2009 American League Predictions

The Tampa Bay Rays dropped the devil from their name and took us on a heavenly ride as the best story in the American league in 2008. They won the AL East and defeated reigning champion Boston to reach the World Series before eventually losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. Will it be one and done for the Rays or can we expect them to win baseball’s toughest division again in 2009? World Champion MLB handicapper Jimmy Boyd breaks down his MLB predictions for the American League in this preview.

AL East Champion
Boston Red Sox +350 to Win 2009 AL Pennant
It was a down year for the Red Sox, who had to deal with the season-ending injury to Curt Schilling, a series of nagging injuries to Josh Beckett, and the drama of Manny Ramirez, and they still managed to get to Game 7 of the ALCS. With last season’s frustrations behind them, the 2007 World Series Champions should be ready to make a run at another title. Ramirez is a club house poison and a defensive liability. The quick emergence of power-hitting second baseman Dustin Pedroia males the Sox miss Manny less and less. Pedroia won the Rookie of the Year in 2007 and MVP in 2008. The sky is the limit for this kid. The Red Sox are still the team to beat in my mind because of their pitching. A healthy Beckett, with Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, and now Brad Penny looks like the most formidable rotation in baseball. And they have one of the best in Jon Papelbon to close the door.

AL Central Champion
Minnesota Twins +1200 to Win 2009 AL Pennant
Twins show pretty decent bang for the bucks with your AL Central futures MLB betting. In their first season without ace Johan Santana, Minnesota still took 2nd in the Central, finishing just one win shy of picking up its fifth division title since 2002. The Twins lost to the Chicago White Sox 0-1 in a tie breaker game. There is nothing flashy about this team, but it does the little things necessary to be successful. That’s why Minnesota has the fourth-best winning percentage in all of baseball since 2002. This will be Minnesota’s final season at the Metrodome and it is hoping to make it a memorable one. There is talent on this club, none for talented than Justin Morneau, but at the end of the day, likely not enough to make a run at the World Series.

AL West Champion
Los Angeles Angles +650 to Win 2009 AL Pennant
The Angels were dominant in 2008, winning 100 games to collect their fourth division title in five years. Second place Texas finished 21 games back. The rest of the West should narrow the gap in 2009 as the Angels’ lineup is not nearly as formidable with Mark Teixeira in the middle of it. Now the Angles will have to win again with strong starting pitching and defense. The starting rotation, led by John Lackey, is easily the best in the division. The Halos don’t appear to be a team capable of getting very far in the postseason at this point as the lineup is a little thin.

AL Wild Card
New York Yankees +150 to Win 2009 AL Pennant
In 2008, the Yankees missed the postseason for the first time in 15 years and I don’t see it happening again in 2009. To get back in the postseason, the Pin Stripes went shopping, landing pitchers C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and slugger Mark Teixeira. Alex Rodriguez will still make headlines for all the wrong reasons, but I’m expecting a huge season out of him to spite his enemies. The Tampa Bay Rays are going to have a tougher time winning when they are expected to do so and at the end of the day New York just has too much talent.

Beat the MLB odds this season with World Champion Handicapper Jimmy Boyd.

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