THT 2006 Staff Predictions

The Hardball Times has been previewing individual teams for the past two weeks and now that Opening Day is finally here it’s time to put our money where our collective mouths are. Below you’ll find predictions from a dozen THT writers, including divisional standings, major awards, and what happens in October. Within a week we may all look like idiots, but that’s the beauty of baseball.

American League West

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH
Brian Borawski           OAK     SEA     LAA     TEX
John Brattain            OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA
Maury Brown              LAA     OAK     SEA     TEX
Craig Burley             OAK     TEX     LAA     SEA
David Gassko             OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA
Aaron Gleeman            OAK     LAA     SEA     TEX
Ben Jacobs               OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA
Lee Sinins               OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA
Dave Studeman            OAK     TEX     LAA     SEA
Steve Treder             OAK     LAA     SEA     TEX
Bryan Tsao               OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA
John Walsh               OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA

CONSENSUS                OAK     LAA     TEX     SEA

American League Central

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH     5TH
Brian Borawski           CLE     MIN     CHW     DET     KAN
John Brattain            CLE     CHW     DET     MIN     KAN
Maury Brown              CLE     CHW     MIN     DET     KAN
Craig Burley             CHW     CLE     DET     MIN     KAN
David Gassko             DET     CLE     MIN     CHW     KAN
Aaron Gleeman            CHW     CLE     MIN     DET     KAN
Ben Jacobs               CHW     CLE     MIN     DET     KAN
Lee Sinins               CLE     CHW     MIN     DET     KAN
Dave Studeman            MIN     CHW     CLE     DET     KAN
Steve Treder             CLE     CHW     MIN     DET     KAN
Bryan Tsao               CLE     MIN     CHW     DET     KAN
John Walsh               CLE     CHW     DET     MIN     KAN

CONSENSUS                CLE     CHW     MIN     DET     KAN

American League East

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH     5TH
Brian Borawski           NYY     TOR     BOS     BAL     TAM
John Brattain            NYY     TOR     BOS     TAM     BAL
Maury Brown              NYY     TOR     BOS     TAM     BAL
Craig Burley             BOS     TOR     NYY     BAL     TAM
David Gassko             BOS     TOR     NYY     BAL     TAM
Aaron Gleeman            BOS     NYY     TOR     BAL     TAM
Ben Jacobs               BOS     NYY     TOR     BAL     TAM
Lee Sinins               NYY     TOR     BOS     BAL     TAM
Dave Studeman            NYY     BOS     TOR     TAM     BAL
Steve Treder             BOS     NYY     TOR     BAL     TAM
Bryan Tsao               BOS     NYY     TOR     TAM     BAL
John Walsh               BOS     NYY     TOR     TAM     BAL

CONSENSUS                BOS     NYY     TOR     BAL     TAM

National League West

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH     5TH
Brian Borawski           SFG     LAD     SDP     ARI     COL
John Brattain            LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
Maury Brown              LAD     SDP     ARI     SFG     COL
Craig Burley             LAD     COL     SFG     SDP     ARI
David Gassko             LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
Aaron Gleeman            SFG     LAD     SDP     ARI     COL
Ben Jacobs               LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
Lee Sinins               SFG     SDP     LAD     ARI     COL
Dave Studeman            LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
Steve Treder             LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
Bryan Tsao               LAD     SDP     SFG     ARI     COL
John Walsh               LAD     ARI     SDP     SFG     COL

CONSENSUS                LAD     SFG     SDP     ARI     COL

National League Central

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH     5TH     6TH
Brian Borawski           STL     MIL     CHC     HOU     CIN     PIT
John Brattain            STL     MIL     CHC     HOU     CIN     PIT
Maury Brown              STL     MIL     HOU     CHC     CIN     PIT
Craig Burley             HOU     STL     MIL     CIN     CHC     PIT
David Gassko             STL     MIL     CHC     HOU     CIN     PIT
Aaron Gleeman            STL     MIL     HOU     CHC     CIN     PIT
Ben Jacobs               STL     MIL     CHC     HOU     PIT     CIN
Lee Sinins               STL     CIN     HOU     MIL     CHC     PIT
Dave Studeman            STL     CHC     MIL     HOU     PIT     CIN
Steve Treder             STL     MIL     HOU     CIN     CHC     PIT
Bryan Tsao               STL     MIL     CHC     HOU     PIT     CIN
John Walsh               STL     MIL     HOU     CHC     CIN     PIT

CONSENSUS                STL     MIL     HOU     CHC     CIN     PIT

National League East

                         1ST     2ND     3RD     4TH     5TH
Brian Borawski           NYM     PHI     ATL     FLA     WAS
John Brattain            ATL     NYM     PHI     FLA     WAS
Maury Brown              NYM     ATL     PHI     FLA     WAS
Craig Burley             ATL     NYM     PHI     WAS     FLA
David Gassko             NYM     PHI     ATL     FLA     WAS
Aaron Gleeman            ATL     PHI     NYM     WAS     FLA
Ben Jacobs               NYM     ATL     PHI     FLA     WAS
Lee Sinins               ATL     NYM     PHI     WAS     FLA
Dave Studeman            PHI     ATL     NYM     FLA     WAS
Steve Treder             ATL     NYM     PHI     FLA     WAS
Bryan Tsao               ATL     NYM     PHI     FLA     WAS
John Walsh               ATL     NYM     PHI     WAS     FLA

CONSENSUS                ATL     NYM     PHI     FLA     WAS

American League Wild Card & Awards

                          WC     MVP                 CY YOUNG            ROOKIE
Brian Borawski           TOR     Gary Sheffield      Johan Santana       Justin Verlander
John Brattain            TOR     Travis Hafner       Roy Halladay        Justin Verlander
Maury Brown              TOR     Alex Rodriguez      Randy Johnson       Kenji Johjima
Craig Burley             CLE     David Ortiz         Rich Harden         Jon Papelbon
David Gassko             CLE     Eric Chavez         Jeremy Bonderman    Justin Verlander
Aaron Gleeman            NYY     Alex Rodriguez      Johan Santana       Justin Verlander
Ben Jacobs               NYY     David Ortiz         Johan Santana       Kenji Johjima
Dave Studeman            CHW     Bobby Crosby        Johan Santana       Francisco Liriano
Steve Treder             NYY     Jhonny Peralta      Johan Santana       Kenji Johjima
Bryan Tsao               LAA     David Ortiz         Rich Harden         Francisco Liriano
John Walsh               LAA     David Ortiz         Rich Harden         Francisco Liriano

CONSENSUS                NYY     David Ortiz         Johan Santana       Justin Verlander

National League Wild Card & Awards

                          WC     MVP                 CY YOUNG            ROOKIE
Brian Borawski           PHI     Albert Pujols       Jake Peavy          Josh Willingham
John Brattain            NYM     Carlos Delgado      Pedro Martinez      Jeremy Hermida
Maury Brown              ATL     Derrek Lee          Dontrelle Willis    Ryan Zimmerman
Craig Burley             STL     Albert Pujols       Eric Gagne          Josh Barfield
David Gassko             MIL     Carlos Delgado      Pedro Martinez      Jeremy Hermida
Aaron Gleeman            PHI     Albert Pujols       Jake Peavy          Prince Fielder
Ben Jacobs               ATL     Albert Pujols       Jake Peavy          Prince Fielder
Dave Studeman            CHC     Ryan Howard         Carlos Zambrano     Jeremy Hermida
Steve Treder             NYM     David Wright        Roy Oswalt          Prince Fielder
Bryan Tsao               SDP     Albert Pujols       Chris Carpenter     Jeremy Hermida
John Walsh               NYM     Albert Pujols       Jake Peavy          Josh Willingham

CONSENSUS                NYM     Albert Pujols       Jake Peavy          Jeremy Hermida

Postseason

                         AL CHAMPS                 NL CHAMPS              MLB CHAMPS
Brian Borawski           New York Yankees          New York Mets          New York Mets
John Brattain            Toronto Blue Jays         St. Louis Cardinals    Toronto Blue Jays
Maury Brown              New York Yankees          St. Louis Cardinals    New York Yankees
Craig Burley             Oakland A's               Houston Astros         Oakland A's
David Gassko             Oakland A's               New York Mets          New York Mets
Aaron Gleeman            Oakland A's               St. Louis Cardinals    Oakland A's
Ben Jacobs               Oakland A's               New York Mets          Oakland A's
Dave Studeman            Chicago White Sox         Chicago Cubs           Chicaco Cubs
Steve Treder             Cleveland Indians         St. Louis Cardinals    Cleveland Indians
Bryan Tsao               Oakland A's               Los Angeles Dodgers    Oakland A's
John Walsh               Boston Red Sox            St. Louis Cardinals    Boston Red Sox

CONSENSUS                Oakland A's               St. Louis Cardinals    Oakland A's