BLIND FAITH?

Well it’s that time of year again, when baseball prognosticators will be ranting and raving about this season’s possibilities and pitfalls.  And you can expect the obligatory wave of negativity coming from the Philly haters, but also from the Philly press.  Woe is us; Howard and Utley are among the missing; the bullpen has holes in it; the fill-in guys look like a tossed cheese steak on Broad Street.  (Nix looks like he’s never seen a breaking ball, and if you squint just right, Wiggington could be Wes Helms’s long-lost little brother.) 

Ok, so the Phillies have a few problems.  But everyone seems to be forgetting that they also have three of the very best pitchers in baseball at the top of their rotation, and one of the game’s premiere closers.  But perhaps most importantly, they’re coming off a season in which they won 102 games, and finished 13 games ahead of their closest competition in the NL East.  And that was the Braves, who have their own injury problems to deal with this year.  The Nationals (21.5 games back) tightened up their pitching, which will be formidable if it stays healthy.  But that would be a first.  (They’ve already announced that their closer will start the season on the DL.)  But come on?  They’re still the Nats.  From what I read in the Washington Post, they’re more concerned with how to keep Phillie fans from buying up all the tickets to Phillies-Nats games than they are with any realistic thought of winning the division.  (Sorry Don.)   And how ‘bout dem Florida Marlins (30 games back)?  Oh wait, it’s the Miami Marlins now, that should make a difference.  But if the name change isn’t enough, they have a new stadium, complete with fish tank.  Still not sold?  How about Ozzie Guillen as the ringmaster, I mean manager?  Step right up, folks, if the circus hasn’t just pulled into Miami, then what’s with the circus peanut smell and calliope music?  All this is going to definitely put asses in the brand new seats, but is it really going to make up 30 games in the standings?  I know, they also have Jose Reyes.  But then we already know how the Mets made out with Jose at the top of their lineup.  (I’ll give the Mets fans this – they always stayed reasonably in tune while singing “Jose, Jose.”  So the Marlins fans will have their work cut out for them if they don’t want voted off.)  Which reminds me, I forgot all about the Mets chances this year (25 games back in 2011).  That’s probably enough about the Mets. 

Seriously, it will be a closer race, but the Phillies are still the team to beat.  I see both the Marlins and Nats closing the gap and making it interesting.  I think Atlanta will fall on tough times because of age and injury.  As for the Mets, well, their 50^th anniversary falls this year.  Happy Anniversary, Mets!   

My bold predictions (keeping in mind my state of perpetual bewilderment): 

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

In other races, I look for the Cards to move up one and win the Central, with the Diamondbacks repeating in the West.  (I know you Giant fans out there are optimistic, but the Giants’ offense makes the Phillies’ bats look like Murderers’ Row.)

I don’t bother with that other league.  When they drop the designated hitter gimmick, we’ll talk.

Comments welcome!