All Star Break Musings

The All Star game is today. I doubt I'll watch it, but I'll check out the highlights.

With the two wild cards available in both leagues this season, there are lots of teams in it, but here are my so-called thoughts on each division:

• AL East: Damn Yankees. Damn the Yankees. Stupid Yankees. Always competitive Yankees. It looks like NY will win this division, but it'll be interesting if the Fighting Showalters of Baltimore can sustain their success and claim a wild card. Boston is underachieving. Again. Great work, Bobby V. I like the Jays a lot, but they've been decimated by folks going on the DL.
• AL Central: I listen to Chicago sports talk radio from time to time, and White Sox fans are getting overconfident about their team, perhaps cocky. I think Detroit gets it together, makes a trade or two (perhaps acquiring Cub Matt Garza), and finishes on top. Beware hubris, Pale Hose fans.
• AL West: I like that the As are competitive with other teams' castoffs. However, the team connected to George W. Bush wins this division once again. I think the Angels take the second wild card spot. 
• NL East: I like that the Nationals are on top here, but I wonder how the innings limit on Strasburg will affect the team. Losing him sometime during the season is a big blow. I'm also enjoying the success of knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, not just because he's on my fantasy baseball team, but because I've always liked knuckleballers and his personal story is one to reckon with. However, I think the Braves win this division with the Nats getting a wild card.
• Comedy Central: This is probably the best year for anyone to win this division, and guess what, the Cubs are moving into full rebuilding mode. Oh well. I'm ecstatic that the Pirates are atop the standings at the break, but I'm doubtful of their staying power. The Reds will overcome them, but I hope the Bucs can gain the second wild card. 
• NL West: The three teams at the top mystify me. The Dodgers are ahead with both Kemp and Ethier on the mend. They have good pitching, but that offense is pathetic without both Kemp and Ethier. Speaking of pathetic offenses, there's the Giants. And what the heck has happened to Tim Lincecum? All the while the Dbacks wallow in mediocrity, and they're shopping Justin Upton. I'm going to have to go with LA here. 

As for Cubs, in late March I made a prediction about their starting lineup at the end of the season. 

I was dead wrong on some matters, such as Marlon Byrd being a "stand-up guy" and Wood taking over closing duties, but here's what I'm thinking now. I don't think they'll be able to deal Soriano, but Dempster and Garza will be gone. I'm unsure about Marmol. I also wonder if they'll deal DeJesus, and I assume they will probably trade Jeff Baker like they should have when they had decent offers for him last season. 

What's heartening at the AAA level is that 3B Josh Vitters is doing well. Sure, he plays in the power-happy PCL, but right now he has a .302 average/.356 OBP, 13 home runs, and 48 RBI. On a disturbing note, Chris Volstad has a 4.44 ERA. 

So here's a revision of my prediction from March:

Starting Lineup:

1. David DeJesus or Brett Jackson? (CF)
2. Starlin Castro (SS)
3. Anthony Rizzo (1B)
4. Alfonso Soriano (LF)

5. Brian LaHair (RF)

6. Josh Vitters (3B)

7. Geovany Soto and Steve Clevenger (C)

8. Darwin Barney (2B)

Starting Rotation:
1. Jeff Samardzija
2. Travis Wood
3. Paul Maholm
4. Chris Volstad
5. Randy Wells

Bullpen:
Closer: probably Carlos Marmol
Set-Up Man: Shawn Camp
Set-Up Man: James Russell