"Baseball Digest" 2008 NL & AL Predictions

[GhostRunner]

From the March/April 2008 issue ...

 

NL East: Philadelphia

NL Central: Chicago (followed by MIL, HOU, STL, CIN, PIT)

NL West: Arizona

NL Wild Card: San Diego

 

Also of note: Batting Champ - Pujols, HR's - Ryan Howard, RBI's - Derrek Lee, MVP - Chase Utley, Wins - Carlos Zambrano, ERA - Webb, K's - Johan Santana, Cy Young - Carlos Zambrano

 

Fukudome is also mentioned along with Geovany Soto, Homer Bailey, and Cameron Maybin as potential ROY candidates.

 

If anyone wants the AL predictions posted, let me know.

Edited February 25, 2008 by GhostRunner

[Friendly Confines]

No Mets?

[javy knows my name]

Safe, but sort of interesting. Zambrano likely won't be the best pitcher on his own team (even with batting factored in), so I put his chances at a Cy Young at around 10%. What the heck, lets see the AL when you have time.

[Roast]

Yeah, where the heck are the mets?

[GhostRunner]

No Mets?

Yeah, where the heck are the mets?

Baseball Digest actually picks the Mets third in the East, after Atlanta. They view Santana as a plus (obviously), but see the loss of Glavine and potential "durability issues" with Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez as major weaknesses. Also mentioned is their 35-37 record against fellow NL East opponents in '07.

[GhostRunner]

What the heck, lets see the AL when you have time.

AL East: Boston

AL Central: Cleveland (CHI picked third)

AL West: Los Angeles

AL Wild Card: Detroit

 

Batting Champ - Ichiro, HR's - Alex Rodriguez, RBI's - David Ortiz, MVP - Miguel Cabrera, Wins - Josh Beckett, ERA - John Lackey, K's - Justin Verlander, Cy Young - Josh Beckett

 

Potential ROY's: Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Joba Chamberlain, Evan Longoria, Brandon Wood, Daric Barton

[killthegoat06]

I would be very surprised if both NY teams miss the playoffs.

[Schwarber Fan]

I would be surprised if either of the NY teams miss the playoffs.

[David]

Those are valid points against the Mets, I guess. I don't see how the loss of Glavine plays in if you're replacing him with Johan Santana. The Martinez concerns are legit. So are the Hernandez concerns, but he's their 5th starter.

 

How does the rest of their rotation shake out? Maine and Perez. That's pretty solid.

 

Their lineup is pretty impressive too. I dunno. We'll see.

[sharkfan50]

St. Louis ahead of the Reds? I don't see that happening, even with Baker as Manager.

 

I also don't see Zambrano over Santana for CY. Santana is going to own the NL this year. He'll get 20 Wins.

[third eye]

From the March/April 2008 issue ...

 

NL East: Philadelphia

NL Central: Chicago (followed by MIL, HOU, STL, CIN, PIT)

NL West: Arizona

NL Wild Card: San Diego

 

Also of note: Batting Champ - Pujols, HR's - Ryan Howard, RBI's - Derrek Lee, MVP - Chase Utley, Wins - Carlos Zambrano, ERA - Webb, K's - Johan Santana, Cy Young - Carlos Zambrano

 

Fukudome is also mentioned along with Geovany Soto, Homer Bailey, and Cameron Maybin as potential ROY candidates.

 

If anyone wants the AL predictions posted, let me know.

 

Having Lee as the RBI leader and Z as the wins leader seems to indicate that they expect the Cubs to score a lot of runs this year. I'm guessing they have Fukudome as the #2 hitter in front of Lee rather than Theriot. That's not what we're hearing right now though. Lee was on a pace for around 38 homers in the second half, so I can see him having a big year (based on the projections in the player prediction thread, it doesnt seem like most here buy that). A return to somewhere between 04 and 05 numbers for him would go a long way to securing a division title.

[Derwood]

someone was on ESPN radio this morning and predicted an Indians/Cubs world series. it wasn't Neyer or Gammons, but one of the other ESPN talking heads. can't remember

[anabiono]

someone was on ESPN radio this morning and predicted an Indians/Cubs world series. it wasn't Neyer or Gammons, but one of the other ESPN talking heads. can't remember

 

i personally see the indians falling a little bit this year...probably just me though

[nilodnayr]

Those are valid points against the Mets, I guess. I don't see how the loss of Glavine plays in if you're replacing him with Johan Santana. The Martinez concerns are legit. So are the Hernandez concerns, but he's their 5th starter.

 

How does the rest of their rotation shake out? Maine and Perez. That's pretty solid.

 

Their lineup is pretty impressive too. I dunno. We'll see.

 

I've heard a lot of weariness I'll call it from non-fanboy Mets fans. This is an old and injury prone team that doesn't have sufficient plan B's in place. Sure they have some awesome guys in their lineup in Wright, Reyes and Beltran, but they also have major risks in Delgado, Castillo, and Alou with crappy players like Endy Chavez, Angel Pagan and Ruben Gotay backing them up. If one or a few of their risks go down they are going to have a couple sink holes in their lineup.

[Derwood]

someone was on ESPN radio this morning and predicted an Indians/Cubs world series. it wasn't Neyer or Gammons, but one of the other ESPN talking heads. can't remember

 

i personally see the indians falling a little bit this year...probably just me though

 

it sounded like a wishful thinking prediction

[JoshiQ]

someone was on ESPN radio this morning and predicted an Indians/Cubs world series. it wasn't Neyer or Gammons, but one of the other ESPN talking heads. can't remember

 

 

I think it was skinny Mike of Mike and Mike In the Morning. At least that was who I saw say it on ESPN.

[NOLA]

someone was on ESPN radio this morning and predicted an Indians/Cubs world series. it wasn't Neyer or Gammons, but one of the other ESPN talking heads. can't remember

 

 

I think it was skinny Mike of Mike and Mike In the Morning. At least that was who I saw say it on ESPN.

 

It was Buster Onley. I saw it on ESPNews.

Sadly, IMHO, the Reds will be much improved.