Obligatory All-Star Game Midseason Report Card Post

--- I love DVR. Hey FOX, I actually pause and fast forward through the ads. Haha. This hardly helps ease the pain of listening to tim mccarver all night, but it could be a while lot worse (think berman and morgan) ... --- Did you notice the 4 redsox reserves that didn't tip their caps? Pretty classless in the face of the classless yankee stadium boos, huh? And it's official, I now hate papelbum. --- sheryl crow's national anthem was pretty poor. --- Nice baserunning milton bradley. --- Have they even mentioned Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star Centerfielder Nate McLouth's name yet? I'm guessing joe and tim don't know how to pronounce his name, and their gun shy after screwing up what's his name from oakland. I think this is his 2nd inning in the field with no mention yet here in the sixth .... maybe "dangerfield" would be a good nickname. --- OK, buck got Nate's name right. --- Damn, drew just tied it. C'mon NL, this is the first time I've ever rooted for you! --- Ooooooh, an L would look great next to papelbum's name!!! --- Uh-oh. A metropolitan screws us. Let's look back to the preseason picks, shall we? AL EAST: The redsox are still good enough, the yankees will inevitably make the post season, and the the rays are close but probably not quite ready to leapfrog, bluejays yawn, but the orioles probably won't lose 100. AL CENTRAL: Um, way off in this division, but then again, so were everyone else's picks on then planet. Man, the indians have tanked. The tigers are still my pick. The whitesox and twins will be caught. royals are not quite on. AL WEST: yep, the angels and a's as always. The rangers' josh hamilton is baseball's best story and the team's quite a surprise. I was right not to get sucked into the mariners hype. NL EAST: The phillies and mets will fight all year, and Scot will be happy. The braves aren't there and never ever give up on the marlins as they will always contend. Must be the water. Poor nationals have little to no mojo. NL CENTRAL: The cubs and brewers will fight all year, and Carl will be happy. I can't believe the cardinals are so close. The astros and reds fight for last place, because .... (see below) NL WEST: Easily the worst division in baseball, the diamondbacks will still win it, the dodgers and rockies will be close. The giants should catch the padres .... watch that gutter race. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (44-50, 5th place): I'm hedging a bit, and saying 83 is impossible. No chance. But for 82 .... let's just, for fun, shine up a crystal ball: They need to win 38 more games before losing 31. July should finish strong 9-5 leaving a record of 53-55. August will be rough, but going 13-15 will feel worse than it is (66-70), meaning they would need to go 16-10 in September. Is that achievable? After the 10 game homestand, they might have meaningless baseball in milwaukee (but probably not) and then 3 games in sandiego. I'm saying they sweep the padres to win 82. P for Pride! A word about the prevailing trade winds. Don't trade Jason Bay. And should Nady or Marte or Wilson or Laroche leave, PLEASE get some pitching. Pitchers, and nothing else unless you're moving other pieces for, MORE PITCHING. None of the guys would leave such a gap that couldn't be filled this year or next. If X moves (a good move, Boras client), call up Pearce or Morgan for '08, then move Nate over and give Cutch a chance at CF next April. If Marte moves (I'd rather get the compensatory draft picks, but if someone's desperate ...), oh well. Gonna have to slug our way to 82 anyway. If Wilson goes (which I oppose considerably) then a Bixler and Gomez platoon wouldn't be the end of the world, but then you're gonna have to go out and get someone in the winter. If Laroche leaves, then again Pearce gets the call and platoons with Mintkavich. --- Ugh. It's freaking midnight ..... I'm going to bed. Thanks bud for starting this at 9pm. You wouldn't want children to be able to watch! Absolutely ridiculous. I had hoped for a 7pm start, but then there's a parade, and a field celebration, and ... well, 10's enough for me .... the Pirates didn't need home field advantage this year anyway!