The Sox have issues, but it isn't like the Tigers and Indians don't have their problems. The Tigers in particular have a lineup that is aging and their pitching has several question marks with the health of Bonderman & Zumaya. I saw a win total from Vegas in February for them at 93.5! Take the under.

Exactly, and if your predictions can't beat the most basic of all analysis then it's pretty pointless.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I think being within 5 games is pretty good

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

I really believe Sox fans are back to their traditional mode. The last 2 years we thought big cuz of the 2005 season. Now it's back to this for Sox fans...

Expect the worst. Hope for the best. Hope for luck. Hope for 1 or 2 Sox players to come out of no where with a career year. Hope for the competition to suffer injuries to their good players.

This Crede thing is already bugging me. While certain teams might pay more if they are in a race and an injury occurs, the fact is the closest deal is SF and they don't look to very good this year thus eliminating one team once they are X games behind.

The other option is The Dodgers with Nomar who will start the season and maybe get replaced by tony Abreu when Nomat gets hurt.

My fear is watching Kenny being so stubborn that we get nothing for him.

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Think before you speak

I'd like to them hang on to Crede and get the two draft picks (if he's ruled a type A free-agent) if they don't resign him. A 1st and a sandwich pick seems better than the offer SF made and you get a year of gold glove defense and clutch hitting.

He will not be ruled a Type A free agent. even his career year is not Type A stats and if he has any back pain at all, he is worthless for draft picks and for trading.

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

I agree that 75-83 wins would surprise nobody, and there's a lot of question marks all over the diamond....

The Tigers are not as loaded as everyone seems to think. Though they are dealing (and spending) like the Yankees, they have chinks (sorry, asians) in their armor as well.

The rotation is heavily reliant on old guys and reclamation projects. Other than Verlander, DWillis has been getting lit up like Xmas tree the last few years (and spring training, but we won't go there), The Gambler is what, 43 and bound to fall off sooner or later, Bonderman inexplically pulled a Dontrelle Willis last year.

Todd freakin' Jones? that's as bad as Beer-vender Borowski in CLE, I'll take Bobby Jinx over any of those 2 guys any day. Zumaya is like a Zambrano meltdown plus has a tendency to get freak injuries (HGH, anyone??$!)

The DET lineup is stocked no doubt with professional hitters at every position, but Granderson is out for April and Inge?? will be in center for the foreseeable future, MCabrera just got a huge contract, there is a mountain of evidence that guys drop off in their first year (see: Belle, Albert). Sheff is old, I dunno he's like Dye, could be a monster year or lost to nagging injuries, Renteria is erratic (why did he get run out of BOS for JULIO LUGO??$$!?), Pudge is off the 'roids and only good for 1oo or so games at this point, and Maggs is coming off a career year.


Oh and i'd like to add that the CLE mgr sucks... but thats another post.