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  • February 21, 2008 06:14 PM ET

Best team in AL

mikey88 (1-6-0) vs Basketball Jesus: CHAMPION! (103-30-6)
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DETROIT.they have to be #1. look at their lineup.ordonez,sheff.granderson,and their pitching is better than ever.they are the team to beat!


They're good, but not the best in the AL. There's a HUGE difference between having the best lineup in the league, and having the best team.

Verlander's a great start to their rotation. But what do they have after him?

Bonderman- Has some promise, but is yet to post and ERA under 4 for the course of an entire season. He's not necessarily a bad #2, but compared to #2 starters on the AL's elite teams, he's really not all that great.

Willis- Will get absolutely crushed. Posted an ERA over 5 in the NL. He's 2 seasons removed from his Cy Young worthy year now.

Kenny Rogers- 43 years old, and coming off some fairly significant injuries.

The Tigers will need one of those 3 pitchers to step up, and I don't see any of them doing so.

The problems in the bullpen start with Todd Jones, the closer. He was 3rd in the AL in blown saves last year. Their two set up men, Fernando Rodney and Jason Grilli, both posted ERAs over 4 last year.

Now, the Red Sox lineup might not be as good as the Tigers', but as a team they're better.

What really gives the Sox the edge is the bullpen. They've got two solid set up men in Okajima and Delcarmen, and Papelbon might be the best closer in the game now.


Are you sating the the Red Sox are better that the Tigers, Whats so good about them,They got Manny,Ortiz and Beckkett,They got Curt,a 42 year old,That only has a season or two left.Maybe the Sox got a better bullpen(Papelbon). But the tigers are stacked in their lineup


Just Manny, Ortiz, and Beckett? I guess you missed out on a lot of last season.

The lineup- Ortiz and Manny still are one of the best 3-4 combinations in the game. Manny faded a little last year, but he's been working incredibly hard the entire offseason, and he stands to earn 20 million next year if he performs well. Mike Lowell, who was voted 5th in the AL MVP voting last year is back. Dustin Pedroia, last years AL Rookie of the Year, is on for another season. That lineup is no worse than the 3rd best in the AL.

As for the pitching, they've got a pretty good rotation. Beckett as we all know, is the man. Dice-K didn't post the greatest stats, but consider this. On August 27 last year, he had an ERA of 3.76. He simply was too tired at the end of the year. He will have adapted in time, and I think he'll do better. Lester and Buchholz are young, promising pitchers. Wakefield's not great, but at the very least, you know what you'll get from him.

The Red Sox have a better rotation, and a MUCH better bullpen, while the lineup is just slightly worse. Give me Sox over the Tigers.


Forfeited Turn


Nothing left to argue really.

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February 21, 2008  06:19 PM ET
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Here we go...

February 21, 2008  06:21 PM ET
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The Baltimore Orioles. LOL

February 21, 2008  06:22 PM ET
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THeir pitching is better than ever???
Verlander won 18 games but no one else was very good, and their bullpen is just average at best. especiall without Zumaya it is not very good

February 21, 2008  06:25 PM ET
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Here comes a blowout...

February 21, 2008  07:00 PM ET
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MARINERS, MARINERS, MARINERS!!!!

February 21, 2008  07:02 PM ET
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Fernando Rodney is awful. I could not understand why he was put into the games during critical points. If Detroit continues let him in the game, he will cost them.

February 21, 2008  07:03 PM ET
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Fernando Rodney is awful. I could not understand why he was put into the games during critical points. If Detroit continues let him in the game, he will cost them.

February 21, 2008  08:03 PM ET
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The Red Sox --> proven winners; returning entire team
The Tigers --> Good team, but unproven and with problems should the injury bug decide to bite.

The Red Sox are the team to beat until beaten. Until the Tigers prove themselves better, the Red Sox remain the team to beat.

It seems as though mikey88 is suggesting the Boston bullpen isn't much beyond Papelbon. Erm...they had the best bullpen ERA in the majors, if I remember correctly, and Papelbon and Hideki Okajima are INSANE. Okajima was easily one of the biggest bargains in the league last year - the Red Sox only expected him to keep Matsuzaka company! If a 2.22 ERA, 63 Ks in 69 innings and an All Star selection is "keeping someone company", hey, I'll take that any day. And Papelbon is, quite simply, in the top 3 closers in the league.

In the rotation, Cy-Young runner uo Josh Beckett returns. I will take him over anyone in the Tigers rotation any day. Matsuzaka should be better in his second year. WIth the Schilling injury, young fireballer Clay Bucholtz is getting a chance to prove himself, and he is very good.

THe Sox also have a reasonably deep bench, esp. if Crisp stays. That gives them two or three excellent pinch runners and pretty good outfield defense (excellent, if its Crisp out there - the jury's still out a little on Ellsbury, though he was great as well, take a look at the sliding catch he made running into the Devil Rays bullpen at Tropicana Field).

In summary, the Tigers have the game's best lineup. But the 2001-2007 Yankees have shown that doesn't lead to championships. It wins in the regular season, but not October. Pitching is what leads to success, as the Red Sox proved last year, and the Red Sox have the better pitching.

The Red Sox are solid all around. The Tigers are superb in one area, but I'll take all around over one area.

February 21, 2008  08:13 PM ET
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wait did you say SHEFF... pshh yea right

 
February 21, 2008  08:26 PM ET
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Hard to be the best in the AL when you are not even the best in your division.

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