* Rays finish 4th in AL East

* Tsuyoshi Nishioka becomes the next Kaz Matsui and Twins are forced to play Alexi Casilla and Trevor Plouffe up the middle for the stretch run

* Brad Penny makes 30 starts

* Bartolo Colon lasts 2 starts w/ the Yankees before going 0-2 and being DFA'ed

* bounce back years for Carlos Quentin, Aaron Hill and Josh Beckett

* no bounce back years for AJ Burnett, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Zobrist, or Grady Sizemore

* Carlos Santana becomes an absolute star in Cleveland

* Guys who get traded by deadline: Fausto Carmona and Joakim Soria

Tigers miss the playoffs

Tigers miss the playoffs

This

Also I don't think Texas's pitching will be as strong as last year. Colby Lewis, Tommy Hunter & C.J. Wilson will have a hard time duplicating last year's success and I have zero faith that Brandon Webb will be able to stay healthy. Their pen is strong though w/ Rhodes, O'Day, Oliver and Feliz, but they don't have the horses in the rotation to make it back to the playoffs without adding a front-line starter at the deadline again (likely won't be any elite ones available).

Tigers miss the playoffs

I think they'll make the playoffs. Minnesota is in no way shape or form better this year than last year and Chicago has a ton of variables w/ Peavy, E-Jax and no real closer. Plus they're giving the 3B job to an unproven Brent Morel.

Few things in life are certain, the Twins finishing ahead of the Tigers being one of them.

Minnesota incoming: 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Minnesota outgoing: 2B Orlando Hudson, SS J.J. Hardy, RP Jon Rauch, RP Matt Guerreir, RP Jesse Crain, RP Brian Fuentes, RP Ron Mahay, C Jose Morales


Best case scenario: Nishioka puts up the same numbers as Hudson last year. Hardy wasn't a valuable player but he's better than Alexi Casilla on a full time basis. The bullpen loses a ton w/ Guerrier, Crain & Rauch all putting in heavy innings for them late in games. Asking Jose Mijares, Pat Neshek, and Alex Burnett to fill the void will be a tall task. Joe Nathan will be back, and I think he'll be fine, but somebody needs to bridge the gap between him and the starters (a few of which are coming off less than stellar seasons: Blackburn, Slowey, and Baker).

Also the Morneau issue is worth watching. The guy is still dealing w/ headaches after his concussion last summer. Now they've been able to play well w/o Morneau the last 2 years in the stretch runs, but its naive to think a team that has lost so much this past offseason can continue to win w/o their best hitter at 100%.

We're giving the 2B job to Will Rhymes, lol

We're giving the 2B job to Will Rhymes, lol

I don't get the vibe the organization is very high on Rhymes. Sizemore has way more upside and also has some value as a potential trade chip. I think they'll look for any excuse possible to give the job to Sizemore -- even if Rhymes outperforms him in the spring. Will Rhymes is basically Ramon Santiago.

3rd place for DETRIOT.

^^ Lions

I think the Tigers win the division finally. If not I think the White Sox beat them and not the Twins.

I just hope the late season pwnings of the Sux and Twins carry over into this season.

We will win the division.

I predict no one comes away as a clear-cut satisfying LF, unfortunately.

I predict no one comes away as a clear-cut satisfying LF, unfortunately.

I agree, but only until mid-June which is when Raburn seems to find his stroke. If he can just have a decent April, he's more than capable of being an everyday player.

^ very true.

I predict I'm going to be able to go to more than one game this year.

I'm going to the home opener!

bump

Tigers vs. Brewers in the World Series, Tigers WIN!

Don't aks why I picked the Brewers, it just feels right.

Expecting any surprises on the playoff roster from the senile one, Vinny?

edit...also EAT SHIT VINNY!