For the record, I didn't pick the Cubs for precisely the reasons Mike cited, and Derrek Lee is yet another right-handed bat who gets you average numbers. Although, he did look good popping up to Dunn and making him lose it in the sun yesterday. I didn't see all of that game, but I'd say we already have a candidate for "play of the year" when LaRue made the tag at home and threw to third for the double play in the top of the ninth. The problem I see for the Cubs is the Prior injury basically means you lose on most days when you normally would win, for two months of the season. Wood has been nothing but shaky--he's a bit like Millwood in that he has the stuff but he walks too many guys. And Maddux, despite the whisperings he's "back to old form," really can't ever be the Cy Young Maddux we grew up watching.

Also, when determining wild cards, I really shouldn't have picked Boston (but I'm sticking with it). The AL East playoff contender is going to come down to who wins the division, I fear, and even an AL Central team may have a better record. It won't be a true sign of which team is better, though. Whoever comes out of the AL East should be favored against any of their AL counterparts in the playoffs. If we really wanted a great playoff in the AL, we'd only be able to include teams from the West and East.