Sorry Braves babies.... it's gonna be another long season for you as you watch the Mets on top of the standings again.
Opening night of the new season.... The St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their championship in front of their fans, only to be embarassed by the Mets as they whip their butts in the game.
Mark my words and look back at this post in September, Mets will take the division again.
Meanwhile on the ice..... Matt's Hurricanes look to be shut out of the NHL playoffs a year after winning the championship. The celebration is short lived I guess. Rangers just need one win to secure their playoff spot. It'll be nice to win it on the Island tomorrow as they beat up the Fish-sticks.
-- Edited by President Lou Demian at 14:46, 2007-04-02
okay, we know pitching is what wins games so lets look at that:
Mets starting rotation as it sits now career wins and losses. 412-304 (Glavine with 291 wins that most came with the BRAVES)
Braves starting rotation as it sits now career wins and losses. 399-289
seems pretty close right? not so fast.
Mets: Glavine 41 last year - 15-7 3.82 era Hernandez 37 or 41 last year - 11-11 4.09 era Maine 26 last year - 6-5 3.60 era Perez 26 last year 3-13 6.51 era Pelfrey 23 last year 2-1 5.48 era
Braves: Smoltz 40 last year 16-9 3.49 era Hudson 32 last year 13-12 4.86 era James 26 last year 11-4 3.78 era Cormier 27 last year 4-5 4.89 era Redman 33 last year 11-10 5.71 era
Hudson is no longer hurt and Redman stinks, Ill give you that, but if you figure the Braves had like 25 blown saves last year and they went out and acquired top-notch middle relief and closers in the offseason. So really, I say the Braves beat the Mets blown out of proportion numbers hands down. It doesnt matter if you have great hitters, good pitching will always shut that down. Mets were a one year wonder. Oh wait, Pedro comes back in August............maybe. I guess he can save your season for you then.
Everyone knows the Mets pitching rotation is the big question mark for the season.... but it was last season too. I was surprised when they didn't trade for a big name starting pitcher, but guess what? They came one game from making the World Series. Not too shabby with the pitching staff. But I would expect them to get a couple good arms this season.
And if the Braves have better pitching, why did they give up 805 runs last year? Mets gave up 731... the least in the NL east. Braves actually scored more runs than the Mets last season and finished below .500. Mets?... 32 games over .500.
I guarantee you they won't be a one season wonder since nearly all the players from last season are here again.
Lou, you're missing the point, the Braves lost all those games because they had so many blown saves.........they have corrected that problem (remember, Wickman did pitch for the Braves until the last month or so). All you have to do is see that if you took only 75% of those blown saves, they would have had enough wins to reach the post season, and then we all know anything can happen in a seven game series.
