2006 Predictions revisited

With today being the last Pirates-less day after the All-Star I could talk about moves that DL will be looking to make before the deadline, but that is frankly rather depressing. Instead, I'm going to go back over my pre-season MLB predictions and re-evaluating for the second half.

AL East
My prediction: Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, D-Rays, Orioles
Currently: Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, D-Rays
Comments: I said before the season I thought this would be the year that the Blue Jays would break up Yankees/Sox 1/2 punch at the top of this division, and I still think it might be. The big question is, of course, what the Yankees will do to shore up their rotation and fill in the holes in their outfield. They don't have much to deal in their system, though, and I could see them faltering down the stretch instead of picking up steam. The Red Sox are going to rely on some young pitchering with Lester now in the rotation and Delcarmen, Hansen, and Papelbon now in the 'pen, but they limited Lester's pitch count in the minors this year to save him for a stretch run in Boston. You know, because their goal is to win at the Major League level, (I'm looking at you, Dave). Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Orioles, D-Rays

AL Central
My prediction: Indians, White Sox (WC), Twins, Tigers, Royals
Currently: Tigers, White Sox (WC), Twins, Indians, Royals
Comments: Soooo... about those Indians. Instead, the Tigers are the surprise team to come out of this division and leapfrog the White Sox, for now. I don't know how well they'll hold up down the stretch, though I think they'll outlast the losers in the East race for the Wild Card. The Twins might have the best 1-2 punch in any rotation in baseball, but they're simply too far behind to catch up in this race. White Sox, Tigers (WC), Twins, Indians, Royals

AL West
My prediction: A's, Angels, Rangers, Mariners
Currently: Rangers, A's, Angels, Mariners
Comments: This division is the biggest crapshoot in baseball right now. Any of the top three teams could take this division, and hell, the Mariners are only three games back. Since I don't follow this division all that closely, I'll just stick with my prediction for now on the basis that the A's and Angels are used to stretch drives and I have no idea what kind of smoke and mirrors the Rangers pitching staff is using. A's, Angels, Rangers, Mariners

NL East
My prediction: Mets, Phillies (WC), Braves, Nats, Marlins
Currently: Mets, Phillies, Braves, Nats, Marlins
Comments: I really thought this division would be better than this. The Mets are good, but the Phillies and Braves are playing awful baseball and the Nats and Marlins are both playing good baseball, despite being bad teams. I think the Braves are going to pick it up and hop the Phils for second place, possibly making a run at the Wild Card, which they won't get. Mets, Braves, Phillies, Marlins, Nats

NL Central
My predicion: Cards, Brewers, Astros, Pirates, Cubs, Reds
Currently: Cards, Reds, Brewers, Astros, Cubs, Pirates
Comments: Like the rest of the world, I didn't see the Reds coming. I thought the Cards would drop off a bit, and they have, but I didn't think they'd drop off this much. Still, I don't see anyone else in this division catching them. I was ready to say that I think the Reds are for real and would win the Wild Card, but then they went out and traded Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez for Gary Majewski and Royce Clayton. Sweet jebus, I don't think DL would've made that trade, the wheels are about to fall off on that team. Everyone else is picking the Astros to make another second half run and win the Wild Card, but I don't know where the offense is supposed to come from (Aubrey Huff?). Instead, I think I'll stick with the Brewers for second place and take the Wild Card (based on getting to play the Pirates and Cubs, as opposed to the West teams that are all equal and have to play each other). Cards, Brewers (WC), Astros, Reds, Cubs, Pirates

NL West
My Prediction: Dodgers, Padres, D'Backs, Giants, Rockies
Currently: Padres, Dodgers (WC), Giants, Rockies, D'Backs
Comments: Everyone's within five games here, so it's another crapshoot, especially because these are all very flawed teams. I think this race will end up being between the Padres and Dodgers because the Giants are ancient and the D'Backs and Rockies just aren't very good. I'll stick with my guns on this one. Dodgers, Padres, D'Backs, Rockies, Giants

AL Wild Card: Red Sox over Tigers, White Sox over A's
NL Wild Card: Mets over Brewers, Cards over Dodgers
The Real World Series (ALCS): White Sox over Red Sox
NLCS: Mets over Cards
World Series: White Sox over Mets
Comments: The Mets are a good team, but I don't see Wagner, Pedro, and Glavine holding up enough to win them a Series. Still, they're good enough to take on the rest of the NL, which they're head and shoulders above. The Red Sox and White Sox are clearly the cream of the crop this year, but having seen the White Sox play and been rather impressed, I'm sticking with the champs until someone beats them.