Baseball

The forecast is still lousy. There's a 90 percent chance of rain at 5 p.m. and 90 percent at 8 p.m.

As I mentioned in the 5 Reasons Friday's Game Won't Be Rained Out I expect we'll be sitting in our seats tomorrow. 

The reason for this post is because I'm getting asked what will happen if the game isn't played.

Major League Baseball is always filled with major questions to be answered.

2009 is no exception.

Here are a few of the biggest questions needing to be answered.

5. Will another team like the Tampa Bay Rays come out of nowhere to make the playoffs?

I give a team like the San Fransisco Giants a good shot at challenging for the NL West title.

They have a fantastic pitching staff.

If their offense shows even decent improvement, the Giants will be contenders sooner rather than later.

*From Protect the Plate

After winning 88 games in 2007, the Mariners were expected to contend for the American League West title last season. Instead, they fell apart, posting the worst record in the AL, and losing 100 games for the first time since 1983.

With a whole new coaching staff headed by first-time manager Don Wakamatsu, the Mariners hope to bounce back in a big way in 2009.

Mr. 200

The NL Central is one of the weaker divisions in all of baseball. Because of that, I have decided to go with a bland pick and say that the division winner will be...

1st place

Chicago Cubs

Despite the injury concerns and the dipping performances of Derrek Lee and Big Z, this team is still the best in the division. 

A rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Rich Harden and Sean Marshall is probably the best in the Central, though the team pictured above could give them a run for their money. 

The Toronto Blue Jays had more then a few questions heading into Spring Training this February.

Which two pitchers will fill the rotation? Will the bullpen remain the same as last year? Who will the Jays take for their bench? Who is going to be the backup catcher?

Well, with just five days remaining until the Jays first game against the Detroit Tigers at the Rogers Center, all these questions have finally been answered.

Roy tossed fpur innings in his last start before the season opener (woohoo!) and Chris Johnson isn’t going out without a fight…even though, in reality, he doesn’t have a chance.

'Stros at the Plate

“Michael Bourn led off the third with a double, stole third and scored on a base hit by Kazuo Matsui. Darin Erstad knocked a solo homer in the sixth. Chris Johnson drove in a run with a triple in the seventh and scored on a Reggie Abercrombie sacrifice fly.”

I may have to run out of the house for most of the evening, so here's some links to keep you busy.

First, for a couple articles about something that has not been a bright spot the last few years, but may be taking a turn for the better, the Yankees' defense.

Josh Beckett was shaky in his final spring training start before the Red Sox's season opener against Tampa Bay this Sunday, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk with just one strikeout.

This start was mainly a final tune-up for Beckett, nothing major. But the Sox's opening day starter takes every start as seriously as he would during the regular season.

Baseball begins this weekend, and I am in a fantasy league.

Played fantasy baseball for the first time last year, and think I finished last..or pretty darn near it.

I expect to keep that going this year.

MY fantasy team :

SP: Brandon Webb - Dude has been solid...one of my top players probably.
SP: Clayton Kershaw - Kid is a stud. Future ace...hoping he's ready now.
SP: Hiroki Kuroda - I have no idea what to expect from him.