ESPN Network: ESPN | NBA.com | NHL.com | ABC | Radio | EXPN | Insider | Shop | Fantasy
Baseball preview

SEARCH ESPN

ESPNWeb
MLB
Scores
Schedule
Pitching Probables
Standings
Statistics
Players
Transactions
Injuries: AL | NL
Minor Leagues
MLB en espanol
Message Board
CLUBHOUSE


FEATURES
Playoff Schedule
News Wire
Daily Glance
Power Alley
History
MLB Insider


THE ROSTER
Jim Caple
Peter Gammons
Rob Neyer
John Sickels
Jayson Stark
ESPN MALL
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
MLB
   Scores | GameCast
NFL
   Scores
Col. Football
   Scores
NBA
   Scores
Golf
   Scores
Tennis
   Scores
Motorsports
Soccer
Boxing
NHL
M Col. BB
W Col. BB
WNBA
Horse Racing
Recruiting
Sports Business
College Sports
Olympic Sports
Action Sports
ESPNdeportes
ProRodeo
More Sports
Friday, March 30
Updated: April 4, 12:06 PM ET
 
ESPN.com staff predictions

ESPN.com

With Opening Day fast approaching, it's that time. That's right, it's time for the third annual ESPN.com staff predictions. ESPN.com baseball columnist Rob Neyer and Rany Jazayerli, co-author of the Baseball Prospectus and a frequent contributor to our baseball coverage, finished tied for first last year. Jazayerli will be going for the threepeat this season as he was the winner in our first year of picks in 1999.

In our picks, each staffer runs down the standings for all six divisions as well as other predictions (wild-card winners, MVPs, Cy Youngs, World Series champion and in our newest category: how many games the Orioles will lose). By the way, we have a little wrinkle with our AL Cy Young predictions as our picks aren't for the winner (as that is a near certainty already with Pedro Martinez), but for the runner-up (though two of our writers pick Pedro).

So without further ado, here are the predictions:

 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Jayson Stark
ESPN.com columnist
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
Royals
W. Sox
Twins
Tigers
A's
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Phillies
Expos
Cardinals
Astros
Brewers
Reds
Cubs
Pirates
Giants
Dodgers
D-Backs
Rockies
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Rob Neyer
ESPN.com columnist
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Royals
Tigers
Twins
A's
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Expos
Phillies
Astros
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Cubs
Pirates
Rockies
D-Backs
Giants
Dodgers
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
David Schoenfield
ESPN.com baseball editor
Red Sox
Yankees
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Tigers
Royals
Twins
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Phillies
Expos
Astros
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Cubs
Pirates
Rockies
Giants
D-Backs
Dodgers
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Matt Szefc
ESPN.com asst. baseball editor
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Royals
Tigers
Twins
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Mets
Braves
Marlins
Phillies
Expos
Cardinals
Astros
Brewers
Reds
Cubs
Pirates
Giants
Rockies
Dodgers
D-Backs
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
David Lipman
ESPN.com baseball producer
Red Sox
Yankees
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
Royals
W. Sox
Tigers
Twins
A's
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Phillies
Expos
Cardinals
Astros
Cubs
Reds
Brewers
Pirates
Dodgers
Rockies
Giants
D-Backs
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Sean McAdam
columnists
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Twins
Royals
Tigers
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Expos
Phillies
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Brewers
Cubs
Pirates
D-Backs
Giants
Dodgers
Rockies
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Bob Klapisch
columnist
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Twins
Tigers
Royals
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Braves
Mets
Marlins
Phillies
Expos
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
Pirates
Astros
Cubs
Giants
Dodgers
D-Backs
Rockies
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Phil Rogers
columnist
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
W. Sox
Indians
Royals
Tigers
Twins
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Braves
Mets
Phillies
Expos
Marlins
Cardinals
Astros
Brewers
Reds
Cubs
Pirates
Rockies
Dodgers
Giants
D-Backs
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
John Sickels
minor league analyst
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Royals
Twins
Tigers
A's
Rangers
Angels
Mariners
Braves
Marlins
Expos
Mets
Phillies
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Cubs
Brewers
Pirates
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
D-Backs
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Alan Schwarz
columnist
Yankees
Jays
Red Sox
Rays
Orioles
W. Sox
Indians
Royals
Twins
Tigers
A's
Mariners
Rangers
Angels
Braves
Mets
Expos
Marlins
Phillies
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Brewers
Cubs
Pirates
Rockies
Giants
Dodgers
D-Backs
Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Rany Jazayerli
Baseball Prospectus
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Rays
Orioles
Indians
W. Sox
Royals
Twins
Tigers
A's
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Braves
Mets
Expos
Marlins
Phillies
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Cubs
Brewers
Pirates
Giants Rockies Dodgers D-Backs Padres
 
AL EAST
ALCENT.
AL WEST
NLEAST
NL CENT.
NLWEST
Tom Tippett
Diamond Mind Baseball
Yankees
Red Sox
Jays
Orioles
Rays
Indians
W. Sox
Tigers
Royals
Twins
A's
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Braves
Mets
Phillies
Expos
Marlins
Cardinals
Astros
Reds
Cubs
Brewers
Pirates
Rockies
Giants
D-Backs
Dodgers
Padres

Other predictions
Jayson Stark:
AL wild card: Red Sox
AL MVP: Roberto Alomar
AL Cy Young runner-up: Bartolo Colon
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Jeff Bagwell
NL Cy Young: Curt Schilling
World Series: A's over Cardinals
Games the Orioles will lose: 94

Rob Neyer:
AL wild card: Red Sox
AL MVP: Manny Ramirez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Pedro Martinez (Mike Mussina wins the award)
NL wild card: Cardinals
NL MVP: Todd Helton
NL Cy Young: Kevin Millwood
World Series: Astros over Yankees
Games the Orioles will lose: 96

David Schoenfield:
AL wild card: Mariners
AL MVP: Pedro Martinez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Tim Hudson
NL wild card: Cardinals
NL MVP: Todd Helton
NL Cy Young: Greg Maddux
World Series: Braves over A's
Games the Orioles will lose: 106

Matt Szefc:
AL wild card: White Sox
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Tim Hudson
NL wild card: Braves
NL MVP: Barry Bonds
NL Cy Young: Al Leiter
World Series: Yankees over Cardinals
Games the Orioles will lose: 94

David Lipman:
AL wild card: Rangers
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Tim Hudson
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Jeff Bagwell
NL Cy Young: Kevin Brown
World Series: Cardinals over Red Sox
Games the Orioles will lose: 92

Sean McAdam:
AL wild card: White Sox
AL MVP: Magglio Ordonez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Tim Hudson
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Andruw Jones
NL Cy Young: Curt Schilling
World Series: A's over Cardinals
Games the Orioles will lose: 98

Bob Klapisch:
AL wild card: Mariners
AL MVP: Jason Giambi
AL Cy Young runner-up: Pedro Martinez (Tim Hudson wins the award)
NL wild card: Mets
NL MVP: Mike Piazza
NL Cy Young: Kevin Brown
World Series: A's over Giants
Games the Orioles will lose: 93

Phil Rogers:
AL wild card: Indians
AL MVP: Johnny Damon
AL Cy Young runner-up: Freddy Garcia
NL wild card: Dodgers
NL MVP: Mark McGwire
NL Cy Young: Mike Hampton
World Series: A's over Cardinals
Games the Orioles will lose: 94

John Sickels:
AL wild card: Red Sox
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Mike Mussina
NL wild card: Giants
NL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero
NL Cy Young: Greg Maddux
World Series: Braves over A's
Games the Orioles will lose: 88

Alan Schwarz:
AL wild card: Indians
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Mike Mussina
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Todd Helton
NL Cy Young: Kevin Brown
World Series: A's over Braves
Games the Orioles will lose: 103

Rany Jazayerli:
AL wild card: Red Sox
AL MVP: Manny Ramirez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Mike Mussina
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Todd Helton
NL Cy Young: Mike Hampton
World Series: Cardinals over A's
Games the Orioles will lose: 97

Tom Tippett:
AL wild card: Red Sox
AL MVP: Manny Ramirez
AL Cy Young runner-up: Bartolo Colon
NL wild card: Astros
NL MVP: Larry Walker
NL Cy Young: Al Leiter
World Series: Indians over Rockies
Games the Orioles will lose: 93





 More from ESPN...
ESPN predicts the season
ESPN's baseball analysts give ...

 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story
 
Daily email
 



ESPN.com: Help | PR Media Kit | Sales Media Kit | Contact Us | Tools | Jobs at ESPN.com | Supplier Information | Copyright ©2007 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.