The Chris Moeller Archives

Fearless baseball predictions for 2009

Since we parted company with our national game in the City of Liberty last October, the highest paid player, Alex Rodriguez, admitted to having used banned substances, and then he underwent arthroscopic hip surgery that may cost him the first two months of the season. But the biggest surprise of the winter was how badly Madonna played it. A-Rod's new girlfriend is normally more media-savvy than to jump on such a badly-leaking P.R. boat. After a quarter-century in the global spotlight, could it be that hitters are starting to catch up with that fastball?

A-Rod's Yankees are my choice to claim the American League pennant in 2009. They've shed a lot of their dead weight from a year ago and bolstered their pitching rotation by adding the expensive arms of hurlers named CC and A.J. The Yankees will be joined in the post-season by the Angels, White Sox, and a revived Tigers club.

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers will take the flag for the first time in 21 years. It's become increasingly difficult for the team to recruit free agents since Alyssa Milano got engaged, but last month's re-signing of impact slugger Manny Ramirez puts Team Blue in the driver's seat. The Cubs, Mets, and Diamondbacks will round out the National's post-season lineup.

At the All-Star Game in St. Louis come July, the National League will break a 13 year winless drought after Brewers' outfielder Ryan Braun deposits two home run balls deep into the Field Box seats in left, something he does every time he plays at Busch Stadium. Thousands of out-of-town visitors to Busch Stadium will ask the question: "Why don't they play the game on that fancy softball field-for-rent across the street?"

In October, the Dodgers will take the World Series from the Yankees in six games. As they do, vitriolic comments by Yankees and Red Sox fans on the Fox Sports message board, aimed simultaneously at Joe Torre, "A-ROID," and Manny Ramirez, will cause the internet to explode.

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Quote of the day: Alex Rodriguez to Details magazine on why he won't publicly name his favorite Madonna song, "The last thing I want to do is go to every stadium and have them play that song."

posted by CM @ 4:16 PM