Nick's Picks

Pitchers and Catchers have reported and spring training games are now under way which can only mean that baseball is coming back and I cannot wait for the new season to start. I mean every year I get a chubby waiting for the games to start and this year is no different. So, I know it is early and there will still be some spring training trades here and there but here are my predictions for the upcoming season as of right now.

National League

East – 1. Atlanta, 2. New York, 3. Philadelphia, 4. Washington 5. Florida. – I won’t pick against Atlanta until they lose a division. Fifteen straight division titles is amazing. The Mets have done a lot of good things in the off-season but still have pitching issues. The Phillies will score a ton of runs but again pitching is a little weak. The Nat's are a decent team with couple of nice players but are not deep enough to compete in this divison. The Marlins have Willis, Cabrera and a bunch of minor leaguer’s.

Central - 1. St. Louis, 2. Milwaukee, 3. Chicago, 4. Houston, 5. Pittsburgh, 6. Cincinnati – Cardinals still have a potent lineup and pitching is still very good. I can’t see them not winning this division. Brewers are my sleeper team of the year. They have quietly had a very good off-season to go with a .500 record from last year. If all goes well they are the wild card team. My Cubs just have to many question marks in the lineup and the rotation. The Astros lineup doesn’t scare anyone and with out Rodger that pitching staff is very average. The Pirates will be better but still aren’t ready to compete. The Reds are a complete mess and their rotation may be the worst in all of baseball.

West – 1. San Francisco, 2. Los Angeles, 3. San Diego, 4. Colorado, 5. Arizona – The Giants are the best of a bad lot. If Bonds stays healthy, a big if, the Giants run away with this division. The Dodgers are an enigma. A tough team to figure out, with a lot of question marks. Still a good bullpen and they will sneak in if the Giants lose Bonds. The Padres got in last year with 82 wins and they are not as good as that. Not enough offense and the pitching is average at best. The Rockies will be better and will score runs but like every year will have trouble getting anyone out. The Diamondbacks are a mess. They can’t hit, field or pitch. That usually spells trouble.

American League

East – 1. New York, 2. Toronto, 3. Boston, 4. Tampa Bay, 5. Baltimore – This is the Yankees division to lose. This lineup is one of the best that I have ever scene. The pitching is old but is still good enough to get them to a division title. The Blue Jays have made some significant improvements and will be a lot better. If this teams comes together they will make a run at the wild card and the Yankees. The Red Sox have some glaring holes. Besides replacing their entire infield and their center fielder their pitching is a year older and suspect. The Devil Rays have some nice young players, but still no pitching. I have no idea what the Orioles are doing. They are worse off then they were a year ago.

Central – 1. Chicago, 2. Cleveland, 3. Minnesota, 4. Detroit, 5. Kansas City – I can’t argue with the success the Sox have had and I think at least on paper that they are better then they were a year ago. The Indians are a good young team that will win the wild card if they get the pitching I think they will get. The Twins have a great pitching staff but I just don’t think they will score enough runs to keep up with the Sox and Indians. The Tigers will be better and have some serious offense but don’t have the arms to compete. The Royals will be respectable but can’t compete in a surprisingly loaded division.

West – 1. Oakland, 2. Los Angeles, 3. Texas, 4. Seattle – The A’s are a very good team that has made a lot of nice pickups. They could be this years White Sox. The Angels have lost too much from a team that wasn’t as good as its record. The Rangers as usual have lots of offense and I like the Millwood pickup but there is not enough pitching there to compete. The Mariners are in re-building mode and have some nice pieces in place to make a run maybe as soon as next year.

Playoffs

St. Louis over San Francisco in 4

Atlanta over Milwaukee in 5

St. Louis over Atlanta in 6

New York over Cleveland in 4

Oakland over Chicago in 4

New York over Oakland in 7

St. Louis over New York in 7