Yes, folks, the 2010 season is underway; there’s further talk of performance-enhancing drugs and tainted records–which reminds me:\u00c2\u00a0 I’ve been having headaches lately so\u00c2\u00a0will head to Canada soon to get some ibuprofen.\u00c2\u00a0 Anyway, here’s how they’ll finish this season:<\/p>\n
AL EAST <\/strong> AL CENTRAL<\/strong> AL WEST<\/strong> **Notes<\/strong>: NL EAST <\/strong> NL CENTRAL<\/strong> NL WEST<\/strong> **Notes:<\/strong> *Postseason<\/strong>:\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, my friends–a replay of last season’s Fall Classic as the Yanks and Phils emerge from their respective leagues.\u00c2\u00a0 Yankees’ core players get to enjoy a repeat as the edge goes\u00c2\u00a0to the NY\u00c2\u00a0closer–making all<\/em> the difference as\u00c2\u00a0frigid fall temperatures arrive.\u00c2\u00a0 Enjoy the season, everyone.<\/p>\n Bob Lazzari is an award-winning sports columnist for both Connecticut\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s <\/em>Valley Times<\/em> and NY Sports Day<\/a>, where his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sports Roundup\u00e2\u20ac\u009d column is featured weekly. He is a member of the Connecticut Sports Writers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Alliance and host of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Monday Night Sports Talk<\/a>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a cable television show on CTV\/Channel 14 in Connecticut.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yes, folks, the 2010 season is underway; there’s further talk of performance-enhancing drugs and tainted records–which reminds me:\u00c2\u00a0 I’ve been having headaches lately so\u00c2\u00a0will head to Canada soon to get some ibuprofen.\u00c2\u00a0 Anyway, here’s how they’ll finish this season: AL EAST N.Y. Yankees Boston Red Sox T.B. Rays Baltimore Orioles Toronto Blue Jays AL CENTRAL […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":730,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\nN.Y. Yankees
\nBoston Red Sox
\nT.B. Rays
\nBaltimore Orioles
\nToronto Blue Jays<\/p>\n
\nMinnesota Twins
\nChicago White Sox
\nDetroit Tigers
\nKansas City Royals
\nCleveland Indians<\/p>\n
\nLA Angels
\nSeattle Mariners
\nTexas Rangers
\nOakland Athletics<\/p>\n
\nAL EAST<\/strong>– New\u00c2\u00a0York’s Nick Johnson gets hurt more than Evel Knievel did, but he’ll be able to JOG around the bases most of the time; don’t think Beltre and Ortiz will give Boston the ‘pop’ they desperately need to overtake NY.\u00c2\u00a0 Longoria may be the league’s MVP, but will B.J. Upton rebound?\u00c2\u00a0 Orioles could finish at .500 as young pitchers like Bergesen and Matusz develop; Toronto won’t get enough outfield production, may lose 100 games, and should\u00c2\u00a0hand out handkerchiefs to fans every time\u00c2\u00a0Halladay starts for Philadelphia.
\nAL CENTRAL<\/strong>– Hudson helps Twins A LOT and–even without Nathan–Gardenhire will find a way to win the division.\u00c2\u00a0 White Sox’ starting pitching will keep them near the top of the division, but which Alex Rios will show up?\u00c2\u00a0 Tigers will score enough\u00c2\u00a0but overall team health may\u00c2\u00a0be a concern.\u00c2\u00a0 Royals lack power and just won’t get around the bases; Tribe’s pitching is\u00c2\u00a0the reason they’ll occupy the cellar as EVERYONE becomes trade bait in September.
\nAL WEST<\/strong>– Angels still have enough talent and the best manager in the league while Matsui is a great clubhouse addition; I question the back end of Seattle’s rotation and how much Griffey has left in the tank.\u00c2\u00a0 Texas has some good young arms, can score, and may challenge\u00c2\u00a0Seattle if Josh Hamilton stays vertical.\u00c2\u00a0 Oakland simply won’t score runs and no player will SNIFF the 100-RBI mark–putting too much pressure on a decent, young staff.<\/p>\n
\nPhiladelphia Phillies
\nAtlanta Braves
\nN.Y. Mets
\nFlorida Marlins
\nWashington Nationals<\/p>\n
\nSt. Louis Cardinals
\nChicago Cubs
\nCincinnati Reds
\nMilwaukee Brewers
\nHouston Astros
\nPittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n
\nColorado Rockies
\nS.F. Giants
\nL.A. Dodgers
\nArizona D’Backs
\nS.D. Padres<\/p>\n
\nNL EAST<\/strong>– A good\u00c2\u00a0Philadelphia team got better, but will Lidge be closing come\u00c2\u00a0October?\u00c2\u00a0 Don’t know if Atlanta can score enough although their pitching looks decent; I have more questions about the Mets pitching staff than\u00c2\u00a0I do about Obama’s healthcare plan.\u00c2\u00a0 Florida will have trouble closing games and their defense is suspect.\u00c2\u00a0 Nats’ closer Capps had an ERA close to SIX last year–and guess what?\u00c2\u00a0 He’ll probably be\u00c2\u00a0closing AGAIN in 2010.
\nNL CENTRAL<\/strong>– Third base could be a concern for St. Louis, but Holliday adds some needed power; I question the bridge to Marmol in Chicago and Piniella’s best managing days may have passed.\u00c2\u00a0 A better-than-average Aaron Harang could be the\u00c2\u00a0key to the Reds’ success; don’t like the Brewers’ pitching staff OR Hoffman closing games in the clutch.\u00c2\u00a0 Astros need Oswalt to be better but their\u00c2\u00a0bullpen still\u00c2\u00a0won’t get it done; the Pittsburgh PR people could offer MAJOR incentives\/prizes at EVERY home game\u00c2\u00a0when the team scores five or more\u00c2\u00a0runs in a game simply\u00c2\u00a0because they WON’T.
\nNL WEST<\/strong>– A high\u00c2\u00a0team on-base percentage–along with a\u00c2\u00a0healthy Jeff Francis–get the\u00c2\u00a0Rockies to the playoffs; lack of team speed–along with a low on-base percentage–will hurt the Giants.\u00c2\u00a0 Dodgers won’t pitch as well as last season and Manny’s #’s will continue to decline; a non-healthy Brandon Webb seals D’Backs’ fate.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0San Diego\u00c2\u00a0will have trouble\u00c2\u00a0pitching on the road and won’t score at ANY stadium in which they play.<\/p>\n