April 5, 2009

Predictions: From New York

Times

Jack Curry:
AL East Finish: Yankees, Red Sox, Rays
Other Divisions: Twins, Angels, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers

ALDS: Yankees over Twins, Red Sox over Angels
NLDS: Mets over Dodgers, Cubs over Phillies
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
NLCS: Cubs over Mets

World Series: Cubs over Red Sox
Tyler Kepner (AL):
East Finish: Yankees, Red Sox, Rays
Central: Royals
West: Angels
WC: Red Sox

MVP: Mark Teixeira
Cy Young: Zack Greinke

ALCS: Yankees over Red Sox
World Series: Cubs over Yankees
Ben Shpigel (NL):
Divisions: Mets, Cubs, Diamondbacks
WC: Phillies

MVP: Manny Ramirez
Cy Young; Johan Santana

NLCS: Mets over Phillies
World Series: Red Sox over Mets
***

Daily News

Bill Madden looks at the AL East:
Rays    101-61
Red Sox 94-68
Yankees 90-72
Also:
AL Central: White Sox by 4 games
AL West: Angels by 1 game
NL East: Phillies by 9 games
NL Central: Cubs by 1 game
NL West: Dodgers by 7 games
Jesse Spector (Touching Base):
AL East Finish: Yankees, Red Sox (WC), Rays
The Yankees have the strongest lineup in the division -- even without Alex Rodriguez -- and that should be the difference in a division where the top three teams all have stellar rotations and bullpens. I do see the Rays' bullpen as a cut below the Yanks and Sox, and that's how I wound up putting them third.

Other Divisions: Twins, Angels, Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers
ALDS: Yankees over Twins / Red Sox over Angels
NLDS: Cubs over Giants / Phillies over Dodgers

ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees
NLCS: Cubs over Phillies

World Series: Cubs over Red Sox

AL Stuff
MVP: Mark Teixeira
Cy Young: Francisco Liriano
Batting Title: Dustin Pedroia
RBI: Mark Teixeira
Wins: CC Sabathia
ERA: Francisco Liriano
***

Post

Joel Sherman:
AL Cy Young: Jon Lester, Red Sox. He had a huge innings jump last year, so that is a bit scary. But he is a strike-throwing, fearless horse with well-above-average stuff.

AL MVP: Evan Longoria, Rays. I see a 40-homer Gold Glover winner, and it is possible his top competition will come from teammate B.J. Upton. ...

Best free-agent signing: John Smoltz, Red Sox. This signing may not work for everyone. But once the Red Sox's bid failed on Mark Teixeira, they had plenty of cash. And for a big-market team, a one-year, $5.5 million gamble on a motivated, athletic star who also happens to be among the best big-game pitchers ever, works. ...

Manager of the Year: Terry Francona, Red Sox. He has a lot of moving parts in a difficult atmosphere, but always seems to have a firm grasp on his roster, and that should be even easier in his first full season without Manny Ramirez. ...
***

The websites of the Daily News, Post and Newsday are such a godawful mess that there may be actual staff predictions hidden away in their online sports section, but I was unable to root them out. If anyone finds them in the print copy, leave a comment.

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