My Final Review of my MLB Predictions

Well, its finally time to review my preseason MLB predictions for this season. Not so good in some parts, decent on some others.

First, some quick playoff thoughts. At this moment, Tampa is beating Chicago and will probably move on the ALCS. Baseball story of the decade so far, Red Sox included. If any of you obsessive loser Red Sox Nation losers want to battle me, bring it on.

In the NL, we have the Dodgers against Phillies. Decent match up, damn Cubs didn’t show up.

Let’s get to the picks.

Here were my choices before the season started for the National League:

NL East- Phillies (Unfortunately for me, the Mets fan, this one was correct)
NL Central- Milwaukee (Cubs ended up taking care of business in this division but not after a decent run by the Brewers)
NL West- Arizona (I called this division terrible throughout the entire season, yet its division champion just swept the best team in the league, so what can you do. You can try to not mention that team based in Phoenix.)
Wild Card- Colorado (Finished eight games out of wild card, which is not really good. Let’s keep it moving.)
NL Champions- Arizona (Not a good choice)
NL MVP- Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard (I can make an argument for Howard, but this one should go to Albert Pujols. That guy is a warrior.)
NL Cy Young- Johan Santana (I can make an argument for Johan. That bullpen screwed him out of some more wins. His performance against Florida in the next-to-last game of the season, the three-hitter shutout on a bum knee was inspiring. Give it to Tim Lincecum or CC Sabathia. )
NL Manager of the Year- Bob Melvin (I still think that Lou Pinella should get this one because it’s a regular season award.)
NL Surprise Team- Cincinnati (The Natti are progressing, but its gotta be the Cardinals or even Houston, who actually finished with a better record. )
NL Disappointment- Chicago and San Diego (This Cubs pick looked worse during the regular season but I guess they evened out in the postseason. The Padres stunk).
NL Worst Team- San Francisco (even worse than Pittsburgh) They weren’t the worst team in the league, that honor goes to the Nationals, but the Giants did have a better record than Atlanta, Pittsburgh and San Diego.

My standings predictions for each division and the current ones:

My NL East:

1) Philadelphia
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Washington
5) Florida

Final NL East:

1) Philadelphia
2) New York
3) Florida
4) Atlanta
5) Washington

Here’s what I wrote about this division in the beginning of the season:
NL East- 1) Philadelphia- I don't understand why people are lukewarm on this team. I think they have the best lineup in the division top to bottom and the pitching staff is solid. I would worry about Brad Lidge in the bullpen though and I know losing Rowland won't help the team. I still like them to at least win the division. 2) New York- Ah, my beloved Mets. I have such a love/hate relationship with them. Starting Pitching is ok. Santana speaks for himself and he will have a monster year. Pedro is hurt as usual and Maine and Perez are up and down. Fifth starter won't bring much to the table. Lineup is good but not as great as people make it out to be. There are some major holes in it, especially in the corner outfield positions and catcher. Bullpen is good. I think that they will not win the division in the end. 3) Atlanta- I really wanted to pick them ahead of New York, but I like the Mets rotation a little bit more. Besides that, Braves are going to be a good team this year. 4) Washington- Going to a new ballpark will give them a few extra wins and they are getting some young talent. Why the Mets traded Milledge, I don't know. 5) Florida: Ramirez is good, Uggla is solid and I like Andrew Miller. Everything else you can keep. We'll see these guys around in a few years and they will contend for a world series at that point.

I liked the Phillies, which was nice for me. The Mets did what they do. I was wise to be lukewarm on Atlanta. The Braves crappiness has been a personal highlight and joy for me. Washington doesn’t even exist to me and Florida surprised in a positive way.

My NL Central:

1) Milwaukee
2) Cincinnati
3) Chicago
4) St. Louis
5) Houston
6) Pittsburgh

Final NL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Milwaukee
3) Houston
4) St. Louis
5) Cincinnati
6) Pittsburgh

My thoughts earlier in the season:
NL Central- 1) Milwaukee- I love the experience that these young guys gained last season. These guys are ready to make the leap and take this surprisingly competitive division. 2) Cincinnati- I love to take chances in my predictions and this is a big one. I like their young arms and the lineup isn't bad at all. Dusty Baker brings them some credibility and I think they will finish second. 3) Chicago- Cubs fans don't want to see this. Honestly, I think the Cubs are better then Cincinnati and maybe even Milwaukee on paper, but I see them taking a major step back this season. 4) St. Louis- Pujols is a beast but doesn't have much support. Injuries and age have taken a toll on this team the last few years accept for the world championship in '06. 5) Houston- Oswalt, Berkman and El Cabayo (Carlos Lee) are solid, but not much else. Pence is good to and Tejada may be washed up. 6) Pittsburgh- I watched a Pirates/Marlins game on TV last night and only knew one or two Pirates. They're going to be bad.

The Cubs were a bad prediction for me. Also, the Natti let me down. Props to St. Louis and Houston for going above expectations. The Brewers made the playoffs which was big for that franchise. Pittsburgh, well, at least you have good food, the Penguins and Steelers.

My NL West:

1) Arizona
2) Colorado
3) Los Angeles
4) San Diego
5) San Francisco

Current NL West:

1) Los Angeles
2) Arizona
3) Colorado
4) San Francisco
5) San Diego

Thoughts at the beginning of the season:

NL West- 1) Arizona- The Diamondbacks win the most competitive division in baseball. The pitching is outstanding and the lineup will improve because everyone is a year older. They win a lot of close games and that wins divisions. 2) Colorado- I love the lineup and they have the experience. I still just don't trust the pitching long-term. Good enough to win the wildcard but not good enough to repeat a pennent. 3) Los Angeles-Torre, play the young guys and you may sneak into a wild-card spot. 4) San Diego- Money Pitching + Cheap Hitting = No success and an angry Jake Peavy 5) San Francisco- No Bonds + Old as Dirt Lineup + Young Pitchers still learning + Crappy Barry Zito = Last place in division and possibly worst record in league and baseball.

The Dogdes rode Manny Ramirez to a division title, good times for them. Furthermore, props to Joe Torre as well. Even though I grew up despising the Yankees during their glory days, the only three guys I never had beefs with were Torre, Derek Jeter and David Wells. I had times where I disliked Paul O’Neill, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams and many of the other guys. So congrats to Torre.

Arizona disappointed me, Colorado even more but I shouldn’t have been so quick to give them a playoff spot after doing something last season that won’t be done again for another generation. The Giants are going to have tough times for a few more years and San Diego is probably the same.

On to the American League:

AL East- Boston (Tampa won it but Boston held their own)
AL Central- Cleveland (not a good pick)
AL West- Seattle (terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, and one more time, terrible pick)
Wild Card- Toronto (Another 85+ win season, another missed playoff spot)
AL Champs- Cleveland (let’s just move on)
AL MVP- Manny Ramirez (This can still happen right?)
AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay (Roy should still get some consideration but Cliff Lee gets this award.)
AL Manager of the Year- Terry Francona (this is Joe Maddon’s award, manager of Tampa Bay. Terry has done a good job and you have to consider that loser manager of Anaheim, the manager of the Twins and Ozzie.)
AL Surprise Team- Kansas City (Not the best choice but not as bad as Seattle. I wonder who this award should go to…)
AL Disappointment Team- Yankees and Anaheim (Yankees, yes…Anaheim did well.)
AL Worst Team- Baltimore (I was worried about this pick, but the Orioles failed enough to have the second-worst record behind…frickin Seattle!)

My AL East:

1) Boston
2) Toronto
3) New York
4) Tampa Bay
5) Baltimore

Final AL East:

1) Tampa Bay
2) Boston
3) New York
4) Toronto
5) Baltimore

Thoughts in May:

Here's how the AL East breaks down: 1) Boston- They are the most complete team in the division. 2) Toronto- They have the tools to overtake New York, they just have to stay healthy. 3) New York- They will still win around 85 games, but their pitching staff is too young and too old at the same time, which is hard to do. 4) Tampa Bay- The Rays are going to not finish in the cellar, congrats. They have some young talent. 5) Baltimore- Its going to be a long year at Charm City.

I was on point with the Yankees. No one had Tampa doing what they did.

My AL Central:

1) Cleveland
2) Detroit
3) Kansas City
4) Chicago
5) Minnesota
Current AL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Minnesota
3) Cleveland
4) Kansas City
5) Detroit

May Thouhgts:

AL Central- 1) Cleveland- Most complete team in the division. I'm banking on Pronk finding his stroke again and C.C not eating himself out of a big contract. 2) Detroit- World Championship lineup, Pennent starting pitching, .500 Bullpen. This won't be Detroit's year. 3) Kansas City- I think these guys can surprise some people this season. I've seen their first few games and like what I've seen from them. 4) Chicago- I just have a bad vibe about this team and their overall chances. 5) Minnesota- They still have Mauer and Morneau, but they lost too much this off-season. As a general baseball fan, I hope Liriano comes back healthy, because he's a joy to watch.

Completely off with these predictions. Cleveland has been documented well enough, but what the heck happened in Detroit? First the Tigers, the Lions are actually worse than the Raiders this year and the Pistons are not even going to make the Eastern Conference Finals this year, you heard it here first.

Once again, my apologies to the fine people of Minnesota for saying that your team would be terrible. My bad.

My AL West:

1) Seattle
2) Anaheim
3) Oakland
4) Texas

Current AL West:

1) Anaheim
2) Texas
3) Oakland
4) Seattle

My May Thoughts:

AL West- 1) Seattle- Bedard will be the difference maker in this division. The lineup is solid, but not great. King Felix is a special pitcher if he stays healthy and I'm banking on a decent season from him health-wise. He stays healthy the whole season and he's winning the Cy Young award, its that simple. 2) Anaheim- I know they are the Los Angeles Angels of whatever. Anyway, their starting rotation is banged up, which I don't like at all. They will score some runs, but in the long run, they won't make the postseason. 3) Oakland- They blown up their team once again and are going with the youngsters. I trust Billy Beane's knowledge, but its going to be a rough year for them. 4) Texas- I like nothing about this team accept Josh Hamilton. The pitching is awful. Nothing else to say here.

Well, Seattle is terrible. I talked bad about the sports scene in Detroit, but what about Seattle? Seahawks stink, Mariners were awful and now in one of the worst sports moves I’ve ever seen, the Sonics are out of town. Hold on Seattle. The Grizzlies are going to move to Seattle in a few years, the Mariners have to get better one day and the Seahawks, well, at least you have good coffee.

Those are my predictions. Mock me completely about them, I welcome it. Until then, stay up and you will never stay down.

My NFL Predictions

Hey everyone, double blog posting in one day. Labor Day will do that to you.

The NFL season is upon us and there are a lot of storylines to look forward to. I’ll hit many of them throughout the preview. I honestly say one or two positive things about every franchise, accept maybe the Bengals. I’ll get to them.

For those of you who want the cliff notes version of my predictions and don’t want to read the analysis, here it is below:

AFC East- New England
AFC North- Pittsburgh
AFC South- Indianapolis
AFC West- San Diego
Wild Card- Jacksonville, Denver
AFC Champ- San Diego

NFC East- Dallas
NFC North- Minnesota
NFC South- New Orleans
NFC West- Arizona
Wild Card- Green Bay, Carolina
NFC Champ- Dallas

Super Bowl- San Diego over Dallas

Coach of the Year- Sean Payton
MVP- Drew Brees
Offensive MVP- Randy Moss
Defensive MVP- Osi Umenyiora…wait, damn Coughlin! DeMarcus Ware and Jared Allen (tie)
Comeback Player- Ricky Williams (so happy for this one)
Offensive ROY- Darren McFadden
Defensive ROY- Vernon Gholston

OK, those are the quick predictions; let’s break them down some more

AFC East:

1) New England
2) Buffalo
3) New York
4) Miami

Thoughts: I do think that New England takes a step back this season, but not too far to lose this division. The Patriots are still going to win their 11 or 12 games because when you have Brady and Moss and the solid, yet aging defense in that division, they are still going to win their share of games. The Bills are making progress and I like Trent Edwards but not enough to make them contend with the Patriots. I do like Evans being a playmaker on the receiving end and Lynch is a potential superstar at running back. The defense was solid last year but wilted too often. The Jets will be interesting because of Favre of course. They upgraded the QB position and will score some points, but it’s a team game and the defense doesn’t show me much. Miami is still getting it stuff together, but I’m looking forward to the return of Ricky Williams! Good times. I know that drugs are bad, but he’s comic relief for me.

AFC North:

1) Pittsburgh
2) Cleveland
3) Baltimore
4) Cincinnati

I can see Pittsburgh and Cleveland slugging it out but taking the Steelers because they have a slightly easier schedule. I don’t like how the injury bug is starting to hit the Browns and that run defense is going to be major problems for them, especially facing Pittsburgh twice and the Cowboys to start the year. However, you can argue that the weakest point of the Steelers is that offensive line and I’m concerned about that too. The Ravens should start a rookie quarterback and has an aging defense and a running back who has injury issues. Yeah, love those guys.

You know who I love even more, those Bengals. They are going to have a long season. How do you bring back Chris Henry to that team? Chad Ocho Cinco? Why? Cutting Rudi Johnson and Willie Anderson? I actually feel sorry for Carson Palmer.

AFC South:

1) Indianapolis
2) Jacksonville
3) Tennessee
4) Houston

Thoughts: If there’s one team that needs to be concerned right now is Indy. Between Manning, Saturday, Freeney, Harrison, Sanders and some others struggling to make it on the field or regain their peak skills, that’s not a good sign. However, I’m still going to take a run at them winning the division. If Jacksonville wins this one, wouldn’t shock me at all. They run the ball well and have a solid defense.

The Titans are an interesting story. The defense is good enough to make them a conference title contender. The offense…I need to see some more from Vince Young to make them a major player. They are a border-line playoff team. Love the rookie running back Johnson. The Texans are good but I just don’t see enough from them.

AFC West

1) San Diego
2) Denver
3) Oakland
4) Kansas City

Thoughts: The Chargers are loaded. They have all of the pieces but the Merriman injury worries me greatly. I’m going out on a limb and taking Denver to finish second and for Cutler to have a breakout season. There is hope for Oakland. I like the McFadden pick and Russell is going to be an excellent quarterback. Who he will throw the ball to, I don’t know. And don’t give me Jevon Walker. Kansas City, well, at least they have good food there.

NFC East

1) Dallas
2) New York
3) Philadelphia
4) Washington

Thoughts: We all know about Dallas. They should have the best record in the NFC, maybe the entire league. The talent overflow is amazing and when you throw in guys like Tank Johnson and Pacman Jones, they have a chance to be a special team. Of course, the problem with this team is that they are a combustible group. They may have too many egos and too many distractions from the players’ dating lives, to coaches looking over each others shoulders to T.O. being T.O. to ownership being overbearing to…two words:

Pacman and Tank. Keep the children away, keep those two away from the strip clubs and guns and maybe they may last the whole season.

My Giants, it’s always an interesting experience following your team after it wins a championship. You have expectations for your team to do well, but you know that repeating a championship is very, very hard to do. I don’t know who came up this theory but someone said that you should give your team a five-year grace period if they win a title. I agree with that. As long as the Giants are competitive, I won’t be mad how they do.

On the field, I think that you will see some improvement offensively because you will see the emergence of Steve Smith as a receiver. Losing Shockey hurts, but Boss is a good tight end. The line is sold and the running backs are good as well. Obviously, losing Osi for the season is a problem because the Giants’ weak link is the secondary and without a good pass rush, New York will have problems defending the pass.

Another problem is that the Eagles and Redskins are better this season too. There are no easy wins in that division. I’m very worried about the Eagles. McNabb is a solid QB IF HE STAYS HEALTHY. Westbrook is a beast and I like Jackson, the rookie, to have an impact. Washington is ok too, but the new head coach is always a risky thing to bank on. Positions 2-4 in this division are wide open. Where the rest of the three teams place wouldn’t surprise me. The Cowboys will finish first, that’s a guarantee.

NFC North:

1) Minnesota
2) Green Bay
3) Detroit
4) Chicago

Thoughts: I like what the Vikings have done. Peterson is an MVP candidate; both lines are above average, especially the defense with the addition of Jared Allen. McKinney getting suspended for the first four games of the season was a smooth move. It all comes down to Tarvaris Jackson. He needs to develop some consistency at the QB position.

The Packers are finally rid of Brett Favre and while they may be a better team with him on paper, after the off-season, they are better without him overall. Rodgers is going to be fine. He’s going to have ups and downs like anyone else, but the rest of this team is still solid and shouldn’t be dismissed.

Detroit has too many flaws to make a run at anything and Chicago’s QB situation just makes me sad.

NFC South

1) New Orleans
2) Carolina
3) Tampa Bay
4) Atlanta

Thoughts: I’ve switched back and forth between the Saints and Panthers to win this division. Both have pros and cons. I’m going with the Saints because I like their offense more than the Panthers and I think that Carolina’s defense has taken a step back.

Tampa Bay has 8-8 written all over it and the Falcons are in complete rebuild mode.

NFC West

1) Seattle
2) Arizona
3) St. Louis
4) San Francisco

Thoughts: Worst division in football. Seattle wins this one by default. I really wanted to take Arizona, but that QB situation disappoints me. Kurt Warner, really? Matt Leinart has issues. I think St. Louis will be spunky, especially if Steven Jackson stays healthy. San Francisco is going to have another long season. The addition of Martz doesn’t excite me as much as other people.

Awards:

Super Bowl: Here are the only teams that can compete and win the Super Bowl: New England, San Diego, Jacksonville, Dallas, Minnesota, and New Orleans. That’s it. Make a combo out of those teams and there you go. Some teams are missing and that’s intentional. When all else fails, pick the most desperate team and the one with the most talent. The Chargers need to win a title now. Dallas needs to win a title now. The end.

MVP: Drew Brees. I think this is a major rebound season for him. Somebody may pass for more yards or more touchdowns, but he will be the catalyst for a revival and voters will like that. Tomlinson will continue to put up sick numbers for a potential 13-3 team and Randy Moss will get third after receiving attention for kinda being slighted out of the MVP award last season.

Offensive MVP: The award is different. Moss will put up more amazing numbers for a receiver and get recognized in this way. Peterson from Minnesota will come in second and Tomlinson is third.

Defensive MVP: I think that Jared Allen is going to have a monster year for the Vikings. He wants to prove that he’s worth the money; his teammates are excellent so you can’t focus on him and you’re putting him on that fast turf for at least eight games. He’s going to do work. Ware is also going to get consideration as well because the voters are going to acknowledge the best defensive player on the best team is going to get love. Look out for Champ Bailey here as well. If Osi didn’t blow out his damn knee, I would have picked him objectively because he was poised to have a monster year too. Damn Coughlin.

Comeback Player: Ricky Williams is going to rush for a lot of yards in Miami. Jake Delhomme will have a good bounce back season with the Panthers as well.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: McFadden is going to put up some sexy numbers as a running back. Watch out for Matt Ryan, DeSean Jackson, Jonathan Stewart and even Chris Johnson. All of these guys are going to get a chance to play. Problem is that Ryan is a rookie QB and is going to be too inconsistent, DeSean Jackson may not get enough touches, same for Stewart and Johnson who are sharing the backfield with veterans. The QB from the Ravens is a darkhorse.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Gholston is going to get some sacks and look exciting and get the most attention. Guys like Chris Long and Glenn Dorsey are probably going to have more solid seasons but not get the attention. Jared Mayo of the Patriots is a darkhorse.

Those are the picks. I would love to hear or see yours. Similar to my baseball predictions, I will have updates on the picks every four or five games.

While doing this post, I was watching One Tree Hill and they played this Coldplay song in the final scenes. I’m hooked on this show, laugh if you want.

Later.

MLB Predictions Update

First, happy Labor Day! Always a good holiday to celebrate. It’s a time to reflect on the end of the summer and prepare for the fall. It’s also the start of the best period of the sports season. I mentioned this in my Reflections yesterday, but there are so many sports active right now or or going to start up in a few weeks. Football, both pro and college, dominates this time of year, but don’t forget about baseball.

At this stage, if you’re a team like the Yankees or Dodgers, you are what you are and no more excuses can be made. This goes the other way. We shouldn’t be shocked by the Rays or Twins anymore, they are legit playoff teams.

As usual, at the beginning of every month, I review my MLB picks and seeing how I did.

Let’s get to the picks.

Here were my choices before the season started for the National League:

NL East- Phillies (The Mets are actually a game up right now, but that frickin bullpen will give this division to the Phillies)

NL Central- Milwaukee (They’re still only four games out, but I think that the Cubs take this one. The Brewers get the wild card)

NL West- Arizona (Terrible division, but the pitching of Arizona wins out) Wild Card- Colorado (They aren’t going to win the wild-card, but they are only six games out of the division. They need to go on a major winning streak now.)

NL Champions- Arizona (All signs point to a battle between Milwaukee and Chicago for the NL pennent. However, Arizona can throw some major pitchers out there for a short playoff series, so whoever gets them in the first round needs to be careful.)

NL MVP- Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard (It can go to almost anybody right now.)

NL Cy Young- Johan Santana (Johan has had a good year, he just has so many games get blown by that awful bullpen. Brandon Webb is going to have his 20 wins and he’s good, but I would seriously consider CC Sabathia. He’s been the best pitcher in the NL for the last few months.)

NL Manager of the Year- Bob Melvin (Arizona is doing well, but the Cubs are rolling right now and you have to make Pinella the favorite. I also think that Tony LaRussa, Gonozalez at Florida and Ned Yost of Milwaukee)

NL Surprise Team- Cincinnati (The natti has moved on to next year and that’s a good thing. The Marlins and Cardinals have had solid seasons )

NL Disappointment- Chicago and San Diego (This Cubs pick continues to look worse and worse by the day. I was on with San Diego)

NL Worst Team- San Francisco (even worse than Pittsburgh) The Giants still stink and are making me look good. Only the Braves, Washington, Pittsburgh and San Diego have worse records. Wow, bad times for Atlanta and San Diego. The National League is terrible overall.

My standings predictions for each division and the current ones:

My NL East:

1) Philadelphia
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Washington
5) Florida

Current NL East:

1) New York
2) Philadelphia
3) Florida
4) Atlanta
5) Washington

Thoughts: The only thing that has changed in the past month is the flip between the Mets and Phillies. It seems like either team can just take a stranglehold on this division if they won a few games in a row and weren’t so inconsistent. I still think Philly takes this in the end, I gotta stick with my pick.

Florida has been a nice surprise. The crappiness of Atlanta has been a personal highlight for me. I love that Atlanta sucks right now, it makes me so, so happy. I wish I was still living in Atlanta so see how terrible they are up close. I absolutely hate the Braves and am a happy fan right now. How’s Jeff Francoeur doing right now? Yeah, I thought so bitches!

I don’t even acknowledge the Nationals right now. They need to change the direction of that franchise immediately.

My NL Central:

1) Milwaukee
2) Cincinnati
3) Chicago
4) St. Louis
5) Houston
6) Pittsburgh

Current NL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Milwaukee
3) St. Louis
4) Houston
5) Cincinnati
6) Pittsburgh

Thoughts: The Brewers can win the division technically but the Cubs are rolling. The Natti isn’t finishing second. Houston is actually a few games over .500 but get no attention. St. Louis has done well and I see hope for Pittsburgh, if they can sign their first-round draft picks.

Look, I don’t know Pedro Alvarez personally but have followed his career being a Vanderbilt fan and I’ve heard he’s a good guy. The minute that he signed with Scott Boras, I knew that problems would develop. Boras is a bad influence and I know some of you out there are saying that Scott’s main job is to get the most money for his client.

I agree and most of the time he does his job. However, there’s a better way of doing it then he does.

Here’s my major problem with this situation. If Boras and Alvarez didn’t want to sign with Pittsburgh by the deadline, Aug. 15, that’s fine. He can then play independent baseball, reenter the draft and keep it moving.

However, don’t make a verbal agreement with the Pirates before the deadline and then go back on the promise after the deadline. You screw with the Pirates in that regard.

Now, Pedro looks like a conceited money-grabber, pretty much screwing over the early good will he would have had with the Pirates organizations and fans. Boras looks like Boras which I don’t think he minds.

Pedro gets blame too because he needs to handle his business better as well. Some players tend to forget that the agent works for you and not the reverse. I hope Pedro realizes that Boras needs to act in his client’s best interest and not the reverse.

Even the Pirates look unprofessional in this regard by not taking care of business. No one is a winner.

My NL West:

1) Arizona
2) Colorado
3) Los Angeles
4) San Diego
5) San Francisco

Current NL West:

1) Arizona
2) Los Angeles
3) Colorado
4) San Francisco
5) San Diego

Thoughts: Ramirez has been playing great for the Dodgers, yet they’re still below .500. Don’t look now, but Colorado is only six games back. Can they make another run like last year? Probably not. San Fran and San Diego, just playing out the string.

On to the American League:

AL East- Boston (Tampa takes it)

AL Central- Cleveland (The Indians are playing well right now, just like they should have been doing since the beginning. They should have never been this bad.)

AL West- Seattle (terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible pick)

Wild Card- Toronto (They’re another team that should be better but their division is stacked. Put them in the NL and they contend for a championship)

AL Champs- Cleveland (let’s just move on)

AL MVP- Manny Ramirez (Yeah, no chance of this happening. It’s a wide open race.)

AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay (Cliff Lee should win it but the Indians are below average and that’s going to hurt him. I can see K-Rod getting the award because the Angels are so good. Halladay should still get consideration as well.)

AL Manager of the Year- Terry Francona (this is Joe Maddon’s award, manager of Tampa Bay, right now. Terry has done a good job and you have to consider that loser manager of Anaheim, the manager of the Twins and Ozzie.)

AL Surprise Team- Kansas City (Not the best choice. I wonder who this award should go to…)

AL Disappointment Team- Yankees and Anaheim (Yankees, yes…Anaheim’s in first place and cruising. Mixed bag.)

AL Worst Team- Baltimore (the Orioles aren’t that bad. Oakland, Kansas City and darn Seattle have worse records.)

My AL East:

1) Boston
2) Toronto
3) New York
4) Tampa Bay
5) Baltimore

Current AL East:

1) Tampa Bay
2) Boston
3) New York
4) Toronto
5) Baltimore

Thoughts: Nothing has changed in this division. Tampa is amazing. Boston is having a decent season as well.

Let’s talk about the possibility of the Yanks and Red Sox not making the playoffs. I know that ESPN would be mad because they can’t overkill us with coverage of those two teams, but I think it would be refreshing.

I get so tired of hearing about the Red Sox and Yankees. Don’t get it twisted. I get tired of hearing about the Mets and to a lesser extent the Cubs also.

I have no beef with the Red Sox and I used to hate the Yankees but really care less about them now.

If both teams miss the playoffs, it would be cool to see teams like Tampa and Milwaukee get some coverage.

My AL Central:

1) Cleveland
2) Detroit
3) Kansas City
4) Chicago
5) Minnesota
Current AL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Minnesota
3) Detroit
4) Cleveland
5) Kansas City

Thoughts: I still think that Boston wins the wild card so only one team from this division makes the playoffs. I’m going with Chicago.

Detroit has been underwhelming. Cleveland is starting to play better but it’s too late. Kansas City, well, they’re Kansas City.

My AL West:

1) Seattle
2) Anaheim
3) Oakland
4) Texas

Current AL West:

1) Anaheim
2) Texas
3) Oakland
4) Seattle

Thoughts: I have no thoughts on this division.

That’s it for now. I was catching up on some General Hospital while doing this post, so I know that none of you want me to embed some of that video on here. See y’all around.

My MLB Predictions Update (you were right Meggie, Jonathan, Noth, you Twins and Cardinals fans and me, the Mets stink...longest post title ever!)

August is always a fun time for me. School starts up, summer is coming towards and end and I can finally focus on watching baseball and preparing for the NFL season.

However, with the Olympics taking up all of my sports viewing along with July being a huge month in mixed martial arts, I’ve fallen behind on my baseball viewing.

I wrote about the Manny Ramirez trade so I haven’t been totally out of the loop. I continue to see my Mets blow any chances of making the playoffs, good times, but besides that, I haven’t watched a full MLB game in a month. It’s been so bad that I had to look at the calendar and realize that I haven’t done an update on my MLB predictions.

As you will see, my prediction skills aren’t the best, but its always fun to look back

Let’s get to the picks.

Here were my choices before the season started for the National League:

NL East- Phillies (They’re going to win this division by default. The Mets disgust me.)
NL Central- Milwaukee (They’re only four games out, but I think that the Cubs take this one.)
NL West- Arizona (Talk about winning a division by default. I think that the first team to win five games in a row in the next month is going to win it)
Wild Card- Colorado (Terrible choice, seeing how they’re 15 games out. When I did this a month ago, St. Louis was in the lead. However, the Brewers have it now and I think that they hold on.)
NL Champions- Arizona (If the Cubs or the Brewers aren’t in the Series this season, I’ll be surprised)
NL MVP- Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard (This race is so wide open right now. Chase Utley has hit the tank. I would look at Chase, Henley Ramirez and of course, the Hebrew Hammer, Ryan Braun!)
NL Cy Young- Johan Santana (I guess this goes to Brandon Webb, especially if the Backs win the West. I still like Volquez but the Reds are so far out of it right now. Look out for CC Sabathia to maybe get consideration at the pace he’s going.)
NL Manager of the Year- Bob Melvin (Arizona was doing well but they have been below average. I think it comes down to Tony LaRussa and Gonozalez at Florida.)
NL Surprise Team- Cincinnati (They started off well, stumbled a little bit and were only a few games below .500 in early July. Not anymore. They’re definitely going for the future and it was nice to see them get rid of Dunn and Griffy. Those two guys are professionals, but it was time for a change. I like the youth movement led by Jay Bruce, Cueto and Volquez, who’s a stud. They’re not going to make the playoffs, but if they may have a future. The Marlins and Cardinals have to get looks in this one.)
NL Disappointment- Chicago and San Diego (This Cubs pick continues to look worse and worse by the day. I was on with San Diego).
NL Worst Team- San Francisco (even worse than Pittsburgh) The Giants are still terrible and getting worse by the day, making my pick look better. I’m actually cheering for them to lose more and more to make me look better. Go Nationals and Padres. The National League is terrible.

My standings predictions for each division and the current ones:

My NL East:

1) Philadelphia
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Washington
5) Florida

Current NL East:

1) Philadelphia
2) New York
3) Florida
4) Atlanta
5) Washington

Thoughts: The standings haven’t changed in a month and I think this is how the season is going to finish out. None of these teams are great, but I guess Philly has the best one of the lot. I’m not saying that I expected the Mets to win the World Series. Heck, I predicted that they wouldn’t make the playoffs. However, seeing how average Philly is, the Mets should win this but keep finding ways to lose. I don’t even get mad at it anymore. The Marlins have been a pleasant surprise. Washington is Washington.

I have to place the Braves in a separate category. The run is over and I couldn’t be happier. Now those spoiled Braves fans can get a taste of losing and like it! They just aren’t a good team. Their fans have been getting mad with their performance the past two and a half years, but they should save their anger. They want to blame injuries, but if the entire Braves roster was healthy the whole season, which is not possible, the Phillies and Mets are still better. Braves fans, it isn’t going to get better. Expect this for another few years. And one more thing. I love McCann, but to all of you idiots who told me that Jeff Francoeur was better than David Wright a few years ago, who’s laughing now bitch!!!! Suck on that losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moving on…

My NL Central:

1) Milwaukee
2) Cincinnati
3) Chicago
4) St. Louis
5) Houston
6) Pittsburgh

Current NL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Milwaukee
3) St. Louis
4) Houston
5) Pittsburgh
6) Cincinnati

Thoughts: Milwaukee may actually finish in first, so not too bad there. The Natti’, not so much.

Much love to the Cubs. I thought that they would be a disappointment, but they have delivered.

I’ve said this every time I do a review and I know that she reads this blog, so, once again Meggie, you were right.

The Cubs are going to make the playoffs, that much is certain. What they do afterwards is the key. St. Louis has continued to surprise. Houston and Pittsburgh aren’t worth discussing.

Actually, I’ll take that back. I like what the Pirates are doing. They are going to stink for a while but they have hope. There is no reason that they couldn’t have some successful moments like the Twins and A’s have had the past few years.

My NL West:

1) Arizona
2) Colorado
3) Los Angeles
4) San Diego
5) San Francisco

Current NL West:

1) Arizona
2) Los Angeles
3) Colorado
4) San Francisco
5) San Diego

Thoughts: Arizona was doing so well and then something happened. The Dodgers are the team that I think is going to pull this division out especially with Manny playing hard all of a sudden. This is the worst division in baseball, pathetic play and I don’t want to discuss it anymore.

On to the American League:

AL East- Boston (Tampa is for real. No one saw that coming)
AL Central- Cleveland (oy vey as in the second worst record in the AL. Same as last month. There’s no excuse for this.)
AL West- Seattle (terrible, terrible, terrible pick)
Wild Card- Toronto (They’re only eight games out, they can do it right? Yeah, I know, terrible pick)
AL Champs- Cleveland (my AL picks were terrible, weren’t they!)
AL MVP- Manny Ramirez (Well, seeing how he’s in another league right now and quit on the Red Sox, this pick is probably not going to happen. This race is wide open as well. It can go to anyone on the Angels, Red Sox or Rays. K-Rod from Anaheim is still a sleeper here.)
AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay (Another open race but watch out for K-Rod once again.)
AL Manager of the Year- Terry Francona (this is Joe Maddon’s award, manager of Tampa Bay, right now. Terry has done a good job and you have to consider that loser manager of Anaheim, the manager of the Twins and wait for it…Ozzie Guillen! Oz can pull this one out. Gotta love it. He’ll probably curse at everyone while accepting the award, looking forward to it.)
AL Surprise Team- Kansas City (terrible choice by me and I thought that they would show some signs of life for the future like Cincinnati. Not happening.)
AL Disappointment Team- Yankees and Anaheim (Yankees, yes…Anaheim’s in first place and cruising. Mixed bag.)
AL Worst Team- Baltimore (the Orioles aren’t that bad. Oakland, Kansas City, Cleveland and Jesus Christmas Seattle have worse records.)

My AL East:

1) Boston
2) Toronto
3) New York
4) Tampa Bay
5) Baltimore

Current AL East:

1) Tampa Bay
2) Boston
3) New York
4) Toronto
5) Baltimore

Thoughts: Last month, I said that the Rays are the story of baseball, but the season is long. Not only are the Rays still the story, they are for real. I still hold out hope that Boston will catch them and win the division but that’s just for my predictions.

I LOVE THE RAYS!

The Yankees weren’t going to make the playoffs before the season started and I’m sticking to it. They are too old and too young at the same time. Toronto has disappointed me a little and Baltimore is actually not a terrible team.

My AL Central:

1) Cleveland
2) Detroit
3) Kansas City
4) Chicago
5) Minnesota

Current AL Central:

1) Chicago
2) Minnesota
3) Detroit
4) Kansas City
5) Cleveland

Thoughts: The White Sox are doing well right now, so respect to Jonathan and Noth.

The Twins continue to surprise me. I thought that they would be terrible this year, but respect to them. If Liriano can come in and make a major contribution, watch out for these guys.

Detroit, Kansas City and Cleveland, nothing more needs to be said.

My AL West:

1) Seattle
2) Anaheim
3) Oakland
4) Texas

Current AL West:

1) Anaheim
2) Texas
3) Oakland
4) Seattle

Thoughts: First, they will always be Anaheim or California and not this LA crap. Next, you know that I will always resent the Angels and hope that they lose because of their manager. If you need a reminder, http://pourtoutpancakes.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-five-saddest-moments-as-sports-fan.html. God, I dislike that manager. They are the strongest team in the league and should make the World Series. However, they seem to have trouble with Boston in the playoffs, so look out for that.

Seattle sucks, its that simple.

Texas is a fun team to watch because they can score some runs. The pitching just isn’t enough. Oakland is whatever.

That’s all. I was listening to some Mars Volta and Evanescence. BTW, Amy Lee. Let's see, rocker, dark hair, beautiful eyes, great voice, she can get it anytime if you know what I'm saying!

Enjoy some of their music below:

My MLB Predictions

Its that time again kids...spring is in the air...I still have to do my taxes...The ladies are starting to wear less cloting...its time for my MLB preview/predictions.

First, I'm a terrible but honest predictor. I show no favortism and am actually extra hard on teams that I like, especially the Mets. I treat it like my money is on the line and messing with my money is messing with my emotions, its all about the principalities of the situation.
Anyway, here's the condensed version of my predictions and I'll break down he divisions individually after that.

NL East- Phillies
NL Central- Milwaukee
NL West- Arizona
Wild Card- Colorado
NL Champions- Arizona
NL MVP- Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard (I can't choose). Ok, I'll take Prince
NL Cy Young- Johan Santana
NL Manager of the Year- Bob Melvin (Arizona)
NL Suprise Team- Cincinnati
NL Disappointment- Chicago and San Diego
NL Worst Team- San Francisco (even worse than Pittsburgh)

AL East- Boston
AL Central- Cleveland
AL West- Seattle
Wild Card- Toronto
AL Champs- Cleveland
AL MVP- Manny Ramirez
AL Cy Young- Roy Halladay
AL Manager of the Year- Terry Francona
AL Surprise Team- Kansas City (yeah, that's right)
AL Disappintment Team- Yankees and Anaheim (both by their standards)
AL Worst Team- Baltimore

World Series: Cleveland over Arizona

Here's how the AL East breaks down: 1) Boston- They are the most complete team in the division. 2) Toronto- They have the tools to overtake New York, they just have to stay healthy. 3) New York- They will still win around 85 games, but their pitching staff is too young and too old at the same time, which is hard to do. 4) Tampa Bay- The Rays are going to not finish in the cellar, congrats. They have some young talent. 5) Baltimore- Its going to be a long year at Charm City.

AL Central- 1) Cleveland- Most complete team in the division. I'm banking on Pronk finding his stroke again and C.C not eating himself out of a big contract. 2) Detroit- World Championship lineup, Pennent starting pitching, .500 Bullpen. This won't be Detroit's year. 3) Kansas City- I think these guys can surprise some people this season. I've seen their first few games and like what I've seen from them. 4) Chicago- I just have a bad vibe about this team and their overall chances. 5) Minnesota- They still have Mauer and Morneau, but they lost too much this off-season. As a general baseball fan, I hope Liriano comes back healthy, because he's a joy to watch.

AL West- 1) Seattle- Bedard will be the difference maker in this division. The lineup is solid, but not great. King Felix is a special pitcher if he stays healthy and I'm banking on a decent season from him health-wise. He stays healthy the whole season and he's winning the Cy Young award, its that simple. 2) Anaheim- I know they are the Los Angeles Angels of whatever. Anyway, their starting rotation is banged up, which I don't like at all. They will score some runs, but in the long run, they won't make the postseason. 3) Oakland- They blown up their team once again and are going with the youngsters. I trust Billy Beane's knowledge, but its going to be a rough year for them. 4) Texas- I like nothing about this team accept Josh Hamilton. The pitching is awful. Nothing else to say here.

NL East- 1) Philadelphia- I don't understand why people are lukewarm on this team. I think they have the best lineup in the division top to bottom and the pitching staff is solid. I would worry about Brad Lidge in the bullpen though and I know losing Rowland won't help the team. I still like them to at least win the division. 2) New York- Ah, my beloved Mets. I have such a love/hate relationship with them. Starting Pitching is ok. Santana speaks for himself and he will have a monster year. Pedro is hurt as usual and Maine and Perez are up and down. Fifth starter won't bring much to the table. Lineup is good but not as great as people make it out to be. There are some major holes in it, especially in the corner outfield positions and catcher. Bullpen is good. I think that they will not win the division in the end. 3) Atlanta- I really wanted to pick them ahead of New York, but I like the Mets rotation a little bit more. Besides that, Braves are going to be a good team this year. 4) Washington- Going to a new ballpark will give them a few extra wins and they are getting some young talent. Why the Mets traded Milledge, I don't know. 5) Florida: Ramirez is good, Uggla is solid and I like Andrew Miller. Everything else you can keep. We'll see these guys around in a few years and they will contend for a world series at that point.

NL Central- 1) Milwaukee- I love the experience that these young guys gained last season. These guys are ready to make the leap and take this surprisingly competitive division. 2) Cincinnati- I love to take chances in my predictions and this is a big one. I like their young arms and the lineup isn't bad at all. Dusty Baker brings them some credibility and I think they will finish second. 3) Chicago- Cubs fans don't want to see this. Honestly, I think the Cubs are better then Cincinnati and maybe even Milwaukee on paper, but I see them taking a major step back this season. 4) St. Louis- Pujols is a beast but doesn't have much support. Injuries and age have taken a toll on this team the last few years accept for the world championship in '06. 5) Houston- Oswalt, Berkman and El Cabayo (Carlos Lee) are solid, but not much else. Pence is good to and Tejada may be washed up. 6) Pittsburgh- I watched a Pirates/Marlins game on TV last night and only knew one or two Pirates. They're going to be bad.

NL West- 1) Arizona- The Diamondbacks win the most competitive division in baseball. The pitching is outstanding and the lineup will improve because everyone is a year older. They win a lot of close games and that wins divisions. 2) Colorado- I love the lineup and they have the experience. I still just don't trust the pitching long-term. Good enough to win the wildcard but not good enough to repeat a pennent. 3) Los Angeles-Torre, play the young guys and you may sneak into a wild-card spot. 4) San Diego- Money Pitching + Cheap Hitting = No success and an angry Jake Peavy 5) San Francisco- No Bonds + Old as Dirt Lineup + Young Pitchers still learning + Crappy Barry Zito = Last place in division and possibly worst record in league and baseball.

Those are the predictions. I would love to hear yours.