The A's are the best team in baseball

[Arizona_Sting]

That is all...

 

[TDs3nOut]

Their recent acquisitions of Hammel and Samardjia have them favored to win the WS.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/mlb/odds/futures/

Personally, I still think that LAD is more likely to win it all.

 

[navamind]

Well, yeah. Best record and best run differential by a wide margin (+129, Mariners are 2nd at +64).

 

[navamind]

Their recent acquisitions of Hammel and Samardjia have them favored to win the WS.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/mlb/odds/futures/

Personally, I still think that LAD is more likely to win it all.

I thought the Dodgers were the best team coming into the season.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I thought the Dodgers were the best team coming into the season.

Same here. And I still have more confidence in their pitching than I do the A's.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

yes at the current moment they are. and with the current acquasion of jeff samarcha helps them a lot

 

[Nosferatu]

I still think the Nats have a shot in the NL, that would be a great Series Nats & A's...

 

[navamind]

I still think the Nats have a shot in the NL, that would be a great Series Nats & A's...

Agreed.

 

[navamind]

yes at the current moment they are. and with the current acquasion of jeff samarcha helps them a lot

lol

 

[Arizona_Sting]

People always sleep on St. Louis. I think they are still the biggest threat in the NL until proven otherwise.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

Their recent acquisitions of Hammel and Samardjia have them favored to win the WS.

http://www.vegasinsider.com/mlb/odds/futures/

Personally, I still think that LAD is more likely to win it all.

If the Dodgers can fire on all cylinders offensively, they are the team to beat. With Gonzalez, Puig and Ramirez in the heart of the order, they should be ranking up big numbers. And just think, if Matt Kemp can reach his potential too, it should be a cakewalk for the Dodgers.

 

[navamind]

People always sleep on St. Louis. I think they are still the biggest threat in the NL until proven otherwise.

They've been one of the worst offenses in the NL so far (especially in terms of power hitting, they're 29th in the league in ISO, barely ahead of the Royals) and they've had some pretty big injuries hurt their pitching (Joe Kelly, Jaime Garcia, Wacha, Siegrist, etc). I do expect the Cards to make the playoffs in some shape or form (especially if they get healthy), but they're clearly a notch below last year IMO.

Holliday's really fallen off a cliff this year. And prior to this year, Holliday was earning his contract. Carpenter's having a good year, but his power numbers have fallen off as well.

 

[TDs3nOut]

If the Dodgers can fire on all cylinders offensively, they are the team to beat. With Gonzalez, Puig and Ramirez in the heart of the order, they should be ranking up big numbers. And just think, if Matt Kemp can reach his potential too, it should be a cakewalk for the Dodgers.

I don't think that it's a cakewalk for any team. Also don't think that any team in baseball has a more formidable trio of starters than Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu to turn to in a playoff series.

 

[TDs3nOut]

People always sleep on St. Louis. I think they are still the biggest threat in the NL until proven otherwise.

Waino is awesome. He can't pitch an entire series, though.

 

[navamind]

Waino is awesome. He can't pitch an entire series, though.

Lynn and a healthy Wacha are pretty darn good though. Shelby was good last year, but he's struggled with command.

 

[navamind]

If the Dodgers can fire on all cylinders offensively, they are the team to beat. With Gonzalez, Puig and Ramirez in the heart of the order, they should be ranking up big numbers. And just think, if Matt Kemp can reach his potential too, it should be a cakewalk for the Dodgers.

Kemp's gonna have to hit like he did in 2009 or 2011 to even be a valuable player, because he's fucking horrible defensively. He makes Delmon Young look good.

Kemp's batting stats aren't even bad (.263/.324/.439, 114 OPS+), and yet, he rates at -1.0 WAR, among the worst in the league. He's cost his team 18 runs on defense this year... in only 74 games in the outfield! Kemp's been a terrible defender for a while now, especially in 2010 (-25.8 UZR, -37 DRS).

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5631&position=OF#fieldingadvanced

 

[Nosferatu]

People always sleep on St. Louis. I think they are still the biggest threat in the NL until proven otherwise.

I honestly think the Cards miss the playoffs this year. I think the Pirates or Reds, Nats or Braves, or Giants will fill the two wildcard spots.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Lynn and a healthy Wacha are pretty darn good though. Shelby was good last year, but he's struggled with command.

Wacha, Lynn, and Miller are all capable of pitching well. None of them has consistently done so this year, however.

I'm not about to claim that the Cardinals don't have a chance, but I definitely like the Dodger's chances better.

 

[navamind]

Wacha, Lynn, and Miller are all capable of pitching well. None of them has consistently done so this year, however.

I'm not about to claim that the Cardinals don't have a chance, but I definitely like the Dodger's chances better.

Wacha had a 2.48 ERA with 44/10 K/BB in 36.1 innings in April and 2.43 ERA with 31/9 K/BB in 37 innings in May. He had a 4.24 ERA with 8/7 K/BB in 17 innings in June, but he also hit the DL with a stress reaction in his shoulder, which might explain that performance.

I had no idea about the "stress reaction" until now, but a while ago, Brandon McCarthy went into detail about it on a Q&A with Athletics Nation. Definitely worth reading.

AN "Sixclusive" With Brandon McCarthy (Part I of V) - Athletics Nation

I do agree about the Dodgers having better chances, regardless of health.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

If there's one thing I've learned as a baseball fan over the years it's to NEVER count the Cardinals out. They'll make it. Waino, Wacha, Miller, Lynn, Garcia (once they all get healthy) and that stacked pen with an offense that has to wake up eventually.

I think they will add a bat at the deadline and if their starters come back within the next few weeks and they stay healthy then they're still my pick to come out of the NL.