2008 MLB Season Preview - AL East

[Walter]

http://walterfootball.com/caseypreviewALE.php

Yanks? Sox? Jays? Rays?

Great division

[Vbsiena]

"If the Yankees collapse, which has been predicted for the past half decade.."

lol, true. Being a realistic Yankee fan this year is about the development of our young pitchers. Maybe they make the playoffs but I were to bet I wouldn't bet on it.

Plus the Tigers look really good I think they are the team to beat in the AL.

[49ersfan]

Tigers are the team to beat IMO. Maybe the Red Sox can challenge, but it is very unlikely it will be any other team.

[Casey]

Since this is a forum, and I can drop guard a little in here, I'll say first off, I didn't even know these were here until today. Secondly, as far as the Tigers go, I really, honestly believe that Andrew Miller will be a better pitcher than Dontrelle Willis in 2008. Willis has been living off his gimmick wind-up for five seasons. Unless he develops a dominating breaking ball in the next few years, his ERA will skyrocket. I put him in the Dave Fleming category.

Willis has posted respectable ERA's in each of the four seasons leading up to last year, but he has done so in the NL East, which has been a pretty mediocre division until this season.

Last year Willis gave up 241 hits in 205 innings last year.

Opposing hitters batted .294 against him, in a National League which is weaker offensively, and sends a pitcher to the plate two or three times a game. For a point of reference, the entire NL batted .266 last season. With an NL WHIP over 1.5 Willis will be cannon fodder in the AL. I honestly predict an ERA over 6.

One thing that Willis has going for him, should he develop into a better pitcher, is that despite his awkward delivery is that he is fairly mechanically sound once hits lead foot his the ground. While he's never been billed as a power pitcher, he's actually more of a power pitcher than his "stuff" would indicate. So I don't see health as a major concern.

[Vbsiena]

Agreed. I'm not sold on Willis anymore. He was getting shelled in preseason games too. He's the #4 on that team.

[P.Manningfan102]

Tigers are the team to beat IMO. Maybe the Red Sox can challenge, but it is very unlikely it will be any other team.

Boston is the team to beat not only are they the defending champs but aside from Schilling they have like the same team. Willis is not going to do well in the AL and Bonderman can't pitch or stay healthy in the second half.