Baseball 2011

[smc]

I'm getting tired of hearing about the Phillies pitching rotation for 2011 and the speculation that it might be the greatest in the history of baseball. I was thinking about this today when I was discussing baseball with a colleague. Despite the hyperbole and the frequent claims by the baseball "talking heads" on ESPN, NESN, etc., that Halliday et al. are greater than the 1969 Orioles rotation, I've decided I think this is crap. Here's why:

1. We haven't seen this rotation go through a year together -- that's the obvious reason.

2. The Orioles rotation, back in the 4-man days, were pitchers who expected to go 9 innings every time they pitched. With the exception of Halliday, none of the Phillies will be routinely going more than 6 or 7!

So, before the season starts, isn't it a bit ridiculous to anoint the Phillies when in 1969 Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Pat Dobson, and Dave McNally became the only staff other than the 1920 Chicago White Sox with a quartet of 20-game winners?

My baseball fan friends, what think ye?