The Shank: MLB Predictions 2010

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting so let me say a little about myself. My name is Hayden Schenker and I am a Junior at Council Rock North. Unfortunately, I am a Mets fan in Phillies territory. I'm just throwing it out there, and I might be a horrible fan, but I have already given up on this year. Yes, you heard me. It is over. That doesn't mean I will not watch, I will still root and cheer for my un-lovable Mets, but I already know they will not win. Therefore, I thought I would have some fun with my picks. Let's be honest, I am not going to get these right, and neither is Sports Illustrated or ESPN or anyone else who predicts, so why not just wing it? Some of my picks will be long shots, but stay with me, and do not call me crazy until the season is over.

NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies 1

2. Florida Marlins

3. Atlanta Braves

4. New York Mets

5. Washington Nationals

How can you pick against the Phillies to win this division? You can't. Unless (A) the back end of their rotation actually explodes (B) Roy Halladay tears his ACL (C) Ryan Howard gets deported or (D) Brad Lidge pegs the ump on every single pitch, then they will be NL East champs for another year. This is an overrated division. I was tempted by the hot-pick Braves, but the Fish just always seem to be right there, and I love Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco to be studs in the rotation. The Marlins could contend with for the Wild Card, but their hitting is thin after Hanley, Uggla, and Coughlan and will not pull through in the end. At the end of the season, though, the Mets and Nats will be in the cellar unless the arm of Johan is cloned onto Pelf, Maine, and Oli or Mike Piazza has a resurrection.

NL Central

1. St. Louis Cardinals 3

2. Milwaukee Brewers

3. Chicago Cubs

4. Cincinnati Reds

5. Pittsburgh Pirates

6. Houston Astros

Very similar to the Phillies, if the core of Pujols, Carpenter, Holliday, and Wainwright stay intact, the St. Louis Cardinals can be great. I see them winning the division handily. The Brewers could give them a run for their money, though. Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun are the best 3-4 tandem in the league, but the rest of their lineup will not be able to stand the test of a 162 game season. Also, I do not know what to make of the Cubs. 3rd place seems to be their home. Theey are a good, not great team. Astros stink. Enough said. The Reds and more slowly the Pirates are on the rise. Watch out for Reds 1B Joey Votto.

NL West

1. Colorado Rockies 2

2. San Fransisco Giants 4

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

5. Adrian Gonzalez

I love this division. It is the hardest, by far, from top to - ahem - 4th place in the National League. The Rockies, Giants, Dodgers, or Diamondbacks could win this one, but I think the Rockies have all of the pieces to win a World Series. If Ian Stewart and Carlos Gonzalez break out as expected, this is quite the contender. I like the pitching LOADED Giants to have a terrific season as they leap-frog over the pitching-weak Divorce Dodgers. The ghost of Brandon Webb dooms the D-backs and Adrian Gonzalez stands alone in the basement - until July 31.

AL East

1. New York Yankees 1

2. Tampa Bay Rays 4

3. Boston Red Sox

4. Baltimore Orioles

5. Toronto Blue Jays

This division gave me nightmares. Yankees-Sox-Rays, Rays-Yankees-Sox, Sox-Yankees-Rays. All I know is that the Yanks have outstanding pitching and outstanding hitting, the Rays have impeccable hitting and fantastic pitching, and the Sox have phenomenal pitching and good hitting. I know, you could calculate in the defense, but it is what it is. The forever young Rays are another hot pick, but one that I absolutely love. I am enamored with the Baltimore Orioles. Their offense, that is. Their pitching will not be decent for a couple more years, but they will get there sometime in the next 2-3 years. Sorry Blue Jays, the Doc can no longer save you.

AL Central

1. Chicago White Sox 3

2. Minnesota Twins

3. Detroit Tigers

4. Cleveland Indians

5. Zack Grienke

Deja Vu. Another 3 team race at the top of another AL division. But I do not like this division, and I never have. They always have good teams, but not great teams. I like the division more than usual, but I still feel as though the Red Sox would walk to a pennant in the AL Central. I would have chosen the Twins to win, but a Joe Nathan injury, an imminent Jake Peavy and Carlos Quentin rebirth, and a Gavin Floyd article changed my mind. The Tigers have a shot, but I just have that "feeling" about the Tigers and 3rd place. The Indians will be improved with comebacks from Grady Sizemore and the long-lost Fausto Carmona, but Zack Grienke is in the same boat as Gonzo and cannot rise above last place due to the lack of capable teammate not named Billy Butler.

AL West

1. Seattle Mariners 2

2. Los Angeles Angels

3. Texas Rangers

4. Oakland Athletics

All of these teams have their problems: The Mariners lack significant hitting and had a horrible spring, the Angels lost out on everyone possible in the offseason, the Rangers have average pitching and are incredibly fragile, and the Athletics have average pitching and even worse hitting. I adore Felix and Cliff for the SeaMen (get it?), so they are slotted first. The Angels could certainly win the division and they are always in the hunt, so they are slotted second. The Rangers are powerful, but have way too many question marks, so they are in third. The Athletics don't even get a description. They will not make the playoffs.

PLAYOFFS

AL

Rays vs. Yankees ---> Rays

White Sox vs. Mariners ---> White Sox

Rays vs. White Sox ---> Rays

NL

Phillies vs. Giants ---> Giants

Cardinals vs. Rockies ---> Cardinals

Giants vs. Cardinals ---> Cardinals

WORLD SERIES

Tampa Bay Rays vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Champion: TAMPA BAY RAYS

Let Matt Shalita tell you that I predicted the Rays would win the divison in 2008 during spring training, and this year I predict a championship from this burgeoning team!

Agree? Disagree? Get at me.

theshankonsports@yahoo.com