Predicting the 2011 MLB season. Without a net. Past embarrassments: NL West, NL Central and NL East.
Boston Red Sox -- 96-66
The big spenders. Add Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez to an already not-awful line-up. I'd ask who exactly is pitching for them, but it may not matter. Health is a major issue. Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Beckett and several others all missed significant time last season. If they can't go the entire year, free agents may not matter.
New York Yankees -- 90-72
Ninety-five win teams that don't do anything to improve do not get better. Especially when every significant player you have is old. No starter of note past CC Sabathia. I guess it's Phil Huges, A.J. Burnett and a cloud of dust. They will miss Andy Pettitte.
Tampa Bay Rays -- 84-78
How the hell did Manny Ramirez get $18 million? Pitching cures any and all ills. It's shocking how much great, young talent the Rays have to the point that it feels like they can give some away and still have plenty left over.
Toronto Blue Jays -- 81-81
If Aaron Hill and Adam Lind do not have bounceback seasons, the Blue Jays might have a tremendously awful offense. No way Jose Bautista recreates that monster 2010. Shitload of starting pitching, however.
Baltimore Orioles -- 70-92
Give the O's credit: They are trying. They signed Derrek Lee, Vlad Guerrero, Mark Reynolds, J.J. Hardy, Kevin Gregg, Jeremy Accardo and Justin Duchscherer. The Orioles are not a team that just rolls over and plays dead. Seems like they play opponents hard. It's just they're in the toughest division, arguably, in professional sports. Even the Blue Jays are division contenders in just about another other group of teams.
