As most teams are slowly making their way home or to exhibition games and such, I would like to recap some of the happenings of spring training as well as my picks for the teams to beat this season. I wasn't able to check out as many spring training games this year as I would have liked to, but I did make it down to AZ last weekend to see the Angels/Dodgers and Brewers/Rockies. A lot of teams are looking good this year which is going to make a very exciting year for baseball. Let's start with the national league first....
In the AL East I think the Mets are the team to beat. Acquiring Santana should prove monumental for their already sufficient pitching staff including Pedro, and Maine. Not to mention their abundance of young sluggers.....Watch out for the Braves though. They may have lost Andreu Jones, but they picked up Tom Glavine, who they needed badly because their pitching staff seems to repetitively be their weakness. On a odd side note, Teixeira had a less then stellar spring training which, oddly enough, in the past has sling shot him into a spectacular regular season.........
The two teams that will most likely be fighting for the NL Central are the Cubs and the Brewers. Being a chick might make me nostalgic for the Cubs as they are trying to break the old "curse of the billy goat". It would truly be a magical thing for them to win a world series on the 100th anniversary of their last championship, although they have lost a few of their key players since last season. Cliff Floyd and Mark Prior are probably their biggest losses, but in return they have picked up Jon Lieber who was a surprise asset to the Yankees in 2004. You still have veterans Derek Lee and Alfonso Soriano to depend on so you never know. As for the Brewers, they have the most outstanding mix of inspiring young talent and older veterans. It'll be their toughest feat to see if they can find the right recipe to make this team work. If so, they will be a force to be reckoned with throughout the entire league.
NL West. OK so I might be a little partial to the Dodgers because I live in LA., but they are my pick. Their pitching staff has had a great pre-season, especially Penny and Proctor. Picking up Andreu Jones doesn't hurt either. Unfortunately, Nomar Garciaparra is out for awhile with a broken wrist so that isn't going to help their offense, but also opens the door for rising star Blake Dewitt. Although I could be wrong, as the Diamondbacks have an amazing amount of young talent - so much in fact that they chose to put 23 year old Alex Romero on their official roster instead of Trot Nixon.
Then there's the American league........OK, once again I could be playing favorites, but I have to go with the Yanks in the AL east. Every year they have an amazing offense but the pitching fails them. Finally they have pitching to believe in with rookies Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain. Not to mention the faithful Pettitte and Moose. Mussina started out spring training with some problems but ended looking like the pro he is, so if there are no injuries this year, then the Yanks will be the team to beat. This is the hardest division in my opinion and obviously every year it is a contest between NY and Boston, which is kind of disappointing for the Jays who has some amazing power and in any other division would be giving every team a run for their money. It would be nice to see them with the wild card this year, I guess we will see......
Now for the AL Central. I don't really have a doubt in my mind that this is the year for the Tigers. Picking up Miguel Cabrera is just going to add to a team that has so much offensive power as it is. As long as their decent pitching staff can stay healthy, they are the team to beat this year. Don't forget about the Indians though. They beat out the Yankees last year to make it to the ALCS and their young spirit could take them far again this year.
In the AL West it's got to be the Angels. As long as their pitching staff can hold up, their power behind the bat is going to keep them on top. They have the easiest AL division and the only team that could even challenge them are the A's, who had a great spring training.
Well, there you have it. Now let the games begin and let's play some ball!!!
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