AL East: I think the Rays can actually hang on and win this. At the least, I think they've got the wild card just in case Boston does in fact go on a run. The two teams still have six head-to-head games against each other so that will decide it. As a Jays fan, I'm just hoping they finish ahead of the hated Yankees for third.
AL Central: The White Sox and Twins meet in Minnesota in the second-last series of the year. Hopefully it stays tied until then since nothing's better than win-or-go-home baseball. I'll pick the Twins, what the hell, they've topped expectations all year, why not keep it going?
AL West: The Angels might clinch by next weekend, they can start setting their playoff rotation.
NL East: I can't even imagine being a Mets fan right now watching that bullpen try to clinch a division. The Phillies squeak it out on the last day again.
NL Central: Cubs win it, Brewers get the wild card, no suspense here.
NL West: I think the D-Backs have enough pitching to pull out the battle to finish over .500.....er, the battle for the division crown
AL MVP: Carlos Quentin AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay AL Rookie of the Year: Hard to say given the injuries to Longoria and Joba. Maybe Brad Ziegler? I feel like I'm forgetting someone really obvious here.
NL MVP: Albert Pujols NL Cy Young: This might cause some controversy, but at this point, I might have to vote for C.C. Sabathia NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto
“How is it that I am a good actor? What I do is I... pretend to be the person I’m portraying. You’re confused. Case in point: in Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson comes to me and says ‘I would like you to be Gandalf the Wizard,’ and I said ‘You are aware that I am not really a wizard?’ and Peter Jackson said ‘I would like you to use your acting skills to portray a wizard for the duration of the show.’ So I said ‘Okay’ and then I said to myself ‘Mmm.. How do I do that?’ And this is what I did: I imagined that I was a wizard, and then I pretended, and acted, in that way on the stage. How did I know what to say? The words were written down for me in a script. How did I know where to stand? People told me where to stand." -- Sir Ian McKellen, Extras
I'll take the Rays, White Sox, Angels and Red Sox as the AL playoff teams, with the Mets, Cubs, Brewers and DBacks in the NL.
Cliff Lee takes the AL Cy Young, Quentin is the MVP. As for rookie of the year...I don't know. There's no way that he deserves it, but 45 steals and the fact that he's healthy at the end of the year might make a case for Jacoby Ellsbury.
In the NL, I'll take Pujols for the MVP and Soto for ROY. The Cy Young should go to Brandon Webb or Tim Lincecum, but I think it will go to CC.
Ramirez at 2nd base for the White Sox could make a run for ROY if Longoria doesn't get healthy soon. Tampa is 8 up for a playoff spot with a month to go, so they would need a monumental collapse not to make it. Red Sox have played good baseball since the trade deadline, and if they can get some of the injured back (Beckett, Drew, Lowell) they could be a dangerous team if they get in. At this point I'd rather take my shot against the Angels in a 5 game series where you can jump them early and possibly steal the series before they even get into it. If the Twins get in the playoffs, Morneau is the MVP again. Tough to see that though with another long road trip following the death march they still are on. Have watched a lot of the White Sox the last few weeks, and they are just a weird team. Chicago Cubs, for having the best record in the NL, here is your probable reward: Webb, Haren, Johnson. On the bright side, you'll get 2 home playoff games this season. I can't see the Met arson squad not destoying them at some point in September.
Originally posted by redsoxnationHave watched a lot of the White Sox the last few weeks, and they are just a weird team.
Tell me about it. I have no idea who is going to show up at any given point. I never thought their season would ride on Scott Linebrink getting healthy, but if he can't come back the last few weeks of the season I can't see them holding off the Twins. But then, they've done it for months already, so who knows?
The Cubs really look like the class of MLB this year, assuming Zambrano gets healthy again. I can't imagine any team they can't beat in a playoff series with that insanely wicked bullpen of Wood, Marmol, and Samardzija. If they're winning after six innings, the game is pretty much over. And with Soriano, Lee, Ramirez (who might be the NL MVP before the year ends) anchoring a near unstoppable lineup...I don't think we get to a second century of Cub futility, especially if the D-Backs falter and miss the playoffs.
Has there been a better trade in the last 12 months than Carlos Quentin for Chris Carter (A ball player)? Well, better from a Sox fan perspective at least? :)
Originally posted by PeterStorkCubs over Dodgers, Brewers over Phillies. Don't talk to me about the NLCS.
I'm assuming that's a Redbird fan's worst nightmare?
No, I just can't pick a winner. I have no issues with the Brew Crew winning the whole thing, and will in fact be rooting for them.
And, honestly, the Cubs winning it all is not the end of the world either. The Cubs winning seven eight [edit: I can't count] straight would be. Anything less than that is fine.
But I will cheer the successes of the NL Central. Huzzah!
The NL West has turned into a question of "Who wants it the least?" with the D-Backs getting swept by the Padres and the Dodgers getting swept by the Nationals (!) this past week. It's probably one of the ugliest division races I've seen in a while. I was convinced that the D-Backs could win on their pitching, but Haren and Webb both coughed up big games against the Dodgers this weekend. Hard to tell which team will suck less than the other and make the playoffs.
EDIT: Do I dare to even mention that the Colorado Rockies are just 6 games back. I'm just saying...
I don't know what to do with myself now that the Yankees won't be playing this October. It's not something I'm used to seeing. The only thing better would be if the Twins took the Wild Card and we had an October without BOTH the Yankees and Red Sox. What would the networks do with themselves?
AL West: Angels AL Central: White Sox AL East: Rays Wild Card: Twins
Angels over Twins, White Sox over Rays, Angels over White Sox (Take THAT, AJ Pierzynski!)
Originally posted by It's FalseAL Cy Young: Francisco Rodriguez
Is this a 'this is what I think will happen' pick or a 'this is what I think should happen' pick? If it's the latter, then it's arguin' time.
“How is it that I am a good actor? What I do is I... pretend to be the person I’m portraying. You’re confused. Case in point: in Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson comes to me and says ‘I would like you to be Gandalf the Wizard,’ and I said ‘You are aware that I am not really a wizard?’ and Peter Jackson said ‘I would like you to use your acting skills to portray a wizard for the duration of the show.’ So I said ‘Okay’ and then I said to myself ‘Mmm.. How do I do that?’ And this is what I did: I imagined that I was a wizard, and then I pretended, and acted, in that way on the stage. How did I know what to say? The words were written down for me in a script. How did I know where to stand? People told me where to stand." -- Sir Ian McKellen, Extras
Originally posted by It's FalseAL Cy Young: Francisco Rodriguez
Is this a 'this is what I think will happen' pick or a 'this is what I think should happen' pick? If it's the latter, then it's arguin' time.
A little from Column A and a little from Column B. But about 95% from Column A. Believe me, I've seen all of K-Rod's outings and for as many saves as he's got, NONE OF THEM ever come easy and 1-2-3 9th innings are few and far-between for him.
Yeah, any argument for K-Rod is absurd. The closer is an overrated position and the save is an overrated stat to begin with but when you add the fact that K-Rod isn't even the best closer then it's a pretty ridiculous argument. I mean the ROYALS closer is having a better season than K-Rod, he just plays on the Royals instead of the Angels.
I think the precedent set in 1998 with Randy Johnson finishing 3rd in NL Cy Young voting after going something like 10-1 with a sub-2.00 ERA after being traded to Houston will prevent Sabathia from getting serious consideration. Which is unfortuate, considering what a 1/2 year he's having with the Brewers.
I'll go with Brandon Webb winning the NL Cy Young and Ryan Dempster finishing second even though I'd like to see it the other way around. Taking nothing away from Webb but the way that Dempster made the closer-to-starter transition has been amazing considering the success he's had.
I'll go with Lee and CC for matching Cy Youngs this year just to really poke Tribe fans in the eye. Sigh.
Here's to next year. Again.
"As you may have read in Robert Parker's Wine Newsletter, 'Donaghy Estates tastes like the urine of Satan, after a hefty portion of asparagus.'" Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock
AL East: Rays hold on. AL Central: White Sox scrape through. AL West: Angels AL Wild Card: Red Sox
NL East: Mets, by like half a game NL Central: Cubs NL West: If the Dodgers of the last three games (and not the 8 before) show up for the rest of the season, they'll win the division. I'm just worried that the D-backs that beat the Cardinals yesterday will also show up for the rest of the season. I still say Dodgers, though. NL Wild Card: Brewers
Awards: I don't follow everything closely enough to make predictions here. Would Manny be in contention for NL MVP if the Dodgers win the division?
Problem with Pedroia for MVP (and yes, I was one of those last April that wanted to send him down and play Cora) is that any argument you make for Pedroia, I could counter with an argument for Youkilis, and vice versa, thus they neutralize each other in the vote. If anyone said before the season the Red Sox had 2 viable MVP candidates, I don't think these were the 2 guys people would have considered.
Originally posted by redsoxnationProblem with Pedroia for MVP (and yes, I was one of those last April that wanted to send him down and play Cora) is that any argument you make for Pedroia, I could counter with an argument for Youkilis, and vice versa, thus they neutralize each other in the vote. If anyone said before the season the Red Sox had 2 viable MVP candidates, I don't think these were the 2 guys people would have considered.
Honestly, I think the thing is if my 4 teams make the playoffs, you have no real viable contenders from the Rays or Angels (outside of K-Rod, who won't win). The Twins have Morneau and Mauer but they don't really do much this year. I could see a lot of voters looking and saying "Pedroia was batting champ, give him MVP"
If the White Sox make the playoffs, Carlos Quentin wins it.
AL East-Tampa holds on AL Central-Sox AL West-Angels(haven't they clinched already?) AL Wild Card-Red Sox(the dream of a Sox/Yanksless playoffs is dashed)
NL East-Phils(I don't trust teams with no pen) NL Central-Cubs NL West-who cares? DBacks NL Wild Card-Brewers(stupid choking Cards)
LDS Angels over Red Sox in 4 White Sox over Tampa in 5(despite the strong home crowd of 10,000 rooting on the Rays)
DBacks over Cubs in 4(wait til next year!) Brewers over Phils in 3
LCS Angels over Sox in 5 Brewers over DBacks in 7
World Series Brewers over Angels in 6
AL MVP-Carlos Quentin AL Cy Young-Cliff Lee AL ROY-Longoria(some love for Mike Aviles of the Royals though) Manager-Joe Maddon
Well, I'm a biased Cards fan for one. And the consensus before the season was that they'd be 5th or 6th and lose 90+ games. And I'm going on what has happened so far. They are 10 games back and in 3rd right now, five behind the Wild Card. If they fall back my opinion will change.
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At least we sold out our stadium and set a new Nats Ballpark attendance record. The Yanks had to move fans down to fill in empty seats so it didn't look like they couldn't sell out the place on TV. Ouch. Click Here (sports.yahoo.com)