"...what if Portland woulda drafted Jordan instead of Sam Bowie?..."If this joint doesn't make you wanna go out and buy The Last Kiss album when it drops then I don't know what will.
More: New Joints
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
What If - Jadakiss feat Nas
"...what if Portland woulda drafted Jordan instead of Sam Bowie?..."If this joint doesn't make you wanna go out and buy The Last Kiss album when it drops then I don't know what will.
More: New Joints
New York Minute - French Montana feat Jadakiss
New joint featuring Jadakiss that I can actually post without my post getting deleted.New York Minute - French Montana feat Jadakiss
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When The Sun Goes Down - Stoupe feat Saigon
New joint featuring Saigon, via WeLiveThis.When The Sun Goes Down - Stoupe feat Saigon
More: New Joints
Miami Heat Retire Alonzo Mourning's Number - (Video)
Here's the full video of Alonzo Mourning's speech from last night when the Miami Heat retired his number and another video of John Thompson talking about Zo.Pain & Torture - Jadakiss
Another new joint off of The Last Kiss, produced by Buckwild. Make sure you go cop that album when it drops next week.One More Step - Jadakiss featuring Styles P
New joint from Jadakiss that I believe is produced by Buckwild. Some heat right here.
Her, Him, & Me - Juelz Santana & Lil Wayne
Feeling the laid back vibe on this joint from Juelz Santana & Lil Wayne.Her, Him, & Me - Juelz Santana & Lil Wayne
More: New Joints
Monday, March 30, 2009
Usual Suspects - Rick Ross feat Nas
New joint from Rick Ross featuring Nas.Jay-Z's collabo with Rick Ross is better than Nas' collabo with Rick Ross...and it ain't even close...just sayin' that this joint coulda been a lot better.
MLB Weekly: 2009 Breakout Players
Here are some potential breakout players for the 2009 season. I expect these guys to perform better than what we have seen from them so far throughout their careers:Nick Markakis, OF, Orioles: Markakis is already a good player, but I think this might be the year he really breaks out and becomes a perennial All-Star. I expect him to get close to 30 home runs this season and knock in over 100 runs. There's also talk about the Orioles wanting him to run a little more.
Delmon Young, OF, Twins: A lot of people are down on Young, but he is still only 23 years old and has come to spring training with a brand new work ethic. He'll have to compete for playing time in the Twins OF, but I expect him to win a job and hit 20+ home runs this season.
Adam Jones, OF, Orioles: Jones had a decent but unspectacular rookie season. This year I expect big things out of Jones, especially on the basepaths. He has 7 steals in spring traing already, so I expect him to be running a lot this season for the O's
Felix Hernandez, P, Mariners: One of these years, King Felix is going to have a monster season on the mound. He might not put up a lot of wins for the Mariners this year thanks to their anemic offense, but I think he will dominate on the mound nonetheless.
Dallas Braden, P, A's: Braden has started throwing a cutter this year and has been effective so far in the spring. I see him as someone who could have a solid year in the A's rotation.
Chris Iannetta, C, Rockies: With a full season of at-bats, I think Iannetta makes the All-Star team and leads NL catchers in OPS. I say he gets at least 20 home runs this season and 80+ RBI as well.
Kendry Morales, 1B, Angels: Morales has been raking all spring and I love his swing and approach at the plate. He should be able to hit .290-.300 for the Angels this season without a problem. The only issue with him is how much power he can generate. Morales is a career .332 hitter in the minors.
Jason Kubel, DH, Twins: Kubel is my 2009 candidate for player who breaks out at age 27. I think he's going to live up to his potential this season and slug 30+ home runs for the Twins. The improvements of Kubel and Delmon Young are part of the reason why I'm projecting the Twins to win the AL Central.
Nelson Cruz, OF, Rangers: Pretty much everyone knows about this guy already, but he absolutely raked the ball last season in Triple-A(.342/37 HR/99 RBI/24 SB) and even hit .330 in 115 at-bats for the Rangers. He has 6 homers this spring and could have a monster season for someone who has been mostly seen as a bust throughout his professional career.
Other potential breakout candidates: Shin-Shoo Choo, OF, Indians; Ubaldo Jimenez, P, Rockies; Ryan Sweeney, OF, A's; Wladimir Balentien, OF, Mariners; Justin Upton, OF, Diamondbacks; Jay Bruce, OF, Reds; Andy LaRoche, 3B, Pirates; Johnny Cueto, P, Reds; Josh Johnson, P, Marlins; Lastings Milledge, OF, Nationals
Let me know who you got for 2009 breakout players and if you think I missed anyone.
More MLB News:
- Word on the street is that rookies Brett Anderson & Trevor Cahill will get the last two rotation spots for the Oakland A's. Both are big time pitching prospects and from what I've heard Cahill has the more dominating stuff but Anderson has the better command.
- The Angels already have a banged up rotation and now it looks like John Lackey will start the season on the DL with an elbow strain. The A's will have every chance to win this division if they can just get their pitching together.
- Kevin Gregg has been named the Cubs closer beating out Carlos Marmol. Marmol has the better stuff, so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
- Speaking of closers, the Mariners will use Brandon Morrow as their closer to start the season. I expect the Mariners will have 2 or 3 different closers before this season is over and Morrow will probably be in the rotation by years end.
- The Yankees will go with Brett Gardner in CF after he beat Melky Cabrera for the job. Look for Gardner to steal 30+ bases for the Yankees if he holds onto his starting job.
More: MLB & MLB Weekly
More MLB News:
- Word on the street is that rookies Brett Anderson & Trevor Cahill will get the last two rotation spots for the Oakland A's. Both are big time pitching prospects and from what I've heard Cahill has the more dominating stuff but Anderson has the better command.
- The Angels already have a banged up rotation and now it looks like John Lackey will start the season on the DL with an elbow strain. The A's will have every chance to win this division if they can just get their pitching together.
- Kevin Gregg has been named the Cubs closer beating out Carlos Marmol. Marmol has the better stuff, so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
- Speaking of closers, the Mariners will use Brandon Morrow as their closer to start the season. I expect the Mariners will have 2 or 3 different closers before this season is over and Morrow will probably be in the rotation by years end.
- The Yankees will go with Brett Gardner in CF after he beat Melky Cabrera for the job. Look for Gardner to steal 30+ bases for the Yankees if he holds onto his starting job.
More: MLB & MLB Weekly
The Game Owes Me - Red Cafe
Rare joint from Red Cafe. This is one of my favorite older joints from Red Cafe.The Game Owes Me - Red Cafe
More: Rare Joints
Hip Hop Is Back - Jae Millz
Rare joint from Jae Millz that has some nice production. Whatever happened to this dude anyway?Hip Hop Is Back - Jae Millz
More: Rare Joints
Sunday, March 29, 2009
That's Life - Khizman feat Skyzoo
Somewhat new joint from Khizman featuring Skyzoo that I spotted over at We Live This a while back and unlike most blogs, I actually respect their musical taste, so I'm linking to them.That's Life - Khizman feat Skyzoo
More: New Joints
Da Piano - Vee feat CL Smooth
New laid back joint featuring CL Smooth for the grown folks out there....including myself. This is off of producer Vee's album State of Mind.Da Piano - Vee feat CL Smooth
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2009 NCAA Tournament: Villanova Defeats Pitt, Reynolds Hits Game Winning Shot (Highlights)
Scottie Reynolds hit a game winning shot in the lane against Pitt as Villanova advanced to the Final 4. You have to give a ton of credit to Villanova for making the Final 4, because as good as they are I don't think they have one player on their team who is a definite to get picked in the first round of the NBA Draft. They do however have a ton of solid college talent and a great coach. Jay Wright has built a program at Villanova where they expect to be one of the best teams in the country every season. Villanova is a better defensive team than either UNC or Oklahoma, so it should be interesting to see how they match up with the winner of that game. I think that Villanova's lack of height might be what does them in though. More: March Madness
New Joint of The Week: Act Like - Styles P & Sheek Louch
I didn't post that many new joints this week, so there wasn't much to choose from. I had to go with this mixtape joint from Styles P & Sheek over a classic Biggie beat.New Joint of The Week: Act Like - Styles P & Sheek Louch
Here's the rest of the new joints I posted this past week:
Car Jack - Freeway
Low Life - Supastar LT
Our Luv - Chubb Rock
We Fight, We Love (Remix) - Q-Tip feat Kanye West & Consequence
The Release - Rapper Big Pooh
Day & Nite - Styles P
Just Like You - Skit Slam & The Beatnikz feat Cymarshall Law & Sticky Fingaz
E-Mail Bag Mix: Move (Freestyle) - A. Evans
“Moving on like Joel and Joey to the left, David Lee, Ginobli, Mo Peterson, Haters salty they need more seasoning…”New freestyle from Harlem's own A. Evans.
Move (Freestyle) - A. Evans
More: New Joints
E-Mail Bag Mix: Well Connected - Boaz
New joint from Boaz:Boaz returns with "Well Connected" off of his debut album "The Audiobiography." The album will be available digitally nationwide April 14th!!
Well Connected - Boaz
More: New Joints
Saturday, March 28, 2009
E-Mail Bag Mix: The SHOW Show - New Ciara & Justin Timberlake Video, Dame Dash Divorce, Nick Cannon Broke?, Laura & Vanessa in SHOWCase
The SHOW Show - New Ciara and Justin Timberlake Video, Dame Dash Divorce, Nick Cannon Broke??, Laura and Vanessa in SHOWCase 
Just Like You - Skit Slam & The Beatnikz feat Cymarshall Law & Sticky Fingaz
New joint featuring Sticky Fingaz & Cymarshall Law.Just Like You - Skit Slam & The Beatnikz feat Cymarshall Law & Sticky Fingaz
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Dunk of The Week
Blake Griffin destroys Zack Novak for the Dunk of The Week. Brought to you by You Got Dunked On.More: Dunk of The Week
Friday, March 27, 2009
Day & Nite - Styles P
New mixtape joint from Styles P. This will be pumping out of my car system in the very near future. Off of the Big Mike & Styles P - Phantom Empire mixtape.Day & Nite - Styles P
More: New Joints
The Release - Rapper Big Pooh
New joint from Big Pooh off of his The Delightful Bars (Candy Apple Edition) itunes album.
The Release - Rapper Big Pooh
More: New Joints
The Release - Rapper Big Pooh
More: New Joints
2009 NCAA Tournament: Levance Fields Has Onions
Thanks to Levance Fields and his onions, Pitt was able to defeat Xavier and advanced last night to the Elite 8. Every member of that team should be thanking this guy right now.More: March Madness
Alex Rodriguez Interview With Michael Kay (Video)
A-Rod sat down with Michael Kay and talked about what else? It's the 'roids stupid!Thursday, March 26, 2009
Stanley Robinson & A.J. Price Stepping Up Their Games Since Jerome Dyson's Injury
There's been a lot of talk about UConn missing Jerome Dyson's scoring ability and that this is "not the same team" as it was before the injury. I took the time to break out how Stanley Robinson and A.J. Price have played since Dyson went down and it's actually quite interesting:Stanley Robinson before Dyson injury: 19 games, 5.4 points
Stanley Robinson after Dyson Injury: 9 games, 12.4 points
Stanley Robinson last 3 games: 21.3 points, 27-46 FG (58.7%)
A.J. Price before Dyson injury: 23 games, 12.4 points
A.J. Price after Dyson injury: 9 games, 20.2 points
A.J. Price last three games: 26.7 points
It's pretty clear that Robinson and Price have stepped their games up and are more than making up for the 13+ points a game Dyson was giving UConn. In fact, you could argue that there was an initial adjustment period for both of these guys and it looks like things are really clicking for both of them now in the last 3 games. I'm not surprised that UConn struggled a little bit initially, but it definitely looks like they found the solution. Also, I love the in your chest defense of Kemba Walker at the other end of the floor, which has helped ease the loss of Dyson on that end.
If your still not convinced that UConn has enough offense to win it all, well then we should find out with their next two games just how good that offense is. They face off with Purdue tonight, who is ranked 5th in the country in defense and then if victorious they will face either Memphis or Missouri, who rank 1st and 10th respectively. If UConn does make it out of their region, well then I think the other three teams in the Final 4 should be extremely worried.
More: NCAA Basketball
We Fight, We Love (Remix) - Q-Tip feat Kanye West & Consequence
New remix from Q-Tip featuring Kanye & Consequence.We Fight, We Love (Remix) - Q-Tip feat Kanye West & Consequence
More: New Joints & Remixes
The Express - Reflection Eternal
Rare joint from Reflection Eternal that I'm pretty sure was not on their album.The Express - Reflection Eternal
More: Rare Joints
Fallin' (Remix) - Alicia Keys feat Busta Rhymes & Rampage
Remix from Alicia Keys featuring Flipmode and sampling Rampage's Wild For The Night.Fallin' (Remix) - Alicia Keys feat Busta Rhymes & Rampage
Bonus: Wild For The Night - Rampage feat Busta Rhymes
More: Remixes
Family Affair (Pete Rock Remix) - Mary J. Blige feat Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Move On - Slaughterhouse (Video)
If you ask me part of the problem with hip hop is that there are too many solo artists and everyone is out for themselves. Slaughterhouse is the perfect example of a bunch of solo artists who are probably better off in a group. I'd much rather listen to these guys as a group on an album then a solo album from each one. Some of the best hip hop music we've ever heard has come from groups and I think artist's would benefit from getting back to the group mentality.
Audio: Move On - Slaughterhouse
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Focus (Remix) - Joe Budden feat LL Cool J & Queen Dutchess
Older remix from Joe Budden featuring LL Cool J.Focus (Remix) - Joe Budden feat LL Cool J & Queen Dutchess
More: Remixes
Guilty (Produced by DJ Premier) - Heather B
Rare joint produced by DJ Premier for Heather B.
Guilty (Produced by DJ Premier) - Heather B
More: Rare Joints
Guilty (Produced by DJ Premier) - Heather B
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In Philly Speedin - Beanie Sigel
Rare joint from Beanie Sigel. This one goes out to The Rev.In Philly Speedin - Beanie Sigel
More: Rare Joints
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
2009 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 & Efficiency Ratings Analysis
Now that the Sweet 16 is set, I am going to take a look at the matchups and also analyze how effective the efficiency ratings are in predicting who made the Sweet 16.Louisville (4) (.966) vs Arizona (31) (.895)
Overall Efficiency: Louisville (4), Arizona (31)
Offensive Efficiency: Louisville (41), Arizona (7)
Defensive Efficiency: Louisville (2), Arizona (118)
Efficiency Prediction: Louisville
My Prediction: Louisville
Comments: Arizona is actually the biggest underdog left in the tournament. Louisville's weakness is their offense, which hasn't improved much through the first two rounds of the tournament. Arizona's weakness is their defense, so they probably won't be too effective in stopping Louisville, but if they can put a bunch of points up then they might have a chance to beat Louisville. I think Louisville will be victorious, but I'm starting to think they might get knocked off by the Kansas-Michigan State winner though.
Michigan State (16) (.941) vs Kansas (9) (.952)
Overall Efficiency: Michigan State (16), Kansas (9)
Offensive Efficiency: Michigan State (30), Kansas (24)
Defensive Efficiency: Michigan State (12), Kansas (8)
Efficiency Prediction: Kansas
My Prediction: Kansas
Comments: I picked Kansas in the Elite 8, but somehow when I filled out my brackets I had West Virginia. I guess I had bracket overload and had forgotten what my final decision was. Kansas has creeped back into the Top 10 in efficiency, but they are still a young team and I have to wonder if maybe Michigan State can grit out a victory against them. Both teams struggle with turnovers. Kansas shoots better from the field, especially from 3. Michigan State has been dominating teams on the boards, but Cole Aldrich is better in that area than anyone on their squad. I think Kansas will find a way to win in the end.
UConn (2) (.976) vs Purdue (18) (.937)
Overall Efficiency: UConn (2), Purdue (18)
Offensive Efficiency: UConn (13), Purdue (57)
Defensive Efficiency: UConn (3), Purdue (5)
Efficiency Prediction: UConn
My Prediction: UConn
Comments: UConn's offensive efficiency has skyrocketed from 20th to 13th since the beginning of the tournament. The reason why I picked UNC over UConn in the final is because in the last 5 years all the champs have been 1st or 2nd in offensive efficiency and with UConn being 20th it just didn't seem logical to pick them to win it all. However, the way they have been playing they might end up at least in the Top 10, which would make them a much better pick. Meanwhile, Purdue's offense has slipped from 48th to 57th and they are by far the worst offensive team in the Sweet 16. I don't think that makes them a good bet to knock off UConn and considering UConn is bigger and more physical than Purdue, I don't think it would be to their advantage to try and turn this one into a slow-paced slugfest, even though that's probably their only chance to win.
Memphis (1) (.980) vs Missouri (7) (.958)
Overall Efficiency: Memphis (1), Missouri (7)
Offensive Efficiency: Memphis (25), Missouri (24)
Defensive Efficiency: Memphis (1), Missouri (8)
Efficiency Prediction: Memphis
My Prediction: Memphis
Comments: Unlike Louisville, the Memphis offense has actually improved 14 spots over the first two games, which leads me to believe that they may actually be better than Louisville. It also means that the best two teams in this tournament might be in the same bracket, when it was originally thought that UConn and Memphis were the weakest of the 5 potential # 1 seeds. Unfortunately for one of them, they will have to meet in the Elite 8. I do think Missouri has a chance to beat Memphis though and I expect this one to be a dogfight.
Pitt (5) (.964) vs Xavier (20) (.925)
Overall Efficiency: Pitt (5), Xavier (20)
Offensive Efficiency: Pitt (2), Xavier (43)
Defensive Efficiency: Pitt (35), Xavier (14)
Efficiency Prediction: Pitt
My Prediction: Pitt
Comments: If Xavier can get their offense going to go along with their stingy defense, then it's possible that Xavier could pull off an upset in this one. Xavier is 12th in the nation in three-point shooting and 8th in defensive effective FG%, so they definitely have some of the ingredients needed to beat Pitt. Pitt has looked a little sluggish so far in the tournament, but Xavier hasn't faced anyone as good as Pitt yet either. I think Pitt will pull this game out, but I don't expect it to be pretty.
Duke (8) (.956) vs Villanova (17) (.938)
Overall Efficiency: Duke (8), Villanova (17)
Offensive Efficiency: Duke (5), Villanova (22)
Defensive Efficiency: Duke (20), Villanova (19)
Efficiency Prediction: Duke
My Prediction: Duke
Comments: This is probably one of the toughest matchups to call in the Sweet 16. I think it will come down to how well Duke can control the defensive boards, since the teams are pretty even in almost every category, except that Duke is weak on the defensive glass and Villanova is a strong offensive rebounding team. If Duke can keep Villanova off the boards, then I think they win, if not then they'll lose. I honestly think Villanova has a great chance to win this game, but since I picked Duke to make the Elite 8, I'll stick to my original pick.
North Carolina (3) (.969) vs Gonzaga (6) (.962)
Overall Efficiency: North Carolina (3), Gonzaga (6)
Offensive Efficiency: North Carolina (1), Gonzaga (4)
Defensive Efficiency: North Carolina (28), Gonzaga (15)
Efficiency Prediction: North Carolina
My Prediction: North Carolina
Comments: This should be the most entertaining game of the Sweet 16 as I expect both teams to score over 80 points. Just like the Duke-Villanova game, this one is going to come down to offensive rebounding. The Tar Heels are 9th in the nation in that area, while Gonzaga is 104th in defensive rebounding. I think if the Tar Heels want to win this game they should crash the offensive boards and get some easy buckets. Gonzaga ranks 5th in both offensive and defensive effective FG%, so UNC is going to have their hands full on both ends of the court. UNC is my pick here, but I'll be sweating this one out for sure.
Syracuse (12) (.949) vs Oklahoma (13) (.944)
Overall Efficiency: Syracuse (12), Oklahoma (13)
Offensive Efficiency: Syracuse (9), Oklahoma (8)
Defensive Efficiency: Syracuse (26), Oklahoma (39)
Efficiency Prediction: Syracuse
My Prediction: Syracuse
Comments: This matchup is about as even as you can ask for and should be another great Sweet 16 game. The difference in this game is obviously going to be the Syracuse zone. In order to beat the zone, Oklahoma is going to have to show that they can consistently knock down the three-point shot. So as crazy as it sounds, Blake Griffin isn't even the most important player in this game. I do like that Syracuse has two big bodies in Onuaku and Jackson to try and slow down Griffin, but the key to this game is going to be the three point shooting of Austin Johnson, Willie Warren, Tony Crocker, and Cade Davis. I initially picked Syracuse in the Elite 8, so I'll have to stick with my pick and hope the Sooners are misfiring from the outside.
Sweet 16 Efficiency Analysis
Here are the Overall Efficiency Rankings of each Sweet 16 team before the tournament started:
1.) Memphis (1)
2.) North Carolina (2)
3.) UConn (3)
4.) Louisville (4)
5.) Gonzaga (5)
6.) Pitt (6)
7.) Duke (7)
8.) Missouri (10)
9.) Kansas (11)
10.) Michigan State (13)
11.) Purdue (14)
12.) Syracuse (15)
13.) Oklahoma (17)
14.) Villanova (19)
15.) Xavier (24)
16.) Arizona (39)
Analysis: Out of the Top 20 teams, 14 of them made the Sweet 16, including 8 of the Top 10. UCLA was 9th and lost to 19th rated Villanova. Arizona State was 12th and lost to 15th rated Syracuse. Washington was 16th and lost to 14th rated Purdue, Marquette was 20th and lost to 10th rated Missouri. West Virginia(8) and BYU(18) were the only two Top 20 teams to lose to a team outside of the Top 20. Xavier(24) & Arizona(39) are in the Sweet 16 largely because they did not play any Top 20 teams in the first two rounds, or they most likely would have lost. Although Xavier is now ranked 20th. Pretty damn good predictor if you ask me.
Here are the Offensive Efficiency Rankings of each Sweet 16 team:
1.) North Carolina (1)
2.) Pittsburgh (2)
3.) Gonzaga (4)
4.) Duke (5)
5.) Arizona (7)
6.) Oklahoma (8)
7.) Syracuse (9)
8.) UConn (13)
9.) Missouri (16)
10.) Villanova (22)
11.) Kansas (24)
12.) Memphis (25)
13.) Michigan State (30)
14.) Louisville (41)
15.) Xavier (43)
16.) Purdue (57)
Analysis: 7 out of the Top 10 offensive teams made the Sweet 16 and 13 out the 16 teams were ranked in the Top 30. UCLA(3) lost to Villanova(22), Arizona State(6) lost to Syracuse(9), Marquette(10) lost to Missouri(16). In each of those cases, the better defensive team won. Louisville(41), Xavier(43), and Purdue(57) are outliers on offense, but all have Top 15 defenses.
Here are the Defensive Efficiency Rankings of each Sweet 16 team:
1.) Memphis (1)
2.) Louisville (2)
3.) UConn (3)
4.) Purdue (5)
5.) Kansas (8)
6.) Missouri (10)
7.) Michigan State (12)
8.) Xavier (14)
9.) Gonzaga (15)
10.) Villanova (19)
11.) Duke (20)
12.) Syracuse (26)
13.) North Carolina (28)
14.) Pittsburgh (35)
15.) Oklahoma (39)
16.) Arizona (118)
Analysis: 6 of the Top 10 teams on defense made the Sweet 16 and 13 of 16 were rated in the Top 30. Illinois(4) had an offensive rating of 101. The 6th rated team did not make the tournament and the 7th rated team was Stephen F. Austin who's offense was rated 264th. Washington was rated 9th but lost to Purdue who was 5th. While defense is important, it looks like a high rated offense is a better indicator of who moves on, however, in the case of two high rated offenses, the better defensive team has been prevailing.
More: March Madness
It's Alright (Remix) - Lina feat Gang Starr
I have no idea who Lina is but Gangstarr remixed this track for her back in the day.It's Alright (Remix) - Lina feat Gang Starr
More: Remixes & Rare Joints
Home Sweet Home (Produced By The Alchemist) - Ras Kass
This is the infamous joint that The Alchemist gave to Jadakiss after letting Ras Kass spit on it that caused a beef between the two.Home Sweet Home (Produced By The Alchemist) - Ras Kass
Bonus: We Gon Make It - Jadakiss feat Styles P
More: Rare Joints
Arch Angels - Ras Kass feat Xzibit
Rare joint from Ras Kass featuring Mr. X to the Z.Arch Angels - Ras Kass feat Xzibit
More: Rare Joints
Monday, March 23, 2009
MLB Weekly: 2009 MLB Preview & Predictions
AL East
1a. Tampa Bay Rays
1b. New York Yankees
1c. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
Comments: Ok, so honestly, I have no idea who's going to win the AL East. These are probably the three best teams in baseball and whoever stays the healthiest is going to win. Since it's impossible to predict injuries, I'm not going to try to predict who's going to win the division. What I do know is that the Rays are the healthiest right now and with the additions of Pat Burrell and David Price, they might be even better than last year. Boston is having injury issues with a couple of their guys already and I think they are due for some pitching injuries this year as well. Maybe even Papelbon. The Yanks could be without A-Rod for longer than 10 weeks if you ask me, so for now I'm going with the Rays as the team to beat here. It's really a shame one of these teams will end up missing the playoffs though.
AL Central
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Detroit Tigers
Comments: I feel like people are sleeping on the Twins this year and that they will win the AL Central. I think some of their hitters could have breakout years and they always get solid pitching. Having Joe Nathan at the end of games is also a nice asset to have. I don't like the Indians starting pitching after Cliff Lee and Carmona, I think they are real thin, especially if they are relying on Carl Pavano. They should be in the mix though since they improved their lineup and bullpen in the offseason. The White Sox could surprise and actually win the division, since they do have a decent lineup and starting pitching, but they have too many old guys for me to predict them to do that. Kansas City should be around .500 again and I still think the Tigers pitching stinks, so I picked them to finish in the basement.
AL West
1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Oakland A's
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners
Comments: If the A's young pitching steps it up this year and peforms well then I think they will win the division. However, that is probably a big reach at this point, so I'm sticking with the Angels. I think the Mariners could surprise some people if they can generate any kind of offense, because they do have some nice starting pitchers. The bullpen seems weak though, so I could easily see them being the worst team in the AL too. The Rangers still don't have any pitching and relying on offense will only get you so far.
NL East
1. New York Mets
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. Washington Nationals
Comments: I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phillies finish behind the Braves. They already have some injury concerns with Cole Hamels and that would really hurt their team if he went down. If they stay healthy, then they should be fine though. The Braves still don't have enough offense to get things done. The bullpen might be a little shakey too. The Marlins could surprise since they have a good offense and if their pitching gives them anything then they will be solid and perhaps could push for a Wild Card spot. The Nationals might be the worst team in baseball.
NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Comments: The Cubs should win this division. How far they make it in the playoffs is another story though. I think the Reds could be a surprise team and finish over .500 and push the Cardinals for second. I don't like the Brewers team without Sabathia and Sheets, so I think they will struggle. The Astros and Pirates shouldn't be much of a factor, although the Astros could hang around 2nd place for a while.
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. San Francisco Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Comments: I think the Dodgers will be able to repeat with Manny in the lineup for a full year and with their younger hitters improving. Their pitching should still be solid and I think they are just a better team than Arizona. The Giants have some good pitching, so they should be able to finish in front of the Rockies and Padres, who might both be horrible this season.
1a. Tampa Bay Rays1b. New York Yankees
1c. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
Comments: Ok, so honestly, I have no idea who's going to win the AL East. These are probably the three best teams in baseball and whoever stays the healthiest is going to win. Since it's impossible to predict injuries, I'm not going to try to predict who's going to win the division. What I do know is that the Rays are the healthiest right now and with the additions of Pat Burrell and David Price, they might be even better than last year. Boston is having injury issues with a couple of their guys already and I think they are due for some pitching injuries this year as well. Maybe even Papelbon. The Yanks could be without A-Rod for longer than 10 weeks if you ask me, so for now I'm going with the Rays as the team to beat here. It's really a shame one of these teams will end up missing the playoffs though.
AL Central
1. Minnesota Twins2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Detroit Tigers
Comments: I feel like people are sleeping on the Twins this year and that they will win the AL Central. I think some of their hitters could have breakout years and they always get solid pitching. Having Joe Nathan at the end of games is also a nice asset to have. I don't like the Indians starting pitching after Cliff Lee and Carmona, I think they are real thin, especially if they are relying on Carl Pavano. They should be in the mix though since they improved their lineup and bullpen in the offseason. The White Sox could surprise and actually win the division, since they do have a decent lineup and starting pitching, but they have too many old guys for me to predict them to do that. Kansas City should be around .500 again and I still think the Tigers pitching stinks, so I picked them to finish in the basement.
AL West
1. Los Angeles Angels2. Oakland A's
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners
Comments: If the A's young pitching steps it up this year and peforms well then I think they will win the division. However, that is probably a big reach at this point, so I'm sticking with the Angels. I think the Mariners could surprise some people if they can generate any kind of offense, because they do have some nice starting pitchers. The bullpen seems weak though, so I could easily see them being the worst team in the AL too. The Rangers still don't have any pitching and relying on offense will only get you so far.
NL East
1. New York Mets2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. Washington Nationals
Comments: I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phillies finish behind the Braves. They already have some injury concerns with Cole Hamels and that would really hurt their team if he went down. If they stay healthy, then they should be fine though. The Braves still don't have enough offense to get things done. The bullpen might be a little shakey too. The Marlins could surprise since they have a good offense and if their pitching gives them anything then they will be solid and perhaps could push for a Wild Card spot. The Nationals might be the worst team in baseball.
NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Comments: The Cubs should win this division. How far they make it in the playoffs is another story though. I think the Reds could be a surprise team and finish over .500 and push the Cardinals for second. I don't like the Brewers team without Sabathia and Sheets, so I think they will struggle. The Astros and Pirates shouldn't be much of a factor, although the Astros could hang around 2nd place for a while.
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. San Francisco Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
Comments: I think the Dodgers will be able to repeat with Manny in the lineup for a full year and with their younger hitters improving. Their pitching should still be solid and I think they are just a better team than Arizona. The Giants have some good pitching, so they should be able to finish in front of the Rockies and Padres, who might both be horrible this season.
Playoff Predictions
AL East: Tampa Bay Rays
AL Central: Minnesota Twins
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
AL Wild Card: New York Yankees
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies
ALCS: Tampa Bay Rays over New York Yankees
NLCS: New York Mets over Chicago Cubs
World Series: Tampa Bay Rays over New York Mets
AL MVP: Mark Teixeira
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana
These predictions mean nothing right now when there's so much that can happen over a 162 game season. Injuries can really kill a team's chances, so I'll have to see how things play out first before I can make any real predictions, but at least we can see how accurate these predictions end up being.
More: MLB & MLB Weekly
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