Spring has sprung and the Yankees have already won a game. It must be baseball season.
Welcome back baseball fans. After an off-season of huge trades, big free-agent signings and baseball on trial, it will be interesting to see how fans react to the allegations against their heroes. But, we are not here to discuss the most baseball players in court since Shoeless Joe, Chick Gandil, Buck Weaver, Eddie Cicotte and the boys, but rather a look toward the positives of this season: actual baseball.
Previewing 30 teams in a short column is infeasible, so here are my predictions for the division winners and wild card in each league.
American League
It's not too often that the defending world champion is not even expected to win their division. But the Yankees have this one basically locked up already. Adding Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright to the rotation spells nightmares for opposing rotations. Bringing Tony Womack and Tino Martinez to shore up the right side of the infield will help as well.
The one question surrounding the Yankees stems from the off-season's biggest story: Will Jason Giambi be able to hit again without cheating? Yes, I said it-CHEATING!
Call me biased, call me optimistic; I can handle both. But, I have a sneaking suspicion my Indians are going to creep into the wide-open central division title this season. General Manager Mark Shapiro targeted 2005 as the Tribe's year to compete for the playoffs, and Shapiro will be true to his word. Bringing in Kevin Millwood on a one-year contract will help stabilize the rotation. Add in the offense of Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez, and this is the making of a very potent lineup.
The question about the Indians is their maturity and experience. How will the young talent hold up in a pennant race?
The AL west is all but decided as well. Barring some kind of meltdown, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (ridiculous, I know) should take one of the deepest divisions in baseball. Vladimir Guerrero, Garrett Anderson and Steve Finley combine to form one of the best offensive/defensive outfields in the big leagues.
The question that makes the LAAOA (I wonder if that is how ESPN will abbreviate it…) nervous is third baseman Dallas McPherson and how will he adjust to the big leagues.
Sorry to constantly rain on the Red Sox parade, but I foresee the wild card coming out of the west in the form of the Texas Rangers. Think 1995 Indians when you think of the Rangers: power-packed young lineup, with a power-armed closer and five number two or three starters. The batting order with Alfonso Soriano, Hank Blalock and Mark Teixeira will knock in enough runs to win games.
The obvious question is their pitching. The Rangers do not need their pitchers to win the team games; they just need them not to lose them.
National League
A well-balanced rotation will help the Florida Marlins end the Braves consecutive division titles streak. AJ Burnett, Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis provide the most dynamic threesome in MLB. Couple them with a potent lineup of Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell and newly acquired Carlos Delgado and you have the makings of a division champion.
For the Marlins, the major question is catcher Paul Lo Duca and the condition of his right hand after he had surgery to remove a cyst.
Our own St. Louis Cardinals, despite their subtractions, should repeat as Central division champions. Undoubtedly the best combination of 2-5 hitters in all of baseball, the lineup will score enough runs to make up for a sometimes-questionable rotation. LHP Mark Mulder should help add stability to the rotation.
The brand new middle infield provides a large question mark for the Cardinals, but it is one they should overcome.
Out west, the Dodgers owe Barry Bonds and his injuries/childishness a fruit basket. With Bonds out half the year, and threatening to sit out the whole year, the NL West is the Dodgers' for the taking. This is not a very strong division, but their young outfield, with Jayson Werth, Milton Bradley and J.D. Drew is as potent as it comes, and should win them a lot of games with their offense and their defense. For the Dodgers, they need their shaky rotation and unreliable front of the bullpen to get the lead to Eric Gagne.
While they will not take the division, the Braves should take the wild-card race in what is a remarkably weak National League. The Braves boast one of the best infields in the league, and adding veteran John Smoltz and Tim Hudson to the rotation still makes the Braves a very difficult team to deal with.
Their corner outfielders, Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan, leave a lot to be desired and are huge question marks heading into the season.
In the World Series, I see the Yankees winning it all, as much as it pains me to say that. They are just too strong top-to-bottom not to take it this year. Plus, after last year, they will be playing with a large chip on their shoulder. Who will they beat in the Fall Classic? Oh, it does not really matter, but let's say…the Cardinals.
