MLB 2006 (Part I)

With opening night only two days away, it is time for my picks on the 2006 MLB season. I have noticed many publications, including Sports Illustrated and my home-town Chicago Tribune, have tabbed the White Sox to repeat as champs. While I must admit the Sox do look like they have the talent, it is extremely difficult to repeat in a sport where so much balances on health and getting lucky. No team has repeated in the new millennium. Not the Randy Johnson/Curt Schilling D-Backs, not the miracle Red Sox, and once again, I don't see the White Sox doing it. Anyways, here's the picks for the American League:

AL East
1)Toronto
2)Boston
3)New York
4)Baltimore
5)Tampa Bay

Yes, you are looking at that correctly. The Blue Jays are in first, and the Yankees are in third. I don't think any team improved themselves more in the off-season than the Jays did. Troy Glaus, Lyle Overbay, AJ Burnett and BJ Ryan are all major upgrades, and add that too Roy Holliday, Vernon Wells, and Shea Hillenbrand, and I think Toronto is ready to go to the playoffs for the first time since their back-to-back titles in 1992 and '93. The Red Sox may have lost Johnny Damon, but last I checked, they still have Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. If Curt Schilling stays healthy, they should be in playoff contention all year long. The Yankees may have signed Damon away from their rivals, but I don't know how much longer this team made up of older players can keep it going. Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Garry Sheffield, Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui and Bernie William aren't getting any younger, and I don't know how much their is in the farm-system to make a mid-season move. Jeter, A-Rod and Mariano Reivera will all produce as usual, but I don't think this team has got it. Joe Torre is one hell of a manager, but he just doesn't have the horses. Baltimore and Tampa Bay will be eliminated by the time schools let out.

AL Central
1)Chicago
2)Cleveland
3)Minnesota
4)Detroit
5)Kansas City

The White Sox came out of nowhere last season to take the division, AL and World Series titles. This year, I don't see it happening. I felt the Sox downgraded when they traded Aaron Rowand for Jim Thome, and rookie Brian Anderson is still a big question mark. Who knows if veterans Jermaine Dye, Tadahito Iguchi, AJ Pierzynski or Thome can hold up. Will pitchers Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras all be able to repeat their terrific '05 seasons? Chicago's still the best team in the division, but I think a repeat of last seasons 99 wins is a bit out there. The Indians have a bunch of talented young players, but with high expectations this year, I see a bit of a downturn. The Twins still have some good players, but they'll need some good breaks to challenge for this division. The Tigers have a lot of good players, but they are all injury prone. The Royals....well, the Royals just suck.

AL West
1)Oakland
2)Texas
3)Los Angeles-Anaheim
4)Seattle

The A's get an A in my book as the best team in the American League. They have good pitching, and lots of it. Barry Zito is once again a part of a big-3, but instead of Hudson, Mulder and Zito, now its Rich Harden, Dan Haren and Zito. Add in a bullpen with last years Rookie of the Year Huston Street, a lineup with so many good players that get on base, and a little bit of health, and the A's won't have to do one of their usual post All-Star break comebacks. They should win this division by at least 7 games. I put the Rangers over the Angels not because the I feel the Rangers are particularly good, but because I don't see how the Angels will score enough runs. While I love Chone Figgins and Vlad Guerrero, I don't trust Garret Anderson, Casey Kotchman or Dallas McPherson to drive them in. The Mariners have some nice players, but not enough pitching.

Wild Card: Red Sox
Many and Ortiz should generate enough wins for the Red Sox to get the Wild Card for the forth year in a row.

AL MVP: David Ortiz
He should have won it last year, but A-Rod took it in the final weekend of the season. For all the haters who say a DH can't win the award, please pay attention. Nobody had any problem giving the award to Jason Giambi and Jeff Kent in 2001 even though they are horrible fielders. Ortiz wins more games for the Sox by NOT playing the field, and no hitter puts more fear in a pitcher than Big Papi.

AL Cy Young: Johan Santana
I was tempted to go with A's stud its Rich Harden, but I think that Santana will make it two Cy's in three years up there in Minnesota. He dominates hitters like nobody else, and he gets to face the Tigers and Royals more than anybody else.

Playoffs:
Oakland over Boston
Toronto over Chicago

Oakland over Toronto


Coming Saturday: The National League