Who are the most formidable duo

[Lefty]

Can't wait for the season to begin.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7595262?forum_key=StoryComments&topic_key=7595262&page_no=1

 

[scXfreakX]

Yeah. But didn't Melvin say that Haren would be #3 starter?

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yeah. But didn't Melvin say that Haren would be #3 starter?

Never heard that one from Melvin?? Who the heck would he be behind??

And, this list is so bogus... No mention of Beckett & Dice K?? What a joke!

 

[Lefty]

Yeah. But didn't Melvin say that Haren would be #3 starter?

No way is Davis ahead of Haren.

 

[Brian]

Melvin wants to start Haren #3 after RJ. NOT because at this point RJ is better but because in a series they throw a righty sinkerballer, a power lefty, and then back to the righty who throws similar to Webb. Never let's the other team get comfortable or in a groove. He explained this in a couple of interviews.

It makes sense, to have Webb-Haren go 1-2 is asking for Haren to get tee'd off on.

This, of course, is all assuming RJ can come back and be effective.

 

[CardEd]

The NL west has some pitching. Four duo's in the tops six.

 

[Stallion]

Melvin wants to start Haren #3 after RJ.

Doesn't make sense to me. Good pitching is good pitching.

Oh well, even if that's the plan in April I doubt it lasts long (for any number of reasons).

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Having Haren pitch third (in location, he's obviously the #2 of the staff) also allows the two lefties to be split up, giving the opponent a different look every day.

 

[BC867]

Having Haren pitch third (in location, he's obviously the #2 of the staff) also allows the two lefties to be split up, giving the opponent a different look every day.

I generally agree with the concept of not pitching lefty starters back to back.

But Davis and RJ are a different look, despite throwing from the same side of the mound.

The other factor is when facing teams who platoon.

Is it a good thing for righty hitting backups to play for 2 consecutive games -- getting into a groove, etc.?

Or is it a bad thing? Guys who are used to sitting on the bench 60-80% of the time having to play 2 games in a row.

Or lefty hitters being benched 2 games in a row, if it is within the same series.

Just some things to consider.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Never heard that one from Melvin?? Who the heck would he be behind??

And, this list is so bogus... No mention of Beckett & Dice K?? What a joke!

FYI - Beckett is a rock star but Dice K umm......sucks. I wouldn't say he is better then even Doug Davis. He just gets more love because he is Japanese, throws a mythical "Gyro ball", and plays for the Nation.

 

[overseascardfan]

You have to respect:

Sabathia/Carmona
Santana/Liriano (when healthy)
Peavy/Young

but Webb & Haren would be below MIN because those 2 guys healthy are just sick.

 

[Southpaw]

Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

 

[Southpaw]

Where is the love for

Justin Verlander & Jeremy Bonderman ( backed up by Kenny Rogers, Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson.

 

[WildBB]

Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan.

 

[FArting]

Curt Schilling and RJ

 

[Mulli]

cream and clear

 

[abomb]

cream and clear

 

[BC867]

Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan.

Actually the Miracle Mets had Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman as #1 and 2. Gary Gentry was #3 in the rotation.

Nolan Ryan was a raw youngster who developed blisters on his fingers. He had to soak them in pickle juice after every game.

The #4 starter in that rotation was Ryan pitching about 4 or 5 innings, then being relieved by his regular "long man", Jim McAndrew.

And Tug McGraw was the "closer". (I put "long man" and "closer" in quotes because those terms didn't exist at that time.)

It's hard to believe that it's been over 39 years since then.

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Those Miracle Mets put together quite a lineup. The great Gil Hodges (their manager) platooned at 4 of the 8 positions on the field.

Cleon Jones was the LF; Tommy Agee was the CF; Jerry Grote was the C (all three batted righty); and switch-hitter Bud Harrelson was the SS.

Against righty starting pitchers, Ed Kranepool was 1B; Ken Boswell was 2B; Wayne Garrett was 3B; and Art Shamsky was RF (all left-handed batters).

Every time a lefty started, Donn Clendenon was 1B; Al Weis was 2B; Ed Charles was 3B; and Ron Swoboda was RF (all righty batters).

Two set lineups. You could count on it. (Quite a contrast from the Bobs' -- Brenly and Melvin -- 130 different batting orders during a season.)

Back to the Mets. In the World Series, the Orioles had 3 lefties and 1 righty in their starting rotation. Baltimore won the first game. The Mets swept games 2-3-4-5. So the Mets faced lefty starters in 4 of the 5 games.

The "junior" platoon, so to speak, started 4 of the 5 games.

Don Clendennon hit 3 HR's in his 4 games at 1B; Ed Kranepool his 1 in his 1 start. Super-sub backup shortstop Ed Weis had a great hitting series at 2B. Ron Swoboda starred at bat and in the field in RF. And the veteran Ed Charles was steady at 3B.

Plus the everyday starters -- Cleon Jones, Tommy Agee, Bud Harrelson and Jerry Grote.

And that pitching staff of Seaver, Koosman, Gentry and the combination of Ryan and McAndrew/ Plus Tug McGraw (yes, he was Tim McGraw's father) closing when he was needed.

I lived in NJ at the time -- couldn't wait to move to Phoenix.

But '69 was quite a year for New York metropolitan area sports fans. Those World Champion Mets. The ('69-'70) Knicks with their first Championship. And Joe Namath's NFL champion Jets.

Will we ever see a year when the Diamondbacks, Suns and Cardinals win it all? That would be nice.