my turn

I suppose that I can’t let this week get away from me without throwing my predictions out there, too.  Here are Wyatt’s, in case you missed them.

Mine:
AL
East:  Rays (although their decision to send David Price to the minors at the start of the year concerns me – I’d say he’s at least their 4th best pitcher.  Also, the three best teams in the AL are in this division, and I like the O’s longterm, too.)
Central:  Indians (love their hitters, their pitching is sketchier, but everyone else in the division has bigger question marks)
West:  Angels (I feel strangely confident that they’re the best team in the division)
Wild Card:  Red Sox (their depth is tremendous – and the Yankees’ A-Rod absence for the first few weeks will be just enough to put Boston in front)
MVP: Grady Sizemore

NL
East:  Mets (I like the Sheffield addition, at the very least for some depth.  They might have to find someone other than Delgado for 1B, though.  Also, Matt Stairs and Jayson Werth of the Phillies are great complements for one another, aren’t they?)
Central:  Cubs (and I don’t think it’s particularly close)
West:  Diamondbacks (this is basically a coinflip division between the Backs and the Dodgers)
Wild Card:  Dodgers (I expect the Mets, Phils, Braves, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers to be duking this out into late September – the West teams just play in a slightly weaker division.  I also think the Rockies might actually surprise some folks, no joke)
MVP:  Albert Pujols

NLCS:  Cubs over Mets in 6 (for my sanity, please, only six)
ALCS:  Red Sox over Rays in 7
World Series: I’m not going there…yet.

Baseball is Back

Ah, the budding of the trees, the increasing amount of sunshine each day, and the changing of wardrobes can only mean one thing… the return of Baseball!

My predictions for the 2009 season:

• AL East: Yankees
• AL Central: Indians
• AL West: Angels
• AL Wild Card: Rays
• NL East: Phillies
• NL Central: Cubs
• NL West: Dodgers
• NL Wild Card: Mets
• ALCS: Yankees over Angels in 6
• NLCS: Cubs over Phillies in 7
• World Series: In the most viewed World Series in who knows how long the Yanks beat the Cubs in 7

*If you have an Iphone/Ipod Touch, I highly recommend you get the MLB At Bat 2009 Application. I know ten dollars seems like a high price-tag, but if you use MLB Gameday frequently like I do, it’s a must have. Plus, this year’s version comes with Gameday Audio, which is fifteen dollars itself if you were to buy it off MLB.com.