Two weeks to go; cuts made
posted in 2007 ST |So, it is now less than two weeks until the Major League Baseball season opens for real. Thank goodness. Spring Training was nice to have back, because at least there’s something going on, but man, right now it feels like it will continue forever. I can only imagine what the players think. Well, Nate and Curtis tell us.
A few more cuts were made. As always this season, nothing surprising. (Even when cuts of guys who were on last season’s team are made, it won’t really be surprising). Cameron Maybin was the chief name to get the cut. Brent Clevlen did as well.
Clevlen and catcher Mike Rabelo were optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Non-roster players Maybin, Craig Dingman, Brent Dlugach, Joey Eischen, Mike Hessman, Kevin Hooper, Dennis Tankersley and Brandon Watson were assigned to Minor League camp.
The Hardball Times released its division predictions. It came up with 83 wins for Detroit, less than PECOTA. The White Sox and the Indians were all at that mark. The Twins romp with 89 wins. I don’t buy that for an instant. I just don’t see that Twins starting pitching as being strong enough to run away with the division. While many seem to overrate the Central, this analysis seems to underrate it.
One other prediction. This one via MLB2k6 simulated by gaming site IGN. Tigers win the Central with 86 wins, meanwhile it is the AL East with 3 teams gaining 90+ wins. In their league leaders, Bonderman has the most strikeouts with 186. Which sounds low, but hey, it’s a video game… which also predicted the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.
Sphere It
The fact that the HBT only predicts 2 Major League teams winning over 90 games (none in the NL) makes their predictions suspect.
David Pinto at Baseball Musings said the same thing.