If the Pirates and Royals folded.  Would anyone miss them?
494234
Maybe yes, maybe no, but I miss the Oakland Seals!
1036375
JASON BAY of course. he is truly amazing. have you watched his games? he is one reason to watch the pirates..even when they lose...him and the others (sanchez, J. Wilson, Paulino, Castillo, casey) = awesomenss..now if only the pitching could improve...
47133
That's not such a good idea. It's almost pathetic to cheer for your cross-town rivals just to have some fortune in your baseball life.\n\nI NEVER rooted for the Braves when they made the playoffs. Go METS in '06!
246799
Yes. Despite Kerry Wood and Mark Prior's injuries, the Cubs are my sleeper team. Their hitting is good, and they still have some pitching left.
565392
I wish they would. It would be good for baseball. However, they need to win their division or be the wild card before they can compete for the right to play in the World Series. Both are highly unlikely in the next three years. They just do not have the talent/
205393
They will go as far as their pitching will take them. If everyone stays healthy, I would have to say they are a favorite, yet again. There's little doubt that they will make the playoffs, so the main question is, will the team be healthy when the postseason rolls around? I think they have a good shot.
858315
the royals were beastly back when Major League was made....
573
Apparently no one, they had one of the top three most disappointing off-seasons of any MLB team. I will be surprised to see them contend this year or, for that matter, see Clemens come back -- why should he? The team basically sat on their thumbs.
559701
you know what?  F all the yankee fans who are doggin on the royals.  i seem to remember a period in the 80's where your team was at the BOTTOM of the league.  paybacks are a bitch.  oh, and by the way yankees, how many world series have you won in the past five years with all that money?  KC has horrible ownership and does not use the shared revenues well at all.  but guess what.  kauffman stadium is great, seats are cheap, and if ever the royals beat the yanks in a series, who comes out wishing smith and wesson had streetside vendors?  in answer to the question, no.  the royals are one of the worst teams in the majors.  but they still go out, they still play, and i'm proud of that.
992599
Alan Trammell of the Tigers, Tony Gwynn of the Padres, Willie Mays of the Giants, Walter Johnson of the Senators, Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox, Hank Aaron of the Braves, George Brett of the Royals, Ty Cobb of the Tigers, Cal Ripken Jr of the Orioles, Warren Spahn of the Braves, Willie Stargell of the Pirates, Robin Yount of the Brewers and Stan Musial of the Cardinals\n\nBob Feller of the Indians and Ted Williams of the Red Sox missed multple years due to war.
252604
The Cubs are my sleeper team this year and I think they will get into the playoffs as a wild-card, but they won't win the World Series. Anyway, I want to see the Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series, even though it is almost hopeless for me.
1083904
It is very possible, and, if they did, would be very ironic.  Back in 1987, the Tigers traded away a young minor league pitching prospect to the Atlanta Braves, in order to obtain Doyle Alexander for their pennant run.  Alexander went 12-3 for them that year, and they would not have won the American League East (the division they were in before the MLB went to the three division format for each league) and pitched for them one more season before he retired.  Who was this young prospect the Tigers gave up their future for their pennant run?  None other then John Smolts himself.  \n\nSmolts has Michigan ties (he's a MSU graduated who is from East Lansing) and he and Dennis Eckersely are the only two pitchers in the history of baseball to have won and saved more then 200 games.  Where Smolts amazes me the most is he went from the starting rotation, to the bullpen, and then back to the starting rotation with the Braves though his career.  Eckersley stayed a bullpen closer once he left the starting rotation.  I think this is the main reason why the Tigers should make a serious bid to pick him up.  They can make him their fifth starter, or, in a pinch, have him come out of the pen.  With they being in a heated neck and neck race with the White Sox having a reliable pitcher who could go either way could be the final piece of the puzzle that would make them the AL Central champs.
690085
Absolutely YES. You've got Beltran - who needs another center fielder?  And Zito is under 30 and would be reunited with the pitching coach he had when he won the Cy Young.  It's a no-brainer.
19450
The Pittsburgh Pirates.
992984
First person to show interest in the Royals!  I actually have a little onsie in that powder blue color from my infancy.  Looked good on George but it would only make those poor bastards look even dumber.  If they can't win, at least let them look good.
491002
No, essentially because of their weak starting pitching staff. Brandon Webb is superb, but currently their other 4 have been extremely inconsistent. Their offense is solid and they now have a decent bullpen. However, IMHO, they will need, at least, one more reliable starter. I'm a big fan, but believe they'll finish 2nd in the weakest division in MLB.
375882
I would. I think that Randy Johnson will have a down year and retire at the end of the season. His fastball is not what it used to be. Hudson is good but Hunter and Byrd make up for that lose. Texiera is the key. His stats have gone up every year and will continue to go up in the ballpark he plays in. He is a good bet to give you a .300 avg. 45 hr and 135 rbi, Sweeney doesn't.