What are your thoughts on the first few weeks of the season?

[BuccaneerFan]

Pirates = 2008 Rays

Is there an echo in here?

 

[kyhadley]

I first I was worried, and thought that we were screwed. But now I think we'll be good. Typical Sox fan.

 

[killgod]

Blue Jays = 2008 Rays

:bandit:

 

[Blade]

I think all Pirates fans need to thank Joe Kerrigan. The dude is a genius when it comes to pitching. No wonder you pitchers are coming around. I was suspect on the Offense, because of the loss of Bay and Nady, but seems like McLouth, Morgan and Co. are doing alright.

As for my Phillies, I just need them to get over the WS hangover and Kalas' passing. The team is rusty coming off of Post-WS champion off-season and then to be hit with Harry's death, just devastating. The pitching looks like its finally settling down, but we need more consistency on Offense. Its April, and I am not too worried, they always suck in April. Good thing is Utley is doing great, Werth looks good and the addition of Raul Ibanez has been the a great signing.

This is sorta weird, but the injury to Ruiz is actually helping the team, cuz it gives Lou Marson a chance, and from what I see hes pretty good behind the plate and is getting better. His pick-off of J.J. Hardy at 1st last night was incredible.

I am also glad, the ridiculous new Yankee Stadium is giving the Yankees a hernia. LOL.

 

[Lanteri]

Pirates = will finish 20 games under .500 again. Sorry. Their pitching staff is pitching way over their heads right now (3.07 ERA) and they're only 9-6. Once that gets back to normal (4.50-5) they'll go right back in the shitter where they belong.

 

[Lanteri]

I'm sure if I dug a little you probably said the exact same thing last year about the Rays. I have more then enough reasons to be pleased with the kind of ball the Pirates have been playing. Their starters are pitching ridiculous right now. You call it luck, I'll call it finally getting a pitching coach to help these guys out.

The only comparison I feel they have with the 2008 Rays is the sudden improvement. I don't think they'll make the playoffs, but I do think they'll finish above .500. And for that alone, I have something to be happy about.

I doubt it but you can try. I gave the Rays a ton of credit last year. In fact give me a minute and I'll find my posts on MM.

 

[Primetime]

Brewers suck just as I thought they would. Lol at Wang and the Yankees. Braves need to get back on track, hopefully the 1-0 win last night will spark that. MLB.tv > My girlfriend. Cubs suck fat donkey dick.

 

[Lanteri]

Never mind. They like restarted the soap box and trashed all the old threads. I definitely wasn't calling the Rays a fluke though. In fact someone else was bashing them and I'm pretty sure I wound up defending them. Difference between the Rays and Pirates is, the Rays actually had/have a talented young team.

The Pirates, on the other hand, don't. None of their pitchers currently really have ace-type potential. You have one big bat in McLouth, and a couple average guys in LaRoche, Doumit, and Sanchez, but other than that it's a bad team. The Rays have a mix of everything. They have guys with speed, they have guys with discipline, they have power. They have a great young pitching staff with two #1/#2 caliber guys in Shields and Kazmir. Garza would be a #2 or #3 on most staffs, Price is going to be a stud. You just can't really say that about many guys on the Pirates staff. Maholm is decent but that's about the extent of it.

That and the fact that they have absolutely nothing in the minors as far as pitchers go.

 

[EmpireWF]

Can the Pirates pitching hold up?

The Mets suck. They're so damn average. The rotation has been crap besides Santana and Livan friggin Hernandez. Perez and Maine are inconsistent as is Pelfrey. The pen has been pretty good (compared to last year, they're the 1998 Yankees). The line-up cannot score runs for anything. Ridiculous with the line-up they have, they get outscored by the Padres and Cardinals.