My Guess

Before I make my standings prediction, let's go with the most important prediction: what will Sterling say for a Russel Martin home run? I have two possibilities: Oh, Russel, you DO the Hustle. Or, Oh Russel, you're my favorite Martin! Predictions?

The Phillies can't overcome a lack of hitting and miss the playoffs. I remind you that this is a team that was shut out by the METS 4 times last year.

The Mets show that they have a lineup and enough pitching to stay in race. In mid season, Wilpons sell team to Hank Steinbrenner, who is pissed that younger brother Hal gets all the spotlight and does all the talking for the Yankees. Yammerin' Hank makes all the right midseason moves, acquires Soriano from the Yankees, and the Mets make a push for it
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Reds show the promise of last year was not a false one. They lose first World Series game since the 70's.

Twins get to avoid the Yankees in the playoffs and finally go some place. Win World series by winning all four home games (I guess this means I am predicting an American League victory in the All Star Game).

The Sawx discover that importing a player from San Diego, a la Ed Whitson, is ALWAYS a bad strategy for an Al East team.

Here's the National League:
East
Braves
Mets
Phillies
Nationals
Marlins

Central
Reds
Brewers
Cards
Cubs
Bucs
Who else is in this division?

West
Giants
Padres
Dodgers
Snakes
Who else is in this division?
Wild Card: Mets

Giants over Mets in 5
Reds over Braves in 5
Reds over Giants in 6

American

East
DEVIL Rays
Yanks
Sawx
Orioles
Blue Jays

Central
Twinkies
Tigers
Sox
Royals
Indians

West
Rangers
A's
Angels
Mariners

Wild Card: Yanks
Rangers over Yanks in 4
Twins over Rays in 5
Twins over Rangers in 6

Challenge Accepted

I applaud my good friend for throwing down a challenge which he must know he can't win.  The Brewers of 2011 are the Mariners of 2010 (except they won't be quite as painful to watch and won't have the Cy Young winner at year's end).  I'm hearing lots of hype, but remember that the Brew Crew finished 16 games behind the Reds a year ago.  I don't see them making up all that ground in 2011.  I'm also not ready to write off the defending champs and their rotation.  I'm not sure how the Phillies are going to be two games worse than they were last season, so I have them as the only squad to hit 100 wins.  Other than that, our numbers are pretty close, so it should be interesting.  Also, think I deserve 100 bonus points if I correctly predict the one-game playoff between Atlanta and Colorado for the NL Wild Card.

Either way, here are the correct answers (2010 final record and division finish in parentheses):

American League
East
1. Boston Red Sox: 97-65 (89-73, 3rd)
2. New York Yankees: 93-69 (95-76, 2nd)
3. Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays: 84-78 (96-66, 1st)
4. Toronto Blue Jays: 79-83 (85-77, 4th)
5. Baltimore Orioles: 70-92 (66-96, 5th)

Central
1. Minnesota Twins: 93-69 (94-68, 1st)
2. Chicago White Sox: 90-72 (88-74, 2nd)
3. Detroit Tigers: 79-83 (81-81, 3rd)
4. Cleveland Indians: 64-98 (69-93, 4th)
5. Kansas City Royals: 58-104 (67-95, 5th)

West
1. Oakland Athletics: 87-75 (81-81, 2nd)
2. Los Angeles (nee Anaheim) Angels: 86-76 (80-82, 3rd)
3. Texas Rangers: 85-77 (90-72, 1st)
4. Seattle Mariners: 71-91 (61-101, 4th)

National League
East
1. Philadelphia Phillies: 101-61 (97-65, 1st)
2. Atlanta Braves: 89-74 (91-71, 2nd)
3. New York Mets: 80-82 (79-83, 4th)
4. Florida Marlins: 76-86 (80-82, 3rd)
5. Washington Nationals: 71-91 (69-93, 5th)

Central
1. Cincinnati Reds: 93-69 (91-71, 1st)
2. Milwaukee Brewers: 84-78 (77-85, 3rd)
3. St. Louis Cardinals: 81-81 (86-76, 2nd)
4. Houston Astros: 73-89 (76-86, 4th)
5. Chicago Cubs: 70-92 (75-87, 5th)
6. Pittsburgh Pirates: 55-107 (57-105, 6th)

West
1. San Francisco Giants: 91-71 (92-70, 1st)
2. Colorado Rockies: 89-73 (83-79, 3rd)
3. San Diego Padres: 84-78 (90-72, 2nd)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers: 76-86 (80-82, 4th)
5. Arizona Diamondbacks: 62-100 (65-97, 5th)

Playoffs
Colorado Rockies over Atlanta Braves in one-game playoff

American League Division Series
Boston Red Sox over Oakland Athletics (3-0)
Minnesota Twins over New York Yankees (3-2)

National League Division Series
Philadelphia Phillies over San Francisco Giants (3-1)
Colorado Rockies over Cincinnati Reds (3-1)

American League Championship Series
Boston Red Sox over Minnesota Twins (4-1)

National League Championship Series
Philadelphia Phillies over Colorado Rockies (4-0)

World Series
Philadelphia Phillies over Boston Red Sox (4-1)

Two things: 1) I don't want to hear any nonsense from Yankee fans that I didn't pick them to win it all.  My wedding cake was an interlocking "NY", and 2) I like my steak medium-rare.

Winning, duh.

Pre Opening Day Predictions & A Challenge

I know what you all want. You want another set of predictions for the way the MLB season will play out this year. Well let me save you the time of watching all of the games. The Yankees win it in the end. However, to make it fun and see if I'm right, I challenge the newly married Starving Waiter and the same old Grau Geist to a stand off. Post your own predictions! We can do a points system to see who’s the best. Let's use a system I’m going to make up on the spot (literally). For every place you’re off (you say the Mariners will finish 4th and they finish first) – its minus 5 points. For every game you’re off, it is minus a point (you think the sox will win 100 games, and they win 99 or 101, its minus 1 for you). Then for playoffs, we’ll simply do if you pick a correct winner of a series, it’s +10. A correct AL/NL winner equals +20 and correct WS winner, +30. The man with the most points (or least negative points most likely), like in golf, will win.

Wait, you think you can do better? Challenge accepted. If anyone else not a writer for this blog wants to get in on this, you’re more than welcome to copy the following template into a really long message below (or drop me an e-mail before opening day tomorrow at MLAZanoni@gmail.com). If anyone out there beats me, I will take you to dinner. I will pick the place, but you get a free dinner on me at the end of the regular season (no fast food, real dinner). So come on! It is worth a shot!

AL East
Red Sox: 94-68
Yankees: 93-69
Rays: 88-74
Jays: 80-82
O’s: 74-88

AL Central
Twins: 85-77
Chi Sox: 83-79
Tigers: 83-79
Royals: 70-92
Indians: 67-95

AL West
A’s: 88-74
Rangers: 85-77
Angels: 82-80
M’s: 72-90

NL East
Phillies: 95-67
Braves: 90-72
Mets: 82-80
Marlins: 80-82
Nats: 69-93

NL Central
Brewers: 90-72
Reds: 86-76
Cards: 84-78
Cubs: 78-84
‘Stros: 71-91
Pirates: 62-100

NL West
Rockies: 88-74
Giants: 86-76
Padres: 82-80
Dodgers: 73-89
D-backs: 70-92

ALDS: Rex Sox over Twins, Yanks over A’s
NLDS: Phils over Rockies, Brewers over Braves

ALCS: Yanks over Sox
NLCS: Brewers over Phils

WS: Yanks over Brewers

Seriously – MLAZanoni@gmail.com with your picks. I will honor them and buy you dinner if you (while adhering to my made up points system above) beat me by the end of the season. You too writers – I would gladly eat dinner with you guys as long as you return the favor if I win. Oh and click the like button so your friends can do it too.