Five Bold 2009 Predictions: National League Edition

With the start of the 2009 spring training just days away, and predictions coming out in full force, it is time for some of the bolder predictions.

Although these predictions aren't necessarily surprising, they're predictions that people may be afraid of making or not even bother making.

The 2009 season is going to be a great season, especially within the National League. This list is meant to highlight five bold predictions that you may not expect to happen. They are ranked in no order of confidence, just the way I decided to write them.

The New York Mets Will Not Choke

You heard it here, probably not first, and most definitely not last. But the Mets are finally going to take that huge first place lead into the playoffs as the NL East Champions.

They have improved the one thing that lost them games last year: the bullpen. You add K-Rod to any roster, and you’ve set yourself up for a bundle of saves (yes, some blown ones too—everything can’t be perfect, Mets fans).

Their setup man is JJ Putz. He would be closing for almost any other team—with the exception of teams with players named Jonathon Papelbon, Mariano Rivera, and Brad Lidge.

Sorry, Phillies fans, the Mets won’t choke again.

The San Francisco Giants Will Not Be a Team To Laugh at

For the past couple of seasons, it has been easy to make fun of the Giants. They had no offense, they had Barry Zito as an ace, and their closer was an all-star with an ERA over four.

But, this season, things will change. They have one of the best rotations in the league. Barry Zito is just an afterthought at this point. Lincecum won a Cy Young in his second season as an MLB player.

Randy Johnson has come off of a great year for a 44-year-old. His last game of the season: a complete game one-run victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The offense isn’t there yet. But when you play 81 games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark with some of the best pitchers in the league, who needs an offense?

Stephen Drew Will Finish in the Top Five For NL MVP

This young Diamondbacks shortstop finished the second-half of the 2008 season batting .326.

He had an historical season, becoming just the third shortstop in MLB history to hit 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 40 doubles in one season.

He played above-average defense, committing just 14 errors in over 378 chances.

He hit for the cycle, and then some against the St. Louis Cardinals. And, two weeks later, was another triple shy of doing it again! He led the Diamondbacks through a mediocre season, and gave them every chance to win.

That is why, in 2009, you can expect to hear his name mentioned a lot. This shortstop will be in the top in MVP voting.

The National Leauge Will Win the All-Star Game

It’s bound to happen eventually, right? The switch of power from one league to the other. Well, this is the year.

Figuring Manny stays in the NL, you have some of the better all-star hitters in the national league. But, you also have some of the best pitching in the National League.

Tim Lincecum, Brandon Webb, Jake Peavy, Roy Oswalt, and Johan Santana are just the beginning of the great pitchers in the National League.

The 2009 All-Star game is the National League's to win or lose.

The Chicago Cubs Will Win a Playoff Game

The Loveable Losers may not make it to the big show this year, but they will win a playoff game. They have a very strong starting rotation and a high-scoring offense.

Of course, this was also the case in 2007 and 2008, when they were swept by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, respectively, and its not really understood why.

The Cubs will win the NL Central with that rotation and bullpen. Marmol is a very underrated closer. Their offense was the best in the National League last year, and I cannot see that changing much.

This year, the Cubs will win a playoff game. They're too good not to win, cursed or not.