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 Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:57 am
In the NL Central, I am confident that the Cubs will finish first and the Pirates last, but the standings in between could easily be far different than I predicted. The Brewers have great-looking youngsters, the Reds might have the best offense in that division, while the Cardinals will be dangerous if their key pitchers return healthy- and if Pujols and Glaus have the wonderful seasons they normally have. The Astros have a good offense, but their pitching lacks talent and depth (besides Roy Oswalt and Jose Valverde), which means that they will probably be mediocre.
(Continued in next post...)
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:59 am
I believe that the NL East will be one of the most exciting divisions to watch. Any of those top three teams (Mets, Phillies, and Braves) could finish in first place. The Mets, now with Santana, have a great-looking rotation on paper, and their offense appears to be solid. However, the key for this team to finish first is to stay healthy: last year, they lost their lead to the Phillies due to frequent injuries and an overworked bullpen. The Phillies have a dynamic offense on paper, but their pitching does not look as good as what the Mets have. The Braves have a terrific balance: a formidable rotation, a decent bullpen, and an excellent offense that features key youngsters such as Brian McCann, Jeff Franceour, Yunel Escobar, and Kelly Johnson. They will be competitive the entire season, but their key to winning depends on whether Chipper Jones and Mark Kotsay stay healthy. If so, they have a nice chance of unseating the Mets and Phillies.
(Continued in next post...)
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:02 am
The AL West is not much of a mystery. The Angels look too good to lose first place, with a powerful offense, a nice bullpen, and a good starting rotation. However, they just lost Kelvim Escobar, and if he does not recover in time to rejoin their rotation, the Angels may slip. The Mariners, if they acquire Erik Bedard, will have a powerful front to their rotation as well as a solid bullpen and a well-balanced offense. They have the best chance of unseating the Angels. The A's and Rangers are rebuilding, but if the A's stay healthy they will definitely surprise the Major Leagues. The Rangers need some more time to build, but they look to be going in the right direction.
(Continued in next post...)
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:06 am
The AL Central is also looking to be an exhilarating race. The Tigers offense is the powerhouse of the Majors, and their starting pitching looks intimidating as well. If the offense provides the runs that they are expected to, and if the starting pitching lives up to its reputation, then there will be hardly any worry for the bullpen. Those guys just need to stay healthy. The Indians have an outstanding farm system and a nice core of players to support their Major League team. They will definitely be competitive, and if the team supports players like C.C. Sabathia and Grady Sizemore, then they will have the best chance of taking the Wild Card. The White Sox have a good offense but a pitching system that has been troubled by injuries. If they stay healthy and regain their form, then Chicago might make a leap in the standings. The Royals are on the right path and now must be patient with their youngsters, because when those players develop, this team will be scary. The Twins are rebuilding, but they also might be a surprise if Francisco Liriano and Joe Mauer stay healthy. They have a bright future with the many youngsters they inherited from their trades this off-season.
(Continued in next post...)
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:09 am
And finally, the AL East. The Red Sox just lost Curt Schilling, but this opens a chance for Clay Bucholz to prove himself. If Bucholz and John Lester live up to expectations, they will provide much-needed support for Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Tim Wakefield. The Sox have a fine balance in their pitching system, and their offense will probably be better than last year. If so, they could recapture the World Series. The Yankees must find a first baseman to complement their solid offense. They now have a supreme farm system and key youngsters who are already in the Majors, but these youngsters must perform to expectations if the Yankees are to reach the playoffs. The Blue Jays look better than ever, with an excellent offense and a great pitching system, but their key acquisitions such as Scott Rolen and David Eckstein must stay healthy and perform well. Plus, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay must rebound from disappointing 2007 seasons to prove their worth. If not, the Jays will not have a chance of breaking the Red Sox-Yankees monopoly. The Royals are set to surprise, but they need at least a year or two more for their prized youngsters to develop. However, acquiring veterans such as Troy Percival and Cliff Floyd was key to their imminent success this year. The Orioles are rebuilding, but if they succeed in acquiring that package of youngsters from the Mariners for Bedard, then they will begin heading in the right direction.
(Last post coming up...)
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:10 am
All in all, it's looking to be a very competitive year. Expect teams that were once a joke to shock other teams, such as the Reds, Nationals, Rays, and Royals. But expect the powerhouse teams like the Tigers, Red Sox, Angels, Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers to prevail. One thing is for sure: 2008 will be a season full of thrills!
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:11 pm
Those are some great post. I pretty much agree with everything you said.
I'll just throw out my prediction for every division.
National League
NL West
{Beside the NL East I think this is the 2nd thoughest division. It was pretty hard putting the Giants in last place.}
1. Arizona D-Backs
2. Colorado Rockies
3. San Diego Padres
4. LA Dodgers
5. San Francisco Giants
NL Central
{This is the weakest division in all of baseball, I think the Cubs are the clear winner}
1. Chicago Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
NL East
{I got the Mets on top but I wouldn't be suprise if the Phillies are up there by the end of the season}
1. New York Mets
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Washington Nationals
5. Florida Marlins
American League
AL West
{Seattle is the only threat to win the division but even with Bedard I don't see them winning.}
1. LA Angels
2. Seattle Mariners
3. Oakland A's
4. Texas Rangers
AL Central
{Detroit got the best offense in the League and decent pitching, but I wouldn't count out the Indians.}
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Kansas City Royals
AL East
{If the Yanks had Santana this would have been a different story. I believe this year the Yanks won't make the playoff.}
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Baltimore Orioles
NL Wild Card: Colorado Rockies
AL Wild Card: Indians
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:28 pm
i prodict tat the pistions will win the nba champinship biggrin rofl exclaim
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:37 pm
dark_tooth666 i prodict tat the pistions will win the nba champinship biggrin rofl exclaim And I predict that you will never learn how to spell. Anyway at least say why you think that.
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Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 12:34 pm
Very good predictions, A1. Yeah, the NL Central is definitely the weakest division, while the NL West and both East divisions are the strongest. Besides the first-place teams (as we predicted), I think the most interesting team to watch this season will be the Yankees. They have a new manager, a young pitching staff, and a good mix of players in their lineup. I agree that they PROBABLY will not beat Cleveland for the Wild Card or Boston for the division (and those are two very big "probably-s", but if their trio of youngsters in the starting rotation prevails- and if the rest of the team contributes- then they might pull through. Just remember how Joe Girardi turned the Marlins around; he might do the same with the Yankees.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:11 am
Nice prediction Doc. hyphae. I have feeling that the Reds are going to win the NL central.
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 3:50 pm
These are the players that I think that are going to have a breakout year:
Chad Billingsley
Stephen Drew
Lastings Milledge
Fred Lewis
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:05 pm
Boston_24 These are the players that I think that are going to have a breakout year: Chad Billingsley Stephen Drew Lastings Milledge Fred Lewis
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:08 pm
A11121112111 Those are some great post. I pretty much agree with everything you said.
NL Central
{This is the weakest division in all of baseball, I think the Cubs are the clear winner}
1. Chicago Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:24 pm
Steven_85 A11121112111 Those are some great post. I pretty much agree with everything you said.
NL Central
{This is the weakest division in all of baseball, I think the Cubs are the clear winner}
1. Chicago Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
If they stay healthy they'll have a pretty good shot but right now I think the Cubs and Reds both have a better shot then the Cards.
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