Major League Baseball Preview 2009 (part deux)

Nothing like spending the wee hours in the morning talking about baseball. Let's see..where did I leave off last? Aaah yes, the Red Sox just defeated the Rays in seven games of the American League Championship Series.

Mmm, I can already taste the champagne. Although, if the WBC continues to chew up and spit out key contributors for the Sox the plans may change. (Did you see Jeter "accidently" land on Youk's ankle, sending back to Fort Myers in the process. Coincidence? I think not. Take note Japan: You force Dice-K to get injured in an over-glorified exhibition and this means war! Forget WWII!) Nevertheless, I digress.

The senior circuit, suffering a 12-game winless streak in the Mid-Summer Classic while losing seven of the last twelve Fall Classics, has lived up to its nickname playing like a bunch of geriatrics compared to their AL counterparts.

Having said that, the National League looks to be on the rise with promising teams young teams (Arizona Diamondbacks, Florida Marlins) battling for supremacy with teams poised for greatness (Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs). Opposite of the American League, in the NL pitching is at a surplus. So it will be up to the offenses to produce against superior starting pitching.

The Phillies are the reigning World Champions, but the road back will filled with congestion. The Chicago Cubs have reloaded and look to break the Curse of the Billy Goat. My advise to the Cubs: keep Bartman out of the stands, because this could be your year!

NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies: A top-flite rotation from top to bottom; anchored by a perfect closer; add an offense featuring three MVP candidates; throw in Raul Ibanez's consistent .290 Avg, 20 HRs, & 1o0 RBI and you have a recipe made for a repeat. Too much salt in the wounds (SP Cole Hamels' sore elbow) may spoil this dish for the Philly Phanatics. Potential wins: 90-92

2. New York Mets: The additions of RHP J.J. Putz and record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez seem nice on paper, but K-Rod looked real shakey at times in the laid-back OC. How will he fair when his back's against the wall under the lights of CitiField. How much longer can 1B Carlos Delgado continue to be productive? If the Mets do anything this September, it will be on the shoulders of Delgado and SP Johan Santana. But expect another Fall collapse. Potential wins: 85-88

3. Florida Marlins: The only two reasons anyone will be mentioning the Marlins all year: stud shortstop Hanley Ramirez and their promising young rotation (RHP Rickey Nolasco-3.52 ERA, RHP Josh Johnson-7-1 '08 record, RHP Chris Volstad- 2.88 ERA, Anibal Sanchez-threw no-hitter in 2006, LHP Andrew Miller-Key player in Miguel Cabrera trade). Potential wins: 80-83

4. Atlanta Braves: Geez, what happened to this franchise? Wasn't it only a few years ago that Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz anchored that rotation? Wait..wait. You're kidding me, right? You mean to tell me that Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and a 42-year-old Glavine are the starters? Llllooooollll! Potential wins: 75-79

5. Washington Nationals: Do you think self-proclaimed sports fanatic, President Barack Obama, knows there's a professional baseball team in his backyard? Me neither. A Light at the End of the Tunnel: Draft San Diego State Aztecs pitcher Stephen Strausberg no. 1 overall. The dude is the truth. Potential wins: 59-64

NL Central:
1. Chicago Cubs: An already professional lineup 1-9 (Zambrano can hit clean-up on my team any day!) received a facelift with the addition of switch-hitting hothead, OF Milton Bradley. Bradley gives fellow hothead, manager Lou Pinealla, lefty-righty flexibility; a flaw exposed in the NLDS against the Dodgers last October. Potential wins: 95-100

2. St. Louis Cardinals*: Outside of 1B Albert Pujols and the back-from-the-dead Rick Ankiel, they have questions offensively. But with a healthy Adam Wainwright and a healthier Chris Carpernter (2005 Cy Young winner, remember him?) they can compete with any team come October. Plus, never count out manager Tony LaRussa; the Mastermind of the Bullpen always has a few tricks up his sleeve he plays during the stretch run. Potential wins: 87-91

3. Cincinnati Reds: A solid top three in the rotation (Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto) with better-than-average guys in the back (Bronson Arroyo and Micah Owings). All-Star 2B Brandon Phillips is a fantasy stud, but is even more valuable to his own team. Potential wins: 73-76

4. Houston Astros: A hick, Fat Elvis, a steroid-abuser, a metrosexual asain, and a guy who actually prefers the nickname "El Caballo". The newest hand-picked cast of The Real World? Oh..just the 2009 Houston Astros. I guess I'll wait to catch the marathon. Potential wins: 70-74

5. Milwaukee Brewers: They will feel the aftershock of going all or nothing with C.C. Sabathia. The losses of Sabathia and Ben Sheets leave the Brew Crew's rotation thinner than Calista Flockhart on Yom Kippur (Chalk one up for all the Jews reading this!) Prince and Ryan Braun can only carry this team so far. Potential wins: 72-74

6. Pittsburgh Pirates: You'd think the Pirates would pick up a few tips from their football counterpart. 1. Like a good defense wins Super Bowls, good pitching always beats good hitting. 2. Get an Emergency-James-Harrison-In-A-Glass and carry it with you whenever you need a big play. Potential wins: 65-69

NL West:
1. Arizona Diamondbacks: Two Cy Young caliber starting pitchers. An above average bullpen. A lineup that has something to prove (i.e. Can 2B Mark Reynolds strike out less than 200 times? Will Jackson, Upton, Drew, and Young finally breakthrough to All-Star status?) Sounds like a similar D-Backs team. Ask a Yankee fan, I'm sure they know. Name to Remember: SP Max Scherzer. Potential wins: 89-91

2. Los Angeles Dodgers: Even more important than the second helping of Manny-Being-Manny in LaLa Land will be the emergence of young stud LHP Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw faced some bumps in the bigs (5-5, 4.26 ERA), but showed signs of brillance (6IP, 1ER, 1BB, 6SO in ND against MIL 8/17). First baseman James Loney will continue to ascend in the rankings as one of the best young hitters in the league. Potential wins: 88-90

3. Colorado Rockies: The Rox have a silver slugging infield (Helton-1, Barmes-2, Atkins-3, Tulowitzki-SS, & Iannetta-C) That lineup thrives off the thin Denver air, but the pitching staff must despise seeing their breaking pitches flaten out. A pitcher's graveyard; which makes SP Aaron Cook's success even more impressive. Potential wins: 79-82

4. San Francisco Giants: They were known around the country for their prolific hitter in left field. Thanks to age, drugs, tell-all books, high profile court cases,ex-mistresses with loose lips- take your pick- the Giants now don't have a hitter. Period. SP Tim Lincecum a.k.a The White Pedro Martinez won't give up his Cy Young trophy easily, especially with HOFer Randy Johnson's brain to pick. Potential wins: 73-78

5. San Diego Padres: Didn't Trevor Hoffman leave the Pads? Ppphh. If he doesn't want any part of them, why would anyone? Jake Peavy will be the bell of the ball come July 31. Potential wins: 63-65
(*-denotes Wildcard Team)

Playoff Picture:
Cubs over Diamondbacks
Phillies over Cardinals
Cubs over Phillies

MVP: Hanley Ramirez, FLA
Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, SF
ROY: Matt Gamel, MIL
Manager of the Year: Fredi Gonzalez, FLA

2009 World Series- The Dream Series: The once cursed Boston Red Sox face off against the currently cursed Chicago Cubs. While many in the Windy City will have their blades raised ready to slay their sacrificial lamb--err goat, do not forget that Terry Francona is a perfect 8-0 in World Series play and a team that is bursting at the seams with experience. It won't be a clean sweep, but the Cubs will have to wait until next year because Bartman will buy a ticket to game 6 and ruin any chance of a historic comeback. Red Sox over Cubs, 4-2.

Call me biased. Call me unprofessional. But before the hypocrites cast thy stones remeber this: the 2008 Sox were one game away from reaching the World Series, and they have a healthy David Ortiz, the reigning MVP, and some of the best all-around pitching in the league.

If that didn't do it for ya, well, avoid the face. It's my money maker.