Damian Hospital’s 2008 MLB picks:
AL
Yankees, Tigers, Oakland A’s, Boston Red Sox
NL
Phillies, Cubs, Padres, Rockies
Here is my reasoning:
The Yankees are loaded, the Tigers are better than the Indians, the A’s will be the surprise team of the AL, and the Red Sox will have injuries but still win the Wild Card.
The Mets are CURSED, and it is against my genetic code to pick them. The Cubs are slightly better than the Brewers, who have a manager that costs them games. The NL West will be HIGHLY competitive, and it’s a crap shoot. As much as I want to pick Joe Torre’s Dodgers, I just don’t think “healing the clubhouse” is going to win the NL West. I will be rooting for Joe to win the NL, though. I just don’t see the Dodgers as a favorite, since the Padres have a SUPER pitching staff, and the Rockies were no fluke last year.
Some other team surprises and disappointments:
The Angels’ injury situation looks pretty grim. Most experts pick them to run away with the AL West, but the Mariners have improved pitching now, and I have faith in Billy Beane’s Oakland A’s to bounce back and win that division.
Tampa Bay will be flirting with .500 IF Scott Kazmir is healthy. If not, does it really matter if they finish above the Orioles or not? Seriously, until they get excellent pitching and have money to pick up hot free agents, they will never contend.
The Tigers are the team to beat, and the Indians may hang with them for a while, but ultimately I don’t see them catching them.
The Mets will be the biggest disappointment in baseball for the 2nd consecutive year in Willie Randolph’s last year. The Braves will improve. The Reds may have a better record than the Brewers (who are thin on pitching). The Cardinals and Astros are now non-entities.
The NL West: flip a coin (except the Giants- without Barry Bonds t are worthless).
Last year, my 2007 MLB predictions were:
AL
Yankees [I was wrong for the East, but they won the Wild Card]
Indians [Right.]
Angels [Right.]
Tigers [Wrong.]
NL
Phillies [Right.]
Cubs [Right.]
Padres [Wrong.]
Cardinals [Wrong.]
As Tony said in October “GREAT job with your picks. On the money!”.
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Yankees Extend Nick Swisher (Dailyskew Analysis)
It means that you have to pay and have the ticket issued by June 18, 2008. The window of the traveling dates varies. It is best that you check with the airlines.
Leo, I think you are being tough on Joe G. Torre has done nada in LA (they are under .500 and two games worse than the Pythagorean), and I don't think the Yanks' record would be any better if Joe Torre were here.
The Dodgers pitching has been super. They can't hit.
Not to mention Scott Proctor just went on the DL. A 6.82 ERA and another notch in Torre's belt.
A friend of mine says this…Joe Torre didn't make the Yankees. The Yankees made Joe Torre.
Joe Torre > you, ya tard.
wow… way to use the wrong billy beane… completely delegitimizing.
Preseason and on paper they looked like the team to beat in the NL West. I understand all the stats you've presented and I can tell you this. I believe that Manny Ramirez was the cause of this teams total collapse. He brought a poison to the team and disrupted it enough to throw everything out of whack.
He quit on the Dodgers just like he quit on the Red Sox. His last at-bat in LA was his "calling card". He didn't want to be there and he showed it to the entire baseball world. Manny is like Terrell Owens in football. He lays waste to everything around him. The Dodgers will be back next season because they don't have to put up with "Manny being Manny" anymore.
Those are very possible choices, Vahl.
Pond scum? MEANwhile Davey Johnson is on the OUTside of the Hall of Fame lookin’ at ME!
I think you’d better change NL Central to “Cardinals”!
Since Mr. Pond Scum Whitey Herzog has made an appearance, I’ve decided to go ahead and make some picks.
I dedicate these picks to Willie McGee, Tommy Herr, Jack Clark, Jose Oquendo … and all those other “Great” Cardinals players from the 1980′s that I despised when I was a child:
AL
Yanks
Tigers
A’s
Rays
NL
Braves
Cubs
Dodgers
D-Backs
May the Blue Jays and Mets enjoy watching the playoffs from home.
Just hug it out guys. Just hug it out.
Vahl’s been busy these last 10 years, but don’t worry, he shall return when you least expect it.
He jumped the shark back in ’01 anyway.
Now he’s making excuses for himself? Next thing you know he’s going to get an IKEA credit card and complain about the interest rate.
He’s been lame since he joined that Washington outfit.
Sounds, LaME to me, V.
i dont blame you, i predicted mets-angels last year
Sorry, I don’t have any. I’m unplugged this year … truthfully, I was unplugged last year, too — I played catch-up as best I could, but it didn’t work out. I didn’t have time to let all the implications sink in, and I was off on my predictions.
I have not analyzed the situation at all this year, and I think it would be a disservice to all the baseball dailyskew fans to just make predictions for the sake of making them. Maybe someday I can be “In the know” again, like you are, but for now I will remain an observer of the sport, and commentator on individuals.
J-Bird, please tell me your joking…AGAIN?
Did you remember your wrong picks for the last 3248239482042294 years?
Thanks everyone…what are you official picks, Vahl, for the record?
I’m glad you picked the A’s. I enjoyed rooting for them this week, when they played the Red Sox. They’ve got terrific arms and good young talent.
I was getting ill listening to the Red Sox announcers subtly bash Billy Beane, so I’ll be rooting for them to exceed expectations this year.
I gotta pick Torre and the Dodgers, for the same genetic reasons you mentioned for not voting for the Mets.
Speaking of the Mets — I must pick against them as well, b/c of Willie “Sinestro” Randolph, “Realtor” Petersen, and Omar Minaya. I hope Lastings Milledge plays well against them.
YOUR LAST YEARS PICKS WERE VERY VERY GOOD! I WISH THAT I WAS A
GAMBLING MAN! THIS YEAR YOU HAVE MADE EQUAL REMARKS, AND BYE BYE GIANTS IF BONDS IS GONE!
THE YANKEES HAVE A GOOD PITCHING
ROTATION THIS SEASON! I PREDICT THAT WE WILL SEE MORE OF joba! I
HOPE HE AT LEAST GETS A CHANCE.
Phillies vs. Angels