ADN

Gagne went out to the mound every 5 days with a gas can and a match as a starter. The guy was probably responsible for the Chicago Fires!!!! Papelbon needs to stick with what is working and not ruin his value by making the switch to starter only to get shelled and lose his closer role.

As for Howard, ANY batter is easy meat for a GOOD pitcher. I mean Carlos Zambrano and Fransisco Liriano make EVERYONE look silly, thats why they are aces. Howard should go to the AL so he can DH, but not every good hitter can be in the AL... the market just isn't big enough for them all.

I showed up a couple of hours late to work last night watching the end of this game. I hope this will boost the Dodgers to clinch the west.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt= ... =260918119

That's a recap of the Dodgers v Padres. Bochy really screwed that one up. He should have had Hoffman start the ninth. My boy Nomar came through.

Some batters put fear in pitcher's mind. Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez, Albert Pujols, Jeter in the playoffs, these guys hit good pitching. Howard is no where near any of these guys.

Now you're comparing Howard to the others in the playoffs? Howard has never been in the playoffs. This is only his second year in the majors. It is unfair to compare him to Jeter in the playoffs. This year, Howard does put the fear of God into the pitchers. They hate pitching to him because he just crushes the ball

Those were just names that popped up in my head. I wasn't trying to compare Howard with postseason players. I know he's young and he hasn't been in the playoffs and I'm not trying to diss the guy. I know he's in the top in most offensive categories this year, I know he walks alot, I know he strikeouts over 30% of the time. He's a decent ballplayer but I wouldn't put him in the same category as the guys I mentioned above. You can even take their postseason stats away. I'd put Howard in the same category as Thome but I seriously doubt pitchers hate pitching to him otherwise he'd have alot more walks and not as many strikeouts.

Is there any way to get an old game? I'd like to download last night's game (Dodgers v Padres) but I'm not sure if that's possible.

You can't say because Howard isn't in the playoffs he is overrated. Baseball is a 25 man game, no one player can make the playoffs. Howard will be #2 on my draft board come next year right behind Pujols.

I'm not saying he's overrated because he hasn't played in the postseason. The Phillies have a good chance to make October ball this year though.

I don't know about fantasy baseball but he would be out of my roster. Among all NL firstbasemen he'd be #6 or #7 on my list.

That would be just crazy. Can you name 6 or 7 better first basemen in the NL? I can name one....Pujols...and even this year I would take Howard over Pujols becaue of stats. Fantasy Baseball is all about stats and there is no way you would pick 6 or 7 first basemen over Howard

Holy shit... now the rapture is coming... TT and RR agreed. FUCK ME!!!

Ryan Howard is crazy good and I would take him right behind Pujols in my fantasy league and MAY even look at him over Pujols. His defense may be suspect, but most GOOD sluggers defense is suspect. I will rock that Howard bandwagon until the fucking wheels fall off!!!

Like I said, I know nothing about fantasy baseball but I thought we were discussing major league baseball. There's no way I would take Howard over Pujols. That's crazy.

If you are looking at MLB, then his defense makes him a risky pick, but his RC27 is off the damn chart. So, I would give up a little defense if I were a GM to get those HR's and RBI's.