2011(and beyond!) MLB thread.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Yankees out, Phillies out... awesome. We're actually going to see a new face win the WS this year.

The Phillies have won two World Series in their history, and one in the last 30 years. St. Louis won the '06 World Series. Three of the four remaining teams have been in the World Series in the last five years.

So...yeah.

[ultimatespidey81]

I do not want Yuniesky Betancourt in the World Series.

hold a grudge much? haha.

it should be an excellent series between two heated rivals. the brewers and cards hate each other and i can't wait to see them go at it. i've got the brew crew advancing.

[clashcityrocker10]

The Phillies have won two World Series in their history

That's two too many.

[Mega-Tallica]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the '06 Cardinals. I'm just glad the Yanks or Phils won't win it.

[clashcityrocker10]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the '06 Cardinals. I'm just glad the Yanks or Phils won't win it.

How'd you forget about the Cardinals that year? Did you pitch in the Mets' bullpen? It sure seemed like those guys forgot about the Cardinals when they had to pitch to them.

[Mega-Tallica]

How'd you forget about the Cardinals that year? Did you pitch in the Mets' bullpen? It sure seemed like those guys forgot about the Cardinals when then had to pitch to them.

I think I chose to forget that season as a Mets fan and now you're bringing back some bad memories.

If the Mets were going to win a WS with that team it would have been in '06 and the Cards spoiled it (or the Mets spoiled it themselves whichever way you look at it)

[clashcityrocker10]

I think I chose to forget that season as a Mets fan and now you're bringing back some bad memories.

If the Mets were going to win a WS with that team it would have been in '06 and the Cards spoiled it (or the Mets spoiled it themselves whichever way you look at it)

The bullpen did the '06 Mets in. After Duaner Sanchez got hurt in that taxi accident, there really wasn't anyone who could bridge to Wagner. Darren Oliver was a great long man, but not suited for shorter appearances. Guillermo Mota sucked. Aaron Heilman sucked in '06. Of course, we did lose two starting pitchers to injuries in the last week of the season, but the replacement starters fared pretty well in that LCS (Maine and Perez, if I'm correct). The bullpen was the team's biggest problem then, and it's still the team's biggest Achilles heel.

You're completely right, though; that team was built to win that year, and not to be a perennial contender (with that roster as it was, at least).

[moderndaycatastrophist]

Got all my DS picks right.

[SheSaidSheSaid]

hold a grudge much? haha.

It's partly to do with Endy Chavez (though Endy really disappointed me by signing with Texas, tsk tsk) and partly because Betancourt is one of the most fundamentally poor hitters and fielders I have ever seen. He swings at everything. He's got fair range and arm strength at short, but to look at him you'd think he thinks he's Omar Vizquel in his prime, going after balls he has no business going after (ahem....yes), airmailing throws to first to give runners extra bases....ugh. I was just so happy when the Mariners found someone to take him off their hands. I imagine the Royals were, too.

Both basic and advanced metrics bear this out - Betancourt's career OPS+ is 82 (100 is league average) and his highest in a single season is 93. He's a decent contact hitter, so his relatively low strikeout numbers are deceiving, because trust me, he swings at everything. He's committed at least 18 errors in every full season he's played, and in terms of Runs Saved, on defense? Laff. On average he has cost 9 runs a season at shortstop, which if we remember our Sabermetrics 101, is basically one win. He has 4.2 WAR (wins against replacement player) for his career - some players have that many in one season and don't even make the All-Star team. He actually finished with negative WAR in 2009, which means the Mariners and Royals (2009 was the year he was traded) would have been better off putting in some shlub from the waiver wire. The WAR splits are even more telling - he has a quasi-decent 5.9 offensive WAR for his career (shortstop is not a big offensive position) but he actually has a negative defensive career WAR. If he had never played the field, his teams would be 1.7 wins better off.

And he sucked this year, too. 0.7 total WAR, OPS+ of 75 (that's not just below league average, that's really, really bad). I may have given Willie Bloomquist some ****, too, but at least Willie ballgame had a marketable skillset and used that particular skillset (great speed, adequate defense at all positions, contact hitter). All Betancourt's ever done is be a pile of suck that blew out Endy Chavez's knee.

[darkwinterbeast8]

Yankees out, Phillies out... awesome. We're actually going to see a new face win the WS this year. I'm also pulling for the Brew Crew to win it all.

Would love to see the Brewers get to the World Series.