PDA

View Full Version : MLB predicts



M2
04-04-2006, 11:16 AM
I noticed that we didn't have a thread on this, so here it be. Get your prognostication on.

NL EAST

1. Atlanta Braves - I know that one of these years the Braves won't win their division, but even without Leo Mazzone I like their chances. They've got good young players filtering in around a solid veteran core. Though they could use more guys named Jones.

2. New York Mets - This is their "Kill Arthur Dent" body and that sort of plan never works. They lack a #3 starter and they currently employ Darren Oliver and Endy Chavez. At least Julio Franco is on hand to tell stories about the days when he faced a young Satchel Paige.

3. Philadelphia Phillies - Mostly a retread pitching staff and there's no help if the club loses a key bat to injury. It would take multiple surprises for this club to win the division (e.g. Randy Wolf goes back in time to 2002 while Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Rowand have career seasons). Tom Gordon's pitched in Boston, New York and Chicago. He probably thinks he's heard it all. Little does he know the horror that awaits him in Philly.

4. Washington Nationals - The NL East has been a bear of a division for the last four years. That ends this season. This team sucks and it won't even get within spitting distance of last place. Though it should mean lots of extra wins for the top three clubs in the division.

5. Florida Marlins - Just because you've gone about detaching all your limbs and replacing them with new ones the right way doesn't mean it won't be a painful, time-consuming procedure. Though everyone needs to love Dan Uggla, because that's one crazy name.

NL CENTRAL

1. St. Louis Cardinals - Expounding on all of the reasons why the Cardinals won't be as good this year as last year has become its own cottage industry. No one ever factors in the stuff on the plus. The Birds have improved their defense and they get back the best 3B on the planet. And be prepared to be amazed at how good a season Aaron Miles turns in, possibly Sidney Ponson too. How Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan do this all the time baffles me, but they've made a habit out of finding treasure in other people's trash.

2. Milwaukee Brewers - I expect the Brewers to give St. Louis all it can handle. This might be the deepest team in the NL. What it may not have is anyone taking a star turn this season. I'd have paid good money to be around for the moment when new employee Dan O'Brien declared "Hey, this Jared Fernandez guy can pitch a bit!"

3. Houston Astros - You do not replace Roger Clemens with Taylor Buchholz and not suffer for it. If the Astros want to get back to the playoffs, it will have to involve a massive offensive breakout from guys like Adam Everett, Jason Lane and Preston Wilson.

4. Cincinnati Reds - Do I think the Reds will be a factor in the division? No. Do I think they'll finish above .500? No. But I do expect a 2nd half run from this club after it commits to more youth and makes a few more trades.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates - Yeah, they've got young, talented pitching, but there's a chasm to cross from young to good. In 2008, the Bucs will be all the rage.

6. Chicago Cubs - The national sports media will be rubbernecking to gawk at the car wreck that will be this club.

NL WEST

1. San Diego Padres - Once again, someone has to win this division. Kevin Towers will win GM of the year for getting Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez from the Rangers.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks - The new home of the eternal Terry Mulholland.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers - Despite the presence of Tim Hamulack (All Hail Ham-U-Lack!), this club is built to disintegrate. Watching the front office malcontents go cannibal now that they've devoured Paul DePodesta should be fascinating.

4. San Francisco Giants - These guys would be old in a local softball league.

5. Colorado Rockies - Lousy offense in a park that mutilates pitching. Why is Dan O'Dowd still employed?

NL MVP - Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young - Roy Oswalt
NL Rookie of the Year - Paul Maholm

AL EAST

1. Boston Red Sox - They got just a little bit younger this offseason and that should be enough to carry the division for the first time in 11 years. Yet what will Boston newspaper scribes do once they're run out of cuckoo for Coco Crisp and Riske business jokes?

2. New York Yankees - They're old and they've got nothing in the upper minors if injuries hit them. Sooner or later that's got to take a toll on a club.

3. Baltimore Orioles - I believe in Leo Mazzone. He'll make Sendy Rleal into a Chesapeake Bay area deity before all is said and done. Plus, Melvin Mora's going to have a huge season.

4. Toronto Blue Jays - J.P. Ricciardi will be bald after all the head scratching he does this season.

5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Nothing to do and nothing to say, only one thing that I know, it's the only way ... I said hit it! Born to lose, born to lose, born to lose, baby I was born to lose.

AL CENTRAL

1. Chicago White Sox - The bullpen could explode on them, but they should be able to piece it together well enough to eke out the division.

2. Minnesota Twins - I'm not sure why the Twins have decided against scoring, but I am sure that lack of offense will cost them any shot at the playoffs.

3. Cleveland Indians - Take the Twins pitching and the Indians offense and you'd have a juggernaut. Unfortunately the Indians will need to use their own pitching staff.

4. Detroit Tigers - Sometime in mid-May Jim Leyland will take a cigarette break from which he never mentally returns.

5. Kansas City Royals - When Scott Elarton is your opening day starter, you're on the verge of reinventing awful.

AL WEST

1. Oakland A's - Because I worship at the altar of Billy Beane. Though someone needs to get Eric Chavez back in touch with Victor Conte, pronto.

2. Los Angeles Angels - They have their talents, but they also have some of the stupidest hitters alive.

3. Texas Rangers - How many decades can a team go before it figures out it needs pitching? As a Reds fan I need to know.

4. Seattle Mariners - This franchise is on its way to being so bad that people may forget that it ever was good.

AL MVP - Melvin Mora, no joke Melvin Mora
AL Cy Young - Johan Santana
AL Rookie of the Year - Jeff Mathis

Ravenlord
04-04-2006, 11:37 AM
Kevin Towers will win GM of the year for getting Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez from the Rangers.

i think this is one of the best moves in the last three years, and it has gone waaaaaayyy under the radar. i believe Chris Young was an early draft pick in all of my six fantasy leagues. he's probably gonna look like a young John Smoltz in SD this year.*

MWM
04-04-2006, 12:11 PM
NL EAST

1. Atlanta Braves
2. Phillies
3. Mets
4. Washington Nationals
5. Florida Marlins

NL CENTRAL

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Houston Astros
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Cincinnati Reds

NL WEST

1. San Diego Padres
2. LA Dodgers
3. AZ Diamond Backs
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Colorado Rockies

NL Wild Card - Milwaukee Brewers

NL World Series Team - St. Louis Cardinals

NL MVP - Albert Pujols - this is his award for the next decade
NL Cy Young - Jake Peavy
NL Rookie of the Year - Edwin Encarnacion

AL EAST

1. New York Yankees
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL CENTRAL

1. Chicago White Sox
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals

AL WEST

1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Oakland A's
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners

AL MVP - Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young - Josh Beckett
AL Rookie of the Year - Francisco Liriano

AL Wild Card - Oakland A's

AL World Series Team - Yankees


WORLD SERIES CHAMP - Skankees

pedro
04-04-2006, 12:15 PM
I have a real hard time beliveing the Pirates will finish 4th in the NL central MWM. I just don't think they'll score enough runs.

Jaycint
04-04-2006, 12:27 PM
NL EAST

1. New York Mets - I'm sure in the end I will end up being one of the many to incorrectly predict the end of the Braves stranglehold on the East. I honestly think the Mets are the second best team in the NL (after the Cards of course) top to bottom. Still don't understand why Heilman isn't getting more of a chance to start though.

2. Atlanta Braves - Great young talent at the Catcher and OF positions. I think they need Horacio Ramirez to realize his potential the same way the Reds need Kearns to. Can Edgar Renteria pick up where Furcal left off?

3. Philadelphia Phillies - Hey look, it's the Reds! Nice offense, bandbox of a ballpark, not enough pitching. Howard will absolutely blow up this year in my opinion.

4. Washington Nationals - I doubt last year's fluky hot start will be repeated this year. I still kinda like ancient Livan Hernandez for some reason and Patterson should be a stud pitching in that park but this strikes me as a very ho-hum kinda team.

5. Florida Marlins - I think I might have seen this blueprint before, jettison the big names, let the promising young guys play and get some experience, collect World Series ring in six years. Rinse, repeat.

NL CENTRAL

1. St. Louis Cardinals - Best team in a weak National League. Having a healthy Scott Rolen just can't be underestimated. Chris Carpenter will continue his dominance and I think Mulder has a big year also with an eye on the payday at the end of the rainbow. Bullpen may be a little shaky with Braden Looper backing up a seemingly always gimpy Isringhausen.

2. Milwaukee Brewers - Hey Leo, Mike Maddux is looking for ya. Very solid and underrated staff (even by myself in previous years) that has blossomed under Maddux' instruction. With a healthy Ben Sheets I think they play into the final week looking for the wildcard.

3. Houston Astros - Roger or no Roger, it seems like their window is closing slowly but surely. They have a stud starter (Oswalt), a stud closer (Lidge) and a stud bat (Berkman) so theoretically I guess they could still make a run if a few guys have career years but I don't see it happening.

4. Chicago Cubs - Even without Prior and Wood they have better pitching than the Reds. Offense is kinda iffy other than the two big bats in the middle. With a solid year out of Juan Pierre and Matt Murton I could see them battling for third. Sorry Cubbies, the No Ring streak doesn't end this season. Look at it this way, still a lot of cool little bars in Wrigleyville to visit after yet another defeat.

5. Cincinnati Reds - Plenty of offense, maybe a good trade or two around the All-Star break and a breakout year from Claussen makes this a third or fourth place team. Of course I'm the eternal optimist.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates - The Pirates remind me of how I felt about the Bengals during the mid to late 90's. Every off season they would make a move or two, draft this guy or that guy, and all of us loyal fans would think THIS is the year we finally turn it around. Then inevitably at season's end we would be nursing a hangover and thinking "What the hell just happened?" The Pirates young pitching is definitely something to look forward to if you are a Bucs fan and I'd trade it for ours any day of the week. However this year is still too soon and there will be many bumps in the road as the young staff learns how to pitch a full major league season against major league bats.

NL WEST

1. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS - 400 At-Bats out of Barroid is the key here. I also feel like Matt Morris resurrects his career a little bit in the friendly confines of his new home park and Jason Schmidt returns to form somewhat. Interesting to see if Matt Cain can shake an iffy spring and pitch like he is capable.

2. SAN DIEGO PADRES - Was tough not to pick them in this division. I love Jake Peavy and the addition of Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez. A huge year out of Khalil Greene and Brian Giles could catapult them up and over the Giants.

3. LOS ANGELES DODGERS - I wish we could see what the Reds would do if they had Odalis Perez, Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, etc. If the rumors of Gagne losing 5 miles an hour off his fastball are true it could be a long season in LA. Fortunately for their rabid fanbase there are other things to do in LA like go to the beach.

4. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS - I just really have no opinion of this team at all. 2 things definitively however: A) They have the most God awful uniforms in history B) They will win 2 more games than the Rockies.

5. COLORADO ROCKIES - Another year, another sub par team. Glad I'm not Todd Helton. Actually I wish I was Todd Helton, it would be cool I guess to be a multi millionaire even if it meant lots of losses.

The AL predictions will have to wait, lunch is calling.

OnBaseMachine
04-04-2006, 12:28 PM
NL Rookie of the Year - Edwin Encarnacion


I believe Edwin has exceeded the number of atbats possible to still be considered a rookie. But I agree with ya - if Edwin was still considered a rookie, he would win it.

Cyclone792
04-04-2006, 12:55 PM
AL EAST

Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL CENTRAL

Cleveland Indians
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals

AL WEST

Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels
Texas Rangers
Seattle Mariners

AL WILDCARD: New York Yankees

AL Awards

AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young: Johan Santana
AL Rookie of the Year: Francisco Liriano


NL EAST

Atlanta Braves
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
Florida Marlins

NL CENTRAL

St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Houston Astros
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates

NL WEST

Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies

NL WILDCARD: New York Mets

NL Awards

NL MVP: Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young: Roy Oswalt
NL Rookie of the Year: Ryan Zimmerman

penantboundreds
04-04-2006, 12:58 PM
What makes ESPN's analysts "experts"? They say they brought in experts to predict; however, they are never right anyway, and they admit it. All this predict this, predict that crap has to get off our TVs

traderumor
04-04-2006, 01:08 PM
What makes ESPN's analysts "experts"? They say they brought in experts to predict; however, they are never right anyway, and they admit it. All this predict this, predict that crap has to get off our TVsSomebody didn't sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

rdiersin
04-04-2006, 01:14 PM
Alright, I'll bite.

AL East
1. Blue Jays
2. Yankees
3. Red Sox
4. Orioles
5. Devil Rays

AL Central
1. Twins
2. White Sox
3. Indians
4. Tigers
5. Royals

AL West
1. A's
2. Angels
3. Rangers
4. Mariners

AL MVP: A-Rod
AL CY: Santana
AL ROY: Kubel, I think he is still eligible.

NL East
1. Braves
2. Phillies
3. Mets
4. Marlins
5. Nats

NL Central
1. Cardinals
2. Astros
3. Brewers
4. Pirates
5. Cubs
6. Reds

NL West
1. Dodgers
2. Padres
3. Diamondbacks
4. Giants
5. Rockies

NL MVP: Pujols
NL CY: Willis
NL ROY: Jason Hirsh

Red Leader
04-04-2006, 01:35 PM
AL EAST

Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Baltimore Orioles
Toronto Blue Jays
Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL CENTRAL

Cleveland Indians
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals

AL WEST

Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels
Texas Rangers
Seattle Mariners

AL WILDCARD: Los Angeles Angels or Anaheim (yes, that's right the NYY are on the outside looking in)

AL Awards

AL MVP: David Ortiz
AL Cy Young: Johan Santana
AL Rookie of the Year: Francisco Liriano


NL EAST

Atlanta Braves
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
Florida Marlins

NL CENTRAL

St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Houston Astros
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates

NL WEST


San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies

NL WILDCARD: New York Mets

NL Awards

NL MVP: Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young: Jake Peavy
NL Rookie of the Year: Ryan Zimmerman

GullyFoyle
04-04-2006, 01:39 PM
The Hardball Times have their staff picks up.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tht-2006-staff-predictions/

Lee Sinins NL Central Picks:

1)STL 2)CIN 3)HOU 4)MIL 5)CHC 6)PIT

I wish I could hold him to it. :p:

No one else has the Reds above 4th and most have 'em bring up the rear.

M2
04-04-2006, 01:41 PM
The NL East seems to be the most agreed upon division so far. Meanwhile NL West predicts are like snowflakes, no two are the same except that everyone agrees the Rockies will finish last.

MWM
04-04-2006, 02:40 PM
I have a real hard time beliveing the Pirates will finish 4th in the NL central MWM. I just don't think they'll score enough runs.

Yeah, the last three could be in any order. It was more an indictment or the Cubs and Reds as a compliment to the Bucs.

KronoRed
04-04-2006, 02:43 PM
...that's why the Rockies will win it ;)

rdiersin
04-04-2006, 03:07 PM
The Hardball Times have their staff picks up.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tht-2006-staff-predictions/

Lee Sinins NL Central Picks:

1)STL 2)CIN 3)HOU 4)MIL 5)CHC 6)PIT

I wish I could hold him to it. :p:

No one else has the Reds above 4th and most have 'em bring up the rear.

Not so,
Joe Sheehan also has the Reds 2nd.


The Reds have the most upside of the other five teams, and they could be interesting if they somehow managed to stay under 850 runs allowed. I don’t really see it happening; they have a below-average rotation and poor bullpen pitching in front of what might be the NL’s worst defense in a very good hitters’ park. In a best-case scenario, their five starters stay healthy and provide league-average performance, while some combination of Ryan Wagner (who I really like this year), Matt Belisle and Todd Coffey emerge as a 1-2 combination in the bullpen.


Cardinals 94 68 850 730
Reds 83 79 901 879
Cubs 83 79 764 753
Astros 80 82 681 687
Brewers 77 85 710 741
Pirates 67 95 669 788

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4931

Jpup
04-04-2006, 03:14 PM
Well, we did have a thread on this, but it got zero responses yesterday. Here's the link: http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44492

anyway, here are my picks.


AL West 1. A's 2. Angels 3. Rangers 4. Mariners
AL Central 1. Twins 2. White Sox 3. Indians 4. Tigers 5. Royals
AL East 1. Yankees 2. Red Sox 3. Blue Jays 4. Orioles 5. D-Rays
AL Wildcard Red Sox

NL West 1. Padres 2. Giants 3. Dodgers 4. Diamondbacks 5. Rockies
NL Central 1. Cardinals 2. Brewers 3. Astros 4. Reds 5. Cubs 6. Pirates
NL East 1. Braves 2. Mets 3. Phillies 4. Marlins 5. Nationals
NL Wildcard Mets

AL Champion NY Yankees
NL Champion Atlanta Braves

World Series Champion NY Yankees

AL MVP Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP Albert Pujols

AL Cy Young Johan Santana
NL Cy Young Jake Peavy

AL Rookie Of The Year Kenji Johjima
NL Rookie Of The Year Jeremy Hermida

M2
04-04-2006, 04:07 PM
Jpup, sorry I didn't notice that thread.

rdiersin, kind of funny that part of Sheehan's rationale for what could go right with the Reds, namely Ryan Wagner, has started the year in AAA.

rdiersin
04-04-2006, 04:12 PM
kind of funny that part of Sheehan's rationale for what could go right with the Reds, namely Ryan Wagner, has started the year in AAA.

Yea, I noticed that too. Its also kind of interesting that this is what he got after he looked at the whole thing. In the article he mentioned that this was his final predictions, and his initial predictions are the ones in the staff predictions, which he picked the Reds 4th.