By From the Archives

Published: March 26, 2008

It’s time to rub the pine-tar rag over the keyboard, toe the pitching rubber under the desk and tighten the ol’ typing gloves. Rub on some eye black, pull up your stirrup socks and stuff a whole pack of Big League Chew into your mouth – it’s time once again for baseball.

Big deal, you say. It’s March, it’s too cold to think about baseball; the Final Four hasn’t been decided yet. Besides, we’re all disillusioned with the game after a winter spent listening to talk about doping, HGH and the Mitchell Report – and we’re not talking about the scouting sheet on former National League MVP Kevin Mitchell.

Yes, baseball is starting this season under a shroud of controversy thanks to 88 players being linked to performance-enhancing drugs in George Mitchell’s report. A few have admitted wrongdoing, but no other action has been taken as of yet, leaving many fans jaded. These days it’s hard to decide whether Commissioner Bud Selig appears more powerless or clueless to clean up the game after clearly turning a blind eye to its problems for at least a decade.

The thing is, while the ugliness of the offseason is disturbing, most baseball fans have just wanted to get on with playing the games and quit worrying about all the mess. The fact is, we have no way of knowing who’s still doping and who’s not, so we might as well enjoy the season while we wait for the other shoe to drop.

With that in mind, some of us at the BHC have decided to post our picks and predictions on the 2008 season. We will be competing for the coveted $10 foam replica of the Million Dollar Belt, as worn by former WWF legend Ted DiBiase. The man who gets the most of his picks right at the end of the year will be crowned champion until next Opening Day.

So, then, let’s get on with it:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Boston returns nearly everyone from last year’s World Series winner which looked like the best team in baseball all year. Boston rode a nice mix of veterans and youngsters to the title last year and has the talent, experience and confidence to repeat, but injuries or ineffectiveness in the starting rotation could just as easily put the champs in second or third.
The Yankees appear to be taking a cue from the BoSox by relying on an influx of youth to go with their star-studded lineup. Alex Rodriguez is back with a brand-new $275 million contract and will probably put up another MVP-caliber year. If guys like Pettitte, Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui and Mariano Rivera can continue to produce, there’s no reason not to expect New York to make the playoffs for the 14th straight season.
Maybe the best overall rotation in the AL East belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays, who quietly finished 83-79 last year despite failing to score a lot of runs. Toronto picked up Scott Rolen and David Eckstein from the Cardinals to help out Vernon Wells, who is coming off shoulder surgery. Star closer B.J. Ryan is recovering from an injured elbow. Still, if Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett provide leadership to the young rotation, Toronto could easily sneak up on the Big Two.
Tampa Bay has some juice in the order, with Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena. Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza and James Shields also give Tampa a decent top three in the rotation. This is not to say that the Rays will challenge for a playoff spot, but don’t be surprised if a team full of young guns with a chip on it shoulder gives Boston and New York fits when they play and flirt with .500.
As for Baltimore – eh, let’s just say that the phrase “the Orioles lose” will be uttered by announcer Gary Thorne more than once this year.
PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Blue Jays
4. Devil Rays
4. Orioles
WILD CARD: Yankees

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
While it looks to be a two-horse race, it’s very possible that non-division games will feel like Christmas presents to the teams in what easily appears to be the best division in baseball.
Cleveland made no major changes to a club that choked away a pennant after having the Red Sox down 3-1 in the American League Championship Series. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona comprise as good a 1-2 punch as there is, and the lineup is still solid. However, it could very well take MVP-caliber performances from Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez and Grady Sizemore to keep Cleveland on top.
The Tigers have seemingly no holes in a lineup that is downright scary. Already potent, Detroit traded for Edgar Renteria (.332 with the Braves last year) and Miguel Cabrera (.320, 24, 119 with Florida). Even better for the Tigers is their rotation, anchored by Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman. The problem with the Tigers, though, is the bullpen, which will be without the services of Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney for an extended period. Closer Todd Jones posted a 4.26 ERA, meaning the ninth inning will be an adventure.
Perhaps no team was as big a disappointment as the Chicago White Sox, who inexplicably lost 90 games two years after winning a World Series and still sporting a potent lineup. Orlando Cabrera and Nick Swisher have been added to a lineup with such bombers as Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko, though none are getting any younger.
Other than Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, the Twins will look very different this year, thanks to the departures of Johan Santana, Carlos Silva and Torii Hunter. In their places are Delmon Young, Livan Hernandez and Phil Humbler. The good news is young left-hander Francisco Liriano is back, but pitching to Detroit and Cleveland could very well make his arm start hurting again fast.
The Royals, lauded as MLB’s worst team in recent years despite not having the worst record in the majors in 2007, have a new manager in Trey Hillman, a roster full of eager young players, but still little power. They added perennial clubhouse cancer Jose Guillen to provide some punch, but when your leading hitter is Mark Grudzielanek, that spells trouble. Still, KC’s pitching staff could quietly be the most sound from top to bottom in the Central, which may give the Royals a leg up on Minnesota.
PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Tigers
2. Indians
3. White Sox
4. Royals
5. Twins

AMRICAN LEAGUE WEST
The L.A. Angels will no longer be able to take the division title for granted this year, despite upgrading their outfield. With Hunter added to a group including Vlad Guererro, Garrett Anderson and Gary Matthews, the Halos may have the best outfield in the game. The rotation’s health, namely that of Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey, will be the key to holding Seattle at bay.
The Mariners scored a blow for their hopes by acquiring Bedard from the Orioles, and Carlos Silva from Minnesota. Closer J.J. Putz is lights-out in the ninth, and if Seattle scores enough runs, a division title may be in the works.
The Rangers probably will score plenty of runs behind Hank Blalock, Michael Young, Milton Bradley and Marlon Byrd, but their still isn’t much in the rotation behind Kevin Millwood. With another offseason filled with roster moves, Texas might again have to out-hit the opposition to be competitive.
Oakland, which is tied for first place the Japanese Central league after Wednesday’s win over the Red Sox, is in the midst of a full-on rebuilding campaign. Gone is starter Dan Haren, sluggers Mark Kotsay, Swisher, Mike Piazza and Shannon Stewart. They still have Eric Chavez, for what that’s worth.
PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Mariners
2. Angels
3. Rangers
4. A’s

AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP: Alex Rodriguez – A-Rod is a happy man with after opting out of his $250 gazillion contract, acting surprised when no one else would pay him more, then getting more from the Yankees anyway. He’ll still annoy most non-Yankee fans, delight ESPN and hit 50 homers and drive in 140 runs.

AL CY YOUNG WINNER: Justin Verlander – Josh Beckett or Sabathia may put up better numbers, but Verlander should approach 20 wins on what may be the best team in the league, giving him the edge.

BOOM OF THE YEAR: Curtis Granderson, Tigers – Granderson could sleepwalk during half his at-bats this year and still score 100 runs. Being a .300 hitter with speed (23 triples last year) will mean he gets on base often, even if he does strike out a lot. With the lineup he has around him, though, his numbers could be MVP material.

BUST OF THE YEAR: The Angels – L.A.-Anaheim has been so good in a bad division for so long that it will come as a surprise when they fall out of the playoff race this year. Their pitching could become suspect, and age and injuries could suddenly make their star-studded outfield seem average.

AMERICAN LEGUE CHAMPION: Detroit – If the Tigers get anything from their pitching staff, they’ll be hard to beat. Boston and New York’s stars are aging, and their young players can’t compete with the Tigers’ new lineup, which could hit more than 250 homers.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Who’s the team to beat? Jimmy Rollins says it’s the Phillies, Carlos Beltran says it’s the Mets. In truth, they’re both right.
The Phils may have the better lineup with Rollins, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, but the Mets likely have the better rotation behind new ace Johan Santana. The Mets still have Carlos Delgado, David Wright and Jose Reyes, but Delgado and Moises Alou have seen better days. Other than Beltran, the Mets’ outfield could be its weak point. New York boasts Pedro Martinez and Oliver Perez behind Santana, and if they pitch well, the Mets could take over the division.
Cole Hamels is a star in the making for Philadelphia, and Brent Myers is back in the rotation. Rollins’ MVP season will be tough to top, but he might not have to if Howard continues to produce as he has the past three years. As the pitching goes, so go the Phils.
Does anyone remember the Atlanta Braves? What a tough fate it must have been to finish 84-78 and not even sniff the playoffs, but Atlanta, which has been in the hunt every year for almost two decades now, will be back at it again. The rotation is ancient – Smoltz, Hudson, Glavine, Hampton – but if each pitches like it’s 1999, Atlanta could upset the Phillies or Mets. Chipper Jones, Mark Teixeira, Jeff Francour and Brian McCann give the Braves as solid a middle of the lineup as there is.
The Cincinnati Reds East – Er, the Washington Nationals, lead the league in Boones (Bret, Aaron, Bob), and troubled castoffs (Lastings Milledge, Paul LoDuca, Odalis Perez), as well as former Reds (Austin Kearns, Felipe Lopez, Willie Mo Pena and the Boones). The won’t lead it in anything else.
Two things you can rest assured of regarding the Florida Marlins are – 1. You don’t know anyone on their team besides Hanley Ramirez, and 2. They will probably build a playoff team within five years on the strength of the trades they’ve made the past three to get everyone else’s prostpects for guys like Mike Lowell, Beckett, Willis and Cabrera. They also could finish above Washington by the time the season is over.
PREDICTED FINISH:
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Braves
4. Marlins
5. Nationals
WILD CARD: Phillies

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
On the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Cubs’ last World Series win, pitcher Ryan Dempster has declared that he believes the Cubs will win it all this year. First, though, they’ll have to get out of the Central. Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez give the Cubbies some punch, and they’re high on new outfielder Kosuke Fukodome (isn’t that where the Red Sox and A’s just played?). They still have Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill in the rotation, but they also still have Jason Marquis, and has swapped roles with starter-turned-closer Kerry Wood. Fortunately, they Cubs play in the Central.
Fresh off a second-place finish, the Brewers added Mike Cameron, Jason Kendal and Eric Gagne, and they still have MVP candidate Prince Fielder, rookie of the year Ryan Braun and J.J. Hardy. The rotation must keep in line behind Ben Sheets, and Gagne will have to be able to close games for Milwaukee to challenge the Cubs.
Without Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds or David Eckstein, the Cardinals will look like a very different team this year. They also may look very bad other than Albert Pujols. The rotation includes Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Anthony Reyes and Kyle Lohse, who rode a 9-12 year with the Reds and Phillies last year into a possible No. 2 spot. The return of oft-injured Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter may not be enough to lift St. Louis out of an unfamiliar spot at the bottom of the division – though the presence of the Pirates will.
The Cincinnati Reds spent big money on closer Francisco Cordero and added lefty Jeremy Affeldt to the bullpen, which was frighteningly bad last year. The question is, will the rotation keep them in games. Behind Cy Young candidate Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, the Reds will turn to Josh Fogg and youngster Edison Volquez and 22-year-old Johnny Cueto, both of whom are promising but unproven. We know the Reds can score with Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr., and Brandon Phillips may be on his way to becoming the top second baseman in the league, but Cincinnati will need to keep the opposition off the board to have a chance.
The Astros added Miguel Tejada and Kas Matsuia to a lineup that features Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman, but how will the team respond without the presence of Craig Biggio for the first time in 20 years? Roy Oswalt is an all-star starter, but Wandy Rodriquez, Brandon Backe and Woody Williams are less than inspiring behind him. Houston got closer Jose Valverde from Arizona, but it won’t matter if he never has a lead to work with.
Pittsburgh lost manager Jim Tracy, Jose Castillo, Shawn Chacon and Cesar Izturis and Tony Armas. What they didn’t lose was the ability to get beaten a lot.
PREDICTED FINISH
1.Cubs
2. Reds
3. Brewers
4. Astros
5. Cardinals
6. Pirates

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
With the Diamondbacks and Rockies both making the playoffs and the Padres coming close last year, you can’t call it the National League Worst anymore. You can call it pretty darn competitive, though.
Arizona now boasts maybe the most impressive top three in its rotation with Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Randy Johnson (if he’s healthy and not too old). The D-Backs also have a lineup of young stars-in-waiting like Chris Young, Orlando Hudson and Conor Jackson. The problem is, Arizona can’t hit its weight. That may not be a problem, so long as the pitching staff is equally stingy.
Colorado shocked everyone by surgin into the playoffs, then into the World Series, but their clash with Boston made them look like a Triple-A team. The Rockies hit a ton, but other than Jeff Francis and Aaron Cook, their pitching staff might be the weight that sinks them. Matt Holiday will have to duplicate his season and his stretch run to provide enough spark to overcome Arizona.
The only bigger mystery than how the Padres lost the Wild Card last year might be how they will win 89 games this year with a light-hitting lineup. Jim Edmonds will help, but how much he can do at his age will be the question. Expect San Diego to continue to rely on its sturdy rotation behind Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, Chris Young and Greg Maddux.
Joe Torre spurned a one-year deal from the Yankees to return to the NL, and his genius will be tested by a talented but inconsistent Dodger team with a strong rotation. Andruw Jones comes over from the Braves and will help with his bat and his glove, and L.A. could be talking about a championship if Torre can manipulate a mix of youth and experience.
The Giants are rebuilding without Barry Bonds, and the cupboard is pretty bare. There’s little power or speed, and though Ray Durham and Omar Vizquel provide leadership, they also provide lots of age. Barry Zito was a disappointment in his first year in Frisco, and a resurgence for him may be the only bright spot by the bay.
PREDICTED FINISH
1. Dodgers
2. Diamonbacks
3. Rockies
4. Giants

NATIONAL LEAGUE MVP: David Wright – If the Mets win the East – and only if the win it, Wright will get the nod over guys like Holiday, Howard and Rollins. If Howard gets his average up over .270 and blasts more than 50 homers, he might be the favorite, but Wright is the best all-around third baseman in the NL.

CY YOUNG WINNER: Brandon Webb – He might be the most under-appreciated pitcher in the game since he pitches in Arizona. His numbers are better than Dice-K and he gets just as many ground-ball outs as Wang for the Yankees, which is why everyone hates to face him. If there’s a 20-game winner in the NL this year, it will either be him or the Reds’ Harang.

BOOM OF THE YEAR: Brandon Phillips – Not only should Phillips have been an all-star, but he should have gotten a Silver Slugger award and a Gold Glove at second base. As a the official cleanup hitter behind Griffey, Phillips may not get enough steals to go 30/30 again, or he won’t get the pitches to hit 30 homers if Adam Dunn struggles, but he will continue to be the most consistent threat the Reds have. He’ll boom if he only duplicates his performance from last year – because this year people will notice.

BUST OF THE YEAR: Johan Santana – Not that Santana won’t be good this year, because he will. Expect 15-17 wins from him, but don’t expect him to be like Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in 2001 and carry the Mets to a championship by himself, and anything less than that will make the Mets’ trade a failure in the eyes of many.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPION: Phillies – One of the World Series teams is almost always a Wild Card team these days. If someone other than Detroit or Boston wins the AL, they’ll probably win their division, too. The Phillies will stumble against everyone else but beat the Mets in the NLCS.

WORLD SERIES CHAMPION: Tigers – There’s too much of everything for Detroit to settle for anything less. They have the best lineup in baseball,  and a top-notch rotation. Their bullpen may be suspect, but not bad enough to deny the Tigers a title.