -
Good morning Contrarians. One step closer to the excitement of MLB. A 3-1 night on college hoops, 6-1 for the last 7 and 12-8 over the last 20. Enough about that.
We have not discussed lately the 96.5 total wins on the Phillies lately. The books are screaming for the over number players. I am thinking about putting a under play on the Phillies. This play is true contrarian in nature waiting for the Joe Square to pound the over.
Your thoughtsComment -
Hey im new to Baseball betting so i just thought that this could be a good place to start! gl with your season and i hope to contribute with something!Comment -
hehe better then cleaning up :PComment -
hmm.. can't you order a Screwdriver instead?
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Good morning Contrarians. Not much to report on MLB. Strapped in and ready to go. Took a split on college hoops going 2-2. In the 13 games, 11-2, tracking on www.thecontrarianpick.com
March Madness just round the corner, then PLAY BALL. I am tempted to make a spring training play, but TheLock would kick my contarian backside, all the way back to Hoboken.Comment -
On opening day, the Contrarian Mafia will be broadcasting live from Gulfstream Park. Those who wish to meet up, PM for exact location and time.Comment -
i wish you best of luck in avoiding the spring training
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I'm not a futures bettor - but I don't think the 96.5 reflects any irrational exuberance. I actually expected it to open a little higher. Reallly don't see any value in the UNDER at that level. 97 Wins would "only" be .599 ball and, as I've said before, the aggregate "average" year for their Big Four rotation is .636.
That said - this thing that's already going on with Chase Utley's knee has to be a real concern for Philly. He's an integral lineup component for them and he's been absent in all 8 of their spring training games to date (they've already looked at 5 different guys at 2nd).
Utley only appeared in 115 games last year due mainly to the thumb injury and they clearly suffer a big loss of lineup synergy without him (not to mention there have to be lingering offensive concerns surrounding the declining production of Howard, Rollins, Ibanez, Victorino).
The first week or so they were calling Utley's condition "general soreness" in the knee. Now after an MRI and a coritsone injection it's being called "patellar tendonitis." They're still saying "no evidence of structural damage" but the news on these things is often good right up to the point when it's bad. Remember the Cards said Wainwright's elbow was just tender but "sound" the week before it blew out. And even if it's just tendinitis that's bad enough - patellar tendonititis is what shelved both Brandon Inge and Josh Hamilton for significant time in the last year or so.
I do know this - if I was a Philly fan this quote out of Clearwater would have hit me like a double shot of Jack Daniels at 6AM:
"I don't think at this point I'd be much help to our team or to myself." - Chase Utley
So maybe you're right, 5's - maybe they'll win 85 and be a .520 club. After all, you do have to score some runs no matter how good your pitching is. I'm sure Felix Hernandez with his Cy Young trophy and 13-12 (.520) record would attest to that.Last edited by BeatingBaseball; 03-06-11, 05:07 PM.Comment -
Chase has a rough life, boo hoo
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No matter what happens - it cannot be denied that he is:
"A World Champion. A World F...ing Champion."
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good new stuff ... cant wait for the season boysComment -
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We have confirmation that TheLock, TheJewBear and Heart Attack Dan along with yours truly are confirmed for the Opening Day.Comment -
I'll be there with a fresh 10k strapComment -
10k strap, travelling light that day.Comment -
GP? Playing the ponies there too, by any chance?Comment -
Yes indeed. Ponies and bases.Comment -
Well then. Please don't play any filthy chalk under 4/1. If Chris Clement sends a firster out on the weeds and the price is right, jump on it. Anything new in the Navarro, Walder, and Ward barns is usually live but the crowd knows. Ditto Nick Canani whose daddy can still put one over out west from time to time. This comes from a cousin contrarian from manureville who is a newbie in these parts and is happily looking forward to tagging along virtually speaking. BTW, the handle has nothing to do with Holmes and Conan-Doyle. I'm Sherlock of the N. S. variety.Comment -
This is in reference to the Phillies O/U. Saw an article (either on scout or espn) that outlined the phillies trouble hitting the ball last year. Trouble you might say, they scored 767 runs, which averages to 4.7 runs per game. That's pretty good! But they also went 75 games where they scored 3 runs or fewer, including (i think) 12 shutouts. Doesn't matter if Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels is pitching, those are 12 losses.
The article also had an interview with Charlie Manuel. He said that his team is an excellent fastball hitting team, but teams have adjusted to that. He said that last year, his team would be ahead in the count either 2-0 or 3-1, expecting fastballs and they would get breaking balls and changeups, roll it over. Easy out, no walk, no production. This was evident last year as Howard, Rollins and Victorino all had relative down years. The inability to hit breaking balls was obvious to my eyes from Rollins especially, but also Victorino.
Now we move on to the loss of Jayson Werth. Big right handed power bat, in the middle of the lineup, gone. Gone are his 27 homers (2nd on team) .532 slugging (1st) .388 OBP (2nd) 85 RBI (2nd) and 106 runs (1st). As a throw in, he also stole 13 bases (3rd on team). Hard to imagine that they can replace this production in house, and still provide protection for Howard.
The injuries to Brown and Utley have to be of concern. Broken hand is better than broken wrist, but Brown wont start the season. Francisco will take his place with his .775 OPS, as compared .920 for Werth last year. Francisco is a mistake hitter, who also enjoys seeing the fastball early and often.
This phillies lineup does not scare me very much at all. The pitching staff? Well yes, as a Braves fan that does scare me.Comment -
Utley's condition seems to be getting more problematic every day. Now the possibility of surgery is popping up in the stories out of Clearwater. The Brown injury is certainly far less significant. Still an unproven commodity, he may not have started the year with the big club even if he was healthy.
You're right on re the loss of Werth. He was their best overall athlete and his being a dangerous RH hitter was huge in the middle of an out of balance lineup stacked with lefties.
Also agree that NL pitchers have made the adjustment in the way they go about pitching the Philly hitters - a very dead red bunch. They're no longer seeing nearly as many FBs to hit - even in hitter's counts. Pitching coaches went to showing them FBs off the plate and then "junkin' 'em" late in counts last year and because they don't have a lot of plate discipline as a group they made a lot of weak contact. We'll now see if the Phils adjust to the adjustment. As they say, "everytime you think you found the key to hitting (or pitching) - they change the locks."Last edited by BeatingBaseball; 03-09-11, 04:16 PM.Comment -
Thank you kindly. Hope the elevator is working as my 60 year-old knees ain't exactly what they used to be.Comment
