FanNation - The Republic of Sport

lakers#1 says ROLL TIDE! said 07/22, 12:13 PM
My pick is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers have won two straight and 4 out of there last 5 games and are looking really good right now. They've pulled into a tie for first place with the D'backs.

The Dodgers are a team that will probably go out and make a deadline deal. They are not in a very tough division and that helps them a lot.

The Dodgers are in a dvision where 84-85 wins will win the division. James Loney and Andre Ethier have picked up the offensive slack. And Nomar Garciaparra.

Chad Billingsly has had a good season, and Derek Lowe is up for a big second half.

If the Tigers don't go out a make a deal for a starting pitcher which is what they really need, I don't see them making much noise down the stretch. There ace Justin Verlander has had a tough season, and is just 8-9 with a 3.95 E.RA.

I also don't see how Rodney makes there bullpen stronger. He is 0-2 with a 6.55 E.RA. I don't see that improving there bullpen.

The Tigers are in a tougher division than the Dodgers so I don't see them winning the division or taking the wildcard. I think the Dodgers can take the division.

lakers#1 says ROLL TIDE! said 07/23, 12:32 AM
The reason the Dodgers are a team to watch out for is because they very well could take the division away from Arizona.

The Tigers are an old team and the only one of there big offseason acquisitons that is producing is Miguel Cabrera. Dontrelle Willis and Edgar Renteria have played terrible.

They have also had problems with some other of there bats that havent produced that usually do. Like Gary Sheffield.

There pitching has also been bad. Verlander has turned it around lately but still 8-9 with an E.RA almost 4 is not the numbers you want from the ace of your rotation.

You said that Rodney coming back improves there bullpen? Once again I would like for you to tell me how he does. I don't see how somebody with an E.RA over 6 is going to help you.

The Dodgers just need to get there offense going. They have had some people like Russell Martin, Matt Kemp, and James Loney doing very well. Then they have had guys like Andruw Jones who has a worse batting average than Dodger pitcher Brad Penny, not producing.

Nomar has come on as of late and is playing very well. You act like the Tigers are on fire or something they are just 5-5 in there last 10 games.

lakers#1 says ROLL TIDE! said 07/23, 11:48 AM
The reason the Dodgers are a team to watch out for is because they have a really good team. At the beginning of the season a lot of people were picking the Dodgers to win the NL West and make some noise in the playoffs.

I still believe they can do that. They have a pretty good chance of pulling ahead of the D'backs in the division pretty soon. They have one more game with Colorado, and then they have 3 game sets with Washington and San Francisco.

The pitching of the Tigers is going to be there downfall down the stretch. And I haven't been very impressed with Todd Jones at all. His E.RA is 4.48! I don't want that from my closer if im the manager.

Let's look at the Tigers starting pitching this season.
Armando Galarraga- 7-4 3.41 E.RA
Justin Verlander- 8-9 3.95 E.RA
Jeremy Bonderman- 3-4 4.29 E.RA
Kenny Rodgers- 8-6 4.48 E.RA
Nate Robertson- 6-8 5.69 E.RA

Does that look like a playoff rotation to you? Only two of there starters have winning records and only two have E.RA's under 4. That doesn't look like a team that is going to make some noise down the stretch to me.