Last month I entertained you with my predictions for which National League baseball teams would win their divisions in 2010. With spring training just about to wind down I still stand by all my picks.
There are two things I’ve learned from eight years of semi-following pre-season baseball: Phoenix Ariz. is one of the best places in the world and spring training results are no sure indicator of how a team will fare in the regular season.
In my mind there are three Central teams that are equally good: the Tigers Twins and White Sox. Last season Minnesota overcame a seven-game deficit Sept. 6 to eventually steal the division away from Detroit. Meanwhile neither team did much to improve itself in the offseason while the White Sox who were the American League’s biggest underachievers in 2009 made some small but key acquisitions during the winter that put them on the same level as the Tigers and Twins.
If we went by experience the White Sox would be the clear favorites. Their roster features a strong veteran core with players like Paul Konerko Mark Buehrle and A.J. “Baseball’s Biggest Tool” Pierzynski who have been in the heat of a playoff race many many times. With that said I can’t help but pick the Twins to win the AL Central. Not only do they have the advantage of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in their lineup but they will also be playing in their brand-new open-air ballpark at the heart of Minneapolis (which would be a lot cooler were it not called Target Field). As for the Tigers I see them wasting their potential and becoming the AL’s version of the Mets.
The AL East will go to the Yankees again. They were the best team in baseball last year yet they found a way to get even better in the offseason. They bolstered their rotation by trading for Javier Vasquez one of game’s most underrated starting pitchers.
If you’re a Rays or Blue Jays fan there’s always next year. If you’re an Orioles fan there’s always next decade. Even if you’re a delusional Red Sox fan you know deep down that your team’s best shot at the postseason is the Wild Card. And this is coming from someone who hates the Yankees as much as he hates term papers influenza and cats.
There’s one division left and it’s the most difficult to call. All four AL West teams (yes even the A’s) have a decent shot this year.
The Angels who have dominated the AL West for past five or so seasons were gigantic offseason losers. They let go of John Lackey their best starting pitcher Chone Figgins their most valuable hitter and Vladimir Guerrero arguably the face of their franchise. All they got in return was Hideki Matsui Joel Pineiro and a couple relievers. The Mariners on the other hand were undoubtedly MLB’s biggest offseason winners taking Figgins from the Angels and getting Cliff Lee from the Phillies for a minor leaguer and an expired bag of Big League Chew.
On paper the Mariners should have this one in the bag. Right? Wrong. Last season Seattle scored an AL-worst 640 runs. Transforming that offense is going to take more than just Figgins. Cliff Lee was a great pick-up but the M’s already had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball last year. Hitting was their most glaring weakness and they didn’t do much to address that need.
I know I’m going to take a lot of flak for this but I’m picking the Angels to continue their reign at the top of the AL West in 2010. Actually I see the Rangers— and not the Mariners— as the Halos’ biggest obstacle on their way to the playoffs. If I’m wrong and Seattle ends up winning the West in early October I will write a column about how the Mariners are the best franchise in the history of professional sports.
With baseball season just around the corner I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the late Rogers Hornsby:
“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
Good news baseball fans. That wait is almost over.