It's that time of year again! Baseball season is once again upon us. Are you prepared to devote six months of your life to utter and complete misery? I know I am, let's dig in!

Here are my predictions for the 2009 MLB season. 

American League

A.L. East

1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

A.L. Central

1. Cleveland Indians
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Detroit Tigers

A.L. West

1. Annaheim Angels
2. Oakland A's
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners

National League

N.L. East

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2.  New York Mets
3. Florida Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals

N.L. Central

1. Chicago Cubs
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Cincinnati Reds 
4. Houston Astros
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

N.L. West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamond Backs
3. San francisco Giants 
4. Colorado Rockies
   
5. San Diego Padres

Along with my predictions I will also be keeping track of important events and either heaping out praise or dishing out trash talk where it is deserved. Should be a real exciting year and I know there are quite a few baseball fans on these boards. Let's share our game stories, important game stories. Where were you when blank happened? What were you doing when blank did blank? What game did you attend? Who vomitted on you? Coming to Chicago for a White Sox game? Let me know, I live in the neighborhood and they always have seats. Planning to invite me to a game just to stab me? I'd really rather you didn't!

My choices for World Series winner and both Al and NL MVP and Cy Young award winners are available by request through PM to those users interested.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly of all... I would like to wish each and everyone one of you a very happy and safe baseball season this year. 

Baseball would be so much better if the season was only 30 or so games.

Or if it wasn't boring as hell to watch.

Go Tribe and whatnot.

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Kill Whitey.

AngryAmerican

Right on.

As a child we drove through Cleveland on our way to Canada and we stopped to eat at an Ohio big boy. They had Indians stickers everywhere and were very polite until finding out we were from Chicago. At that point their communication became cold and inpolite.  They delivered our food never asking if we needed anything else and never coming back to see how everything was. As we left I stole two of the sticky Inians logo clings from the counter top and ripped them in half and placed them on my hotel mirror before check out. This was about 1993 and the White Sox Indians feud was at a fever pitch. Good times. Good times.

Hopefully I'll be heading to a White Sox game before May. Might even make it to a game at Miller Park as well if the Brewers are playing someone shitty like the Pirates or something.

That monday night game the 27th against the MAriners looks like a definite yes on my to do list this year.

I went to a pre-season game on Friday and saw the Angels beat the Padres--no surprise there.  My friends want to repeat the Dodgers/Cubs series in May at Wrigley again this year, but I'm not sure I can make it.

i was just rereading Hendry's promise that the Cubs would be a better ballclub than last year by opening day

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what if nigger meant kite

Some of the sox and cubs come to the clun when they're in town.

Don't ask me who, they all look alike to me.

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Kill Whitey.

So, how 'bout that O's starting rotation?

*sigh*  This is going to be a long season.

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I has a flavor!

UnknownEric

How did Rich Hill do this spring? Did he make the club? He had a wicked curve coming up and had a decent season in the majors. Looked like he was going to show some promise a few years ago and then just got the yips and fell apart.

crabby

He hasn't pitched yet this year because he's been having elbow problems.  He's currently on the 15-day DL.

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I has a flavor!

crabby

The bucs actually looked good in florida. 

i always have a small amount of hope in the pirates at the beginning of every season.  and it normally ends up shitting in my face

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xx( o Y o. )xx

Yeah, the Bucs looked great losing to the Junior College Lancers. Should be a great season!

check that shit crabs

i know i know, but this rarely happens

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xx( o Y o. )xx

Vin Scully was sitting at the table next to me at dinner tonight.  He was not eating a Farmer John hot dog.

I know it's only the 2nd game, but that Cub game tonight really pissed me off.

Stupid shit too. Like why put Fukudome in CF? Why not put Gathright out there? 

I got in my car after class tonight just in time to hear Milton Bradley in the 6th. Right after the lead off walks. It just wasn't a great night tonight. I didn't like Soriano staring down that HR like he did, but it was a really long home run.

crabbyit's lou having one of his senior moments. i remember last year they went by names like "june" and "september." like, hey, let's leave hoffpauir off the playoff roster then still have the balls to complain about not having enough left handed hitting and not scoring enough runs

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what if nigger meant kite

I walked down to the Sox game last night for the first night game of the year. The Royals won 2-0, the beer was cold and the weather wasn't too bad. They introduced a new lemonade vodka drink over by the fan deck and it comes with a fancy collectors cup. It was a great pitcher's duel between Grienke and Floyd. Great game. Here are some pics.

Saw this guy selling some tickets.. I didn't inquire. I bought mine at the front gate. That rickshaw there is rediculous. 35th had at least 8 rickshaws going up and down and not a single one of them had a customer. That shit won't fly around the neighborhood.

The new walk up at gate 5. Very nice. They ended up finishing it up right at the last second before opening day, but it looks great

Here I am looking very dignified with the Carlton Fisk statue.

Here I am about 3 beers later.

The new RF score board. Another nice addition to the ball park.

All in all a great night!

crabby

And here all this time I was thinking you were ugly.

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Ham-fisted ham fisting.

Is that the game where you drink to forget how bored you are?

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Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants.

DragonXero

Some people do that! I'm sure if thats your association with baseball that this thread will supply no sources of amusement for you. I'll try harder in my next thread to appease you.

A.L. Central

1. Cleveland Indians
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Detroit Tigers

Care to revise that?

The only reason I care is because when Cleveland teams do well, I make more money. But I can see the tribe is starting out in fine clevo fashion, i.e. sucking dog balls. Again.

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Kill Whitey.

I'm gonna stick with it.

Feel free to continue mocking it all year as it seems like that is a poor decision on my part. Should be a good time.

If I were gay, I'd totally bang you.

Whether you liked it or not.

Now who wants some pea-nuts! Ice cold beer!

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Kill Whitey.

how disappointing is the MLB network so far? it's like ESPN Classic 2

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what if nigger meant kite