Who do you think wins the 2013 World Series?

**baseballboy2** · 02-20-2013, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Clemson2012

Phillies have a good rotation but don't think there top 4. I don't even think the phillies will make the post season. I believe in the AL the angels will prob be the team to beat on paper. The addition of Hamilton is really going to help them out. When you have 2-3 power guys like that hitting back/back pitchers have to be real selective on pitches bc one mistake can change the whole game. The nationals I believe is a hard team to project right now. They have the PED scandal hanging above Gio Gonzalez, How will Bryce Harper play his 2nd season no1 knew much on a scouting report last year bc he blitzed through the minors. I think his 2nd season will be average or atleast the first half of the season. Maybe I'm wrong though but I think the nationals will disappoint some.

And I said if the Phillies's rotation is healthy, they're probably in the top 4. Coming off of last season, of course not.

**Hollywood42** · 02-20-2013, 04:05 PM

I would love to see an Angels-Nats matchup

**gladdyontherise** · 02-20-2013, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by baseballboy2

I'm sorry, but how do you think the Tigers have a better rotation than the Dodgers? The rest may be arguable, but there's no question about the Dodgers. And if Lincecum can return to part of his former self, I'd certainly put them ahead of Detroit.

Kershaw's great, Greinke is very good, after that too many question marks. Josh Beckett (who is not nearly the pitcher he's been billed to be in the past), Ryu? We haven't even seen him pitch, and it sounds like he's better off as a a reliever, then you have either Capuano (who I like), Harrang or Ted Lily. Sorry, I prefer the best pitcher in Baseball, then Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez (who if you look at his stats the last 3 years, they look rather similar to Greinke). Now can you argue it? I guess, just not very well.

Better question is how you think the Dodgers have a better rotation than Detroit.

**Clemson2012** · 02-20-2013, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by baseballboy2

And I said if the Phillies's rotation is healthy, they're probably in the top 4. Coming off of last season, of course not.

With them aging I think some of them will be on the decline. I read an article that said for the past 2-3 yrs halladays numbers were on the decline. Utley hasnt been healthy for a full season in maybe 3 yrs. I just see them competing with the Mets for 4th best in the division. The Braves rotation isnt bad. Kris Medlan was lights out after the all-star break. I believe there was only one pitcher that had a better ERA than Medlan and Medlan only lost one game. Mike Minor was also greatly improved in the second half when he finally got comfy in the Braves rotation and Freddie Gonzalez came out and said he wasnt going back to the Minors. Brandon Beachy was very good before Tommy John Surgery. Tim Hudson has been consistent for years. Julio Teheran who was baseball americas number one prospect 2 yrs ago is slatted to be our #5 starter. Our Bullpen was best in baseball especially Kimbrel. If our starters carry over how they were pitching last year it should be even better. I believe the Braves are a top 6 Rotation maybe Top 5 in the majors as they can go R-L-R-L-R with there rotation just like our batting order will be lined up R-L-R-L-R,etc. I am just so ready for baseball season so us as baseball fans can start to see how "our" teams will do. Alot of optimism before the season starts. Very exciting.

**baseballboy2** · 02-20-2013, 05:17 PM

Verlander is indeed the best pitcher right now, no argument there. Kershaw, however, is definitely the 2nd best and on his best day arguably the best. I actually really like Max Scherzer. I think he and Greinke are very close. Scherzer throws harder, but Greinke is more proven. Fister has had a decent career to this point. He isn't very dominant, but he gets the job done. Beckett has been bruised up the past 2 seasons, but was pitching well this season before being injury stricken. Considering how he is 32 and coming off of injury, I doubt he will return to vintage Beckett form, but he can certainly win 12 or 13 games in that division. Ryu looks very good, but it's a different game over there than it is over here. No question that the competition is more fierce and talented in the US. If everything works in LA's favor, they will have another dominant lefty in their rotation. We'll have to see. Both teams definitely have question marks for the 5th spot in the rotation. I think the Dodgers can beat just about anybody Detroit slides into that 5th spot whether it's Smyly or Porcello.

**gladdyontherise** · 02-20-2013, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by baseballboy2

Verlander is indeed the best pitcher right now, no argument there. Kershaw, however, is definitely the 2nd best and on his best day arguably the best. I actually really like Max Scherzer. I think he and Greinke are very close. Scherzer throws harder, but Greinke is more proven. Fister has had a decent career to this point. He isn't very dominant, but he gets the job done. Beckett has been bruised up the past 2 seasons, but was pitching well this season before being injury stricken. Considering how he is 32 and coming off of injury, I doubt he will return to vintage Beckett form, but he can certainly win 12 or 13 games in that division. Ryu looks very good, but it's a different game over there than it is over here. No question that the competition is more fierce and talented in the US. If everything works in LA's favor, they will have another dominant lefty in their rotation. We'll have to see. Both teams definitely have question marks for the 5th spot in the rotation. I think the Dodgers can beat just about anybody Detroit slides into that 5th spot whether it's Smyly or Porcello.

This is just nit picking at this point, but Doug Fister since becoming a Tiger has an ERA of about 3, and has significantly raised his strikeouts. Factor in he's doing this as a groundball pitcher for the Tigers, who have a rather dreadful infield defense, not sure how anyone can complain there. He's certainly better than Josh Beckett, the Dodgers #3.

I just can't buy into the Dodgers, or the Angels. On paper, sure they should win, but (granted the Dodgers have much less holes than the Angels) I'm not sure how it'll mesh. If the Angels don't make the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me, I'm not picking them to make it. You could argue when you look at the whole body of work, Torii Hunter was as good as Josh Hamilton last year, and now Hamilton is a year older, never stays healthy, and is going from one of the best hitters parks, to one of the worst. I think in the AL, the top two teams are the Tigers and Rays. NL I think it's the Nationals by a long shot, then the Braves.

**Clemson2012** · 02-20-2013, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by gladdyontherise

This is just nit picking at this point, but Doug Fister since becoming a Tiger has an ERA of about 3, and has significantly raised his strikeouts. Factor in he's doing this as a groundball pitcher for the Tigers, who have a rather dreadful infield defense, not sure how anyone can complain there. He's certainly better than Josh Beckett, the Dodgers #3.

I just can't buy into the Dodgers, or the Angels. On paper, sure they should win, but (granted the Dodgers have much less holes than the Angels) I'm not sure how it'll mesh. If the Angels don't make the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me, I'm not picking them to make it. You could argue when you look at the whole body of work, Torii Hunter was as good as Josh Hamilton last year, and now Hamilton is a year older, never stays healthy, and is going from one of the best hitters parks, to one of the worst. I think in the AL, the top two teams are the Tigers and Rays. NL I think it's the Nationals by a long shot, then the Braves.

I agree with the NL picks I just dont think the Nats are by a long shot ahead of the Braves. I think they are actually about even. We shall see shortly when the season starts though

**baseballboy2** · 02-20-2013, 09:47 PM

Man, I agree. I usually try to stay away from picking the best teams on paper, simply because they never seem to pan out. I would personally be shocked out of my mind if the Angels didn't make the playoffs. I mean, they would have to be really, really bad. You're talking about missing out on the division and 2 additional wild cards. A team with that talent, it just can't happen. I'm going to also kindly disagree that Hunter was as good as Hamilton. Hamilton may have had a 2 month stretch where he did nothing, but he had great numbers by the end of the season.

**baseballboy2** · 02-20-2013, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Clemson2012

I agree with the NL picks I just dont think the Nats are by a long shot ahead of the Braves. I think they are actually about even. We shall see shortly when the season starts though

The Braves definitely have a stronger, even more powerful lineup. But there's no question that the Nationals have a better rotation. In a poor offensive division, I'm giving the edge to the Nationals.

**sanfran22** · 02-20-2013, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by gladdyontherise

I disagree with all but the Nationals, personally.

Lol, well the Giants did go head to head with the Tigers last year, so we have a track record. If lincecum is right, a Cain, timmy, vogey, madbum, zito rotation is as good or better then the tigers. I would put the reds/nats/giants/maybe even the rays as good or better then the tigers, but they are all like A-1A. You can't go wrong with any.The Dodgers have Kershaw and a bunch of questions. Greinke is a headcase that hates the big city. Beckett is questionable. Ryu is unknown, Billingsley is a good 4-5.