Richard's Comments on the Upcoming Season
For those who doubt the Sox, either Red or White, the pitching will be there.
As for the White Sox and those who say they played over their heads last year, I say that’s just wrong and as I expected them to do it last year, it was certainly no surprise to me. As you can tell in my season preview of them, I see no reason why they can’t or won’t do it again. However, before all is said and done, they’ll have to get through Oakland to do it.
In the NL, there is just no strong competition for the Cardinals. They return 4/5th’s of a solid rotation and have Anthony Reyes and/or Adam Wainwright in case Sidney Ponson proves to everyone that he’s just not worth the effort.
And I won’t go against the Braves any longer simply because they keep making me wrong year after year. From now on, if they are to prove me wrong, it’ll be by losing the division. Of course, they’ll still fall short come October.
The NL West is a division that I feel has improved if only slightly. A modest 25 game improvement across the board, though, and we should see at least two +.500 teams in a division that is wide open and should be competitive. Sadly for me though, while I feel my beloved Giants are the best team on paper, with such an old team there is virtually no way to expect them to keep the wheels from falling off. And that’s despite Bonds as the Comeback Player of the Year.
Scott's Take
See
Scott's 2006 Predictions.
Keith's Take
I don't subscribe to the "pitching trumps all" theory, but since you do, you've severely misjudged several teams on that basis. Bartolo Colon will try to pitch with a partially torn lat this year. Detroit's pitching is either too young or too old. I shouldn't need to expand on the pitching woes of the Reds or Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers have a solid five-deep rotation, some of the best pitching prospects in the game behind that, and three ex-closers backing up Gagne. The Twins might have the best staff in baseball with Mayday Mays gone. And the Rockies don't have a bad staff when you factor in Coors field; particularly if Aaron Cook's sinker works as well there as it did last season.
As for the Marlins, at least you're not the only one who'll be 20-25 wins off on that prediction.
See
Keith's 2006 Predictions.
Asher's Take
See
Asher's 2006 Predictions.
Back to the
2006 Baseball Evolution Season Preview Index.
