Joe Soriano
O.J. Lewis2010 MLB Regular Season Predictions
April 4th 2010 15:55
Division Winners
AL East
New York Yankees- Javier Vazquez adds depth to a rotation that is led by Cy Young Award candidate CC Sabathia. Phil Hughes is an upgrade over Joba Chamberlain in that fifth spot. Curtis Granderson should hit 35 homers, Robinson Cano will become the best second baseman in baseball, and Mark Teixeira should once again make a strong case for the MVP. Joba makes the bullpen deeper. Mariano Rivera is shut-down as always, and strikeout-specialist David Robertson will become one of the top set-up men in baseball. Rob, Joba, and Mo will be the most formidable bullpen combo other than Boston's and the other Sox's.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox- This is one of the toughest choices. I do think that Juan Pierre will really prove himself. Gordon Beckham will become a top-flight player and will form a great infield duo with Alexi Ramirez. Carlos Quentin will be healthy this year, and is penciled in for 30 bombs. Andruw Jones looks revived, and we all know the last time he was in good-shape. Their bullpen is the best in baseball. Bobby Jenks is a great closer, Matt Thornton is arguably the best set-up man, JJ Putz will be incredible if he is back to 07 or even 06 form, and Scott Linebrink is a guy to like. The rotation has last year's perfect game hurler Mark Buerhle. Jake Peavy should have a solid year as he looks as healthy as he did in his CYA season in 07. John Danks looks good and Gavin Floyd is penciled to have good numbers.
AL West- Los Angeles Angels- See earlier post
AL Wild Card
Boston Red Sox- The B's have found an answer at shortstop in last year's surprise, Marco Scutaro. The defense of the team has been greatly improved with the additions of Mike Cameron and Adrian Beltre. Beltre will post nice numbers in Fenway, and has the best glove of any third baseman in baseball. Kevin Youkilis, Victor Martinez, and Dustin Pedroia are incredible. Top to bottom, the Red Sox have the best rotation. Lackey is solid, Lester is great, Beckett is a monster, Wakefield is OK, and Buchholz has the talent to be good. Clay just needs time. The bullpen features the great Jonathan Paplebon and the unheralded Manny Delcarmen. Hideki Okajima is also a talented fellow.
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies- Ryan Howard is a big contender for the MVP. Howard will have huge numbers. Chase Utley is probably the best second baseman in baseball. Jimmy Rollins possess leadership and fielding skills that will never go into a slump. Placido Polanco is a definite upgrade over inept hitter Pedro Feliz. The outfield is spectacular, and Jayson Werth will have a huge year. Roy Halladay will be very good as he usually is. Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, and Kyle Kendrick solidly fill out the final slots in the rotation. The bullpen has some questions at the closer spot, but everyone else especially Ryan Madson and JC Romero are good.
NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals- Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and Ryan Ludwick are one of the most feared 1-2-3 punches in the NL. They will need Skip Schumaker and David Freese. Many people doubt last year's All Star Yadier Molina's hitting talents. The bullpen is awful. Ryan Franklin had a huge year last season, but he brokedown down the stretch. Some expect talented set-up man Jason Motte to take over as closer. Behind those two, talent is extremely lacking in the pen. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter make a fantastic 1-2 punch that is reminiscent of a 2007 Sabathia-Carmona punch. Brad Penny is the only decent starter besides those two. They have a lack of depth, but they are clearly the class of a poor NL Central.
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers- I really don't want to doubt the Dodgers. The past two years, they have been on the brink of a World Series matchup. They have the best outfield in baseball. Manny should have a good year offensively. Andre Ethier is as good of an outfielder as anyone, and so is Matt Kemp. Kemp is also an incredible all-around talent and fielder. Russell Martin may have a down year, but he will still be a top ten catcher at the least. The rest of the lineup is filled with quality hitters like James Loney. There really are no scrubs. The rotation lacks depth. Chad Billingsley is a great strikeout pitcher, and so is the young Clayton Kershaw. I do doubt Vicente Padilla's existence. Jonathan Broxton is almost as good as the other Jonathan that closes. George Sherill is incredible and the rest of the bullpen is exceedingly underrated.
NL Wild Card
Colorado Rockies- I am barely taking them over the Braves. Ian Stewart, Troy Tulowitzki, and Clint Barmes make up the best infield trio in baseball. Miguel Olivo is a great defensive catcher. Brad Hawpe, Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Spillbroghs, and Seth Smith make up one of the deepest outfields in the game. Ubaldo Jimenez is poised for a huge year, along with teammate starter Jeff Francis. Jason Hammel and Aaron Cook are also good pitchers. Huston Street is one of the top closers in the game. Franklin Morales and Manuel Corpas are very talented set-up men. Alan Embree should not be counted out in the mix of good relievers.
World Series: Yankees beat Rockies
Yeah. The Yanks win again. But there's always a surprise. I think the Rockies are going to hit a run. Their rotation is just so deep, and their hitting is so great. They get streaky and they make it to the Series. Then, they get their hopes crushed by the mighty Yanks and MVP CC Sabathia. The magic will end in New York.
AL MVP
Mark Teixeira- I want to step off of the Miggy bandwagon. Look, Tex is playing in the most hitter-friendly park in the AL. Trust me, his numbers will be out of this world. I guarantee it. Teixeira also is a great defensive player, and believe me that is valuable. Do you think that past winners Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, and Dustin Pedroia are bad defenders? No way.
AL CYA
Felix Hernandez- The Cy Young award will go to Felix Hernandez. Cliff Lee's presence will take a lot of pressure off of King Felix. Hernandez also pitches in the most pitcher-friendly ball park and came in second in voting last year. Don't expect Greinke to overtake him this year.
AL ROY
Austin Jackson- I'm going to go with the obvious here. Austin Jackson has all the tools and the opportunity. The Tigers' organization is in huge favor of him. Jackson has power, speed, the leadoff slot, and defense. Expect a .290 batting average, 20 stolen bases, 100 runs, and 20 homers. I love lifting expectations on rookies.
AL Manager of the Year
Ozzie Guillen- Good old Ozzy will finally get what he deserves. The outspoken manager will cobble up his veterans and make the playoffs. His primadonna performances will be quite interesting to see over the course of the season.
AL Reliever of the Year
Mariano Rivera- The Great Rivera will have a gigantic year. 50 saves and a 1.50 ERA. I called it. Mo is my favorite player, so yes there is bias and blog wierdness going on. However, Rivera will be the Reliever of the Year and he will put up asinine numbers.
NL MVP
Troy Tulowitzki- This man is poised for greatness. He has defense, skewed power at Coors Field, huge defense, the uncanny ability to score, the RBI luck, speed, and he is an extra-base hit monster. This guy will put up STATS.
NL CYA
Jair Jurrjens- No, this is not joke. Drop the Halladay bandwagon. Blogs have to be different, and mine is no different. Yikes! Jurrjens is going to be great. He has a better bullpen than last year, and literally no pressure to preform well. All of his teammates, especially Tommy Hanson and Derek Lowe, will get all the pressure.
NL ROY
Jason Heyward- Yeah, yeah put your props up. I expect 30 HRs and 100 RBIs from him. If not, then he gets the ax. But seriously, Heyward has the talent to hit cleanup or third for Atlanta.
NL Manager of the Year
Joe Torre- This one took a lot of thought, but I picked Torre to win another one. He will put a lot of hard work, and push his team over the Rockies. Torre is no rookie to this prestigious award.
NL Reliever of the Year
Jonathan Broxton- Broxton will come up with 40 saves and a 2.50 ERA with loaded saber-metric stats. This guy is a monster at the closer position and he is my unquestionable choice.
AL East
New York Yankees- Javier Vazquez adds depth to a rotation that is led by Cy Young Award candidate CC Sabathia. Phil Hughes is an upgrade over Joba Chamberlain in that fifth spot. Curtis Granderson should hit 35 homers, Robinson Cano will become the best second baseman in baseball, and Mark Teixeira should once again make a strong case for the MVP. Joba makes the bullpen deeper. Mariano Rivera is shut-down as always, and strikeout-specialist David Robertson will become one of the top set-up men in baseball. Rob, Joba, and Mo will be the most formidable bullpen combo other than Boston's and the other Sox's.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox- This is one of the toughest choices. I do think that Juan Pierre will really prove himself. Gordon Beckham will become a top-flight player and will form a great infield duo with Alexi Ramirez. Carlos Quentin will be healthy this year, and is penciled in for 30 bombs. Andruw Jones looks revived, and we all know the last time he was in good-shape. Their bullpen is the best in baseball. Bobby Jenks is a great closer, Matt Thornton is arguably the best set-up man, JJ Putz will be incredible if he is back to 07 or even 06 form, and Scott Linebrink is a guy to like. The rotation has last year's perfect game hurler Mark Buerhle. Jake Peavy should have a solid year as he looks as healthy as he did in his CYA season in 07. John Danks looks good and Gavin Floyd is penciled to have good numbers.
AL West- Los Angeles Angels- See earlier post
AL Wild Card
Boston Red Sox- The B's have found an answer at shortstop in last year's surprise, Marco Scutaro. The defense of the team has been greatly improved with the additions of Mike Cameron and Adrian Beltre. Beltre will post nice numbers in Fenway, and has the best glove of any third baseman in baseball. Kevin Youkilis, Victor Martinez, and Dustin Pedroia are incredible. Top to bottom, the Red Sox have the best rotation. Lackey is solid, Lester is great, Beckett is a monster, Wakefield is OK, and Buchholz has the talent to be good. Clay just needs time. The bullpen features the great Jonathan Paplebon and the unheralded Manny Delcarmen. Hideki Okajima is also a talented fellow.
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies- Ryan Howard is a big contender for the MVP. Howard will have huge numbers. Chase Utley is probably the best second baseman in baseball. Jimmy Rollins possess leadership and fielding skills that will never go into a slump. Placido Polanco is a definite upgrade over inept hitter Pedro Feliz. The outfield is spectacular, and Jayson Werth will have a huge year. Roy Halladay will be very good as he usually is. Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, and Kyle Kendrick solidly fill out the final slots in the rotation. The bullpen has some questions at the closer spot, but everyone else especially Ryan Madson and JC Romero are good.
NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals- Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and Ryan Ludwick are one of the most feared 1-2-3 punches in the NL. They will need Skip Schumaker and David Freese. Many people doubt last year's All Star Yadier Molina's hitting talents. The bullpen is awful. Ryan Franklin had a huge year last season, but he brokedown down the stretch. Some expect talented set-up man Jason Motte to take over as closer. Behind those two, talent is extremely lacking in the pen. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter make a fantastic 1-2 punch that is reminiscent of a 2007 Sabathia-Carmona punch. Brad Penny is the only decent starter besides those two. They have a lack of depth, but they are clearly the class of a poor NL Central.
NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers- I really don't want to doubt the Dodgers. The past two years, they have been on the brink of a World Series matchup. They have the best outfield in baseball. Manny should have a good year offensively. Andre Ethier is as good of an outfielder as anyone, and so is Matt Kemp. Kemp is also an incredible all-around talent and fielder. Russell Martin may have a down year, but he will still be a top ten catcher at the least. The rest of the lineup is filled with quality hitters like James Loney. There really are no scrubs. The rotation lacks depth. Chad Billingsley is a great strikeout pitcher, and so is the young Clayton Kershaw. I do doubt Vicente Padilla's existence. Jonathan Broxton is almost as good as the other Jonathan that closes. George Sherill is incredible and the rest of the bullpen is exceedingly underrated.
NL Wild Card
Colorado Rockies- I am barely taking them over the Braves. Ian Stewart, Troy Tulowitzki, and Clint Barmes make up the best infield trio in baseball. Miguel Olivo is a great defensive catcher. Brad Hawpe, Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Spillbroghs, and Seth Smith make up one of the deepest outfields in the game. Ubaldo Jimenez is poised for a huge year, along with teammate starter Jeff Francis. Jason Hammel and Aaron Cook are also good pitchers. Huston Street is one of the top closers in the game. Franklin Morales and Manuel Corpas are very talented set-up men. Alan Embree should not be counted out in the mix of good relievers.
World Series: Yankees beat Rockies
Yeah. The Yanks win again. But there's always a surprise. I think the Rockies are going to hit a run. Their rotation is just so deep, and their hitting is so great. They get streaky and they make it to the Series. Then, they get their hopes crushed by the mighty Yanks and MVP CC Sabathia. The magic will end in New York.
AL MVP
Mark Teixeira- I want to step off of the Miggy bandwagon. Look, Tex is playing in the most hitter-friendly park in the AL. Trust me, his numbers will be out of this world. I guarantee it. Teixeira also is a great defensive player, and believe me that is valuable. Do you think that past winners Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, and Dustin Pedroia are bad defenders? No way.
AL CYA
Felix Hernandez- The Cy Young award will go to Felix Hernandez. Cliff Lee's presence will take a lot of pressure off of King Felix. Hernandez also pitches in the most pitcher-friendly ball park and came in second in voting last year. Don't expect Greinke to overtake him this year.
AL ROY
Austin Jackson- I'm going to go with the obvious here. Austin Jackson has all the tools and the opportunity. The Tigers' organization is in huge favor of him. Jackson has power, speed, the leadoff slot, and defense. Expect a .290 batting average, 20 stolen bases, 100 runs, and 20 homers. I love lifting expectations on rookies.
AL Manager of the Year
Ozzie Guillen- Good old Ozzy will finally get what he deserves. The outspoken manager will cobble up his veterans and make the playoffs. His primadonna performances will be quite interesting to see over the course of the season.
AL Reliever of the Year
Mariano Rivera- The Great Rivera will have a gigantic year. 50 saves and a 1.50 ERA. I called it. Mo is my favorite player, so yes there is bias and blog wierdness going on. However, Rivera will be the Reliever of the Year and he will put up asinine numbers.
AL MVP- I Predict...
NL MVP
Troy Tulowitzki- This man is poised for greatness. He has defense, skewed power at Coors Field, huge defense, the uncanny ability to score, the RBI luck, speed, and he is an extra-base hit monster. This guy will put up STATS.
NL CYA
Jair Jurrjens- No, this is not joke. Drop the Halladay bandwagon. Blogs have to be different, and mine is no different. Yikes! Jurrjens is going to be great. He has a better bullpen than last year, and literally no pressure to preform well. All of his teammates, especially Tommy Hanson and Derek Lowe, will get all the pressure.
NL ROY
Jason Heyward- Yeah, yeah put your props up. I expect 30 HRs and 100 RBIs from him. If not, then he gets the ax. But seriously, Heyward has the talent to hit cleanup or third for Atlanta.
NL Manager of the Year
Joe Torre- This one took a lot of thought, but I picked Torre to win another one. He will put a lot of hard work, and push his team over the Rockies. Torre is no rookie to this prestigious award.
NL Reliever of the Year
Jonathan Broxton- Broxton will come up with 40 saves and a 2.50 ERA with loaded saber-metric stats. This guy is a monster at the closer position and he is my unquestionable choice.
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