I am the MAN!! My baseball predictions came true!

[JohnnyCougar]

From the DU baseball group before the regular season:

AL East:
NY Yankees 103-59
Boston 95-67
Baltimore 76-86
Toronto 75-87
Tampa Bay 70-92

Notes: The New York Yankees will fold again in the post season, for the specific reason that it's hard for a conglomeration of overpaid egos to mesh when crunch time comes. I just don't think the team chemistry will be there. Boston just doesn't have enough pitching. I think the Blue Jays will be better than people expect.

AL Central:
Detroit 89-73
Minnesota 87-75
Cleveland 78-85
Chicago Sox 77-86
Kansas City 58-104

Notes: The Tigers have the best offense in this division hands down. Who cares what they did the last two years. They would have been over .500 last season had the bullpen not blown 28 saves. With Percival, Farnsworth and Urbina this year, they rival the Twins with the best bullpen. The young pitching staff will blossom this year, and Jeremy Bonderman will certainly be a Cy Young candidate. Magglio Ordonez will silence all critics of his health. Minnesota, while still strong, did not improve in the offseason.

AL West:
Anaheim 99-63
Oakland 82-80
Texas 79-83
Seattle 76-86

Texas has too little pitching to contend. Period. Anahiem is clearly the winner here. Oakland winning 82 may be a stretch, but I think they will surprise this year, even without Mulder and Hudson. I have too much faith in Billy Beane.

NL East:
Atlanta 95-67
Philadelphia 91-71
Florida 85-79
NY Mets 82-80
Washington 68-94

Atlanta and their pitching will hold strong. This won't be the year they give up their perennial AL East title. The Mets will prove that signing a bunch of free agents to ridiculous contracts won't improve a team, a team that still has a minor-league bullpen.

NL Central:
St. Louis 101-63
Chicago Cubs 88-74
Cincinatti 84-78
Houston 79-83
Milwaukee 70-92
Pittsburgh 66-96

There's no stopping LaRussa this year. They're going all the way. There is no way Houston makes the playoffs again.

NL West:
San Diego 89-73
Los Angeles 84-78
San Fransisco 83-79
Arizona 72-90
Colarado 64-98

This division is now the weakest in baseball, especially without Bonds. San Diego has a good team this year, and will handily win the division.

Al Champs: Anaheim
NL Champs: Cardinals

World Series: Cardinals

Compare these to the actual standings:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/standings

I still stand by my world series predictions, too!

[Dees]

1. Go Redbirds!.......n/t