Forecasting the Final Standings

Today, I’ll predict the final standings in all the divisions:

American League

EAST	W	L	PCT	GB
Boston	93	69	0.574	---
New York	91	71	0.562	2
Toronto	85	77	0.525	8
Tampa Bay	73	89	0.451	20
Baltimore	71	91	0.438	22

CENTRAL	W	L	PCT	GB
Chicago	90	72	0.556	---
Cleveland	89	73	0.549	1
Minnesota	85	77	0.525	5
Detroit	81	81	0.500	9
Kansas City	62	100	0.383	28

WEST	W	L	PCT	GB
Oakland	90	72	0.556	---
Los Angeles	86	76	0.531	4
Texas	79	83	0.488	11
Seattle	78	84	0.481	12

National League

EAST	W	L	PCT	GB
Atlanta	89	73	0.549	---
New York	88	74	0.543	1
Philadelphia	85	77	0.525	4
Washington	73	89	0.451	16
Florida	70	92	0.432	19

CENTRAL	W	L	PCT	GB
St. Louis	93	69	0.574	---
Houston	84	78	0.519	9
Milwaukee	83	79	0.512	10
Chicago	78	84	0.481	15
Pittsburgh	76	86	0.469	17
Cincinnati	70	92	0.432	23

WEST	W	L	PCT	GB
San Francisco	84	78	0.519	---
Los Angeles	81	81	0.500	3
San Diego	78	84	0.481	6
Arizona	76	86	0.469	8
Colorado	69	93	0.426	15

Notes

AL East: The Blue Jays will make a run but the Red Sox and Yankees will finish on top again. The Red Sox will edge the Yankees with superior pitching.

AL Central: There won’t be a 99 win team in the division this year. The White Sox will not win as many close games and the Indians will not lead the league in pitching again. The Tigers will finish fourth again but will be much closer to the top than last year.

AL West: The young Athletics’ staff will beat out the Angels. The loss of Paul Byrd and Jarrod Washburn will hurt the Angels.

NL East: I’ll keep picking the Braves for first until they don’t finish first. The Mets and Phillies will give them a run for the money though.

NL Central: The Cardinals line-up is getting more vulnerable but Pujols and pitching will win it for them. Nobody else in the division is ready to challenge yet.

NL West: This will be the weakest division in baseball again this year. It’s also one of the most difficult to forecast because so much depends on Barry Bonds. If Bonds gets enough plate appearances, the Giants will win. If not, then the division is up for grabs.

Playoffs

Oakland beats New York
Boston beats Chicago
St. Louis beats New York
Atlanta beats San Francisco

Oakland beats Boston
St. Lous beats Atlanta

St. Louis beats Oakland