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Chat Reel: SI's Stephen Cannella
It's cliche, but Braves are the team to beat
Latest: Saturday September 30, 2000 12:55 PM
Sports Illustrated baseball writer Stephen Cannella joined CNNSI.com users Sept. 29 for a MLB chat. Cannella discussed who has the best chance to win the World Series, his pick for AL MVP and the collapse of the Diamondbacks. A transcript of his Sept. 29 chat follows.
CNNSI Host: Welcome to our major league baseball chat with Sports Illustrated's Stephen Cannella. Thanks for joining us, Stephen.
Stephen Cannella: Thank you, hello everyone.
CNNSI Host: Let's get started with the questions.
From Guest: Is this Yankees late-season collapse for real, or is it just a product of not taking the regular season seriously anymore?
Cannella: I think it's a little bit of both. They definitely have slacked off in the last two weeks. Even a couple players said after a recent series with the Red Sox that they haven't had the same intensity as they did earlier in the year. There is reason to be concerned. Denny Neagle has been struggling and Roger Clemens hasn't looked as invincible as he had earlier in the season. They will pick it up in the playoffs, but at the same time, they won't be able to coast as they have done the last couple of years.
From Guest: Could the Cardinals be a sleeper team in the playoffs? If Mark McGwire can't go, is Will Clark enough to get them over the hump, especially against a team like the Braves?
Cannella: Clark is a more-than-able fill-in for McGwire, but I still don't think that gives them enough to get past the Braves. Even with McGwire, they still don't have enough to get past the Braves. Boring as it is, the Braves are still the class of the NL. Their pitching is so strong and it will be a factor -- enough so to get them past the Cardinals and anyone else in the NL.
From John: Who do you think should win the MVP in the American League?
Cannella: Good question. That's a race that's been close all long. If the A's make it into the playoffs, I'd have to give it to Jason Giambi. There would be an argument for Frank Thomas. But despite his good numbers he is still a DH. Unless Thomas' numbers were far and away better as a DH than everybody else, which isn't the case even with Thomas' season, it's not enough to beat out Giambi.
From NYCdwarf: Who do you think has the best pitching staff heading into the playoffs?
Cannella: Surprise, surprise -- the Braves. Their starters are solid allthe way through and Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are having great years. The staff is also playoff tested and pressure tested. Their closer, John Rocker, looks like he's back to last year's form, which makes their bullpen even stronger.
From Guest: The White Sox have not been the same team in the second half. Do you feel the first half was a fluke? Or can they do some real damage this postseason?
Cannella: I wouldn't say their first half was a fluke. If there was something fluky in that division this year, it was how poorly the Indians played in the first half. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see the White Sox make a first-round exit in the playoffs. Their pitching is in tatters. James Baldwin isn't tested, and has fallen off. Cal Eldred is pitching with a screw in his right elbow. They just aren't playoff tested. History tells us that it's veteran teams that succeed in the postseason.
From Guest: Do you think the Mets will ever beat the Braves in a playoff series?
Cannella: I think it's a possibility. The gap between the Braves and the Mets isn't that huge. And the Mets showed this week that they can beat the Braves. However, I wouldn't bet on it this year.
From Guest: What will become of the Diamondbacks? Will Buck Showalter lose his job, and how much of the blame goes to Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson from the way they pitched down the stretch?
Cannella: Don't think you can put any of the blame on Schilling or Johnson. Johnson had a terrific season, and even if he didn't pitch as well as he would have liked down the tretch, it's hard to pin blame on him for what happened to the Diamondbacks this season. As for Schilling, you have to remember that he had shoulder surgery but a year ago. The fact that he was able to come back and have as much success as he did is amazing. Showalter's situation is still up in the air. The collapase certainly didn't help his situation, but I wouldn't be surprised if he came back next year.
From Guest: How about those Giants? What are their chances to go all the way? Great, good or no chance?
Cannella: I'd say good. Don't know that they have enough as Atlanta. But at the same time Dusty Baker gets his team to play well at times when you think they shouldn't. If there's a team of destiny this year, it is the Giants. And they do have a huge advantage playing in Pac Bell Park in the postseason. If they can somehow scrape by the Braves and make it to the World Series, they have a good chance to win.
From Guest: The Red Sox were picked by many to win the World Series, including Sports Illustrated. What do they do now? Rebuild? Try again?
Cannella: The Red Sox have their work cut out for them this winter. This team has a lot of holes. They need at least one starter after Pedro Martinez, they need more production out of third base, and also more from first base. However, they may have a hard time pursuing big-name free agents in the offseason, because they also have close to $65 million tied up in just 12 players for next season. A huge rebuilding job is going to be difficult because they'll have a hard time trading away high-paid veterans like Dante Bichette and Jose Offerman. So the Red Sox's best bet is to try to plug the holes as best as they can. After all, any team with Pedro Martinez in the rotation has a shot to be a contender.
From Guest: Mike Piazza has faded a bit in the second half. Do you think he needs to make the move to first? Even Pudge said he might move to second soon.
Cannella: I think eventually you may see Piazza switch positions, but don't count on it for at least three or four more years. He does have a history of fading late in the season, as most catchers do. But he still loves to catch and isn't entertaining any serious thoughts of moving to first base right now.
From Guest: Where do you think Manny Ramirez and A-Rod will end up next year?
Cannella: Wouldn't everyone like to know. Well, Rodriguez this week said his first choice is to return to Seattle. How he'll feel a month from now is anyone's guess. I would expect the Mets, Dodgers and the Braves to make strong offers. Whether or not he decides to return to Seattle, however, could depend on how well the team does this offseason, and whether manager Lou Piniella returns, too, next season. As for Ramirez, it's a mistake to try to figure out what he's thinking. No one may know what he's thinking. Manny's agent said yesterday he expects to receive another offer from the Indians, but it's anybody's guess whether Manny will accept that or head to the open market.
From Guest: Can Cleveland catch the A's? Or do you think the race is over?
Cannella: I'm not going to say it's over. But it doesn't look good for the Indians. They have to sweep Toronto this weekend, which is no easy task, and have to hope Oakland loses, too. And I don't see either of those things happening. The Indians had their chance to get back into the race Thursday night against the Twins and they blew it.
From Guest: Mike Mussina looks like he will leave Baltimore. The Orioles can't afford for that to happen. Why haven't they gotten a deal done? And if he leaves, where will he end up?
Cannella: They haven't gotten a deal done 'cause Mussina said earlier in the season he wanted to test the market. If he becomes available he'll be almost as sought after as A-Rod and Ramirez. In the last couple weeks Mussina has indicated that he'd enjoy pitching in Texas, and also in Boston. Those are just two of the many teams that will be lining up to throw Kevin Brown-type money at Mussina.
From Guest: Who do you think will win rookie of the year in the AL?
Cannella: Kazhiro Sazaki of the Mariners. He might lose some votes, because of his age (32) and because he pitched in Japan for 10 years. However, he did set the rookie saves record and Hideo Nomo won the award despite also being an older and experienced rookie.
From Guest: Do you think Carlos Delgado, who has a clause in his contract, will force the Blue Jays to move him this offseason?
Cannella: He may try to get them to restructure his contract, but I think Delgado likes it in Toronto. He's the unquestioned star and leader of that team, and he's very active and popular in the community. Unless the Blue Jays really go backward this winter in terms of trying to build a contender, I think you'll see Delgado return.
From Guest: Who do you think will win the World Series?
Cannella: As of today, I'd have to say Braves over the A's. But I reserve the right to change my mind over the next two weeks.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining us, Stephen.
Cannella: Thanks, enjoyed it.
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