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Monday, July 12, 2004

Fearless predictions at the All-Star break

The best part about doing a blog is the ability to disseminate my predictions to a large (well, larger anyway) audience. This way I can shove it in your faces when I'm right. Also, my triumphs are saved for all eternity, so future generations can study my genius. I figured the All-Star break was a fine place to check-up on my pre-season predictions. Gaze in awe at my amazing prognosticating skills (my predictions are listed in black, followed by the actual standings in italics):

American League:

East:

  1. New York Yankees
  2. Boston Red Sox
  3. Toronto Blue Jays
  4. Baltimore Orioles
  5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
  1. New York Yankees
  2. Boston Red Sox
  3. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
  4. Toronto Blue Jays
  5. Baltimore Orioles
Not bad. I was right on my claim that the O's hadn't improved enough to catch Toronto, and you can hardly blame me for the Devil Rays prediction. Find me one person who picked the D-Rays to be in third at the break, and I'll show you a liar.

Central:

  1. Minnesota Twins
  2. Cleveland Indians
  3. Kansas City Royals
  4. Chicago White Sox
  5. Detroit Tigers
  1. Chicago White Sox
  2. Minnesota Twins
  3. Detroit Tigers
  4. Cleveland Indians
  5. Kansas City Royals
Ok, I now see the folly in picking the Sox to finish third. I guess I was blinded by my irrational hate of Scott Schoeneweis' hair. Other than that, my predictions that the Indians "should finish near .500" and that the Royals "will fall back to earth this year" both ring true.

West:

  1. Anaheim Angels
  2. Oakland A's
  3. Seattle Mariners
  4. Texas Rangers
  1. Texas Rangers
  2. Oakland A's
  3. Anaheim Angels
  4. Seattle Mariners
Moving right along...

MVP: Manny Ramirez

As much as I love Vlad, Manny is still my choice for MVP. Vlad has been everything that I had hoped for and more, but his line is hardly comparable to Manny's .344/.437/.682 with 26 HR and 214 total bases (Vlad's at .345/.392/.591, 20, 204). This one's looking good...

Cy Young: Kevin Brown

I should have known better. Brown has been battling injury (and parasites- ewww) all season. Isn't that a shocker? In the starts he has made he hasn't looked so hot.

National League:

East:

  1. Philadelphia Phillies
  2. New York Mets
  3. Atlanta Braves
  4. Florida Marlins
  5. Montreal Expos
  1. Philadelphia Phillies
  2. Atlanta Braves
  3. Florida Marlins
  4. New York Mets
  5. Montreal Expos
At first glance it may look like a really messed-up on this one. However, I made this prediction with the caveat that "the Mets, Braves, and Marlins are basically interchangeable." That appears to be the case, as there is just a game separating second-place Atlanta and fourth-place New York. Mad props to me.

Central:

  1. Chicago Cubs
  2. Houston Astros
  3. St. Louis Cardinals
  4. Cincinnati Reds
  5. Pittsburgh Pirates
  6. Milwaukee Brewers
  1. St. Louis Cardinals
  2. Chicago Cubs
  3. Cincinnati Reds
  4. Milwaukee Brewers
  5. Houston Astros
  6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Wow. Could I have been more wrong about this one? We'll just pretend that this one never happened...

West:

  1. San Francisco Giants
  2. Arizona Diamond Backs
  3. San Diego Padres
  4. Los Angeles Dodgers
  5. Colorado Rockies
  1. Los Angeles Dodgers
  2. San Francisco Giants
  3. San Diego Padres
  4. Colorado Rockies
  5. Arizona Diamond Backs
Well, I can hardly be blamed for this one. This division was almost impossible to predict because, as I pointed out in the pre-season, "every team in this division has holes you can drive a truck through." Nothing has changed- I wouldn't be surprised if this division was completely upside-down (with the exception of the D-Backs) by the time the playoffs roll around.

MVP: Scott Rolen

Two for two on the MVPs. Some might say that Barry Bonds was the NL's first half MVP, but I think Rolen's .339/.415/.599 line, and his gold-glove defense at third, put him just ahead of Barry.

Cy Young: Mark Prior

This was a gamble right from the beginning. I thought Prior would be back sooner rather than later, and I was wrong. He has been quite good as of late, and no one is running away with the NL Cy Young, so I'd say he's still got a good shot.

All and all, not too shabby. I think it's worthy of some mild-props, yo.

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