Baseball Tonight's 2008 Bold Predictions

[InsomniacInkRoss]

Kruk: Cubs win it all (hah!)

Eric: Braun wins NL batting title

Steve: Cabrera wins triple crown

Gammons: Fielder hits 63 HRs

Tim: Randy Johnson wins game 300 (he needs 16)

Host: Of the Royals, Pirates, and Devil Rays, none finish in last

[dvoiss]

I don't remember which one (Kruk?) it was but one of them said the Cubbies will win it because they have an offense led by Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez and that one of those could win the NL MVP. Are these three really that much better than Fielder, Braun and Hart? I really dont think so. Not only that but when you get past those three you have what? Theriot, Pie, Fukudome, Derosa and Soto? That, IMO, is not as impressive as the Crew with Weeks, Hardy, Cameron etc... The national media may be ready to give this thing to the Cubs but I most cetainly am not.

[BrewCrewForever]

Braun wins batting title and Fielder jacks 63 Im down with that. But not that Cubs winning it all stuff from Kruk.

[logan82]

My bold prediction is that all of them are wrong. Except maybe the host.

[jhartzell2]

Didn't Kruk predict a few years ago that the Pirates were going to win the central?

 

He was dead on with that one.

[endaround]

Given that the Rays look to win about 80 games and Baltimore stinks, hardly "bold"

[BuckyBrewer61]

Didn't Kruk predict a few years ago that the Pirates were going to win the central?

Last year, Kruk predicted (at the end of April or May I believe) that the Pirates would overtake the Brewers for first place in the NL Central by the end of the following month. I believe it was also reported that he was pressured by ESPN to make that prediction to stir the pot. Either way...he was still a bit off.

[ELCABALLO45]

Kruk also picked Derrek Lee to win the NL MVP. And to hit 40-45 home runs. Riiiiiight...

[dadofandrew]

If the Royals don't finish last, will it be the Sox or Twins?

[Bert55]

Now I am not one to remember alot of what is said throughout last season. BUT, I do remember Kruk saying at the All-Star break that he thought that the Pirates were really going to be coming on and would contend.

 

So I am feeeling pretty good about his pick of the Cubs.

[Glennron]

A couple years ago John Kruk said Randy Johnson would win 30 games. Steve Phillips said Cliff Lee was the best LHP in the American League. That's probably all you really need to know about that show. I don't watch it too often, but I sure hope Fernando Vina isn't back.

[RyGuy671]

There's a reason they're called "bold predictions". Although I like the two Brewer ones!

[MBHA]

Yes, it was a Cubs lovefest all around the BBTN panel. Stating that they have better starting pitching, proven leaders on the field, Kerry Wood looks great as a closer, and Pinialla in the dugout. Could run away with the division.

 

There was also plenty of praise for Cincinnati. Eric Young gushed over the Reds now that Dusty Baker is in charge, noting they have 2 great starters, good young arms following them, and a closer who will seal the deal. He indicated that everwhere Dusty has been he's had a superstar who has performed well (Bonds, Lee) so he predicts a huge year for Griffey Jr.

 

Ravitch almost sheepishly brought up the Brewers as being part of the contender mix but, if I recall correctly, Kruk said that the Brewers need Sheets to get 30-32 starts to have any chance because the rest of their starting guys (pitchers) are nothing to get excited about.

 

The prevailing opinions were 1. - Cubs, 2- Reds, 3- Brewers, 4-6 take your pick of Astros, Cards, Pirates

[wisconsinfan47]

This thread reminds me that I need to start checking out Firejoemorgan with greater regularity..."Randy Johnson winning 30 games" was classic Krukie.

[Tbadder]

I'll say this--Kruk is right about our starters. it really is an unimpressive group. It's got excellent upside no doubt, but as a whole it's our albatross.

[endaround]

Huh? I'd take the Brewers starter top to bottom over the Cubs any day. Your #3 and #4 start as many games as your #1 and #2 and even there the Cubs hardly have a huge gap in talent just in health.

[TerraceReserved]

I'll say this--Kruk is right about our starters. it really is an unimpressive group. It's got excellent upside no doubt, but as a whole it's our albatross.

 

I completely disagree. If you look past ERA, our pitching was actually very good last year. With our starting 5, and our depth (Villy, Parra), we have a rotation is in the top half in the NL and maybe even top 5.

[Crew2323]

MBHA summed up the NL Central "preview" well. Kruk's player to watch was Ben Sheets. He said that if Sheets doesn't start 30-32 games and win 18 of them, the Cubs are going to run away with the division early. I know the National media loves the Cubs, but there's very little objectivity in those predictions.

 

I find myself constantly scratching my head how often the Cubs are hailed for their offseason moves. Fukudome is the only major move I can think of. But of course, what is always over looked the Brewers player progression. I know...not as sexy as signing a guy named "Fukudome" and hyping up Wood as closer. March 31st can't come fast enough!

[Tbadder]

When our starters are a match for the D-backs and the Mets, then I'll get excited about the playoffs, before that we will be nothing more than fun and interesting pretenders who are worth rooting for. But truly competitive--well, I don't know, I guess we'll just agree to disagree; I'm cool with that.

 

And if the Cubs starters aren't as good as ours, then they must being beating us with their everyday line up, and while that may be true, I'm skeptical. Certainly, if I were a GM I'd rather have the Brewer line-up right now.

[brewerjamie15]

Although I would like to see one more 300 game winner, I can not believe that Johnson will do it this season. He'd need a -huge- season after a season in which he threw 56 2/3 innings and then got shut down for back surgery. I'm not remotely convinced it will happen.

[Fear The Chorizo]

The Cubs were 2 games better than the Brewers last year because they had a roster with veterans who produced during the dog days of summer, played solid defense behind their pitching staff, and had a pretty strong bullpen from top to bottom.

 

And it wasn't so much that the Cubs caught the Brewers, it was more that the Brewers fell back to where the Cubs were at.

 

the cubs' only addition of note in the offseason was Fukudome - he's already been overhyped. He'll be a solid player, but it may be tough for him to outproduce the numbers the Cubs got from Floyd/Murton/Jones offensively. Defensively, he makes their outfield better. But, they still have Theriot and Derosa at short and second base, ramirez isn't getting younger and needs more than the occasional off day to stay healthy. soriano hasn't been able to run since signing with the Cubs, and now has a fractured finger. Their pitching staff has all the names, but it's also paper thin should injuries and poor performances start to surface.

 

To put things in perspective, if the Brewers had won just 1/2 of the games they lost after blowing 3-run plus leads, they win the division last year by 5-6 games. Lack of bullpen depth and inexperience/youth can be blamed for much of that. The way things are shaping up for this season, the Brewers are much better off in both of those areas of concern.

 

Right now the Cub lineup has a leadoff man who can't run, a two-hole hitter who can't get on base, an eight hitter with no plate discipline, a catcher who's been annointed as God after 50 MLB at bats, and a left-handed Japanese player who hasn't had an at bat against a major league pitcher. I'll take the Brewers' lineup over the Cubs' every single day and twice on Sundays. The only question about the Brewer lineup is how much better can their young players get?

[bigredrobbo]

If Prince jacks 63 and Braun wins the batting title, I'll boldly predict that the Cubs won't win the WS.

[theavrock]

The only question about the Brewer lineup is how much better can their young players get?

 

I think we have more to worry about than whether or not our young guys improve. There are some questions about our defense and our pitching. Sure we are going to hit the crap out of the ball, but we did that last season too. I do think the bullpen has the potential to be dominant but it also has the potential to implode. Also will out starters come back and be effective because there is better defense behind them or will all the position switching amount to nothing. I can't understand everyone saying the Cubs are going to run away with the division, but we are far from a sure bet by any means. In my opinion it will be a race and we will be competitive but a lock for the Central we are not.

[Dragonbait]

I feel it all depends on how the season starts....

 

And I do feel the Reds could be a dark horse in the division.

[pitchleague]

I'll be honest. I feel that whoever wins the central division will bust out and have one of those "we knew they were good, but not THIS good" kind of seasons. You know, going from an 80-85 win season (Brewers and Cubs) to a 95+ win season and win the division by 10 games.

 

I hope it's the Brewers.