TDA Bullpen - Our Writers' Blog

Thursday, April 01, 2004

I wanted to wait until April 1 before posting my predictions for the upcoming season, so that I can disavow all pretense of seriousness in my picks, should the need arise.

In the NL, probably the easiest pick is in the East. I'll go with the Phillies, but with a note that the Marlins will be a surprisingly dogged runnerup.

For the Central, I'll stick with the Cubs, but if the Mark Prior Achilles' tendon thing lingers, the Astros look good.

I'd not be too surprised if any team besides the Rockies won the West, but I'll pick the Giants nipping the D-backs in a close race.

Either the Astros or Cubs for the wild card, and since I went with the Cubs in their division, the pick is the Astros.

For the AL East, I'll go with the Red Sox, though to some extent the same thought processes are in play that make it a virtual physiological impossibility for me to pick Duke to win its Regional every year in my NCAA picks. Yankees grab the Wild Card

The Central will go to the Twins, the best of a fairly weak bunch.

The West will go to the Angels. $$$-ball beats Moneyball this time around.

Let's say it, the Cubs will meet the Red Sox in the Series. Make whatever arrangements you feel are necessary to get your earthly affairs in order.

I like Jim Thome to edge Albert Pujols and Barry Bonds for the NL MVP. The darkhorse for this award will be Derrek Lee. If he takes to the cozy power alleys of Wrigley, he could have a monster year in the middle of the Cubs' lineup. I look for Randy Johnson to re-assert himself as the NL Cy Young winner, given Mark Prior's opening stint on the DL.

I'll go with Vladimir Guerrero as the AL MVP, edging out A-Rod. The super-sleeper for this award is Torii Hunter. If he can put together a season like .285/30/125 and lead the Twins to their third straight AL Central crown, he'll get a lot of consideration, and I think the Twins have just enough in the lineup around him for him to accomplish this. Tim Hudson is due for a Cy Young, I think, so I'll go with him for the AL award.

posted by Tom Renbarger 6:53 PM