Its here... the start of the 2008 Major League Baseball season and the start of the defense of the National League Pennant by the National League Champion Colorado Rockies, as well as an attempt by the World Champion Boston Redsox to repeat and defend their championship for the first time since 1916-17. The season officially start early Tuesday morning 25 March at 4am MDT on the other side of the planet as the Redsox are playing the Athletics in a two game series in Tokyo. The opener domestically is Sunday night at 6pm MDT as the Braves are the guests of the Nationals as the new ballpark in Washington DC is opened. Opening Day is next Monday already, with fourteen games scheduled including the Rockies against the Cardinals from the Gateway City at 2pm MDT. The season carries on through Sunday 28 Septembe
r.
Here are my picks for the upcoming season:
NL WEST
1) Arizona Diamondbacks 92-70 - Lots of great pitching and a young team with a year of solid positive experience means the D-Backs will have a great year. The only risks are injuries and if the young lions take a step backwards in their performances. The offense should be noticeably improved in 2008. The bullpen is by no means a certainty for success.
2) Colorado Rockies 89-73 - The Rockies have the best offense in the NL, the best defense in baseball, but pitching is a step behind Arizona and possibly San Diego The success in 2007 will carry over to a season of full competitiveness, but not everything they touch will turn to gold in 2008. A lot of young players on the Rockies still have to prove they can perform and achieve over a full season with greater expectations for many that they have never had to experience.
3) San Diego Padres 87-75 - A lack of offense and, in particular, a woefully pathetic defense will keep Padres from just making it to postseason. San Diego has one of the worst outfield rosters in the game and a distinct lack of power throughout the roster. Still, their pitching may have enough to overcome all the negatives if everyone meets expectations.
4) Los Angeles Dodgers 85-77 - This club really has many questions, significant shortcomings on defense, and an offense that is erratic will prevent LA from winning the division or getting into postseason. Can Joe Torre create a positive chemistry in the clubhouse and on the field ? Not enough with the personalities and egos on this team. But another very good Torre team is not out of the question.
5) San Francisco Giants 65-97 - All the Giant have is very good starting pitching, but absolutely nothing else. Baseball's most feeble offense, an below average defense at best, no power, and lots of instablity in the everyday lineup will result in the worst season by the Bay in more than two decades. Barry Bonds will be missed in some ways but overall, not much. This will be among the worst teams in the National League.
NL CENTRAL
1) Milwaukee Brewers 86-76 - A great young powerful offense with just enough pitching will carry the Brewers into postseason for the first time since 1982. Milwaukee is a club that could go either way though as there could be some questions that become on the field challenges. This will be an entertaining club to watch that will score a lot of runs and hustle, creating excitement across the game.
2) Chicago Cubs 84-78 - Cubs have not made to postseason in consecutive seasons in a century. This year will be no different as they will struggle with the back half of their pitching and an offense that is overrated. A lot of players will underperform. Clubhouse issues and discension are issues looming in the background.
3) Cincinnati Reds 82-80 - A sleeper team that could surprise if young pitching gels, injuries are avoided ( in particular, Griffey), and the offense lives up to its promise. It says it will here. Ken Griffey will have his best chance at the postseason since coming to Cincinnati.
4) Pittsburgh Pirates 73-89 - '08 will be the 16th consecutive losing season for the seemingly eternally hapless Bucs, and there is little hope for that not happening. Still, they have a promising young talented pitching staff and a young roster that will be more entertaining than in recent years. The offense will lack power and consistency for the most part.
5) Houston Astros 69-93 - It will be a long year for the Astros with little to bank on besides Roy Oswalt. The offense and virtually the entire pitching staff leads much to be desired. Houston, we have a problem.
6) St Louis Cardinals 67-95 - Two years removed from a World Series title finds the Cardinals in tatters and with a pitching staff among the worst in the majors. The offense has also taken some key steps backwards. This will be worst Cardinals team in recent memory.
NL EAST
1) New York Mets 97-65 - On paper, this is about the best team in baseball. They should easily win their division this time out, but overconfidence, boredom, and arrogance on the part of the players could be issues that will be their undoing at some point. They do not have the chemistry and on the field leadership yet to do much more than win the division. The final season at Shea Stadium will have its moments but, ultimately, disappointment.
2) Atlanta Braves 86-76 - The Braves are improved and will contend for the wildcard and could threaten the Mets if NY underperforms again. Solid veteran pitching with a good both veteran and young lineup shows a lot of promise for Atlanta. Losing Andruw Jones is a major positive; and Bobby Cox always gets better results than what would seem to be the case on paper.
3) Philadelphia Phillies 85-77 - Starting pitching will be the Phillies' undoing, as well as having a lineup that will not overperform as they did in '07, will result in keeping Philly out of the playoffs. The bullpen will also end being a significant problem area.
4) Washington Nationals 73-89 - Playing in a new ballpark before big crowds will help the Nationals win 5-10 more games than they should on paper. Their starting pitching is atrocious, and the offense has a lot of holes and inexperience.
5) Florida Marlins 67-95 - Nothing has changed for the Marlins, who still have no new ballpark yet and the majors' smallest payroll. The young team will struggle in all aspects of the game for extended periods through most of the season, but the future may yet show promise for the Marlins in the coming seasons by taking their lumps this year.
AL WEST
1) Anaheim Angels 93-69 - This will be a tight win for the Angels, as their lack of power and pitching consistency will keep them from running away with the division. A spunky hard playing team that reflects their manager Mike Scioscia, the Angels are a darkhorse to win it all.
2) Seattle Mariners 88-74 - Perhaps the team in all of baseball that has the widest range of how well or poor they will do. They have all the pieces but will they come together enough to win the division ? Probably not, and the wildcard will not happen either.
3) Texas Rangers 74-88 - The weakness that has plagued the Rangers for years has yet to be addressed successfully, as their starting pitching is so-so at best, and their offense is not as good in '08 as it has been in prior seasons.
4) Oakland Athletics 69-93 - After a long run of competitiveness, the A's are starting over and rebuilding. Their starting pitching isn't bad, but the overall youthful age and inexperience of the club as well as little power and an anemic offense will result in another Bay area team having a long year.
AL Central
1) Detroit Tigers 96-66 - The Tigers have a powerful complete offense, outstanding starting pitching, about the best manager in the game, and experience. If their bullpen holds up and delivers, the sky is the limit.
2) Cleveland 93-69 - The Indians are on a par with the Tigers and have all the pieces together for another postseason presence. Barely missing last season's World Series will help to drive this team to continue to achieve and succeed.
3) Chicago 74-88 - A long season with discension and controversy awaits the White Sox, as they have a roster with a lot of individuals who are overrated and will significantly underachieve. Last place in the division is a possibility.
4) Kansas City 73-89 - A team on the rise, but still undergoing growing pains. The Royals' starting pitching is starting to come together, but a lack of power will keep them from any greater successes.
5) Minnesota 72-90 - 2008 will be a long tough season for the Twins, as their offense and starting pitching are inserting new player into new roles which will take time to be successful.
Good offense and bullpen, but the departed veterans will be missed on the field and in the clubhouse.
AL EAST
1) Boston Redsox 91-71 - The defending champs will once again have to fight hard to win the division, and the health and staying power of the veterans on the team will be a constant issue. They have all the pieces and the experience as that will be the difference in outlasting their divisional rivals once again for another postseason appearance.
2) New York Yankees 89-73 - A new era in the Bronx with Girardi replacing Torre, and the end of another with the final season at Yankee Stadium. A lot more young players are being counted on to make significant contributions and many veterans are due to have less success. Factor all this together along with the usual controversies that will arise and the Yankees will miss the postseason for the first time since 1994.
3) Toronto Blue Jays 88-74 - Another team that has a wide range of possibilities on how well they will do. They have more than enough starting pitching to win the division, but their offense has some question marks. That will end up being the difference between success and just missing the postseason.
4) Tampa Bay Rays 77-85 - Sunshine will be the order of the day most of the season for one of the game's most tormented clubs in recent years: in essence, their entire existence. A young greatly talented roster with depth will be the best in the club's history and they will stay competitive perhaps until September. Starting pitching and a lack of experience will be their ultimate undoing, but a promising bright competitive future is a sure bet if management continues to be intelligent and sensible.
5) Baltimore Orioles 59-103 - This will probably be baseball's worst club, with woeful starting pitching and a lineup that has a lot of holes. The Orioles may not have yet hit bottom as this club has little promise awaiting in the near future. 1oo losses are a certainty in a rough AL East.
POSTSEASON PROJECTIONS
Arizona over Milwaukee
Colorado over New York
Detroit over Boston
Cleveland over Anaheim
Arizona over Colorado to win the NL Pennant
Detroit over Cleveland to win the AL Pennant
Detroit over Arizona to win the 105th World Series
For a good place to see all the games listed for telecasts, one can go to this link:
*****
In a move that was really not too surprising, the Colorado Avalanche parted ways Friday with three year head coach Joel Quenneville. The Avalanche enjoyed relatively little success with Quenneville at the helm as compared to their first ten years in Denver. The club missed the playoffs one season ('06-'07) and was eliminated in the conference semis two other years after first round successes that most considered upsets. The Avalanche lacked an offensive dynamic during Quenneville's tenure and often had trouble scoring and even getting ample scoring opportunities. Goaltending was often an issue, and the power play was abysmal and worse during his coaching years. Quenneville will land on his feet quite nicely, probably with the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Eastern Conference that is more suitable for his coaching strategy style. The Avalanche will hopefully land a coach that is more creative offensively and develops strategies at both ends of the ice that better utilize the club's personnel strengths and talents. Colorado has the players to be competitive and even successful in '08-'09 and the right coach in the Mile High City will only serve to make this even more possible. Among those being speculated as a possible replacement include longtime Avalanche Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy. Hopefully it will not be a has-been retread like Pat Burns, Andy Murray, or John Muckler.
Posts
