2008 MLB Predictions

Spring training is here, and although there is much still to be decided, it is time for some picks for the upcoming year

Playoff Teams:
Atlanta Braves (NL East)
-With a great pitching staff and potent lineup, the Braves return to the top of the NL East
Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central)
-The young and talented Brewers continue on their success from last year and take a weak division
Los Angeles Dodgers (NL Central)
-With new manager Joe Torre, a solid pitching staff, and a ton of young talent, the Dodgers take a tough NL West division
New York Mets (NL Wild Card)
-The Mets fall short of the division crown but win the wild card as the West teams will hurt each other down the stretch

Boston Red Sox (AL East)
-The Champs are loaded and will take the division, everything on their team is too strong for the rest of the division, including the Yankees
Detroit Tigers (AL Central)
-The Tigers made some great off-season moves and are ready to win now. The lineup is potent, the question is whether or not the pitching will hold up
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
-The pitching staff should again be great, and there is a lot of speedy talent on the team, and they will be able to hold off the Mariners as long as Escobar isn't out too long
New York Yankees (AL Wild Card)
-The Yankees are trying something new this year, where they use pitchers who aren't over the hill, I think it will pay off with a Wild Card birth

NLDS
Atlanta Braves over Los Angeles Dodgers
-This becomes a battle of pitching staffs, and I think that the Braves aces lead them to victory
New York Mets over Milwaukee Brewers
-Santana is far better than anyone on the crew, and in the series, he wins two games

ALDS
Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
-Sounds familiar, anyway, Josh Beckett is lights out, and will win two games if he gets the chance
New York Yankees over Detroit Tigers
-I just don't think that the Tigers pitching is good enough. The Yanks, led by Wang and Chamberlain take down a Tigers team with a potent punch

NLCS
Atlanta Braves over New York Mets
-In a rematch of the '99 NLCS the Braves again get the better of their division rivals. Santana splits with Smoltz, and the Braves other pitchers prove better than John Maine and a not that great Pedro Martinez

ALCS
Boston Red Sox over New York Yankees
-The series goes seven games, and Beckett wins games 1, 4 and 7. The lineup helps him out in a shaky game 4 on short rest, and the Yanks pitchers (especially the pen) just won't be good enough

World Series
Atlanta Braves over Boston Red Sox
-Call me crazy, I know the Red Sox have Beckett, but he only wins once, but the Braves actually have a better lineup. They have the better catcher, first baseman, shortstop, third baseman and right fielder. The Sox have a slight edge at second (assuming Pedroia doesn't slip) and have a better DH than anyone the Braves do. Ellisbury will be better than Kotsay or anyone else the Braves put out there, but the surprise will be that Matt Diaz hits just as well as Manny Ramirez. The Series really comes down to the pitching, and John Smoltz is also dominant in the playoffs. Hudson also wins twice over the BoSox 2, (now looking like Dice-K--> see 4.40 ERA which gets worse this year) and then it comes down to the Braves using Tom Glavine to beat the young guns of either Lester or Buchholz. I know the Sox look loaded to repeat, but the Atlanta Braves will pull out a WS win. Both teams had similar numbers last year in BA and ERA, and the Braves have improved more. Mark Teixeira and Chipper Jones lead the team to their first World Series win since 1995.