2008 Season Predictions

[deerayfan072]

RUMP did this last year and it was fun

Team MVP-- BJ Upton
Best pitcher--Scott Kazmir
Most home runs this season-- Carlos Pena
Most steals-- Crawford
Most RBIs-- BJ Upton
Biggest suprise-- The Rays find someone who can play RF and make up for the trade that sent Delmon away.
2nd Biggest -- Howell proves to be an effective reliever

Midseason shockers
2007 MLB Draft-- The Rays don't take Pedro Alvarez in the draft
Most important midseason callup-- Dave Price -- I say this because I think Niemann and Longoria will already have been called up IMO. Price will dominate the minors and force the issue

Disappointments
4-5 Starters -- They are set on not playing Niemann from the start and I just don't think Hammel is an MLB starter and Edwin is too inconsistent
Bullpen Outside of Percy -- They upgraded the pen, but I still think they didn't do enough to have a solid pen and until they put some of these young guys can't make the rotation in we will be disappointed

Final 2008 Record

85-77 and a 3rd place finish

[AnotherWalk]

Team MVP-- Carl Crawford
Best pitcher--Scott Kazmir
Most home runs this season-- Carlos Pena
Most steals-- Carl Crawford
Most RBIs-- Carlos Pena
Biggest suprise-- Jhonny Gomes reverts to his rookie season type numbers and plays pretty well out in RF and gives a nice bundle of counting stats ((24 HR and 12 SB)).
2nd Biggest -- Dioner Navarro plays closer to second half Navarro and hits .270 with 10-15 HR
3rd Biggest -- Jason Bartlett plays defense as expected and pushes the issue offensively to lead off ((like he should be)).
4th Biggest - J.P. Howell gets a job as a lefty LR in the pen and impresses.

Midseason shockers -- Trade -- We will trade a package of prospects for a crafty veteran, who, me being the pessimist I am, will probably not turn out like we hoped in the end of 2008, but will come back and perform in 2009. I have no idea who this person is.
Most important midseason callup -- David Price -- Edwin Jackson underperforms and Price pushes the issue until he gets called up midseason to take over the 5th starter role.

Disappointments
Edwin Jackson -- Edwin hasn't proven that he can be consistent on any level in the majors and he proves the point again as he is erratic until midseason until he is replaced in favor of Niemann/Price/Davis/McGee.
Scott Dohman -- His stuff doesn't impress me enough to think he can be a quality major league releiver and I think he looses his job early on.


Final 2008 Record
78-84, 4th Place AL East

[jlm53089]

Yes this is back again.

Team MVP- Gomes (Who helps the team most I am not saying the best player but who ends up helping the team out)
Best pitcher- Sheilds( this kid is only going to get better, I love kaz but i hope his injuries dont kill him)
Most Homers- Pena( best power hitter on the team)
Most Steals- CC
Most RBIs- Pena
Biggest Suprise- Dioner Navaroe, he finally starts doing something and he makes an big improvement.
2nd- Edwin pitches consistent until the All-Star break and then we deal him and make a call up

Midseason suprise- we are in the hunt for the playoffs and make a move whether it is sign Bonds, or trade for somebody we make a deal.

Disappointments- Dan Wheeler, he stinks it up and we panic and trade him for a bag of baseballs or Jorge Cantu
B.J Upton- he doesnt play to the best of his ability, still has a solid year but everyone expected more.

Final Record- 81-81 Ahead of the Jays by 2 games and on the O's by 9

[raiders_umpire]

Team MVP--BJ Upton with Pena a close 2nd
Best Pitcher--Scott Kazmir. He makes a Cy Young run this year.
Most homeruns--Carlos Pena
Most steals--Crawford
Most RBIs--BJ Upton
Biggest suprise--The Gomes/Floyd combo is solid offensively, just not there defensively.
2nd suprise--The Rays improved defense by itself helps them win 5 more games then they did last year.


Midseason
2008 draft---The Rays go against conventional wisdom and select a high schooler with the first overall pick. The Rays will be scared off by Alvarez's injury and his contract demands.
Most important callup--Wade Davis. He comes up in June and along with Niemann stabilizes our 4 and 5 slots in the pitching rotation.
Trade--For the first time, we actually make a trade in midseason to improve our team that year. The RF defense from Gomes/Floyd is horrid, so we make a trade to get a RF and moves Gomes/Floyd to DH.
David Price--Dominate in the minors but still no callup. He ends up being good enough for the year though that we start listening to offers for Kazmir next winter.

Dissapointments
Delmon Young goes off for a 25/25 season in Twins country.
Baldelli officially retires.
The bullpen is still not good enough for us to be competitive, but the starting pitching is good by the end of the season.


Final totals.
80 wins-82 losses. 4th place in the East, but vastly improved. Just one or two players away at the end of the season from legitimately jumping the Jays in 09.

[raiders_umpire]

80 wins-82 losses. 4th place in the East, but vastly improved. Just one or two players away at the end of the season from legitimately jumping the Jays in 09.

Sure am glad I was wrong about that prediction.