Way out on a limb...

So here’s what we need to know… the Mets and Yankees have new stadiums. Those stadiums cost a lot of money to build. That’s especially the case with the new Yankee Stadium, which apparently was embossed with gold: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWktQi9fwW4&hl=en&fs=1]

Anyway, since the Mets and Yankees have those new stadiums to pay for (actually, aren’t WE paying for the Mets stadium? CitiBank? Nice deal) they need to have good teams. Actually, make that really, really good teams.

In order to get those good teams the Yankees went out and bought a whole mess of free agents like CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Nick Swisher, Mark Teixeira… you know the deal. If it’s a name, the Yankees buy it.

The Mets countered by getting J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez for their beleaguered bullpen though the rest of the club looks pretty much the same. Nevertheless, some baseball pundits believe that’s good enough. After all, the reasoning appears, it was the Mets that blew it the past two years. They just up and gave it away.

Regardless, the good folks at Sports Illustrated believe both the Mets and Yankees will be in the playoffs this year. The Mets, they write, will win the NL East and the Yanks the AL East. The Phillies? Hey, at least the WFC get the wild card and a quick exit in the playoffs.

Here’s how SI sees it:

ALDS: Yankees over Twins; Angels over Red Sox NLDS: Cubs over Phillies; Mets over Dodgers ALCS: Angels over Yankees NLCS: Mets over Cubs WORLD SERIES: Mets over Angels

The Mets winning the World Series?

Really?

Such a prediction says a lot of things, but mostly it shows how strong (top heavy?) the NL East is.

But really… the Mets?

Coming up...

A few clerical things:Tomorrow we will update this site live during the Opening Day game in very much the same manner as last October's NLDS. Since it's the first game of the season, we figured "why not?" One enhancement I'm working on is a chat box for readers to send instant messages during the live posts/game. The problem right now is that this platform doesn't support certain Java applications, so it looks like the IM feature is out... for now.

Nevertheless, we will accept (and encourage) comments and e-mails during the game to discuss outcomes and certain strategery.

So get ready.

In the meantime, here are the long-awaited predictions for the National League in 2008 offered without analysis.

In other words, take it for what's worth:

East 1. Mets 2. Braves 3. Phillies 4. Nationals 5. Marlins

Central 1. Cubs 2. Brewers 3. Reds 4. Astros 5. Pirates 6. Cardinals

West 1. Diamondbacks 2. Padres 3. Dodgers 4. Rockies 5. Giants

NLDS Mets over Diamondbacks Cubs over Braves

NLCS Cubs over Mets

World Series Cubs over Red Sox

There for the taking

According to the good folks at Baseball Prospectus, the wild card is the Phillies’ to lose. Actually, according to the statistics – nobody owns statistics… the numbers are out there in the ether and know no borders – the Phillies have a 63.70844 percent chance to hold on to their half-game lead in the wild-card race compared to the 26.98136 percent chance for the Dodgers and 9.23012 percent chance for the NL West-leading Padres.

So, if the statistics play out according to the way folks at BP crunched them, the Mets will host the Cardinals in the NLDS, while the Phillies go to sunny San Diego for two games starting on Oct. 4. Game 3 comes to Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 7 with a chance for Game 4 coming on Oct. 8 when the Dallas Cowboys are slated to come to town.

They have some wide receiver that people around here know and don’t like.

Anyway, the Phillies’ chances are greatly enhanced by a decision made by Roger Clemens last week. Rather than pitch in a game in Philadelphia on Monday – a game that could shape the outcome of the season for the Phillies, Dodgers, Padres and any other team clinging to life in the playoff hunt – Clemens decided to pitch on short rest in Houston on Sunday night so that he can get what he wants one more time.

That is more national TV time, one last outing in Houston, and everyone to jump through a hoop for him.

I wonder what Clemens would think if the shoe were on the other foot and he was playing for the Dodgers and another team’s best pitcher decided he didn’t want to face a team in the wild-card chase?

Best bets recap

I went 2-0 in picking winners, but 1-1 against the spread. It took a late field goal from iron-leg kicker John Kasay for Carolina to knock off Tampa Bay by two points. Meanwhile in Seattle, the Seahawks smacked the Giants around, 42-30, which has led to day after finger pointing and whining by the New York team.

Either way, we're 1-1 and are looking forward to improving this weekend. Be ready for more selections this Friday.