Troop's Takes: Fact? Fiction? Some MLB predictions?
By Caleb Troop
Athens NEWS Sports Columnist
March 31, 2008
With apologies to the fine folks in Tokyo, Japan, today marks the real start of the baseball season. Twenty-six of the 30 major league baseball teams start the 162-game season on this the final day of March. So who is going to win it all? Why wait until October to find out?
National league, American League, wild cards, the World Series champions — anything and everything gets laid out right now.
NL East - New York Mets
The Mets have one of the best starting rotations in baseball this season with the addition of Johan Santana from Minnesota. While age and injuries are a big question mark, I think New York will stay healthy enough to beat out the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves atop the division.
New York has consistency at the top of the order with shortstop Jose Reyes, and centerfielder Carlos Beltran is one of the best at roaming the outfield.
NL Central - Chicago Cubs
As an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, it pains me to say that the Chicago Cubs will take home this division on the 100-year anniversary since Chi-town’s last World Series title. With a rebuilding Cardinals squad, this really becomes a two-team race along with the Milwaukee Brewers. Expect 1B Derek Lee to come back strong, and new closer Kerry Wood could be the comeback player of the year.
The Cincinnati Reds need to get one more middle-of-the-line starter and have their up-and-coming stars consistently produce on the Major League level to compete for a division title. Maybe next season.
NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers
The West seems to always be a crapshoot, and this season is no different. The upstart Colorado Rockies are not a one-year fluke, but I’ll take the L.A. Dodgers under new Manager Joe Torre to win this division. Unlike the Mets, the Dodgers have plenty of youth and depth to mix in with veterans like 2B Jeff Kent, CF Andruw Jones and 3B Nomar Garciaparra.
As much as I love the Arizona Diamondbacks’ top three starters in Dan Haren, Brandon Webb and Randy Johnson, I don’t think they have enough power in the heart of their order to come out on top.
AL East- Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have it all and should squeak by the New York Yankees for the division title. If young Clay Buchholz can be a consistent fifth starter, the Bo-Sox will be set. You know the offense is going to be there with Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz… if they keep healthy.
While Boston might win the division, don’t be surprised if Tampa Bay sets a new franchise record for wins. The Rays enter their 11th season and have not won more than 70 games, which they did in 2004 under Lou Piniella.
AL Central- Cleveland Indians
Many people are on the Detroit Tigers’ bandwagon with the off-season additions of 3B Miguel Cabrera and starter Dontrelle Willis. But Detroit’s bullpen is still a huge question. Meanwhile, Cleveland brings back mostly everyone from last season’s 96-win team and is solid all the way around.
Young starter Fausto Carmona could do what teammate C.C. Sabathia did last year and become the Cy Young Award winner.
AL West- Seattle Mariners
The addition of ace Erik Bedard will push the Mariners to the top of the division. This team will be a scary squad come playoff time with Bedard and young gun Felix Hernandez going 1-2 as starters.
This could be the weakest division in baseball, especially if the Angels’ pitching does not come through.
Wild Cards
The Yankees and the Diamondbacks will earn the final two spots in the playoffs. It’s hard to predict New York on the outside looking in, so I’ll play it safe, even though the Tigers are a better team on paper. As for the D-Backs, it ought to be a fight to the finish with Colorado, Milwaukee and Philadelphia, but in the end that strong pitching staff will allow Arizona to get in.
World Series Champions - Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox will down the Indians for the American League pennant while the Mets will upend the Dodgers for the National League pennant.
So just like the Super Bowl, it becomes Boston against New York. And just like the Super Bowl, the World Series will be the most-watched series in baseball television history. Just for good measure, it will be a seven-game finale that Boston will win. Take it to the bank.
Caleb Troop is the sports columnist for The Athens NEWS and can be reached at ctroop@TroopSports.com. He co-hosts “The SportsFan” weeknights from 6-7 on 970 WATH-AM in Athens.
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