Here are my American league and post season predictions.
East
1. Boston Red Sox – The defending World Champs are loaded. They are the class of the AL. A great lineup, lights out rotation and a killer bullpen. That spells trouble for the rest of the East. Only thing that can stop them will be complacency or injuries.
2. New York Yankees – I do not like the way this team is made up. They are depending on two rookies in their rotation and over the hill Mussina. Any lineup with Alex Rodriguez is going to be good, but unlike years past they have some holes. I also don’t like the Girardi hire. Girardi is better with a young team that is up and coming like the Marlins were. I am skeptical of this club.
3. Toronto Blue Jays – Toronto is the unluckiest team in baseball in that they play in the division with the two big spenders. The Jays have a nice rotation and have some good hitters. If things break their way I could see them passing the Yanks for second.
4. Tampa Bay Rays – This club believe it or not is up and coming. A nice young nucleolus of hitters and a pitching staff that is getting better. They might need another year of maturity, to gel but they are getting their at long last. They could finish the season at .500.
5. Baltimore Orioles – A total wreck. This team is going to be bad, real bad. Very low on talent and they play in a tough division. They traded Bedard and Tejada who were their two best players. Having Andy McPhail run things is also a bad sign. This unit will lose 100 games.
Central
1. Detroit Tigers – That lineup is scary good. They are going to score runs in bunches. The pitching has some questions in the bullpen but, they should be offset by a lineup with the potential to score over 1,000 runs. Not an easy out 1-9 and no one to pitch around. They will be good.
2. Cleveland Indians – They learned a lot last year and gained some nice post season experience. Still, they had Boston down and could not finish them. I like the team as a whole as they can hit and pitch. They will be up with the Tigers all year in what should be a pretty good race.
3. Chicago White Sox – The White Sox are a puzzling team. They have a nice middle of the lineup but, there are too many holes. Any pitching staff depending on a return to form from AARP member Jose Contreas is in trouble. Still, they should be around .500
4. Minnesota Twins – The Twins are in re-building mode but can still be a dangerous team. Morneau, Mauer, Young and Cuddyer form a nice nucleolus. They are a little thin in the pitching department, but with a few breaks will be back as soon as 2009.
5. Kansas City Royals – The Junior circuit’s answer to the Pirates. There at long last is a little light at the end of the tunnel. They will be better, and have some young players that look good in Gordon and Teahen. If some of their pitching comes around they might at long last be on the right track.
West
1. Seattle Mariners – This is a two team race between them and the Halo’s. I am going to go out on limb and pick Seattle. I like their pitching and I feel they will score enough. Adding Bedard was huge and with Putz in the bullpen they have a lights out closer.
2. Los Angeles Angels – The Halo’s are an interesting club. I like a lot of parts of it. Outfield will put up numbers but their infield has holes. They have pitching depth as well so, they will be good. Still, I just have this feeling Seattle beats them out.
3. Texas Rangers – A team that has no direction. I don’t get that Texiara trade they made last July. Pitching is brutal and even though they have some nice hitters it won’t be enough to offset the mediocre staff.
4. Oakland A’s – Truly a re-building year in Oaktown. They have a lot of good young players coming up the pipeline however, and Billy Beane will have this team competitive again by as early as next year. Still, in 2008 they will experience some growing pains.
Playoffs
NL
Mets over Dodgers
Cubs over Phillies
Mets over Cubs
AL
Indians over Red Sox
Tigers over Mariners
Tigers over Indians
World Series
Tigers over Mets
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