The Other Evil Empire

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Posted By: <b>tbob</b><p>I used to pull for the BoSox, being an infracanineophile (addicted to pulling for underdogs) but I couldn't this time. The Sox have the 2nd biggest payroll in baseball and have lost their appeal to me as that doomed and tormented bunch of guys who need my suport. With the Cards shelling out major bucks to bring Larry Walker on board, the 'Stros throwing around money to pickup Clemens, Petite and Beltran, the Cubbies tossing around their own huge money, only the Twins and A's have been contenders lately while trying to keep their payroll in sane limits and developing their own players through the draft and their farm system. The Twins have been my team since their beginning in 1961 when they moved from Washington, but I root hard for the A's now also. Maybe next year the Pirates will challenge also. Now their's really a team for underdog lovers to get behind <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>john/z28jd</b><p>Being a huge Pirates fan and someone who follows them closer than their owner does I can safely say that 2005 wont be the Pirates year but 2006 could be alot different for these reasons<br /><br />2006 all-star game,you have to be a season ticket holder to see the all-star game,its a small stadium and season ticket holders get first shot at all-star tickets<br /><br />revenue sharing will dump a ton of money into the Pirates laps this year thanks to teams like the Yankees and Red Sox spending a ton of money and teams like the Phillies and Padres getting new stadiums and drawing huge crowds and losing part of their revenue sharing<br /><br />the Pirates didnt lose money this year,first time in a long time according to them and they will definitely make money next season due to the all-star game in 2006 and a low payroll due to the youngest team in baseball<br /><br />The Pirates pitching depth in the minors is incredible for starting pitchers,most of them will be getting valuable experience next year.Their double-A rotation consisted of 5 legit prospects and 1 fringe prospect.They had 2 good young pitchers at AAA and one of the best unknown pitchers in baseball in Oliver Perez.Also another top prospect just had tommy john surgery in september and wont be fully back till 2006.<br /><br />As long as the Bucs dont go out and make any stupid signings this offseason and let the young team play and stay together they should be fine in 2006 to sign at least one good free agent.Between Raul Mondesi,Chris Stynes and Randall Simon they spent almost 2mil and got nothing.I think they learned from that as the fans were brutal in the press/internet to them this year about that.They actually have a decent player at each position[and some have decent alternatives,3b,c,rf,2b] going into 2005<br /><br />So in closing tbob,dont buy your Pirates hat just yet but wait till the 2006 season starts.Theres also some rumblings that the Bucs could be headed back to the NL east,which should be an easier division

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Posted By: <b>Hal Lewis</b><p>As a Braves fan ... I need Ted Turner to buy the club back in a bad way.<br /><br />These AOL/Time Warner guys are so worried about the bottom line that they just keep cutting payroll and letting our players go.<br /><br />Sheffield and Maddux left after last year ... and if they let J.D. Drew and Russ Ortiz go now ... then we are screwed.<br /><br />But hey...<br /><br />at least we can become a "small market" team pretty soon so that you can root for us again!

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>A small market team which has been highly competitve the last 3 years, winning the AL Central despite losing guys like David Ortiz, Eric Milton and others because of a tight fisted owner. A bunch of young guys playing their guts out, a team that willingly signs autographs for fans, keeps their noses clean, provides lots of role models for young fans, doesn't use steroids, and plays in the most beautiful city in America. Yes I know the Dome sucks and the manager couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag but this SHOULD be America's team. <br />The media constantly underestimates and even ignores them every year, even when they occasionally win World Series rings. Sportscenter relegates them to the last spot each night unless they are playing the Yankees. <br />Don't ignore them in 2005. If we get rid of the deadwood like Jacque Jones, Luis Rivas, Christian Guzman and play the AAA stars, we will be right back in the thick of things next year. The sexy pick lately has been the White Sox, the cool pick lately has been the Indians but the Twins keep coming through. If Gardenhire doesn't mismanage the pitching staff in the playoffs, it is the Twins and Sox in the ALCS. The Twins and 'Stros in the Series would probably have reached an all time low television rating though <img src="/images/sad.gif" height=14 width=14><br />One thing which always bugs me is that the 91 series which was probably the greatest of all time has been relegated to an afterthought and is never mentioned by today's talking sports heads. All games but one came down to the final at bat before being decided and Game 7 was 0-0 through 9 innings and Jack Morris, who SHOULD be in the HOF, pitched a 10 inning shutout in the walk-off finale.

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Posted By: <b>Julie</b><p>AMAZING players coming right out of the As own excellent farm system, playing a year or two for the As,--and then, going to the highest bidder. Sometimes it seems like most of the best players in both leagues were originally As. It REALLY gets old...<br /><br />Of course the players are demanding huge saleries, but then ALL players do. If you're going to run a baseball team, once in a while you have to shell out some big bucks. Otherwise, you can run a grocery store.<br /><br />To change the subject only slightly, I've been told that the Mariners are owned by Japanese, and they are not about to let Ichero slip out....and: the Japanese players who are playing over here, to a man, turned down BIGGER OFFERS from Japan to stay there in order to play in the States.

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Posted By: <b>Lee Behrens</b><p>Don't forget that most of the socalled experts picked KC to win the Central. There is no reason to believe that the Twins will not win the Central next year unless they are unable to sign Radke. We have solid pitching and great defense and the offense should get a boost with a full season of Justin Morneau. The farm system is the best in the majors. We were so close to beating the yanks this year. But we will be back.

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Posted By: <b>john/z28jd</b><p>Hey Lee,newsflash from the arizona fall league....Jason Kubel who was supposed to step in to replace Jaques Jones, who will leave via trade this offseason because hes about to make too much,tore his ACL today and wont be ready for the start of the season.The Twins curse has begun.<br /><br />to quote the bible<br /> The curse shall be passed on to the last fallen one or ones<br /><br />meaning once the red sox broke their curse from the yankees dominance,the curse was passed on to the last team the yankees beat,the Twins.....sorry to tell you that

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>We need Jacque Strap gone! Kubel had rookie of the year written all over him. Luckily Mauer who WILL be rookie of the year next year should be ready at catcher. Look for Lew Ford to start in right field next year and Jones to be bye-bye, along with Rivas, Koskie, Mulholland, and Guzman.