(no subject)

[sen_no_ongaku]

It's been a long time since I've been as excited about a baseball season as I am this one, and I'm not sure why. But I just found myself scouring Internet for even the littlest tidbit of news and pictures from my teams' camps, even though any such coverage is completely irrelevant, given how early in Spring Training we are.

Comments

[heatmhub.livejournal.com]

Is it because of the really well-paid new pitcher? I've caught some of the hype on ESPN while at the gym. I'd like to see him pitch.

[sen-no-ongaku.livejournal.com]

He's certainly very intriguing, and a part of my excitement -- I can't wait to see him pitch.

Part of it is also hoping that my #1 team, the Mets, will manage to get a little further this year than last.

[haak0n.livejournal.com]

I feel similarly... I don't know whether it's attributable to last year's profoundly unsatisfying World Series or the forbidden fruit phenomenon of knowing that I won't be able to tune in every night this season, but I'm really psyched. The Sox have any number of really intriguing elements this year, not least of which is the fact that every night they'll be pitching someone compelling.

I think this is the first time in years that you sound more optimistic than I am about the Mets. Probably a good sign...

[sen-no-ongaku.livejournal.com]

I don't feel as if I have any real reason to be optimistic about the Mets, but I just am.

We have some serious-ass age issues, and rode a couple of fluke seasons last year (Valentin and Chavez? Hello?). But I think we would have won the division even without those outliers, and nobody else has improved enough to be significant.

I am somewhat worried about the Marlins -- they have another crop of youngsters who could take a quantum leap forward, particularly if their pitchers stay healthy. Big ifs, of course -- they probably have the largest potential variance in the NL, depending on how their prospects split between being Joe Charbonneau or Brandon Webb.

We have Wright and Reyes for the next 5-6 years, and I'm optimistic about Humber and Pelfrey...though I also remember my excitement about Wilson, Isringhausen, and Pulsipher. I think Milledge will turn out pretty well also, assuming we hold on to them. Minaya has a worrying predilection for signing old Latin players -- we'll see how adept he is at choosing the right ones to support our core.