There's just too many good teams in the American League. The Tigers are this season's White Sox so I think that they win the wildcard and the Red Sox pitching staff is much better than New York's which is why I have the Yankees on the outside looking in. I can't wait to see Steinbrenner's face
How about that 19-1 loss to Cleveland on Steinbrenner's birthday?
It's a shame that the American League has so many great teams, and the National League barely has any. The Mets are probably the only team that can compete in a 7-game series with the Red Sox, Yankees, White Sox, Tigers and Twins.
If one team goes to the playoffs from the AL East, it'll probably be the Red Sox. Their pitching dwarfs whatever the Yankees have.
Going into the season I thought that Cleveland would make it but they are just not playing up to their potential right now. It would be hard for them to dig themselves out of the hole that they have buried themselves in by now.
I think that it is naive for the media to just hand the Mets the division already. They have a huge lead, but I can't see the Braves conceding New York the division after winning it 14 straight years. I think Atlanta will give New York a tough fight at the end.
Cleveland has a huge wall to climb. They're 16½ games behind the Tigers for the Wild Card. They have the pitching -- Jake Westbrook, Clifton Lee, C.C. Sabathia, Jeremy Sowers -- to make a run at 85-90 wins, but that won't get them into the postseason.
There is something different about this Braves team. Pitching coach Leo Mazzone is no longer with the squad for the first time in about two decades. That's why they can't pitch, and that's why they'll finish third-fifth.
The Braves have looked like this before and they have always bounced back. If they are to finish third-fifth, who would be ahead of them besides the Mets? The Phillies are too inconsistent, and the Nats and Marlins are simply not good enough. I think the Braves will finish 2nd because I refuse to believe that Bobby Cox won't get his team on fire before the end of the season. Somepoint before the end of the season, I predict the Braves will be within 5 games of the Mets, however, once they get there New York will finally put the division away.
Atlanta has always had great pitching. That's not the case this year. The difference? No Leo Mazzone.
I never liked the Mets chances before, but I think they have what it takes to possibly win the World Series. They have Pedro, Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, Alay Soler and Steve Trachsel as a solid No. 5.
...or the Tigers, Red Sox and the Yankees. It's bizarre how much better the AL is than the NL.
Personally, I think Detroit will go to the World Series. They have the best pitching -- Kenny Rogers, Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, Zach Miner -- and they know how to win on the road.
Im glad you agree with me that Detroit is the real deal. Everyone keeps saying that they are going to choke eventually, yeah like the White Sox were supposed to choke last year. Detroit has proven themselves worthy to me and they will give Chicago a heck of a fight in the ALCS.
Sorry, but the Yankees' pitching simply sucks. The Yankees aren't going to the playoffs and I dont know why you think they are so good. These aren't the Yankees of old, The past two seasons they have relied too heavily on their bats. Last season they only made the playoffs because for some odd reason baseball did not have a playoff for the AL East and because the Indians completely collapsed. In most seasons they would not have made the playoffs.
Detroit's road-winning percentage is better than the Yankees' overall-winning percentage. The Tigers (68% wins on the road) are head and shoulders above every other team in that regard (San Diego is second with 61%). History has shown that teams that are successful in the playoffs have great pitching and can win away from home.
