Diehard Jock: Excitement brewing in MLB; who will make the right deal?
By Scott Ford
Thursday, July 10, 2008 11:00 AM PDT
This is the one of the most exciting times during the Major League Baseball season, the trade deadline and the All-Star break.
The All-Star break is coming up next week, July 14 through July 17 and the game and its festivities will take in New York at the “house that Ruth built” — Yankee Stadium.
This will be the last time an All-Star game will be played in Yankee Stadium, because the Yanks are getting a new facility to play in next year.
But back to the excitement of MLB.
The All-Star game is always a fun event to watch, with the home run derby and the pool of collected talent on the field.
I am especially excited this year, because seven, that's right seven of the Cubs have made the team, not to mention the Cubs head coach Lou Piniella will be on the field as well.
I am a happy cubbie right now.
Then my loveable losers, still in first place in the National League Central division, went out and bolstered their bull pen with possibly the best right hander on the market, Oakland’s Rich Hardin.
In addition to that, they got a quality bullpen guy in Chad Gaudin.
That move by the Cubs general manager Jim Hendry should keep the Cubs out in front — I hope.
I wish they would reopen the talks with Baltimore and try to get Brian Roberts.
But the asking price will probably be too steep.
With 21 day of trading left, who knows what will transpire in MLB.
I just hope St. Louis does not get jealous and try to pick up A.J. Burnett or some other talented player to compete with the Brewers and Cubs.
But you know those Cards, they are always a contender and they will be right there come September.
It’s going to be an exciting second half.
But in the end, I think the Cubs will hold on and in the division with 95-plus wins, and the Cardinals will sneak in at second and win the wildcard.
Who would have thought, that at the All-Star break, the National League Central would have the three best teams in the National league.
Currently, the Cubs are 54-36, the Cardinals 51-40 and the Brewers 50-40.
The next closest National League team is the Phillies with a record of 48-43.
As for the rest of the National League, I think the Florida Marlins will take the East, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will win the West.
In the American League East, its going to be a battle between the Rays and Red Sox.
Sorry Yankee fans, I think New York is done. Whoever does not win the East between these two teams will win the wild card.
In the American League Central, the Minnesota Twins and White Sox are right there, but the Twins will prevail with the Sox falling behind Detroit.
Finally in the West.
How will the West be won?
Can the Angels continue to stay out front, or will Oakland, with the acquisition of four Cubs players push to the top?
Only because I am a Cub fan, and I really like Matt Murton and Sean Gallagher, plus Eric Patterson will be better than his brother Corey. I think the A’s will climb the ladder of success, and Billy Beane, Oakland’s general manager, will look like a genius.
Heck, while I am at it — thinking that I am Nostradamus — I am going to give my predictions for the playoffs as well.
I bet you think I am going to say the Cubs are going to win it all.
Well, first, let’s start in the American League.
Boston will battle Oakland in the first round and the Twins will battle Tampa Bay.
Yep, you guessed it, Boston and Tampa in a series for the American League title.
The Winner: Boston in five.
Now for the National League.
Chicago will take on St. Louis, with the Cubs winning the series.
The Dodgers will lose to Florida, setting up a rematch of the Bartman series.
But this time, Bartman will be banned from the games and the Cubs will enter into a new dimension of play — the World Series.
Okay, here it goes.
Boston versus Chicago.
What a matchup.
Two teams with storied histories, the only two teams left in MLB that are still playing in their original stadiums.
Two teams with big payrolls, plenty of talent, and huge fan bases.
The winner in seven is ...
Heck, I not going to jinx my team.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Go Cubs!
