Pre-Season Predictions

We're a few days in the season, but it's still early enough to do pre-season predictions. I was just too lazy to do them a few days ago.

American League

AL East
Boston Red Sox
Tampa Bay Rays
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays
Baltimore Orioles

Red Sox are still as strong as ever, especially with Mike Lowell back at third, a healthy Josh Beckett, and added depth in the pitching department. Rays will have a good enough season to snag the wild card if their young rotation can stay healthy, and Burrell will add some pop into their lineup. Yankees threw money around this offseason like it was nothing and signed some big names. Sabathia was off to a terrible start last year, and was lights out as soon as he was traded to the NL, I don't think he will earn his pay cheque (could anyone earn that anyways?) and will struggle at times in the AL East. Burnett is not set to get paid at the end of this season, so expect a couple trips to the DL and for him to be inconsistent. Yanks are without A-Roid for a month or so, and they still don't have anyone to bridge the way to Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning. They will lose a decent amount of games because of it, when their starting pitchers doesn't do well. Jays will do better than they are expected with Cito Gaston and his crew there for a whole season out of spring training. Their bats will be surprisingly good but the end of their rotation will let them down this year from time to time, don't expect Scott Richmond to be here for long, and for the Jays to float around 82-87 wins at the end of the year. The Orioles are the Orioles and won't have much to be excited about this year except for when Matt Wieters gets the call.

AL Central
Minnesota Twins
Cleveland Indians
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals

Minnesota's young arms will do them good again this year, with the additon of Joe Crede expecting to have a full healthy year, expect better numbers from the likes of Carlos Gomez and Michael Cuddyer. The Tribe are back with a healthy Hafner, Martinez and Carmona. Say no more. White Sox will have another decent year but won't be enought to handle Twins and Indians, Tigers offence should knock in a lot of runs, but their terrible bullpen will let them down. Kansas City Royals will be mathamatically eliminated in June. (joking, obviously)

AL West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Texas Rangers
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners

Angels will be just as good as last year, Rodriguez and Anderson out, Fuentes and Abreu in, pretty even replacements, but let's give the edge to Abreu. Texas will pound in a lot of runs again this year and it will be fun to see what Andruw Jones will do, and what Elvis Andrus, the defensive wizard at shortstop will do in his rookie year. Their defence gave up 107 unearned runs in 2008 (the most since 1999), and their #1 starter won only 9 games. Winning 79 games last year, this team has no where to go but up. Adding Holliday to the A's lineup won't do a lot, he's coming for the NL playing in a hitters park at Coors Field, to the worst hitters park in the league. At home in 2008: .332 AVG, 15 HR, 59 RBI. On the road in 2008: .308 AVG, 10 HR, 29 RBI. Don't expect him to hit well above .300 or drive in 137 RBI like he did in 2007. He should be more around .300/25/100. Marines have a pretty weak bullpen and it's nice to see Griffey back in an M's uniform, but they haven't improved much from last year.  Let's hope Erik Bedard can pitch a full, healthy year.

Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays

American League Champion: Boston Red Sox

Most Valuable Player: Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers)
Acknowledgements to: Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins), Grady Sizemore (Cleveland Indians), Mark Teixera (New York Yankees).

Cy Young Winner: Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays)
Acknowledgements to: Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox), Jon Lester (Boston Red Sox), Erik Bedard (Seattle Mariners).

Rookie of the Year: Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles)
Acknowledgements to: David Price (Tampa Bay Rays), Travis Snider (Toronto Blue Jays), Elvis Andrus (Texas Rangers).

Comeback Player: Travis Hafner (Cleveland Indians)
Acknowledgements to: Victor Martinez (Cleveland Indians), Eric Chavez (Oakland Athletics), Joe Crede (Chicago White Sox).

Manager of the Year: Eric Wedge (Cleveland Indians)

Home Run Leader: Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers)

Batting Title: Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers)

Surprise Player: Howie Kendrick (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

Dissapointment: Cliff Lee (Cleveland Indians)

National League

NL East
Philadelphia Philles
New York Mets
Florida Marlins
Atlanta Braves
Washington Nationals

Phillies bring back basically the same championship team as last year, but they've got to hope they can get Hamels back and healthy, and only big move is Pat Burrel out, Raul Ibanez in. Mets bullpen was terrible last year, so they went out and signed the man with the single season saves record (Francisco Rodriguez) and J.J. Putz to set him up. My only concern is the back end of their rotation, and the rest of their bullpen, because if a starting pitching is out early, they don't have a lot of guys who can bridge the gap to Putz and K-Rod, and those two guys can't pitch every day. Marlins young starting rotation will keep them competative in the division and their lineup should knock in a decent amount of runs, they've got a lot of speed on the basepaths. The Braves had two big additions in Garret Anderson and Derek Lowe, Anderson is getting old and is still a pretty good hitter and won't make a huge impact, and Derek Lowe can only go out their once every five games and the rest of their pitching staff isn't exactly A+. Nationals keep their spot in the basement as usual but will provice some optimism in the future with young players like Milledge, Dukes and Zimmerman if he can stay healthy.

NL Central
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Houston Astros
Pittsburgh Pirates

Cubs are coming back with basically the same team as last year but with the addition of Milton Bradley and Kevin Gregg and the loss of Mark DeRosa and closer Kerry Wood. St. Louis' pitching staff should be in better shape and will finish second simply because the Brewers are a much weaker team this year. Reds will surprise a lot of people this year with a lot to look forward to in the future with the likes of Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto, they will be a highly competative team. Brewers will have the same pretty good offence, but I don't want to start with their pitching staff, they will hold them back. Houston and Pirates be at the bottom, and the Pirates for obvious reasons.

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
San Diego Padres

Dodgers will finish first even without Derek Lowe, they've got Kuroda and Billingsley to pick up the slack. They've got a good young offence with a lot of spark and potential, and the way Manny lit up NL pitching last year, it should be exciting to see what he can do with a full season under his belt. Diamondbacks should be competative but aren't good enough to beat out the Dodgers and don't have enough big bats in their lineup. Giants should be a fun team to watch with Randy Johnson going for 300 wins and Linecum looking to follow up his Cy Young year with another great season. Rockies will miss Fuentes and Holliday, and Padres don't have much to look forward to this year.

Wild Card: New York Mets

National League Champions: New York Mets

Most Valuable Player: David Wright (New York Mets)
Acknowledgements to: Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals), Manny Ramirez (Los Angeles Dodgers), Jose Reyes (New York Mets).

Cy Young Winner: Johan Santana (New York Mets)
Acknowledgements to: Brandon Webb (Arizona Diamondbacks), Roy Oswalt (Houston Astros), Rich Harden (Chicago Cubs).

Rookie of the Year: Cameron Maybin (Florida Marlins)
Acknowledgements to: Jordan Schafer (Atlanta Braves), Tommy Hanson (Atlanta Braves), Jason Motte (St. Louis Cardinals).

Comeback Player: Chris Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals)
Acknowledgements to: Jeff Francouer (Atlanta Braves), Alex Gonzalez (Cincinnati Reds), Anibal Sanchez (Florida Marlins).

Manager of the Year: Dusty Baker (Cincinnati Reds)

Home Run Leader: Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies)

Batting Title: Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals)

Surprise Player: Jeff Francouer (Atlanta Braves)

Dissapointment: Ryan Ludwick (St. Louis Cardinals)