Crystal Ball
By Dalton Del Don
NL MVP: David Wright – What doesn’t he do well? Wright plays defense, runs the bases and has a terrific batting eye. He had a .364/.465/.596 line after the All-Star break and even if you take away the entire month of April, posted a 30/31 season last year.
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera – I probably wouldn’t be batting him fifth, but in a lineup as loaded as the Tigers’, it’s unlikely to matter much. It’s easy to forget, but Cabrera is still just 24 years old. It’s only a matter of time before he posts a gigantic .330-50-150 type season, and it very well may arrive in 2008.
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana – Boring, but Santana is the clear front-runner. Jake Peavy may be an equal pitcher, but he’s got more health concerns, and Santana has a solid offense supporting him as well. The switch to the NL could result in an extra 60 strikeouts.
AL Cy Young: Josh Beckett – Justin Verlander will be major competition, and Beckett’s increasing workload and health need to be monitored, but he’s also become possibly the game’s best pitcher. Over the final three months last year, he posted a 111:20 K:BB ratio.
NL Rookie of the Year: Kosuke Fukudome – Kind of boring since he’s 30 years old and all, but when you combine opportunity with skill set, he should finish 2008 with some pretty solid numbers. Johnny Cueto and Manny Parra are his main competitors, but it’s harder to learn the art of pitching than it is hitting.
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria – Like Ryan Braun last year, Longoria is going to have to make up for a lost six weeks after starting the year in the minors, but he has the stick to do so. Clay Buchholz and Joba Chamberlain are the obvious contenders.
NLCS: Mets over Dodgers
ALCS: Yankees over Red Sox
World Series: Yankees over Mets
April 7th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
WOW. If you think Yankees are winning the Series, much less making the playoffs, you are high.
Honestly, they might finish fourth, most likely third in the East.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Why do you say that? Is it the league’s best offense that turns you off? Or the awesome back-end of the bullpen? Wang, Hughes, Pettite, Kennedy and later Joba isn’t the worst rotation either.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:25 am
3 rookies in a rotation does not a playoff team make. Offense is great, but I think Pettite & Mussina will stumble, fall and maybe even retire, leaving a rotation of Wang, Hughes, Kennedy, Joba & Igawa (or someone they get at deadline).
Plus, the offense is old. It’s good, but old. My opinion.
Don’t let the pinstripes cloud your judgement of a baseball team. Red Sox, Blue Jays and maybe even Rays are better teams in that division.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
The offense scored 76 runs more than any other team in baseball last year. Meaning they can significantly decline and still be the best. I agree guys like Posada and even ARod won’t match last year’s production, but Cano, Damon, Abreu and Melky should improve.
I saw this panel of 19 ESPN experts, and none picked NYY to win it all, so I guess I’m crazy in this assessment. I hope I’m wrong - I hate the Yankees. But I have a hard time seeing how this team and the BoSox aren’t clearly the best two in baseball.
April 8th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
ESPN Expert. Is that an oxymoron? The have a hard on for everything Easy Coast so bad, they can’t walk around in public when the Yankees, Mets & Red Sox are playing.
All I’m saying is my prediction is Yankees do not make playoffs. I think they finish 3rd, maybe 4th in that division. How’s that for a prediction?
April 8th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Good stuff. And yes, that is an oxymoron.
Your prediction has been noted and I give you credit for going on a limb.
April 9th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Dalton,
Do you have an email you can provide? Had a question for you.
TD –
April 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
seven3d@aol.com