Winks New MLB Predictions

In light of all the action at the Trade Deadline, and how wrong I was in my pre-season predictions, I decided I'd better come out with some new and improved predictions of how I see the MLB season shaking out the rest of the way.

AL East - Preseason

1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Baltimore Orioles

AL East - New

1. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

The Red Sox have a very good baseball team, one of the best in the majors. But, this year, I think their competition is just too much for them to overcome. Say what you want about the Rays, but they have a solid team. I would have liked to see them pick up some help at the deadline, but the September call-up of pitcher David Price should be all they need. They won't win the division, but they will make the Wild Card. As for the Yankees, well, they never miss the playoffs. Haven't since the early 90's. I love the deals they made, and I think they have the experience to not only put together a run to the playoffs, but to take the AL East.

AL Central - Preseason

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Minnesota Twins

AL Central - Now

1. Chicago White Sox
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Cleveland Indians

The addition (and soon to be rejuvenation) of Junior Griffey will be enough to put Chicago back in the playoffs. The Tigers are a good enough team to make ground on the Twins, who I'm still not giving respect to. I thought they'd take last in the division at the beginning of the year, and I'm probably going to lose a bet with my buddy that they'd finish under .500. I still think they falter down the stretch, but that opinion might have changed if they still had Santana this year. Terrible trade.

AL West - Preseason

1. Seattle Mariners
2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Texas Rangers

AL West - Now

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2. Texas Rangers
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners

Um, whoops. The Mariners are the worst team in baseball, yet I was drinking their Kool-Aid at the beginning of the year. I remember placing them above LA at the last minute, which couldn't look more stupid now. By the way, can we be done making fun of the Angels name yet? Jim Powell still likes to say "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County of whatever they are called these days", and I think that's the one thing I disagree with him on. If we're going to rip on anyone for their team name, let's focus on the Chicago Bank One Bears. Remember that? Also, I'm still pissed at Oakland for giving Harden and Gaudin to the Cubs for NOTHING.

NL East - Preseason

1. New York Mets
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Philadelphia Philles
4. Washington Nationals
5. Florida Marlins

NL East - Now

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. New York Mets
3. Florida Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals

I bet the top three teams in this division are separated by no more than three games once the season is said and done with, but I think the Phillies come out on top. Both the Phillies and the Mets are flawed, but I think the Phillies are flawed less. If the Marlins would have ended up with Manny, I'd be tempted to give them the division. In fact, I probably would have. Manny is a great player, let's not forget that just because he's a nutjob. Braves have been a major disappointment, Nationals are awful.

NL Central - Preseason

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. St. Louis Cardinals

NL Central - Now

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. Houston Astros
5. Cincinnati Reds
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

Clearly, I was being a homer the first time around, but after the Cubs sweep of the Brewers at Miller Park, no way that team is not winning this division. I was and still tempted to put the Cardinals at the two spot, remember they have Carpenter back and Wainwright on the way. The Astros are an enigma, I hope taking 4th justifies the Randy Wolf trade. The Reds are garbage and the Pirates are worse.

NL West - Preseason

1. Colorado Rockies
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. San Diego Padres
5. San Francisco Giants

NL West - Now

1. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Colorado Rockies
4. San Diego Padres
5. San Francisco Giants

All my talk about Manny, and I don't even give the Dodgers the West. The D'Backs have the better team and the better pitching, and they can actually play defense. The Dodgers really don't have an identity, and that will cost them down the stretch. Everyone else should just go home.

AL Playoffs - Preseason

Tigers over Mariners
Indians over Red Sox

Tigers over Indians

AL Playoffs - Now

Yankees over White Sox
Angels over Rays

Angels over Yankees

NL Playoffs - Preseason

Brewers over Braves
Mets over Rockies

Mets over Brewers

NL Playoffs - Now

Cubs over Diamondbacks
Brewers over Phillies

Cubs over Brewers

World Series - Preseason

Tigers over Mets

World Series - Now

Angels over Cubs

I wasn't going to put the Crew as far as I did, but I just don't see them losing to the Phillies. The Cubs will beat them in 5 though in the NCLS, and it will be painful. The Angels are the best in the AL, but they'll go 7 with the Yanks. The Teixeira trade puts the Angels over the edge for me, even though the Cubs pitching staff is amazing. Who knows though, I was brutally off on my preseason predictions, we'll see where I end up with these.

What do you guys think?