Major League Preview

Baseball!

Yep, hot Major League Baseball action kicks off on Sunday night and it marks the official end of winter and the official start of fantasy baseball trades, five team parlays on west coast games, and headaches from watching Carlos Silva give up 6 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work.

We couldn’t be happier that summer is here and baseball season is underway, but it seems like spring training took a really long time to hurry up and finish already. Not sure if it’s because the weather here in Minnesota has been so nice recently, or if it’s just the fact that spring training is about ten days too long. But, whatever the case – baseball is back. So let’s dig in.

Just a warning: this has been a work in progress for the last couple of days and it’s extremely long. So, if you don’t like baseball or baseball related comments, it’s probably best to go find out what other people are doing on the internet. We are pushing 6,000 words with this preview and it might be tough to read it in one sitting.

If baseball isn’t your thing you can follow the link to find out what 160 different people would vote for if given the choice between wedge heels and flats.

With that, let’s get on with the show.

Who will win the World Series? Great question, let’s break it down from the worst team in the league to the team I think I will win it all.

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For these teams, its over before it even started:

30. Washington Nationals
Why they will suck:
The Nats are bad. Really bad. On paper, they look horrible but when you actually see them play, it gets worse. There are three guys in the starting lineup who could play a role on a contending team – Dimitri Young (who should be a DH and not an everyday first baseman,) Austin Kearns (who is a great young player with lots of upside, but strikes out way too often) and Felipe Lopez, who can d-up and hit a little bit, but really isn’t a quality starter on a contending team.

The good news is:
Closer Chad Cordero can throw, but this team won’t give him many opportunities to close out games -- so he is a wasted commodity.

Thought to ponder:
I still don’t understand how or why the Expos ended up in Washington D.C. Why doesn’t Las Vegas deserve a Major League Baseball team? The Dominican Republic would have even been a better choice that D.C.

29. Kansas City Royals
Why they will suck:
Take a look at the pitching rotation and get back to me. Gil Meche, who I am sure is a decent guy, is their number one starter. That won’t get it done.

The good news is:
The Royals are an interesting team. They aren’t very good, but they should be fun to watch because they have some great young players and are probably not more than a year or two away from being .500 if they can get their young pitchers to figure out major league life. Everybody is raving about 3B Alex Gordon and if he’s half as good as people say, he’ll be a fixture in the lineup and hit 25 homeruns this year and win rookie of the year honors. The Royals also have decent offensive potential from guys like Emil Brown, Mark Teahen (who moved to right field to make room for Gordon, and 1st baseman Ryan Shealy.) Shealy hasn’t been talked about by many people nationally but he’s huge (6’5” 250 lbs) and looks like he could be the real deal as well. He hit just 7 homeruns in 202 at-bats last year and struck out a whopping 54 times, so he might be a little out of his comfort zone early in the year, but the Royals don’t have many options so he will stick around. Mike Sweeney is still the DH and if you are Twins fan, he needs no introduction. He can hit and he kills us at least three times a year. He’s one of the few guys in the league that makes me nervous every time he’s up to bat.

Thought to ponder:
The Royals just traded for Tony Pena Jr, who immediately moves into the starting shortstop position. If the Royals had any marketing people worth their salaries, they would announce a “Pena Family Bobble Head Night” with Jr.’s bobble head molded into the position of kicking a groundball and Sr.’s bobble head digging in his ear with a set of keys and looking confused while holding a lineup card.

28. Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Why they will suck:
Its Tampa Bay – they always suck. They play in the best division in baseball – or second best after the AL Central – depending on who you talk to. I will take the East and if you want to argue with me about it, fine.

The good news is:
Just like the Royals, the Rays have a ton of young talent with a lot of potential. Delmon Young, Carl Crawford, and Rocco Baldelli make the outfield quick and mobile and all three can rake. Scott Kazmir is ridiculously good and the Rays could find themselves in the playoff chase as soon as next year if all four of those guys stay healthy and continue to improve.

Thought to ponder:
Along with all that young talent could come trouble. Delmon Young was suspended last year for throwing a bat at an umpire. Young slugger Elijah Dukes has a large attitude problem to go along with his enormous talent.

27. Baltimore Orioles
Why they will suck:
I want to like the Orioles. I really do. Problem is, the American League East is way too top heavy (see the Devil Rays above) and the American League in general is just too good.

The good news is:
The Orioles also have some players, guys like Miguel Tejada and Brian Roberts could start for anyone. And Nick Markakis has lots of upside in right field. I even like Corey Patterson in center, but he makes less contact than Torii Hunter with runners in scoring position. The pitching is decent with Eric Bedard and Daniel Cabrera at the top of the rotation, but the competition is too stiff for them to have a chance.

Thought to ponder:
The fantasy baseball season hasn’t officially started until I start trying to figure out a way to get Aubrey Huff on my team. The fact that he’s buried behind Kevin Millar, Melvin Mora, and Jay Gibbons on the depth chart is a complete mystery to me.

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Not at the bottom of the league, but won’t win 80 games either:

26. Colorado Rockies
Why they will suck:
Same old story – Coors Field is a hitter’s park and when you have pitchers at the top of your rotation like Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, and Rodrigo Lopez, Coors Field can be a problem. Plus, the talent on offense just isn’t there, which… well…can be a problem too.

The good news is:
Offensively, they have Garret Atkins and the aging Todd Helton, who both hit homeruns. Brad Hawpe, Willy Taveres, and Matt Holliday give the Rockies a decent outfield. Brian Fuentes has somehow figured out a way to close games for the Rockies, which has never been an easy thing to do.

Thought to ponder:
Remember Clint Barmes? The rookie of the year candidate broke his collarbone in 2005 when he allegedly fell down a flight of stairs. Allegedly is the key word because many in the organization believe he was riding a four-wheeler when he suffered the injury. Barmes claims he fell down a flight of stairs while carrying a package of deer meat. If it’s a lie, it’s a pretty good one. The fact remains he hasn’t come back from that injury and is now relegated to utility status with the Rockies.

25. Florida Marlins
Why they will be average:
They won’t be very good in the strong NL East – the Mets, Braves, and Phillies are by far the class of the division but the Marlins are pesky and could surprise a few teams here and there. Still, there’s zero chance of this team getting into the playoffs, much less making the World Series.

The good news is:
Again, its about youth and talent. The Marlins have some of both and that’s why they will make a few teams nervous. I believe Miguel Cabrera could be an MVP candidate this year and Hanley Ramirez/Dan Uggla up the middle is good defensively but excellent on the offensive side. Dontrelle Willies is great – the face of the franchise for the next few weeks until everyone finally takes notice of Cabrera.

Thought to ponder:
If the Marlins are out of it by July (and they will be) teams will be lining up for a chance at trading for Willis. The Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox will all be looking for that big pitching prize and unless Carlos Zambrano doesn’t get a deal done soon with the Cubs, Willis will be the chosen one for all the contending teams with money to spend and talent to trade.

24. Seattle Mariners
Why they will be average:
The Mariners still haven’t figured out the whole “pitching and defense” thing and until they do, they won’t win on a consistent basis. The pitching is suspect at best, but Felix Hernandez could finally live up to all the King Felix talk this season. But even if he does, the rest of the rotation will give them fits.

The good news is:
The bullpen is underrated. They have the arms to do some damage and if the starters can do anything at all on a consistent basis, the Mariners will win a few more series than anybody is predicting. JJ Putz, George Sherrill, Chris Reitsma, and Arthur Rhodes all have upside. The offense is good but not great. Ichiro will challenge for the batting title again this year. The corner infielders (Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson) are either brilliant or brutal depending on how much HGH is available for consumption in the Pacific Northwest.

Thought to ponder:
King Felix, Felix Hernandez, was born on April 8, 1986. I don’t really have anything to add to that. I mean other than that makes me feel really old.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates
Why they will be average:
The roster seems to be made up of guys who are on the cusp of being average – there just isn’t one standout in the group. Guys like Adam LaRoche and Jason Bay have lots of potential in terms of power but they also have issues. They either have trouble hitting lefties (LaRoche) or have trouble staying healthy (Bay and SS Jack Wilson fits that mold as well.)

The good news is:
You have to dig kind of deep to find a lot of good news, but for some reason this club seems to win games in spite of the fact that they don’t have much talent. Zach Duke shouldn’t be at the top of the rotation, but he can pitch a little bit. Other than that – I don’t know what other good news there is to report.

Thought to ponder:
We have officially reached a point of no return with this whole “let’s sell as much merchandise as we can even if it makes no sense” way of doing business. The Pirates have a new red vest that they will be wearing this year. Red?! For the Pirates? I don’t get it.

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Teams with definite potential and some decent players, but it would take a lot to get there

22. Houston Astros
Why they will be decent:
This offense is good but not great – Lance Berkman is fantastic and Craig Biggio continues to prove that older can sometimes mean better. Big M – Little Organ – Ensberg is one of my favorites and he should be good for another 20 homeruns and some great defense again this year.

The even better news is:
Starting pitching should not be an issue for this team. Roy Oswalt, Jason Jennings, and Woody Williams can eat up innings and the bullpen is stellar. Brad Lidge is not the same as he was two years ago, but he can still close games. Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler are money in the bullpen as well. Let’s not forget this team also has Carlos Lee on its roster – that alone should help them win 8-10 more games than last year.

Thought to ponder:
Centerfielder Chris Burke was born in 1980, but he looks like he could have been one of Greg Oden’s Vietnam buddies.

21. Texas Rangers
Why they will be decent:
For the first time in a long time, the Rangers have two pitchers at the top of their rotation (Kevin Millwood and Vicinte Padilla) who can eat up innings and win games. Ron Washington is the new manager and I think he will do a great job taking care of in-game situations and probably even bring a little bit of a swagger to a team that has a tendency to fade down the stretch. Washington can’t do anything about the heat in Texas (more below) but he should be able to find a way to mix and match guys so they stay fresh. He just seems like he knows what he is doing, I can’t explain it.

The even better news is:
The offense is stacked; they don’t have a weakness in their lineup. Every infielder could be an all-star this year and the DH combination of Frank Catalanotto and Sammy Sosa could realistically put up 40+ homers and 100+ RBI’s.

Thought to ponder:
About that heat -- I was at a game in Texas during the summer of 1995 and the Rangers were playing the Mariners. It was a standard 7:05 starting time, middle of August and it was about 90-degrees with more humidity than the worst summer day in Minnesota. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the direct sunlight was hot enough to make me feel like I was going to pass out. This was a night game! My point is, I could barely sit there and drink a soda, how do the Rangers play baseball in that weather? I hate domes, but after that game it made me think the Rangers could use some air conditioning.

20. Arizona Diamondbacks
Why they will be decent:
Brandon Webb. Randy Johnson, and Livan Hernandez make up the top three in the rotation. Granted, this would have been a lot better three years ago -- but they can still pitch

The even better news is:
This team is LOADED with young talent. Conor Jackson, Carlos Quentin, and Stephen Drew are all future All-Stars. It could be next year, two years or it could be this year. Another plus for this team is the fact that Randy Johnson wants to prove he still has some gas in the tank. He left New York on bad terms and really didn’t perform well during his time there. He’s back in Arizona and presumably comfortable again. If he can keep himself off the DL, he could be a factor in the NL Cy Young race.

Thought to ponder:
The D-backs changed their colors this year, going away from the purple and teal and toward…wait for it….red. So, not only have the Pirates changed things up and gone to a Red vest, the Diamondbacks went full steam ahead with a red and black look.

19. Cincinnati Reds
Why they will be decent:
Because they decided to change to yellow uniforms since everyone is going to red? No, they aren’t really doing that and that wouldn’t be a reason to have hope anyway. The real reason to like this team starts and ends with offense. They have lots of it if they can keep Ken Griffey Jr. healthy (big if) and if Ryan Freel, Adam Dunn, and David Ross can swing the bats all year long instead of in fits and starts, they should score some runs. Freel has to stay healthy and has to run or the offense will be stagnant.

The even better news is:
Well…is it better news to have two former Twins on your roster and one of them is named Kyle Lohse? I don’t think so. Still, starting pitching is not easy to come by and Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Eric Milton can all get people out consistently. Lohse should be able to keep his ERA below 5.00 during a full season in the National League. He has always had good stuff but his head isn’t the best. Not sure when an ERA below 5.00 was a benchmark, but for Lohse I think it is.

Thought to ponder:
The Reds play in one of the best stadiums in the country. I have been to Great American Ballpark a couple of times and I cannot explain to you how great the site lines are and how close you feel to the action no matter where you are in the park. I have the Reds up pretty high in these rankings and yes -- part of that might be wishful thinking because I like the team – but they could surprise if the offense comes together.

18. San Diego Padres
Why they will be decent:
Because San Diego is due to catch a sports-related break sometime soon. The Chargers had the best record in the AFC last year, home-field throughout the playoffs and then MartyBalled themselves right out of the tournament. San Diego deserves something good for having that kind of season turn to shit in the matter of a couple hours.

The even better news is:
This team actually has enough talent to compete, particularly on offense where young sluggers like Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff can dink and dunk there way to .300 averages in spacious PETCO Park, while hopefully hitting 15-20 homeruns. Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux, and Chris Young give the Padres a pretty decent front three in the rotation and if David Wells can beat diabetes, he can beat the Giants, D-Backs, Rockies, and Dodgers.

Thought to ponder:
Another weather related note: Two years ago the gal and I met my parents in San Diego for dinner. In a strange coincidence, we were all in California during the same time and we had a wonderful afternoon and evening. It was perfect weather-wise – 75-degrees, no humidity, no clouds – just the ocean and perfect sunshine. We sat at a marina type restaurant sipping cocktails and talking about how much we hated the weather in Minnesota. Here’s the point – why don’t more free agents sign to play ball in San Diego? Is there a better city in the country? The weather is perfect everyday; you can’t ask for better nightlife or restaurants, the city seems safe. I mean -- you are major leaguer, you can afford the outrageous amount of money you have to spend on a house, which is the only reason more people aren’t living there in the first place, why not sign to play there and make it your home? How are the Padres not the best team in baseball every year?


17. San Francisco Giants
Why they will be decent:
Because Barry Bonds is always two-steps ahead of the rules and he’s figured out a new way to not get caught while tripling his hat size and his home run potential.

The even better news is:
You have a murderer’s row of pitchers in Barry Zito, Matt Cain, Matt Morris, and Noah Lowry for starters. The offense makes me nervous since most everyday starter is old enough to be playing in a 35+ softball league, but experience can’t be a bad thing if they can stay healthy.

Thought to ponder:
Barry Bonds re-signing with the Giants over the winter was a major disappointment. I would have loved for him to come over to the American League as a full-time DH. I don’t know if the speculation is true and that he had no offers from other teams, but why wouldn’t the Yankees take a chance on a guy like Bonds, who could hit 30 homeruns in the right situation? Sure, he would have demanded at least $15 million per year and it would have been a huge PR hit, but it’s the Yankees! It sure would have been nice to hate them both at the same time. Oh well, we still have Jason Giambi.

Talented teams, but they must have everything go right:

16. Toronto Blue Jays
Why they will be pesky:
They have some holes on offense (Reed Johnson in left field, Greg Zaun catching, Royce Clayton at shortstop) but they also have some legitimate hitters in Vernon Wells, Alexis Rios, Lyle Overbay, Troy Glaus, and Frank Thomas.

The even better news is:
Roy Halladay and AJ Burnett anchor a strong pitching staff and B.J. Ryan is a stud in the closer role. This is absolutely a playoff team in the National League, but they will struggle to compete for the Wild Card in the A.L. Still, they have a real shot at being in contention come August, particularly if Thomas can prove last year was no fluke and the Halladay/Burnett combo can be as good as we think it can.

Thought to ponder:
Have you ever had that player on another team that you’ve always liked? My guy is Vernon Wells. He plays hard, gets clutch hits, and always makes me stop what I am doing when he comes to the plate. In other words, he’s the anti Jacque Jones.

15. Oakland Athletics
Why they will be pesky:
Because they beat the Twins in the playoffs last year and they haven’t lost enough (only Barry Zito and Frank Thomas) to make me think they won’t be pretty good again this year.

The even better news is:
With apologies to the hometown team, this might be the best bullpen in baseball when everybody is healthy. Huston Street, Justin Dushscherer and Kiko Calero are incredibly good and Jason Witasik might challenge for more innings as the season wears on. The offense isn’t loaded, but Nick Swisher can hit and just keeps getting better. Rich Harden and Danny Haren would make anybody happy as the one and two starters.

Thought to ponder:
If I could change places with anybody in the big leagues not named Morneua, Jeter or Pujols, I might just pick Nick Swisher. That guy oozes coolness and he might be one of the best clutch hitters who doesn’t get credit for being clutch.

14. Chicago Cubs
Why they will be pesky:
Because other than his stops in Tampa, Seattle, and New York, Lou Piniella just wins, baby.

The even better news is:
Look, the Cubs added some decent players and Lou Piniella really is a good manager, just not as good as folks in Chicago want to think. Alfonso Soriano is phenomenal and Aramis Ramirez/Derek Lee on the corners is about as good as it gets. I want to be optimistic about this team, but something doesn’t feel right about it. It’s always fun when the Cubs are winning, but it seems like people are overly excited about this team and that usually spells trouble.

Thought to ponder:
Remember when people (me included) criticized the Twins for taking Joe Mauer over Mark Prior? Wow, were we wrong. Prior is fighting through injuries again and hasn’t consistently hit 90 MPH with his fastball since 2005. In other words, he’s baseball’s version of Britney Spears. The Twins were right and we were wrong. They’re smart and we’re dumb. They’re good looking and we’re…not.

13. Milwaukee Brewers
Why they will be pesky:
Two words: Prince Fielder. That didn’t do it for you? How about this – Corey Koskie!

The even better news is:
Good starting pitching, solid defense and a young group of hitters including Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Corey Hart all give the Brewers a chance in the N.L. Central. The pitching is really key here because Chris Capuano, Ben Sheets, and even Jeff Suppan could all win 15 games. The bullpen needs to improve over last year to put them over the edge. Francisco Cordero is the closer and he should be solid at the end of games. The real question marks are in the middle of the bullpen where Greg Aquino (yikes!) and Derrick Turnbow (what happened?) will be counted on to not give up a lot of runs. Not sure if that is possible.

Thought to ponder:
This might be the year the gal and I finally make it to a game at Miller Park. Up until the cat food scare of 2007 and the purchase of a Nintendo Wii, we probably had the financial backing to take on such a venture. Now? Not so much. Still, Milwaukee isn’t more than a few hours down the road and there really isn’t an excuse to not get there for a game this summer. Even if it means driving there and back in the same day and buying tickets from…those people who sell tickets on the street… we are doing it. So it is written, so it shall be done.

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Strong teams who will be battling in the end, but have some questions to answer:

12. Atlanta Braves
Why they will be good:
Because the Braves are always good and the deal Bobby Cox has with the devil doesn’t expire until 2010.

The even better news is:
The Braves are a pitching factory and this year is no different. John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and the kid Chuck James are a great top three. The hitters here are pretty good too. The Jones brothers (Andruw and Chipper) are super when healthy and Edgar Renteria is more than decent at shortstop.

Thought to ponder:
Is it just me or should it be mandated that all closers look a little more like Bob Wickman? The guy is huge, he’s got a beard, and he always looks like he just finished off a 12-pack and is looking for a good time. I think he’s great.

11. Cleveland Indians
Why they will be good:
Because every national sports writer and radio personality says they will be. Which is making me more and more doubtful everyday and I am not fully on board with the Indians winning it all (or even the A.L. Central) this year. They are the American League version of the Cubs.

The even better news is:
They do have players, there is no denying that. While the hitters are talented – Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, and Victor Martinez -- I worry about that starting rotation and the bullpen. Any time Joe Borowski is involved I get worried. But when he is entrenched at the closer spot? That might be considered a weakness.

Thought to ponder:
The nickname “Pronk” belongs to Travis Hafner and it might be top five among current major leaguers right now.

10. Minnesota Twins
Why they will be good:
Reigning A.L MVP. Reigning A.L Cy Young winner. Reigning A.L. Batting Champion. The best closer in majors. Torii Hunter is in a contract year.

The even better news is:
I wanted to put the Twins higher on this list and I really do think they can be in the top 3-4 teams when it’s all said and done if their star players can have the same kind of year they had last year and if the starting pitching can hold up after Johan Santana. I worry a lot about the pitching. A decision still needs to be made about Carlos Silva and Matt Garza should stick with the big club instead of being sent down. I can’t talk about this team rationally because I think they have enough upside and potential to win the World Series and I also don’t want to jinx them by having them any higher on this list so they have to stay here. Let’s just move on.

Thought to ponder:
Yes, my man-crush on Jason Kubel is alive and well, thanks for asking. I am telling you, if he gets the chance to stay in the everyday lineup and if he can finally stay healthy, he will hit 20 homers, drive in 80 runs and hit .310 – at a minimum this year. I believe this with every fiber of my being.

9. St Louis Cardinals
Why they will be good:
Because if they aren’t, Tony LaRussa might start eating meat again to go along with his 9th Bud Light.

The even better news is:
The best news is Albert Pujols, the best player in the league. Scott Rolen isn’t what he was five years ago, but none of us are. The same could be said for Jim Edmonds and Juan Encarnacion. The pitching staff is horrific. Braden Looper is actually going to make this staff as the fifth starter. Chris Carpenter is great but much like the Twins, the Cardinals are going to need a lot of so-so guys to come through big in the rotation if they are going to have a shot at winning 90 games.

Thought to ponder:
Ever since 1987 I have hated the Cardinals and that hatred won’t subside now. Albert Pujols is another one of those guys that will make you stop whatever you are doing so you can see his at-bat. He’s just incredibly good at what he does. As Joe Theisman would say if he were still on TV – “Albert Pujols is a great baseball player who makes great baseball plays.” We will miss Joe on Monday nights won’t we?

8. Philadelphia Phillies
Why they will be good:
Because Ryan Howard plays for them and um…he’s pretty good.

The even better news is:
Starting pitching, defense, offense – this team has it all. The one thing they don’t have is a strong bullpen – it’s terrible. If they have a weak spot, that’s it a couple times over. Between Howard, Chase Utley, Aaron Rowand, and Shane Victorino, they should be able to score some runs. The good news is, from top to bottom, the starting five won’t need many. These guys (Freddy Garcia, Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Adam Eaton, and Jamie Moyer) are all very good. It might be the best rotation one through five in the big leagues.

Thought to ponder:
Last year was the sixth straight year that Pat Burrell hit at least 20 homeruns. Are you as surprised by that stat as I am? I know he’s been around for awhile and he’s been decent, but six straight years with 20 dingers is pretty good in any league. And still Philly fans won’t be happy until he’s run out of town.

7. Los Angeles Angels
Why they will be good:
Great hitting and a good bullpen should be enough for them to contend for the A.L. West.

The even better news is:
Did I mention the hitting and the bullpen? Vlad Guerrero, Howie Kendrick, and Gary Matthews should give the Angels a chance of scoring 4-5 runs per game. That can happen if Orlando Cabrera and Macir Izturis can get on base. Once Chone Figgins and (eventually) Juan Rivera come back to the lineup, the Angels get even tougher to stop.

Thought to ponder:
This whole Los Angeles, Orange County, Anaheim Angels thing is still really confusing. I think they should go back to being the California Angels, which seems like a fair compromise.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers
Why they will be great:
You don’t really realize how much talent they have until you sit down and look at their everyday lineup – they’re stacked. Juan Pierre, Luis Gonzalez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jeff Kent are all legit major league talent. Andre Ethier has breakout season written all over him.

The even better news is:
They hit and they pitch. The front of the rotation is great with Derek Lowe, Jason Schmidt, Brad Penny, and Randy Wolf. Jonathan Broxton, Yency Brazoban, and Takishi Saito can get the last 12 outs on a consistent basis.

Thought to ponder:
Broadcaster Vin Scully is entering his 57th season as the “Voice of the Dodgers.” Fifty seven years doing one job, even if it is something as cool as broadcasting games for a major league team, is pretty impressive.

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The contenders, the teams who should be there in the end, no questions asked:

5. Chicago White Sox
Why they will be great:
Because they have been a pain in the ass for the last three years and there’s no reason for them to stop now.

The even better news is:
Ozzie Guillen is a great manager and if you don’t believe me -- just ask him. The offense this team has is ridiculous. Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede are three of the best hitters in the league when it comes to power. As good as the hitting is, it’s the Sox pitching that should make every Twins fan nervous. Mark Buehrle is in a contract year, which could mean a huge season for the big man. Jose Contreras and John Garland are still quite good as well.

Thought to ponder:
It’s funny that nobody is paying attention to the White Sox and everyone is talking about the Indians. I don’t make bold predictions very often, but I do predict the White Sox, Twins and Tigers will all finish ahead of the Indians again this year.

4. Detroit Tigers
Why they will be great:
The addition of Gary Sheffield is about as good of a reason as I can think of right now.

The even better news is:
This team didn’t lose much of anything from the World Series team last year. Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, and Nate Robertson can all win games and keep the Tigers in contention on their own. Add in the fact that the offense can score runs and well…you have the best team in the A.L. Central.

Thought to ponder:
Has a nickname fit anyone less than Pudge fits Ivan Rodriguez? Can we change his name to “Shrinking Ivan” or even “Off the Juice” instead of Pudge?

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The cream of the crop, the teams who will need to fall apart big time to not be in the mix at the end:

3. Boston Red Sox
Why they will be excellent:
Because they have Daisuke Matsuzaka and is gyro-balls.

The even better news is:
It starts and ends with pitching. The starters on this team are sick. To go with Dice K, you have Curt Shilling and Josh Beckett – not a bad way to go in a seven game series. The offense is good, but it took me five minutes to come up with the Red Sox starting shortstop and second baseman before I had to look up the names Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia. That might not be a good sign.

Thought to ponder:
Is this the year that Willy Mo Pena finally proves to everyone that he is a legit power hitter at the major league level? The guy has tons of talent but hasn’t been able to show it because of trades, a lack of playing time, and a body that is as brittle as Depression glass. If J.D. Drew gets hurt again or if Manny flakes out again, Pena could get a shot.

2. New York Mets
Why they will be excellent:
This really is a team without a weakness, particularly on the offensive side. Jose Reyes is not only the key to the Mets success; he’s the key to my roto success this year as well.

The even better news is:
The Mets employ Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, David Wright and Paul LoDuca. Throw in Reyes, Shawn Green, Moises Alou, and Jose Valentin and then tell me where the easy outs are. It’s like an American League lineup in the National League, there is zero chance this team doesn’t make it to the World Series.

Thought to ponder:
Former Twins catcher Tom Nieto is the Catching Instructor for the Mets. He was a member of the 1987 World Championship team.

1. New York Yankees
Why they will win the World Series:
Because they have a $200 million payroll, can afford to add a player or two at the deadline, and it’s been seven years since they won a Series.

The even better news is:
All that money buys you some pretty good players. Giambi, A-Rod, Jeter, Damon, Abreu, Matsui, and Posada are recognizable by one name and all have multiple All-Star appearances under their belts. Robinson Cano is going to be good for years to come. Melky Cabrera is the fourth outfielder and he would start on ever other team in the A.L. East. The pitching is okay, with Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, and Mike Mussina in the one through three spots. Wang is hurt but should be back by the end of April. The bullpen is good, but it will be upgraded considerably before the playoffs start. Same goes for the rotation.

Thought to ponder:
Doug Mientkiewicz is projected as the starting first baseman for the Yankees this year. With Giambi in the DH spot and all that other offensive talent, the Yanks can easily give up “Dougie Baseball’s” four easy outs per game in a trade-off for his great defensive efforts. This team is stacked and its going to take a lot to beat them in a three game series, much less in a seven game set. I hate to say it, but the Yankees are the clear-cut favorites. Again.

Now they have to play the games.