Here I go again (no Brad Penny comments, dammit) …
AL EAST
1. Red Sox—It’d be illogical to pick anyone else.
2. Rays—I hate the Yanks’ rotation. I love the Rays’ rotation.
3. Yankees—87-90 wins, but a rough year.
4. Orioles—The rotation is thin, but I love Buck as long as he’s managing a young team willing to listen.
5. Blue Jays—Some nice young arms, but a ton of holes.
AL CENTRAL
1. White Sox—I’ve always been a big Adam Dunn guy. In this lineup, he’ll lead the AL in home runs.
2. Twins—Good, not spectacular. Some very thin spots.
3. Tigers—Victor Martinez is to baseball in the 2010s was Tony Campbell was to the NBA in the early 90s.
4. Royals—Let the youngin’s play.
5. Indians—Just nothing here.
AL WEST
1. Angels—I think Vernon Wells is about to have an insane season.
2. Rangers—I hate Michael Young as a DH and I hate Adrien Beltre not playing for something.
3. Athletics—You know it’s bad when Hideki Matsui, age 654, needs to bolster the lineup.
4. Mariners—Ichiro loses 90—again.
NL EAST
1. Phillies—This one seems quite obvious.
2. Washington—Stop laughing. I like their moves, and I think Jason Marquis has a banner year.
3. Braves—Tim Hudson is your NL Cy Young Award winner … Phils be damned.
4. Marlins—Well, they’re young.
5. Mets—This will be very, very, very ugly.
NL CENTRAL
1. Reds—Love everything about this team, starting with Dusty.
2. Brewers—If the back of the rotation holds up …
3. Cardinals—Very thin rotation.
4. Cubs—Two words: Carlos. Pena.
5. Astros—Brett Myers—Here today, gone by June.
6. Pirates—Not even worth mentioning.
NL WEST
1. Rockies—I like everything about his club. My World Series sleeper.
2. Giants—Doomed for a drop.
3. Padres—Tough to compensate for the losses.
4. Dodgers—If only Don Mattingly can suit up …
5. Arizona—So how’d the whole youth movement work out?
Playoffs:
AL:
Red Sox over Rangers
Angels over White Sox.
Red Sox over Angels
NL:
Rockies over Phillies
Reds over Giants
Reds over Rockies
World Series: Red Sox over Reds
AL MVP: Vernon Wells, Angels
AL CY YOUNG: Justin Verlander, Tigers
NL MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
NL Cy YOUNG: Tim Hudson, Braves
