A Thinking Man's Not-So-Trendy 2009 Predictions and Awards

I picked the division winners, followed by the runner-ups. I'll mostly only discuss the top 3 teams, but sometimes I dig a bit deeper. I also include the postseason scenario and 2009 Champs.

I tried to write this article with at least bias as possible, therefore I'm picking a single MVP, with a runner-up from the other two divisions.

AL Awards:

AL Division Winners:

East: New York Yankees

Arguably the toughest division in baseball, I look for a great '09 in the East. The 'Sox and Yankees are always perennial contenders, and not to be overlooked are the young guns, and AL Champ Tampa Bay Rays.

This will be a close division, perhaps a 3 team race even, but I think the Rays will have just enough of a letdown this year to not make the playoffs. They need not worry, with emerging stars Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton, their time will come.

The Red Sox boast arguably the best 12-man pitching staff in baseball, and I believe will take the Wild Card. After another off season of heavy spending, the Yanks come into '09 with great expectations, and I believe they will meet them.

With a monstrous pitching staff anchored by newly acquired C.C. Sabathia, and an always potent lineup now boasting the switch-hitting slugger 1B Mark Teixeira, the Yanks will be playing in October.

1st: New York Yankees

2nd: Boston Red Sox

3rd: Tampa Bay Rays

Central: Cleveland Indians

I feel like the best two teams in this division are the Indians and the Tigers. The Tigers have a solid lineup including the dangerous Miguel Cabrera, but too many question marks with their pitching, especially in the 'pen with Joel Zumaya starting the season on the DL. 

Aside from Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin, the White Sox have an aging lineup capable of big innings via the long ball, but not the consistency needed to win the division, and have question marks with starting pitching after Gavin Floyd and John Danks. 

The Indians have reigning Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee to anchor a solid rotation, and in my eyes, an MVP candidate in CF Grady Sizemore. This will also be a close one, but I think the Indians take it.

1st: Cleveland Indians

2nd: Detroit Tigers

3rd: Chicago White Sox.

Important Note: I love the Twins pitching and their manager for that matter, but I don't think they can overcome the loss of C Joe Mauer, he to me, is the most significant part of the team. He and Morneau provide the pop, and he will be dearly missed.

West: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels took this division pretty easily last year, and though it won't be nearly as easy this year, I think they still do it. Texas will contend with its monstrous lineup including OF Josh Hamilton, and 2B Ian Kinsler, but they have very little pitching, and will be banking on too many young arms to overtake the Angels.

The A's have a plethora of up and coming pitching, but with Justin Duscherer starting the season on the DL, and a very impotent lineup even with the addition of LF Matt Holliday, I feel it won't be enough.

Not having three of their five starters for a few weeks won't help, but the Halos will weather the storm with the help of Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver.

1st: Los Angeles Angels

2nd: Texas Rangers

3rd: Oakland Athletics

Wild Card: Boston Red Sox

AL MVP: CF Josh Hamilton

Considered Mickey Mantle-like by many, and known for his well publicized return to the game from drug addiction, Hamilton will continue to amaze us all. In a loaded Rangers lineup expected to score plenty runs, Hamilton will be the heart of it.

One of my favorite players in the game today, and possibly the most naturally gifted hitter in baseball, this is the year he shows it.

2009 Projected Line: .321, 42 HR, 133 RBI

Division Picks: 1B Justin Morneau, Cleveland Indians, 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

AL Cy Young: LHP Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox:

I'm going a bit out on a limb here, but I go by gut instincts. Projected THIRD on the depth chart of an already hefty Red Sox starting rotation featuring Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka can be a bit deterring on Lester's quest, but I believe this guy can become the true ace of the staff, and unleash his full potential in 2009.

2009 Projected Line: 20-5, 2.59 ERA, 196 K

Division Picks:LHP Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins, RHP Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

AL Player To Watch: OF Travis Snyder, Toronto Blue Jays

The young masher, hot off the heels of his blistering '09 spring training campaign, has the look of a good big league hitter. Solid run producer, with power to all fields.

No shot at the Jays, but something tells me there won't be much excitement in Toronto this year due to their depleted pitching staff, so look for Snider along with Roy Halladay to be the sole bright spots on the team.

2009 Projected Line: .293, 31 HR, 109 RBI

Division Picks:1B Kendry Morales, Los Angeles Angels, 2B Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

NL Awards

NL Division Winners:

East: Philadelphia Phillies

If I had to pick the best division in baseball, I'd go here. Best division hands down for shortstops in Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez.

The Phils boast one of the best offenses in the league including reigning HR champ 1B Ryan Howard, and one of the best closers in the game in Brad Lidge. The Mets have the former Cy Young award winner Johan Santana, and a completely revamped bullpen including Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz.

The Braves have first ballot hall of famer 3B Chipper Jones, outstanding offensive catcher Brian McCann, and acquired ace sinker-baller Derek Lowe through free agency. The Marlins have the best young starting rotation in the National League and a lineup notorious for the long ball, and yes, all these teams are in one division.

These teams will claw at each other until the end, but I think the defending champs hold their ground.

Central: St. Louis Cardinals

If the Cubbies could only do in the postseason what they do in the regular season, they could've possibly won it all last year. A team that looked so good in the regular season, and look equally as bad in the postseason was shocking to me, that being said, the Cubs are still a heck of a team, and improved in my eyes. 

I love the Cardinals and have a lot of respect for Tony La Russa, and I feel like this division will be a toss up. On paper the Cubs look like the team to beat, but La Russa can work wonders with the talent he has especially with ace Chris Carpenter returning to the fold, having reigning MVP and gold glove 1B Albert Pujols on your team doesn't hurt either.

Can't underestimate the addition of OF Milton Bradley by the Cubs, because I feel he'll be a huge force, and his switch-hitting ability will make the lineup less right hand-heavy. Not much after these two teams, probably the most top heavy division in baseball, with the Brewers having some pop in 1B Prince Fielder and LF Ryan Braun, but a questionable bullpen, and no proven ace.

The Reds have a pretty talented rotation (loved the Micah Owings pickup by the way), and good young bats, but also a shaky bullpen, losing LF Adam Dunn and his .OBPS will also hurt their run totals. Aside from 1B Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt, Houston doesn't have much this year either.

Could go either way with the Cubs and Cardinals, but I pick the upset, and think St. Louis sneaks this one out.

West: Los Angeles Dodgers

Rising stars such as Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw headline an already deep supply of great young arms in the West. The San Diego Padres are not much of a factor because of a gutted offense and a stingy payroll, they will likely trade ace Jake Peavy by mid-season, which leaves the D'Backs, Dodgers, and Giants fighting for the pennant. 

I feel like the Giants are a year or too away from serious contention, but have to be thrilled with the emergence of Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, and Matt Cain, and the resurgence of Barry Zito.

They also have two promising young hitters in OF Fred Lewis, and 1B Pablo Sandoval. The D'Backs are a team that shows a lot of promise, but underachieves with slowly developing young stars.

They have a good core with SS Stephen Drew, 3B Mark Reynolds and OF's Chris Young and Justin Upton, but need to cut down on the K's and draw a few more walks. It's legit to expect Brandon Webb to contend for the Cy Young, but after him, the rotation is a bit up in the air.

The Dodgers have probably the best lineup in the division from top to bottom, and sport the best infield defense, with a healthy SS Rafael Furcal and newly acquired 2B Orlando Hudson. Hiroki Kurodahas convinced me that he is a pretty dominant pitcher, and Kershaw is an emerging ace, if they can have Manny all year, and their young hitters can pull it together, it's hard for me to say the Dodgers won't take this one pretty handily.

Wild Card: Chicago Cubs

This was an extremely difficult choice to make, harder than I thought it was going to be. I like the New York Mets a lot too. I just feel like the Cubs have a bit more powerful lineup, slightly better starting pitching 1-5, and play in a fairly weak division, with really only serious heat from the Cards.

NL MVP: 2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

After ending the '08 season, it was discovered that Utley had a bad hip during the second half, and required off season surgery, this ruined what could've possibly been an MVP campaign after tearing it up in the first half. Gritty and possessing one of the smoothest swings in baseball, I believe Utley takes the MVP trophy back to Philly.

2009 Projected Line: .311, 35 HR, 114 RBI

Division Picks: 1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, OF Manny Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Cy Young: LHP Johan Santana, New York Mets

Always filthy, and surprisingly durable, I think Santana gets the nod for the Cy this year. Especially on a Mets team that has the potential to win 90+ games. Which in turn, will result in lots of W's for Santana.

2009 Projected Line: 19-6, 2.78 ERA, 191 K

Division Picks: RHP Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros, RHP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

NL Player To Watch: RF Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies

Seizing the everyday role in mid-2008, Werth goes into '09 as the Phils RF. Werth has good pop, and surprising speed, he had a good spring training, and is hitting in a potent lineup in a hitter-friendly ballpark. Barring injuries, (which he is a bit notorious for) I think Werth will surprise a lot of people this year, and could be a possible 30 HR/ 20+ SB candidate.

2009 Projected Line: .292, 30 HR, 102 RBI

Division Picks: OF Milton Bradley, Chicago Cubs, 1B Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

2009 Playoff Scenario:

American League

ALDS:

New York Yankees def. Boston Red Sox 4-3

Los Angeles Angels def. Cleveland Indians 4-2

ALCS:

New York Yankees def. Los Angeles Angels 4-1

National League

NLDS:

Philadelphia Phillies def. Chicago Cubs 4-2

St. Louis Cardinals def. Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2

NLCS:

Philadelphia Phillies def. St. Louis Cardinals 4-3

World Series 2009:

New York Yankees def. Philadelphia Phillies 4-2

2009 Champs: New York Yankees