Spring training is almost here, so I guess it's time for some predictions. I'm not the mod here, so if Vinny wants to swat this and derive his own predictions thread, I'm cool with it.

Here's DM's predictions.

AL

West -- Angels going away. They made no significant changes over the offseason because they didn't have to. Injuries and sub-par years from Vlad and Cabrera kept them from running away with the division until late. A stronger pitching corp. and the return of McPherson should offer up a 100 win season.

Central -- Indians. They were close last year, but didn't have neither the experience nor the energy to sustain the late run They will this year, beating the White Sox by several games. The Tigers will be better, hovering around .500.

East -- Blue Jays. A good off-season, coupled with a shitty BoSox off-season and and my absolute hatred for the Yankees allows me to pick the Jays in an upset. With Halliday back and the bat of Glaus, if Burnett has a good season, the Jays will win a close one.

Wild Card -- Gulp. Yankees. Shit!!!!

NL

West -- Padres. They sucked last year, but I think they'll get it together this year and beat the Dodgers by two games in a tight race. Both teams will have over 90 wins.

Central -- Haha, are you ready?... Cards. They're the new Braves. Though the Cubs and Astros will make a run. Wow! Now that one was a brain cramp.

East -- The Mets winning the best division in baseball. With a Triple A Marlins team to beat up on, an up-and-down Nationals, and a vastly reconstructed Phillies team, the Braves pose the only real threat, though the division might once again stay close until the final month. The Mets just have too much talent, and have been spending too much money NOT to win this division.

Wild Card -- Da Cubs, yo. [smilie=arrgh.jpg]

East: Boston. Better starting pitching than any other team and they are close to getting Crisp, which is huge. Yankees great lineup and great bullpen, but Mussina and Johnson another year older and another year of breakdowns.

Central: White Sox have too much SP and they can spin one of them for another bat if they need to. Indians are going to finish second and I think they will be getting the WC. Hafner needs to play a full season. Tigers can make run at the Twins for 3rd. BTW if Thome gets 400 AB, they win the ALC easily.

West: A's easy. They have the best SP in the division and adding Bradley might hurt the chemistry some, it helps their line up tremendously. Street is the real deal.

East: Mets have the pieces, but do they have enough heart. I still think the Braves will win it until someone proves otherwise. Edgar is going to bounce back and have huge year as SS. I love their youth. Going t be close. Marlins will win it in 2 years. Phillies have shot now that Howard is going to get the 1B full season.

Central: My biggest surprise team....Brewers win the Central. They have so much young talent and they finally going to break through. Cardinals finisn in 2nd but real close. Cubs have too many questions with Prior and Wood. If they both healthy and can give them 55 starts combined, they will win the Central, but I dont see that happening. Astros have decent SP, but if Roger doesnt come back, they down to 4th.

West: The division no one cares about. SF wins with Bonds healthy. They are the immeidate favorites. They added Morris. SD just isnt good enough. I do think they made a good deal with Texas, but Bonds is too good and makes everyone else around him better. LA doesnt matter and the Diamondbacks suck.


Art

gettin the urge for Fantasy Baseball already
heres my predictions

AL

EAST - Jays, JP ricciardi threw the Billy Beane method of Gming out the window and spent and spent and spent I believe they have the best rotation in the east i dont see where the love for the BoSox pitchers comes from

Central - Definitly the Indians that experience will help. they were close last year and they'll only be better this year (sadly the tigers will be sub 500 all year)

West - seems to be getting repetitive but i'll go with the A's
Canadian boy Rich Harden and Street are gems...BIlly always has that team ready to go

Wild Card - White Sox...I hate the Yankees with a passion

NL
too hungover to go into detail

EAST - Braves..they always win too hard to bet against them

Central - Screw the cubs, and the astros got worse by not signing the rocket i'll take the cards

West - worst division in baseball Padres win

Wild Card - Mets

I like Bosox SP better simply because they have guys who have been there in the WS and done it. If Beckett gets 30 starts this season, they win the AL.

I think that Lowell bounces back and has a 30/100 in Fenway. If Crisp can lead off halfway decent, they will be very good.


Art

Thats the whole reason i dont like the Sox Rotation

I think wells and schilling are shells
wakefield is wakefield....
clement isnt exceptional
so ya beckett will have to light it up

i love the jays rotation
Halladay (Cy Young)
Burnett (Fireballer)
Chacin (one of the best rookie pitchers last year)
Lilly
Towers (the players love this guy)

Point taken, I still take exp over potential. I like BJ's better than Yankees though.


Art

fair enough

the yanks rotation is horrible
the only thing they've got going for them is that explosive offense

AL

East: Yankees - No brainer. Their hitting will carry them.
West: Angels - Another no brainer.
Central: White Sox - above
WC: Blue Jays - Great rotation. Great defense. Great offense.

NL
West: Giants - Barry Bonds is basically his own baseball team.
Central: Cards - DUR
East: Nationals - Great chemistry team.
WC: *rolls dice* Mets

American League

EAST - Yankees - Farnsworth/Rivera is gonna be a nice combo
CENTRAL - White Sox - Too much pitching
WEST - Angels - love their bullpen
WILDCARD - Cleveland - Addition of Marte @ 3B and Mota to bullpen HUGE

National League

EAST - Mets - Delgado + Wagner = playoffs or bust
CENTRAL - Cardinals - Easy pick barring injuries
WEST - Giants - Easy pick barring injuries
WILDCARD - Braves - Playoffs w/o Braves doesn't seem possible

AL

East: Yankees
West: Angels
Central: White Sox
WC: Indians

NL
West: Dodgers
Central: Cards
East: Mets
WC: Cubs

AL East: the Damon signing was huge, don't underestimate it. The pitching has to be better than last season, and it will.

AL Central: until someone can convince me they're better than the White Sox, you've got to go with the defending WS champs here. They improved during the off-season and no other Central team could hang with them even before the improvement.

AL East: I have to say the Angels, if their best position players can play 140 games. Their pitching took a big hit, but I think they can win a close battle.

Wild Card: The Red Sox barely edge out a few competitiors. This is a 4 team race going into the final week of the season.

NL East: All the moves the Mets have made should finally pay off.

NL Central: Cardinals in one of the easiest picks ever.

NL West: Dodgers - see comment about NL East.

Wildcard: Cubs - also see comment about NL East.

Looks like the Cubbies are the flavor of the month pick to make the Playoffs for like the 5th straight year. :p

Cubs only make the playoffs once every 5 years, so you all are dreaming. I can hope it's true, though, cuz I'll make a ton of money if they do.

Here's the problem with the Cubs -- they can't finish games!!!

Why Lizard hasn't put the fragile arm of Kerry Wood in the bullpen a la John Smoltz or Eric Gagne is beyond me. Yes, that's 25-30 games where you'd have to find another SP (Wood right now is good for 15 wins if he's semi-healthy), but with Wood as a 9th inning shut down guy, the Cubs can better their record between anywhere from 7-10 games, and this year that might be the difference between WC and sitting on your fucking sofa with a bag of Cheetos.

Here's the problem with the Cubs -- they can't finish games!!!

Why Lizard hasn't put the fragile arm of Kerry Wood in the bullpen a la John Smoltz or Eric Gagne is beyond me. Yes, that's 25-30 games where you'd have to find another SP (Wood right now is good for 15 wins if he's semi-healthy), but with Wood as a 9th inning shut down guy, the Cubs can better their record between anywhere from 7-10 games, and this year that might be the difference between WC and sitting on your fucking sofa with a bag of Cheetos.

Wood refuses to be a full time closer. He did it for awhile at the end of last season but has said he doesn't want to do it full time.

Also, you'd think he'd be good for 15 wins if healthy, but this is why he's so frigging overrated. His career high is 14 wins 3 years ago and he's never really been able to put it all together since his rookie year.