Pedro Gomez, you are on the right track. But...

[bullox]

The ESPN hexperts have made their picks for the upcoming season. Pedro Gomez made some picks that are sure to make the denizens of this site happy, except for one.

 

NL Central: Brewers

NL MVP: Prince Fielder

NL Rookie of the Year: Manny Parra

 

And...

 

AL Wildcard: Cubs

 

huh?

 

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7108/oopsge4.gif

 

link

[ELCABALLO45]

Dude, the Cubs are THAT good.

[ewizabeff]

hahaha. Apparently the national media wants the cubs to win so bad they can switch leagues. I'm trying to figure out what kind of typo that could have been.....but I've got nothing.

[bullox]

The Cubs offseason additions have made them such a formidable force that they will transcend league play. They don't even have them listed as winning the World Series because they will win the next World Baseball Classic.

[ELCABALLO45]

Kruk(spl?) on ESPN said that Carlos Zambrano is the ACE of ACE's... I just sat there and stared at the tv, not knowing what to say or how to react. I think we all need to realize that the CUBS are the Patriots of MLB. We MUST bow down.

[billyhallfan]

on ESPN said that Carlos Zambrano is the ACE of ACE's...

 

don't know why that is such a bogus statement, he is a top pitcher in the NL and he is certaintly and ace, and more of one than we have, just because he plays in chicago he isn't good?

[lukevan]

Pitchers as good as or better than Zambrano off the top of my head: Santana, Peavy, Webb, Beckett, Verlander, Sabathia, Bedard, Oswalt, Lackey, Chris Young...

 

I could keep the list going, some more arguable than others, and I agree he's an ace, but the Ace of aces? If anyone deserves that title its Johan Santana.

[jjfanec]

Zambrano has way too many bad games. He had 10 games last year where he gave up five or more runs. That is out of 34 starts. Compare that to Sheets who gave up 5 or more 5 times in 24 games. Jake Peavey did it 3 times in 34 games. That is an elite pitcher. Some who even when they dont have their "A" stuff can keep their team in it. Zambrano doesnt have his "A" game almost a third of the time and gets crushed when he doesnt.

[Schlitz001]

Was anyone else listening as Kruk and Eric Young made their NL Central predictions? Kruk said the Cubbies would win and largely hinged his decision on Kerry Wood. Then Eric Young picked the Brewers, stating the Brewers had an improved bullpen. Karl Ravech then scoffed at Young for making his decision based on Eric Gagne being healthy. I;m sorry, but last time I checked Kerry Wood wasn't exactly the example of reliable.

[brewerfan0425]

Kruk(spl?) on ESPN said that Carlos Zambrano is the ACE of ACE's... I just sat there and stared at the tv, not knowing what to say or how to react. I think we all need to realize that the CUBS are the Patriots of MLB. We MUST bow down.

 

Yeah there the Patriots of MLB, without the championships!!

[endaround]

4people at ESPN picked Zambrano for teh CyYoung, he was second to Santana. I really don't get that.

[Gobias Industries]

4people at ESPN picked Zambrano for teh CyYoung, he was second to Santana. I really don't get that.

Yeah, what's with that? He certrainly doesn't seem to be getting better each year, but rather a little worse actually.

 

How in the heck do you pick him in front of a guy who is coming to a inferior league after dominating the superior one since '02?

[crewcrazy]

I can deal with most people picking the Cubs, but it's pretty irritating to hear everyone on a certain network considering the NL Central a "one-team division" and moving on to other topics after spending 10 seconds predicting the Central.

[yfinn6]

It's a perfect example to why many around here hate ESPN, not the main reason but one of them for sure. I could careless about their predictions, let them pick the Cubs. If it doesn't happen it will be all that much sweeter.

[fondybrewfan]

I was watching Mike & Mike this morning and Mike Golic picked the Cubs, and pretty much dismissed everyone else because he said " Who else in the division would you even think to pick?"

 

I agree the Cubs should be favored but to think that it is a one team division is just idiocy.

[BrewCrewForever]

Pitchers as good as or better than Zambrano off the top of my head: Santana, Peavy, Webb, Beckett, Verlander, Sabathia, Bedard, Oswalt, Lackey, Chris Young...

 

Yeah no doubt Zambrano is a awesome pitcher, but all of those guys listed above I agree with are better.

[PlayerHader]

If they aren't talking about the NFL (and sometimes even then) Mike Golic is about as informed in regards to sports as my mother. Well maybe slightly more so.

[DrWood]

Pitchers as good as or better than Zambrano off the top of my head: Santana, Peavy, Webb, Beckett, Verlander, Sabathia, Bedard, Oswalt, Lackey, Chris Young...

 

Yeah no doubt Zambrano is a awesome pitcher, but all of those guys listed above I agree with are better.

if you restrict it to pitchers that log nearly as much innings as Zambrano, as regularly as Zambrano, that list gets pretty small.

I'd rather have Harang than Zambrano, though.

 

[endaround]

Not really that small. Pitchers in the NL with a higher VORP in 2007 than Zambrano:

 

Peavy 77.0

Webb 66.1

Penny 61.2

Oswalt 59.8

Hudson 59.7

Smoltz 56.7

Harang 53.8

Hamels 48.8

Cain 47.6

Lilly 46.7

Young 45.8

Zambrano 43.5

 

Now add Santana to that list. You can say some of those might fall of due to age (Smoltz), lack of run support so won't get enough wins for BBWA voters (Cain) or career year (Penny). But Zambrano has a huge hill to climb to be considered.

[Glennron]

Don't worry, Gomez fixed his AL Wild Card team. It was supposed to be...the White Sox? He doesn't have the Indians in the playoffs, but he has the White Sox.

[southpaw121505]

No wonder everyone is sold on the Cubs making the play-offs, I had no idea they were a neutral team