2010 MLB American League Predictions

The season is a week old... so without further a do, here are the other half of my 2010 predictions.

American League

East

1. New York Yankees: The best lineup with a strong starting rotation and a great closer... and if they begin to struggle they will trade for a stud to take them over the top.

2. Tampa Bay Rays: A ton of young talent, look for huge years out of OF BJ Upton and P David Price.

3. Boston Red Sox: Perhaps the deepest rotation in baseball, but the lineup doesn't scare me anymore. Front runners to win the 2006 AL East.

4. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Vernon Wells should have another solid year. P Shaun Marcum has great stuff.

5. Baltimore Orioles: OF Adam Jones (Morse HS) is one of the best young players in the game. P Brian Matusz (USD) is in his 1st full big legaue season. C Matt Wieters will be an All-Star someday, but I think he's a few years out still.

Central

1. Chicago White Sox: The return of OF Carlos Quentin and a full season with a healthy P Jake Peavy should be enough to win the Central.

P Mark Buerhle already made the defensive play of the year on Opening Day

2. Minnesota Twins: They don't have 1B "Sweet, Sweet" Lou Collins, 2B "Touch 'Em All" Mickey Scales or young Billy "Bill" Haywood as a manger... but they do have C Joe Mauer, 1B Justin Morneau and OF Michael Cuddyer... not too shabby in their own right.

3. Detroit Tigers: P Justin Verlander is a stud, but I don't think they have the offensive firepower to keep up with the White Sox and Twins.

4. Cleveland Indians: OF Grady Sizemore is an all around threat, but they may have the weakest/shallowest rotation in the Central. They need P Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn and the big bat/good hands of OF Pedro Cerrano and the speed of OF Willy Mays Hayes.

5. Kansas City Royals: Cy Young Award winner P Zack Greinke is the man, but the rest of the team is not very good. However, they do have the best alternate unis in the Show.

West

1. Texas Rangers: The addition of OF Vladimir Guerrero to an already powerful lineup consisting of OF Josh Hamilton, OF Nelson Cruz and 3B Michael Young make them my favorite in the West. Keep an eye on Closer turned starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.

2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: First off, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name is stupid, as for the team I think the loss of OF Vladimir Guerrero and P John Lackey will prove bigger than management may have thought.

3. Seattle Mariners: A decent lineup with the star obviously being OF Ichiro Suzuki. May have the best starting pitching in the division if P Cliff Lee can get off of the DL and on the bump.

4. Oakland Athletics: I think they will finish in last like their football counterparts in Silver and Black. OF Jack Cust has led the team in HRs for 3 years straight, so management decided to send him to Triple-A. Makes sense right? P Ben Sheets may have a little resurgence if he can stay healthy. Don't worry PADRES fans, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff will still be stowing nuts in his cheeks instead of driving in runs... he'll just be doing it in a better looking uniform.


Stay tuned for my World Series Predictions soon to be released...


---J