MLB

[philpritchard]

AL East looks like shit.

It's not the powerhouse it used to be, but I think the division is still really strong top to bottom.

[Coach]

AL East looks like shit.

It's not the powerhouse it used to be, but I think the division is still really strong top to bottom.

I think the Yankees are down, and you could make a case that the Sox could be down again this year. Rays are also down. Baltimore is up for the moment, but I feel like they will crash back to Earth. Haven't paid enough attention to your Jays yet! But man, I think this division is fairly weak and very winnable.

[philpritchard]

AL East looks like shit.

It's not the powerhouse it used to be, but I think the division is still really strong top to bottom.

I think the Yankees are down, and you could make a case that the Sox could be down again this year. Rays are also down. Baltimore is up for the moment, but I feel like they will crash back to Earth. Haven't paid enough attention to your Jays yet! But man, I think this division is fairly weak and very winnable.

The Yankees are relying on a lot of old and/or injury prone players, so they have a wide range of possibilities, but they do have a lot of talent. The Sox look awesome. The Rays and Orioles look at least decent.

And the Jays still have some holes, but they also now have a top 5-6 in their order that I don't think anyone in baseball can match. And Marcus Stroman.

[BigRedLedbetter]

I kinda love Marcus Stroman. When he 3 hit shuttys the Rangers in Arlington later this year I might retract that.

[Coach]

AL East looks like shit.

It's not the powerhouse it used to be, but I think the division is still really strong top to bottom.

I think the Yankees are down, and you could make a case that the Sox could be down again this year. Rays are also down. Baltimore is up for the moment, but I feel like they will crash back to Earth. Haven't paid enough attention to your Jays yet! But man, I think this division is fairly weak and very winnable.

The Yankees are relying on a lot of old and/or injury prone players, so they have a wide range of possibilities, but they do have a lot of talent. The Sox look awesome. The Rays and Orioles look at least decent.

And the Jays still have some holes, but they also now have a top 5-6 in their order that I don't think anyone in baseball can match. And Marcus Stroman.

I'll feel a lot better about them if they can now flip a top tier prospect for Hamels. Need a No. 1 starter. This current rotation feels like closer by committee again.

[Norah]

I'm OK with them not flipping for Hamels now if it means they sign Zimmermann or Price next off season.

[philpritchard]

AL East looks like shit.

It's not the powerhouse it used to be, but I think the division is still really strong top to bottom.

I think the Yankees are down, and you could make a case that the Sox could be down again this year. Rays are also down. Baltimore is up for the moment, but I feel like they will crash back to Earth. Haven't paid enough attention to your Jays yet! But man, I think this division is fairly weak and very winnable.

The Yankees are relying on a lot of old and/or injury prone players, so they have a wide range of possibilities, but they do have a lot of talent. The Sox look awesome. The Rays and Orioles look at least decent.

And the Jays still have some holes, but they also now have a top 5-6 in their order that I don't think anyone in baseball can match. And Marcus Stroman.

I'll feel a lot better about them if they can now flip a top tier prospect for Hamels. Need a No. 1 starter. This current rotation feels like closer by committee again.

If anything, the "#1 starter" thing is only really relevant in the playoffs. To me, they kind of have five #3 guys (though they all carry varying levels of risk and some have the upside to be close to a #1) which is a great thing to have. Over a full season, I think I would rather have five #3's than a clear 1-2-3-4-5, especially with a lineup that looks as dangerous as Boston's. All they really need is someone solid to keep them in the game every day.

[Coach]

Chud: Agreed. I'm always one for rebuilding and taking time to build a team that competes for a good solid stretch of years. That's reinforced with Moncada. Wouldn't want Hamels this year if it cost too much. Don't think he's the guy who puts you over the top.

Phil: My only thing about the No. 1 is that he'd often a guy who can stop the bleeding (e.g. starters 2-5 lose four straight games and it's up to the horse to get the team back on winning track). About the lineup, I fear the Sox won't hit well early on in the season. It's too freakin' cold and they tend to struggle when facing new pitching.

[numbers]

I don't think Hamels is worth the price the Phillies are demanding. I'd rather just take my chances with the collection of #3 starters they put together. If they are in it come July, then you try to make a move. Maybe the price for Hamels comes down, or maybe Zimmerman, Cueto, etc. are available.

[philpritchard]

Phil: My only thing about the No. 1 is that he'd often a guy who can stop the bleeding (e.g. starters 2-5 lose four straight games and it's up to the horse to get the team back on winning track). About the lineup, I fear the Sox won't hit well early on in the season. It's too freakin' cold and they tend to struggle when facing new pitching.

I think the "stop the bleeding" thing is more of an old trope than something that actually exists. Having an ace simply gives them a better chance of winning when he's pitching. In Toronto, we heard for years how great it was to have Halladay there to get them "on the winning track" after a few losses, but it's not like it actually had any impact on games that Halladay wasn't pitching.

So yeah, obviously there's a ton of value in having a clear #1 because it means the talent level of the team is higher, but I doubt Hamels would make a difference of more than a win or two over the course of the season.

[Coach]

Phil: My only thing about the No. 1 is that he'd often a guy who can stop the bleeding (e.g. starters 2-5 lose four straight games and it's up to the horse to get the team back on winning track). About the lineup, I fear the Sox won't hit well early on in the season. It's too freakin' cold and they tend to struggle when facing new pitching.

I think the "stop the bleeding" thing is more of an old trope than something that actually exists. Having an ace simply gives them a better chance of winning when he's pitching. In Toronto, we heard for years how great it was to have Halladay there to get them "on the winning track" after a few losses, but it's not like it actually had any impact on games that Halladay wasn't pitching.

So yeah, obviously there's a ton of value in having a clear #1 because it means the talent level of the team is higher, but I doubt Hamels would make a difference of more than a win or two over the course of the season.

Agree, only because I don't consider Hamels to be a legit No. 1. He's a No. 2 guy.

[philpritchard]

And Marcus Stroman.

[Norah]

Blue Jays gonna Blue Jay

[philpritchard]

Blue Jays gonna Blue Jay

Pretty much.

[Chris_H_2]

the curse of the Man in White

[Lament]

Can someone explain this whole Will Ferrell thing to me?

[philpritchard]

Can someone explain this whole Will Ferrell thing to me?

He's playing a bunch of games for a bunch of teams to raise money or some-such.

[Lament]

Oh, ok. I thought it was for some HBO special or something.

[philpritchard]

Oh, ok. I thought it was for some HBO special or something.

It's both.

With Ferrell in camp as part of a new HBO special from Funny Or Die in partnership with Major League Baseball to support the fight against cancer, you'll want to follow the action all day long.

[Norah]

this is getting close