Al East predictions

[MANNYHOF24]

I figured i would start this thread, for more talk on the ever closer season. I think it will go like this

Sox

Yanks

Jays

O's

D-rays

 

I really think the sox pitching staff is what will carry them. The offense will still be good, and the defense is much imporved, with the likes of Crisp, Gonzo and Lowell, the big question mark is Foulke of course.

 

The yankees offense will be great, but the starting pitching will be a big question

 

The Jays have to show me then can compete for a full-season before i feel they are a huge threat to the sox and yanks

 

D-rays- A young team that maybe good in 07 or 08, they need more pitching for the future

 

O's-I dont know where they are going really

[yeszir]

This is the year where the D-Rays finally don't finish in last place. Baltimore will roll over and die. Were it not for there insanely hot streak at the beginning of last season they would have finished last then too.

[riverside sluggers]

This is the year where the D-Rays finally don't finish in last place. Baltimore will roll over and die. Were it not for there insanely hot streak at the beginning of last season they would have finished last then too.

 

I agree about Baltimore. You hear that Kevin Millar is ready to act as an emergency catcher if need be? haha how many stolen bases will be off of him with that arm of his

[yeszir]

I agree about Baltimore. You hear that Kevin Millar is ready to act as an emergency catcher if need be? haha how many stolen bases will be off of him with that arm of his

I wonder if he'll star in any local crabshack commercials? I can see him flinging a softshell crab towards second.

[TheRivernator]

Yankees

Red Sox (wild card)

Devil Rays (surprise surprise)

Blue Gays

Oriholes....

[yankeessuck013]

Sox

Yanks

Blow Jays

D-Rays

O's

[yeszir]

Oh my. Some clever nicknames in this thread.

[tarum]

I don't know who will be in the first place but all i know wild card team will not be from our group.

Jays, Sox and Yanks are very good, they will beat eachother so much that second place will be useless.

[TheRivernator]

I don't know who will be in the first place but all i know wild card team will not be from our group.

Jays, Sox and Yanks are very good, they will beat eachother so much that second place will be useless.

 

I dont think so. The Jays had good work out of the pen last yr, so they wont get much from the acquisition of Ryan. Burnett was a necessity and he is already hurt (the pussy). They needed offense and their best was to get Glaus and Overbay, two guys with glaring problems in their offensive game (Glaus makes no contact and Overbay lacks power for a 1b). They need more offense for them to be a contender. I expect a .500 record out of them...

[Sizzlin22]

Sox

Yanks

Jays

Rays

O's (have fun with the Kentucky Fried Helmit Head down there.)

[Optimist]

Yankees

Sox

Jays

Rays

Orioles

[americantrotter]

I think the wild card might still come out of the east. Unless the Orioles are pretty good there are 2 weak teams in the division. I think The Jays are more of a threat than people realize, and one of the "Rivals" are going to miss out this year. My prediction is the Yanks. Mediocre pitching cant be saved by a big offense (see both teams last year), if this Jays team would have been around last year, they would have made it over both the Sox and Yanks.

[ksushi]

The wild card probably will come out of the east, but the Guardians scare me. I'm conceding the central to the white sox but the Guardians are capable of 90+

 

The A's definetly could surprise people. They've got one of the deeper rotations in baseball.

[schillingouttheks]

I'll just do my whole set in here:

 

AL East:

Sox

Yanks (wild card)

Rays

Jays

O's

 

AL Central:

Guardians

White Sox

Twins

Tigers

Royals

 

AL West:

A's

Angels

Mariners

Rangers

 

NL East:

Mets

Braves

Nationals

Phillies

Marlins

 

NL Central:

Cardinals

Brewers (Wild Card)

Astros

Pirates

Cubs

Reds

 

NL West:

Dodgers

Padres

D-Backs

Giants

Rockies

[Damonwillfryforthis]

Sox

Jays

Yankees

Rays

O's

i think the sox and jays will battle it out right until the last week of the year with the sox prevailing. The yankees pitching staff will suffer too many injuries and the offense won't be able to keep up all year, and Randy Johnson and Gary Sheffield will be served with lengthy suspensions for a steroid induced senseless beating of a New York cameraman after which Sheffield will blame the whole incident on Bonds.

[ORS]

I dont think so. The Jays had good work out of the pen last yr, so they wont get much from the acquisition of Ryan. Burnett was a necessity and he is already hurt (the pussy). They needed offense and their best was to get Glaus and Overbay, two guys with glaring problems in their offensive game (Glaus makes no contact and Overbay lacks power for a 1b). They need more offense for them to be a contender. I expect a .500 record out of them...

It's the same 'pen except you replace a 109 ERA+, 79% SV%, 1.43 WHIP closer with a 170 ERA+, 88% SV%, 1.14 WHIP closer. It's the same rotation except you replace David Bush (99 ERA+) with AJ Burnett (117 ERA+). I think they've definitely improved the run prevention side of the equation. They upgraded offensively at 3B, 1B (Overbay is better than Shea, who they still have to DH), and C.

 

All this for a team that won 80 games last year with a run differential that should have netted them an 88-74 record. They'll be in the mix.

 

Those of you writing off the O's before the season starts may want to think twice. They still have some thumpers in their lineup with Tejada, Mora, and Lopez. Ramon Hernandez is better than Fasano and Gil, who had almost as many ABs as Lopez as a catcher last year. More importantly, they have some decent pitchers who will now be under the tutelage of a first rate pitching coach.

 

The D-Rays will score some runs but will struggle when somebody not named Scott Kazmir is on the hill (unless Jackson lives up to his potential, same goes for McClung).

 

I think this will be one of the most competitive AL East pennant chases in a while. I really doubt a WC comes out of this division.

 

As for predictions, it's just too close to make one IMO. Several question marks await answers for the Sox and Yanks. The Jays and O's have the potential to be better than most give them credit for. And the D-Rays can play spoiler all season long.

 

EDIT: Brain fart, it's Ramon Hernandez not Ramon Martinez.

[schillingouttheks]

Haha, sorry, but I'm picky. Good post, but because I dislike name mistakes...I think you meant Ramon Hernandez lol.

[ORS]

Haha, sorry, but I'm picky. Good post, but because I dislike name mistakes...I think you meant Ramon Hernandez lol.

Hey, I got half his name right. That has to count for something.

[schillingouttheks]

Haha yeah. I think Ramon Martinez was a pitcher for the Sox though back in the day, right? Pedro's brother?

[ORS]

Haha yeah. I think Ramon Martinez was a pitcher for the Sox though back in the day, right? Pedro's brother?

Yep.

[ACL BoSox]

I hate predictions, I won't be making any.

[empirestrikesback26]

Yankees.

 

Nobody else close enough to be considered.

[riverside sluggers]

Surprise here, Sox fans pick Red Sox. The Yankee fans are picking the Yankees

 

3 days away until we can get this baseball going!!

[bagwell368]

gang,

 

OK, for posterity or is it posterior?

 

yanks 99

sox 94 (w/c)

tor 85 (fall apart in late aug)

TB 78 (respectable)

Bal 66 (not respectable)

 

yanks will deal for several high buck pitchers during the year, since what they have is rotten and old, but man that line-up is one for the ages. jeter will be taking cut-offs in mid CF no matter who plays CF.

 

lowell will be the first casualty, loretta will be solid until he is hurt, papelbon will be starting in the 2nd half. wily mo will be a whipping boy/and hero

 

Balt deals Tejada...

 

 

W

[Strawman]

I still haven't heard an explanation that I believe from anyone as to why they think the Blue Jays will end up with second place/AL wild card

[Sizzlin22]

Yankees.

 

Nobody else close enough to be considered.

Typical. So highly typical of a Yankke fan.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

I still haven't heard an explanation that I believe from anyone as to why they think the Blue Jays will end up with second place/AL wild card

That's easy, there is no logical explanation. At best 3rd if all went well.

[Goalstopper]

you guys will be surprised

 

Yankees

Blue Jays

Red Sox

D-rays

O's

 

i think the red sox aren't the team they were last year. we lost a lot of key guys and the yankees and jays have improved.

[Strawman]

That's easy, there is no logical explanation. At best 3rd if all went well.

 

And yet people (coughcoughESPNcough) still seem to think that the Jays are gonna take it away. I can understand liking the Jays in January before the Sox had a CF, much bullpen depth, a SS, or any bench depth, or a GM, yet now that people have had time to calm down over their offensive upgrades, BJ Ryan, and now that Burnett is injured, a lot are still picking Sox for 3rd. Madness, I tells ya

[The Monster is my Mom]

gang,

 

OK, for posterity or is it posterior?

 

yanks 99

sox 94 (w/c)

tor 85 (fall apart in late aug)

TB 78 (respectable)

Bal 66 (not respectable)

 

yanks will deal for several high buck pitchers during the year, since what they have is rotten and old, but man that line-up is one for the ages. jeter will be taking cut-offs in mid CF no matter who plays CF.

 

lowell will be the first casualty, loretta will be solid until he is hurt, papelbon will be starting in the 2nd half. wily mo will be a whipping boy/and hero

 

Balt deals Tejada...

 

 

W

 

I don't see the Yanks getting pitchers during the year, because not many teams will be out of the race and looking to deal. Does anyone know any possible big-name pitchers who could be on the market mid-season?