KenWo's 2009 MLB Predictions-Midseason Review

by KenWo4LiFe on Jul 13, 2009 4:12 PM CDT

On April 4th, I posted my predictions for the 2009 season. Now that the All Star break is here, I will take a look back at these predictions and see how much Kool Aid I was drinking (or crack I was smoking) when I decided to prognosticate the 2009 season.

KenWo's Pick: AL East

Boston Red Sox 101-61
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 96-66
New York Yankees 89-73
Baltimore Orioles 76-86
Toronto Blue Jays 73-89

Actual Standings: AL East

Boston Red Sox 54-34
New York Yankees 51-37
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 48-41
Toronto Blue Jays 44-46
Baltimore Orioles 40-48

AL East review: Not too much crack smoking here. I think my predictions still have a chance to be correct. I still don't trust AJ Burnett or the Yankee bullpen in the long run. The Blue Jays have played better than I would have imagined, but now are looking like sellers. With the Orioles young guys playing well there is no reason to think that they won't eventually overtake the Blue Jays for 4th.

KenWo's Pick: AL Central

Actual Standings: AL Central

Detroit Tigers 48-39
Chicago White Sox 45-43
Minnesota Twins 45-44
Kansas City Royals 37-51
Cleveland Indians 35-54

AL Central review: I still think my prediction of the White Sox winning the Central will indeed happen. However, I clearly missed the boat on the Tigers. I was not counting on them playing as well as they have, especially with Ordonez playing as poorly as he did in the first half. Injuries have hurt the Royals early season success. Joe Mauer's injury wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I smoked a lot of crack giving the Indians 80 wins to begin with. They are a bad team.

KenWo's Pick: AL West

California Angels 93-69
Oakland A's 88-74
Texas Rangers 84-78
Seattle Mariners 65-97

Actual Standings: AL West

California Angels 49-37
Texas Rangers 48-39
Seattle Mariners 46-42
Oakland A's 37-49

AL West Review: The Angels are in the lead at the break and I still believe they will win this division with a bit of room to spare. I clearly was drinking the Billy Beane secret love juice as I had the A's finishing with 88 wins. They currently sit at 37. Ouch! I predicted Seattle to be the worst team in the AL and that is wrong (at least for now). Jarrod Washburn and David Aardsma have done well, but I don't see that lasting long. I had the Rangers over .500, but maybe underestimated them a little bit.

KenWo's Pick: NL East

Actual Standings: NL East

Philadelphia Phillies 48-38
Florida Marlins 46-44
Atlanta Braves 43-45
New York Mets 42-45
Washington Nationals 26-61

NL East review: I still have a chance to sweep this division. However, I think the Marlins will remain in 2nd place. The Mets suffered through a ton of injuries in the first half, yet they are still only 6.5 out. Could they make a push? I don't think so, but it isn't out of the question. I don't think the Braves will come close to the 89 games I gave them, but they still may finish in second as Tommy Hanson looks like the real deal. I can't believe I gave the Nationals 66 wins. That was way too many.

KenWo's Pick: NL Central

Chicago Cubs 96-66
Houston Astros 83-79
St. Louis Cardinals 81-81
Milwaukee Brewers 81-81
Cincinatti Reds 77-85
Pittsburgh Pirates 67-95

Actual Standings: NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals 49-42
Milwaukee Brewers 45-43
Houston Astros 44-44
Chicago Cubs 43-43
Cincinatti Reds 42-45
Pittsburgh Pirates 38-50

NL Central Review: If there is one team I am glad I missed big time on, it is the Cubs. I thought for sure they would win this division going away, and that doesn't look like it is in the Cards (pun intended). This division is still way up for grabs, and don't be surprised if my 2nd place team, the Astros, make a run for it. They are always better in the 2nd half than the 1st. If Pujols continues his pace, the Cardinals look like the team to beat.

KenWo's Pick: NL West

L.A. Dodgers 98-64
San Fransisco Giants 93-69
Arizona Diamondbacks 86-76
Colorado Rockies 79-83
San Diego Padres 70-92

Actual Standings: NL West

L.A. Dodgers 56-32
San Fransisco Giants 49-39
Colorado Rockies 47-41
Arizona Diamondbacks 38-51
San Diego Padres 36-52

NL West report: The Dodgers, Giants and Padres are all where I thought they would be at the start of the season. I am proud of my Giants pick, as I took a lot of heat for that one. Hopefully it continues. I picked the Diamondbacks to be the surprisingly over .500 team in this division, and as of now it is the Rockies instead. Dodgers are 7 games up, and my 98 wins is within range. TDogg may have to eat his shoe.

My playoff teams of the Red Sox, White Sox, Angels and Rays in the AL are all still in the running. As are the Dodgers, Giants, Phillies and Cubs in the NL. I don't think the Cubs will make it, but the other 3 are good bets.
Manny Ramirez will not win the NL MVP, though he may have if he didn't pee dirty. My rookies of the year (Cameron Maybin and Chris Getz) aren't looking to good. Lincecum has a good shot at the Cy, Sabathia would need a second half like last year. Longoria has cooled lately but a big second half could still bring him the AL MVP.

Still a lot of time left. Enjoy the 2nd half!

SouthSideSox is a community driven site. As such, users are able to express their thoughts and opinions in a FanPost, such as this one, which represents the views of this particular fan, but not necessarily the entire community or SouthSideSox editors.

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Comments

I'd bet the Yanks win more than 89

The bottom of that division is probably decided by the extent of Toronto’s sell-off.

by Sox-35th on Jul 13, 2009 4:42 PM CDT reply actions

which might not happen in large numbers

considering they have such a huge want for Halladay and they want to get rid of Wells too. As you said it will depend entirely on the Jays selloff

I Have Spoken.

by The_Fan on Jul 13, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions

wrt the AL Central

had to check the community google doc:

Twins – 88
Indians – 83
Tigers – 82
White Sox – 80
Royals – 73

I’d be somewhat surprised if the Sox ended up under .500 at this point, since Kenny is probably going to improve the team. If he doesn’t, the harder schedule could certainly be our undoing. The Twins prediction was a couple wins more than I thought they’d be worth on paper, but they seem to overperform. Mauer plus pitching is a good formula. The Tigers need a backend to their rotation and for Jackson not to fade. And I guess I need to remember that the Shapiro management group has consistently assembled Indians’ teams that seem to underperform. Sizemore’s total suck is a big reason though, so I suppose they could get lucky and get back above .500.

THIS STORY ONLY ENDS ONE WAY

by colintj on Jul 13, 2009 5:13 PM CDT reply actions

Great preditions

I can see the everything going at to your plan so far. I wouldn’t be totally surprised if the Rangers come up with 90 wins and a playoff birth if they add a good SP

I Have Spoken.

by The_Fan on Jul 13, 2009 5:40 PM CDT reply actions

The three teams i took the most heat for on this site

and facebook was the Astros, Royals and Giants. So far the Giants are meeting my expectations and the Astros are in a decent position…. The Royals looked decent until Gordon and Crisp went down. So my surprise teams aren’t too bad as of now….

Kenwo4life=ratings

by KenWo4LiFe on Jul 13, 2009 5:57 PM CDT reply actions

Aviles too

though I don’t know what you thought of him. fwiw, Rany says that the injury issues are not limited to ’09, but have in fact been an issue for a long time.

THIS STORY ONLY ENDS ONE WAY

by colintj on Jul 13, 2009 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions

yeah he really laid into the training staff there

got himself banned

"...but the devil lives inside this kid, I swear it. It rises out of him in a mist, this baby-faced defiant wrathful version of Pat Kane, escapes his bodily confines to perform satanic miracles all over the offensive zone. The only thing more fearsome than that assist was the keep-in preceding it. The only thing more unholy than his face is his black magic." GMH

by Illini0509 on Jul 14, 2009 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions

I may have given you heat for the Giants, but I'm biased against that shit stain squadron

Sox or Giants, my love for Uribe will never die. BBWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

...take your hobbit circle jerk to another thread
by larry on May 18, 2009 8:58 PM PDT

by rhythm on Jul 13, 2009 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions

He, The Killer Of Perfect Games?

We’re a pack of a-holes.
by rhythm on Apr 14, 2009 1:45 PM EDT

by winningugly on Jul 13, 2009 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes, the killer of a Giants perfect game.

And yes, I’m an asshole like that.

Now if only Rowand would have been on board and Jose Cansecoed that long drive to center out of the park…what a bastard.

I don’t like the Giants and I’m irrationally taking it out on dirty Sanchez.

...take your hobbit circle jerk to another thread
by larry on May 18, 2009 8:58 PM PDT

by rhythm on Jul 14, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Juan was only doing him a favor.

Knew Sanchez couldn’t handle the pressure of a perfect game, so he figured he’d make it a no hitter instead. That’s taking one for the team.

by Grinder in Training on Jul 14, 2009 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions

entirely

what a team player

I Have Spoken.

by The_Fan on Jul 15, 2009 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions

dejesus has also been a disapointment for KC

i guess saviors don’t always work out

i'll delete your SSS existence in a second. there is nothing that allows SSS posters, at any one moment, to keep posting, but the mere pleasure of larry.
-larry

by blackoutsox on Jul 13, 2009 10:15 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs