Surprise Team of 2007

[bryanac625]

I don't think anyone expected the Tigers to go to the World Series last year (Sports Illustrated's Baseball Preview issue said they would finish 4th in the AL Central and gave them a power ranking of 18 out of 30).

What team this year will do much better than expected?

[BoofBonser26]

Indians. :o :waving

[wu-tang clan]

i think both the indians and brewers might make the playoffs this year.

[IronMike]

the brew crew, we got the 2nd best rotation in the NL, maybe even the best when adjusted for parks.

[EvanAparra]

the brew crew, we got the 2nd best rotation in the NL, maybe even the best when adjusted for parks.
Yeesh... You got Jeff Suppan, not Bob Gibson.

[cubsfan1073]

I know they made the playoffs last year, but I think the Dodgers will be the WS Champs this year. They got some good pitching. There lineup is unstoppable and I think they have what it takes to win the Fall Classic. The Brewers also might have a chance to make the playoffs and the Indians have a chance to rebound after their disappointing 2006. The Blue Jays could make the playoffs this year, and the Rockies might surprise everyone and fight for a playoff spot.

[GotMelk?]

The Devil Rays

[Williamsburg2599]

The Devil Rays
What major improvments have they made? Maybe in a few years, but I don't think 2007. The Padres look pretty good, but they made the playoffs last year, so I don't think they really qualify as a "surprise."

[Seattle1]

Believe it or not, 2007 will be the year of the Mariners! :D

[SamtheBravesFan]

Since few even factor the Braves in even the wild card chase, I'm picking them.

[JordanDL3891]

cubs have made some amazing moves, i'm going to have to go with them, but the cards are tough. I dont know about the Astros, I mean they got Lee, they will still be there. but then again don't forget the brewers and reds! i think this league will be the most fun to watch next year. and you might think the wild card spot might be there? no, don't forget the phillies, they dont have room in the nl east as that will go to the mets.

I think the nl west champ will have a low reccord again like the cards this year, only because how tough that division is that it will be hard to get wins.


the other central divison will also be fun to watch - other than the royals, you have the white sox with erstad, the indians are looking good, the tigers are a good team, and MIN has last years MVP along with mauer the batting champ, and dont forget they have Santana.

I just cant wait for baseball to start. Good luck to every team, Chicago Cubs will be the most improved/suprise team from last year.

[Erik Bedard]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Brewers and/or Pirates finish above the Cubs. Again.

[W_Marone]

Indians. :o :waving


I'd have to agree...I think they go to the series this year

[W_Marone]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Brewers and/or Pirates finish above the Cubs. Again.

Nope...cubbies win the central

[Erik Bedard]

All they did this offseason was overpay three guys who won't make a difference. Even if Soriano repeats his stats from last year, he, Zambrano, and Ramirez won't be enough. Not even a healthy Derrek Lee can save this team from its abysmal pitching. Though a healthy Kerry Wood and Mark Prior might.

[W_Marone]

I noticed you picked the Reds over the cubs....a team not all better than the cubs....and I think the free agents they got do help them improve, add in Zambrano, Lee, who let's remember shoudl have been the MVP two years ago, and had he not been injured last year the cubs may have been decent and Ramirez, not to mention a guy like Cliff Lee who could come off the bench and help out....I see them better, much better than last year. And add in a healthy Prior and hopefully healthy Wood, and a new manager the likes of Lou Pinella, look out.

[Erik Bedard]

Here are all the Cubs' decent players:

Carlos Zambrano - ace material, excellent player
Aramis Ramirez - solid 3Bman, good supporting player but no more
Alfonso Soriano - very good, but very overrated, will not win you a lot of games
Derrek Lee - if he stays healthy and proves that 2005 was not a fluke, he's MVP material
Mark Prior - if healthy, can be very good, but don't bank on it
Kerry Wood - ditto above, but more of an injury risk

Their rotation is bad. Their bullpen is bad. It's hard to win without pitching, and throwing all that money at 4-5 starters isn't going to help. Zambrano and Ramirez are excellent, and should help the team a lot. Soriano will put up great stats, but he won't be able to carry the team. IF Lee, Wood, and Prior are healthy, then they might win the Central. If they aren't, they might be destined for the basement again.

[StanTheMan]

Mybe the Cardinals will shock everyone and win 90 games? :laugh

I do like the Brewers. If Rickie Weeks stays healthy, and Hall has another season like last year, the will win lots of games. Their rotation is not that different than the Cardinals, (probably better) but they lack a Cy Young candidate like Carpenter. The Cards do have an excellent defense and score plenty, which makes guys like Jason Marquis win and win, despite his obvious shortcomings.

Sheets is VERY good, maybe he emerges as that ture #1 caliber guy and goes 18-8 or something like that.

[geezer]

I'll say Cubbies!!!

[cubsfan1073]

The Cubs also have a shot at winning the Central. Going worst to first in the NL would be pretty sweet.

[bryanac625]

I wouldn't call Alfonso Soriano overrated. He did a great job for my Nationals last year and I expect he'll pick up where he left off.

I would say the Cubs will surprise many this year. I would like to say the Orioles for the AL, but I've heard the Devil Rays have been building it up.

Wishful thinking, but it would be great to see a whole new round of teams in the postseason, other than the Yankees and Red Sox and Cardinals etc.

[ChrisLDuncan]

The Cubs...seriously

[hubkittel]

i really like the brewers but they're probably a year away. i like the dbacks in the nl west and i like the blue jays to upset both the yanks and sox in the al east.

[hubkittel]

Since few even factor the Braves in even the wild card chase, I'm picking them.

i picked the braves to win the nl east over in the prediction thread. if you figure that the mets, phils, and marlins will all regress a little from last year and the nationals have no pitching, that leaves the door wide open for the braves. it's possible.

[W_Marone]

Here are all the Cubs' decent players:

Carlos Zambrano - ace material, excellent player
Aramis Ramirez - solid 3Bman, good supporting player but no more
Alfonso Soriano - very good, but very overrated, will not win you a lot of games
Derrek Lee - if he stays healthy and proves that 2005 was not a fluke, he's MVP material
Mark Prior - if healthy, can be very good, but don't bank on it
Kerry Wood - ditto above, but more of an injury risk

Decent guys.... I'd add Ted Lilly to that list, he's not great, but he's decent. So is Michael Barrett. Jaque Jones didnt have a terrible year last season either. Who's playing short? Izturiz? Second? Mark Derosa?

they could get a lineup the likes of this...now granted I have no idea how it will look what so ever, just making a RAG.

1. Alfonso Soriano
2. Cesear Izturis
3. Derreck Lee
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Michael Barret
6. Jaque Jones
7. Mark DeRosa
8. Matt Murton/Cliff Lee
9. Pitcher


Then add the starting staff that could be something like

Zambrano
Prior
Lilly
Marquis
Hill

then the pen.... couldnt tell you two guys in there to be honest...ok with some help from the website....

Dempster
Cotts
Rusch
Wood
Wade Miller
and the rest

[Biggtone23]

I'd say the Brewers. They have been on the rise for the last few years and may be able to finally break through this year. I'm not saying they will make the playoffs but they will have more wins than they have for at least a decade.

[W_Marone]

i picked the braves to win the nl east over in the prediction thread. if you figure that the mets, phils, and marlins will all regress a little from last year and the nationals have no pitching, that leaves the door wide open for the braves. it's possible.

Not likely, Marlins havent changed much except their manager...Mets look almost the same, added Alou and some other guys...and Phillies have improved. Braves added a couple pen guys and some other guys....and then...you have washington....enought said about them.:laugh
But that's just my ( a Phillies fan's) opinion.

[ChrisLDuncan]

Decent guys.... I'd add Ted Lilly to that list, he's not great, but he's decent. So is Michael Barrett. Jaque Jones didnt have a terrible year last season either. Who's playing short? Izturiz? Second? Mark Derosa?

they could get a lineup the likes of this...now granted I have no idea how it will look what so ever, just making a RAG.

1. Alfonso Soriano
2. Cesear Izturis
3. Derreck Lee
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Michael Barret
6. Jaque Jones
7. Mark DeRosa
8. Last outfielder
9. Pitcher


Then add the starting staff that could be something like

Zambrano
Prior
Lilly
Marquis
Hill

then the pen.... couldnt tell you two guys in there to be honest...ok with some help from the website....

Dempster
Cotts
Rusch
Wood
Wade Miller
and the rest

Yeah the Cubs line up would look like this

CF Alphonso Soriano
2B Mark DeRosa
1B D-Lee
3B Aramis Ramirez
LF Cliff Floyd
C Mike Barrett
RF Jaques Jones
SS Ceasar Isturis
P


Their rotation

Zambrano
Prior
Lilly
Marquis
Hill

Pen

Cotts
Rusch
Wood
Miller
Dempster


Yeah this is a playoff team


PS What ever happened to Ronny Cedeno?

[W_Marone]

Alfonso Soriano - very good, but very overrated, will not win you a lot of games

Tell that to the Nationals last year....I'm sure they'd tell you Soriano helped them win most of the games they did win last season, without anyone else around him.

[hubkittel]

Not likely, Marlins havent changed much except their manager...Mets look almost the same, added Alou and some other guys...and Phillies have improved. Braves added a couple pen guys and some other guys....and then...you have washington....enought said about them.:laugh
But that's just my ( a Phillies fan's) opinion.

here's the funny thing about baseball and why there's always a surprise team: things never go according to plan. guys are always getting hurt. you're always five games away from possibly losing your entire starting rotation for the season. the guy you thought was a superstar in the making was just a guy having a career year. the bounces that went your way one year go against you the next. one bad stretch of games is enough to blow up your bullpen for a month. the big name free agent that you brought in to push you over the top kills the chemistry in your clubhouse. your superstar slugger suddenly hits his decline phase with a vengance. etc etc.

the difference between 82 wins and mediocrity and 92 wins and the playoffs can be as simple as a couple of bounces here and there. so while the mets and phils look like the class of the nl east, a few injuries, a few bounces, a few guys underperforming is all that it would take to open the door for another team. since washington is just a bad team and i think the marlins are going to take a step back, that leaves the braves.

i'm not going to vegas and lay money on them but i do see a scenario where the braves can win the east.

[RuthMayBond]

Believe it or not, 2007 will be the year of the Mariners! :D
My co-worker saw Mike Hargrove at her bank yesterday :eek:

[redlegsfan21]

The Cubs will not win the division. The highest they will finish is a possible 3rd place. Cubs have always been overrated and last year was proof. In the NL Central, it would be hard going from last to first and us Reds fans and our team will make sure the Cubs' season starts and ends badly.

[Baseball Guru]

Some interesting teams mentioned..

How about the Orioles?? Although they still play in a tough division but I think they will be very much improved from last year...

[Colorado Express]

I'd have to say that the Indians will rebound and be one of the top teams in the AL and the Brewers will stay healthy and be one of the top teams in the NL. I'll only say that they will be two of the top teams as I'm not sure that either one has strong enough pitching to promise a trip to the WS.

[IronMike]

Yeesh... You got Jeff Suppan, not Bob Gibson.

There's more to a pitching staff than just one pitcher... not like Suppan is considered our ace.

[Ubiquitous]

The reason why the Brewers have a chance is the same reason that all teams in the central have chance, and that is because the Central is putrid.

The brewers have an average pitching staff with a lot riding on the health of Sheets. Almost everybody in that rotation is going to have a 4.20 ERA or higher next year. Capuano had the lowest ERA last year at 4.03 and he only did that because the Cubs couldn't hit him last year.

As far as offense goes I think at the very least Jenkins, Estrada, and Hardy are going to contribute little, and I think Hall is wasted in the outfield.

Brewers are probably going to be around .500 which is basically the prediction for three other NL Central teams.

[JordanDL3891]

I think the guy who posted last was saying this,

for the brewers to even win the nl central, they need to get aroun the astros, cards, cubs and reds. But I really like the brewers with young prince fielder.

I think the NL cent will turn out like this next year:

Cards - hard to go aginst the cards
Cubs
Brewers
Reds
Astros - rotation needs work, finish over 500
Pirates - dont really have anyone

AL east:
Yankees - biased opinion :laugh (I should put the red sox last)
Red Sox - they got lugo and matusaka to help them stay in... 2nd lol
Blue Jays - will stay in the hunt for the playoff spot but lose it to the red sox this year
Orioles - Huff isn't everything. Mora isnt as good as he use to be.
Devil Rays - they lost huff, who do they have? they will do much better than last year

[ChrisLDuncan]

I'd have to say that the Indians will rebound and be one of the top teams in the AL and the Brewers will stay healthy and be one of the top teams in the NL. I'll only say that they will be two of the top teams as I'm not sure that either one has strong enough pitching to promise a trip to the WS.

Everyone seems to think that about the Indians, however they thought that last year that they'd be a top team. That division is too good.

[bigtime39]

How about the Orioles?? Although they still play in a tough division but I think they will be very much improved from last year...

How about the Orioles?

Offense: somewhat improved...can they hit lefties this year?
Bullpen: vastly improved...should see many fewer nights where they pour gas on a fire.
Starters: Bedard turned a corner last season. Will Cabrera and Loewen follow?
Bench: improved.

As the Orioles starters go, so go their fortunes. This could be a playoff team. (And wouldn't that be sweet?)

[Erik Bedard]

The problem is that the Blue Jays were far better last year, and they've improved as well. The Yankees have basically stood still, and the Red Sox overpaid a lot of guys. The Orioles showed flashes in 2005, and then Bedard got hurt and the season went down the drain. The hope for the Orioles is that Penn, Loewen, and Cabrera will perform under Mazzone, if not in 2007, then in 2008 and beyond. If I had to put money on one of those guys progressing this year, it would be Loewen or Cabrera.

If this team played in the NL Central, they might be a playoff team.

[redlegsfan21]

I think the guy who posted last was saying this,

for the brewers to even win the nl central, they need to get aroun the astros, cards, cubs and reds. But I really like the brewers with young prince fielder.

I think the NL cent will turn out like this next year:

Cards - hard to go aginst the cards
Cubs
Brewers
Astros - rotation needs work, finish over 500
Pirates - dont really have anyone


I feel offended as a Reds fan.

[BoofBonser26]

Oh, why not. Predictions:

AL EAST: Yankees
AL CENTRAL: Indians
AL WEST: Angels
Wildcard: Red Sox

NL EAST: Mets
NL CENTRAL: Cardinals
NL WEST: Padres
Wilcard: Phillies

ALDS:
Red Sox def. Angels
Yankees def. Indians

NLDS:
Mets def. Padres
Phillies def. Cardinals

ALCS:
Red Sox def. Yankees

NLCS: Phillies def. Mets

WORLD SERIES:
Red Sox def. Phillies

[bryanac625]

Some interesting teams mentioned..

How about the Orioles?? Although they still play in a tough division but I think they will be very much improved from last year...

As a BIG O's fan, I've spent the last 9 years hoping "this year is IT." Guess there's no reason I can't make it 10 years.

:gt

[W_Marone]

I feel offended as a Reds fan.


Man he must be under the assumption that the Reds will be so bad they'll be retracted.....ouch :laugh

[Old Sweater]

Rockies 2007 Champs.

Bet the house on it.

[JordanDL3891]

Man he must be under the assumption that the Reds will be so bad they'll be retracted.....ouch :laugh



lol, i made the change

here is wut I think

AL east - Yankees (redsox,bluejays,orioles,d-rays)
AL cent - Twins (Indians, w-sox, tigers, royals)
AL west - Angels (A's, Rangers, Mariners)
AL Wild - Indians (w-sox, tigers, red sox, A's)

NL east - Mets (braves,phillies,marlns,nats)
NL cent - Cards (cubs, brewers, reds, astros, pirates)
NL west - Dodgers (Padres, Rockies, Giants D-backs)
NL Wild - Cubs (brewers,braves,phillies,padres)


ALDS Yankees over Indians in 4, Twins over Angels in 3
NLDS Cubs over Mets in 5, Cards over Dodgers in 3

ALCS Twins over Yankees in 6
NLCS Cubs over Cards in 7

World series Twins over Cubs in 6.

[IEatStamina]

I say the Devil Rays win 75+ games.

[EdmondsFan#1]

Marlins.


Indians.

[Derek Jeter]

I think it will be the Indians in the AL. There biggest problem was their lack of b-pen. Now they added Hernandez, Fultz, Foulke, and Borowski! That is a complete overhaul.

In the NL i think it will be the Phillies, the Phils came just a few games short this year b/c of their inability to get the win from the right starter, now with Garcia they'll be able to get wins from their rotation more frequently.

[ChrisLDuncan]

I think it will be the Indians in the AL. There biggest problem was their lack of b-pen. Now they added Hernandez, Fultz, Foulke, and Borowski! That is a complete overhaul.

In the NL i think it will be the Phillies, the Phils came just a few games short this year b/c of their inability to get the win from the right starter, now with Garcia they'll be able to get wins from their rotation more frequently.

They added everyone else's scraps...not impressive. The suprise team is THE CUBS!!!!!!!!!!

[W_Marone]

I'd like to say the Cubs aswell..but It's not surprising others are not getting on the cubs train right this moment.

As for the rest of the NL, I would like to say the Phillies, but I wouldnt call them a surprise team at all, we all know they can hit, but can they pitch? Pitching is what killed them last year. They have a starting rotation vastly better going into this season than last, and now the question remains their bullpen. They've signed Alfonseca to help the pen and theyre going to trade leiber for a releiver or releivers if the rest of the rotation remains healthy during spring training/camp. We know what Howard can do, and Utley is the best second baseman in the league, the team can score, they will be putting up runs, it's just a question if the pitching can hold them that lead their offense puts out. I'd love to say they're going to the series, but right now I cant, not after the last few season where we in Philly have been drug through season after season to just fall short of the playoffs year in and year out.

I'll just put my total predictions here...why not..

NL:
East: Mets (Phillies, Braves, Marlins, Washington)
Central: Cubs (Cardinals, Brewers, Astros, Reds, Pirates)
West: Dodgers (Padres, Giants, Diamondbacks)
Wild Card: Phillies (Padres, Cardinals, Braves, Giants, Marlins)

AL:
East: Red Sox (Yankees, BlueJays, Orioles, Devil Rays)
Central: White Sox (Indians, Twins Tigers, Royals)
West: Angels (A's, Rangers, Mariners)
WildCard: Indians (Yankees, Twins, A's, BlueJays)

[redlegsfan21]

You want to know why the Cubs are not a surprise team. Because every single person (at least it seems like it) believe that the Cubs will get to the playoffs. Now, it is my belief that surprises are unexpected. Also, it's the Cubs. Who can expect good things from them?

[W_Marone]

Hahaha well, I picked the cubs to go to the playoffs last season and well, we all know what happened there haha...but I'm sticking with them again this season...another team that I'll pick that I think will surprise people will be the Giants....why I dont know....just picking them.:)

[Erik Bedard]

You want to know why the Cubs are not a surprise team. Because every single person (at least it seems like it) believe that the Cubs will get to the playoffs. Now, it is my belief that surprises are unexpected. Also, it's the Cubs. Who can expect good things from them?

Exactly right. That's why my surprise team will be the Cubs, proving once again that buying a pennant does not work.

As for the AL, I'll go with Oakland. Everyone always counts them out, then they rebound and make the playoffs.

[farmsystem]

How can you go wrong with the Texas Rangers. I wonder how those other two teams did after Showalter left.

[Darth Hafner]

I definitely think the Indians have built on their very dissappointing 2006 season. An improved bullpen, veteran players, and flexiblity at almost every position are all upgrades. Maybe this is the year I finally see my Indians get to the World Series again!

[RuthMayBond]

I definitely think the Indians have built on their very dissappointing 2006 season. An improved bullpen, veteran players, and flexiblity at almost every position are all upgrades. Maybe this is the year I finally see my Indians get to the World Series again!WOO HOO, or should that be WAHOO! Maybe I'll see ya in the postseason at the Jake :clapping :gt

[Wade8813]

I think the M's will be a surprise team. Not because they'll do very well, but because everyone expects crap from them. They won't go to the WS, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them at least contending.

[holyroman]

lol, i made the change

here is wut I think

AL east - Yankees (redsox,bluejays,orioles,d-rays)
AL cent - Twins (Indians, w-sox, tigers, royals)
AL west - Angels (A's, Rangers, Mariners)
AL Wild - Indians (w-sox, tigers, red sox, A's)

NL east - Mets (braves,phillies,marlns,nats)
NL cent - Cards (cubs, brewers, reds, astros, pirates)
NL west - Dodgers (Padres, Rockies, Giants D-backs)
NL Wild - Cubs (brewers,braves,phillies,padres)


ALDS Yankees over Indians in 4, Twins over Angels in 3
NLDS Cubs over Mets in 5, Cards over Dodgers in 3

ALCS Twins over Yankees in 6
NLCS Cubs over Cards in 7

World series Twins over Cubs in 6.


how about rethinking your logic on the Astros finishing just over .500 ahead of the Pirates.
I don't get why this team gets no love on this board.

[CPatt44]

I believe the Brewers have a good shot at the playoffs and almost certainly a better than .500 season this year going 89-73

I also think its going to be between the red sox and yankees in the AL this year.

[Whitesoxnut]

I definitely think the Indians have built on their very dissappointing 2006 season. An improved bullpen, veteran players, and flexiblity at almost every position are all upgrades. Maybe this is the year I finally see my Indians get to the World Series again!

I dont think the Tribe doing well in 2007 will surprise anyone. They have been getting attention as a potentially very solid team this coming season. As to the NL central? I think the team who's starters stay healthy this year and eat some innings will end up taking it. They dont even have to light up the league, as the Cards showed this year. The Cubs signed Marquis and Lilly to eat some innings and If one or two of the youngins can step up they will be in a strong position. And as the Cards showed last year, you only have to be good enough to go to the dance. Once there the hot team will win.

The White sox are in their youth cycling mode for 2007. Since the days of dynasties are long over its probably not a bad idea. I think this 3rd base prospect is going to get some playing time this year, Josh Fields, and there's a few young pitchers were going to be seeing some including their young knuckleballer. I dont think they are going to finish higher then 3rd. But hey! I can hope. And the year they won the rings I didn't think they were going to finish higher then 3rd before the season either.

[Solair Wright]

Baseball is one of the most unpredictable sports. For example, one year, a team finishes 40 games below .500, and the next? They're the World Series champions, with >100 wins. I never know who wins and who's a surprise team. Hopefully the Cubs can improve from two straight sub-500 seasons and probably get in the playoff run.

It's too hard to predict baseball, even a good team can get a sub-500 season due to injuries to their star players.

[W_Marone]

I think it's like that in every sport really....every year there's a team in every sport who does better than expected....it's really a 50/50 thing in all sports, just look at football, the saints, and in basketball, the Jazz or the Raptors (ok they're not amazing but better than I expected).

[StanTheMan]

Most of the Cub rosters posted so far omit Bob Howry. He was excellent in the bullpen last year, and with Dempster's abilities fragile to say the least, Howry may get an expanded role, or even close games in 2007. He's a guy I would like to have on the Cardinals..... and imo is a great sleeper pick late in a Fantasy Draft.

[SwissRedSoxFan]

We usually say AL East is the best division, I agree with that. But If we take a look at the AL Central this season...oh my...

Kansas will be punished, but all other teams have real chances to make the playoffs.

Detroit is even better with Sheffield this season, but cannot surprise anybody anymore.

The Twins normally need Liriano to make the playoffs. Their bullpenpen is outstanding but I doubt the startin pitching is. Hitting is not a problem for the Twins.

The White Sox is a playoff caliber team. But they lost routine starting pitching. But last year they didn't make the playoffs with them, so maybe this year with a younger rotation? Also here excellent hitting.

And finally for me the surprising team Cleveland Indians...
Their bullpen should be lethal, and hitting is also good. I think they should make the postseason, because the roster is full of players that want to prove themselves...

It will be either the Yankees, the Red Sox or one of these four teams that pick the wildcard..

[Westlake]

how about rethinking your logic on the Astros finishing just over .500 ahead of the Pirates.
I don't get why this team gets no love on this board.

Maybe because they lost 2 of the best 3 starting pitchers and have no offense. They need help this year to be competative in their division.

[Ubiquitous]

6 months later a look back . . .

[Erik Bedard]

Every single post I've made in this thread:

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Brewers and/or Pirates finish above the Cubs. Again.

Brewers, yes. Pirates, not a chance.

All they did this offseason was overpay three guys who won't make a difference. Even if Soriano repeats his stats from last year, he, Zambrano, and Ramirez won't be enough. Not even a healthy Derrek Lee can save this team from its abysmal pitching. Though a healthy Kerry Wood and Mark Prior might.

Looks like I got it backwards. The offense is bad, the pitching is good. And I guess a healthy Derrek Lee CAN make a difference.

Here are all the Cubs' decent players:

Carlos Zambrano - ace material, excellent player
Aramis Ramirez - solid 3Bman, good supporting player but no more
Alfonso Soriano - very good, but very overrated, will not win you a lot of games
Derrek Lee - if he stays healthy and proves that 2005 was not a fluke, he's MVP material
Mark Prior - if healthy, can be very good, but don't bank on it
Kerry Wood - ditto above, but more of an injury risk

Their rotation is bad. Their bullpen is bad. It's hard to win without pitching, and throwing all that money at 4-5 starters isn't going to help. Zambrano and Ramirez are excellent, and should help the team a lot. Soriano will put up great stats, but he won't be able to carry the team. IF Lee, Wood, and Prior are healthy, then they might win the Central. If they aren't, they might be destined for the basement again.

I guess I underestimated Jason Marquis, Rich Hill, and Ted Lilly. Not real hard to do coming into the season.

The problem is that the Blue Jays were far better last year, and they've improved as well. The Yankees have basically stood still, and the Red Sox overpaid a lot of guys. The Orioles showed flashes in 2005, and then Bedard got hurt and the season went down the drain. The hope for the Orioles is that Penn, Loewen, and Cabrera will perform under Mazzone, if not in 2007, then in 2008 and beyond. If I had to put money on one of those guys progressing this year, it would be Loewen or Cabrera.

If this team played in the NL Central, they might be a playoff team.

They've been good since they fired Perlozzo, and Bedard has been outstanding. Loewen broke his elbow in April, so he doesn't count. Penn has also been injured, and Cabrera has, well, walked a ton of guys. Still, in the NL Central, this could be a playoff team.

Exactly right. That's why my surprise team will be the Cubs, proving once again that buying a pennant does not work.

As for the AL, I'll go with Oakland. Everyone always counts them out, then they rebound and make the playoffs.

The Cubs are not in position to make the playoffs, so this is technically right. And watch out for Oakland.

[ChrisLDuncan]

Are the Cubs really a suprise spending as much money as they did in the offseason?

[BoofBonser26]

Oh, why not. Predictions:

AL EAST: Yankees
AL CENTRAL: Indians
AL WEST: Angels
Wildcard: Red Sox (division leader)

NL EAST: Mets
NL CENTRAL: Cardinals
NL WEST: Padres
Wilcard: Phillies

ALDS:
Red Sox def. Angels
Yankees def. Indians

NLDS:
Mets def. Padres
Phillies def. Cardinals

ALCS:
Red Sox def. Yankees

NLCS: Phillies def. Mets

WORLD SERIES:
Red Sox def. Phillies
Correct predictions (so far) in bold.

Huh. Looks like I've got some explaining to do. :silent:

[Zagi-CRO]

The Cubs are the surprise team of 2007.
And Brewers, too.

My predictions:

ALE - Boston /NYY wild-card/
ALC - Detroit
ALW - LAA

NLE - Mets /Atlanta wild-card/
NLC - Cubs
NLW - Padres
----------------------------
Boston - Detroit
LAA - NY Yankees
Mets - Padres
Cubs - Atlanta
----------------------------
Boston - NY Yankees
Mets - Atlanta
----------------------------
NY YAnkees - Mets
----------------------------
NY Yankees the winner