With almost two months under our belts, I think it's time for some serious discussion:
1. Best division in the NL? AL? Baseball?
2. Ditto the worst divisions?
3. Any teams likely to run away with playoff spots?
4. Any team clearly with a fork in it at this point, other than the Royals.
You only get full credit if you show your work.
Cheers.
1. Best division in the NL? AL? Baseball?
2. Ditto the worst divisions?
3. Any teams likely to run away with playoff spots?
4. Any team clearly with a fork in it at this point, other than the Royals.
You only get full credit if you show your work.
Cheers.
10 comments:
1. Best in the NL (unbiased): NW West, not by %, but by competition. The whole division is separated by 2.5 games! It's anybody's division.
Best in the AL: AL East, this time by % points. The three top teams have a higher avg. than the top three teams of the other divisions. It's a given the Bombers and RedSoxNation in the same divison will most likely result in the best division, no?
2. Worst: A.L. West. The division winner may end up under .500
3. If the Tigers keep this up, it's them.
4. Marlins need to call 911.
Here's my stat of the week: We know the Royals bite the proverbial big one, but who would've thought they'd be 19 games behind......yup, the once hapless Detroit Tigers? OFF TO THE BALLPARK!
1. Marcel's dead on right. If "best" means most competitive, then the NL West takes it for both the NL and all of baseball.
Also right on AL East - even Baltimore and Tampa Bay are relatively competitive.
2. Have to concur with the AL West, too. Texas, in 1st, is only 2 games over .500. Angels are pathetic, given the $$$ and talent on that club.
3. I don't think anyone's running away with it in any division. We might see some exciting pennant races for both divisional and wild card spots in all 6 divisions. Tigers/White Sox in Central should be fun to watch. NL West is anyone's division, Red Sox/Yankees will be a war, with the Blue Jays thrown in the mix, and Philly and Atlanta are coming on strong on the Mets. St Louis *might* be the runaway winner in the NL Central - I can't see Houston or Cincy keeping up (not when Houston gives up 34 runs in 3 games to the Giants).
4. Marlins. They're going to unload Dontrelle in July. Nats could be done, too, and most definitely Pittsburgh.
1. Best AL EAST and NL West
2. Worst AL West
3. Chicago White Sox will run away. I think the Tigers will fold before the allstar break and drop off the face of the earth.
4. Stick a fork in the Pirates just like we do every year on opening day.
I look for the Rangers to be a nice surprise this year.....
Also, I'm praying real hard for the D'Backs to get Dontrell. He would be a nice compliment to what Webb is doing. If that goes down, look out!
Okay, without looking at the stats, here are my picks:
Best: NL West and AL East
Worst: AL West
The Giants will run away with it, because God loves the Giants.
The Dodgers are done, because they are the Dodgers.
How did I do? ;)
The NL West team I see fading is San Diego - they'll actually be worse when Chan Ho"mer" Park and Shawn "Headcase" Estes come off the DL and back into the rotation.
Rumor is Dontrelle heading to AZ - scary thought, but I think it will be a down-to-the-wire deal before it happens. Clearly, it'll be a trade of who has the most prospects to give up.
I wonder if the Twins will unload anybody, as well - given that they stand little to no chance of winning the AL Central - lots of talent that could be on the block.
JD Drew is playing out of his mind right now, but both he and Kent are very streaky hitters. Dodger rotation with Penny and Lowe is solid up top, but Tomko is questionable at best (his numbers are deceiving right now - 5-1?) He'll fade midseason, but will probably have a strong September.
Look for Nomar to go back on the DL in July, Drew will see some DL time in July, and Gagne, if he returns, will be a shell of his former self and get rocked in June.
I don't doubt LA will be in it, but it will be at least a 4 way horserace to the finish (yes, I do discount San Diego).
No, but seriously... I haven't a clue who will be in the playoffs this year. When was the last time you could say that?
For anyone wanting to predict a particular winner for the NL West - you've got a 20% chance of being right. Because every single team has led this division so far this year at some point. Last year, we almost couldn't give the division away. This year, its a five way grab for first. I suspect that we may not have any teams fall out of that group until the All-Star Break. Any one team could pull away with the addition of a Dontrell Willis or someone of that caliber, but I don't see it happening. Not while the Yankees still have money.
I forgot to say who would actually run away with it.
Duh!!!!!!!! the Yankees of course.
I know there are a lot of Yankee haters out there but they are playing like they do every year. That are below average until the allstar break and then they stop sandbagging and come out swinging. I've always thought that during the allstar break, Steinbrenner hands out the bonus checks and they have incentive to play. The only problem is how they have choked the last few years. Oh well, Go Cincy!
Gents,
Check out my latest posting "From Dodger Stadium" on The Carioca. A paid a tribute to our blog from the stadium. :) Randall, sorry I forgot you by name.
Excellent, Marcel...thanks for the shout out!
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