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So this year I’m picking by feel–it’s as valid as any other approach–and I like the Brewers. They’ve been rebuilding for years, and the talent has finally arrived in the form of Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy, and Corey Hart, and I think they’ll get some help yet from Ryan Braun once he polishes his fielding back in the minors. I like Ben Sheets to finally put together a full season and anchor the pitching staff, and that will be enough to get the Brewers into first in the NL Central. From there, give me the San Diego Padres in the NL West, which should also produce the wild-card team in the Los Angeles Dodgers, but not until they stop dicking around with old farts like Luis Gonzalez and Brett Tomko and finally give playing time to James Loney and Chad Billingsley. For that reason, the Arizona Diamondbacks could surprise with their talented young lineup–if they get enough production from Randy Johnson (a big if for the Big Unit). Throw the Cubs into that “could” category as well, but I don’t like their defense any more than their pitchers figure to. I don’t like the New York Mets’ pitching at all, and for that reason I don’t like any team in the NL East, so I’ll take the Philadelphia Phillies under the theory that I was simply a year early picking them last season. I’ll take the Padres to advance to the World Series, with Jake Peavy besting Sheets, but I still like the Brewers as my surprise team. Now that the Seligs are no longer associated with our neighbors to the north, what’s not to like?
I’m taking the White Sox in the American League Central, but more by process of elimination than by choice. I think the Detroit Tigers‘ young pitching will pay the price for going so deep into the season last year, much as the Sox did last year and the Cubs’ Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have ever since 2003, and now Kenny Rogers is out for three months. The Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins just don’t have enough pitching, although the Tribe will have enough to claim the wild card if Joe Borowski holds up as bullpen closer.
