Diamond Dust: The 5 Dumbest and Most Astute Things I Said Before the Start of the Season

The problem with posting your thoughts on the Internet is that anyone can go back see how wrong you were in your preseason projections. While my World Series pick of Tigers over Mets did not seem bold at the time, it seems like a long-shot now (although the Mets are currently playing a great brand of baseball, winners of nine in a row). Johan Santana and Vladimir Guerrero will not win their league's respective MVP awards, Erik Bedard will not finish in the top 10 in AL Cy Young voting, and while Santana has pitched like one of the three best pitchers in the NL, a lack of run support will cost him that NL Cy Young he covets. Without further adieu, I present the lowlights and highlights of my preseason predictions:

The Not-So Bright:

1. "The Twins traded away their two best players and will probably hover around .500 only because of all the games they get to enjoy against the lowly White Sox and Royals, who will both be terrible and are not worth anymore of my time."-Even the Royals have exceeded expectations in this division. I gave the White Sox zero chance at finishing within 10 games of the Indians for second. I also underestimated the collective talent of Mauer and Morneau, as the Twins have been sensational.
2. "The Marlins will compete for the worst record in all of baseball."-No one thought this team would spend more days in first place than any other team in the first part of the season in a tough NL East. This team wins with its bats, as they currently rank 14th in pitching. They might not finish near the lowly Mariners and Nationals, but they will be more than 1.5 out when it is all said and done.
3. "This division contains the most Wild Card hopefuls. The Padres are the second best team in the NL and should win this division comfortably."-All I can say about my take on the NL West is moronic. Who thought the Padres would be this pitiful? The Dodgers? This division is embarrassingly bad.
4. "The race between the Tigers and Indians will be one to watch."-Actually, it is rather unwatchable. The Indians, like the Mariners, should be better. While the Tigers struggled initially and turned it around (.500 at the break is a monumental accomplishment for this team), the Indians have never found their collective bearings. If this emerges as a race, it will be for fourth place.
5. "Is Billy Beane still working in Oakland? How are those sabermetrics working out now?"-Like the Marlins, no one thought the A's would be within sniffing distance of .500 at the All Star break, nonetheless seven game over .500.

Nostradamus, anyone?:

1. "The Nationals will be a non-factor for the near future as they are equipped with a collection of minor league pitchers posing as a big league staff. At least they have a new stadium."-This team is terrible and has no one on the roster that any diehard Nationals fan would want to see. The stadium is terrific.
2. "The Brewers will make the race interesting with what is probably the best lineup in the NL, but pitching is this team's Achilles Heel. Eric Gagne as a closer is never a good sign at this stage of his illegitimate career. "-The Brew Crew have received two blessings this season. First the injury to the suddenly oft-injured Eric Gagne (get this guy a B-12 shot stat) and second, the acquisition of C.C. Sabbathia, both of which helped this team's pitching problems. With two bonafide aces and a lineup that absolutely kills the ball, this team will be dangerous in the second part of the season.
3. "The Rockies got into the playoffs by seemingly winning their last 50 games. They are in the same boat as the Phillies, Letdown City, population 2."-The Phillies have not been a disappointment, but the Rockies, unsurprisingly, are playing like the team that was out of the playoff hunt before that ridiculous run last season.
4. "The Rangers cannot pitch. Having Kevin Millwood as your opening day starter 5 years ago would have been questionable."-One cannot say enough about the Rangers offense, Kinsler, Hamilton, Young, Bradley, et al. have been fantastic. This team reminds me of the 2005 Red Sox-great offense, terrible pitching.
5. "Regarding the Toronto Blue Jays, can we please stop saying this is their year? This might be their year, if they played in the NL Central. Vernon Wells peaked a few years back because of obvious steroid use. They added Rolen and Eckstein (both of whom I love for obvious reasons), who are the on the downward slope of their careers and their two best pitchers are liabilities because of injuries."-People seem to think this team is playing well at 47-48, but that is not acceptable for the team that has been on the cusp of breaking out for the past three seasons