Misc. Monday - 04-02-12 - So much for that
But to honor my readers, all four of you, I am going to finish what I started. Because that is what our mothers always told us, right?
So here we go, lets just finish this up in one blog.
American League East
1. Tampa Bay Rays - Best pitching staff in the division and best coach in the division. Rays take top spot this year.
2. New York Yankees (Wild Card) - Their $79,854,365 infield, yeah $80 million dollar infield, just their infield, should at least buy you second place in your division and the Wild Card.
3. Boston Red Sox - Even though MLB added a second Wild Card team for the 2012 postseason, the Red Sox won’t get it. If MLB gave awards for clubhouse boozing, they would be at the top though.
4. Toronto Blue Jays - Stop stealing signs already, obviously it isn’t helping you move ahead of the three juggernauts in your division.
5. Baltimore Orioles - Completely irrelevant.
American League Central
1. Detroit Tigers - Prince Fielder cannot hit the ball like his dad could, but add him to a lineup that features another 30 home run 100 RBI guy in Miguel Cabrera, the best coach in baseball and a breakout season by Austin Jackson and they run away with the weakest division in baseball.
2. Kansas City Royals - I said it. They might not have a winning record when it’s all said and done, but this is going to be the year Kansas City hangs around and surprises everyone.
3. Cleveland Indians - Looks like the pitching staff is going to be too hurt at the beginning of the season to start off well. The fact they gave Grady $5 million makes me not even want to root for them this year. Morons. Back to waiting for next year and this one hasn’t even started.
4. Minnesota Twins - Still being crippled by Justin Morneau contract. Picking up Josh Willingham was a big sign. Tribe sure could have used that right handed power bat.
5. Chicago White Sox - Kenny Williams is going to find out the hard way that Ozzie Guillen was a great coach.
American League West
1. Anaheim Angels - Jared Weaver, CJ Wilson, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana is a great staff no matter who is the fifth starter. Oh, and they added Albert Pujols to the lineup.
2. Texas Rangers (Wild Card) - Rangers will grab the second wild card. And might be the second best team in baseball. Michael Young is the most underrated player in the league.
3. Seattle Mariners - Eric Wedge is their manager.
4. Oakland A’s - Too young and raw this year, but it won’t be long before they are really good again.
National League East
1. Atlanta Braves - It’s Chipper Jones’ 19th season in the bigs, and the Braves will make it a special one for him.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (Wild Card) - Hard to not give them the top spot with as good of pitching they have. Injuries to Utley and Howard will keep them from getting off to a good start, but they will be there in the end.
3. Miami Marlins - Spent a ton of money to get Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle. If it pays off, they could battle the Phillies for the Wild Card. Their outfield seems a bit suspect to me. Worst uniforms of all time.
4. Washington Nationals - Stephen Strasburg has arrived. As a baseball fan, you should be excited for him as he earns his pinstripes.
5. New York Mets - Just don’t have enough talent to compete. David Wright will finally be dealt at deadline. How nice would he look in our Tribe lineup?
National League Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers - Two aces in Zack Greinke and Yovani Gollardo set them apart from the rest of the league. Loss of Fielder hurts a bit, but signing Aramis Ramirez will make up some of that production. Bob Uecker is so awesome too.
2. Cincinnati Reds (Wild Card) - Everyone keeps thinking the Reds are going to win this division at some point with the good players they have now. I say just the Wild Card. They’re still in Ohio people!
3. St. Louis Cardinals - Like the Chicago White Sox, the Cards are going to find out how much a great manager really means.
4. Chicago Cubs - Cubs lack any power bats. Will have to produce a lot of runs on base hits. Theo Epstein is sandbagging this season and will be a big spender next.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates - Andrew McCutchen could be really great. On a different team he would be even better. Bucks are still terrible.
6. Houston Astors - One more last place finish for the ‘Stros before moving back to the American League next year. Way to go!
National League West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers - OK, yeah, maybe I love Magic Johnson and Don Mattingly and that might have a bit to do with this prediction. So what? Matt Kemp will continue to be the best player in all of baseball. If you have the best player in baseball and a Cy Young candidate, you can win any division.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks - Kirk Gibson will be doing a lot of fist pumping because the D-backs are young and still very good. Only team that has a chance of winning division other than Dodgers.
3. San Francisco Giants - Very suspect outfield. Don’t see Melky Cabrera having another season like last year now that he is in San Fran. I do love me some Kung Fu Panda though.
4. Colorado Rockies - Zero pitching. Might score a lot of runs though, enough to keep them out of the basement at least.
5. San Diego Padres - No ace. Pitcher Cory Luebke, First basemen Yonder Alonso and outfielder Kyle Blanks are all labeled as possible breakouts. If they do breakout, the Pads could finish as high as third in the division, but not likely.
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So lets wrap this up. Five weeks later.
AL Championship - Angels over Yankees
NL Championship - Braves over Reds
World Series - Braves over Angels. Chipper goes out on top.
Published: April 1, 2012
