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NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

1) PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Hitting: Healthy
Pitching: Suddenly solid
Defense: Excellent
Intangibles: Determined to make up for last year

2) NEW YORK METS
Hitting: Excellent
Pitching: Johan and then who?
Defense: Excellent
Intangibles: The pressure's on

3) ATLANTA BRAVES
Hitting: Fair
Pitching: Blast from the past
Defense: Improving
Intangibles: Bobby Cox wishes he had retired

4) WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Hitting: Solid
Pitching: If you can get to Cordero...
Defense: Acceptable
Intangibles: Spiffy new stadium

5) FLORIDA MARLINS
Hitting: Who ARE these guys?
Pitching: Who ARE these guys?
Defense: Outstanding
Intangibles: Lots of great seats available! C'mon down!

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

1) CHICAGO CUBS
Hitting: At last, balanced
Pitching: Um, well, we hope it's improved
Defense: Don't run on this OF
Intangibles: The pressure of being favorites

2) MILWAUKEE BREWERS (Wild Card)
Hitting: Lots of home runs! Fun!
Pitching: Pray for everyone's health
Defense: Their Achilles heel
Intangibles: Heightened expectations

3 CINCINNATI REDS
Hitting: No base-clogging allowed
Pitching: Pitching? Who needs pitching?
Defense: Improved
Intangibles: Not-so-spiffy new manager

4) PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Hitting: Um, nope.
Pitching: Maturing
Defense: Acceptable
Intangibles: I still hate those red jerseys

5) HOUSTON ASTROS
Hitting: Lots of home runs! Fun!
Pitching: Lots of home runs! F -- oh, wait.
Defense: Acceptable
Intangibles: Few and far between

6) ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Hitting: Injured
Pitching: Pitching? Who needs pitching?
Defense: Good
Intangibles: Tony LaRussa wishes he had retired

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

1) LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Hitting: New
Pitching: Excellent
Defense: Acceptable
Intangibles: Spiffy new manager

2) SAN DIEGO PADRES
Hitting: Send help!
Pitching: Solid
Defense: Improved
Intangibles: Four ex-Cubs. Asking for trouble.

3) COLORADO ROCKIES
Hitting: Yes. But it's Colorado.
Pitching: Kip Wells? Seriously?
Defense: Tu-LO!
Intangibles: 21-1? You can't repeat that.

4) ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Hitting: Inconsistent
Pitching: In turmoil
Defense: Good enough
Intangibles: 2007: 712 R. 732 OR. Nuff said.

5) SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Hitting: Horrendous
Pitching: Pretty good
Defense: Creaky
Intangibles: Worst team in the NL

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

1) BOSTON RED SOX
Hitting: Returning
Pitching: Returning
Defense: Better than you might think
Intangibles: The pressure of trying to repeat

2) NEW YORK YANKEES
Hitting: Solid, as usual
Pitching: Young. Well, mostly.
Defense: Whoops!
Intangibles: Sit home this October. Watch Steinbrenner heads explode!

3)TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Hitting: Healthy
Pitching: Healthy
Defense: Improved
Intangibles: Going to petition to be in AL West

4) TAMPA BAY RAYS
Hitting: Good starters. Bullpen... not so much.
Pitching: New
Defense: Acceptable
Intangibles: Free parking! (But only if you bring three friends)

5) BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Hitting: Old
Pitching: Brought Trachsel back. Why?
Defense: Does it really matter?
Intangibles: Slowest... GM... in... the... majors...

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

1) DETROIT TIGERS
Hitting: Loaded
Pitching: Loaded
Defense: IF: Good. OF: Not so much.
Intangibles: Something to prove

2) CLEVELAND INDIANS (Wild Card)
Hitting: Balanced
Pitching: Sabathia and pray
Defense: Adequate
Intangibles: Might win as many as the Tigers

3) MINNESOTA TWINS
Hitting: New!
Pitching: Newer!
Defense: Newest!
Intangibles: Excellent manager who knows how to win

4) CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Hitting: Unbalanced
Pitching: Pitching? Who needs pitching?
Defense: Defense? Who needs defense?
Intangibles: Watch Ozzie's head explode! First manager fired! Fun!

5) KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Hitting: Improved
Pitching: Not improved
Defense: Better than you think
Intangibles: Might challenge White Sox for 4th

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

1) SEATTLE MARINERS
Hitting: Key to success: Richie Sexson
Pitching: Excellent
Defense: Just fair (except Ichiro, who is outstanding)
Intangibles: Suddenly the favorites. Can they handle it?

2) LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Hitting: A bit long in the tooth, but still solid
Pitching: Injured. This really hurts.
Defense: Excellent
Intangibles: Will struggle without their injured pitchers

3) OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Hitting: Rebuilding
Pitching: Billy Beane always finds 'em
Defense: Mediocre
Intangibles: None that I can think of

4) TEXAS RANGERS
Hitting: Josh Hamilton. And then?
Pitching: Ugh
Defense: Fair
Intangibles: Can't finish lower than fourth

NL: Cubs over Dodgers, Brewers over Phillies; Cubs over Brewers in NLCS

AL: Red Sox over Indians, Tigers over Mariners; Tigers over Red Sox in ALCS

World Series: Cubs over Tigers. Because why would I pick the Cubs to make the postseason and NOT win it all... and, well -- it's time.

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Madtowntripper said:
Dempster will be back in the pen by May.

That was the #1 or 2 staff in the NL last year.

I don't think that was luck.

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