FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Nickb23- It's a Girl! said 06/08, 09:26 AM
Good call paddy.....

I will also go with a record that could be broken this year....

Saves, the record is held Bobby Thigpen with 57 in 1990.

Fransisco Rodriquez has 26 through 63 games. He is on pace for 67. He would need 32 in the remaining 99 games of the season. Now I know that a guys pace can change in a second, especially with something like saves.

This is why he can continue his record breaking pace. First he his a great closer, he has had at least 40 ever since he became the full time closer. He has a career 2.36 ERA. He proved in the postseason he can pitch well with all eyes on him, which will happen if this pace continues. The Angels have a great rotation and an awesome bullpen to keep games close and give him his chances. There offense is 22nd in scoring runs but the Angels are great at manufacturing just enough runs to win. All those things are huge factors in continuing this pace.

Howard was a career .290 hitter heading into this season. He is hitting .206 this year. They are gonna start concentrating on his strikeouts more since he is playing so poorly. He has 11K's in his last 12 games, which at that pace the rest of the way, he would have 175.

Nickb23- It's a Girl! said 06/09, 09:43 AM
While Howard may have a good shot at the record. His is a record of which he does not want to break again. He is hitting a putrid .206, he was career .290 hitter. His walks are down as well. The Phillies themselves have to be slighlty concerned. He has gone from the next great 1st baseman to Rob Deer like in a matter of 2 seasons. Improvements will be made.

Fransisco Rodriquez on the other hand is chasing a record, he in fact wants to break. How much more money does the single season save record holder make? I don't know, but his agent does. Also this record has something in commom with the K record, many guys have come very close over the last few years. Bobby Bonds held the record for 34 years, before it was broken. So in this era, where more is pinned on the pen, expect someone to break through like Adam Dunn did.

To your last point, the Angels are no fluke, they built their team in this mold. Great pitching, situational hitting, great coaching. They know how to win the close games and K- Rod knows how to finish them. The fact is the pace can and will chancge for both of these guys.

K-Rod wants his record, do you think Howard wants to be the first to 200.

Nickb23- It's a Girl! said 06/10, 04:39 PM
I will say this, while one seems more likely to be broke, NO ONE wants Howrds to be the first to 200 strikeouts. He still needs 113 more to break that record with 87 games left. Over the last 13 games he has struck out 12 times, which would not put him there, that is my evidence that he has slowed down of late/

Rookie Sensation are you serious, he hit .313 with 58 homers and 149 RBI's and won the MVP his second year in the league ( two seasons ago). He is still a great player and no one in Philly is giving up on him. They will continue to work on lowereing that number, Howard included.

The fact is too many guys have been on the cusp of this save record and sooner or later a guy will have the chance. K- Rod is the perfect person, he is young, talented, and has saved his last 23 chances. He plays on a team that plays fundamental baseball better than anyone in the league. They have great pitching in the pen and staff. He has a great D around him, to bail him out as well. The Angels are built to win close games and K-Rod is already on a 66 save pace. They are no fluke and neither is K-Rod.

Like I said he wants the record and Howard doesn't.