Countdown to Opening Day
 

Baseball is just 13 short days away. I pay only enough attention to March Madness to know when it is ending, as it is the final hurdle before baseball makes its glorious return. As weather in St. Louis this winter has been more like Ireland than Ireland, the promise of springtime and baseball gives me a boner of happiness.

I think the Cardinals are going to fall on their faces, seeing how their pitching staff is made up of castoffs and amputees, but they surprised everyone in 2006, so I will watch them with the requisite dumb hope that comes with team fandom. I will also root for every conceivable misfortune to befall the Yankees.

Who do you like this year?

I just made a baseball thread :(

In answer to your question though. My team is also my pick to win the Series. Detroit Tigers all the way!

The Cubs might win the division by just being the least worst in the NL Central again. I'm looking forward to getting sweeped in the NLDS again.

Also, if the Cubs get Brian Roberts the NL Central becomes the Most Roided Division. Can't wait!

The Twins traded away Johan Santana and let an aging Torii Hunter leave for the west coast, but i'm still positive about this year. Delmon Young is going to be a beast and as always Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau will do their thing.

2006 rookie phenom Fransisco Liriano returns from Tommy John surgery to lead a questionable pitching staff which features Boof Bonser and a fat aging Livan Hernandez.

Even with the young bats I feel I can say that for the first time in a long long time the Twins won't have to worry about generating enough run support for a solid outing on the mound. It's the pitching that I'm worried about.

Maybe we've got a shot if perennial disabled-list star Matt Clement can be healthy until Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder return.

Gadzooks, you and I are now sworn enemies. Nothing personal; you know the rules.

Only baseball would have a player with the nickname "Boof." I almost ruined my monitor when I saw that.

"Boof." It's not like the nick-naming convention of other sports, where he'd be Eddie "The Boof" Bonser. He actually goes by "Boof." On purpose.

This alone is why baseball is superior to all other sports.

You'll love this. He legally changed his name to Boof. That's right. His real name is god damn Boof.

I'll bet he's a lefty, isn't he? Lefties are notoriously batshit, particularly if they're relievers.

I had to look, but wikipedia says he's a righty. Just look at this guy:

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

That's perfect. He couldn't be called anything other than "Boof."

WhiteRat, you've made my day.

He also lost 20 lbs. and his now down to a spindly 240lbs.

The Cubs have the overrated Japanese player acquisition this year. If it worked for Boston it can work for us. MAYBE THIS YEAR.

My predictions:

NL East:

Mets
Phillies(wild card)
Braves
Nats
Marlins

Central:
Cubs
Brewers
Astros
Cardinals
Reds
Pirates

West
D-Backs
Padres
dodgers
Rockies
Giants

AL East
Red Sox
Yankees
Blue Jays
Rays
Orioles

Central:
Tigers
Indians(wild card)
White Sox
Twins
Royals

West:
Mariners
As
Angels
Rangers


WS: Mets over Tigers in 6

Suddenly the AL Central is actually competitive. The days of the Twins beating up on the other shit teams are over. :(

I have to disagree with your list though, the Royals aren't on top. WTF, dude?

Royals, thats who I forgot.

They have a good young team and some decent pitching, but they are a few years behind the rest of the division. Hopefully, they can keep th young starters for another 3 or 4 years and have a real shot at the playoffs.

Still in last, though

Yeah i was being sarcastic.

you forgot the tags, newb

Seriously, Royals winning the central? Puh-leez!

PS I hope Johan gets turf toe or something.

I am surprised nobody has brought up what a side show Mini Stienbrenner has made out of the Yankees. Signing Bily Crystal for a one day contract? Minor Leagus Baseball had a "Prostate Exam Night" and they think that signing Billy Crystal was too gimmicy :P

It was one at bat in a spring training game against the Pirates.

Hell any game against the Pirates is like Spring training.

Too bad they cut him. He was probably the best first baseman on their roster.

If he had gotten a base hit, would he have broken the record for oldest major leage player to get a base hit? I wonder...

This looks realistic, except the Phils will win the division.

I can dream, can't I?

I'm willing to bet Otis Nixon or Ricky Henderson would dispute it.

Here are my pre-season picks for the MLB BASEBALL SEASON 2008 sponsored by Pepsi and Taco Bell!

Playoff teams in BEIGE BOLD

AL EAST -

1. BOSTON RED SOX
2. NEW YORK YANKEES
3. TAMPA BAY RAYS
4. TORONTO BLUE JAYS
5. BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Notes: I could of went with the boring Boston, New York, Toronto, Balitmore, Tampa ranking I did for the past two years and not be off-base, but I think the Devil Rays are a nice young team that could make some minor waves. Nothing special is happening in Toronto and the Orioles look as grim as the season finale of The Wire (hi-ohhhhhh).

AL CENTRAL -

1. DETRIOT TIGERS
2. CLEVELAND INDIANS
3. CHICAGO WHITE SOX
4. KANSAS CITY ROYALS
5. MINNESOTA TWINS

Notes: It will be fun to see the Tigers and Indians fight for the top spot in the AL Central. I give Tigers the slight edge because of their awesome line up, but I would not be suprised if Cleveland takes it. Meanwhile, the W. Sox, Royals, and Twins all have decent to mediocre teams that will duke it out for a meaningless third place. Good luck, guys!

AL WEST -

1. LOS ANGELES ANGELS
2. SEATTLE MARINERS
3. TEXAS RANGERS
4. OAKLAND A's

Notes: I know shit about this division, but the Angels didn't get much worse so I will give the nod to them. Seattle really looked like shit after they blew a pretty lofty lead last year heading into the playoffs. The Rangers get the third spot because the Oakland A's look terrible.

and now, my favorite league of all the leagues, NATIONAL LEAGUE!

NL EAST -

1. NEW YORK METS
2. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
3. ATLANTA BRAVES
4. FLORDIA MARLINS
5. WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Notes: Even though I have the Mets on top like most smart baseball fans do. I would not count out the Phillies or even the Braves of winning this division. I was tempted to put the Phillies above the Mets but they invested in the chokejob that is Brad Lidge so fuck them. I could only pray for one of these teams to have a gigantic collapse at the end of the season again. Last year's was wonderful!

NL CENTRAL -

1. CHICAGO CUBS
2. MILWAUKEE BREWERS
3. HOUSTON ASTROS
4. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
5. CINCINNATI REDS
6. PITTSBURG PIRATES

Notes: I hope this year will be better for the Central but the only teams that got somewhat better are the Cubs and the Astros, while every other did nothing or got worse (or got Dusty Baker). The Brewers should still be able to be decent and give the Cubs a fight (the Astros rotation is too abysmal to compete ). Here's to barely making it above .500! Fukudome!

NL WEST -

1. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
2. LOS ANGELES DODGERS
3. COLORADO ROCKIES
4. SAN DIEGO PADRES
5. SAN FRANSICO GIANTS

Notes: I feel the Diamondbacks are the best team in the National League with the Mets just a smidge behind them. It's amazing what a shit uniform change can do for your team. I'm saying Joe Torre is going to get the Dodgers act together to make a wild card run while the Rockies and Padres prove that their last season surges were merely apparitions. The Giants will have to at least make peace that Barry Bonds are not going to fuck up their shit anymore.

WORLD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS IN 6 AGAINST THE TIGERS

THOSE ARE MY PICKS AND IM STICKING TO THEM (until the All-Star break where I will openly weep about the Cubs sucking. Stay tuned!)

I think its retarded that red sox is opening the season in fucking japan. they're the defending champs, they ought to open at home for the sake of the boston fans. dice-k is the product of japan so i guess its all about the money. indians will go all the way this year. just kidding, red sox repeat!

Edit: I'm going to visit wrigley field in june for the first time. I grew up watching them cubbies play afternoon games at wrigley when i had chicago station at home before TNT took over. Wont be the same without harry carey singing "take me out the ballgame" during 7th innning stretch though.