Amazin' Avenue 2010 Season Predictions

by James Kannengieser on Apr 5, 2010 5:00 AM EDT

Here are season predictions from our team of social media experts who also happen to be Mets fans.

NL East

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	Phillies	Phillies	Braves	Braves
2	Braves (WC)	Braves (WC)	Phillies	Mets (WC)
3	Marlins	Mets	Marlins	Phillies
4	Nationals	Marlins	Mets	Marlins
5	Mets	Nationals	Nationals	Nationals

Alex: Now, I'm not sure if I really believe the Mets are worse than the Nationals, but maybe if I say it, it won't happen. I do think the Nats might be baseball's most improved team in 2010. Unfortunately, I can't think of any reason not to pick the Phils in the East, but I do think the Braves could put up a good fight. The Fish could, too.

Eric: This is my version of optimism: the Mets finishing third instead of fourth (or fifth). Yea, the Opening Day lineup looks especially pitiful with the notable absences of Beltran and Reyes, but they still need an awful lot to go right just to sniff the Wild Card, let alone any kind of contention in the NL East.

James: Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but this will be the year that the injury bug finally hits the Phillies. The Braves are a talented team and if veterans Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson can rebound to be ~4 win pitchers their rotation will be formidable.

Sam: Now you tell me: who's smoking it? Me for predicting the Mets will win the wild card or Alex for predicting they lose out to the Nats?

NL Central

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals
2	Cubs	Brewers	Brewers	Brewers
3	Brewers	Cubs	Reds	Reds
4	Reds	Reds	Cubs	Cubs
5	Astros	Astros	Astros	Astros
6	Pirates	Pirates	Pirates	Pirates

NL West

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	Rockies	Rockies	Rockies	Dodgers
2	Dodgers	Dodgers	Dodgers (WC)	Rockies
3	Diamondbacks	Giants	Giants	Diamondbacks
4	Giants	Diamondbacks	Diamondbacks	Giants
5	Padres	Padres	Padres	Padres

AL East

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	Yankees	Yankees	Yankees	Yankees
2	Red Sox (WC)	Red Sox (WC)	Red Sox (WC)	Rays (WC)
3	Rays	Rays	Rays	Red Sox
4	Orioles	Orioles	Blue Jays	Orioles
5	Blue Jays	Blue Jays	Orioles	Blue Jays

AL Central

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	White Sox	Twins	Twins	Indians
2	Twins	White Sox	White Sox	Twins
3	Indians	Tigers	Tigers	White Sox
4	Tigers	Indians	Indians	Tigers
5	Royals	Royals	Royals	Royals

AL West

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
1	Rangers	Mariners	Angels	Rangers
2	Athletics	Angels	Rangers	Mariners
3	Angels	Rangers	Mariners	Angels
4	Mariners	Athletics	Athletics	Athletics

Playoffs

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
NLDS Champs	Phillies and Rockies	Phillies and Cardinals	Cardinals and Rockies	Mets and Braves
ALDS Champs	Yankees and Red Sox	Yankees and Red Sox	Yankees and Red Sox	Yankees and Rays
NLCS Champ	Rockies	Phillies	Cardinals	Mets
ALCS Champ	Yankees	Yankees	Yankees	Yankees
WS	Rockies	Yankees	Yankees	Mets

Alex: Please. Anything but Phillies-Yankees again. I'm feeling half-lucky.

Eric: I'm not sure what I will have done to deserve two straight World Series featuring the Phillies and the Yankees, but damn it all for making me root for the Phillies again. Even Roy Halladay can't make up for the $70 million payroll disparity between these two teams as the Yankees surprise nobody but themselves in capturing their 28th championship.

James: Anyone but the Phillies.

Sam: GOD BLESS AMERICA

Awards

	Alex	Eric	James	Sam
NL MVP	Troy Tulowitzki	Albert Pujols	Troy Tulowitzki	Lastings Milledge
AL MVP	Mark Teixeira	Alex Rodriguez	Kevin Youkilis	Evan Longoria
NL CY	Roy Halladay	Tim Lincecum	Dan Haren	Ricky Nolasco
AL CY	Felix Hernandez	Felix Hernandez	CC Sabathia	Jon Lester
NL ROY	Jason Heyward	Jason Heyward	Jason Heyward	Jenrry Mejia
AL ROY	Carlos Santana	Wade Davis	Brian Matusz	Austin Jackson

Alex: I think if the Rockies have a big year, Tulo will be the biggest reason. As for the NL Cy, it just feels like a forgone conclusion that Halladay will win it. Voters will be tired of giving it to Lincecum, and everybody loves a Phillie. The biggest surprise here is probably Santana, who I think will win the Indians' catching job by midseason and put up some really nice numbers while the more common candidates struggle here and there.

James: Tulo is a personal favorite and picking Albert Pujols is boring. Youk will win it because of the offseason storyline that the Red Sox don't have enough offense--he will have a big year at the plate, leading the Red Sox to the playoffs while dispelling the offseason questions.

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Comments

Did Sam finally crack?

I’m worried

by Brittannia on Apr 5, 2010 5:53 AM EDT reply actions

he is dreaming

by Rickfansince76 on Apr 5, 2010 7:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Sampage is a man among boys

intellect-wise, at least. I like the way he thinks…

Ricky Nolasco for president!

by hotspur on Apr 5, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I like the touch

of having divisional opponents face each other in the divisional rounds of the playoffs

Travis Hafner is made of gold

by Super Mario on Apr 5, 2010 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions

No it’s the winners of the division rounds.

by Sam Page on Apr 5, 2010 7:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Oh my bad

then I don’t like that touch those are just sort of normal things. I was hoping for a prediction that the playoff setup would wildly change this year as well as who would win

Travis Hafner is made of gold

by Super Mario on Apr 5, 2010 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey, at least its not SI picking us to win it

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Apr 5, 2010 6:43 AM EDT reply actions

I like Alex's picks the best

I mean, the Rockies winning it is a stretch (I have the Yankees), but he does have the Mets in last, which is correct, and he’s got the Rangers winning the AL West. I think that Texas team is going to win over 90 games and get themselves to the ALCS. They can flat-out hit.

"F***ing shocker." -Billy Wagner

by nymgb44 on Apr 5, 2010 8:31 AM EDT reply actions

interesting picks, my picks coming out of ST

NL – Phils, Cards, Giants WC- Brewers
AL- Red Sox, Twins, Rangers WC- Yankees
NLDS- Giantsover Cards, Phil over Brew
ALDS- Twins over Red Sox, Yankees over Rangers
NLCS- Phils over Giants
ALCS- Twins over Yanks
Ws- Twins over Phils

by Rickfansince76 on Apr 5, 2010 8:43 AM EDT reply actions

Awards

AL MVP- Morneau
NL MVP- Braun
AL CY- Verlander
NL CY- Wainright
NL ROY- Heyward
AL ROY- Matusz

by Rickfansince76 on Apr 5, 2010 9:22 AM EDT reply actions

I'm going to be a contrarian for a bit

The Yankees have the misfortune (poor them) of playing in the best division in baseball, they’re one Sabathia shoulder tweak away from having a VERY thin rotation, and Jeter, Posada, A-Rod, and the like can’t continue to hit well forever at their ages.

I’m thinking 2008 might repeat itself with Boston and TB going to the playoffs and the Yankees missing the postseason.

"It’s just everytime we think the bar can’t get lower, they lower it. Now next year we’ll just be happy to hear that rogue shirtless officials aren’t implementing useless detrimental drills in spring training for no apparent reason."

-Gina, 3/1/10

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 5, 2010 10:02 AM EDT reply actions

The Yankees have big time bullpen issues

aside from Rivera (of course) and Joba (probably).

by mets81 on Apr 5, 2010 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

one can hope

but that lineup is just loaded

2009 Did Not Happen

by cjmulrain on Apr 5, 2010 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

and my picks, * denotes wild card

NL East:
Phillies
Braves*
Marlins
Mets
Nationals

NL Central:
Cardinals
Cubs
Reds
Brewers
Astros
Pirates

NL West:
Rockies
Dodgers
Giants
D-Backs
Padres

AL East:
Red Sox
Rays*
Yankees
Orioles
Blue Jays

AL Central:
Tigers
Twins
Indians
White Sox
Royals

AL West:
Rangers
Mariners
A’s
Angels

Playoffs:

Division series:

Phillies over Rockies
Cardinals over Braves

Red Sox over Tigers
Rays over Rangers

LCS:

Cardinals over Phillies
Red Sox over Rays

World Series:

Red Sox over Cardinals

-Gina, 3/1/10

by Greenpoint Ian on Apr 5, 2010 10:06 AM EDT reply actions

watchingthe game last night I wish we kept Scutaro as 2B

I was looking at hi stats, in over 300 games he has only made 8 errors at 2B, and he is really playing well recently..walks a lot

by Rickfansince76 on Apr 5, 2010 10:17 AM EDT reply actions

My patented projection system indicates a Rays vs Mariners confront in the playoffs (Rays WS Champts).

In lobby campaign for Chris Carter.

by Michkin on Apr 5, 2010 10:25 AM EDT reply actions

my predictions

AL West:
1. Rangers
2. Angels
3. Mariners
4. A’s

AL Central:
1. White Sox
2. Tigers
3. Twins
4. Royals
5. Indians

AL East:
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Orioles
5. Blue Jays

AL Wild Card: Yankees

NL West:
1. Rockies
2. Diamondbacks
3. Dodgers
4. Giants
5. Padres

NL Central:
1. Cardinals
2. Brewers
3. Cubs
4. Astros
5. Pirates
6. Reds

NL East:
1. Phillies
2. Braves
3. Mets
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks

ALDS:
Red Sox over Rangers
Yankees over White Sox

NLDS:
Phillies over Diamondbacks
Rockies over Cardinals

ALCS:
Red Sox over Yankees (the Red Sox have a better bullpen)

NLCS:
Phillies over Rockies

World Series:
Red Sox over Phillies

AL Awards:
MVP: Adrian Gonzalez (he will get traded to the Red Sox in July and then transform into a four headed monster)
Cy Young: Jake Peavy
ROY: Brett Wallace
Comeback Player of the Year: Jake Peavy

NL Awards:
MVP: Chris Young (Diamondbacks)
Cy Young: Yovani Gallardo
ROY: Alcides Escobar
Comeback Player of the Year: Chris Young (Diamondbacks)

Gas prices today are a lot like a pitcher's ERA. Anything under 3 is amazing, under 4 is pretty good and anything 5 and up is something you want to avoid.

by Bobby Baseball on Apr 5, 2010 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

I like Sam's predictions most

Screw you Alex!

/jk

by Evan_S on Apr 5, 2010 6:28 PM EDT reply actions

The Mets won't finish last

or even fourth. They are way over-sold after last year’s fiasco. If two of the three question marks, Pelf, Perez, and Maine have fifteen game years AND one of Murphy or Franc has a way above expectation year, I’m thinking ‘86 style runaway, 7 to 10 game lead in September, assuming the stars have par seasons, which I think they will. I’m still more afraid of the Phils than the Braves, but I think the Phils will hit a wall.

Mookie Wilson still hoping to win it for New York. 3 and 2 the count, and the pitch by Stanley, and a ground ball, trickling, it is a fair ball...GETS BY BUCKNER...rounding 3rd Knight...the Mets will win the ball game. The Mets win. They win! --Bob Murphy

by Unga on Apr 5, 2010 10:00 PM EDT reply actions

Rockies

Hey guys, I keep seeing all these Rockies picks everywhere, but I still just don’t get it. Sure they went crazy last year, but they still lost in first round of playoffs. Did nothing to improve team.

Writer for Pinstripe Alley.
"Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth."
"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

by Brandon C. on Apr 6, 2010 12:14 PM EDT reply actions