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Tomorrow is Opening Day so now is the time to polish our crystal ball and make some predictions for 2008. This exercise is for entertainment purposes only. Please....no wagering.
1. With 18 of 29 April games at home, the Cardinals will get off to a fast start finishing April with a record of 18-10 (1 rainout).
2. Skip Schumaker will also get off to a fast start and will entrench himself as a solid leadoff hitter who will serve as a catalyst for the Cardinals offense.
3. The pitching staff will start the season much better than expected and challenges will develop in June and July when the team has an overabundance of quality starters. Expect a trade involving one or more Redbird pitchers before the All-Star break.
4. The Cubs will get off to a fast start but will not be able to pull away. Expect two of the best Cards/Cubs series in recent memory when they meet in St. Louis Sept 9-11 and in Chicago Sept 19-21.
5. As always, this team (actually ANY team) will be successful ONLY if they stay relatively healthy. An injury to a starting pitcher will be easier to absorb with the abundance of starters on this club, but an injury to a key player (Pujols, Molina, Glaus) could be devastating.
6. A Redbird pitcher will hurl a no hitter this year - you heard it here first!
7. Adam Kennedy will rebound to have a solid year and will possibly flirt with a .300 average.
8. Cesar Izturis will NOT be the starting shortstop by the end of the season.
9. Yadier Molina will win his first Gold Glove.
10. The Cardinals will sqeak in to win the NL Wild Card by a game over the Dodgers with an 88-74 record. The NL Central will prove to be a much improved division this year and the Cubs will win it with a 91-71 record. The Mets will win the East at 98-64. The Diamondbacks will win the West, edging the Dodgers by two games at 89-73.
11. In the playoffs, The Cardinals will sweep the Mets and then win a thrilling series with the Cubs to advance to the World Series for the 3rd time in 5 years where they will beat the Yankees in 6 games.
12. Mark Mulder will win game 6 with a 2-0 shutout. Jason Isringhausen will get the save, be named Series MVP, and will retire a few days after the Series.
So there you go! Are you ready for some baseball?