Grab your crystal ball or Gray's Sports Almanac, volume two of course, because it is Prediction Friday at the CCO. Last year there was a three-part contest that included player and pitcher predictions, but this season the CCO is going to make it easy...one contest and one winner.
The Chicago Cubs are the favorite to win the National League Central Division for the third season in a row. Most think on paper the Cubs have one of the best teams in the league and in all of baseball. Some even think Lou Piniella's crew could represent the Senior Circuit in some group of games at the end of the season that will stretch into November this year.
But what does the Faithful think? While the Cubs prepare to open the new Yankee Stadium, let's have a little fun on the last Friday before Opening Day....
The NL Central
The mainstream media has spent the last week focusing on the Eastern Division in both leagues. Many feel those two divisions will feature the best teams in either league as well as the most competition....but that is why they play the games.
Going into last season, the NL West had gone from the worst division to the best according to many of the experts and the Central was still the 'Comedy Central' before the year began.
While the Cubs won the division a year ago, the Central ended up being the most competitive from top to bottom in the NL, and arguably, in both leagues.
Here are a few of the mainstream predictions for the NL Central:
PECOTA is predicting the Cubs to win the Central with a 95-67 record and the rest of the division to shake out as follows:
- Chicago Cubs - 95-67
- Milwaukee Brewers - 84-78
- St. Louis Cardinals - 82-80
- Cincinnati Reds - 79-83
- Houston Astros - 70-92
- Pittsburgh Pirates - 64-98
Athlon Sports:
- Chicago Cubs
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Houston Astros
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Cincinnati Reds
- Pittsburgh Pirates
With the Red Sox beating the Phillies in the World Series
The Sporting News:
- Chicago Cubs
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Cincinnati Reds
- Houston Astros
- Pittsburgh Pirates
With the Yankees beating the Cubs in the World Series
Dave Kaplan has the Cubs posting 99 wins this year...as well as the CCO's own, Shaun O'Rourke.
But this is not about the experts, it's about the Faithful. So what is your prediction for the NL Central for the upcoming season?
The Rest of Baseball
So if Lou Piniella's crew is able to win a third straight crown, which teams could the Cubs wind up facing in October?
PECOTA is predicting the other races to finish as follows:
NL East
- New York Mets
- Atlanta Braves
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Washington Nationals
- Florida Marlins
NL West
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- San Francisco Giants
- Colorado Rockies
- San Diego Padres
AL East
- New York Yankees
- Boston Red Sox
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Baltimore Orioles
AL Central
- Cleveland Indians
- Detroit Tigers
- Chicago White Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Kansas City Royals
AL West
- Oakland A's
- Los Angeles Angels
- Seattle Mariners
- Texas Rangers
So here's the contest. Correctly predict the Cubs win-loss record for 2009. The winner will be donned the 'Coolest Commenter on the CCO for 2009' and will receive something via the mail that we deem cool. Last year, the winners received a book I contributed information to. Predictions can be made up to first pitch on Monday night but the time stamp on your comment must be before 6:00pm.
Now here's the twist...or tie breakers:
- First tiebreaker - Correctly predict the finishing order of the NL Central. Not the records of all six teams, just the finishing order.
- Second tiebreaker - Number of home runs for Kosuke Fukudome in 2009
- Third tiebreaker - Number of home runs for Carlos Zambrano in 2009
Have fun, after all isn't that what baseball is supposed to be...FUN!
And remember, Stay Classy Cubs Fans!
Opening Day is in THREE DAYS!
Agustin, is this really the way you want to lose you're coolest commenter tag?
As for the predictions:
The Cubs are going to be: 92-70
They will finish above (in order):
St. Louis
Houston
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Pittsburgh
The F-Bomb (Kosuke) will drop 16 dingers in 2009.
And lastly, Z will hit one home run. An opening day go-ahead shot that is the eventual game-winner.
Z will let his arm do the rest this year.
Also, head over to the community blog. I want everyone's input on nicknames!
Matt...dude, being cool is soooo cool!
;-] lol
i'm optimistic
Cubs (101-61)
St. Louis
Milwaukee
Houston
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Fukudome: 12 HR
Zambrano: 5 HR
Chicago Cubs 95-67
followed by:
Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinatti Reds
St Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates
Houston Astros
Fukudome: 7 HR
Zambrano: 3 HR
Cubs 93-69
Cards
Reds
Brewers
Pirates
Astros
Dome 12
ZBro 3
Cubs 90-72
Cards
Reds
Brewers
Astros
Pirates
Fukodome-13
Zambrano-4
My guess that the prize will be an autograph picture of Neil, Brian and Shaun. lol
Cubs 91-71
Reds
Cardinals
Brewers
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome will hit 11 HR's
Zambrano will hit 4 HR's
Cubs 98-64
Cardinals
Brewers
Astros
Reds
Pirates
Kosuke 9 home runs
Zambrano 4 home runs
Cubs 89-73
Brewers
Cardinals
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fooky: 9
Big Z: 3
Cubs (98-64)
reds
brewers
Cards
Houston
Pirates
The Fuk will hit 10 bombs
Big Z will rake 4HRs with an in side the Parker included.
Cubs: 93-69
NL Central:
Cubs
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fukodome: 8 HR
Zambrano: 4 HR
Cubs:94-68
NL Central
Cubs
Cards
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fuker: 9 taters
BIG Z: 5
Cubs: 92-70
NL Central:
Cubs
Cards
Reds
Brewers
Pirates
Astros
Fukudome: 11 homeruns
Zambrano:3 homeruns
pirates last(they dont make the division out of spring and are going to Iowa to get at-bats)
once again this is not a weak central
Cubs 88-75 (pen costs them big time)
Reds
Cards
Brewers
Pirates
Astros
Fuke 8 Homeruns
Zambrano 4
Cubs 100-62
Reds
Cards
Astros
Brewers
Pirates
Fukudome 14 Homeruns
Zambrano 5 Homeruns
The final record is 96-66
Cubs
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Astros
Fukudome 9hr
BigZ 3hr
NLCS MVP-M.Fontenot
Cubs (96-66)
NL Central
-----------
Cubs
Cards
Reds
Brewers
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome: 14
Zambrano: 4
Cubs 94-68
Cincinatti
Houston
St. Louis
Milwaukee
Pittsburgh
Kosuke 12 homeruns
Big Z 4 homeruns
And I'll be at opening day in Houston! Go Cubs!
Cubs 92W-69L - With a World Series!
(I have the feeling that bad weather will make us call off a game or two...)
***
*First tiebreaker -
1. Cubs
2. Cardinals (90W-72L Wild Card)
3. Reds (80+W, maybe Wild Card)
4. Crew (70+W, lineup injury forseen)
5. Astros (60-70W, which fits them)
6. Bucs (whatever)
***
*Second tiebreaker -
15 dingers (OBP.360, or else trade Fuk to the Roc)
* Third tiebreaker -
10 homers (that's easy, yeah? keep healthy, Z!)
1. Cubs (94 W-68 L)
2. Cards
3. Reds
4. Brewers
5. Astros
6. Pirates
Dome 6 home runs; Z 3 home runs
Uh oh. Rangers/Stars owner Tom Hicks is in trouble. Look here: http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/index.php/2009/04/03/rangersstars-owner-tom-hicks-we-want-the-banks-to-be-reasonable/
Cubs(90-72)
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome 11 HR (one of which is inside the park)
Zambrano 3 HR
Cubs 101-60 (won't need to make up that rainout in NY)
Astros
Brewers
Cardinals
Pirates
Reds
Fuk 11
Z 5
OK, here goes:
1. Chicago Cubs - 96-66
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Fukodome-22 HRs
Zambrano-5 HRs
Cubs 103-59(Drinking the Cubbie Kool aide early this year)
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fuks-15
Z-4
98-64 will be the record
Division will shake out as such
Cubs
Cards
Stros
Brew Crew
Bucs
Fuc will hit lucky number 13 home runs
and Big Z hits 5.
And for my BOLD prediction Mighty Mike Fontenot slugs 21 homeruns and knocks in 84 and we quickly forget Mark DeRosa.
Cubs 98-64
Rest of the Central,
Cards
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Dome - 13
Biz Z - 7
Cubs finish 82-80
Astros
Cubs
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Pirates
Fukudome-2 HR (sent to minors and/or traded by midseason)
Zambrano-4 HR
Cubs finish 91-71
(Cubs beat Red Sox 4-2 to win it all)
NL Central Standing
Cubs
Cardinals
Brewers
Astros
Reds
Pirates
Fukudome hits 11 homeruns
Big Z hits 4 homeruns
Re Rangers' owner, Tom Hicks financial problems and those of others, I mentioned last year and will again--the owners and (especially) the players greatly excessive compensation are an unsustainable bubble that will collapse over the next year or two. Indy is now grasping with revenue shortfalls on both Lucas Oil Stadium (Colts) and Conseco Field House (Pacers). Fandom and local governments can no longer be the golden geese of subsidies. The business model of professional sports is outrageous. My guess is that brand name advertisers will pay much less for broadcast rights going forward--because brand name pricing premiums and audience numbers are shrinkng.
Here's an eye opener on 2009 ticket prices. The Yankees average ticket leads the pack at $73 (about double last year). The Red Sox are second at $50 and the Cubs third at $48 (up 10%). At the bottom are the DBacks-$14, Pirates-$15, Braves-$17, and Rays-$18.
The main economic issue of pro sports is similar to that of the American Auto industry. GM et.al. kept raising prices to cover substantial excesses in salaries, wages and benefits--because they knew that Americans found cars (almost) as addictive as cocaine--and would pay higher and higher prices. That changed and the American industry is bankrupt.
Ballplayers (and/or) their unions and owners know the "addictivness" of professional sports, and they have been ripping us off for years. When the bubble bursts, pro sports will cover all of their team and facilities expenses from reduced ticket and advertising revenues. Selig won't be making $17 mil per and neither will Soriano. Players compensation will be cut 30 or 40%--and their jobs will still beat the hell out of working.
Having done the rant that I hate the rip off predators (in pro sports, on Wall Street, in Detroit and elsewhere), I still do love the games. And so it's, forget the contract excesses (or criticise the slackers and non-performers), and bring on the Baseball Season!!
And Neil....I thought "experts and the faithful" (above) were synonomous. Maybe you were referencing "paid" experts. Also, when do we see your entry in this year's contest? Please don't give us some sort of journalistic high ground about remaining impartial.
I'm going to go with 95 wins and 67 loses for the Cubs this year.
NL Central:
Cubs
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
13 Home Runs for Kosuke in 2009.
7 for Big Z!
Cubs record 78-84
NL Central
Cards
Reds
Cubs
Astros
Brewers
Pirates
Fukodome HRs = 8
Big Z home runs = 2
Cubs make it 3 in a row...
94-68
Chicago Cubs
Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
Houston Taking it in the Asstros
Koskuke Dingers 12
Big Z Taters 4
Cubs (94-58)
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome - 8HR
Zambrano - 2HR
Cubs (95-67)
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome: 8 HR
Zambrano: 3 HR
Cubs (98-64)
Brewers
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Pirates
Fukudome 17
Zambrano 7
Cubs (I don't even want to predict)
Brewers
Cardinals
Reds
Astros
Pirates
Fukudome: 8 HR
Zambrano: 5 HR (2 in pinch hitting role)