Two divisions down, four to go. Today I'll begin my preview of the National League divisions, starting with the Central. Last year the Cubs, 100 years since their last World Series title, were hoping to finally end the streak and get another championship. They were hot all season long, and were the favorites in the National League playoffs. However, they got upset by the Dodgers in the first round. The Brewers made their first postseason appearance since 1982, largely thanks to the midseason trade for C.C. Sabathia. The Cardinals also suprised people by contending for a while until fading midseason. The Pirates are still terrible, and the Reds still are slumping. The Astros are still......well who the hell knows about them. Now for a look at the division.....
Houston Astros:
Living in Texas, I get to hear what Astros fans think about their team all the time. They pretty much are sick of, but expect, the team to suck in the first half of the season and then get their act together in the second half. The question, as usual, is will they be able to put a complete season together?
The lineup is a good one. It's not the best out there, but it has some good players. Lance Berkman, though I do not like him at all, is as consistent as it comes for their team. Carlos Lee is a horse. Tejada, though he has some personal issues with his immigration and steroids, is still a good hitting shortstop, and may even play a little bit of third base. Kaz Matsui is a solid second baseman for them. One of the keys for them is Hunter Pence. He suffered somewhat of a sophomore slump after a great rookie year. Look for him to come back and put together a good season. The catching won't give them a lot hitting wise, but they have never had a great hitting catcher.
Pitching is the question for this team. Roy Oswalt is one of the best in the game, but after him things become foggy. Brandon Backe has always shown potential, but he is very inconsistent. He has to put together a complete season of quality starts. Wandy Rodriguez showed a lot of potential last year and needs to continue to build off of last year. The Astros cannot afford for him to digress. Mike Hampton is the biggest question mark of all. If healthy, he could be the Astros' X-factor. You reasonably cannot expect him to remain healthy because of his history, so that is a hole for them. Moehler and Russ Ortiz are fighting for the 5th spot and either one is decent. The bullpen is questionable as well. Jose Valverde is good, but also blows some saves. LaTroy Hawkins is inconsistent as well. If the bullpen can be solid, then the team can do some things.
Overall, a good team that has the ability to make the playoffs, but can't afford to put themselves in an early hole again.
Milwaukee Brewers:
The Brew Crew was one of the cinderella teams last year. They made the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. However, they no longer have C.C. and Ben Sheets is gone as well. The Gagne experiment is over and they replaced him with Trevor Hoffman. Gagne is still on the team but has a minimal role.
The lineup is still a young and productive one. Prince Fielder is a beast, and will continue to hit monster shots for them. Ryan Braun is the same story, and he is still getting better and better. Hardy and Hall are solid players, as is the improving Rickie Weeks. Look for Weeks to make some strides this season. Hart and Cameron are good outfielders. Kendall is still decent, but he is getting old. Overall, this lineup will produce some runs and be the strength of the team. They will have to score a lot because they are going to give up some runs....
The pitching staff is weak. Gollardo is their number one guy. Braden Looper, Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan are the next three. Decent guys, but none of them are going to scare anybody. Hoffman is the new closer, but who knows what to expect from him? Gagne is still their but he was a bust for them last year. The bullpen is full of arms that have lots of questions. This staff is going to give up runs and put pressure on their offense to score.
I like their lineup, but the rotation and bullpen are not good. I think the Brewers are going to struggle somewhat and finish around .500 or below.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals suprised people last year. Again, they are under the radar. I look for them to have a good season again and challenge for the playoffs behind MVP favorite Albert Pujols. The team is young and fun to watch. The one question is the closer.
The lineup is pretty good. It's always going to be dangerous as long as Pujols is around. He is going to contend for the MVP again, hitting around 45+ home runs, and 120+ RBI's, and a .330+ batting average. Ryan Ludwick was really good last year and I see him following that up with another good season this year. They now have Khalil Greene at shortstop which adds a completely new dimension to this team. He is a great glove, as well as a great middle infield bat. Yadier Molina is a good catcher, and I absolutely love Rick Ankiel. He is an exciting player, I still can't believe he used to be a pitcher!!
The rotation is also solid. The main question is Chris Carpenter. If he can be even remotely similar to his former self, they will be a team to be reckoned with in October. Wainwright, Lohse, and Wellemeyer are all solid. Pineiro is even okay for them. The biggest question of all is the bullpen. They need to find a closer. Until they find a closer, they are close to the playoffs, but out until then. Right now I see them being a team that fades in the Wild Card race. If they get a closer, they challenge for the division.
Chicago Cubs:
For the Cubs is 101 years and counting. They hope that year 101 is finally the year for the World Series win to come.
The lineup is stronger than ever. They improved it by adding Milton Bradley. Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Alfonso Soriano are awesome. Theriot, Soto, and Miles/Fontenot are all good too. The one guy that changes things is Kosuke Fukudome. He was good for the first half last year and so were the Cubs. He struggled in the second half and that's one reason why the Cubs struggled in the playoffs. They need a lefthanded bat. Bradley adds that, but they need Fukudome to be himself again. They picked up Gathright who could end up being an X-factor for them.
The pitching rotation is really good, but they have some questions. Lilly is getting somewhat old, and he struggles sometimes. He has to be consistent. Ryan Dempster must pitch better on the road. He was great at home last year and needs to continue that on the road as well. Ryan Harden was a great pickup at the trade deadline last year, but as usual with him he is injury prone and must stay healthy. The Cubs need to be careful with him. Finally Sean Marshall and Aaron Heilman are battling for the 5th spot. Both have great potential, and whichever one wins must continue to improve throughout the season while the loser must be a force in the bullpen. The bullpen is the biggest question for the Cubs. Carlos Marmol was a great player for them last year, but he struggled the last part of the season. He must return to form this year, and remain that way. The rest of the bullpen also needs to step up. This is the team to beat in the Central, but if they want to win the World Series these are the questions that must be answered.
Pittsburgh Pirates:
The Pirates are a complete joke. They plain out suck. They will again suck this year, and probably for the next five years, possibly ten.
The lineup is OKAY at best. Nate McClouth is alright, as is Freddy Sanchez. Ryan Doumit is an okay catcher. The LaRoche brothers are decent, but Adam has been a disappointment overall for the Pirates since they traded for him. Jack Wilson is a decent shortstop, not great but he won't hurt you.
The pitching absolutely is terrible. Zack Duke is nothing like he was his rookie year. Hopefully he can regain his form this year. Maholm and Snell are decent, but not great. These are the main guys for this rotation. The bullpen is the worst part of this team. I've never heard of any of their guys, and I don't expect any of them are any good. This will be the 17th consecutive losing season for the Pirates. For their sake I hope I'm wrong and they can pull a "Rays".
Cincinnati Reds:
The Reds are a team that is constantly improving. The rotation has some good arms, and the lineup has some bats. Gone are the days of Griffey and Dunn, but Bruce and Votto are now around.
Willy Taveras was a good pickup for this team. He will be a good speed guy at the top of the lineup for them. Brandon Phillips is a top second baseman. Encarnacion is a sketchy glove but a great bat. Jay Bruce is going to explode this year. He will reach the 30 home run plateau. Votto is also awesome. Gonzalez is a good fielding shortstop and a decent enough bat, especially in that park where the ball just flies out. Ramon Hernandez was a great pickup at catcher. He is good for them. The lineup as usual will score, the question is pitching.
The rotation could be good this year. Homer Bailey is young and could be ready to break out. Aaron Harang is really good, as is last year's suprise Edinson Volquez. Look for him to continue to be great, and even improve. He'll contend for a Cy Young. Bronson Arroyo is decent, and could be okay for them. He needs to be consistent, he is always too hot and cold. Johnny Cueto has tons of potential and might live up to it this year. I also like Micah Owings a lot. He is not only a good pitcher, but also a good bat! Even the bullpen is good, with Francisco Cordero, Arthur Rhodes, and Dave Weathers.
Dusty Baker is one of my favorite managers in the game, and I look for the Reds to shock people this year and actually contend for a playoff spot.
Here is my prediction for the final NL Central standings come playoff time in 2009:
1. Chicago Cubs
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Up next is the first of the two power divisions, the NL East.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
AL Central
My preview of the 2009 season continues with a look at the AL Central:
Last year the White Sox and Twins fought to the last day for the division title and even then that wasn't enough. The White Sox won the one game playoff to advance, and lost in the first round to the Rays. The Twins were my sleeper last year. Of course Max doubted me but I was right. Now for a look at how the division will shake up this year...
Cleveland Indians:
The Indians were somewhat of a disappointment last year. They were coming off an ALCS loss to the Red Sox, and did not even have a winning record last year. They traded C.C. Sabathia before he became a free agent last season as well. They are a young team that still has potential.
The lineup is still a good one. The key thing for them is that Travis Hafner must stay healthy. He is capable of hitting .300 with 40+ home runs and 110+ RBI's. Victor Martinez is still one of the best offensive catchers in the game. Choo is a young active outfielder. Second base will be interesting, I actually like Josh Barfield there. He can be a sparkplug for them. Mark DeRosa was a good pickup. Garko is a good first baseman. Jhonny Peralta has to step it up this year. He has lots of potential but has never had a completely good year. Of course they still have their man Grady Sizemore at centerfield. He is capable of putting together MVP type seasons for them. I like for him to be really great this season in a comeback year for the Indians.
The rotation is also very good, even without C.C. Cliff Lee is a Cy Young winner, and will back that up again this year. Fausto Carmona is healthy, and will be dominant again like he was in 2007. I like the pickup of Carl Pavano. He was under too much pressure in New York. Now that he is under the radar in Cleveland he will thrive again. As for the bullpen, it should be okay again. Betancourt is good. The main thing was signing Kerry Wood as their closer. That was a BIG move that could reap tons of rewards for the Indians.
All in all, I like the Indians this year. They will not be a losing team again.
Kansas City Royals:
The Royals are one of the jokes in professional sports. However, they are finally starting to learn how to build a team. They will struggle again this year, but they will be much improved. Next year in 2010 they could even be the surprise team that makes the playoffs. Not this year however.
The lineup is extremely young but also extremely talented. Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp were great pickups who completely change the depth of this lineup. DeJesus and and Guillen are consistent for them. Alex Gordon is the key guy for them. He is a beast but needs to prove it in the majors. He showed a lot of promise last year and I look for him to continue his progress this year. If he can put up 30 home runs that would be great for them. Miguel Olivo is an underrated catcher, I like him a lot. The questionmarks are the middle infield. I don't know much about Aviles and Callaspo, which says everything right there. The Royals need to pick up some good middle infielders, or develop these guys if they want to continue to grow as a team.
The rotation is top heavy. Gil Meche, Greinke, and Bannister are all good, and the latter two are still young. The question is the back end of the rotation. They need Hochevar and Kyle Davies to step up. Davies has shown potential in the past, but also gives up lots of home runs (from his time on the Braves). The bullpen is also questionable but has some solid arms. Soria is a good closer and was a great pickup for them. I also like Kyle Farnsworth on their team.
This is a team that will have a losing record again, but is making strides and will be competitive in every game this year.
Detroit Tigers:
This might have been the most disappointing team in all of the Majors last year. They signed Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria but lost more games in the standings and returned to losing. I look for them to have a comeback year this year, much like the Indians.
The lineup is still very good. Top to bottom it will score runs. Granderson, Ordonez, Cabrera, Guillen, Polanco, Inge....they are all good. They could use an upgrade at catcher, but thats not a major thing for them. The key for the Indians will be the pitching staff....
It wouldn't be enough to say that this staff pretty much SUCKED last year. I mean, they were terrible. What happened to Verlander, did he forget how to pitch good?? And so much for that Dontrelle Willis pickup.... Anyways, I actually see Verlander having a comeback year. I don't know about Dontrelle though, I love the guy but I think he was a two year wonder really and now everyone has him figured out. I'd love to see him be successful again this year though. The other guys in the rotation have to step up also. Bonderman is still young and can still be very solid. They also need Edwin Jackson to pitch good too. The bullpen pretty much stinks. They need Zumaya to stay healthy, and be good. They also need Lyon to be a good closer, but I don't see that happening.
The Tigers will be good again, but won't make the playoffs unless they get themselves a closer. Right now they are a 75-82 win team. Just barely out of the playoffs unless they fix that bullpen.
Minnesota Twins:
As I said earlier, the Twins were my sleeper last year. They are again under the radar but not unheard of now. I see them being really good again.
The lineup is pretty good. I like the signing of Joe Crede, he really improves that lineup by adding another good hitter. Mauer and Morneau are awesome. Gomez will continue to improve, and Cuddyer is consistent. They need their middle infield to live up to its potential. Harris and Casilla must improve. The main thing about all of these guys is they are great defenders, which is how the Twins win games.
The pitching is also good, another Twins thing. Baker is awesome, and Liriano is completely back to form. He could contend for the Cy Young award this year. The rest of the rotation is good too, with Blackburn, Slowey, and Perkins. They will win games that is for sure. The bullpen is also great. They are assured of a win when it gets to the ninth inning because of the outstanding Joe Nathan at closer. He is Mr. Automatic.
The Twins are a team on the rise and will challenge for the World Series in my opinion.
Chicago White Sox:
They surprised a lot of people last year. However, with Ozzie Guillen as the manager they can never be looked past. They will always be contenders as long as he is around.
The lineup is, as always, a powerful one. Last year they were hurt because Carlos Quentin got hurt right as he was contending for the MVP award. Fields, Konerko, Ramirez, Thome, and Pierzynksi are all good bats as well and will put up home runs along with Quentin. Thome is in his final years and wants that championship ring. Konerko is getting older and his bat is looking like it is slowing down, but he will still hit 24-30 home runs, which is solid. I love Ramirez, he always impresses me when I see him play. He is an energetic player with underrated power.
The pitching staff is okay, not great, but okay. Bobby Jenks is a top closer, so that's a sure bet for them. Buerhle needs to remain consistent and Danks must continue to pitch well and improve. Bartolo Colon and Jose Contreras are their keys. Both guys are questions, but both can win for them too. If they do well, this team will go far. If not, then the rotation is not strong enough for them to win in the playoffs.
Now, here is how I see the division playing out.....
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
Next up, we will switch things over to the NL Central. Check back for that soon.
Last year the White Sox and Twins fought to the last day for the division title and even then that wasn't enough. The White Sox won the one game playoff to advance, and lost in the first round to the Rays. The Twins were my sleeper last year. Of course Max doubted me but I was right. Now for a look at how the division will shake up this year...
Cleveland Indians:
The Indians were somewhat of a disappointment last year. They were coming off an ALCS loss to the Red Sox, and did not even have a winning record last year. They traded C.C. Sabathia before he became a free agent last season as well. They are a young team that still has potential.
The lineup is still a good one. The key thing for them is that Travis Hafner must stay healthy. He is capable of hitting .300 with 40+ home runs and 110+ RBI's. Victor Martinez is still one of the best offensive catchers in the game. Choo is a young active outfielder. Second base will be interesting, I actually like Josh Barfield there. He can be a sparkplug for them. Mark DeRosa was a good pickup. Garko is a good first baseman. Jhonny Peralta has to step it up this year. He has lots of potential but has never had a completely good year. Of course they still have their man Grady Sizemore at centerfield. He is capable of putting together MVP type seasons for them. I like for him to be really great this season in a comeback year for the Indians.
The rotation is also very good, even without C.C. Cliff Lee is a Cy Young winner, and will back that up again this year. Fausto Carmona is healthy, and will be dominant again like he was in 2007. I like the pickup of Carl Pavano. He was under too much pressure in New York. Now that he is under the radar in Cleveland he will thrive again. As for the bullpen, it should be okay again. Betancourt is good. The main thing was signing Kerry Wood as their closer. That was a BIG move that could reap tons of rewards for the Indians.
All in all, I like the Indians this year. They will not be a losing team again.
Kansas City Royals:
The Royals are one of the jokes in professional sports. However, they are finally starting to learn how to build a team. They will struggle again this year, but they will be much improved. Next year in 2010 they could even be the surprise team that makes the playoffs. Not this year however.
The lineup is extremely young but also extremely talented. Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp were great pickups who completely change the depth of this lineup. DeJesus and and Guillen are consistent for them. Alex Gordon is the key guy for them. He is a beast but needs to prove it in the majors. He showed a lot of promise last year and I look for him to continue his progress this year. If he can put up 30 home runs that would be great for them. Miguel Olivo is an underrated catcher, I like him a lot. The questionmarks are the middle infield. I don't know much about Aviles and Callaspo, which says everything right there. The Royals need to pick up some good middle infielders, or develop these guys if they want to continue to grow as a team.
The rotation is top heavy. Gil Meche, Greinke, and Bannister are all good, and the latter two are still young. The question is the back end of the rotation. They need Hochevar and Kyle Davies to step up. Davies has shown potential in the past, but also gives up lots of home runs (from his time on the Braves). The bullpen is also questionable but has some solid arms. Soria is a good closer and was a great pickup for them. I also like Kyle Farnsworth on their team.
This is a team that will have a losing record again, but is making strides and will be competitive in every game this year.
Detroit Tigers:
This might have been the most disappointing team in all of the Majors last year. They signed Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria but lost more games in the standings and returned to losing. I look for them to have a comeback year this year, much like the Indians.
The lineup is still very good. Top to bottom it will score runs. Granderson, Ordonez, Cabrera, Guillen, Polanco, Inge....they are all good. They could use an upgrade at catcher, but thats not a major thing for them. The key for the Indians will be the pitching staff....
It wouldn't be enough to say that this staff pretty much SUCKED last year. I mean, they were terrible. What happened to Verlander, did he forget how to pitch good?? And so much for that Dontrelle Willis pickup.... Anyways, I actually see Verlander having a comeback year. I don't know about Dontrelle though, I love the guy but I think he was a two year wonder really and now everyone has him figured out. I'd love to see him be successful again this year though. The other guys in the rotation have to step up also. Bonderman is still young and can still be very solid. They also need Edwin Jackson to pitch good too. The bullpen pretty much stinks. They need Zumaya to stay healthy, and be good. They also need Lyon to be a good closer, but I don't see that happening.
The Tigers will be good again, but won't make the playoffs unless they get themselves a closer. Right now they are a 75-82 win team. Just barely out of the playoffs unless they fix that bullpen.
Minnesota Twins:
As I said earlier, the Twins were my sleeper last year. They are again under the radar but not unheard of now. I see them being really good again.
The lineup is pretty good. I like the signing of Joe Crede, he really improves that lineup by adding another good hitter. Mauer and Morneau are awesome. Gomez will continue to improve, and Cuddyer is consistent. They need their middle infield to live up to its potential. Harris and Casilla must improve. The main thing about all of these guys is they are great defenders, which is how the Twins win games.
The pitching is also good, another Twins thing. Baker is awesome, and Liriano is completely back to form. He could contend for the Cy Young award this year. The rest of the rotation is good too, with Blackburn, Slowey, and Perkins. They will win games that is for sure. The bullpen is also great. They are assured of a win when it gets to the ninth inning because of the outstanding Joe Nathan at closer. He is Mr. Automatic.
The Twins are a team on the rise and will challenge for the World Series in my opinion.
Chicago White Sox:
They surprised a lot of people last year. However, with Ozzie Guillen as the manager they can never be looked past. They will always be contenders as long as he is around.
The lineup is, as always, a powerful one. Last year they were hurt because Carlos Quentin got hurt right as he was contending for the MVP award. Fields, Konerko, Ramirez, Thome, and Pierzynksi are all good bats as well and will put up home runs along with Quentin. Thome is in his final years and wants that championship ring. Konerko is getting older and his bat is looking like it is slowing down, but he will still hit 24-30 home runs, which is solid. I love Ramirez, he always impresses me when I see him play. He is an energetic player with underrated power.
The pitching staff is okay, not great, but okay. Bobby Jenks is a top closer, so that's a sure bet for them. Buerhle needs to remain consistent and Danks must continue to pitch well and improve. Bartolo Colon and Jose Contreras are their keys. Both guys are questions, but both can win for them too. If they do well, this team will go far. If not, then the rotation is not strong enough for them to win in the playoffs.
Now, here is how I see the division playing out.....
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
Next up, we will switch things over to the NL Central. Check back for that soon.
Monday, February 23, 2009
AL West
We will start off the previews for the 2009 season with the American League West Division.
Last year, the F****** Angels won the division. They have won the division the past few years, but have faltered in the playoffs, particularly against the Red Sox. The other teams in the division, the Rangers, Athletics, and Mariners have all tried to make changes to improve their teams.
Los Angeles Angels:
The Angels are coming off a season in which they disgustingly had the best record in the Majors. It is well documented that they are my least favorite team in all of sports, mainly because of when they beat the Giants in the 2002 World Series. I pray that they all have something happen to them and end up with the worst record this year but I doubt that will happen.
The Angels have a moderate amount of power in their lineup. They lost Garret Anderson but replaced him with Bobby Abreu. Sadly, this is actually an upgrade for them. Vladimir Guerroro should be healthy this year. He didn't seem like himself this year, which is scary to think about for this season. I look for Torii Hunter to have another excellent season in centerfield. The big weakness for the Angels is shortstop. They have Aybar and Cesar Izturis. Overall, a productive lineup that can put runs on the board.
As far as pitching is concerned, their starting rotation is a good one. I hate john lackey with all my heart, but he is good whether I like it or not (though I do think he is EXTREMELY overrated). Ervin Santana is a really good, and still young pitcher. Saunders, Jared Weaver, and Moroson are good too. The weakness is the bullpen, which has been a strength for the Angels in past years. They have Shields, Arredondo, and new closer Brian Fuentes. Fuentes struggled last year. Shields had an off year last year, and Arredondo is still young. They have potential but as of now if the Angels had one weakness it is the bullpen. It's hard to replace a closer who gets you 57 saves in a season.
Athletics: The A's are a good young team, who showed a lot of potential last season. They made a couple of excellent moves in picking up Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi. Giambi seems really happy to be with the team he came up with. Holliday should be productive, and if the A's end up struggling they can always send him away at the trade deadline and pick up some young prospects. Billy Beane is that kind of a GM. The A's do have some holes in the lineup. First of all, Crosby is always hurt. He HAS to remain healthy this year. Eric Chavez needs to return to his old form. Finally, the A's need some production from their outfield (besides Holliday). Sweeney, Cust, and Buck need to hit well this year.
As for the rotation, they have a lot of talent. The problem is the pitchers are all inexperienced and young. However, Billy Beane has always had success with young pitchers leading his team, and that could very well happen again this year. Duchscherer is particularly really good. He is going to be a legitimate ace for a while.
Mariners: The Mariners big move this off-season was bringing Ken Griffey Jr. back home. I actually predict a vintage year by him, with at least 30 homers and a .270 batting average. This may seem optimistic but he is as healthy as he has been in a while, and being back in Seattle should rejuvenate him a lot. I like their lineup a lot. Ichiro is consistently good. I also think Beltre is decent enough and Betancourt is a good shortstop. They need Branyan to hit well from first base, and for the young outfielders to be productive. Endy Chavez is a good outfielder.
On the pitching side, the Mariners struggled last season but they have the ability to be really good this year. King Felix is a REALLY good young pitcher and I look for a big year from him. Erik Bedard should have a good comeback season this year. Silva, Morrow, and Washburn finish the rotation out and all are more than capable. The bullpen is going to be the main problem for the M's, especially after trading away J.J. Putz. If Lowe, Aardsma, Walker and Batista can do well, then the M's bullpen has hope. I look for a good season from the Mariners, one that many people probably don't think will happen. (I did predict the Twins to make the playoffs last year and was almost right if not for them losing that one game playoff)
Rangers: The toughest team to predict. Their lineup is always REALLY productive, especially in that homer-happy stadium they play in. The problem as usual will be the pitching. The lineup can't be any better than it is with Josh "The Natural" Hamilton, Michael Young, Saltalamacchia, Kinsler, and Murphy. All are young, productive hitters, except for Young who is a still-productive veteran moving to the third-base.
Pitching is the problem for this team. Millwood and Padilla are solid at the top, but after that it becomes questionable. Feldman, Harrison, and McCarthy need to perform for this team to improve. The bullpen is OKAY but they need to pitch better as well. McCarthy is the guy who I really want to see pitch well. He was a standout prospect for the White Sox but has been nothing but a bust. Hopefully he can get his act together this year.
Here is how I see the division finishing out:
1. Mariners
2. Angels
3. Athletics
4. Rangers
It's going to be an extremely close race. All four teams are capable of winning this division. The Mariners, A's, and Rangers all look improved to me, and the Angels have seemed to digress. They are getting older. Plus I hate them. If I could have it my way it would be Mariners win, Rangers second, A's third, and idiots last place.
Coming up next........the AL Central.
Last year, the F****** Angels won the division. They have won the division the past few years, but have faltered in the playoffs, particularly against the Red Sox. The other teams in the division, the Rangers, Athletics, and Mariners have all tried to make changes to improve their teams.
Los Angeles Angels:
The Angels are coming off a season in which they disgustingly had the best record in the Majors. It is well documented that they are my least favorite team in all of sports, mainly because of when they beat the Giants in the 2002 World Series. I pray that they all have something happen to them and end up with the worst record this year but I doubt that will happen.
The Angels have a moderate amount of power in their lineup. They lost Garret Anderson but replaced him with Bobby Abreu. Sadly, this is actually an upgrade for them. Vladimir Guerroro should be healthy this year. He didn't seem like himself this year, which is scary to think about for this season. I look for Torii Hunter to have another excellent season in centerfield. The big weakness for the Angels is shortstop. They have Aybar and Cesar Izturis. Overall, a productive lineup that can put runs on the board.
As far as pitching is concerned, their starting rotation is a good one. I hate john lackey with all my heart, but he is good whether I like it or not (though I do think he is EXTREMELY overrated). Ervin Santana is a really good, and still young pitcher. Saunders, Jared Weaver, and Moroson are good too. The weakness is the bullpen, which has been a strength for the Angels in past years. They have Shields, Arredondo, and new closer Brian Fuentes. Fuentes struggled last year. Shields had an off year last year, and Arredondo is still young. They have potential but as of now if the Angels had one weakness it is the bullpen. It's hard to replace a closer who gets you 57 saves in a season.
Athletics: The A's are a good young team, who showed a lot of potential last season. They made a couple of excellent moves in picking up Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi. Giambi seems really happy to be with the team he came up with. Holliday should be productive, and if the A's end up struggling they can always send him away at the trade deadline and pick up some young prospects. Billy Beane is that kind of a GM. The A's do have some holes in the lineup. First of all, Crosby is always hurt. He HAS to remain healthy this year. Eric Chavez needs to return to his old form. Finally, the A's need some production from their outfield (besides Holliday). Sweeney, Cust, and Buck need to hit well this year.
As for the rotation, they have a lot of talent. The problem is the pitchers are all inexperienced and young. However, Billy Beane has always had success with young pitchers leading his team, and that could very well happen again this year. Duchscherer is particularly really good. He is going to be a legitimate ace for a while.
Mariners: The Mariners big move this off-season was bringing Ken Griffey Jr. back home. I actually predict a vintage year by him, with at least 30 homers and a .270 batting average. This may seem optimistic but he is as healthy as he has been in a while, and being back in Seattle should rejuvenate him a lot. I like their lineup a lot. Ichiro is consistently good. I also think Beltre is decent enough and Betancourt is a good shortstop. They need Branyan to hit well from first base, and for the young outfielders to be productive. Endy Chavez is a good outfielder.
On the pitching side, the Mariners struggled last season but they have the ability to be really good this year. King Felix is a REALLY good young pitcher and I look for a big year from him. Erik Bedard should have a good comeback season this year. Silva, Morrow, and Washburn finish the rotation out and all are more than capable. The bullpen is going to be the main problem for the M's, especially after trading away J.J. Putz. If Lowe, Aardsma, Walker and Batista can do well, then the M's bullpen has hope. I look for a good season from the Mariners, one that many people probably don't think will happen. (I did predict the Twins to make the playoffs last year and was almost right if not for them losing that one game playoff)
Rangers: The toughest team to predict. Their lineup is always REALLY productive, especially in that homer-happy stadium they play in. The problem as usual will be the pitching. The lineup can't be any better than it is with Josh "The Natural" Hamilton, Michael Young, Saltalamacchia, Kinsler, and Murphy. All are young, productive hitters, except for Young who is a still-productive veteran moving to the third-base.
Pitching is the problem for this team. Millwood and Padilla are solid at the top, but after that it becomes questionable. Feldman, Harrison, and McCarthy need to perform for this team to improve. The bullpen is OKAY but they need to pitch better as well. McCarthy is the guy who I really want to see pitch well. He was a standout prospect for the White Sox but has been nothing but a bust. Hopefully he can get his act together this year.
Here is how I see the division finishing out:
1. Mariners
2. Angels
3. Athletics
4. Rangers
It's going to be an extremely close race. All four teams are capable of winning this division. The Mariners, A's, and Rangers all look improved to me, and the Angels have seemed to digress. They are getting older. Plus I hate them. If I could have it my way it would be Mariners win, Rangers second, A's third, and idiots last place.
Coming up next........the AL Central.
Another Week
Interesting weekend in sports these past couple days. The Suns 140 point circus came to an end against the KG-less Celtics. I was impressed by the Celtics as much as I hate to say it. Hopefully they don't overtake the Cavs for first place in the East. If they have to play the Cavs in a Game 7 in Cleveland, the Cavaliers will win. And the Lakers have shown they are more than capable of dominating the Cavs in a 7 game series. I look forward to my Lakers finally holding up another Championship trophy!
Maryland beat UNC for the 2nd straight year. Great win by the Terps. And according to the Bracketologists on ESPN.com they are now one of the last 4 teams into the Big Dance. I was able happy to see that Tech beat Oklahoma State and is now one of the last teams predicted into the Women's NCAA tournament.
College baseball is also now underway. The Red Raiders are off to a quick 4-0 start. They looked pretty good these first few games, especially from a pitching standpoint. However two of our key position guys have gotten hurt. Willie Rueda, our All Big-12 second baseman pulled his hamstring and our catcher, Jeremy Mayo broke a finger. Hopefully they both can recover quickly and get back onto the field as soon as possible.
Up next, my first MLB 2009 season preview...
Maryland beat UNC for the 2nd straight year. Great win by the Terps. And according to the Bracketologists on ESPN.com they are now one of the last 4 teams into the Big Dance. I was able happy to see that Tech beat Oklahoma State and is now one of the last teams predicted into the Women's NCAA tournament.
College baseball is also now underway. The Red Raiders are off to a quick 4-0 start. They looked pretty good these first few games, especially from a pitching standpoint. However two of our key position guys have gotten hurt. Willie Rueda, our All Big-12 second baseman pulled his hamstring and our catcher, Jeremy Mayo broke a finger. Hopefully they both can recover quickly and get back onto the field as soon as possible.
Up next, my first MLB 2009 season preview...
Thursday, February 19, 2009
More Catch up
I want to take a moment to talk about college basketball. As I said earlier, I think Pitt is awesome. Along with Pitt, I think Uconn, UNC, and Oklahoma are the premier teams in the nation. As for the best players, I think obviously Blair and Fields are great from Pitt. Also, as much as I don't like him, Hansbrough is really good too. However, the 3 best players this year in my mind are Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jodie Meeks. Meeks has been my personal favorite player to watch this year. He looks like a guy that will be a legitimate scorer in the NBA. He's got a good build, unlimited shooting range, and he's not afraid to take the big shot. That game-winner against Florida was awesome. You could pretty much say I have a man-crush for Meeks.
As for the negatives, I am happy to see Duke is struggling. I am a Duke hater, and it's good to see their arrogance come back to haunt them. They do not scare anybody. They look like a one and done team in the tournament, maybe a second round team at best.
Texas Tech, while not having high expectations, has still managed to disappoint me. They aren't even competitive in any of their games. I liked the Pat Knight temper tantrum, but it looks like the motivation from it has worn off. Hopefully his recruits for next season turn out to be good...
The conference tournaments are coming up and then the Big Dance!!! The Bracket Pools will begin soon enough...
As for the negatives, I am happy to see Duke is struggling. I am a Duke hater, and it's good to see their arrogance come back to haunt them. They do not scare anybody. They look like a one and done team in the tournament, maybe a second round team at best.
Texas Tech, while not having high expectations, has still managed to disappoint me. They aren't even competitive in any of their games. I liked the Pat Knight temper tantrum, but it looks like the motivation from it has worn off. Hopefully his recruits for next season turn out to be good...
The conference tournaments are coming up and then the Big Dance!!! The Bracket Pools will begin soon enough...
The Return
Hey everyone, sorry that I have not been blogging for a while. Things have gotten really busy in school, and I've also just gotten lazy. A few things to catch up on....
First of all, that was an amazing Super Bowl. It's disappointing that the Cards couldn't pull out the victory, but that was a great Super Bowl. Hopefully next season we can make it three in a row in terms of awesome games.
Second, I am very very excited about baseball season. My preview for the season will be coming out shortly.
Next, how about this basketball season?!?! The Lakers are by far the best team, Iam so proud of them after that tough roadtrip. And the All-Star game was awesome. As a Lakers fan, it was amazing to see Kobe and Shaq together again, and playing great together. It brought back lots of great memories and made me feel very nostalgic.
Finally, this whole process with Mike Leach and Tech agreeing on a new contract has been very stressful. I saw the Tech football program come to a sad end right before my eyes, and then a few hours later it returned better than ever!!! I was calling for Gerald Myers' head, and was very angry with the school and the administration. However, now that Leach has signed again, I am past that and cannot wait for the Spring game. Tech should be a power for the next few years to come!
And now, a shoutout to Masar.... Okay bro, your Pittsburgh Panthers are awesome. I did not expect that victory against Uconn, but they ended up not just beating them, they manhandled them. Dajuan Blair is a true beast...and not enough can be said about Dixon and Levance Fields. The Pittsburgh Panthers have a deep tournament run in them this March for sure.
First of all, that was an amazing Super Bowl. It's disappointing that the Cards couldn't pull out the victory, but that was a great Super Bowl. Hopefully next season we can make it three in a row in terms of awesome games.
Second, I am very very excited about baseball season. My preview for the season will be coming out shortly.
Next, how about this basketball season?!?! The Lakers are by far the best team, Iam so proud of them after that tough roadtrip. And the All-Star game was awesome. As a Lakers fan, it was amazing to see Kobe and Shaq together again, and playing great together. It brought back lots of great memories and made me feel very nostalgic.
Finally, this whole process with Mike Leach and Tech agreeing on a new contract has been very stressful. I saw the Tech football program come to a sad end right before my eyes, and then a few hours later it returned better than ever!!! I was calling for Gerald Myers' head, and was very angry with the school and the administration. However, now that Leach has signed again, I am past that and cannot wait for the Spring game. Tech should be a power for the next few years to come!
And now, a shoutout to Masar.... Okay bro, your Pittsburgh Panthers are awesome. I did not expect that victory against Uconn, but they ended up not just beating them, they manhandled them. Dajuan Blair is a true beast...and not enough can be said about Dixon and Levance Fields. The Pittsburgh Panthers have a deep tournament run in them this March for sure.
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