Preview/Prediction

Over the next month or so, I'm going to break down a different MLB team each day, and make a bold prediction as to what they're looking at, position wise, come September.

Naturally, I'll start with my team—the Seattle Mariners.

It was painfully obvious last year, that the Mariners were not a good team. Suffice to say, almost nothing went right in a 101 loss, last place season. The 2008 Mariners were also the first team in history with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games. Not an accomplishment to be proud of.

The 2008 Seattle Mariners had the second-worst record in baseball (61-101); it was a campaign of no power and no pitching.

They paid a Carlos Silva $12 million over the season to lose 16 games—almost $1 million per loss.

They gave up five promising prospects for an ace—Erik Bedard—who pitched just 81 innings. GM Bill Bavasi probably thought he was buying job security when he swung the deal, but he was actually ringing up his own ticket out of town.

The last time these two teams met, both were in a fight for the playoffs. The Rays sought their first division title in their franchise's history, while the Twins were simply trying to stay afloat in the AL Central race.

Needless to say, this series is pretty far removed from a September pennant chase, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be followed fairly closely.

For the Twins, this series is finishing strong.

Right now the Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball. They have won nine straight games against the likes of the Yankees, Twins, Athletics, and Orioles. I know they do this every year when they start the season off cold then they get hot through the middle of the season then they get cold in July. I think this year they might just stay hot throughout the whole season.

Tampa Bay Rays (6-10) at Oakland Athletics (5-9)

BetUS MLB betting odds: Rays -135, Athletics +115, Total 8

Left-hander Scott Kazmir will take the mound for Tampa Bay, while righty-hander Trevor Cahill does the honors for Oakland.

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
(Numbers go back to last season)

The race is on, as the number of regular players who have yet to draw a walk in 2009 is down to three:

Yuniesky Betancourt (53 PA)
Bengie Molina (54 PA)
Ichiro Suzuki (33 PA)

The Major League Baseball season started this month, bringing hope to fans of all 30 professional baseball teams that this might be their year. 

AL East

The Yankees were a big disappointment last season as they missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. They have tried to end this issue by spending a lot of money in the offseason by improving their starting rotation in signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to long term contracts.  They also should see some increased power production as they  picked up Mark Teixeira.

First off, the Yankees are making the playoffs this year. 

That leaves one deserving team out: the Rays.  They could win 98 games this year, beat the Yanks 19-18, reverse Hitler’s impact on the world, and still not make the playoffs.  The Sox are too good and the Yanks have to make playoffs; otherwise, Selig appears in the first five minutes of Law and Order SVU.

The AL Central is always a crapshoot. 

San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Free Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-185)
Friday, April 24, 2009 10:05 p.m.; MLB Baseball Odds
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A pair of 9-6 teams begin this series in San Diego with the Padres hosting the Pirates.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies
Free Pick: Colorado Rockies (-110)
Friday, April 24, 2009, 9:10 p.m. ET—Baseball Odds
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