"I think that one of the most important things we have to do in the front office and also with the...

"I think that one of the most important things we have to do in the front office and also with the staff is at the end of each season really critically analyze the previous years team. So when we sat down at the end of the '09 season we felt strongly that we were better than an 84 win team and now it didn't help us in '09 but it certainly helped us in shaping our thought process this off-season."

-- Andrew Friedman on the 2010 season

over 2 years ago R.J. Anderson 16 comments 0 recs |

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Being a heavy sabermetric front office

I would think Friedman and Co. now as well as any that they’re talent level exceeds that of an 84 win team.

And that was in a season where Upton was lousy at the plate and Burrell was a nothing, no less.

by FloridaownsFSU on Feb 18, 2010 9:07 PM EST reply actions

I thought that Normandin had a pretty good take in his ALE preview in the annual

both confronting the supposed bouncebacks (Burrell, Upton) with the possible fallbacks (Bartlett)

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by Buc Wild on Feb 18, 2010 9:15 PM EST up reply actions

Absolutely.

by FloridaownsFSU on Feb 18, 2010 10:05 PM EST up reply actions

My only reservation is the lasck of experience this rotation has

I think the talent is there, but will it measure up come crunch time?

by sternfan1 on Feb 18, 2010 9:36 PM EST reply actions

*lack

by sternfan1 on Feb 18, 2010 9:36 PM EST up reply actions

.

MADDON:
On having a young rotation:
"We have some young veterans there and we have some younger guys like David (Price) and Wade (Davis).
The interesting thing about this group is the fact that all of them are capable of 200+ innings this season and
that’s kind of unusual. So in regards to being stretched out in a physical sense, they are that; being stretched
out in a mental sense may be a little bit different.
They’re an interesting group. The fact that they are young together, with Shields being the gray beard among
the group, is going to be kind of fun watching the dynamic among the five of them. But the part that’s most
comforting to me is the fact that they’ve all been stretched out and it presents a little bit different as the
season begins because of that."

by R.J. Anderson on Feb 18, 2010 9:47 PM EST up reply actions

You could say the 2008 rotation lacked experience.

by SRQman on Feb 18, 2010 9:49 PM EST up reply actions

All but Garza were in a rotation in '07, regularly

by sternfan1 on Feb 18, 2010 9:52 PM EST up reply actions

Niemann + Price have last year, also Price has play off apperances and end of 08

Davis is the only real young gun. We all know Niemann is like the Great Wall and nothing messes with him.

by SRQman on Feb 18, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions

Price didn't join the rotation till June

Again, i think the talent is there and it’s a small concern, but nonetheless guys like Lackey, Beckett, Lester have “been there, done that”

by sternfan1 on Feb 18, 2010 9:57 PM EST up reply actions

Lackey started game 7 as a rookie. Beckett was a young Marlin in the WS

Experience is not a requirement for championships. I’m not saying it doesn’t help to have something to lean on, but Shields, Garza, Price all have WS experience. You don’t need 5 Andy Pettittes.

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by Tommy Rancel on Feb 18, 2010 10:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I guess you're correct in that sense, and again it's not a big deal

by sternfan1 on Feb 18, 2010 10:21 PM EST up reply actions

2 of those 3 are a lock to miss a few starts and im not sold on Lesters jump in innings

Gimme 5 young horses over “experience”

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 18, 2010 11:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Damn Mongolians

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by CubFanRaysaddict on Feb 18, 2010 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Your unfounded doubts and paranoia have emerged.

It must be time for ball.

Mira Sorvino...Paul Walker...T-Pain...Fall 2010...HEADSTONE MAFIA, A LOVE STORY OF REVENGE. "5/5 stars!!!" - DRB User "Andy Hellicksonstine"

by PlayOnWords on Feb 19, 2010 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

They underperformed their Pythagorean record by 8 wins.

I would presume that this is probably as a result of lots of losses in close games, due to the relatively weak 2009 bullpen performance.

That aspect of the team has been shored up by the acquiring of Soriano. Add in that Kazmir and Sonnanstine both pitched terribly in 2009. It’s not likely that two of our top five starters will have ERAs above 6.50 halfway through the season.

I would be really surprised if we finished with only 84 wins this year.

by Zach Attack on Feb 19, 2010 4:20 PM EST reply actions