2009 MLB Season Preview (Part 3): Upon Further Review...

Things change. Players change. Teams change. Players change teams. Teams exchange players. The only thing that’s certain is that nothing is certain in the game of baseball.

This is especially true when it comes to predictions and prognostications that are published a week before spring training starts.

With that said, I will attempt to merge my Part 1 Predictions and my Part 2 Variables together and get an even-clearer picture of what could happen in Major League Baseball in 2009.

So without further adieu here is Part 3; Upon further review

Upon further review of…Atlanta Braves: Of course you all know this is my team. Of course, I’m going to go back and re-evaluate when the team adds depth and excitement around the team builds. By adding veteran Tom Glavine to this pitching staff, and Garret Anderson to a young outfield, the Braves have made marked improvement over the last two weeks. Maybe I was a tad harsh on my boys in my first preview. Maybe in the Variables column I expected too much. I firmly believe it should be somewhere in the middle. I think Atlanta will challenge for the National League Wild Card this year, not just because it signed Glavine and Anderson, but because they added much-needed depth to two parts of the roster that could have been the difference in 90 wins or 90 losses last season.

Upon further review of…New York Mets: OK, OK, OK. I vastly overrated these characters. I know it was the cool thing to do to predict a Subway Series and it apparently went over well with my New York readers. Well, I was dead wrong. While the Mets have the potential to do some good things, they have too many question marks to put them into the World Series. Carlos Delgado was on the verge of being released last year before tearing it up in the second half. Who thinks he can tear it up all season long in ‘09? John Maine battled injury. Mike Pelfrey was better, but he’s still an unknown commodity. Oliver Perez is one of the more inconsistent pitchers in the game. Johan Santana is the only sure thing on that staff. The bullpen is shored up as well. But the lineup leaves much to be desired. Luis Castillo did nothing last year. You have to have more than .245 from your second guy in the lineup. Left field is a gigantic question mark as well. Or do you Mets fans feel comfortable with David Murphy? Ryan Church doesn’t exactly exude confidence, either. And then there’s Brian Schneider behind the plate. I see a lot of holes in this lineup and rotation. But I also see a team that’s good enough to battle Atlanta for second in the East and first in the Wild Card all season long.

Upon further review of...Chicago Cubs: The more I see and read, the more I like the Northsiders. I love that starting rotation. That is the absolute best rotation in National League. If they stay healthy and Milton Bradley puts up big enough numbers in the middle of that lineup, the Cubs may make some real noise this season. The division will be no problem. But guys like Soto, Soriano, Ramirez, and Lee will need to step it up a notch all season long and into October. I think this is the year... I really do. I said I'd never predict it and I probably should not. But their fans have been looking forward to next year for 100-plus years now. It's time, Cubs fans. It's time.

Upon further review of…L.A. Dodgers: The National League West is the weakest division in baseball. The Dodgers could win it with or without Manny. I realize their pitching is young (Billingsley), inconsistent (Kuroda, Wolf), and injury prone (Schmidt). But their lineup alone is enough to win the West. Who wouldn’t want Loney, Kemp, Martin, and Ethier? Plus, that bullpen was rock-solid last year and Jonathan Broxton can throw a ball through at least half the players in the National League. The Diamondbacks have no lineup, but two great pitchers. The Giants have even less of a lineup than the D-Backs, but a solid rotation Nos. 1-5. Those are the only teams that will even come close to challenging L.A. this year. The Dodgers will sign Manny. It will probably happen this weekend. When it does happen, watch out! This Dodgers team will win a lot of games. I expect a big trade for a top-notch pitcher to happen sooner rather than later as well.

Upon further review of…New York Yankees: Hype, hype, and more hype. The Yankees always have plenty of it. I am not going to change my pick of them going to the Series. I will, however, pick them to win the American League East. You don’t add as much talent as they did and not see drastic improvement. The only thing that will keep the Yankees from postseason is the Yankees. If clubhouse chemistry implodes then don’t expect to see A-Rod turn around his October slump because he won’t be playing in October should that happen. I don’t think it will.

Upon further review of... Tampa Bay Rays: I just keep coming back to the Rays. They are just too talented. They are the new wave. I think David Price will be flat-out dominant. Shields, Garza, and Kazmir will be key in that rotation as well. With the addition of Pat Burrell to an already potent young lineup it makes this team that much more enticing. Third baseman Evan Longoria is a star. He's no future star, because he's already a star. Look for an MVP-type year out of him. I think the youthful Rays beat out the aging Red Sox for the wild card. Sure, I know it's much different from my earlier preview, but my further studies have won me over!

Upon further review of...Boston Red Sox: The Sox have been dominant over the last few years. But all good things must come to an end. Ed Henry got ticked that the Yankees outspent him this year and now he wants a salary cap. The Yankees got better and the Sox got older. Barring a chemistry meltdown in New York or a youthful collapse in Tampa, the Red Sox will be at home come October.

Upon further review of...A.L. Central: The Indians are another of the new-wave teams, teams that develop from within and emerge into contenders. The Twins and Indians will still battle all season long for the Central, but I am now leaning to the Tribe to take it. I still like the Twins and their youth movement as well and this division may still come down to a tiebreaker game. This will definitely be a race to watch this summer.

Upon further review of... My playoff picks:

NL Wildcard: My Braves (You knew I'd come around.)

NL East: Phillies — Just too good not to win the division

NL Central: Still the Cubbies — The Reds will surprise in the division, though

NL West: The Dodgers with or without Manny

AL Wildcard: Tampa Bay Rays ride the new wave of baseball

AL East: NY Yankees — Just spent too much money and added too much talent not to pick them.

AL Central: Cleveland Indians in a ridiculously close divisional race.

AL West: Still L.A. Angels because no one will even come close out there.

NLCS: Phillies vs. Cubs

ALCS: Yankees vs. Rays

World Series: Cubs vs. Yankees

World Champs: The Chicago Cubs finally get that title! FINALLY!!!

And for those of you on pins and needles wondering whether there will be a Part 4... Oh, yeah. There will be a Season Preview Part 4. In that one, I'll talk about another team that could win it all. In case you haven't caught on yet, I really dont know who will win anything this year and neither do you. But it's fun as heck to try and guess.

Disclaimer: These picks are the results of a few weeks of close study of each team in MLB. The picks should in no way be misconstrued as those of a sane man. They are complete conjecture and are probably going to be way off. If you take me that seriously you really need to check into it for yourself. I am no expert. Just a fan who loves the game of baseball dearly. And even though I'm a Braves fan; who wouldn't love to see the Cubbies win it all? Well, besides White Sox fans.