2008 Preview Magazines - Brewers Rankings

[Prince James]

I have not looked in the book stores yet, but I was wondering if any publications have come out yet previewing the 2008 season. I know there has been some online stuff, but I personally like buying a magazine.

 

If there have been some released (MLB or fantasy), I am curious as to how the Brewers and their indivdual players are projected to perform for the upcoming season. Not that this makes any shred of difference, but it keeps me going for the next month and a half.

[Ennder]

ZiPs released its projection disk for Diamond Mind Baseball. People ran chunks of simulations and the Brewers came out in 2nd with a 25% or so rate of winning the division. Cubs was like 65%. Consensus that I've seen is Cubs in 1st, Brewers in 2nd.

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

I work at a bookstore here in Glendale, CA and we have one of the Fantasy magazines out now, but that's the only one I have seen...

 

Can't remember whose on the cover...

[Sepolevne]

I was looking at futures odds for the Brewers and it looks like the Brewers are going off as 30/1 odds to win the World Series.They're giving the Brewers the same odds as the Braves and Blue Jays, slightly worse than the Dodgers, Rockies, White Sox, Mariners, and Padres at 25/1 and slightly better than the Twins and Cardinals at 40/1. Just for kicks, the Cubs are 12/1, and the favorites are the Red Sox at 7/2.

 

The Brewers are 10/1 to win the NL Pennant and 9/5 to win the NL Central.

 

It's strange that anyone would give the White Sox a better chance to win the World Series than the Brewers would, especially considering how they finished last year and the respective records. But when I go out to Las Vegas next month, I'll be sticking a futures bet on the Brewers. And one on the Royals, because hey, at 200/1, miracles might happen.

 

All the line according to Bodog.

[Ennder]

betting lines are there to promote people to bet, so the larger the market the higher they are ranked no matter what.

[Oldcity]

I just pre-ordered The Baseball Prospectus Manual. 40% off at Amazon if you pre-order.

[Schlitz001]

Lindy's 2008 Preview is already out, but I think they have finally hit rock bottom. The publication is littered with typos and misprints and some of the player information is recylced from last years publication. I won't go into gory detail on their Brewer's preview, but they have them ranked 2nd in the division behind the Cubs.

[Patrick425]

I visit Border's in Milwaukee just about every day on my way to lunch to see what baseball magazines are available. Most of what I have seen have been fantasy baseball magazines that do not show team predictions. However, I did see Athlons annual publication, and if I remember, I believe they have the Brewers tabbed at 3rd in their division. I didn't look at who they had as 2nd, but I'm guessing it's possibly the Reds.

[DrWood]

betting lines are there to promote people to bet, so the larger the market the higher they are ranked no matter what.

I don't think so. There isn't that much of a house margin.

[RobertR]

I'd imagine the concencus is Cubs #1, Brewers #2, followed by the Reds, Astros, Cardinals, and Pirates. The publications that appreciate the Brewers defensive improvements and aren't obsessed with closers as the sole measure of the bullpen will probably be bullish on the Brewers.

 

With the wealth of information on the internet (and the ability to include things like Spring Training trades and late free agent signings), I think these publications have likely outlived their usefulness. What are they providing that ESPN, Fox, CBS, Baseball America, and Baseball Prospectus aren't?

 

Robert

[TerraceReserved]

Contrary to other systems, THT projections ahve the Brewers winning the NL Central.

[Ennder]

They released updated rosters for ZiPs/DMB yesterday and I ran a bunch of simulations with the limit playtime feature to try to create more realistic seasons.

 

Cubs generally came in first with an occassional year where the Brewers came in 1st. Brewers took the wild card a good number of times. They usually finished in the 84-88 win range.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I just put bobblehead dolls of Bill Hall and Derek Lee on an 'electric football' field, and the Bill Hall bobblehead crossed the goal line first.