2009 Major League Baseball Preview

The crack of the bat and the pop of the glove is music to my ears, as America's national pastime is back. With no further ado, here are my team-by-team predictions for each division, in predicted order of finish, with an asterisk denoting my Wild Card pick:



NL WEST



1. San Francisco Giants/ Manager: Bruce Bochy



I'm not going to pretend to be impartial with this one. I am a diehard Giants fan who lives and dies with every pitch, so there is significant bias in this prediction. However, I honestly believe that the Giants will win the West. With a stellar starting pitching staff featuring the likes of reigning Cy Young champ Tim Lincecum, rising young stars Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez, newly acquired Randy Johnson, and a steadily improving Barry Zito, paired with an excellent bullpen featuring key offseason acquisitions Bob Howry and Jeremy Affeldt and All-Star closer Brian Wilson, pitching is not going to be a problem for San Francisco. The key to the season will be the offense, which has experienced some bumpy seasons the last couple of years. But under the tutelage of hitting coach Carney Lansford, the offensive potential of guys like Pablo Sandoval, Fred Lewis, Emmanuel Burriss, and Travis Ishikawa will be fully realized. Go Giants!



2. Los Angeles Dodgers/ Manager: Joe Torre



Once again, the experts are drinking the Dodger Kool-Aid. Yes, they have a spectacular offensive force in Manny Ramirez, and other productive bats in the likes of Andre Ethier and Russell Martin, but their pitching is downright atrocious. Hiroki Kuroda, Randy Wolf, Jason Schmidt? Really? This is the pitching staff that will carry the hated blue to the playoffs? I don't think so. Beat LA!



3. Arizona Diamondbacks/ Manager: Bob Melvin



Following a gigantic September collapse a season ago, the 2009 D'Backs will be more consistent. Bob Melvin's team has a lot of young talent, and the production of Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew, and Justin Upton will keep Arizona in contention for most of the summer. But the D'Backs will eventually run out of gas, looking ahead to 2010.



4. Colorado Rockies/ Manager: Clint Hurdle



It's remarkable that the Rockies were National League champions a mere two seasons ago, because after a dismal 2008, the euphoria of 2007 is now a distant memory. Unfortunately for Colorado, things will only grow gloomier this year. Losing Matt Holliday to Oakland leaves a major hole in the Rockies offense, and the young pitching will have to wait a season or two before it becomes effective. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will rebound from his sophomore slump, but the Rockies will continue to live in relative obscurity.



5. San Diego Padres/ Manager: Bud Black



Take one look at the Padres starting lineup and it is obvious that this is a last place team. The bottom three in the batting order consists of Chase Headley, Nick Hundley, and Luis Rodriguez. Enough said. Jake Peavy will be the lone bright spot for the 2009 Padres.



NL CENTRAL



1. Chicago Cubs/ Manager: Lou Piniella



The Cubbies' chances of ending their one-hundred year title drought are doubtful, but their chances of winning the division crown are strong. Their already solid offense got a boost with the offseason acquisition of Milton Bradley, and their starting pitching, led by Carlos Zambrano, is among the best in baseball. The biggest question is the bullpen. If Carlos Marmol, Kevin Gregg, and Aaron Heilman can shut the door in the late innings, the Cubs will be playing in October.



2. Milwaukee Brewers/ Manager: Ken Macha



Obviously, the loss of CC Sabathia will have a lasting impact on the pitching, but all is not lost. Milwaukee has a rising star in the pitching staff in Yovani Gollardo, and the pick-up of future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman gives the Brew Crew added clout at the closer position. And let's not forget the superb hitting, led by Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy, and Ryan Braun. They won't make the postseason, but baseball will still be exciting in Milwaukee.



3. St. Louis Cardinals/ Manager: Tony LaRussa



If Chris Carpenter can stay healthy, and if the seemingly mediocre bullpen can be effective, then maybe the Cards can sneak up on the Cubs and Brewers. But those are big ifs Albert Pujols will again put up monster numbers, as will Rick Ankiel, but this will be one of the most trying seasons of Tony LaRussa's career.



4. Cincinnati Reds/ Manager: Dusty Baker



As a Giants fan, I will always admire Dusty Baker, but this Reds team is two or three years away from contention. In three years, Joey Votto could be an All-Star first baseman, and Edinson Volquez could be one of the three best pitchers in baseball. In 2009, however, the Reds will establish a permanent residence near the bottom of the division.



5. Pittsburgh Pirates/ Manager: John Russell



There is not much to like about this baseball team. The only thing Pirates fans can hope for is that the corner infield combo of the brothers LaRoche, Andy and Adam, can provide some spark. The Bucs have talent in the likes of Nate McLouth and Ryan Doumit, but their pitching is beyond awful. Pittsburgh is in the beginning stages of the rebuilding project.



6. Houston Astros/ Manager: Cecil Cooper



On paper, the lineup for the Astros isn't entirely bad. Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, and newly acquired Pudge Rodriguez will provide some much-needed pop, and Roy Oswalt is always good for at least 15 wins. But there is something about this organization that just feels outdated. Throw this lineup into the fray three years ago and you would have a contender. But in a time when young stars are appearing left and right, this Astros team feels a little past their prime.



NL EAST



1. New York Mets/ Manager: Jerry Manuel



If the Mets don't win the division this year, they may never win it. Yes, they have to compete against a very formidable Phillies team looking to repeat as champs, but New York drastically improved their bullpen, and that will be the difference. Few teams can match the one-two punch of J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez. Not many teams can mount a comeback in the late innings against Putz and K-Rod, and Jose Reyes, David Wright, Johan Santana and company will break in their new stadium with a division championship.



2. *Philadelphia Phillies/ Manager: Charlie Manuel

All eyes are on the defending champs, and the Phillies enter the 2009 season facing the burden of high expectations. The good news for Philly fans is that this team is just as good as last year's World Series-winning team, maybe even better. The addition of Raul Ibanez gives the lineup another big bat to assist Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard. The pitching is again stellar, but the Phillies' better hope that Cole Hamels is not affected by his recent injury.

3. Florida Marlins/ Manager: Fredi Gonzalez

Will the fans in South Beach ever show support for this tremendously talented team? Yes, the Marlins will finish in the shadow of New York and Philadelphia, but they are still a very good team that will be a World Series contender in the near future. The exciting play of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla, as well as the great pitching from Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson, will make the Marlins competitive in 2009. It's a shame that nobody in Florida seems to care.

4. Atlanta Braves/ Manager: Bobby Cox

The steady leadership of Bobby Cox will avert a disastrous season, and Derek Lowe will win 15 games, but Atlanta is well removed from their time at the top of the division. Chipper Jones and Brian McCann are solid forces at the plate, but Jeff Francoeur and Garret Anderson are frustratingly inconsistent. It's going to take some time before the Braves make their way back to the top of the NL East.

5. Washington Nationals/ Manager: Manny Acta

D.C. needs another bailout, and this one is for the Nats. The Nats are a rare organization. Most expansion teams get off to a rough start and improve each season, but the only halfway decent season the Nats have had was their inaugural season in 2005. Since then, they have gotten progressively worse. It would be good for baseball if the nation's capital had a good team, but there will be a point during the 2009 baseball season where President Obama, after a day of dealing with the severity of the economic crisis, says "Well, at least I'm not managing the Nationals!"

AL WEST

1. Los Angeles Angels/Manager: Mike Scoiscia

The Angels improved during the offseason, and that should scare the crap out of the rest of the American League West. Bobby Abreu is a significant upgrade in left field, replacing the talented yet aging Garret Anderson. The 1-2 punch of John Lackey and Ervin Santana leads a phenomenal starting pitching staff, and closer Brian Fuentes will pick up where Francisco Rodriguez left off. Much like last year, the Angels will have this division locked up by mid-August.

2. Oakland Athletics/ Manager: Bob Geren

The 2-3-4 part of the batting order, with offseason acquisitions Orlando Cabrera, Jason Giambi, and Matt Holliday, is as good as the Angels 2-3-4 of Howie Kendric, Bobby Abreu, and Vladimir Guerrero. But the A's cannot match the Angels when it comes to pitching. The loss of Huston Street in the bullpen eill hurt Bob Geren's team, and after Justin Duchscherer, there isn't much to like in the starting rotation.

3. Texas Rangers/ Manager: Ron Washington

Pitching? Not so much. This team is all about the bat, with Josh Hamilton looking to top his amazing 2008 season. If injuries hamper the Angels and A's, then Texas could sneak up on people, but they will most likely be a consistently mediocre team.

4. Seattle Mariners/ Manager: Don Wakamatsu

Griffey's return to the Emerald City will keep things fairly interesting at Safeco, distracting the fans from the unfortunate reality: The Mariners are a terrible team. Ace Felix Hernandez is the star of the otherwise average pitching staff, and Ichiro is one of the few positive things about the offense. It will be another rough year for Seattle.

AL CENTRAL

1. Cleveland Indians/ Manager: Eric Wedge

It all comes down to Fausto Carmona. If Carmona can realize the flashes of brilliance that he once showed and rebound after a disappointing 2008, then I like the Indians to hold off the Twins in the AL Central. Cliff Lee is among the best starting pitchers in baseball, and Kerry Wood is at the top of an impressive bullpen. The offense is somewhat of a question mark, but there is enough talent to score a sufficient amount of runs, especially if Grady Sizemore continues his 2008 power surge and if Travis Hafner returns to his old self.

2. Minnesota Twins/ Ron Gardenhire

If the Indians do not meet expectations, then the Twins will return to the postseason. Denard Span, Joe Mauer, and Justin Morneau will all continue to shine, and Joe Crede is a key pick-up at third base. The pitching is sound, and the Twins pose the biggest threat to the Indians in the Central.

3. Chicago White Sox/ Manager: Ozzie Guillen

The Sox are an unknown commodity. Paul Konerko and Jim Thome can be powerful sluggers, but they can also show their age. Chris Getz and Josh Fields could follow the path of teammate Alexei Ramirez and be delightful surprises, or they could show their youth and inexperience. Bartolo Colon can be the ace of the past, or the injury-plagued pitcher of the last couple of years. If I were a White Sox fan, I would be a little worried. Then again, Ozzie Guillen always makes things interesting, for better or for worse.

4. Kansas City Royals/ Manager: Trey Hillman

The Royals are a perennial laughingstock, but they will be much-improved in 2009. K.C. will still finish well out of playoff contention, but for the first time in years they will provide the faithful with a sense of hope for the future. The acquisition of Coco Crisp gives the Royals speed and athleticism at the center field position, while third baseman Alex Gordon is a star on the rise. The starting rotation, led by Zack Greinke and Gil Meche, won't blow any teams away, but it will be good enough to keep K.C. competitive. The problem is the bullpen, where the incredibly overrated Kyle Farnsworth is bound to cough up some leads.

5. Detroit Tigers/ Manager: Jim Leyland

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Three years ago, it was all smiles in Detroit, as Jim Leyland came in and injected a much needed shot of adrenaline into the struggling franchise. Thanks to Leyland's enthusiasm and leadership, the Tigers won the American League pennant. Three years later, the Tigers have sunk to the bottom of the barrel. The young arms of Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, and Justin Verlander are a mystery, as are the arms of Brandon Lyon, Fernando Rodney, and Joel Zumaya. And while the top of the batting order has some pop, I am beginning to doubt Miguel Cabrera. He is a home run threat every time he steps to the plate, but I can't help but worry about his recent weight struggles, which could lead to a decline in production somewhere down the line.

AL EAST

1. Tampa Bay Rays/ Manager: Joe Maddon

This will be the tightest division in baseball in 2009, with the Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox all winning over 90 games. Conventional wisdom suggests a return to reality for the Rays after a dream 2008 season, but I think the winning will continue in Tampa. This is essentially the same team that went to the World Series last year, with the addition of Pat Burrell, who ironically comes from the Phillies, the team that beat the Rays in last year's Series. Burrell will be a respectable DH, and the outstanding pitching will once again lead Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, and company to a division title. My only complaint: Sending David Price to the minors. Price deserves an immediate spot on the Rays' roster.

2.*New York Yankees/ Manager: Joe Girardi

One cannot deny the incredible, albeit financially irresponsible, offseason the Yankees had. CC Sabathia is an elite pitcher, and Mark Teixeira has a chance to put up 50 home runs in his first season in the Yankee pinstripes. It's hard to imagine the Bronx Bombers, under the leadership of captain Derek Jeter and manager Joe Girardi, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season. October baseball will be played in the new Yankee Stadium. The only factor that could derail the Yankees' chances is if Alex Rodriguez fails to make a speedy recovery in the wake of his hip injury, leaving the Yankees with Cody Ransom at third base for a long period of time.

3. Boston Red Sox/ Manager: Terry Francona

I have the Sox finishing third, but that just speaks to the excellence of this division. I would not be surprised if the Red Sox make another trip to the postseason. They certainly have the pitching to do so. When John Smoltz joins the rotation alongside Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Daisuke Matsuzaka in June, opposing offenses will have their work cut out for them. The bats for the Red Sox are also terrific, but Terry Franbcona needs Big Papi to put up Papi-like numbers, and Jason Varitek to have a better year at the plate, if the Red Sox are to outlast the Rays and Yankees in the AL East.

4. Baltimore Orioles/ Manager: Dave Trembley

Brain Roberts and Nick Markakis are going to have to carry this team on their shoulders if the Orioles are to stay competitive with the big 3 in the East. The new-look pitching staff, with four newly aquired starters, is going to have to be lights-out if the O's are to be competitive. In other words, everything has to go right if Baltimore is to have a chance. Realistically speaking, the Orioles don't have much of a shot. They have some legitimate offensive weapons in Roberts, Markakis, and Aubrey Huff, but the Orioles are going to suffer through another entirely forgettable season.

5. Toronto Blue Jays/ Manager: Cito Gaston

Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, and.......................not much else. General Manager J.P. Ricciardi will be an awfully busy man in the offseason, because by the end of the 2008 season, the Blue Jays will be light years away from the Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, and even the Orioles.