Baseball season is right around the corner - Precisely 11 days, 7 hours, and 51 minutes (it was 9:16 AM). As with every year there is the off-field drama: A-Rod and his steroids... and the rest of the MLB and their steroids. As baseball fans we look past that. We look to the pennant races - the freshly mown lawns - and John Kruk on ESPN...
Without a further-a-do, I give you the 2009 MLB Preview. Drum-rolls are appreciated, but not necessary.
THE AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL East: Winner - "New York Yankees" Sleeper - "Baltimore Orioles"
Pick to click - Carl Crawford (OF Rays)/Jacobby Ellsburry (OF Red Sox)
Probably the most competitive division in baseball, all five teams might finish with an above .500 winning percentage. Everyone knows about the Yankees and Red Sox, but the Tampa Bay Rays will make some noise before the year is done. Bringing back the AL Champion team from last year, the Rays improved by adding uber-talented Pat Burrell to the line-up. The former Philadelphia Phillie will improve the Rays DH spot greatly. Also not to be over-looked is the oh so young Baltimore Orioles. With a young core of Nick Markakis (OF), Felix Pie (OF), Adam Jones (OF), Aubrey Huff (1st), and eventually Matt Wieters (C), the Orioles have put together a great squad that started coming together last season. If they had better pitching, this team would be a lock for 90 wins, even in this potent division.
AL West: Winner - "Los Angeles Angels" Sleeper - "Oakland Athletics"
Pick to click - Bobby Abreu (OF Angels)
Even though the Athletics made great strides this off-season, the Los Angeles Angels are by far the better team. If I had to compare them to anybody, it would be the Detroit Pistons. Great chemistry, great coaching, and Vladimir Guerrero - at least for a few more years. Off-season acquisition Brian Fuentes has looked very shaky in the Spring posting a 10+ era, but this team is very balanced with a lot of depth, so it shouldn't be a problem. The Texas Rangers will finish 2nd or 3rd in this division. Losing Milton Bradley is addition by subtraction, and players such as Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and David Murphy are just going to become better with age. They will score, yet with Kevin Millwood on the rubber, they will give up more.
AL Central: Winner - "Minnesota Twins" Sleeper - "Detroit Tigers"
Pick to click - Carlos Gomez (OF Twins)
The Minnesota Twins are made to win games. They have hitting, pitching, amazing defense, and a tremendous home-field win-loss record. The key for them is whether Francisco Liriano will return to Ace-of-the-staff form. The Detroit Tigers were an over-hyped team who felt too much pressure during the first half of last year. Expect this team to make a drastic turn-around this year. Also, what happened to Justin Verlander and his 100mph fastball?
BILLY BUTLER! (Kansas City Royal)
Look at these thighs...
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL East: Winner - "New York Mets" Sleeper - "Washington Nationals"
Pick to click - Jayson Werth (OF Phillies)/Lastings Milledge (OF Nationals)
The NL East, similarly to the AL East, is most likely the most competitive division in its league. With the Mets and the Phillies as the front-runners, the Marlins and Nationals are sneaky competitors. The Mets identified their bullpen weakness and turned it into a strength with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez (Angels) and J.J. Putz (Mariners). The Philadelphia Phillies are pretty much the same team as last year. Losing Pat Burrell hurt, but gaining Raul Ibanez is an upgrade. Their pitching lacks depth, and will be the reason for their failure... Now lets talk about the Nationals. This team poked their head into just about every off-season free-agent. Unfortunately, they only brought in Adam Dunn. With a young core of Lastings Milledge, Emilion Bonifacio, and Elijah Dukes, this team has potential... May be a few years, and a few more draft picks away.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you, "The Meat-hook"
NL West: Winner - "Los Angeles Dodgers" Sleeper - "Colorado Rockies"
Pick to click - Chris Young (OF Diamondbacks)/Andre Ethier (OF Dodgers)
The west is the hardest division to figure out. So much talent, yet so much disappointment. The Dodgers are by far the most balanced team on paper with Matt Kemp, James Loney, Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin, and oh ya this one guy... Manny Ramirez.... Bringing in Orlando Hudson filled a void at second based, but this team still has a major weakness at starting pitching. Chad Billingsley is reliable, but after that I don't see much. Not a huge Clayton Kershaw fan (especially this season - See Homer Bailey)... The Diamondbacks have uber talent with terrible discipline. A great pitching staff rounds out a team that can quite possibly win this division... The Giants are a joke (except for TIMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY! and Pablo Sandoval)... Then there are the Rockies who are legitimate sleepers. They have uber talent everywhere that at some point will develop.... Chris Iannetta, Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, Clint Barmes, Jeff Baker, Ubaldo Jimenez....Manuel Corpas (The list goes on)... If I was a gambling man, this would definitely be my Rays of 2009 <-- I hate that expression, but is there anything better?
Name that Molina!... Bengie!
NL Central: Winner - "Chicago Cubs!" Sleeper - "Cincinnati Reds"
Pick to Click - Joey Votto (1b Reds)/Corey Hart (OF Brewers)
The NL Central has three realistic contenders this year: Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs are the most balanced of all three. The Cardinals lack consistency, and the Brewers lack depth at pitching. If the Cardinals can stay healthy, then Albert Pujols might lead them to a division championship. However the Cubs have five solid starters, a solid bullpen (solidified by Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg), and an overwhelming line-up (watch out foe Mike Fontenot (2b) fantasy players)... The other two teams - The Pittsburgh Pirates and The Cincinnati Reds - shouldn't play a factor this year. The Reds are a VERY young organization with TONS of talent: Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, Edwin Encarnacion, Johny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Homer Bailey. The Pirates are... well... the worst Franchise in the league right now (I'm sorry Nate McClouth). The future of this organization lies in the bats/gloves of McClouth (OF) and Andrew McCutchen (OF)... and it is not looking bright.
The Biggest Puma of them all...
May baseball prosper, and the Cubs prosper even more...
Jesse Cook
jdcook@email.arizona.edu
This whole story is great except for the part about the Yankees winning the East!!! WHAT?!?! haha jk i see why you said that after spending more than $250 million dollars on three players. GL to them but the Red Sox shall dominate.
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