frontrunners in baseball?

[txteach]

With baseball almost here and spring training around the corner who do you think is going to be good this year? I still think the Red Sox are going to be the team to beat with the Tigers and Mets also looking good. I think the Yankees will once again look good because of their checkbook.

[Mikey]

Yankee's

Without Joe Torre they'll be an interesting watch.

[bagmonster]

the Orioles and Mets also looking good

Did you throw the Orioles in there just to check if we were reading?!?!?!

As for the Yankees, I have two problems with the checkbook line that is always thrown at them.

First, the game is a business and their willingness to spend - while other teams sit on their profits - has kept them entertaining and created a 2 Billion dollar enterprise. That seems like a good business plan to me.

Second, a gigantic portion of their inflated payroll is spent on retaining their own players. That creates loyalty among the fan base and as opposed to letting their talented players walk away when they start to get expensive, e.g. Twins, Marlins.

[toys2cool]

Well let's be real here.The BoSox and Yankees are always in the mix of thing.But look out for the Tigers with the addition of Miggy Cabrera... it makes that line-up SICK!! and Dontrelle pitching should be good,he needs a good team and he could be great.He could easily win the Cy-young this year and Miggy the MVP.

[JPkempo]

[Zemo]

The Marlins have won 2 World Series in 14 years of playing. They proved with the first win that anybody can buy a Championship i.e yankees and red sox.

The second time they did it with one of lowest paid teams in the leauge. Marlins have the best scouting in baseball hands down.

They just got the approval for the new retractable roof stadium on the old Orange Bowl site and you bet your bottom dollar Wayne's checkbook is going to be open again.

[toys2cool]

The Marlins have won 2 World Series in 14 years of playing. They proved with the first win that anybody can buy a Championship i.e yankees and red sox.

The second time they did it with one of lowest paid teams in the leauge. Marlins have the best scouting in baseball hands down.

They just got the approval for the new retractable roof stadium on the old Orange Bowl site and you bet your bottom dollar Wayne's checkbook is going to be open again.

You're right,they scout better then any other team,if you look at them now.There's alot of young talent there.

Once this whole Stadium thing finally happens,then you'll see them making moves.Right now they just can't afford it.

But the Stadium being built where the OB was at,is going to help them big time,most old Cuban and latin guys are die hard baseball fans in Miami.

Did you hear they are suppose to be changing there name to the Miami Marlins?

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Well, being from Maryland, I am a Baltimore fan, no matter what. That being said...Tigers look good. Boston looks to keep on going. Yankees will always be in the mix, but it will be interesting to see how Girardi's style goes down with the everyday players. I also think the Nationals will be in the mix if they can keep everyone healthy this year. Mets will probably get it this year though in NL East.

As for the Orioles, they may not get a winning season this year, but I don't think that they are going to lose 100 games like the sport folks are relishing in saying. I think the Bedard trade was a good one to make, not just a team trying to get out of spending money but some (untried, but) quality players for a pitcher who has yet to have an injury free season.

[bagmonster]

The Marlins have won 2 World Series in 14 years of playing. They proved with the first win that anybody can buy a Championship i.e yankees and red sox.

The second time they did it with one of lowest paid teams in the league. Marlins have the best scouting in baseball hands down.

I won't belittle either of those championships, although I will say that in my opinion it was neither money in the first or scouting in the second that produced the championships.

What I will say is that the Yankees have proven that you cannot buy championships, as the more they spend the more difficult it has become to win.

They won in the late 90's because they had a young talented core that was complemented by some talented, albeit costly, veterans. Without the young core, they did not have a chance. It seems that that is what they are looking to do again.

Color be skeptical that Florida will start spending money just because they have a new stadium.

[bagmonster]

They just got the approval for the new retractable roof stadium on the old Orange Bowl site and you bet your bottom dollar Wayne's checkbook is going to be open again.

Also, I thought the Marlins are owned by Jeff Lauria now.

[toys2cool]

Also, I thought the Marlins are owned by Jeff Lauria now.

They are

I'm pretty sure it was money that built that first Marlins Championship team,it was pretty much the most the Marlins had ever spent on a team,and as soon as they won it was over.The payroll went from $53 million in 1997 to $13 million in mid-July 1998 ...I always wondered how far that team could've kept on going if they would've stayed together

[starsky]

anybody here play fantasy baseball? i think it would be neat to have us mego geeks in a league..

[Bionic Joe]

THE PHILLIES ok i pick them every year but i have to get lucky once huh guys stop laughing, After all i didn't pick the CUBS

[livnxxxl]

Will the STL Cardinals do it again this year or will they start out winning like gang busters and choke at the end like they normally do? I am glad to see them have won the WS again not long ago. They are a pretty good team for the most part. They are really good about every 10 years or so. I am not even going to mention the Arizona Diamond Backs.

[jwyblejr]

Yeah going with the Red Sox or as some are starting to call them:The Evil Empire v.2.0.