Well - the season is drawing near. I don't think my NY Mets did enough to improve in the off season, though the bullpen is deeper adn will be better. However, I am going to pick them for the wild card.

NL East

1. Braves

NL Central

Cubs

NL West

Diamond backs

AL East

Red Sox

Al Central

Twins

AL West

Angels

NL Wild Card: Mets/AL Wild Card: Yankees

Teh yankees are goign to be sickeningly good if Sbaathia was even clsoe to what he was in milwaukee down teh stretch. I am just hoping he pithces more like he did in Cleveland in teh first half.

NL Eats is going to be fun - Braves are btter, phillies have all the heart in teh world and the Mets probably ahve the best team on paper. looks like another interetsing abseball summer

(And I note with soem unease that sports illustarted has pciked the Mets to win the whole thing this week. From their lips to god's ears and all that....)

lol a ws champ isn't worth any credit these days....thats ok i'll wait till the annual september choke from the mets to post again.

Should Curt Schilling get into the HoF? As soon as I heard the topic on talk radio, I thought of this thread and the discussions between Staglord and LoB.

ABSOLUTLEY.

He is a first ballot lock as far as I am concerned. his post season record is stunning and he was always the best or seocnd best pitcher on his staff. Everything that a guy like Blyleven isn't - which is why he gets in and Blyleven stays home.

And Lars - your such a PITA. You don't even like baseball. Sorry - i don't take the flukey Phillies seriously and I don't think they are going back to October.

Stag Lord said:

What?? Blylveven was clearly always "one of the best one or two" on his staff.

It's actually pretty funny that you compare the two, as they are remarkably similar (even in post-season stats, except that Schilling has 2x starts - due to more playoff rounds in present). Blyleven's stats are a bit better than Schilling's for the most part. But yeah, to me, Schilling's a HOF'r (not as deserving as Blyleven, but deserving).

The more things change...Stag and his ridiculous prognostications.

AL East: Yankees (painful to type)

AL Central: Cleveland (if Carmona and Hafner are healthy) otherwise Minnesota

AL West: Angels

AL Wild Card: (flipping a mental coin)...Tampa Bay

NL East: Mets (Hamels elbow is a HUGE concern...no fold this year)

NL Central: Cubs

NL West: Dodgers (no one will be close)

NL Wild Card: Philly

World Series: A Subway Series with a different result from last time...Mets win (so painful to feel sure about these two teams)

And here are my predictions that will likely prove to be completely wrong:

AL East:

1) Boston, 2-WC) Tampa, 3) Yanks, 4) Toronto, 5) Baltimore

AL Central:

1) Cleveland, 2) ChiSox, 3) Minnesota, 4) KC, 5) Detroit

AL West:

1) Angels, 2) Seattle, 3) Texas, 4) Oakland

NL East:

1) Mets, 2) Phillies, 3) Braves, 4) Marlins, 5) Nationals

1) Cubs, 2-WC) Reds, 3) Brewers, 4) Cardinals, 5) Astros, 6(distant) Pirates

1) Dodgers, 2) Arizona, 3) San Fran, 4) Colorado, 5) San Diego

World Series: Boston beats the Mets

Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I wanna play the "get a bunch of stuff wrong sweepstakes" too.

NL West:

1. D'backs - if Scherzer and Garland are any good behind Webb and Haren, should be a good go. The lineup has a lot of question marks, though.

2. Doggers - eff the Doggers.

3. San Francisco - I like the rotation, and they're the team I'm forced to watch on TV, but the lineup? Bengie Molina cleanup? Puhleeze.

4 & 5. Rockies and Padres - umm...they'll both suck.

NL Central:

1. Cardinals - I'm think Carpenter will return to form, Pujols wins another MVP and they just outperform the Cubbies.

2. Cubbies - they got the pieces, but I don't trust most of them.

3. Reds - could be even better, but they're really young. Joey Votto is really impressive, though.

4. Brewers - poor Brewcrew...lost their horses.

5. Pirates - Yeah they'll suck...

6. Disastros - They'll suck more.

NL East:

1. Braves - I like what they're doing. Rotation seems strong enough, got some innings eaters. I like the lineup if Chipper's healthy and McCann too.

2. Marlins (WC) - They might have the best rotation in the East. Really young team, but we need a crazy pick right?

3. Mets - Johan and...Johan...K-Rod is overrated.

4. Phillies - I don't trust that pitching staff at all. Scary lineup, though.

5. Natty Ices - yup.

AL West:

1. Texas - just a hunch.

2. Angels - I think the injury bug hurts 'em a lot.

3. A's - they'll hit more than last year, but they hit none last year.

4. Seattle - still gonna suck.

AL Central:

1. Tigers - worst to first...Verlander can't be as bad as last year, and they're going to hit a ton.

2. White Sox - Not really any worse than last year.

3. Indians - seem to be a popular pick, but I don't know why, really. Hafner will probably still suck, and Lee won't be as good as last season.

4. Royals - why not? Could be a lot better than in recent years.

5. Minnesota - I don't know why I'm not respecting them...they never seem to be bad.

AL East:

1. Rays - They've got everything they need to win just as much as last season

2. Red Sox (WC) - also still very good.

3. Yankees - har. outta the playoffs again. A-Roid and the rest of 'em.

4. Blue Jays - they'll not be good. Poor Roy Halladay...

5. Orioles - They're REALLY not be good. Poor...I don't even know who they have.

World Series? Rays over Marlins in the Retired Persons Series.

Yeha - I'm not following the Cleveland love here (well - I guess T Snow still has his Lake Erie blinders on). But really - they lost a ton of games last year, le can't possible duplicate his performance and Hafner got figured out really fast. The pick i am most comfortable about is that the Twins will win that division.

and I loathe the Yankees - freaking loathe them like no one outside of Boston can - but with that rotation, they are a lock for 90+ wins. Probably north of that. Sorry fox - i think you cna pencil them in for deep into October this time.

Stag Lord said:

The second half of last season Cleveland scored the second most runs in the American League without a healthy Victor and Hafner. Saying Hafner "got figured out fast" is ridiculous if you look at his 2004-2007 #'s he's absolutely sick when healthy. Lee will not be as good as last year, but Carmona will pick up the slack, and a returning Westbrook in July will be huge. They now have a closer which stabalizes the entire bullpen. They will be competing with the Twins come September if they stay healthy.

I'm thinking that if Texas gets any pitching this year...that lineup is WAY scary...1-8 is good, at least. Not sure if Elvis Andrus can hit or not, but I hear he's slick with the glove.

Seattle will be "rebuilding" for at least another 1-2 years...but they actually have some players to be excited about.

I will be going to at least 5 games just to see Griffey's swing at Safeco a few more times before he hangs it up. I play an online baseball game ( www.baseballboss.com ) and it pains be to have to pick 1998 Griffey or 2007 Ichiro in CF. At least I have the "super-rare" of 1998 Edgar to love...

Um, yeah.

Those 1-7 Indians are really tearing up the pea patch, aren't they? Wow - dropping your firth three series of the season, including one to the Royals. Um, yeah.

On the other hand, and seriously, I am not too impressed with CitiField so far (haven't physically been there - this is just based on what I have seen on TV). Tehre isn't enough blue and orange and there doesn't seem to be enough stuff commemorating teh Mets of the past. i get that we don't ahve a very storied history, but teh 69 and 86 teams were pretty famous - and there coudl be some stuff.

I guess I'll see if I change my mind when I actually go in a couple of weeks.

Stag Lord said:

see if you can play LF or RF for them. i'm sure you can catch better then who they currently have.

You just worry about the Flyers v the Penguins right now, OK? see if you guys cna knock off that dirty Crosby, thne come back and talk hardball.

will do. have fun with ovie

M's VERY surprising so far. Pitching/small-ball. Griffey and Ichiro aren't even hitting (although walks and presence is a big part of things).

Fun to watch for sure. I don't think they can do it all year, but great to watch some of these younger players doing well on the big stage...and good to see some "comeback" years for the vets we do have.

With the Angels having significant health issues, that division is wide open, & the M's might be able to sneak in - especially if they're in contention later & willing to acquire someone via trade (always a wild card).

And how about the new Yankee stadium? ~Just what's needed, another HR park. Hopefully that's just an April weather pattern thing.

Anyone see that Indians v Yanks game on Sunday? Why have replay if you're not going to overturn stuff like that? Yankees got away with one IMO - and the fan should have been thrown out.

I didn't think the replays were really conclusive - but I know that the Yankees ALWAYS get away with s--t so it annoyed me.

Last night's Mets Cardinals game was a killer. Tie score, eighth inning, Beltran is on secodn. he advances to thrid on an out, then when the ball gets away form teh infielder, he tries to score form third. He runs to teh plaet WITHOUT SLIDING. He is easily atgeed out by molina and hte Mets go on to lsoe the game. sloppy mental errors like that are what keeps you from winning pennants - and i don't have a good feel about this years Mets team.

Yes, the Mets let the Cardinals win that game. Two bases loaded walks. Two runners thrown out at home with one (Beltran) not even sliding. And had Beltran slid he would have easily been safe. I realize the strike zone was a mess last night but both teams had to deal with that crap, so its hard to blame that on the Mets loss.

Personally I really like this Cardinals team. Their bullpen is a mess as they have already blown three saves. But their hitting is fantastic, and their starters are underrated, and if Carpenter can stay healthy after he comes back from the ribcage injury, I really like their chances to give the Cubs a decent race and seriously make a play on the wildcard too.

So - Memorial Day is always a good palce to stop and take stock of hwo the early season played out.

The Mets have been a little better than I thought, and given the injuries they have been hammered with lately, better than I could hope for. Theya re ofur games over .500 and basically tied with teh Phillies for first palce. i dunno - Sheffield can't play as well as has so far for muhc longer and I think they will need another bat at osme point. But Beltran is having a great season and Wright is putting up his usual numbers (but he's still not clutch). and Santana is the best starting pitcher out there - and gives us a cahcne every time he takes the mound. Against anyone.

The Blue Jays and Marlins have come back down to earth after playing voer their heads to start the season. teh dodgers can't be as good as their record - and Manny is just another cheater. The Yankees are doing what I expected, but their bullpen is worse than I thought and could be thier downfall if they don't put Joba in the bullpen. I'm glad to see the Brewers in firsst place and glad to see the Cubs treading water at .500.

And how are you guys liking that Cleveland pick these days? LOL

they probably like it the same as your braves pick....

phillies seem to be struggling yet they are tied for first place...whats w/ the rest of the NL east don't smell that blood? the longer the phillies stay up there the better off they will be...Romero comes back and if they trust happ they might be able to straighten out their rotation.

Happ looked decent Saturday - but you defintiely need to upgrade that rotation. moyer is done and Chan ho park was never the answer. Blanton isn't great either. I look for you gusy to make a run at Peavy if the Padres come back to earth.

And dude - the Braves are only 1-1/2 game out. They are right there, and I still wouldn't be surprised to see them win the thing.

blanton has his moments, which is what is so frustrating

J Blanton (W, 3-3) 7.0 5 0 0 2 11 (11 = K's)

Here's hoping the Cubbies can tun these two games into an 8 game win streak to match the recent losses. I will def. be enjoying the NL Central race this season... I think the Cubs/Cards/Brew Crew make for some exciting rivalries.

And keep an eye on that Fox kid they just called up from AAA. He was leading the PCL in something like 7 offensive categories. Here's hoping he can glove enough to make him a spot... and that the jump to the majors doesn't mess him over too bad.