Heyman Picks Sox for Central, among other things

[Steve9347]

link

 

My predictions for 2011: Some safe, several that will surprise

 

The only safe prediction for the coming baseball season regards Francisco Rodriguez's $17.5 million vesting option for 55 game finishes. He won't be getting it, the games or the money.

 

K-Rod was brilliant this spring, and he may well continue that brilliance. But he isn't getting those games. Certainly not from the Mets. Nobody wants to pay more than Mariano Rivera money to another closer, least of all a team that has, shall we say, financial problems.

 

That was an easy one. Now here are the rest of my predictions for the 2011 baseball season.

 

Alex Rodriguez will win the American League MVP. He looked like a new man in Yankees camp, sporting a leaner physique while pumping balls over the fence at George Steinbrenner Field and out toward Tampa's busy Dale Mabry Boulevard.

 

Buster Posey will win the National League MVP. Sure, Albert Pujols could easily take it as he heads toward free agency. And so could his teammate Matt Holliday, who seems fully comfortable a year after signing his own big deal to stay in St. Louis.

But Posey is primed for a monster year with the pressure off after leading the Giants to a World Series championship despite beginning last year in the minors. As one scout said, once Posey learns how to pull the ball, he could be unstoppable.

 

CC Sabathia will win the AL Cy Young award, and not just because he gave up Cap'n Crunch, is down to 290 pounds or has an opt-out clause to exercise. Sabathia knows that the Yankees need him more than ever, and as is characteristic, he will answer the challenge.

 

Ubaldo Jimenez will win the NL Cy Young award. It looked like he was well on his way to doing so last year when he ran out of gas. This time, he makes it happen -- though of course it wouldn't surprise anyone to see any of the vaunted four of the Phillies -- especially Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee -- take the trophy.

Angels' first baseman Mark Trumbo will win the AL Rookie of the Year award. He wasn't even supposed to be on the roster, except for Kendry Morales' continuing lower-leg issue. But Trumbo was hot all spring, and if he keeps it going they're going to have to find room for him, even after Morales' return. And the Rays' Jeremy Hellickson will be the AL's rookie pitcher of the year. One scout compared him to no less than Greg Maddux. That's probably a bit of a stretch, but big things are expected for the poised young man.

 

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt will win the NL Rookie of the Year award. Scouts loved what they saw from him in spring. Even if he doesn't make the Opening Day Roster, he is expected to make a difference at some point this season and he's a major threat for this honor. The Braves' Freddie Freeman, another first baseman, is an understandably popular choice. He'll get plenty of chances, since there's no backup plan there.

 

The Yankees will make the playoffs for the 16th time in 17 years, but they will do it as the wild card. The Red Sox, who will win the AL East, imported Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to replace Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre, and just as important, they get Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis back and healthy, giving them baseball's best lineup. They also have a more solid rotation than the Yankees do, though there are understandable concerns in Boston over Josh Beckett's health and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Their bullpen isn't bad, either, with former closer Bobby Jenks, future closer Daniel Bard and current closer Jonathan Papelbon.

 

The Rays will be better than folks suspect, but it's hard to imagine a bullpen with no names thriving in the AL East. The Blue Jays will get another monster performance from Jose Bautista, and they have to get more out of Aaron Hill and Adam Lind than last year, but the task still looks a bit out of reach for them. The Orioles are much improved but still look like all but a certain cellar dweller even with Buck Showalter managing things from the start.

 

The White Sox will win the AL Central, with Adam Dunn coming to U.S. Cellular to hit his usual 40 home runs, Gordon Beckham on the cusp of stardom and as solid a pitching staff as any team. As long as the ultra-talented Miguel Cabrera can stay sober, the Tigers loom as a major threat -- though 2012 might be a better year for them, when young pitching phenoms Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner could be ready to help. The Twins almost always outplay the expectations, and it just might happen again, although bullpen concerns are a worry, which is why Chicago's South Side team is the pick here. The Royals will be great, in 2013. And the Indians hope to be.

 

The Rangers will win the AL West. Their offense is insanely good, and that should be enough. The A's have a very nice rotation led by Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Gio Gonzalez, but not enough offense. The Angels, long the class of the division, have an imposing rotation, an improved outfield and slugging first baseman Mark Trumbo (six HRs, 20 RBIs this spring), but too many questions (the bullpen, left-handed batting and a leadoff man, to name three). The Mariners look like they have an enviable future with Michael Pineda, Dustin Ackley and others, but that fine future probably won't include any part of the 2011 season.

 

The Braves will win the NL East. It'll be considered an upset by all, but their starting pitching is terrific by any standard except for Philadelphia's, they have not one but two decent closing options in Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters, and while there are defensive questions, at least at second (Dan Uggla) and third (Chipper Jones), Jones looks like he's primed for a big finish, Brian McCann is in the best shape of his career and Freeman and Jason Heyward might both turn out to be megastars.

 

The Phillies have that fantastic pitching, good enough to justify their tag as World Series favorites. But their spring was an unmitigated disaster. Chase Utley is out indefinitely, Brad Lidge is hurting and so is Placido Polanco. The Marlins have two great players in Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, and maybe a third in young slugger Mike Stanton, and they could pose a threat. The Mets still possess Jose Reyes, for now, anyway. But there's no Johan Santana, at least until July (and quite possibly longer), Carlos Beltran still has a knee issue, there are all sorts of questions about the bullpen, not to mention the pall that's been cast by the Madoff mess and the realization that only nickels remain to spend. The Nationals have a nice lineup but don't have a set closer and have mostly back-end starters filling out their rotation, at least until phenom Stephen Strasburg returns, probably next year.

 

The Cardinals will win the NL Central despite the loss of ace Adam Wainwright. This is the toughest division to call, but the returning Kyle Lohse and just-promoted Kyle McClellan give them a chance to unseat the defending Central champion Reds in their burgeoning rivalry. Cincinnati looks very good, but late-spring health concerns surrounding Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and Bronson Arroyo bring just enough doubt. The Brewers, who are all in for 2011, have been similarly hit by injury, including the self-inflicted rib cage injury for big winter pickup Zack Greinke, whose love of pickup hoops cost him at least his first few starts. The Cubs got over the early spring scuffle precipitated by overpaid, over-wrought pitcher Carlos Silva, who was dispatched by spring's end, a cleansing that can only help. The Astros are fortunate to be in the same division with the Pirates, who may be only halfway through their drought the way things are going there -- though new manager Clint Hurdle will maintain his smile throughout the continuing rebuilding process.

The world champion Giants will prove that they are no fluke, winning the NL West. The Rockies, who have the best tandem of every-day stars in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, will take the wild card. The Dodgers have very solid pitching and Matt Kemp may finally realize his full potential after a huge spring, but they have too many holes in their lineup in a very difficult division. The Padres still have that great bullpen, but their offense has a chance to regress with A-Gon gone, and their rotation is going to find it hard to duplicate its performance of a year ago. The young Diamondbacks will test their impatient manager, Kirk Gibson.

Anything can happen in October, and my guess is that the Rockies beat the Rangers to win the World Series. How's that for conviction?

Other predictions ...

 

• Derek Jeter will become the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits, and he'll experience a rejuvenation at the plate. His new stance will be credited for the rebirth, but the placidity brought by his new long-term deal will be the real reason.

• Mariano Rivera will get his 600th save, and finish the year with exactly 601, by saving 42 games (his uniform number).

• Jim Thome will hit his 600th home run, solidifying his spot in Cooperstown.

• Albert Pujols will reach 2,000 hits and 1,000 walks.

• Ivan Rodriguez will play in his 2,500th game (that's an easy one, he'll do it on Opening Day). And he isn't close to being done.

• Not nearly as many managers will be fired as last year. Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez, who received a one-year deal after the long courtship of Bobby Valentine failed, starts the year with the biggest bull's eye on his back, considering owner Jeffrey Loria's annually lofty standards in relation to the team's puny payroll.

• White Sox GM Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen will continue to bicker in the longest-running soap opera in major league baseball.

• The relationship between Yankees GM Brian Cashman and his bosses, who don't always agree with Cashman on player personnel decisions (see Rafael Soriano) will continue to be among the more interesting ones in the game. And it will continue when Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner/Randy Levine come to a contract extension agreement after the year to keep Cashman in the Bronx for another three years.

• The McCourts will hang on in Los Angeles. It seems that everybody but them wants them out as Dodgers owners, but justice moves slowly, and it'll take at least a year to sort out the mess and boot them from Chavez Ravine to one of their four homes in Holmby Hills or Malibu.

• The better-liked (at least in baseball circles) Wilpons will hang on for a while, too, as the Madoff mess is untangled. The trustee who is suing them won't get his $1 billion, as there's no real proof that the Wilpons knew the score. But their legal bills will run high enough that their ownership won't be secured, either, and they might have to take on an equal partner.

• Pujols will return to the Cardinals with a contract after the season. St. Louis wants to see the market, but will ultimately have no choice but to pay him about $256 million over eight years to keep him at home.

• Prince Fielder will play out the year with Milwaukee and leave for the rival Cubs, who will need to make a splash and give him close to what he wants, maybe $180 million over eight years.

• Jose Reyes will be traded at mid-year when the Mets don't contend. Carlos Beltran (if he's still standing) and K-Rod will go, too. And the new team won't want to give Rodriguez his 55 finishes, either.

 

[chw42]

The A-Rod for MVP and Cardinals winning the division with no Wainwright kind of ruins whatever he says about the Sox.

[Steve9347]

The A-Rod for MVP and Cardinals winning the division with no Wainwright kind of ruins whatever he says about the Sox.

I like how A-Rod for AL MVP is more ridiculous in your eyes than Posey for NL MVP.

[LVSoxFan]

The Royals will be great... in 2013. LOL.

[RockRaines]

Kiss of death

[hi8is]

Kiss of death

I like how in 2005 we where picked to finish 4th.

 

Oh well - this time, we won't have to fly under the radar.

 

Forget the stealth bomber - let's call on a freakin F-16 to blow this up.

 

Bring it.

 

[kjshoe04]

The Royals will be great... in 2013. LOL.

yeah, and I'll believe that when I see it. Somehow I doubt it.

[justBLAZE]

Rosenthal picks Sox to win Central, and that's about it.

 

What a season this should be.

 

Virtually every team returns with a different look. Many of the overhauls were quite dramatic. Baseball’s 30 team-based reality shows, each lasting six months and 162 games, will be nothing short of fascinating.

 

Just don’t ask me what the heck will happen, that’s all.

 

Sabermetricans continue to roll out their projections. Front offices advance their own formulas, even devising tweaks to account for age, injuries and declining performance. Such exercises are well-intended and often help teams with their planning. But the more we try to figure the game out, the more we look foolish.

 

Or were you the one savant (cough, FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi) who predicted that the Giants and Rangers would meet in last year’s World Series?

 

A’s general manager Billy Beane once called the playoffs “a crapshoot.” The regular season offers greater predictability, thanks to its larger sample size. But for those trying to figure out which teams will win, it’s a crapshoot, too.

 

Injuries occur, trades happen, the human element produces unexpected results. Player movement is so frequent and intense, it’s fashionable to say that the team you see on April 1 will not be the team you see on Aug. 1 after the non-waiver trade deadline passes. But even that is an oversimplification.

 

The first step in a club’s transformation actually can occur well before the deadline; such is the potential impact of a top prospect whose promotion is delayed until late May or early June to save a year of arbitration — a practice that could be altered in the next labor agreement.

 

Trades and waiver claims, meanwhile, continue through August. Deals also occur in September, even though players acquired after Aug. 31 are not eligible for a team’s postseason roster.

 

For examples of how championship teams evolve, think back to the Giants and Rangers last season. Bengie Molina, the Giants’ Opening Day catcher, ended up the Rangers’ primary catcher in the World Series. And that was the least of it.

 

The Giants opened the season with John Bowker in right, Aaron Rowand in center and Mark DeRosa in left. None played regularly in the postseason; Bowker had been traded to the Pirates, DeRosa was recovering from a wrist injury and Rowand was mostly a reserve.

 

The Rangers, meanwhile, opened with Scott Feldman and Rich Harden as their top starting pitchers and Matt Harrison as their No. 5. None threw a single pitch in the postseason. The team also changed its closer in the first week, with Frank Francisco losing his job to rookie Neftali Feliz.

 

In fact, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels spent all season altering his mix, acquiring Molina on July 1, making his big move for Cliff Lee on July 9 and even picking up outfielder Jeff Francoeur on Aug. 31.

 

Giants GM Brian Sabean took an even more eclectic path, starting with the promotion of Buster Posey from Triple-A and signing of outfielder Pat Burrell to a minor-league deal on May 29.

 

After that, Sabean acquired relievers Javier Lopez and Ramon Ramirez in separate trades on July 31, outfielder Jose Guillen in another deal on Aug. 13 and outfielder Cody Ross on a waiver claim on Aug. 22.

 

Neither Sabean nor Daniels anticipated making such radical adjustments to their initial blueprints. Virtually every other GM also was in scramble mode, for one reason or another.

 

Yet, crazy as the season was, it was pretty much like any other. This one will be the same, full of unexpected turns and pivotal developments — and sometimes two or three each day.

 

Already the Cardinals have lost right-hander Adam Wainwright for the season. The Phillies are uncertain what second baseman Chase Utley might offer. First baseman Kendrys Morales still is not back for the Angels.

 

The Reds, Brewers and Rangers will open without key starting pitchers. The Phillies will be without closer Brad Lidge. The Giants might be without closer Brian Wilson. And on and on.

 

People ask, “Who will be this year’s surprise team?” The truth is, only a handful of clubs appear unable to compete — probably the Pirates, Astros, Diamondbacks in the NL, the Royals, Indians and Mariners in the AL. The parity in baseball is that good, no matter what the alarmists and NFL propagandists might say.

 

So, let’s get going. Let’s see all the new faces in new places. Carl Crawford and A-Gon in Boston. Manny and Johnny in Tampa Bay. Cliff Lee in Philly, Dan Uggla in Atlanta, Zack Greinke in Milwaukee. And, for good measure, Jayson Werth in Washington, Victor Martinez in Detroit and Adam Dunn with the Chicago White Sox.

 

Let’s see who will be this season’s Posey and Feliz, this season’s Dallas Braden, even this season’s Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce. Let’s see all of the 30 glorious reality shows develop, mystifying us, thrilling us, captivating us from beginning to end.

 

My pick is Red Sox over Braves. It’s entirely too predictable, which means it is almost certain to be wrong.

 

Can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

2011 PREDICTIONS

 

AL East

 

Red Sox: If Beckett and Lackey falter, guess what? They’re as vulnerable as the Yankees.

 

Yankees: Only question is which starting pitcher — or two — they will acquire.

 

Rays: Much depends upon the bullpen, which will be a season-long work in progress.

 

Orioles: Young starting pitching, injuries to older players could sink them lower.

 

Blue Jays: Too much talent lost from last year’s club, but plenty on the way.

 

AL Central

 

White Sox: Slight questions in rotation and bullpen; still best-balanced club in division.

 

Twins: Too many areas of uncertainty — Nathan, Morneau, middle infield, bullpen.

 

Tigers: Love the pitching, starting and relief. But how much can they count on Miguel Cabrera?

 

Royals: Transition to Moustakas and rest of youth movement set to begin.

 

Indians: If Sizemore is healthy, could be better than expected — at least until they start trading off parts.

 

AL West

 

A’s: It’s their year — best starting pitching in the league, an improved offense and the release of “Moneyball,” the movie.

 

Rangers: Pitching issues disturbing, but enough talent to figure it out, either from within or through trades.

 

Angels: Will like them a lot better once Kendrys Morales gets back on the field.

 

Mariners: Still think they need to trade King Felix, and their play only will reinforce how far away they really are.

 

NL East

 

Phillies: Not confident about this pick given the uncertain surrounding Utley, Lidge and even Polanco.

 

Braves: Best team in Florida, loaded with young talent, but need Chipper to stay healthy.

 

Marlins: Plenty of upside, could surprise. As always, owner Jeffrey Loria has them higher.

 

Nationals: Weak starting pitching could derail a team that is beginning to turn around.

 

Mets: Will continue making more news off the field than on.

 

NL Central

 

Reds: Fine all-around club, but there’s a thin margin for error if starting pitchers keep getting injured.

 

Cardinals: No Wainwright, but La Russa will keep them competitive in what could be Pujols’ farewell.

 

Cubs: Hard to like the offense, but better pitching than the Brewers — maybe enough to make a run.

 

Brewers: Rotation depth, lineup depth, bullpen and defense all are concerns.

 

Astros: Starting pitching will help them compete, but overall talent is lacking.

 

Pirates: Intriguing young position players, awful starting pitching.

 

NL West

 

Rockies: Banking on their Core Three: Tulo, CarGo, Ubaldo. But they need to learn how to win.

 

Giants: Looked great in Arizona; very well could avoid a championship hangover.

 

Dodgers: Frank picks them first, Jamie picks them fourth.

 

Padres: Better up the middle, but A-Gon is in Boston and the pitching might not be as good.

 

Diamondbacks: Below average in every aspect of the game.

 

Wild cards: Yankees, Braves

ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees

NLCS: Braves over Rockies

World Series: Red Sox over Braves

 

NL awards

 

MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals

Cy Young: Cole Hamels, Phillies

Rookie: Brandon Belt, Giants

Manager: Jim Tracy, Rockies

 

AL awards

 

MVP: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees

Cy Young: Jon Lester, Red Sox

Rookie: Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays

Manager: Terry Francona, Red Sox

Edited March 29, 2011 by justBLAZE

[Paint it Black]

I like how A-Rod for AL MVP is more ridiculous in your eyes than Posey for NL MVP.

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

[ScottyDo]

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

I'll give him a point or two for that. He's still down ~285138 points though.

[justBLAZE]

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

 

I just posted Rosenthal's column, might as well make it a writers predictions thread, among other things..

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

 

Yeah, Tulo is my MVP pick. God damn he's good. But I don't see Posey as a top candidate as ridiculous at all.

[ScottyDo]

Yeah, Tulo is my MVP pick. God damn he's good. But I don't see Posey as a top candidate as ridiculous at all.

More ridiculous than A-Rod for MVP, anyway. I mean, Posey had a damn good season and I don't see him being anything but great for his career, but I'm gonna need to see WAY more than ~450 AB's of good play before I start talking MVP favorite. There are way more rookies who falter in their second season than win MVPs.

[Jordan4life_2007]

More ridiculous than A-Rod for MVP, anyway. I mean, Posey had a damn good season and I don't see him being anything but great for his career, but I'm gonna need to see WAY more than ~450 AB's of good play before I start talking MVP favorite. There are way more rookies who falter in their second season than win MVPs.

 

Posey's '10 rivals any of Mauer's seasons outside of '06 and '09. Kid is special. Maybe not this year. But an MVP is imminent, IMO.

[Paint it Black]

More ridiculous than A-Rod for MVP, anyway. I mean, Posey had a damn good season and I don't see him being anything but great for his career, but I'm gonna need to see WAY more than ~450 AB's of good play before I start talking MVP favorite. There are way more rookies who falter in their second season than win MVPs.

A catcher who hits as much as he does will be a perennial MVP candidate.

[witesoxfan]

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

 

You don't say?

 

I'm completely with you on this one. I've never seen Keith Law really go out of his way to take shots at the White Sox, the Alexei joke aside (and I'm sure he sat up all night coming up with it...he doesn't seem to be a beacon of personality). He hasn't liked the White Sox talent, and a lot of his knowledge and beliefs are grounded in both statistical and scouting analysis, so when he sees a player and doesn't see the numbers (or vice versa), he is going to criticize them.

 

He criticized the Sale pick because he doesn't believe that Sale can be a starting pitcher and it IS an extreme overdraft picking a reliever that high, no matter how successful they are (for comparison's sake, I would say it's like picking a kicker in the first round of the NFL, and there's only been one man crazy enough to do that). I have no problem with Sale in the bullpen this year, but have major reservations about him staying there next year.

 

The fact of the matter is, the White Sox have a lot of really good pieces in place this year and I'd say by far the fewest questions marks up and down the team. Based on pure talent alone, I would give a slight edge to the Twins, but so much more can go wrong with that team than can the White Sox (I feel weird saying that, but I honestly believe it to be true).

[caulfield12]

link

 

 

I would love to have Jose Reyes and Alexei Ramirez playing up the middle for the next 2 1/2 years, if Jose is examined and found to be 100% healthy.

 

The question is whether Reyes could play LF or not and take over Pierre's role?? Probably too big a risk on a position move at this stage in his career, but I'd love to have Reyes as a Chone Figgins type who could play LF/CF/3B/SS/2B.

 

You don't want to change Beckham back to 3B and unsettle his career trajectory and fielding again.

 

Reyes fits if you eliminate Quentin and AJ from the line-up/payroll and plug in the likes of Castro/Flowers (platoon) and Milledge/Viciedo in RF.

 

But what would we have to give up? Some prospects are going to have to emerge ala DeLosSantos or Daniel Hudson in past years.

 

 

Reyes

Ramirez

Beckham

Dunn

Konerko

Rios

Milledge/Viciedo

C

Morel

 

1-7, that might be the best offensive line-up in baseball. Imagine if Flowers ever got his act together? Yeah, yeah, a HUGE HUGE if if if.

 

 

 

“There is no guarantee that Jose Reyes will be a Met beyond the 2011 season, he says. In fact, it would seem the odds are pretty good that Reyes won’t be a Met in 2012, and if the team struggles in the first half — without Johan Santana — then Reyes could be a nice chip on the trade market.”

 

~ Buster Olney, ESPN.com

 

On Wednesday, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he wouldn’t be opposed to signing Reyes beyond 2011, but according to the New York Post, the two sides have not spoken about a long term contract.

 

I feel it’s a fair approach to see if Reyes can stay healthy and produce consistently before committing long term to him again. I mean, I think he’s great, and the Mets will struggle to find anyone to replace a “healthy” Jose Reyes should they not sign him to an extension, but it’s also not unfair to worry about his durability and having him consistently on the field.

 

I can’t imagine that if he proves he can stay healthy in 2011, the Mets won’t work to secure him beyond next season. It certainly becomes less of a sure-thing as time goes on that he will be re-signed, but he has indicated on numerous occasions over the past few months he wants to remain with the Mets, so I don’t think him remaining with the club will ever be out of the question. metsblog

 

Edited March 30, 2011 by caulfield12

[ChiSox_Sonix]

How is Posey for MVP ridiculous?

 

On a side note, Keith Law picked the White Sox to win by 2 games. I thought about making a thread but then realized 40 posts of "Keith Law hates the White Sox" without anyone having actual proof, isn't fun.

 

Funny because you've said this multiple times now and every time you get a response. I guess you just choose to ignore it.

[Steve9347]

More ridiculous than A-Rod for MVP, anyway.

Yeah, that was my point. A-Rod being picked for MVP is far from ridiculous.

[justBLAZE]

White Sox - Brewers

If either of these teams won the World Series, who would be shocked? Not me. Not you. Not Donnie and Marie Osmond. So I know I'm on shaky ground, stopping the music on them this early. But when you bring up the White Sox to people around the game, it's amazing how many say they have no idea what to make of them. "I never know with them," said an official of one AL team. "I think I might have less feel for them than any team in baseball, every year. They have a lot of talent. But they're so combustible." And an NL executive calls them "the biggest boom-or-bust team in baseball." So will Jake Peavy win 12 games or two? Will Matt Thornton, the closer, miss Matt Thornton, the set-up dominator? Will Ozzie Guillen talk himself right out the door? You've got me.

 

Jayson Stark finds White Sox unpredictable, but likes the Tigers to win AL Central.

[Milkman delivers]

Jayson Stark finds White Sox unpredictable, but likes the Tigers to win AL Central.

 

Over the last decade, that it's the best description I've heard about the Sox.

[chetkincaid]

Props to Jim Caple...

AMERICAN LEAGUE NATIONAL LEAGUE

 

Jim Caple,

ESPN.com East champ: Red Sox

Central champ: White Sox

West champ: A's

Wild card: Rays

Champion: White Sox East champ: Phillies

Central champ: Reds

West champ: Rockies

Wild card: Giants

Champion: Phillies

 

 

 

WORLD SERIES: White Sox over Phillies

[Soxfest]

Esat Coast love affair 101.