2008 MLB Season Predictions

[Henry515]

We are three weeks away from Opening Day (which should be a national holiday) and I think it is time to post predictions.

Here are mine (trying to take away any biases I have).

AL EAST
1)NY Yankees
2)Boston Red Sox
3)Toronto Blue Jays
4) Tampa Bay Rays
5) Baltimore Orioles

AL CENTRAL
1) Detroit Tigers
2) Cleveland Indians
3) Chicago White Sox
4) Minnesota Twins
5) KC Royals

AL WEST:
1) LA Angels of Anaheim
2) Seattle Mariners
3) Oakland A's
4) Texas Rangers

AL WC: Boston Red Sox

Notes: It was hard to choose between Boston and NY and between Detroit and Cleveland. It was also really hard to leave out Cleveland in the playoff picture. Seattle could surprise, but I don't think they are quite strong enough.

NL EAST:
1)NY Mets
2)Atlanta Braves
3)Philadelphia Phillies
4) Washington Nationals
5)Florida Marlins

NL Central:
1) Milwaukee Brewers
2) Chicago Cubs
3) Houston Astros
4)St. Louis
5) Cincinnatti
6) Pittsburgh

NL West:
1) Colorado Rockies
2)Arizona Diamondbacks
3)LA Dodgers
4) SD Padres
5) SF Giants

NL Wild Card: Atlanta Braves

Notes: NL Central should be close between Milwaukee and Chicago. I felt MIL with some more experience for that young team should be able to come out on top this year. NL West should also be close. Arizona added Haren and expect Johnson back, but I don't believe they were as good as their 90-72 record. They were actually outscored last year. I expect them to be good, but I like the Rockies better.

And for the life of me, I don't see how some are drooling over the Phillies. They won the division last year, but I don't see them repeating. With heart and grit, they willed themselves to 89 wins and the division (with an assist from a collapse of the Mets). This year, their pitching still isn't that good and I don't think they will have the same motivation to finally win the division now that they finally have. Yes, the Phillies added Lidge and Myers is back in the rotation, but unless Lidge returns to pre-2005 NLCS form, I don't see it mattering. And I don't think Myers is an ace (career ERA of 4.3). Their back end of the rotation looks shaky with Kendrick (looks pretty good but unproven), Moyers (ERA over 5), and Eaton (ERA over 6). The Mets have clearly strengthened with Santana (followed by Pedro, Perez, Maine, and Pelfrey). The Braves have two aces (Smoltz and Hudson) and their 3-5 starters look much better than last year. Last year, the 3-5 starters had a terrible record (12 games under .500) and terrible ERA (ERA of about 5.5). This year with Glavine, Jurjjens, and Hampton/James, they should put up at least avergage numbers, which should translate into more wins. So someone explain why so many are picking the Phillies. I think they are good, but I don't see them topping 90 wins.

[Old Sweater]

Notes: It was hard to choose between Boston and NY and between Detroit and Cleveland. It was also really hard to leave out Cleveland in the playoff picture. Seattle could surprise, but I don't think they are quite strong enough.

It's also going to be another tight race in the NL West with all the good pitching staffs they have. I'm still in shock that a neutral fan put the Rockies on top. Thanks!

[SamtheBravesFan]

Henry515,

James and Hampton are hurt. Jurrjens might do something, sure, but the Braves may have to have Jo-Jo Reyes in there for a while and he showed yesterday that his control is just as awful as ever.

[Henry515]

James is feeling better and I bet he'll be fine. As far as Hampton, well who knows? But if he contributes at least some, that will help.

[Henry515]

I don't know why people aren't picking the Rockies. They were the WC last year, but they, unlike the D-backs, actually outscored their opponents. SD looks pretty good, but not good enough. And LA, well, lots of people always seem to overhype LA. They are good too, but I don't see a substantial improvement, unless Torre really does help them a lot and A. Jones returns to his 2005 form.

[Henry515]

Old Sweater,

I also want to second the close race in the NL West between 4 teams. Even though I picked SD for 4th, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they won the division.

[dabigyankeeman]

I see the playoff teams as being:

AL:
Dread Sox
Tigers
Angels
Yankees/Cleveland - i cant decide if the young pitching will be good enough this year for the Yankees or need a year to develop.

NL:
Mets
Cubbies
Colorado
Phillies

[Henry515]

dabigyankeeman,

I pretty much agree with you. I am surprised you picked Boston over the Yankees. And I can see the Cubs winning the central again, but I think MIL is a little bit better. As far as the Phillies, as I pointed out earlier, don't think they are as good as some think. I do think they can win the WC, but I think they will fall a bit short.

[mendoza line]

AL-boston/detroit/la
wild card- ny over cleve by a few games
NL-ny/chi/az
wild card- mil over sd

al mvp- miggy cabrera
nl mvp- carlos beltran(if he plays over 150 games)

world series- det over nym

[NickU]

AL East
Sox


Central
Tribe
Tigs


West
Angels
Wild-Card: Tigs

East
Mets
Phils

Central
Cubs

West
Rox


Wild: Phils

ALDS: Cleveland (Best Record) def LA
ALDS: Boston def Tigs
ALCS Cleveland def Bos

NLDS Mets (Best Record) def Rox
NLDS Cubs def Phil
NLCS Cubbies defeat Mets

WS Cleveland def Cubs 4-2

AL MVP- Miggy
NL MVP- D Wright
AL Cy Young- Bedard
NL Cy Young- Jake Peavy

[Zagi-CRO]

ALC		Detroit Tigers	        88	74
ALC		Cleveland Indians	86	76
ALC		Chicago White Sox	78	84
ALC		Kansas City Royals	76	86
ALC		Minnesota Twins	        74	88

ALE		Boston Red Sox	        93	69
ALE		Toronto Blue Jays	87	75
ALE		New York Yankees	85	77
ALE		Tampa Bay Rays	        78	84
ALE		Baltimore Orioles	70	92

ALW		Los Angeles Angels	91	71
ALW		Seattle Mariners	88	74
ALW		Oakland Athletics	69	93
ALW		Texas Rangers	        65	97

NLC		Milwaukee Brewers	87	75
NLC		Chicago Cubs	        83	79
NLC		Houston Astros	        82	80
NLC		Cincinnati Reds	        80	82
NLC		Pittsburgh Pirates	76	86
NLC		St. Louis Cardinals	71	91

NLE		New York Mets	        92	70
NLE		Atlanta Braves	        85	77
NLE		Philadelphia Phillies	83	79
NLE		Washington Nationals	76	86
NLE		Florida Marlins	        69	93

NLW		Los Angeles Dodgers	88	74
NLW		Arizona Diamondbacks	88	74
NLW		San Diego Padres	87	75
NLW		Colorado Rockies	80	82
NLW		San Francisco Giants	75	87

AL Conference:
Boston - Seattle
Detroit - LA Angels
LA Angels - Boston

NL Conference:
NY MEts- Arizona
LA Dodgers - Milwaukee
NY Mets - LA Dodgers

[GordonGecko]

My Predictions

1) NY Yankees
2) Toronto Blue Jays
3) Boston Red Sox
4) Baltimore Orioles
5) Tampa Bay Rays

1) Detroit Tigers
2) Cleveland Indians **wild card**
3) Chicago White Sox
4) Minnesota Twins
5) KC Royals

1) LA Angels
2) Oakland A's
3) Texas Rangers
4) Seattle Mariners

-----------------

1) Atlanta Braves
2) Philadelphia Phillies
3) NY Mets
4) Washington Nationals
5) Florida Marlins

1) Chicago Cubs
2) Houston Astros
3) St. Louis
4) Milwaukee Brewers
5) Pittsburgh
6) Cincinnatti

1) SD Padres
2) Colorado Rockies **wild card**
3) LA Dodgers
4) SF Giants
5) Arizona Diamondbacks

[Henry515]

Sam,

I should also emphasize just how bad the end of the rotation was last year. Smoltz and Hudson had great years and James had a respectable ERA, but the rest were very bad. Carlyle, Lerew, Reyes, Davies, Comier, and Redman combine for 40% of the team's starts and had a collective record of 16-29 and ERA of 6.30. That was killer for the team. This year, with Glavine as the 3, and the combo of James, Hampton, and Jurrjens in as the 4 and 5 starters, things look a lot better. Are those 4 guys aces? Of course not, but they don't have to be. Just giving innings, having a .500 record, and having an average ERA (which is 4.65 in the NL), would help a lot. And I don't think that is a stretch at all for those guys to accomplish that feat.

Another easily overlooked factor is interleague. Last year, the Braves were 4-11 against the Red Sox (6 games), Twins, Tigers, and Indians. This year, their interleague is much easier and easier than the Mets and Phillies, who had easier ones last year.

So I see the Braves getting 89-92 wins this year to win the WC. The NL Central is too weak to have two teams get to 90 wins. The NL West is strong, but it might too strong. Because of the unbalanced schedule, they might beat up on each other too much to be able to have two teams to win playoff spots. Last year, they had three strong teams. This year, it may be 4. And though the Giants will finish last, they have a pitching staff they will give fits.

[Henry515]

Still no one has been able to explain the drooling over the Phillies. The best explanation seems to be that they won it last year.

[BradC34]

No love for the Dodgers around here...