Accountability

Now that the playoffs are underway, perhaps it is appropriate to review how well my predictions for the Major League Baseball season shook out.

After reviewing my choices, it appears that I better not quit my day job. My predictions skew to my marked pinstripe bias...apparently, my love for the Yankees precludes my ability to make sensible choices.

For starters, lets look at the American League East.

American League
I chose:
Boston
Cleveland
Seattle
With the Yanks nabbing the Wildcard.

What actually happened:
Tampa Bay
Chicago
Los Angeles Angels of the OC
Boston

OK. The Yanks failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993. That much we know. If I were to have done this over, I would have picked Tampa to get the Wildcard over Boston and the Yanks to win the division. Regardless, I would have been wrong.

I can't get over how badly I swung and missed with the Mariners, but I never would have predicted that Erik Bedard, a strikeout machine in Baltimore, was going to move to the Pacific Northwest and become a clubhouse cancer and .500 pitcher!

The Indians were in a solid division, yet still underachieveed, but at least they broke .500.


Now for my choices of Award Winners:
MVP: Magglio
Cy Young: Beckett
ROY: Joba/Bucholz
Manager: Joe Maddon
Executive: Shapiro


OK, we get it, you like to dive a lot

Keeping with my pro-Yankees bias, I hate Dustin Pedroia. With a passion. That said, I have to think that he's the trendy pick for MVP, and considering the way he played in Manny's stead, deservedly so.

For Cy Young, please show me anyone that predicted Cliff Lee would go 22-3. Yeah, exactly.

If healthy and if the Yanks made the playoffs, I'd imagine Joba would have had a shot at the Rookie of the Year honors. Clay Bucholz really spit the bit, so I have to take that one on the chin. It looks like Evan Longoria will take home ROY honors, again, well deserved by the Tampa Bay 3B.

I bet Joe Maddon takes home the Manager of the Year, and Tampa Bay GM Andrew Friedman (who is 31--what the Hell am I doing wrong?) gets executive of the year.

National League
I chose:
Mets
Cubs
Arizona
WC: Colorado

What actually happened:
Phillies
Cubs
LA Dodgers
WC: Milwaukee



Now I don't hate the Mets as much as I hate the Red Sox, nonetheless, I shouldn't have believed the hype! What are the odds--back to back years getting eliminated in game 162 at home?

The Cubbies made the most sense, but I'm shocked that the youthful energy of Arizona or the September experience of 2007 didn't translate for the Rockies.

MVP: Matt Holiday
Cy Young: Dan Haren
ROY: Fukudome

I have to figure that Ryan Howard's ridiculous post-steroid era home run numbers for a playoff team put him at the top of the list for MVP, although I imagine that Pujols deserves strong consideration.

Dan Haren's teammate Brandon Webb should get the NL Cy Young, but I think CC Sabathia should get some serious consideration--dude led the AL and NL in shutouts this year! Think about that.

While Fukudome was a big contributor (and All Star) for the Cubs, so was catcher Geovany Soto, who is also deserving.

Manager: Willie Randolph
Executive: Hendry

Yeah, about Willie Randolph... I think you have to go with the Cubs' Lou Pinella here.

I like my pick of Hendry. I really hope that Ned Colletti, the Dodgers GM, doesn't get more credit than he deserves.

Playoff Predictions
What I thought:
American League
Cle over Bos
Yanks over Sea
Yanks over Cle

National League
Mets over Colorado
Cubs over Arizona
Mets over Cubs

World Series
Yanks in 4

Fearless (Revised) Predictions
Philly over Mil
LAD over Cubs (I have the benefit of knowing the result of Game 1)

LAD over Philly

Tampa over ChiSox
LAA over Boston

Tampa over LAA

Dodgers over Tampa in 6!



Manny being Manny

It's fun to have a chance to root for Joe Torre again while at the same time I'm happy to now let my love and admiration for Manny be known to the world! That freaking guy can hit. He's Joe DiMaggio.

*Clearly, I have much to learn in terms of predicting the 162 game labyrinth that is Major League Baseball. So don't go to Vegas and try to cash in on these predictions.