2006 MLB Season Discussion (1 Viewer)

With the season starting today and getting in full swing on Monday, its time to put the offseason to bed.

A lot of things have happened in the offseason from investigations to free agent defections and trades. How will it all play out? We'll find out over the next few months.

Predictions:
American League:
East: Boston, New York, Toronto, Baltimore, Tampa Bay
Central: Chicago, Minnesota, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City
West: Oakland, Anaheim (not calling them that other thing) Texas, Seattle
Wild Card: Anaheim

National League:
East: Atlanta, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Florida
Central: St. Louis, Houston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
West: San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Arizona, Colorado (least sure about this division)
Wild Card: Houston

The Braves better not need to use 18 rookies again this season like they did last season. Pujols or Bonds will be MVP in the NL because the people that vote for that award don't seem to understand that they *can* vote for others...sorry still can't believe Andruw wasn't MVP last season.

Play Ball~!

My predictions:

AL East: NYY
Central: Chicago
West: Oakland
Wild Card: Anaheim

NL East: Atlanta(until someone proves them incapable)
Central: Houston
West: LA
Wild Card: St Louis

AL MVP: Sheffield
NL MPV: Pujols

Play Ball!!

AL East: Yankees
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: A's
AL Wild Card: Indians

NL East: Braves
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Phillies

World Series: Cardinals over A's

Since everbody is posting their picks now in this thread...I thought I'd port mine over from the Off-Season thread:

As the season gets ready to begin, my predictions for the 2006 season:

AL

East-Boston
Central-Chicago
West-Oakland
Wildcard-LA Angels

NL

East-Atlanta
Central-St. Louis
West-San Diego
Wildcard-NY Mets

Not much controversial here...except maybe for leaving the Yankees out of the post-season. That'll all depend upon their pitching.

I'm also curious to see what happens in Atlanta without Leo Mazzone there. And, if the Mets can actually pull something together with all that talent they have.

PLAY BALL!

I haven't really followed baseball for years. Sure I would watch a Tiger game now and then, but they have been so bad it was really not interesting. I said to myself that this year I am going to try and get back into it a bit and enjoy the home team. It looks like they will be fielding a competitive team this year so it should be enjoyable. I look forward to it and hopefully at least a winning season.

I'm hearing that Theo Epstein has been in a closed-door meeting with Roger Clemens and his agents today, while he's with the team in Texas.

I was already feeling pretty good about the team, but adding Clemens, for a potential rotation of Schilling/Beckett/Clemens/Clement/Wakefield, with Papelbon in the pen and Wells in the who knows area? That would be an old rotation, but still a fearsome one.

And nobody's worn #21 in the ten years since Clemens left. This could be a great final chapter for him and the team.

I just don't see it. I'd love to see it, but I can't see the Sox being able to give him what the Astros can by allowing him so much off-time with the proximity to his family. Plus, his kid's in the Astros organization.

Frankly, I don't know why he even opened up the possiblity of going to Boston or New York (and I think he mentioned a fourth team besides Houston).

I thought that forth team was Texas? My memory is kind of hazy on that but it seems like that was it.

I don't see him going back to Boston either although it really would be the perfect ending if he did, but I guess stranger things have happened.

Yeah, it was Texas. He's in Arlington because Tom Hicks invited him to opening day, likely hoping to woo him, but Theo is an opportunistic shark.

Nice top of the first inning for the Braves, not so nice for the Dodgers, the boo-birds were out in full force.

The Braves win 11-10 today in Los Angeles. They had leads of 8-1 and 11-5 but the Dodgers kept plugging away. Furcal is still awesome, and Andruw Jones got his first homerun of the season today.

And so did David Ortiz. Schilling had a nice outing, too.

All is well.

...except for Nomar. Too bad. Not a good way to start the season.

Too bad for Nomar but thank God he is not on the Cubs this year. The last thing they need is another player who spends a lot of time on the DL.

Good to see the Cubs score so many runs and not reply on the HR to do it.

Pujols hit a pair of homers so it appears that my thoughts that the Cardinal offense would be less than last year are yet unwarranted. Good for the fantasy team though
Likely to drive the price up. I say it's Houston or he retires. Frankly I think it's kind of petty to pretty much watch how Houston does before he makes up his mind.

Well...he CAN'T sign with anyone until May 1st IIRC.

I figured he took that route so that wherever he signed (if he signed at all) his 42+ year old legs would be that much fresher for September & October.

Oh, crap, he didn't get hurt again, did he? I love the guy, but geeeez...

Of course, this is entirely predictable and a good reason not to release Hee Seop Choi.

Hee Seop Choi...Hee Seop Choi...Hee Seop Choi...
Dammit, why did you swing at that pitch?!!

Hee Seop Choi...Hee Seop Choi...Hee Seop Choi...
Dammit, why did you swing at that pitch?!!

I'm still getting the hang of this...

I'm pretty sure he can sign with every team except Houston. Can't sign with them until May, 1.

You are correct.

They are both on the DL so. The Dodgers will likely call up their prospect James Loney if they think it's serious enough. I know Saenz can play 1b and has been a good bench player for them.

I'm more worried about their pitching staff to be frank. Signing Derek Lowe is looking like a huge mistake. Brad Penny is eratic and Brett Tomko is the only guy I saw that had a good spring for them :b

Hopefully they will use Cesar Isturis as trade bait to land a pitcher. Isturis looks back to prime shape and is rehabbing so he'll be ready to go. They didn't think he'd be ready until the all star break but he has came back with a fury and now the Dodgers are in a pickle because Kent doesn't want to play 1b and Furcal is a SS. The positive is that Isturis has a low salary so we might land some good pitching out of the deal.