Sunday, April 01, 2007
MLB Fun! (The Nobody Cares Edition)
I've made it a habit now to predict how Major League Baseball's standings will shake out each year. It's a silly thing to do, predicting sports, since rarely is anyone right about much. However, last year I did get the American League East completely correct, naming Boston to finish third (as they did). Ha.
So anyway, it's time for the 2007 edition. It's almost time for the season so I don't have time to dick around. So here you go:
National League East -- Everyone's saying that the Nationals are going to be one of the worst teams in a long time. Many of these same experts absolutely love the Phillies. I think the Phillies will be the same as always: disappointing. The Mets are doing their best to become the oldest team in baseball, signing 40 year old Moises Alou and having two fortysomethings as their top two starters (Glavine and El Duque). Still, the Mets offense and quality bullpen should be enough to have them win 90+ games for the second straight year. I don't, however, think they are built anywhere near well enough to make a serious title run. Mets fans point to being in Game 7 of the NLCS last year. And to that I say, yeah, but you lost that Game 7 (to an 83-win team) and I'm really not sure how the Mets would have fared against the far more prepared Tigers (the Mets were basically out of healthy pitchers). Anyway, I think the Braves are going to come storming back and challenge the Mets for the division. However, there's a good chance Andruw Jones could be traded at midseason since there's no way the Braves will be able to re-sign him next year. If they do trade him, all bets are off. But if they keep him, I see the Braves regaining their NL East crown. It'll go Braves, Mets, Marlins, Phillies, Nationals.
National League Central -- The Cardinals of 2006 were unquestionably the worst team to ever win the World Series. They barely made the playoffs, they only won 83 games, their pitching was a shambles, and they had piss-poor offense. Yet, somehow, they strung together a month of outstanding, clutch, top-of-their-game baseball and beat the teams in their way to win it all. Good for them. And let me just tell you: it was an aberration. The Cards won't even make the playoffs this season. The Brew Crew, who I have been high on for the past couple of years, are ready to break through. I think the Astros window has closed and Roger Clemens isn't going back there. The Cubs are kidding themselves with Lou Pinella, the Reds are plain average and the Pirates are the Pirates. This is still a weak and sad division but the one bright light will be the youthful, up-and-coming Brewers. The division will go Brewers, Cardinals, Pirates, Reds, Astros, Cubs.
National League West -- Another somewhat stinky division. Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's career homers mark this season, probably in May, and the Giants will slog their way through another season with their aging players plus Barry Zito, one of the most overrated pitchers ever. And now overpaid, too. Zito will go 14-16 or something like that and the Giants will be runners-up to the only decent team in the division, the Padres. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be competitive but ultimately irrelevant and the Rockies... well, the Rockies have a chance to be good soon but it's become hard to convince anybody that a team can win at altitude, no matter how little the actual effect might be. The effect in players' (especially pitchers') heads is immeasurable. The West will go Padres, Giants, Dodgers, D-Backs, Rockies.
American League East -- Ho-hum. Another division title for the Yankees. And, unless something changes, another early playoff exit against a team with better, healthier, young pitching. It seems so simple to me so I don't understand why the Yankees aren't addressing it. Still, Phil Hughes will be up this year and the future is bright with him and Wang anchoring the rotation for a while. We'll see if Igawa is worth what the Yankees paid. I don't think he will be. Boston is everyone's favorite team to slurp nuts on right now but I don't think they have the horses. They're good offensively but Schilling is old, Beckett is always hurt, and Matsuzaka (whose nickname, "Dice-K," I'm convinced was created simply because inbred, retarded New Englanders would never be able to learn his real first name) is overrated (and doesn't have eight pitches -- stop believing that crap). Baltimore is better but still not in the top two's category. The Jays are consistently improving and chipping away at the hierarchy in this division. Last year they finished second and look to be continuing to improve. And the Devil Rays, well, they'll be exciting offensively and will have a chance to win at least every five days with Scott Kazmir as their ace. Still, I don't see much changing from last year. The AL East will look like Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Orioles, Devil Rays.
American League Central -- What a tough division to pick. Every team is a threat to go to the postseason besides the poor Royals. I think the Twins were amazing last year, sneaking into the division title when the Tigers blew it on the last day of the season. That said, I don't think they can do it again. I'm also not as high on Detroit as so many people are (including Peter Gammons). I think this is finally the year Cleveland makes their breakthrough after winning 93 games two years ago and then taking a huge step back last season. I think this year is where they put it together and Rick Vaughn takes them into the playoffs. I also think the White Sox overachieved beyond belief in 2005 and Ozzie Guillen is no where near the manager that people think he is. They'll take the biggest fall from grace. The AL Central will go Indians, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Royals.
American League West -- What is it with West divisions sucking? The AL West isn't a whole lot more compelling than the NL West. Texas stinks, Seattle stinks, and Oakland lost yet another component of their team when Zito left town. However, as I said earlier, Zito was vastly overrated and the A's have enough to compete. Still, I don't see how the Angels can lose this division given the talent they have. They and Oakland seem to trade the division back and forth and I think this year it's LA's turn. It'll go Angels, A's, Rangers, Mariners.
I say the NL Wild Card will be the Mets and the AL Wild Card will be the Tiggers.
And if I have to make a World Series predicition, I'll go with the Indians over the Brewers. Why the hell not.
So anyway, it's time for the 2007 edition. It's almost time for the season so I don't have time to dick around. So here you go:
National League East -- Everyone's saying that the Nationals are going to be one of the worst teams in a long time. Many of these same experts absolutely love the Phillies. I think the Phillies will be the same as always: disappointing. The Mets are doing their best to become the oldest team in baseball, signing 40 year old Moises Alou and having two fortysomethings as their top two starters (Glavine and El Duque). Still, the Mets offense and quality bullpen should be enough to have them win 90+ games for the second straight year. I don't, however, think they are built anywhere near well enough to make a serious title run. Mets fans point to being in Game 7 of the NLCS last year. And to that I say, yeah, but you lost that Game 7 (to an 83-win team) and I'm really not sure how the Mets would have fared against the far more prepared Tigers (the Mets were basically out of healthy pitchers). Anyway, I think the Braves are going to come storming back and challenge the Mets for the division. However, there's a good chance Andruw Jones could be traded at midseason since there's no way the Braves will be able to re-sign him next year. If they do trade him, all bets are off. But if they keep him, I see the Braves regaining their NL East crown. It'll go Braves, Mets, Marlins, Phillies, Nationals.
National League Central -- The Cardinals of 2006 were unquestionably the worst team to ever win the World Series. They barely made the playoffs, they only won 83 games, their pitching was a shambles, and they had piss-poor offense. Yet, somehow, they strung together a month of outstanding, clutch, top-of-their-game baseball and beat the teams in their way to win it all. Good for them. And let me just tell you: it was an aberration. The Cards won't even make the playoffs this season. The Brew Crew, who I have been high on for the past couple of years, are ready to break through. I think the Astros window has closed and Roger Clemens isn't going back there. The Cubs are kidding themselves with Lou Pinella, the Reds are plain average and the Pirates are the Pirates. This is still a weak and sad division but the one bright light will be the youthful, up-and-coming Brewers. The division will go Brewers, Cardinals, Pirates, Reds, Astros, Cubs.
National League West -- Another somewhat stinky division. Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's career homers mark this season, probably in May, and the Giants will slog their way through another season with their aging players plus Barry Zito, one of the most overrated pitchers ever. And now overpaid, too. Zito will go 14-16 or something like that and the Giants will be runners-up to the only decent team in the division, the Padres. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be competitive but ultimately irrelevant and the Rockies... well, the Rockies have a chance to be good soon but it's become hard to convince anybody that a team can win at altitude, no matter how little the actual effect might be. The effect in players' (especially pitchers') heads is immeasurable. The West will go Padres, Giants, Dodgers, D-Backs, Rockies.
American League East -- Ho-hum. Another division title for the Yankees. And, unless something changes, another early playoff exit against a team with better, healthier, young pitching. It seems so simple to me so I don't understand why the Yankees aren't addressing it. Still, Phil Hughes will be up this year and the future is bright with him and Wang anchoring the rotation for a while. We'll see if Igawa is worth what the Yankees paid. I don't think he will be. Boston is everyone's favorite team to slurp nuts on right now but I don't think they have the horses. They're good offensively but Schilling is old, Beckett is always hurt, and Matsuzaka (whose nickname, "Dice-K," I'm convinced was created simply because inbred, retarded New Englanders would never be able to learn his real first name) is overrated (and doesn't have eight pitches -- stop believing that crap). Baltimore is better but still not in the top two's category. The Jays are consistently improving and chipping away at the hierarchy in this division. Last year they finished second and look to be continuing to improve. And the Devil Rays, well, they'll be exciting offensively and will have a chance to win at least every five days with Scott Kazmir as their ace. Still, I don't see much changing from last year. The AL East will look like Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Orioles, Devil Rays.
American League Central -- What a tough division to pick. Every team is a threat to go to the postseason besides the poor Royals. I think the Twins were amazing last year, sneaking into the division title when the Tigers blew it on the last day of the season. That said, I don't think they can do it again. I'm also not as high on Detroit as so many people are (including Peter Gammons). I think this is finally the year Cleveland makes their breakthrough after winning 93 games two years ago and then taking a huge step back last season. I think this year is where they put it together and Rick Vaughn takes them into the playoffs. I also think the White Sox overachieved beyond belief in 2005 and Ozzie Guillen is no where near the manager that people think he is. They'll take the biggest fall from grace. The AL Central will go Indians, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Royals.
American League West -- What is it with West divisions sucking? The AL West isn't a whole lot more compelling than the NL West. Texas stinks, Seattle stinks, and Oakland lost yet another component of their team when Zito left town. However, as I said earlier, Zito was vastly overrated and the A's have enough to compete. Still, I don't see how the Angels can lose this division given the talent they have. They and Oakland seem to trade the division back and forth and I think this year it's LA's turn. It'll go Angels, A's, Rangers, Mariners.
I say the NL Wild Card will be the Mets and the AL Wild Card will be the Tiggers.
And if I have to make a World Series predicition, I'll go with the Indians over the Brewers. Why the hell not.
Labels: me taking sports way too seriously, MLB, predictions
