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Sombrero Staff Prognostications: Ryan’s 2011 Predictions

AL EAST
1 – Boston Red Sox
2 – Tampa Bay Rays (Wild Card)
3 – New York Yankees
4 – Toronto Blue Jays
5 – Baltimore Orioles

AL CENTRAL
1 – Chicago White Sox
2 – Minnesota Twins
3 – Detroit Tigers
4 – Kansas City Royals
5 – Cleveland Indians

AL WEST
1 – Texas Rangers
2 – Oakland Athletics
3 – Los Angeles Angels
4 – Seattle Mariners

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Sombrero Staff Prognostications: Dee’s 2011 Predictions

AL East

1.     Boston Red Sox

2.     Tampa Bay Rays (Wildcard)

3.     New York Yankees

4.     Toronto Blue Jays

5.     Baltimore Orioles

AL Central

1.   Minnesota Twins

2.   Detroit Tigers

3.   Chicago White Sox

4.   Kansas City Royals

5.   Cleveland Indians

AL West

1.   Texas Rangers

2.   Los Angeles Angels

3.   Oakland Athletics

4.   Seattle Mariners

ALDS 1: Red Sox over Twins (4 games)

ALDS 2: Rays over Rangers (5 games)

ALCS: Red Sox over Rays (6 games)

MVP: Dustin Pedroia

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Keep Albert in St. Louis: Why Pujols’ venture into free agency is bad for the game

My esteemed colleague and rival fantasy owner Griffin Phelps posted a few days ago that Albert Pujols’ failure to sign an extension with the Cardinals was good for baseball.  Griffin’s principal argument is that, at a time when baseball season is over but the other three major American sports are in full swing, the impending free agency of a talent like Albert Pujols will command the attention of a huge portion of the sports world.  He’s absolutely right about that.  After all, while LeBron’s “Decision” last July severely injured his reputation among fans, it did lend national attention to the NBA during the heat of summer, when everyone normally is focused only on baseball.  A decision from Pujols, who some argue is the greatest player in the game today, would likely garner equal hype for baseball even without the charade of an hour-long ESPN special.

However, while Griffin’s argument undoubtedly has merit, I would like to go on the record as saying that I hope Albert Pujols remains a Cardinal for life.  My principal reason for this is that the market for a player of Pujols’ talent would be unlike anything ever seen before in Major League Baseball.  If he is free to negotiate with all thirty major league teams, it is inevitable that one of those teams will give him a monster deal to end all monster deals.  This may be good for Pujols, but I’m not so sure it’s good for Major League Baseball.

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Albert Pujols hitting the market is good for baseball

Last night, on ESPN Radio’s Brian Kenny Show, Brian Kenny posed the following question to Jayson Stark: “Is Albert Pujols hitting the market good for baseball?”  Stark, being the baseball purist that he is, was a bit befuddled by the question until ultimately saying yes.  I tried to wrap my mind around all of the possible answers to this.  The answer I finally found was…yes.  Yes, it is a great thing for baseball if Albert Pujols lands on the open market.

If your answer to this question is no than you are probably over the age of 40 and grew up watching guys like George Brett, Brooks Robinson, and Tony Gwynn play for the same team for their entire careers.  When looking back at the game, you more than likely reminisce about “the old days”.  I have no problems with this – we progressive thinkers need folks like you to keep us grounded every once in a while.  Not because being nostalgic is of any benefit, but because you are still a fan of baseball and we all must appreciate one another as fans of the game.

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The Baseball Show welcomes MTD from Off Base Percentage

Today on The Baseball Show Clint from Diamond Hoggers and I welcomed our good friend MTD from Off Base Percentage and Monkeys Throwing Darts. Today’s show was an absolute blast.

Topics for discussion include but are not limited to the following:

  • MTD’s baseball blog Off Base Percentage
  • His following the Anaheim Angels
  • Edinson Volquez electing a short term contract with the Cincinnati Reds
  • The Albert Pujols contract extension
  • Will Angels ‘prospect’ Brandon Wood ever pan out?
  • We talk about Bo Jackson
  • Rob Neyer’s move from the SweetSpot Network to SB Nation
  • Who are the most frequently read baseball bloggers?
  • The sponsoring of a Baseball-Reference Page
  • We give some discussion time to Eric Chavez, Francisco Rodriguez, Nick Markakis, Johnny Cueto, and many more players

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