2008 MLB Preview

[NJTank]

Well here it is the Preview of the season starting i about 8 hours in Tokyo

2008 MLB Preview

Comments

Also this should be the official 2008 MLB Prediction thread so add you preview too.

[BB61]

Case in point:

Tom Glavine has returned to Atlanta, and the Braves always feel they got a shot to win the division title after their long run of dominance it almost seemed like a birthright. However, Glavine is washed up, Smoltz is old and nearing empty too, and the line up though solid has some holes in it, but as long as Bobby Cox is their manager they should not be a pushover, though that could be ending soon, as the Braves are likely on the last run for playoff spot, a run that will fall short in the end.

Two run on sentences.

[BB61]

Another example:

Dusty Baker's arrival in Cincinnati could be just the medicine the Reds have needed as he always finds away to get the most out of his talent and improve the team in his first season.

You meant to say "a way", but it came out "away" and spellcheck didn't pick it up.

[mania]

Gertrude Stein once said about Oakland, there is no there, there, and for the Athletics there is no one to care there no team that anyone will want to watch there, and no talent left, after the latest purge there. Yeah, money ball the future of baseball, has fallen just short and the A's will spend most of the season in last place with an eye across the bay trying to avoid being the worst team in the Bay Area.

I have re-read this a number of times, and I still have no clue what the it actually says.

And the MARINERS? You realize that they have no bullpen outside of Putz, no rotation outside of Hernandez and Bedard, and a mediocre line-up. Some AL Champions.

They are the worst team that thinks they can contend, except for maybe the White Sox.

[gingerbreadmann]

Gertrude Stein once said about Oakland, there is no there, there, and for the Athletics there is no one to care there no team that anyone will want to watch there, and no talent left, after the latest purge there. Yeah, money ball the future of baseball, has fallen just short and the A's will spend most of the season in last place with an eye across the bay trying to avoid being the worst team in the Bay Area.

I have re-read this a number of times, and I still have no clue what the it actually says.

And the MARINERS? You realize that they have no bullpen outside of Putz, no rotation outside of Hernandez and Bedard, and a mediocre line-up. Some AL Champions.

They are the worst team that thinks they can contend, except for maybe the White Sox.

http://www.tenderbuttons.com/gsonline/alice.html ; Simple Google.

I think the Mariners are actually good contenders but not AL Champs; that's a stretch.

[NJTank]

Just a funny feeling I have with the Mariners

[HedleyLamarr]

So the Mets will go from your predicted at-best record of 62-100 to a record of 104-58, all because of Johan Santana's trade? Am I to believe that Santana alone will bring in 42 more wins?

[NJTank]

It changed the atmosphere if the Mets failed to get Santana there would have been a dark cloud over the team, btw SI said just about the same thing a few weeks ago.

[ShinyHubCaps]

I like that you picked the Brewers to win the Central. I have to say that most of the predictions I've heard have been split, but the Cubs haven't made any major improvements. They added their international prospect (I apologize, but I can't spell or pronounce his name), but they lost Pierre, so it practically breaks even.

As for the comments about your typing, here is the first one I read.

You have got to like the Brewers line up, as Prince Fielder is showing signs he may be better overall baseball player then his father was, and after falling just short of their first playoff appearance in 25 years, the Brewers will get over the hump and bring Octoberfest to Miller Park, as long as they can keep Ben Sheets healthy enough to make at least 35 starts they should win the jumbled Central Division, while creating a new rivalry with Chicago Cubs in the process.

Here is how it should read.

You have got to like the Brewers lineup as Prince Fielder is showing signs that he may be a better overall baseball player than his father was, and after falling just short of their first playoff appearance in 25 years, the Brewers will get over the hump and bring Octoberfest to Miller Park. As long as they keep Ben Sheets healthy enough to make at least 35 starts, the Brewers should win the jumbled Central Division while creating a new rivalry with the Chicago Cubs in the process.

I'm not often critical of online writing, but as you try to project a more professional image with your encyclopedia, people may expect a higher-quality, more proofread text. Your style is candid, which is very good in something as informal as making predictions, yet the fact that it is supposed to be an encyclopedia irks me a little. I wouldn't have said anything, but others have so, yeah...

Good work all the same. I'm sure this will be more about predictions and less about your typing in the very near future.

[DG_YouKnowWhatThatMeans]

You both spelled "Oktoberfest" wrong. And you kept Tank's original comma splice.

[LMU]

Seattle winning the west? Cleveland beating out Detroit?

You, sir, have officially gone mad.

[marlinfan]

On the Marlins preview:

Heandley Ramierez

Who is this guy and why shouldn't I get attached to him?

And Tank, the promising club you speak of two years ago was picked by many (I'm sure you did too) to lose 120 games. This year's squad is in the same position it was in 2006.

[rob66]

My Prediction-The Mets WILL NOT win the World Series.

[gingerbreadmann]

Tank, your overall W-L for the entire league comes out to 2457-2403 instead of 2430-2430. Just to let you know.

[Thad]

Tank I think the information you've got on your page is great, but sometimes your bias against the Braves just turns me off from reading.

You make it seem like the Braves would be pushovers without Bobby Cox at the helm. If having Tex, Chipper, and Francoeur in the middle of the lineup is one of a pushover, I'd like to see a good lineup. The Braves also didn't bring Glavine into town to be the savior of the staff. He came to be the 3rd or 4th starter, and to finish career where he should have been all along. Also, if the Mets get any major injuries they are gonna have to trade to get someone to fill in. The Braves can just call someone up from Richmond or Mississippi to call up (you know that minor league thing that the Mets traded away).

Being more objective in your analysis of teams may bring in more readers and turn less away.

[NJTank]

The Braves did not improve much from last year and I have them winning about as much as last year. The Mets and Phillies are better then Braves, if the Braves were in the NL Central maybe they would win that division.

[rams80]

I think you're being a tad generous with the 81 wins for the Cardinals.

[ShinyHubCaps]

You both spelled "Oktoberfest" wrong. And you kept Tank's original comma splice.

I didn't think he meant "Oktoberfest" like the German celebration but rather a kitschy version of October baseball, which I believe the MLB has used before.

Which split comma? I had one, but it referred to the combination of independent clauses.

[Seadragon76]

While it's nice to see someone give the M's some love, a division title might be asking too much. Being in the Wild Card race would be good enough and, heck, winning the damn wild card would make me happy.

But, like bruschi said, who's there in the bullpen outside of Putz? After Hernandez and Bedard, who'll show up in the pitching staff? And let's not forget that Ichiro has been somewhat ineffective this spring (It could translate into a slump, you never know) and the so-called 'big guns' of Beltre and Sexson have been mediocre at best.

I see at least 83-85 wins this season for the M's. It won't be enough to win the Wild Card, but it's a winning season and that's good enough for me.

[BaltimoreFan]

You do realize the O's are finally rebuilding? While I agree they will probably finish in last I don't see them being that bad. Plus we still have some great players left, Nick Markakis is already becoming a star and Adam Jones is probably on the way. Loewen and Cabrera could be great if they ever learn control (which Kranitz already has DCab throwing change ups this springs, so maybe he'll be the guy that can get through). I highly doubt Trembley gets fired given that it is a rebuilding year, unless he does something incredibly stupid. He only has a one year deal so if anything he just won't be resigned at the end of the season. While its going to be a bad year standing-wise, it will be the first fun year to watch the O's in a long time.