Can Anyone Stop the New York Yankees? Predicting the 2009 Major League Season

Let's face it: Trying to predict how a Major League season will break down is like trying to pick all 65 NCAA tournament teams...in November. In fact, the best comparison I can think of is that it's like trying to predict how an episode of Lost will pan out. That's saying something.

Nevertheless, the few weeks before the season start are a fun time for all of us "experts" to share our groundbreaking theories, ingenious insights, and sure-fire things. It was only a few years ago that I picked Eric Chavez as my pre-season AL MVP.

Years later, the only thing Chavez has been MVP of is probably the training room. 

So here goes, I'll try to leave my Orioles bias at the door as I jump in and take on Major League baseball...2009 style.

Here's how I see the division champs rolling down.

AL East: Boston Red Sox

The Sawx proved they could do it without Manny and Papi last year, making all the way to the ALCS on their arms and scrappers Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. Even with Sabathia and Burnett in their rotation, I still give the staff chemistry edge to Boston.

And if Papi is healthy enough to play at all this season I like Boston to win the East by three to five games (one or two sans Papi).

AL Central: Detroit Tigers

You can pick a name out of a hat for this division. I'll pick Detroit. I like their young pitching staff and as always, their hitters will rock opposing pitchers.

Curtis Granderson is still one of the most exciting players in baseball and Magglio and Miguel Cabrera hitting in the middle of the order provides the Tigres with an awesome offensive one-two.

I look for their staff to take a Devil Rays turn and have everybody pitch a career year. I could easily go with the Indians here too, but their staff is too thin after Lee and Carmona, or the other Sawx, but I just worry about their age.

AL West: California-Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles County 

There's no competing with the Angels in this division. The A's have too many young arms, the Mariners have close to no talent, and the Rangers staff is quite questionable, however talented.

Even with Lackey, Santana and Escobar being question marks, you still have to give it to an offense as explosive as the Angels. 

AL Wild Card: New York Yankees

They may not be good enough to get the AL East title, but acquiring Teixeira, Sabathia, Burnett and Nick Swisher should be enough to get them the Wild Card, holding off the Rays, Indians and White Sox.

Let's face it, when the Yanks are in a postseason race, especially for the wild card, they turn it up a notch, just like they will when they get A-Rod back and put together an amazing second half.

Sabathia should approach 17 wins with that offense, but I see Burnett struggling in '09, then spending his time and millions wishing he went to Baltimore.

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies

Just like the Yankees-Red Sox in the other East, the Phillies get the nod because of chemistry. They have two legit front-line starters in Hamels and Myers, the offense to compete with the Mets, and a lights-out bullpen.

Even if the Mets have the two of the best closers in the baseball in their 'pen, they still haven't proven they can perform under pressure late in the season. Let's see how they spend season playing the hunter instead of the hunted.

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

I'm going against my gut here. I really want to pick the Cardinals as this year's Rays, but I just can't bring myself to pick against a Rich Harden-Carlos Zambrano-Ryan Dempster rotation.

I think the Cubs learned a lot of lessons last year, which they will translate into motivation for this year. Soriano should have a huge year, and I'm as big a Micah Hoffpauir homer as there is.

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks

Yes, they may be laying people off like Merrill Lynch, but they still can put a good team on the field. Their pitching staff has a chance to be one of the best in the league and no one can top their young nucleus of hitters: Justin Upton, Chris Young, Conor Jackson, Stephen Drew and Mark Reynolds. Not much else to say here.

NL Wild Card: New York Mets

Two teams from the Big Apple, two wild cards. The Mets finally get the chance to play the underdog this year, trying to steal the thunder from Philly. Hopefully this will motivate them.

Too bad they're still the same old Mets. Jose Reyes, while quite worthy of his fantasy stature, is still too much of a showboat and early season player, and age is not-so silently creeping up on them.

They may have the best pitcher in the game, but mind you, he can only pitch once every five days.

I see the playoffs rounding out like this:

ALDS: Yankees over Angels 3-2

This is where having Sabathia as opposed to Nick Adenhart will catch up with the Angels. When the pressure is on, I'm sure Mike Scoscia will miss having a healthy staff. The Yanks should be able to take them down.

ALDS: Red Sox over Tigers 3-1

Again, you just can't beat Jon Lester-Dice K-Josh Beckett with Verlander-Verlander-Verlander, no matter how many runs Cabrera and Ordonez drive in. 

NLDS: Cubs over Phillies 3-2

The champs go down. Think of 2007 as Rocky I for the Phils (staging a dramatic comeback to polish off the Mets), 2008 as Rocky II (winning it all), and 2009 as the first half of Rocky III (going down to the Clubbing Cubs).

I'd take Chicago's top three over Philly's any day.

NLDS: Mets over D-Backs 3-1

Brandon Webb wins game one, the Mets take the rest. Pretty much the story of Webb's career. Dominate the games you pitch, hope that the other pitchers don't screw up the other 130 games. 

ALCS: Red Sox 4, Yankees 2

Money can't buy you love, and it sure as heck can't buy you a guarantee that AJ Burnett will pitch like he has the talent to. Sabathia will get a complete game W and Pettitte will pitch a gem, but Burnett blows Games Two and Five, sending the Sox onto the Series.

NLCS: Mets 4, Cubs 1

The Mets build their momentum, and continue it, by wiping the floor with the Cubbies. Maybe next year Chicago...year 102, I suppose? But hey, at least you'll get the Olympics. The Mets will finally capitalize on their vast amount of talent and potential and make it to the Series, making them New York's team for about a week, until...

World Series: Red Sox 4, Mets 2

The Sox show the Mets how baseball as the Mets regress to their late season/post season ways, and forget how to hit, pitch and more importantly, play defense. The Red Sox excel at all three. Dice K picks up the Series MVP, proving without a doubt that he is the most clutch pitcher in the world.

Jerry Manuel gets fired. 

So there it is, my picks for the 2009 season. Hopefully, it didn't bore you to tears the way watching the bottom dwelling teams from the AL East bores me. My next edition will have my picks to click (copyright Joe Buck, TBS) for the 2009 award season. Stay tuned!