Baseball is almost here, how is your team going to do...

As I have stated before, huge Cardinals fan here and I have to say I am much more optimistic now than I was after the season ended last year. At that time this year looked like a definite rebuilding year but with the relative weakness of the Central, I think we may have a shot depending on Pitching

Offensively we could potentially have a juggernaut offense or just an average one depending on continued development and health of some:

Brian Barton was a rule V pick up from the Indians and I love the guy, big time talent but couldnt stay healthy early in his career.
Albert will be Albert
Izturis sucks
Ankiel could be a monster
Duncan is a decent power guy
Yadi is getting better as a hitter but not great
Kennedy appears to have gotten his swing back after a horrible yr last season
Glaus is having a huge spring, if only he can stay healthy

Pitching who knows, we have a lot of talent, alot of injuries, and alot of uncertainty

Wainright is a stud
Loshe could be a great pick up with Duncan as the pitching coach
Reyes, will this guy ever be the star he is supposed to be? Probably wont even start the season in the rotation

Clement, Carpenter, Mulder...if these guys can come back and pitch decent and we can hang close until they are all back we have a shot

I am prediciting best case 84-88 wins and a shot at the division, realistically 75-83 wins and wait til next year

 

Cubs: I'm fairly confident that we will figure out a way to screw this year up, even in the weak *** central.

 

The problem is you have all these big bats and little pitching other than head case Zambrano

 

I'm a Cubs fan too. I really see no one other than the Brewers challenging us for the division this year. I think the top 3 of our rotation (Z, Hill, Lilly) will get us enough wins, and Wood is a good pitcher when he's healthy. Marmol can take his spot if (when) Wood gets hurt.

I think the Tigers beat the Mets in WS this year. The Tigers lineup is a murderers' row and I think they have enough good arms in the rotation and the pen to win it all this year.

 

Considering the fact a team hasn't repeated as World Champions since 2000, it'll be tougher for the Red Sox to win it all this year than it was last year. That having been said, I'll put Boston's pitching staff up against anyone else's in the AL (even with Schilling on the shelf).

Not to mention, their farm system's done rather well.

 

Id take the Tigers rotation but thats just me, any team that has Dontrelle Willis as the #4 or #5 guy is loaded

 

I'm cautiously optimistic that my Rangers can at least break even this season. It's going to depend, as always, on pitching, particularly if Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla rebound from subpar seasons. If we can do well the first couple months of the year, we could make a little noise but I think we should still set things up for bigger things in '09 and beyond.

As for the Reds, I think they'll be the surprise team in the National League. Dusty will have something to prove and, like the Rangers, it's going to depend on the pitching. Getting CoCo Cordero was a great pickup IMHO and should stabilize the bullpen, by far the weakest link last season.

I'm also anxious to see what kind of a manager Trey Hillman will be with the Royals, and if he can carry over his success from Japan to the States. I think the Royals can finish third in that division, and they could be the breakout team next year.

I see a Red Sox-Mets World Series, shades of '86, but Bill Buckner (though he was unfairly criticized for it) isn't walking through that door. BoSox in 5 or 6.

 

I don't understand why people think Dusty Baker is a good manager. His teams mostly underperform, he abuses young pitchers and ruins their careers, his in-game decisions are usually horrible, and he plays favorites which leaves better players without playing time. He was probably the worst thing to happen to the Cincinnati Reds, and being a fan of one of their division rivals, I am very pleased.

 

[Cough] Royals [/Cough] fan here. I'm cool with being above .500. Only happened once since 1994. Failing that, less than 100 losses please.

 

Dusty Baker is an average manager that has ruined many a pitchers career

 

Man I ve missed baseball...its so nice in da HD

 

My Cubs......already in last place.

 

Giants will likely suck, but hey! The team is farting rainbows now that Barroids is gone, so it'll interesting to see how long Sabean lets it continue. The Royals could end up finishing with a better record this year.

 

I'm fairly certain we'll get screwed by the umpires at least once in the first week of the season

 

Kerry Wood sucked; Cubs tie it on a Fukudome 3 run jack in the bottom of the 9th, only to have Bob Howry blow it in the 10th; i thought the relief pitching was supposed to be a strength?

 

Bucs choked away a 5 run lead in the B9 to the Braves. Nice to see they're in mid-season form.

 

And the Bucs nearly let a three-run lead slip away in extra innings but held on to win by a run. Congrats to John Russell on winning his managerial debut.

 

Josh Fields is being blocked by a guy that probably won't hit over the Mendoza line this season. Being both a Cubs fan and an OU fan, this makes me very happy.

 

I thought everyone in SF farted rainbows.

 

Kickin' *** today too.