PREDICTION BOX 2008:

2008 CHICAGO CUBS PREDICTIONS:

Team Predictions:
Record: 92-70
Finish: First Place
PlayOff Appearance: Second Round Exit

Pre All Star Break MVP's: Ryan Dempster & Derek Lee
Post All Star Break MVP's: Carlos Zambrano & Derek Lee

Unexpected Contribution - Pitcher of the Year: Ryan Dempster
Unexpected Contribution - Position Player of the Year: Ryan Theriot

Pitching DUD of the year: Rich Hill (has control issues, gets demoted to bullpen, goes on DL for a month, gets put back into rotation, and finishes with good August/September.
Hitting DUD of the year: Alfonso Soriano (never adjusts to lineup changes, gets moved to #4 in the lineup, gets hurt for 2 months, back to top of lineup.

Players of Note:
Felix Pie: .265 6HR 40 RBI 28SB
Kosuke Fukudome: .289 15HR 73RBI .380OBP
Brian Roberts: Becomes a Cub by June 30th.

Lou Piniella:
First Lou Media Tirade: April 26th
First Lou Ejection: May 14th

Offense:
BA Leader: Derek Lee
HR Leader: Aramis Ramirez
Doubles Leader: Derek Lee
Strikeout Leader: Alfonso Soriano
Stolen Base Leader: Ryan Theriot

Pitching:
Wins: Zambrano (21) Lilly (14) Dempster (15) Lieber: (10) Hill (11)
ERA Leader: Zambrano
Strikeout Leader: Hill
Whip Leader: Lieber
Saves: Wood (26) Marmol (7) Howry (5)

I Predict: Soto will be 4rth in ROY voting.
I Predict: Zambrano will be 2nd in CY Young voting.
I Predict: Fukudome will be 2nd in ROY voting.
I Predict: Jason Marquis, Ronny Cedeno, Matt Murton, Michael Wuertz will be traded by end of season.
I Predict: Jon Lieber will be starter by end of season.
I Predict: Sean Marshall will have 8 starts this year.

NL Central Standings:
Cubs: (92-70)
Brewers: (89-73)
Reds: (87-75)
Cardinals: (75-87)
Pirates: (72-90)
Astros: (68-94)

MLB Baseball Predictions:

NL ROY: Clayton Kershaw - P - Dodgers (If he plays...otherwise Jay Bruce - OF - Reds)
AL ROY: Evan Longoria - 3B - Rays

NL MOY: Joe Torre (Dodgers)
AL MOY: John McLaren (Mariners)

Most Improved Player/Rebound Year (NL): Barry Zito
Most Improved Player/Rebound Year (AL): Felix Hernandez

Comeback Player of the Year (NL): Mike Hampton
Comeback Player of the Year (AL): Francisco Liriano

NL MVP: Prince Fielder 1B (Brewers)
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera 3B (Tigers)

NL CY Young: Johan Santana (23Wins)
AL CY Young: Josh Beckett (20 Wins)

I Predict: Barry Bonds will play for an AL team this year (Orioles? Rays? Angels?)
I Predict: Mark Prior will win 8 games and be healthy at the end of season.
I Predict: Prince Fielder will hit 63HR (if pitchers keep pitching to him)
I predict: Roger Clemens will not play this year.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS PREDICTIONS:
AL EAST:

Yankees - Their youth (Cano, Melky, Hughes, Kennedy, Joba) carry them to a division title)

RedSox - Their starting Pitching suffers injuries. They beat out Angels and WhiteSox for WildCard.

Rays - Most Improved Team as long as Kazmir is healthy. Longoria is ROY. Crawford has MVP type year.

Blue Jays - Stay competitive till All-Star Break but fall off after that.

Orioles - Going to be worst team in AL.

AL CENTRAL:

Tigers - As long as bullpen holds up, offense is just overwhelming.

WhiteSox - Give a real run for wild card chase but come up short. Not enough quality Starting Pitchers.

Indians - Injury riddled year rules out playoffs; still talented. Carmona regresses. Bullpen implodes.

Twins - Decent year. Liriano bounces back but not enough. Good progress for young team.

Royals - Improved team but still ends up on the bottom at the end of the year.

AL WEST:

Mariners - Felix & Bedard carry this team. Suzuki & Beltre solidify offense. Bullpen very good.

Angels - Great offense but injured pitching staff with Lackey and Escobar. KRod is distraction.

Rangers - Improved team but still not enough pitching. Offense puts up solid numbers.

Athletics - Not as bad as Orioles but continued firesale puts A's near the bottom of the league. Crosby, Ellis, Street, Harden will also be traded by season's end.

NATIONAL LEAGUE:
NL EAST:

Mets - Santana, Pedro, Maine carry pitching. Offense is scary if healthy.

Braves - Will give Mets a run for money for majority of year but drop off in September

Phillies - Competitive but not good enough. Solid offense. Starting pitching is suspect. Lidge struggles as closer.

Marlins - Solid talent but very young. A.Miller becomes bonefide ace. H.Ramirez challenges for MVP.

Nationals - Still not good enough but they'll be entertaining...of both good and bad variety.

NL Central:

Cubs

Brewers - Fielder has monster year. Pitching staff shaky.

Reds - Start off fast. Young rookies are good. Complete drop off post-allstar break.

Cardinals - Always seem dangerous no matter how bad they look on paper. Carpenter, Mulder comeback.

Pirates - Improved team but still not good enough. Lack pitching and hitting. Jason Bay traded.

Astros - Beside Pence, Lee, Berkman, Oswalt, Valverde...team has nothing. Lack of starting pitching.

N.L. West:

Dodgers - Starting Pitching is outstanding. Offense is very solid. Torre is MOY.

Dbacks - Great Starting pitching. Offense progresses. Sews up Wild Card by last weekend of the season.

Rockies - Solid pitching. Fantastic offense. But not late season playoff push magic this season and they are left on the outside.

Padres - Good pitching but still lacking solid offense. Hoffman not effective; Bullpen struggles

Giants - Worst team in National League

AL Playoff Teams:
Tigers
Yankees
Mariners
RedSox (Wild card)

NL Playoff Teams:
Mets
Cubs
Dodgers
DBacks (Wild Card)

AL Playoffs:
Tigers beat RedSox in 5
Yankees beat Mariners in 4

Tigers beat Yankees in 6

NL PLayoffs:

Mets beat Dbacks in 4
Cubs beat Dodgers in 5

Mets def. Cubs in 7

World Series:
Tigers def. Mets