AL East: Boston How could you not take them to win this division. With the additions of Crawford, A-Gon that team is looking like there is not going to be an easy out. The rotation is a little up in the air considering Beckett has not pitching well the past two seasons, and Lackey was ok last year. But Bucholtz and Lester where as solid as solid could be last year. AL Central: Tigers I know your thinking just look at his name that's why he is taking the Tigers, but there is reasons why I am taking them. With the additions of V-Mart and Beniot really is going to help the Tigers stay more consistent. Beniot finally gives that bullpen some relief in the later months of the season since they are always trying to make up for some of Zumaya's slack, and adding V-Mart adds a guy who doesn't strike out a lot and can hit from both sides of the plate with great consistency. Plus they have the best looking rotation so far in the Central which is going to be offense heavy this year. AL West: Rangers I know they are on the weaker side of pitching this year minus Cliff Lee. But they still have the you fire baller CJ Wilson and hoping that Brandon Webb can return to form. They are also trying out Feliz as a starter as well. (I do not like that move) What is going to help that team is there offense. Beltre, Hamilton, Cruz, Kinsler, Young all solid hitter that is going to drive in a lot of runs to make up for some of the lack of pitching. NL Easthillies When you have the best pitcher in the league Roy Halladay followed by a top 10 pitcher in the league Cliff lee, and then more great pitchers Oswalt and Hamels you cannot pick another team. Not to mention they have good hitters in Howard, Polanco, Utley, Victorino, and they are hoping for some good things out of young rookie Dominc Brown. NL Central: Reds I know that the Brewers are improved in every way but I still say the Reds. Votto, Bruce, Phillips, Cuteo, Chapman. Just a solid team from top to bottom. Now that Wainright is gone that is also going to help the reds out a lot as well. NL West: Rockies I know the Giants won it last year but the Rockies just a have a great team. Unlike the Giants the Rockies lack no offensive production. They have one of the best SS in the league in Tulo, Carlos Gonzalez, flamethrower Jimmienz, and Jason Hamels is looking good this spring as well. I finally think this is the year the Rockies pull it all together and actually play 162 games, not just play well in August and September. So what are your predictions?
Don't sleep on the Angels. Outside of Kazmir, we've got top rotation in the league. I feel that the Rangers are going to come back down to earth this year.
Don't forget about Dan Haren either. I am just not sold on there offense again this year. But I do like there staff, Weaver league leader in K's. Haren with the Angels had an ERA in the mid 2's, Kazmir has been a little inconsistent but he is a solid pitcher. I just think that the Rangers are going to have such a good offense they will not need that great of pitching. Plus I think by June Feliz will be the closer again.
How could I forget about Haren as an Angels' fan? Our offense will be just fine if Morales can prove to be healthy. Throw him in the mix with Hunter and Wells...and posssibly Mark Trumbo and the pop is there. Add in the two lefty's in the bullpen we added and our young bullpen arms in Kohn and Walden, and we're a solid ball club.
I am not doubting the Angels at all, they are a club that will be in the mix for sure. The A's are looking like a good club as well. They are a little scared right now, Andrew Bailey has hurt his forearm muscle and they are hoping its not to serious. I don't blame them, Bailey is going to be a great closer. He has also already won Rookie of the Year and has an extremely nasty cutter. I like there rotation as well. Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill who won 18 games had an ERA in the mid 3's and was never talked about, and a extremely decisive lefty Dallas Braden. He has one of the best pick off moves I have seen since Kenny Rodgers. There offense should be improved this year with the addition of Matsui, and you throw him in the mix with Kunmonoff, and Kurt Suzuki, looks like there gonna be a lot better than 81-81 this year.
I actually like Oakland in the AL West. They had the best ERA last year in the majors and their bullpen is deep once again. They are sub-par on offense, but I can see them making a mid-season move to get one power bat to round out their lineup. I hope the Angels can bounce back they also fortified their glaring weakness by improving the bullpen, but is Rodney capable of emerging as a lights out closer? I know Fuentes wasn't intimidating on the mound last year, but he did close games out at a high rate. I'm pissed the Angels didn't get a viable leadoff hitter. They don't have a catalyst at the top of the batting order to play their style of baseball.
AL East - Boston had a ridiculous offseason that should put them over the top AL Central - Going with the dark horse KC Royals. AL West - Oakland NL East - Phillie easily NL West - Gigantes! NL Central - Reds for now. Have to see where Pujols ends up.
Man you are a bold guy going for KC to win the central. I am so glad we got rid of Rodeny when we did I knew he was a one and done.
I will do that come September. It's hard to tell who is going to win what awards, besides Gold Gloves. But MVP, Cy Yong, are really hard to tell sometimes. Like last year Zack Grienke won the Cy Young in 09' and had a terrible year. So I will wait till September, thank you for the Idea.
AL West definitely seems like it'll be Angels or A's. A's have a hell of a pitching staff and they added a few bats. Giants vs. Rockies will be interesting too. Obviously I'm a G's homer but both of these teams look pretty complete. G's offense isn't as bad as people think and their pitching staff is still underrated. Rockies look like a team that should rack up more regular season wins but they aren't as well built to win on the road as the G's and that could be a big factor. G-Men are obviously good at AT&T Park but they've also got a team that can go out and win on the road. Rockies had the best home record and worst away record of any team in the division. In fact they had the worst road record in the NL. They were quite reliant on playing at Coors and I'm not sure that that will change this season. The Giants were a top 6 road team last season and they'll have a whole season of Posey, Ross, Burrell/DeRosa/Belt, possibly 09 Panda. If their record at home is close to what the Rockies produce, and I reckon their road record will be much better than the Rockies, the G's should win the division.
