Buster Olney's WS Prediction: PIRATES vs MARINERS

[cezero]

Last year's prediction was Tigers vs. Dodgers

 

[wazzu31]

Hmm, weed must be legal where he lives to. IMO if the Mariners were to actually make the WS they would be a favorite. A 7 game series in October/November is how this team is designed.

 

[phredmojo]

With idiota like mcclendon, jack z and lincoln at the helm, its a safe bet that the mariners will never sniff the world series.

 

[Anointed One]

With idiota like mcclendon, jack z and lincoln at the helm, its a safe bet that the mariners will never sniff the world series.

On paper, this team definitely has the make up to be a legit WS contender... Can't judge a team on it's past... If we only lived in the past regarding the Hawks, they would've never made a Superbowl with that line of thinking...

Prior to 2005, no one ever thought the Hawks would ever make a Superbowl... Yet, they've been to 3 now since then... Can't live in the past...

.

 

[cezero]

on paper, the only proven piece of offense we've acquired is nelson cruz.

it's cute when football fans decide to become mariners fans when they get good national press, though.

 

[Anointed One]

on paper, the only proven piece of offense we've acquired is nelson cruz.

it's cute when football fans decide to become mariners fans when they get good national press, though.

I've been a die hard Mariner fan since the early 80's...

 

[cezero]

seattle sports writers with zero knowledge of anything but fooball predicting 200 home runs for the m's, with 22 coming from the bargain bin right field jack z hacked together.

seattle sports commentators, again, with zero knowledge of anything but football, saying the m's were one game away from the playoffs last year, which is not remotely true.

national baseball commentators like olney, who don't even acknowledge the m's exist for months on end, come out of the woodworks and make wild predictions about the m's based on nothing.

dear lord, the m's are going to have a bunch of insufferable bandwagoners this year because of absurd press. pretty funny seeing seattle beat writers dealing with them on twitter already. just completely clueless.

 

[Anointed One]

seattle sports writers with zero knowledge of anything but fooball predicting 200 home runs for the m's, with 22 coming from the bargain bin right field jack z hacked together.

seattle sports commentators, again, with zero knowledge of anything but football, saying the m's were one game away from the playoffs last year, which is not remotely true.

national baseball commentators like olney, who don't even acknowledge the m's exist for months on end, come out of the woodworks and make wild predictions about the m's based on nothing.

dear lord, the m's are going to have a bunch of insufferable bandwagoners this year because of absurd press. pretty funny seeing seattle beat writers dealing with them on twitter already. just completely clueless.

I think you're crazy to think that the only thing "On Paper" they've done to improve the team from last year was adding Nelson Cruz... The team is stronger on both sides of the plate... SP is much deeper than what the team started w/ last year as well...

How much did the team improve on offense just by adding 1 bat in R. Cano last year? Quite a bit actually... Adding just 1 high quality bat can do wonders for an entire lineup, which we saw last year... Adding Cruz is not just adding another bat but he will also allow others in the lineup greater opportunities to succeed and get better as well... For example, Cano will see many more fastball's because of Cruz's presence... It's common knowledge...

Starting Pitcher staff to begin last year 2014 (2015):

1. Felix (Felix)
   
2. E. Ramirez (Iwakuma)
   
3. Elias (J Happ)
   
4. J. Paxton (Paxton)
   
5. C. Young (Walker)

Night and day compared to last year's staff... Not even close... Iwakuma missed the first month of the season and Paxton was a rookie... If. T. Walker and J. Paxton pitch like they can, look out... M's will easily win the West... A healthy Iwakuma out of the game will make J. Happ that much more effective...

Starting lineup in the field last year 2014 (2015):

1. A. Almonte (A. Jackson)
   
2. B. Miller (B. Miller)
   
3. R. Cano (R. Cano
   
4. J. Smoak (N. Cruz)
   
5. L. Morrison (L. Morrison)
   
6. K. Seager (K. Seager)
   
7. M. Saunders/Romero (S. Smith/Ruggiano)
   
8. Ackley/Hart (Ackley/Weeks)
   
9. Zunino (Zunino)

A lot more than just one more bat added, as you say... More quality depth will be an added bonus to assist with the long flights/travels that this team has to endure each season... S.Smith/Ruggiano/Weeks/Bloomquist vs Romero/Hart/Almonte/Bloomquist from last season a night and day scenerio... Bloomquist was injured most of the season in '14 - so he hardly even played... Crazy if you're going to overlook depth on a team...

I did not predict this team to go to the WS, but I think it would be a disappointed season if they don't at least win the West and win the first round of the postseason playoffs...

 

[NWinAZ]

I laugh at all these W.S. predictions. I still don't see us as much improved. Maybe the rest of the field took a step back. If that is the case, then I guess it is possible. I would rather us being the underdog.

 

[wazzu31]

I laugh at all these W.S. predictions. I still don't see us as much improved. Maybe the rest of the field took a step back. If that is the case, then I guess it is possible. I would rather us being the underdog.

Without question they are the "underdog" and don't really have much of a chance at the playoffs let alone the WS but my contention is that if somehow they do make the WS they would be favorite against basically anybody they faced. This is a team that is built to grind out 4 out of 7 in poor weather, not when the weather favors offense for 4 months.

 

[NWinAZ]

We are not the 'underdogs' anymore. I know because I read so.

 

[DunceKaep]

seattle sports commentators, again, with zero knowledge of anything but football, saying the m's were one game away from the playoffs last year, which is not remotely true.

Explain why this is not true?

Anyway, I see the replacement of Armstrong with Mather as an upgrade. Someone that actually does his job. McClendon has proven to be worthy, prove otherwise please? Lincoln, who cares about him, he is just a name with zero input, finally.

The upgrades at several positions, yeah, we should be better. WS favorites, noooooo......but yes, we have a good chance.

 

[cezero]

Explain why this is not true?

because they would have needed 2 more wins to get the 2nd wildcard. it cannot be explained any further, yet the idiots on 710 never stop with it. and then people like you get confused.

as for the rest of your post, we upgraded exactly 1 position, and that's DH. if you call our right field platoon an "upgrade", then you're certifiable. whoever platoons with ackley in right is not an upgrade either. the infield is exactly the same as last year. catcher is the same as last year. we may have upgraded the starting rotation a bit. the bullpen is weaker due to the lack of reliable lefty relief. and i said nothing bad about mcclendon.

 

[DunceKaep]

because they would have needed 2 more wins to get the 2nd wildcard. it cannot be explained any further, yet the idiots on 710 never stop with it. and then people like you get confused.

Maybe you are trying to be offensive, maybe you just don't understand what you type, either way, I'm not here to make enemies and I won't make comments like "people like you" until truly deserved. So then.

Are you arguing about "a playoff game to make a playoff game?" You then are correct. If that other team had lost game 162, then the M's would in fact had another game, TRUE or FALSE?

Please don't argue, just answer the simple question, which was, had that other team lost game 162, would the M's have tied them and would there have been another game?

 

[cezero]

sorry ima little drunk

you're cool. press just oging way overboard. the 1 game to playoff mistake is no big deal, just weird hearing them say it over and over. lol

i'm more optimisitc about this season than i let on

 

[cezero]

Are you arguing...

not arguing anything. stating a fact.

the m's had to win 2 more games to make the playoffs. 1 in the regular season to tie for a 2nd wildcard playoff opportunity, and then 1 more with a win in that wildcard playoff.

i apologized for being a jerk already. take care.

 

[DunceKaep]

sorry ima little drunk

you're cool. press just oging way overboard. the 1 game to playoff mistake is no big deal, just weird hearing them say it over and over. lol

i'm more optimisitc about this season than i let on

It's cool. I just kinda like being optimistic, rather than he other. I look forward to that 1st WS Championship. It will happen, just hope I'm alive and doing well, like soon. 40 years from now might be too late. I'm hoping for one soon. Having Armstrong replaced by Mather has been huge, improvements already, just in overall philosophy.

 

[NWinAZ]

We have a split squad of optimism and realism on this board. I, like cezero, are in the realism camp but trying to creep towards the optimism camp. Maybe this is the year that gets us both there, or maybe it is the year that drives us further away...

 

[wazzu31]

It's cool. I just kinda like being optimistic, rather than he other. I look forward to that 1st WS Championship. It will happen, just hope I'm alive and doing well, like soon. 40 years from now might be too late. I'm hoping for one soon. Having Armstrong replaced by Mather has been huge, improvements already, just in overall philosophy.

Have you really noticed a difference? I guess I haven't really, not really a change in philosophy in the organization, sure they have spend big bucks on a few players but they aren't anywhere near where they should be in terms of payroll. He talks more than Chuck did towards the end of his tenure but when you're fan base boos you like you're ARod I can't blame him for not talking.

 

[Anointed One]

Have you really noticed a difference? I guess I haven't really, not really a change in philosophy in the organization, sure they have spend big bucks on a few players but they aren't anywhere near where they should be in terms of payroll. He talks more than Chuck did towards the end of his tenure but when you're fan base boos you like you're ARod I can't blame him for not talking.

You're basing their success or lack there of this season on payroll?