American League Crystal Ball

March Madness may be over, but it only serves as a prelude to baseball season....and more specifically, baseball predictions.....below are my guesses, hunches, and wishes for this year’s baseball season.....

A.L. East
1. Yankees - New York should be steady as usual and make the playoffs.....look for the Rat, Randy Johnson, to improve after a sub-par first year in the Bronx.....
2. Red Sox - this doesn’t even resemble the same Red Sox team that won the title 2 years ago.....but they still have Ortiz and Manny....the key to their success lays with Keith Foulke and his ability to close games....
3. Blue Jays - give this team credit, they have spent some money in the off-season and are trying to win – unlike other teams....if they want to get back to their winning ways, they should start by going back to the old Blue Jay uniforms from their glory days....
4. Orioles - this team is just stuck in slow motion....they dropped a ton of money on the steroid induced stats of Miguel Tejada....Nicky Markakis, a Greek, may be the next Gus Triandos....
5. Devil Rays - this team is just oozing with young talent – BJ Upton, Delmon Young, Carl Crawford, Seth McClung, etc.....if they improve this year, look for the new owner to spend some money during the offseason....

A.L. Central
1. White Sox - this team is loaded on offense and starting pitching.....but their Achilles heel is going to be at closer....I just have a feeling that Bobby Jenks is just another one season wonder such as Mark Wohlers and John Rocker.....the Sox will need to get another closer....look for Jim Thome to win Comeback Player of the Year....
2. Indians - don’t get your panties stuck in your rear Indian fans!!!....Cleveland will have a very good team, but they will not make the playoffs....think about it, they lost Millwood, Elarton, Crisp, and Howry.....Wickman is a year older as the closer and they never spent the money to get that big right handed bat they needed.....
3. Tigers - what the heck, let’s go out on the limb and take Detroit for third.....they have a good pitching staff with Bonderman, Maroth, and the new youngster Verlander....Granderson is going to be good in centerfield and Rodney will be solid as the closer....
4. Twins - this team is in transition....gone are the heart and soul of the teams from the early 2000s.....they are banking on Johan Santana and Joe Nathan....they need to hit on Francisco Liriano in order to move back up in the standings.....
5. Royals - the crown heads have a stud coming up in third baseman Alex Gordon.....

A.L. West
1. Athletics - Huston Street is sweet as the closer....and their rotation is once again formidable after losing former aces Hudson and Mulder....
2. Angels - the Angels will always be solid as long as Mike Scioscia is the manager....he is highly underrated....it also helps to have a healthy Vlad in your lineup too....
3. Rangers - the Rangers and Orioles are like twins.....both teams seem stuck in slow motion....I love Mark Teixeira....he wins the MVP this season....
4. Mariners - how many days until the Seahawks open training camp???...

Divisional Playoffs
Yankees over Angels
White Sox over Athletics

ALCS
White Sox over Yankees

National League predictions will follow in another blog