The Baseball playoffs start in about 13 minutes so I thought it'd be a good time to see how the picks I made for Hooters Magazine have panned out. (PS, if you like my picks, and why shouldn't you? I am a baseball soothsayin' genius, be sure and check out next month's Hooters Magazine to see my College Basketball Conference PREVIEWS!)
In 2010, expect the small market teams to return to the forefront for a big-time battle with the larger markets this postseason. Player movement has made the big fish even bigger but several of the “small market” teams have the resources to make a serious run at a title. While Philadelphia traded one former Cy Young award winner (Cliff Lee) for another Cy Young award winner (Roy Halladay), the San Francisco Giants still boast a two-time winner themselves in Tim Lincecum and another potential winner in Matt Cain. Oh and Barry Zito once won one himself. The National League will be won by one of those two squads with the Dodgers, Cardinals and Mets, despite the huge payrolls, watching the pennant play out with all of the other small market clubs.
In the American League, Boston reloaded to take another run at the Yankees but Seattle seemingly had the best off-season, picking up Cliff Lee. The Yankees picked up Javy Vazquez from Atlanta to fortify its already strong pitching staff and if the offense keeps raking, I’m not certain anyone can catch the Bombers. Out west, the Angels lost too much to continue its run of dominance, so Seattle should take the division and Boston will take the Wild Card. In the Central, expect reigning MVP Joe Mauer to continue to impressing the heck out of everyone and lead the Twins right to the World Series. Does Minnesota have enough to knock off Philadelphia? I doubt it. That’s why the Phillies take their second World Series title in three years.
In the American League…
AL East
New York Yankees
In the dugout: Joe Girardi, 3rd year with team. The Yankees skipper may not be as loved as Joe Torre, but he won a title in his second season.
Analysis: The Bombers are called that for a reason: Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira can crush with the best of them and the rest of the lineup isn’t too shabby itself. Derek Jeter always shows up when the game is on the line and Jorge Posada, whose numbers might be declining, can still call an impressive game. New addition Curtis Granderson improves the outfield defense and is a threat on the base paths. The pitching staff is the most impressive part of the team though as CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett are both joined by Javier Vazquez, Atlanta’s best pitcher last season. Oh, and Mariano Rivera is still closing games. If you didn’t know, he’s GOOD.
Boston Red Sox
In the dugout: Terry Francona, 7th year with team. After winning two World Series titles, this guy owns Boston.
Analysis: Red Sox Nation could not have been happy watching the hated rival Yankees celebrate yet another title last Fall. That is probably why GM Theo Epstein was all over the trade market and free agent market, attempting to get back to postseason play. Boston signed pitcher John Lackey from the Angels and plucked Adrian Beltre from Seattle, improving itself and weakening two Wild Card rivals. Victor Martinez returns to a DH role and will give Jason Varitek an occasional breather behind the plate and Kevin Youkilis a rest at first. And if something isn’t working come July, these guys have the ability to add payroll via a trade. OOPS
Tampa Bay Rays
In the dugout: Joe Maddon, 5th year with the team. Maddon is well respected around the league and the players seem to like him too.
Analysis: Tampa finished above .500 again last season for the second straight year but it was a big drop off from reaching the World Series. The pieces are still in place for a run towards the postseason…in any division except the AL East. Unless stud third baseman Evan Longoria can reach his potential now and Carl Crawford can steal 200 bases this season so that Carlos Pena can drive him in every time up to bat, this team won’t challenge the Yankees for the division. The pitching staff has two young guns headlining in James Shields and David Price, but those two aren’t quite at the level of Beckett and Lester/Lackey or Sabathia and Burnett/Vazquez/Pettitte. Double Oops
Baltimore Orioles
In the dugout: Dave Trembley, 4th year with the team. Trembley had better hope the Baby Birds grow this season, otherwise he’s likely out. I was spot on!
AL Central
Minnesota Twins
Dugout: Ron Gardenhire, 12th year with Minnesota. Why does it take a while to come to Gardenhire’s name when naming the game’s best managers?
Analysis: Any discussion about the Twins must start with 2009 MVP Joe Mauer. The catcher-extraordinaire has the potential to crank 30 home runs and flirt with .400, all while calling one of the best games in baseball. This kid can do it all and was once recruited by Bobby Bowden to play QB for the Seminoles. The Paul to Mauer’s John has to be Justin Morneau, the 2006 MVP. Morneau has a pair of Silver Slugger awards on his resume and would be a superstar in a bigger market. While the starting pitching isn’t what it once was, the bullpen is headed up by closer Joe Nathan, one of the game’s best. I was right, but too bad Nathan got hurt
Kansas City Royals
Dugout: Trey Hillman, 3rd season with Kansas City. The Royals won 75 games under Hillman in his first season, though that number dropped to just 65 last year. If it drops by 10 more in 2010, look for a new manager in 2011. I was right AGAIN!
AL West
Seattle Mariners
Dugout: Don Wakamatsu, 2nd season with Seattle. In just his first season on the bench, Wakamatsu led the M’s to an 85-77 record. Now that his team is loaded, look out win total.
Analysis: How do you push Felix Hernandez to become even better after the King wins 19 games, strikes out 217 and posts a 2.49 ERA? Acquire for Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, Philly’s best pitcher in the postseason who’s in a contract year. Then have David Aardsma close out their games, like he did 38 times last year. Behind those two might be one of the better defensive outfields in baseball as Ichiro mans right field and Franklin Gutierrez patrols center. And the Ms will hit the ball too with Jack Wilson, Chone Figgins and Jose Lopez all calling Seattle home now. Seattle looks ready for a run. My Bad
LA Angels
Dugout: Mike Scioscia, 11th season with Los Angeles of Anaheim. Five division titles and a World Series title give Scioscia plenty of leash. Should the Angels win 100 games this year, Scioscia would have 1000 for his career.
Analysis: The Angels lost yet another big-time pitcher this off-season in John Lackey and yet everything seems fine in Disneyland. Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver return and Scott Kazmir will be counted on to pick up the slack in Lackey’s absence. The offense took a few huge hits as well as Chone Figgins went north to division-rival Seattle and Vlad Guerrero signed with Texas. Hideki Matsui was signed to DH and Kendry Morales will need to prove that his 2009 (34 HR) was no fluke. The Angles always seem to lose players (Teixeira, Lackey, K-Rod) yet they keep rolling. That doesn’t happen this year. Well it didn't!
Oakland A’s
Dugout: Bob Geren, 4th season with Oakland. Geren’s win total has been 76, 75, and 75 with a shoestring budget. The skipper will reach 500 career wins with just 15 victories this year.
Analysis: Oakland once again was active in sending out “big” contracts and bringing in prospects under GM Billy Beane’s Moneyball philosophy. The starting rotation though doesn’t seem to have another Mulder/Hudson/Zito/Harden/Haren though on the current roster. Justin Duchscherer was resigned to a one-year deal to get things done in 2010 but the A’s are counting on younger arms in the pipeline to help make noise in 2011 or 2012. On offense, newcomer Coco Crisp and Jack Cust will find help scarcely available. Catcher Kurt Suzuki led the team in RBI last season and that happens again, Oakland may finish below Texas in a suddenly competitive AL West. THEY DID!
Texas Rangers
Dugout: Ron Washington, 4th season with Texas. After nearly being fired before last season, Washington had the Rangers competing well into the summer months. Washington is just 4 games under .500 for his career.
Analysis: The Texas Rangers franchise is on the road back to respectability and potentially the playoffs and the Atlanta Braves are to thank. Atlanta gave Texas six players in exchange for Mark Teixeira several seasons ago and the Rangers are starting to reap the benefits. Elvis Andrus has already established himself as one of the top defensive players in the AL and Neftali Feliz was nearly unhittable last season. The pitching staff will rely on newcomer Rich Harden to replace Kevin Millwood and hope Matt Harrison overcomes injury problems. If Josh Hamilton returns to 2008-form, the Rangers could contend well into the summer and maybe the fall. DID YOU READ THE LAST SENTENCE?
Over on the senior circuit…
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies
Dugout: Charlie Manuel, 6th season with Philadelphia. Manuel is in NO danger of a hotseat and is just a handful of games away from his 700th career victory.
Analysis: Losing Cliff Lee, the team’s best pitcher in the postseason should have been a big blow, but the team voluntarily sent him out of town while importing Roy Halladay. The former Blue Jay pitcher will likely dominate the National League like he did the American League and the Phillies, with all of those bats are near locks to make it back to the World Series. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins already have MVP awards, could Chase Utley add one this year? He might have some competition with Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth on his own team. Philly is loaded for another run with no visible flaws. Thank you very much
Atlanta Braves
Dugout: Bobby Cox, 21st year with Atlanta. Cox enters his final season with Atlanta and a good year gets him to 2500 wins.
Analysis: Very few teams were as hot as Atlanta was after the All-Star break in 2009. This season Atlanta must start hot if it wants to have any shot at the division or more likely the Wild Card. Newcomer Troy Glaus will play at first base (only 6 career starts there) and hit fourth after missing most of last year with an injury. The rotation is one of the best in baseball, with Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson giving hope for the future. Brian McCann is also the best catcher outside of Minnesota in baseball today. The Wild Card is likely if key guys (Chipper Jones, McCann, and Glaus) can stay healthy. Jones didn't stay healthy, but they won the Wild Card. I love being right!
New York Mets
Dugout: Jerry Manuel, 3rd year with New York. In New York, with this payroll, if Manuel doesn’t challenge for a playoff spot, expect a new manager by 2011.
Analysis: After watching the cross-town Yankees claim yet another World Series title, the Mets brass once again went out and spent big, bringing in OF Jason Bay. Bay should crush National League pitching if he can avoid falling victim to the New York Mets “free agent curse” that always seems to affect any player that takes the Mets big dollars. Bay will flank Carlos Beltran in the New York outfield and provide some cover for third baseman David Wright in the lineup. Jose Reyes can still fly around the base paths when not in the manager’s doghouse. Johan Santana might need some help too in the rotation. And the manager and GM are gone. I called it
Washington Nationals
Dugout: Jim Riggleman, 2nd season with Washington. Riggleman was 33-42 after taking over in midseason. The Nats have lost 100+ two straight seasons, fans expect improvement.
Analysis: Washington has been a player this off-season, signing Ivan Rodriguez to be the team’s new catcher as well as Matt Capps to serve as its new closer. Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn are still nice pieces at the corner spots of the infield but the middle is lacking. The outfield offers little pop to help out the pitching staff. No.1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg will see the majors sooner rather than later and could team with Jordan Zimmerman to form quite a duo. He did...for a while
NL Central
Cincinnati Reds
Dugout: Dusty Baker, 3rd season with Cincinnati. Baker loves playing vets over rookies; this team is starting to accommodate that.
Analysis: Have the Baby Reds grown up? The Reds seem to have put a team together that is ready to contend for a postseason berth. The infield imported third baseman Scott Rolen to pair up with Joey Votto on the corners. Brandon Phillips, at 28, is a “seasoned veteran” that led the team with 98 RBI last year. Votto and Phillips are strong in the heart of the order as Votto can rake (25 home runs). Edison Volquez and Johnny Cueto are young studs on the pitching staff. Aaron Harang struck out 142 last year and Bronson Arroyo won 15 games. Homer Bailey and Micah Owings add rotation depth, and the Reds also won the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes, signing the 21-year-old Cuban to a big deal. Yep
Chicago Cubs
Dugout: Lou Piniella, 4th year with Chicago. If Piniella misses the playoffs yet again, expect Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg to get a shot at manager. Is this scaring anyone else?
NL West
San Francisco Giants
Dugout: Bruce Bochy, 4th season with San Francisco. Bochy will pass 1200 career victories early in the season and could move to over .500 for his career with a good finish.
Analysis: Last season the Giants had the pitching to make a postseason play but the offense was lacking. The Giants brass remedied that need this off-season by signing Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff to team with Pablo Sandoval. Last season “Kung-Fu Panda,” stroked 25 home runs with a .330 average to lead the team in both categories. The pitching staff should love the new run support but it barely needed any. Tim Lincecum won another Cy Young award and Matt Cain showed that he might bring one home down the road. Barry Zito gives the Giants another former winner though he hasn’t been in that form since signing with the Giants. Brian Wilson was lights out in the closer role last season. SPOT ON SBF!
LA Dodgers
Dugout: Joe Torre, 3rd season with LA. The Dodgers have reached the postseason with Torre but haven’t had Yankee-like success. This might be Torre’s last try. My goodness I am good at this...
So with the playoffs underway in 8 minutes, I will stick with my predictions: Philly over Cincy, ATL over SanFran, Minny over NYY and I'll say Tampa over Texas.
In the ALCS and NLCS, Minny over Tampa and Philly over ATL (sadly ending Bobby Cox's career)
In the World Series, I'll stick with the Phillies over the Twins in 6 games. I called the Phils before the season started, I cannot veer away now! They clinch in Philly (Brian McCann says You're Welcome!) and all of the fat ugly Philly folks have Cheez Whiz running down their slovenly bellies
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