- That being said, here's what I predict:
- 1. FLA Marlins. They had a great first-half run last year, and they learned a lot from it. They'll win the division by one or fewer games, but the margin doesn't matter. A win is a win is a win, after all.
- 2. NY Mets. A much improved bullpen (starting with the back end) will take them far, but not far enough to win the division. 3. PHI Phillies. They'll play the spoiler this year, and do what they can to keep the Mets from finishing strong enough to get past the Marlins. 4. ATL Braves. Even though they are working towards freshening things up, they're still an old team and I don't think they'll get back to the playoffs until the turnover is complete. 5. WSH Nationals. Do I really need to explain? Washington fans don't watch for the glory, they watch for the love of the game. At least, that's all I can figure.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Predictions 2009: NL East
So now we move on to the Senior Circuit. The original. The mack-daddy. (Yeah, sorry about that.)
(Note: These predictions are based on absolutely nothing substantial or scientific. At best, they represent how I hope the races will turn out. At worst, they are my attempt at shaking things up. If you want more accurate guesstimates, visit some of the other UCB soothsayers.)
And we start things off with the NL East. (Another opportunity for me to alienate fans of other teams.) Before I get officially started, though, I must remind you of a few self-evident truths about the NL East.
1) The Nats are not the best team in baseball. I could elaborate, but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
2) The Phillies are the reigning World Champions. Whatever curses this might carry remains to be seen, but if it's merely a matter of talent, the Phils are destined to have another great year.
Those two things, while true for the past, hold little to no bearing over the future. We all know that anything can happen, and often does, and that's what keeps us coming back day after day, year after year.
