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HOT CORNER
2011 Season Preview
April 1, 2011
It's a busy time at TCO, so this year's Season Preview will concentrate on brevity. In a mere three words, we'll tell you what you need to know about each team. Without delay, here are TCO's predictions for 2011!
AL East
New York
rotation won't matter
Boston
will battle Yanks
Tampa Bay
competitive but distant
Baltimore
Showalter effect works
Toronto
Bautista regresses some
AL Central
Minnesota
wins despite talent
Chicago
too many questions
Detroit
any finish possible
Cleveland
expect solid finish
Kansas City
headed wrong direction
AL West
Oakland
pitching carries division
Texas
second without Lee
Los Angeles
talent slowly slipping
Seattle
home runs anyone?
NL East
Philadelphia
too many stars
Atlanta
overdependence on youth
Florida
youngsters can play
New York
better than last
Washington
patchwork roster falters
NL Central
Cincinnati
lineup will impress
Milwaukee
in it throughout
St. Louis
pitching losses hurt
Chicago
Quade gets results
Houston
rebuilding at best
Pittsburgh
no surprises here
NL West
Los Angeles
pieces in place
San Francisco
still suspect offense
Colorado
health will determine
San Diego
businesslike but limited
Arizona
last but exciting?
AL Playoff teams: New York, Minnesota, Oakland, and Boston (WC)
ALCS: Boston over New York
NL Playoff teams: Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, and Atlanta (WC)
NLCS: Los Angeles over Philadelphia
World Series: Los Angeles (NL) over Boston
The Wild Card races are going to be interesting. Boston is definitely one of the best teams in baseball, but playing New York and the rest of the AL East consistently gives the Red Sox a little disadvantage over Chicago and Texas, but I think the Red Sox will prevail. Look for Atlanta, Milwaukee, and San Francisco to battle it out to the last weekend.
In the American League, once Boston gets in, a deep bullpen and starters like Lester will propel them to the World Series, not to mention a revamped lineup with Carl Crawford. In the National League, I see Philly falling to LA in the NLCS as the bats fail to show up in October with Werth missing and Utley a question mark.
The World Series will match a couple classic teams, and this is the year that LA's performance matches its potential. Kemp, Loney, Ethier, and others will carry forward a great regular season, and with Kershaw a legitimate ace and a solid bullpen in tow, the Dodgers will stand proud as the 2011 World Series Champions, besting the Red Sox in a well played series.
