One of my favorite things about baseball is predicting what will
happen in the season to come. I spend a great deal of my time in
the off-season thinking about next year. In 2010, my predictions
were a mixed
bag. I thought the Seattle Mariners would win their first World
Series. Alas, the Mariners lost 101 games and finished last season
with the worst record in the American League. However, I was spot
on in picking Mariners ace Felix Hernandez to win his first AL Cy
Young Award. Of course, I didn’t expect he would do it with a 13-12
won loss record.
I also correctly predicted all three National League
divisional winners plus the wild card spot. Sure, picking the
Philadelphia Phillies to win the NL East might have been a
no-brainer. But how many people out there were willing to take a
flyer on the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central? Well, aside from
myself,
there were precious few.
Now without further adieu here are my predictions for the
2011 MLB season. I think you will agree they are my most outlandish
yet.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL East
Boston Red
Sox
Baltimore
Orioles#
New York
Yankees
Toronto Blue
Jays
Tampa Bay Rays
AL Central
Detroit Tigers
Chicago White
Sox
Minnesota
Twins
Cleveland
Indians
Kansas City
Royals
AL West
Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles
Angels of Anaheim
Texas
Rangers
Seattle Mariners
# - AL Wild Card winner
AMERICAN LEAGUE AWARD
RECIPIENTS
AL MVP – Nick Markakis,
Baltimore Orioles
AL Cy
Young – Trevor Cahill, Oakland
Athletics
AL Rookie of the
Year – Dustin Ackley, Seattle
Mariners
AL Manager of the
Year – Buck Showalter, Baltimore
Orioles
AL Comeback Player
of the Year – Bartolo Colon, New York
Yankees
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL East
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta
Braves
Florida
Marlins
Washington
Nationals
New York Mets
NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Houston
Astros##
Cincinnati
Reds
Milwaukee
Brewers
St. Louis
Cardinals
Pittsburgh
Pirates
NL West
San Francisco Giants
San
Diego Padres
Arizona
Diamondbacks
Colorado
Rockies
Los Angeles
Dodgers
## - NL Wild Card winner
NATIONAL LEAGUE AWARD
RECIPIENTS
NL MVP – Carlos Lee, Houston
Astros
NL Cy Young
– Carlos Zambrano, Chicago
Cubs
NL Rookie of the Year
– Brandon Belt, San Francisco
Giants
NL Manager of the
Year – Mike Quade, Chicago
Cubs
NL Comeback Player of
the Year – Dontrelle Willis, Cincinnati
Reds
2011 MLB POST-SEASON
AL Divisional Series (ALDS) – Best three out of
five
Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers – Tigers in
five
Baltimore Orioles vs. Oakland
Athletics – Orioles in three
AL Championship Series (ALCS) – Best four out of
seven
Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers – Tigers in
six
NL Division Series (NLDS) – Best three out of
five
Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants – Cubs in
four
Houston Astros vs.
Philadelphia Phillies – Phillies in five
NL Championship Series (NLCS) – Best four out of
seven
Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Cubs in
seven
2011 WORLD SERIES – Best four out of
seven
Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs – Cubs in seven
Now, at this point, there are undoubtedly some of you who
have become very concerned for my well-being. You may wonder if I
have ingested a banned substance or perhaps you might speculate
that I have had insufficient exposure to sunlight during the course
of this harsh winter. Of course, there will be others who could
care less and just as soon see me descend into madness. Well,
whether you care about my good health or not, I can say with sound
mind and without a moment’s hesitation that I am predicting the
Chicago Cubs will win the 2011 World Series.
Believe me when I tell you that the cataclysmic nature of
this prediction is not lost on me. The Cubs, after all, have not
appeared in a World Series since 1945 and haven’t won it since
Roosevelt was President. That would be Teddy Roosevelt. So why
should this year be any different than the 102 years which preceded
it?
The Cubs’ fortunes began to turn late in the 2010 season
when they promoted third base coach Mike Quade their interim
manager following Lou Piniella’s abrupt departure from the club in
late August. I have been an admirer of Quade since 1993 when he
managed the Ottawa Lynx (the Triple-A affiliate of the Montreal
Expos). Quade’s low-key approach was a welcome contrast to
Piniella’s volatile temper. The Cubs went 24-13 over the last six
weeks of the season. Cubs’ management was sufficiently impressed
with Quade’s stewardship to give him a two-year contract with a
club option for 2013.
The Cubs have also made a number of off-season
improvements. They have added ex-Tampa Bay Rays Carlos Pena and
Matt Garza. Pena gives the Cubs some much needed left-handed power
in the middle of the lineup. And don’t expect him to hit .196 in
2011. Meanwhile, Garza adds depth to a starting rotation that
includes Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells. Garza and
Zambrano are arguably the most intense pitchers in baseball. Once
Quade took over, Zambrano was able to channel his intensity and did
his best pitching of the season. I see Garza similarly thriving
under Quade’s quiet leadership.
Meanwhile, the bullpen has added a familiar face in Kerry
Wood, who will be closer Carlos Marmol’s eighth inning set up man.
I also expect rebound years from Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez
as well as a breakout season for Kosuke Fukudome. Look for both
Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro to avoid the sophomore jinx and for
Marlon Byrd to have another solid season in centerfield. The
returning Reed Johnson gives the Cubs additional depth in the
outfield.
Now the Cubs aren’t exactly speed demons and more than a
third of the roster is over the age of 30. But Quade is ideally
suited for a veteran team that needs a manager who can stay at
arm’s length and let them play. I have a feeling this is the Cubs
team that will make history.
