2006 Sports E-cyclopedia MLB Preview

[NJTank]

Well nothing to say but check it out and leave your comments

2006 MLB Preview

[jrh31584]

I actually went through and compared the 2002-2005 previews with the actual results from those years. I adjusted this year's prediction with the average errors from the last four predictions. Here are the results:

AL East

Boston 94-68

NY Yankees 88-74

Toronto 86-76

Tampa Bay 78-84

Baltimore 63-99

AL Central

Chicago White Sox 110-52

Cleveland 95-67

Minnesota 85-77

Detroit 63-99

Kansas City 56-106

AL West

Oakland 100-62

Seattle 79-83

LA Angels 76-86

Texas 70-92

NL East

Atlanta 92-70

Philadelphia 88-74

NY Mets 78-84

Washington 77-85

Florida 52-110

NL Central

St. Louis 100-62

Milwaukee 96-66

Houston 82-80

Pittsburgh 82-80

Chicago Cubs 69-93

Cincinnati 63-99

NL West

San Francisco 89-73

LA Dodgers 89-73

San Diego 75-87

Colorado 71-91

Arizona 61-101

[Starchild]

Tank, I love that World Series outcome.

Let's hope it comes true.

[FiddySicks]

Uh yeah, nice World Series pick you shameless homer.

Oh and you may wanna recheck that Padres prediction. Jay Payton plays for the A's now.

[BaltimoreFan]

Whats with all of these near 100-loss predictions for the O's. They are fielding a very similar team to last season, and that team was in 1st place for 62 days. The team did fall apart at the end, but that was because of bad chemistry. They got rid of all of the headaches (Palmeiro, Sosa, Ponson, and Kline). Kevin Millar and Jeff Conine might not do much on the field, but I think they will make the clubhouse a much nicer place this season. I'm not expecting a playoff run, but I am expecting a close to .500 season. And I would not be surprised with a thrid place finish.

[LMU]

I honestly don't see the rationale in your placement of the Halos. The offense has already improved with Kotchman taking over 1st base, and with Salmon back. Not to mention that the bullpen has actually improved with the additions of Carrasco and Romero, and with the rotation improving with Escobar returning and the addition of Weaver. Plus, what everyone keeps forgetting is that Kennedy is in a contract year, and could be traded for a big bat if need be, since they already have a steller 2nd base prospect in Howie Kendrick who's pretty much major league ready, and also have Kendry Morales, Dallas McPherson, and Brandon Wood waiting in the wings.

Plus, let's also not forget that the A's happen to have the major's biggest clubhouse cancer this year, which could certainly derail them a bit.

[NJTank]

1980 66-95

1983 70-92

1987 75-87

2003 77-85

All 4 times the Angels have played in ALCS the next year there has been a sub .500 let down.

The Orioles played out of their ass the first 2 montsh last year the Orioles the 2nd half of the season is the real Orioles. You got a bad ownership making bad personell decisions in Baltimore plain and simple.

[Discrim]

heh, the Cubs are gonna be hard to predict. on the upside, this is a very unusual Cubs team, what with the influx of youth and speed. the Central's gonna be interesting, that's for sure, as the Cards are still loaded and the Brewers actually look like they're good.

speakin of that, hey Redlegs! who the hell was that overgrown little leaguer wearing Dunn's jersey?

[CC97]

Whats with all of these near 100-loss predictions for the O's. They are fielding a very similar team to last season, and that team was in 1st place for 62 days. The team did fall apart at the end, but that was because of bad chemistry. They got rid of all of the headaches (Palmeiro, Sosa, Ponson, and Kline). Kevin Millar and Jeff Conine might not do much on the field, but I think they will make the clubhouse a much nicer place this season. I'm not expecting a playoff run, but I am expecting a close to .500 season. And I would not be surprised with a thrid place finish.

I love Baltimore fans.

Baltimore may be a better team then their record will show, remember they'll be playing 56 games against Boston, New York and Toronto, while teams like Cleveland and Chicago play 56 games against Kansas City, Detroit and Minnesota.

[Shumway]

I honestly don't see the rationale in your placement of the Halos. The offense has already improved with Kotchman taking over 1st base, and with Salmon back. Not to mention that the bullpen has actually improved with the additions of Carrasco and Romero, and with the rotation improving with Escobar returning and the addition of Weaver. Plus, what everyone keeps forgetting is that Kennedy is in a contract year, and could be traded for a big bat if need be, since they already have a steller 2nd base prospect in Howie Kendrick who's pretty much major league ready, and also have Kendry Morales, Dallas McPherson, and Brandon Wood waiting in the wings.

Plus, let's also not forget that the A's happen to have the major's biggest clubhouse cancer this year, which could certainly derail them a bit.

Although the sub-.500 statistic is interesting, I'm with lmu on this one(obviously, I'm an Angels fan). There are quite a few guys on the Angels who may turn some heads this year. They do need another big bat, but with a good year from Rivera, Kotchman, or even Salmon, it could be what they need.

I hope they find a place fo Alfonso in the lineup. He's a solid player with a decent bat. THey have three 2B(Figgins, Kennedy, Kendrick) other than Edgardo, so what's he going to do? DH? 3B when Figgins is elsewhere on the field? I was glad to see Alfonso come to Anaheim, but I just don't see how they're going to fit him in.

It's tough to pick a Series winner this year. Nobody really stands out, well, maybe the Sox are a favorite to repeat. I'm thinking Cardinals(then again, I have been for the past 4 years...kinda like my Canucks cup prediction), but I'm honestly not sure.

[FiddySicks]

I hope they find a place fo Alfonso in the lineup. He's a solid player with a decent bat.

Alfonso is old and washed up. thats why the Giants traded him for Steve Finley. When hes good he can produce some really good numbers, but when he slumps, he sets records for woe like you wouldnt believe. Seriously, id fare better at the plate then a slumping Alfonso would. And lately it seems he has hit those terrible slumps more and more often.

[NJTank]

heh, the Cubs are gonna be hard to predict. on the upside, this is a very unusual Cubs team, what with the influx of youth and speed. the Central's gonna be interesting, that's for sure, as the Cards are still loaded and the Brewers actually look like they're good.

speakin of that, hey Redlegs! who the hell was that overgrown little leaguer wearing Dunn's jersey?

Cubs fans dont take too much into yesterdays win, the Reds are going to be byeond awful. They might just have the worst pitching staff in baseball history. They had a higher ERA then the Rockies last year and ay be even worse this year. You know sooner or later tehy are going to have to trade Dunn and Griffey too and I will be shocked if both are still on the Reds August 1st. Its going to get ugly fast for that once great franchise, Great American is a nice ballpark but its going to be empty all year.

[jkrdevil]

This thread inspired me today. In my comp class we had an in class writing where we had to argue something. Mine was Why The Mets Suck. We had to try to keep it to 500 words so I had to leave out like half of my argument but here is a recap why the Mets will underachieve this year again.

- Starting Pitching. Pedro is a year older and isn't money late in the year anymore. He will tire out. Glavine is just hanging on at this point, he too is old and done. He doesn't have the command anymore nor has he ever had velocity. THat leads to wlaks or balls getting crushed. Then the Mets have Victor Zambrano who doesn't have any control, Steve Trachsel who I wouldn't trust, and some guy I never heard of. The workload will all be on Pedro and it will be too much.

-Kaz Matsui is on the team and will play onve he gets back. Right now he is on the DL and that is the best place for him. But when he comes back watch out. He can't hit and he can't field. Great Combination. And he plays second base an important defensive position. The rest of the defense isn't great either. Delgado isn't a great defensive first baseman. The defense will cost an already poor pitching staff runs,

-Overrated lineup. Their Star slugger might not be able to mentally handle playing in New York. Floyd is injury prone and it's national league basbeall which means you have to throw the pitcher in the lineup. The bottom half of the lineup with Matsui and the Pitcher is real weak.

The only reason why the Mets are considered contenders are because they are in the incredubly weak National League. If they were in the American League they would finish behind the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, White Sox, Indians, Twins, A's, Angels. The Mets may back their way in the playoffs but they will not win the World Series.

[NJTank]

They wont fail this tiem it seems like a better mix then before. It cant happen again, theres justa differnt feeling these players have more charcter then Alomar and Vuagh or Coleman and and Bonilla. Also part of teh team is their home grown stars like Wright and Reyes who are going to emerge as teh real stars of line up.

[Discrim]

heh, the Cubs are gonna be hard to predict.  on the upside, this is a very unusual Cubs team, what with the influx of youth and speed.  the Central's gonna be interesting, that's for sure, as the Cards are still loaded and the Brewers actually look like they're good.

speakin of that, hey Redlegs!  who the hell was that overgrown little leaguer wearing Dunn's jersey?

Cubs fans dont take too much into yesterdays win, the Reds are going to be byeond awful. They might just have the worst pitching staff in baseball history. They had a higher ERA then the Rockies last year and ay be even worse this year.

heh, I got the rest of tonight to revel in it, may as well have some laughs at the Reds' expense while I can Friday, though, the first real test starts.

[HedleyLamarr]

Are you so anti-Braves that you simply refuse to predict them finishing atop the division? Or do you just predict somebody just to say "I was the first to predict a different team winning the NL East!"?

2002: Tank's Prediction: Mets

2003: Tank's Prediction: Phillies

2004: Tank's Prediction: Mets

2005: Tank's Prediction: Mets

2006: Tank's Prediction: Mets

Seeing a trend?

What's that old saying about Mets fans? "You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think!"

[Braden]

Tank can make whatever predictions he wants despite his pro-Mets bias. Of course, it just means that we can rub it in every year when the Braves win the division again, and again and again.

[NJTank]

The only way the Braves win this year if theya re in fact Satan's Spawn

[HedleyLamarr]

The only way the Braves win this year if theya re in fact Satan's Spawn

You would kill to have Scheurholz and Cox for one season.

[NJTank]

They wont turn crappy pitchers into gold without Mazzone no more Jarrett Wright Mike Remlinger Paul Byrd reclamation projects.