What The Hell: I'll Play Along

Didn't get a chance this weekend to put up my predictions; I was winning big in Vegas. Well, I left up four hundred or so, that's pretty big to me. And it's only through most of the first day, so mine should still count. And like Mike said, the Cubs won't win the World Series (Although I am hoping Chris is right, but I don't see it happening). Chris and I's picks may have some things in common; the huge difference being I'm right, and he is wrong. Ha!

AL EAST
1. YANKEES
2. REDSOX
3. BLUEJAYS
4. ORIOLES
5. DEVIL RAYS

The Yankees have the regular season team to beat here, and until they don't win the division one of these years, I'm not picking against them. I think they'll be one and done in the post season however. That pitching staff is too freaking old to still be up to par in the playoffs, and the bullpen sucks worse than the Braves with the exception of Rivera. I don't agree with Chris's love for a closer; I've always thought it was an overrated posistion. However, Rivera is more than a great closer, he's a hell of a pitcher, and that's a little different. I'm not buying into everyone's love of the "Yankee-esque" Bluejays, so I'll stick with the Sox; additions like Coco Crisp and Beckett should prove worthwhile, not to mention the underrated Mike Lowell, but not return to the playoffs. The Orioles and Devil Rays are interchangeable in a lot of ways; both are very bad teams. The Orioles pitching is a slight nod over the Devil Rays, so I'll give second to last to the O's and their new spokesperson, Anna Benson.

AL CENTRAL
1. WHITESOX
2. INDIANS (W)
3. TIGERS
4. TWINS
5. ROYALS

The Whitesox are still the most engaging team in Baseball going into this season, and as a Cubs fan, it kills me to say that. I'd marry Ozzie Guillen, I really would. Thome is a great pick-up. They adressed the need of getting a huge bat in there quite nicely. The Indians should be neck and neck; this could become the next "Yankees/Redsox" over the next few years. I think the Sox have the Indians number right now, so I'll give the nod to the Sox, but the Tribe goes back to the playoffs. The Twins look like they are moving downward, and the Tigers seem to be a tad improved, so I'll give them a margin of victory here. They've got some good young pitchers (Bonderman) and Kenny Rogers is a very good number one, and he knows how to punch a cameraman. Detroit should fit him quite nicely. There is a lot of competition out there for worst team in the Major Leagues this year (Marlins, Devilrays), but the Royals will win that battle with flying colors. Poor Mike Sweeney; can't the Yankees help a brother out?

AL WEST
1. OAKLAND
2. ANGELS
3. RANGERS
4. MARINERS

I guess I'm jumping on the Oakland bandwagon. Hell, best rotation in baseball; possibly best bullpen to boot. A lot of young hotshots with nothing to lose (Crosby, Swisher, Street, Ellis, etc.); they look to be a lot of fun. Angels will give them a run for the money, but will come up on the shortside. Rangers still have no pitching or a decent ballpark to pitch in. The Mariners went to Japan again, and this time they got a catcher. Way to go guys. Spend an ass ton of money on the last picked posistion in fantasy baseball.

NL EAST
1. BRAVES
2. METS
3. NATIONALS
4. PHILLIES
5. MARLINS

Like the Yankees, until they lose the division, I am not picking against the Baby braves. Still don't have a bullpen, but they are going to score some runs. The Mets get second by default, this division has stepped down a bit especially when it comes to pitching. Delgado will have the typical bad first year as a Met, and Beltran should have a better second one. They'll be okay. The Nationals are about the same, so I'll give them a bit of a breather over the Phillies. Yes, the Phillies have a hot line-up that also strikes out a lot, and the ace on their staff is Jon Leiber, nuff said. The Marlins garage sale will not go unnotices. Poor Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera. Can't the Yankees give a couple of brothers a break?

NL CENTRAL
1. BREWERS
2. CARDINALS (W)
3. CUBS
4. ASTROS
5. PIRATES
6. REDS

One crazy pick has to come out of this, and why not the Brew Crew. Underrated starting rotation; one hell of a bullpen. And they have got a line-up that could quitely rack up some huge numbers. The Cards make the playoffs, and the Cubs underacheive yet again (Oh, how I love my Cubbies; hope I'm wrong here). The Astros can't score any runs, and either can the Pirates, but both have better pitching and defense than the Reds. Seriously, my mom could pitch for the Reds and show up these no-talent ass clowns. She's got a mean curve. Seriously, Bronson Arroyo has got Chan Ho Park written all over him which gives me a mental picture of a very interesting tatoo design.

NL WEST
1. DODGERS
2. PADRES
3. GIANTS
4. DIAMONDBACKS
5. ROCKIES

Chris and I always seem to pick the Dodgers. Maybe it's because we both like the color blue. The Padres and Giants will compete for finishing better than the other under .500. I really know nothing about the D'Backs or Rockies this year. The reason being no one is really reporting on them, so I have a feeling they both suck really bad or will suprise the hell out of everybody and finish first and second in the division. But I already picked the Brewers to win their division, so I'm not going that far with these picks.

WORLD SERIES

The Whitesox will beat...oh...I'll say the Dodgers. Why the hell not?

Baseball has become mighty unpredictable, and I'm starting to dig that. There are going to be a lot of young future hall of famers out there this year making us all remember why baseball is such a great sport. Make us forget about the soon to be distinct Steroid era. If it's hard to get a ticket in Milwaukee right now, something is working out. People say this is the end of baseball, I say this is the beginning. And if we ever get a professional team down here I hope Anna Benson will be gracious enough to become our spokesmodel, and we can forget the WB Twins and Watson's Girl ever existed.