Opening Day 2013 Baseball Thoughts and Predictions

I get so bored after football season. I don't watch any sport as much as I do football, but I do like to watch baseball unlike the filler sports between football and Opening Day of baseball. Sorry to the fans of basketball (the NBA hasn't been the same since Jordan left), NASCAR (I lost interest after they changed the points system), NHL (I loved late 90's hockey but haven't been able to watch since) and College Sports I just lost interest and but used to watch as well. To me, there is no other sport like the NFL, but MLB would be my second sport to watch.

Don't get me wrong, I used to love these other sports and especially MLB. But to be honest, steroids really ruined the sport for me. Its hard to tell who is real or who is fake when they are hitting 40+ home runs or pitching like crazy. It also hurt me loving to collect baseball cards (not being able to tell TRUE rookie cards played a bigger factor in this however). I used to really be into collecting them. You buy into certain players (Sosa, McGwire) and then you find out they cheated. Hurts your collection value and hurts your feelings towards the game. The game has changed since the steroid accusations like my feelings have towards the game. But I will still watch here and there just not as dedicated.

Now that I have done a little bit of ranting, I will get onto my predictions. So, if you didn't know by now I am a Pinstripe fan. Loved watching my Yanks and the rivalry between them and the Red Sox. The rivalry has died down some since the days of Tim Wakefield vs Aaron Boone since both teams have taken a fall but I still do turn on games occasionally if they are on TV (which you know the Yankees always are) and will sort cards while watching but I don't watch it like I used to. But my predictions can't start at a better place than starting with my Yankees. I think at best looking at their pitching staff they are the third or fourth best team in the East. I think injuries and age will also play a factor in this as well. If their pitching somehow comes together however, they could surprise a few teams and myself. They got rid of a lot of power in terms of home run hitters and that will hurt the offense some as they will have to find new ways to score runs so it will be interesting to see how Girardi fixes it.

     

I know a lot of people are sold on Toronto Blue Jays to win the East..but I am not so much. Yes, they did make a ton of moves and the ton of moves should add some more wins but for some reason I think the players they traded for will have down years. Sort of like the Eagles of football when they went out and added Super Stars to their lineups. I still think they are second or third best in the East however but thats mostly because of the Yankees and Red Sox fall.

 

Every year there is a surprise team that makes the playoffs...here is mine:

 Thats right..the Pirates. Now thats a bold prediction. But last year they showed some life and they got a decent team put together. The Central is not that strong and they are at least the second or third best team in it. This could finally be the year they make a run.

Now onto rest of my predictions:

AMERICAN LEAGUE	NATIONAL LEAGUE
	East champ: Orioles Central champ: Tigers West champ: Angels Wild cards: Rangers, Rays Champion: Tigers	East champ: Nationals Central champ: Reds West champ: Dodgers Wild cards: Braves, Pirates Champion: Dodgers

And with the World Series between the Tigers and Dodgers I say the.....TIGERS will win this years World Series with strong pitching  and a powerful lineup.

Let me know your thoughts on baseball or my predictions in comments and tell me yours while you are there!