Baseball begins!

[Lee]

And here we are on the last day of the season:

In the last week, the WhiteSox can't hang on and the Tigers take the AL Central.

The Rangers stumble out of first place, and the A's win their last six, including a three game sweep of the Rangers, to take the AL West.

If (God forbid) the BoSox beat the Yankees and Baltimore wins, then there is a tie in the AL East (both only in the second inning as I write this).

As Roy Hobbs said in The Natural, "I love this game"!

*Sigh* My two favorite teams--the Rangers and White Sox--both close the season with a choke and a thud.

[jimofbentley]

Well, there it is. 162 games per team, 2,430 games overall.

I didn't do too bad (but it wasn't great either).

Two division winners: Yankees and Tigers.

Three Wild Card winners: Rangers, Cardinals and Braves

Biggest surprises: A's and Nationals

Biggest Disapointment: Phillies, although they did come back in the last half and finished at .500.

Needing the most work between now and Spring: Red Sox. Not that they don't have good players, but something is definately wrong in Boston.

The most interesting possibilities for 2013? Astros. Going from the National League Central to the American League West. Let's put it this way, they can't get any worse. (Please do something - my Aunt Shirley is desperate for a winner!)

[jimofbentley]

*Sigh* My two favorite teams--the Rangers and White Sox--both close the season with a choke and a thud.

But at least the Rangers have a chance with the Wild Card. I'm sure that they can bounce back and be competitive in the playoffs.

[Lee]

Well, there it is. 162 games per team, 2,430 games overall.

I didn't do too bad (but it wasn't great either).

Two division winners: Yankees and Tigers.

Three Wild Card winners: Rangers, Cardinals and Braves

Biggest surprises: A's and Nationals

Biggest Disapointment: Phillies, although they did come back in the last half and finished at .500.

Needing the most work between now and Spring: Red Sox. Not that they don't have good players, but something is definately wrong in Boston.

The most interesting possibilities for 2013? Astros. Going from the National League Central to the American League West. Let's put it this way, they can't get any worse. (Please do something - my Aunt Shirley is desperate for a winner!)

I think the biggest problem with the Red Sox has been addressed. Bobby Valentine was the absolute worst manager to inject into that particular situation. I expect them to be much better next year. I don't know about competing for the east, but I do expect improvement.

But at least the Rangers have a chance with the Wild Card. I'm sure that they can bounce back and be competitive in the playoffs.

"Can" and "will" are two very different animals when it comes to the Rangers. Hamilton went from hero to absolute zero down the stretch.

[jimofbentley]

How the conversation went regarding the Reds:

In the NL Central, I find it interesting you didn't even mention the Reds. I think their division is a pretty open one and although I'd like to see the Cards take it, I think just about everyone has a shot.

I had thought about the Reds. These last few years they seem to start well - but then fade out mid-summer. Lack of player depth. Lack of something. This is one of the reasons I did not consider them.

That is true, they do seem to have a lot of talent that somehow loses steam, but they have some really solid hitters (Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and the addition of Ludwick). Pitching is always their soft spot it seems. And injuries of course.

Can't say I didn't warn you about the Reds I'm not entirely confident that the final rankings will look like they do at this point in the season though.

I just hope (for the sake of all those Reds fans) that they don't fade out like they have the last few years.

It's hard to have Joey Votto on your team and still be bad. They do have some weak places on the team and durability is always a question on any team, but I think it'll be a close race.

Sigh: After winning the first two games on the road, Cincinnati loses all three games at home to lose the NLDS 3 games to 2. I expected them to "fade out", but not during the plalyoffs. My sympathies to everyone in Cincinnati.

[Michael Hanel]

How the conversation went regarding the Reds:

I'm a bit shocked at how that series went. If the Cardinals lose too I just might be devastated.

[jimofbentley]

And now the Yankees are out - being swept by the Tigers.

What will happen next year? There are a lot of questions, but few answers as of yet.

There is already talk about A-Rod, Granderson and Swisher being traded.
But which team(s) will want to spend that much money?

Can they convince Ichiro to play one more year in the Bronx?
He batted .322 for the Yankees, but is now a free agent.

Will Jeter be able to come back from a broken ankle?
He had his best season since 2009, but what will he be able to do on a repaired ankle?

Will Pettite decide to quit for good -
or come back for one more try?

Can we stop Girardi from making all of those calls to the bullpen!
How many times did he swap pitchers - only for them to give up runs.

Who needs soap operas
when you have the Yankees!!

[Michael Hanel]

Jim, you must be careful. You're going to ruin a perfectly good post-season by continuing to talk about the Yankees. Let them rest in peace until after the World Series.

[jimofbentley]

Jim, you must be careful. You're going to ruin a perfectly good post-season by continuing to talk about the Yankees. Let them rest in peace until after the World Series.

mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa.

[Michael Hanel]

That was a brutal, brutal series for the Cardinals. They went the way of the Reds. Such a disappointment. But I think they'll still have a good team in years to come. Although their pitching is really aging.

In the World Series, I'll pick the Tigers to swat the Giants, but I don't have nearly as much interest in following the big show since my teams are now out.