MLB Preview '06

Well, the season starts in less than a week so I guess it's time to throw out my predictions for how the standings will look 162 regulation games from now.

American League East:
1. New York Yankees - With an offense led by reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees could clobber their way to 90 wins even with sub-par pitching. And one thing they will not have this season is sub-par pitching. That said, the rotation doesn't match that of Boston and the defense doesn't come close, either.
2. Boston Red Sox - May not score as many runs as they did in '04, but they will score more than they did in '05. This is a more complete team than it was last year, and the superior pitching and highly improved defense, along with power duo David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez manning the 3-4 slots, the Sox should win 95 plus games this year.
3. Toronto Blue Jays - An increase in payroll led to an offseason spending spree that makes for a club that looks worthy of a division title...on paper. A.J. Burnett will start the season on the DL, Roy Halliday is coming off a big injury, and B.J. Ryan hasn't been a closer for a whole season yet.

American League Central:
1. Chicago White Sox - They did nothing but improve over the offseason (though I'm not so hot on Javier Vazquez as everyone else seems to be) and with the best starting rotation in baseball and an improved offense, they should roll to a victory in the Central division.
2. Cleveland Indians - This is a good young team, and if they don't take the division this year there's a good chance they can do so in '07. The front office has done a great job of signing its young talent to long term deals - as evidenced by yesterday's inking of a six year contract for leadoff man Grady Sizemore.
3. Minnesota Twins - Still just 2 years off from a division win, this is a strong team that has a lot of talent coming up in the system. May not be much of an offensive force. Johan Santana won't be the pitcher he was in '04.

American League West:
1. Oakland Athletics - Barry Zito might not be on the team after July 31st, but that's only because this team has a wealth of young arms waiting to prove their worth. Frank Thomas will prove that he's still an offensive force and Eric Chavez will make a run for MVP.
2. Las Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Bartolo Colon won't repeat his Cy Young winning performance, but a healthy Vladimir Guerrero will mean more runs for this team. Still, I can't pick their offense and bullpen over Oakland's starters and all-around talent.
3. Seattle Mariners - The addition of Kenji Johima might be the spark the Mariners have been looking for, but it won't be enough to put them over Oakland and LA.

AL Wild Card:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Las Angeles Angels
3. Toronto Blue Jays

National League East:
1. New York Mets - Every year the Braves are overlooked before the season, and for at least the past 14 seasons they've proven the doubters wrong, but I still have to go with the Mets for '06. They've made a bevy of improvements over last year: Paul lo Duca is a better catcher than Mike Piazza, Carlos Delgado is a better first baseman than Doug Menkievitz, and Billy Wagner is a far better closer than Braden Looper.
2. Atlanta Braves - They lost their greatest strength over their championship run: pitching coach Leo Mazzone. They lost their leadoff man in Rafael Furcal (another key in the championship run) and Edgar Renteria may never return to form over at short. Still, they manage to surprise us every year.
3. Florida Marlins - Everyone's saying that they're going to lose 100 games this year after they got rid of all but two of their big names. I say they've got a squad full of young talent and the two big names they did hang on to - Dontrelle Willis and Daniel Cabrera - are both young'ins themselves that are proven winners. Watch for the NL Rookie of the Year to come out of this team, and if they surprise everyone and take the division, you're looking at someone like Cabrera to take the MVP award.

National League Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals - They still have the reigning MVP and the Cy Young Award winners in Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter. They have a healthy Scott Rolen who will produce. This team is even more dangerous than it was last year, and you can bet they'll win around 100.
2. Houston Astros - If they'd managed to sign Roger Clemons, I would have given them all the gold. This team has a hell of a starting rotation and an underrated offense. If they can add some power mid-season, they still have a shot at the division.
3. Milwaukee Brewers - Ben Sheets and Prince Fielder. Contenders for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. These two names are the only reason I put this team above the Chicago Cubs.

National League West:
1. Las Angeles Dodgers - I really like this team - maybe because so many of them are former Red Sox! Look, Bill Meuller may never hit as many homeruns as Adrian Beltre, but he'll hit for average from both sides of the plate and his performance with runners in scoring position may make him even more valuable than Beltre was in '04. Nomar Garciaparra will stay healthy for the first time in three years, and Eric Gagne will recover from his shoddy '05. This is the team to beat in the NL West, and I don't care how many dingers Bonds puts in the water.
2. San Diego Padres - Jake Peavy will be back to anchor a decent rotation in a pitcher's park. Dewon Brazleton will put his past behind him, and the additions of Mike Cameron and Mike Piazza should be enough for an offensive improvement over last year.
3. San Francisco Giants - I gotta be nuts to put a team with Barry Bonds in the lineup at third in the division, right? Face it, the Giants are depending on Bonds to carry their team, and mark my words he will not produce as much as they need him to. He'll be lucky to start 100 games. He may very well crush 30 big boys in that time, but that will not be enough to power this team to the top of the division.

NL Wild Card
1. Houston Astros
2. Atlanta Braves
3. San Diego Padres