2007 Baseball Predictions

AL East

1) New York – Especially if they can get Clemens at midseason.

2) Boston – Too much reliance on brittle players – Drew, Papelbon, Schilling – and unproven ones – Matsuzaka, Lugo on a contending team

3) Toronto – Still trying to find a way to leapfrog the Big Two

4) Tampa Bay – A good young nucleus but not in this division

5) Baltimore – Not in any division

AL Central

1) Detroit – Feel like a one-year wonder, but the pitching is just too good to pick anyone else

2) Chicago – If they don’t make the playoffs, Ozzie Guillen’s head will explode

3) Minnesota – I’d like Garza, Slowey and Perkins in the rotation rather than Silva, Ponson and Ortiz

4) Cleveland – Not sure why this team is such a chic pick. I don’t see it.

5) Kansas City – Needs to channel the ghost of Buck O’Neil to contend.

AL West

1) Los Angeles – Best pitching in the division if Bartolo Colon comes back healthy, but the lineup is shaky.

2) Texas – Ron Washington makes the difference here.

3) Oakland – Losing Zito, Thomas and Kotsay is too much to overcome.

4) Seattle – Mike Hargrove is first manager fired.

NL East

1) Atlanta – Rebuilt bullpen returns Braves to the top.

2) New York – Could make a late run if Pedro returns in midseason.

3) Philadelphia – Garcia’s poor spring is an ominous sign for a team with high expectations.

4) Florida – Fredi Gonzalez inherits great young talent.

5) Washington – Start thinking about the new stadium in 2009.

NL Central

1) Cincinnati – Everyone has to take a risk, and here’s mine.

2) Milwaukee – Ben Sheets’ health is the key to the season.

3) St. Louis – Are the Cards driving Tony LaRussa to drink?

4) Chicago – Money for Soriano was well spent; money for Lilly and Marquis was wasted.

5) Houston – A team caught in transition shouldn’t have spent $100 million on Carlos Lee.

6) Pittsburgh – The only team that can’t win this division.

NL West

1) Los Angeles – Lineup is weak but the pitching is stellar.

2) San Diego – Greg Maddux tutors Jake Peavy and Chris Young to greatness.

3) San Francisco – The top three teams might have baseball’s three best rotations.

4) Arizona – Love the new red hats, though.

5) Colorado – A team in continual rebuilding mode.

AL MVP – Mark Teixeira – Big Tex keeps Rangers in contention.

AL Cy Young – Johan Santana – He has to be the favorite every year.

AL Rookie of the Year – Delmon Young – Just don’t throw any bats at umpires.

NL MVP – Albert Pujols – See Johan Santana comment above.

NL Cy Young – Jake Peavy – Learning from a master.

NL Rookie of the Year – Kevin Kouzmanoff – Indians should have kept him.

AL Playoffs – Yankees over White Sox, Tigers over Angels; Tigers over Yankees.

NL Playoffs – Dodgers over Reds, Padres over Braves; Dodgers over Padres.

World Series – Dodgers over Tigers.