It's already past opening, but who cares. Predictions are predictions. You're not going to change your mind on what happens depending on one game. Albert Pujols & Garrett Jones aren't hitting 328 home runs...well, maybe Albert will...but still, you get the picture. Let's get on with it.
AMERICAN LEAGUE:
EAST winner: New York Yankees. They got younger, they added another dominant starting pitcher, and they still have Jeter, A-Rod, Mo, Teixiera, etc. Any questions? Boston and the Rays will compete; the Orioles are still a couple years away and the Blue Jays are in rebuilding mode.
CENTRAL winner: Chicago White Sox. This should be a three team race with the Twins and Tigers right behind. I like the White Sox pitching more than both teams and I think they can squeeze just enough offense out of their players. Losing Joe Nathan will hurt the Twins and I don't think the Tigers are stable enough to win the division. The Royals and Indians are what they are.
WEST winner: Los Angeles Angels. Even though they lost John Lackey and Vlad, I still think they come out ahead of this division. Many people really like what the Mariners did this off-season, but is last year an abberation with getting 10 more wins than expected according to the Pythag method? The Rangers might not stay healthy and the A's don't have enough offense.
WILD CARD: Boston Red Sox. I really want to pick the Rays, but Boston really improved their team this off-season. They have a great defense, big bats, and the arms to stay in the race and give the Yankees a real threat.
MVP: Alex Rodriguez, 3B, New York Yankees. A full season with no controversy. I see 45 home runs, 120 RBI's and a .320 batting average.
Longshot MVP: Kendry Morales, 1B, Los Angeles Angels. Someone predicted him to have a breakout year last season (http://arosportsblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/ive-awakentime-to-post-mlb-preview.html)...who was that again? Hmmm...Anyways, I think he takes another step up this year.
Cy Young: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners. Improved defense around him. Still in a pitcher's park. Only needs 3 runs to win a game. Yeah, that's my guy.
Longshot Cy Young: Brett Anderson, Oakland A's. Another guy I predicted a breakout for last year...get ready for this year!
Five players that will breakout:
Travis Snider, OF, Toronto Blue Jays....always been one year behind Adam Lind
Wade Davis, SP, Tampa Bay Rays....future star in waiting; maybe more upside than Price
Franklin Gutierrez, OF, Seattle Mariners....flashed the glove last year; offense catches up this year
Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers....excellent glove & speed, will be a top leadoff hitter
Gordon Beckham, 2B, Chicago White Sox...there is a reason they brought up early last season
NATIONAL LEAGUE:
EAST WINNER: Philadelphia Phillies. The best team in the National League and they added a Cy Young pitcher in Roy Halladay and upgrade at third base of Placido Polanco. The Braves should be right on there heels and the Mets and Marlins will put up a decent fight as well. Washington gets to watch Stephen Strasburgh pitch all summer which will at least excite their fan base.
CENTRAL WINNER: St. Louis Cardinals. The only questions are the back end of the rotation and the bullpen. Everything else will be fine. The Brewers don't have enough pitching, the Cubs don't have enough hitting or a bullpen that can protect leads. The Reds are starting to turn things around and the Pirates might surprise a few teams with their young talent. The team that time is running out for is the Astros, who look older every year.
WEST WINNER: Colorado Rockies. They finally have enough pitching to win consistently year after year. This team was very hot last summer and fall and has the talent to put together a nice run for a possible World Series berth. The Dodgers have the hitting but no pitching, the Giants have the pitching, but not enough hitting and the Padres just have Adrian Gonzalez.
WILD CARD: Atlanta Braves. This is the last year for Bobby Cox and the Braves will do everything in their power to get him in the playoffs and attempt one more run at a Series.
MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals. Do I really need to explain?
Longshot MVP: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies. He is on the verge of having a MONSTER year along with Gold Glove defense.
Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants. Why not make it three in a row? And just so I can go against everyone's pick of Halladay.
Longshot Cy Young: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies. He gets to go up against number two pitchers for a full season instead of aces. The only problem is Halladay might end up with twenty-five wins.
Five players that will breakout:
Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta Braves....yeah, I know, you already know about him...but he is THAT good....290/25/100 is my guess
Colby Rasmus, OF, St. Louis Cardinals....another player who will see a lot of fastballs with Pujols & Holliday already on base
Jason Hammel, SP, Colorado Rockies....A pitcher, in Coors Field, am I crazy?
Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado Rockies....The power is there, but can he hit lefties?
Mike Pelfrey, SP, New York Mets....Someone in that rotation has to step up and I think Pelfrey will be the guy to do it
PLAYOFFS & WORLD SERIES:
AL Wild-Card Round: Yankees over White Sox, Red Sox over Angels
NL Wild-Card Round: Phillies over Cardinals, Rockies over Braves
AL Divisional Series: Yankees over Red Sox
NL Divisional Series: Phillies over Rockies
World Series: Phillies over Yankees (6 games and two Roy Halladay victories)
One last prediction:
NATIONAL LEAGUE wins the All-Star Game!!
