About a third into the 2008 season, I figured we could revisit my preseason predictions and see how things are shaking up.
American League East Predicted: NYY, BOS*, TOR, TBR, BAL.
American League East Standings: TBR, BOS, TOR, BAL, NYY.
No one saw Tampa being this good this fast. I thought they’d have their best record yet - but that wouldn’t take much. Are they for real? Probably so, and I wouldn’t put playoff potential past them yet. Boston should still take the division, though, especially with a possible home field advantage even in Florida late in the season. The biggest question is whether a late-in-the-season first or second place Rays club will start to attract fans to the high school gym they play in. New York won’t finish last, but their playoff appearance streak is done.
American League Central Predicted: DET, CLE, CHW, MIN, KCR.
American League Central Standings: CHW, MIN, CLE, KCR, DET.
Well then. No one thought the Tigers would do this. Many picked the Tribe to take the division, but everyone else put Detroit in second. Third at the very worst, and those people were immediately ostracized. Perhaps they were soothsayers. This is easily the wackiest division this year and the one where it’s impossible to figure out how things will finish: with all due respect to the Southsiders, the White Sox would be the weakest division champ outside of Miami, and I don’t know if they can hold up their position. But who will challenge them? Last place Detroit? The slumping Indians? The circus continues.
American League West Predicted: LAA, OAK, SEA, TEX.
American League West Standings: LAA, OAK, TEX, SEA.
BORE-RING. Angels in a walk, done in the Division Series. Just another blah season in the AL West.
National League East Predicted: PHI, ATL, NYM, WAS, FLA.
National League East Standings: FLA, ATL, PHI, NYM, WAS.
Everyone else who picked Florida to lead the division two months in can leave the room. Now that we’re all still here, I TOLD YOU SO about the Mets. The pitching, even with Santana, is weak (Pedro is OLD,) Reyes slowed down in the stretch last year and hasn’t picked it up, and one Carlos is too streaky while the other one is just, well, OLD. The Mets are right where they should be. Whether Florida’s hot pitching will continue or not is the big question, but I figure the real race in September to be between Philly and Atlanta…just like I predicted.
National League Central Predicted: CHC, MIL, STL, CIN, HOU, PIT.
National League Central Standings: CHC, STL, HOU, PIT, MIL, CIN.
When David Pinto of Baseball Musings pegged the Cards for last place I almost plotzed. They’re not that bad. Are they that good? I still say they’ll finish no lower than third and with a winning record. But they might not contend; it’s too early to tell. Houston is surviving solely on the willpower of Lance Berkman and Rapidly Aging Miguel Tejada and won’t last. The Brewers might make a comeback if they fire Ned Yost, so look for them to stay in the second division. Cubs are still the favs, but it might not be easy even with their neighbors ninety miles north out of the picture.
National League West Predicted: ARI, SDP*, COL, LAD, SFG.
National League West Standings: ARI, LAD, SFG, COL, SDP.
LA’s got a youth movement going that may keep them in second the rest of the season. San Fran’s only in third by default since all of Denver is on the DL and San Diego just broke down on us; I originally picked them to take the Wild Card, but Peavy and Young being banged up will thwart any chance of such a comeback. Arizona’s in the NLCS.
