The Washington Nationals opened the US part of the season by beating the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on a walk off home run by Ryan Zimmerman.  President Bush threw out the first pitch at the brand new Nationals Park in our nation's capitol.                

When I lived in DC in the mid 1990s, the neighborhood that the new stadium was pretty bad.  I kept my head down hoping not to get shot while I looked for an apartment there.

I'm really happy that baseball is back in the nation's capitol.  I hope politicians, public policy wonks, and others who lead our country take a chance to chill out, catch a ball game, and find a way to solve our problems.  They should leave the name calling to the other team's players.  :-)

Play Ball!

Posted by an optimistic Tank in a DC frame of mind.

It's that time of year again.  Without further ado, here we go:

AL East:
Yankees
Red Sox
Blue Jays
D-Rays
Orioles

AL Central:
Tigers
Indians
White Sox
Minnesota
Royals

AL West:
Angels
Mariners
As
Rangers

Wild Card: Red Sox

Dark Horse: Blue Jays, White Sox, As

Summary: This is a very difficult year to pick.  There are essentially six teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, Indians, Angels, Mariners) competing for four spots.  Each team has its strengthens and weakness.  The Yankees have the bats but not sure about Kennedy and Pettitte's back.  I would have picked the Red Sox as Manny and Big Papi are healthy.  But, Schilling is out for half the season and I'm not sure how healthy Beckett will be.  The Tigers have the bats and arms.  The Angels were a lock until their recent pitching woes.  The Mariners have rebuilt and still have Ichiro.

If Halliday is healthy, the Blue Jays can challenge for the AL East.  I don't know which Ozzie Guillen will show up.  The White Sox are talented but he has to go back to the looseness of a relaxed clubhouse that won it all in 2005.  If Ozzie goes back to the loose cannon of the past couple of seasons, the White Sox will struggle.  The As still have great pitching and will be in the mix if they have consistent offense.

AL Champion: Yankees.



NL East:
Mets
Phillies
Braves
Nationals
Marlins

NL Central:
Cubs
Brewers
Cardinals

Reds
Astros
Pirates

NL West: Hardest division to pick

Diamondbacks

Dodgers
Padres
Rockies
Giants

Wild Card: Phillies.

Summary: The NL East is going to be a battle royale between the Mets, Phillies, and Braves.  The Cubs are better but probably not the year they win it all.  They last won it all in 1908, yes, 100 years ago.  Joe Torre will help the Dodgers contend but they are a year or two away.

Dark Horse: Braves, Brewers, Dodgers.

NL Champion: Mets.

World Series Champion: Yankees in seven games.

Bottom Line: My brain tells me to pick the Tigers but my heart says the Yankees have a little more magic in the last Stadium, God Willing/touch wood/lucky rabbit's foot/etc.

Local Team Outlook: The Yankees have gotten younger through an emotionally trying 2007.  In the Yankees' darkest hour on July 12, I predicted 94 wins and that's what happened.  I like Joba as Mariano's setup man and eventual successor.  I like Hughes and Kennedy.      
                   
In 2008, the Yankees will win 98+ games.  The Mets will win 95+ games.  Both teams will be made or broken by how long their starters can last and how their middle relief is.  Joe Smith got the Mets out of a tough seventh inning against the White Sox in the Civil Rights Game.

Posted by a hopeful Tank in NY.

Another season of baseball is almost upon us.  It technically started with the As-Red Sox games in Japan.  BTW, I don't have a problem with MLB games in Japan.  I understand the money and marketing aspect though would like games to be played in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere in the spirit of equal time.  The only downpart is that US based beer and other hard working stadium vendors don't get a cut of Ricoh's or the other sponsor's money for the games played overseas.  It's one less game as the As and Red Sox technically played one home game each in Japan.

Posted by The Traveling Tank in Florida.

Angels fan Roland Flores threw a water bottle that hit "Metal Mike" Piazza last season.  Piazza thankfully wasn't hurt.  He kept his cool and didn't run into the stands like Ron Artest.  Granted, it was harder to climb into the stands like in basketball but didn't answer violence with violence. 

Piazza used the non-violent justice system and Flores was sentenced to 30 days.  Flores can't go to the Angels Stadium for three years.  Fans can boo their or opposing players but not resort to violence.  Let's hope Flores' sentence discourages others from doing so in the future. 

Posted by The Traveling Tank in Florida.

I took some hits last weekend with the losses of Duke, Georgetown, and other favorites. 

According to ESPN, only 2 out of 3,000,000+ brackets in their competition had all Sweet 16 teams in tact.  I only had eight correct Sweet 16 teams but my Final Four is still intact, touch wood.  More points per game are awarded in later rounds as the Final Four approaches. 

Posted by a cautiously optimistic and Traveling Tank in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jose Canseco is up to his old tricks.  In his new book, "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and The Battle to Save Baseball", Canseco says that he introduced A-Rod to a steroids dealer named "Max".  The book coincidentially comes out on Tuesday, which happens to be April Fool's Day.  Let's hope it is a gag. 

Posted by a concerned and traveling Tank in Florida.  

PermaGuest Outlaw Jack e-mailed Steve and myself earlier today about Donnie Walsh leaving the Indiana Pacers to join the Knicks.  Please join me in praying that Donnie succeeds Isiah as President of the Bricks ASAP to end the suffering. 

Posted by the Traveling Tank in South Florida.

I met Roy at my friend Robert's house in Tampa, Florida, in May 2004.  We went to a Yankees at D-Rays game that night at Tropicana Field.  Mariano happened to get his 300th save that night and I did my best impersonation of the "Yankeeees Win!"  I was so enthusiatic that Robert asked me to settle down because he had to do business with the clients he brought along. 

Roy needed a new liver and was on the waiting list for years.  He should have passed a couple of years ago but he fought the good fight, stayed positive, and inspired all who met him.  He finally got his new liver over the weekend but he passed on Easter morning. 

Though we rooted for opposing teams, we always liked and respected each other and our love of baseball.  You'll be missed Roy.  You'll be going to a place where everyday is Opening Day. 

Posted by a grieving Tank in NY.

Andy Pettitte was scratched yesterday from his Spring Training start with back spasms.  The Yankees and I are relying on Andy to be a solid second starter as he has been a clutch big game pitcher over the years.  The move is precautionary and he is supposed to make his next start next week, God Willing. 

Posted by a concerned Tank in NY. 

You know you are getting older when your childhood heroes get diagnosed with cancer.  One of mine is Graig Nettles.  Graig was the reason I played third base in Little League.  His outstretched lounging catch against the Dodgers in the 1978 World Series Graig is still etched in my mind like yesterday.

Prevention and checkups are key.  Graig's brother Jim advised him to get tested as it runs in their family.  After the Father's Day Run Against Prostate Cancer in 2005, I was tested for prostate cancer and thankfully didn't have it.  The doctor told me to come back in 2010 when I turn 40, God Willing.    

Graig is going to under prostate cancer surgery on April 8 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York according to Yankees.com and ESPN 1050 AM.  Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  

I plan to run the NYC Marathon a fifth and final time this November, touch wood, as a member of Fred's Team raising funds for cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  I will do so in honor of the living like Graig and in memory of the passed on like Doug Stern.  

Posted by a somber Tank on the road to defeating cancer.