I am now running Community Forecasts, and participation among hardcore fans is appreciated.  I've already taken an initial look at Redsox Fans' feelings on Pedroia, Papelbon, and their relievers:

http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/community_forecasts1/

As soon as I get 20 ballots for the Jays, I'll do likewise.

The Twins won 96 games in 2006 behind the pitching of Johan Santana, Francisco Liriano and Joe Nathan and the batting of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Can they do it again?

Earlier today in the ongoing Trivia Challenge thread, Bauxite Calig23 posed what he called a "St. Patrick's Day themed question," regarding Blue Jays born on this day. It made me realize, shame-facedly at that, that for all the holiday-themed Hall or Names all-birthday teams we have produced here at Batter's Box, we've never done one for St. Patrick's Day.

So, while we still have a few minutes left of March 17, here's a roster made up of the 36 big league players (through the 2006 season) born on March 17; it's a team that we can only Dublin ... er, a team that we can only dub ...

"Well, we're screwed now."
--White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, on PECOTA's projection of 72 wins for his team.

Well that's not good. I was thinking a rain out would be the worst news of the day.

Chacin was stopped by Tampa Police at 3:43 a.m., booked, then released on a $500 bond later in the morning.  Police reports said his blood alcohol content measured .15 at the time of his arrest, almost twice the legal limit of .08.

Pitchers and catchers report for our first trivia question today.

The usual rules apply ...

 

I should make one thing very clear as we begin this preview for the 2007 Texas Rangers … I live in North Texas, work in Arlington about three or four miles from Ameriquest Field, and soak up all the media – radio, TV, newspaper – associated with living in a "major league city."

For all that, I must admit, I am not a Rangers "fan," per se, though I do root for the hometown nine (wait, this is the A.L. -- make that the hometown ten) in most cases. Having a World Series here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex would be something I'd really enjoy, but for the most part, though the Rangers are live, local and available – they are not "my" team of choice.

Now, you want to meet a Rangers fan? Check that – want to meet the Rangers fan? Then sit back and enjoy this '07 sneak peek as we discuss all things Ranger with the man who has probably written and published more words about that team than anyone else in the Internet age …

Another bunch of meaningless games. Can we tease out some meaningful stuff?

The man who was commissioner of MLB when the Blue Jays were born, Bowie Kuhn, has passed away at the age of 80.

Though he may be a bit nervous today, wondering what havoc Charlie Finley has wrought in the afterlife in his 11-year head start on the ex-Commish, there's no question that Kuhn wrote well his own epitaph: "I want it to be remembered that I was commissioner during a time of tremendous growth in the popularity of the game," he said, "and that it was a time in which no one could question the integrity of the game."

If you remember back that far, share your remembrances of the man who once said of the job he held, "You've got to develop a sense of humor. You have to be able to stand back and laugh. That's invaluable, or you're apt to go slightly balmy."

There are many reasons to expect Florida to take a step back in 2007.

1. Teams that make a big leap forward usually regress the next season
2. Florida's 2006 season was driven by the stellar performance of several rookies, the sophomore slump is likely to play its part in 2007
3. Florida relied on four rookie starters who threw almost 600 major league innings between them, expect injuries in 2007
4. Florida rallied around a fresh charismatic manager, Joe Girardi.  Lightning might not strike twice with Fredi Gonzalez
5. Dan Uggla is the universal pick of "poolies" to underperform in 2007
6. Dontrelle Willis has pitched over 800 innings in the last four seasons, all before his 25th birthday

When does the future begin for the young Diamondbacks? Maybe it will be 2007.

Are they the Mariners or the Mediocres?  Mediocre is the word that came to the top of my mind as I wrote this preview, from top to bottom the Mariners are "decent, fair, indifferent, middling, passable, tolerable, unexceptional and vanilla".  There are few major problems but there are few above average players, or front office people, to take Seattle to the playoffs.  The Mariners lost 84 games in 2006, their third losing season in a row. However, on the bright side, their 78 wins were the most for the Mariners since 2003.  The bright spots are few in this preview, and with an aging roster and lowly ranked farm system the future does not look any better.

As the Mets, Phillies and Braves are all going to win the N.L East, I'm going to confidently predict that the Nationals finish last.

In the current poll thread discussion, Bauxite zeppelinkm pleads,

"Can we please get a thread up to talk about Roy Halladay (or a general Jays thread at least!). Pleeeeeeeease! He's reinvented himself again (well, at least his approach), and it's awesome to watch.  I have no one to discuss the awesomeness of Halladay with..."

So here it is. Over to you zep (or any Bauxite who wants to jump in) ... Roy Halladay has "reinvented himself again," you say? What's that mean, and why should we be talking about it?

Go!

It's hard to argue ... if the Blue Jays are to have a wildly succesful 2007 season, young Adam Lind has to play something of a key role. That wouldn't be a shock -- Lind has a lot of talent -- but it would set something of a precedent; in the entire history of The Great Game, only one player with the given first name "Adam" has made an appearance on a MLB All-Star roster, that being current Cincinnati behemoth Adam Dunn, with the 2002 NL squad.

Oh, sure, if you want to get technical ...