MLB Picks: Updated
August 19, 2004:
I first gave you my MLB predictions just over a month ago. Now, with about a quarter
of the season left, it looks like I made a few bad predictions. Oops! Time for an update!
Once again I'll break down each division, telling you which eight teams will be making the
playoffs. Then, from there, who will be moving closer and closer to the World Series title. But,
don't worry, I'm saving the Awards for another article.
I see that, as few predicted, the Rangers are still near the top in the division. As I said in
the last article, "Every analyst is waiting for this team to slump, but I don't think they will. I think
they have a chance to take this division. However, they'll have to watch out for the Athletics, who
I think are going to win 90+ games." That prediction is still holding up so far. However, as much
as I'm pulling for the Rangers, the Athletics late-season run will hold them and the Angels off.
They'll be competing for the Wild Card. The "veteran Mariners" are still looking at last place.
Next is the AL Central. Wow, was I wrong! The Twins have held off the White Sox a
lot easier than I expected. But that is for two legitimate reasons: the Twins have a lot of
underestimated, talented players, and the White Sox just have a bunch of injured players. The
Indians are a pleasant surprise. (Go Indians!) But, just look at the Rangers; they're identical twins.
Both have great prospects that are helping them stay in the race. However, the Twins will be able
to win it (sadly), while the White Sox, the Indians, the Tigers, and the Royals will back them up (in
that order).
"The AL East is going to be boring--I'll say that right now." And I still say that. The
Yankees will easily win 100+ wins. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will win about 95 and will have to
fight to win the Wild Card. (But I think Anaheim will be able to shock them and win it.) At the
beginning of the season I thought Baltimore could hit .500, and it looks like they're coming close.
They will win 75-80 games and be third, while the Devil Rays (70-some games) and the Blue Jays
(60-some games) will finish fourth and fifth.
"It'll be fun over in the NL West." I was right there. The Dodgers surprised me with their
run, but if you look at their players they're one of the four best teams in baseball now. They can
win close to 100 games and take the division now easily. The Giants may have Bonds and Schmidt,
but other than that they suck. They and the Padres may win 90 games (may being a key word),
but don't think they'll get into the playoffs. The only other surprise is that the Diamondbacks have
a chance to win less than 50 games. Wow!
"Now for the greatest division in baseball--the NL Central. I don't think I'm the only
one who at the beginning of the season said the Cubs would win it and the Astros would get the
wild card." Yeah, if only our predictions were right. Right now I have the Cards winning about
110 games, the Cubs winning 90-some (and the Wild Card), and the Astros about 80. I think the
Pirates will finish fourth, the Brewers fifth, and the Reds last, with everyone passing the 70 game
mark.
Silly me (and everyone else), to think the Braves wouldn't shoot off like a rocket and
take the division! They will, winning at least 90 games in the process. The Marlins, I-Rod-less,
will have to settle for second, and the Phillies will end third. They'll both end with about 80 wins.
The Mets will also fall just short of .500, and the Expos--obviously--will too.
The postseason will still be fun. Depending upon who faces who, the results will be
different, so bare with me. In the AL, I think both the Twins and the Athletics will be eliminated
in the first round. Unless, that is, if they face each other, in which case the Twins will upset the
A's 3-2. Either way, eventually the Yankees and Angels will face off, and--get this--the Angels
will nearly shock the Yanks in an historic series. However, the "Evil Empire" will be able to attend
their 40th World Series.
In the NL, the Braves will lose in the first round--like always--no matter who they face.
Either the Cubs or the Dodgers could go on to face the Cardinals, but either way the Cardinals are
going to the World Series to face the Yankees. The Cardinals will need six games, at most, to defeat
the Yankees and be World Series Champions. (Go Cards!)
I'll end this article the same way I ended the other one. "Well, there are my picks, whether
you agree with them or not. Now let's just hope they're right. *Winks.*"
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