Top Contenders For the 2010 World Series

Unless you are in the sports betting industry, or are rooting for a particular team, the average person does not care who goes to or wins the World Series. However, I like to know who has the best shot at winning the World Series before the season starts. For some reason, it makes the season a bit more interesting.

One thing to keep in mind is that the teams that I predict to contend for the World Series may not be the teams that the odds makers in Vegas have chosen, in fact, I do not care who they picked. My predictions are based on a team's offseason moves, injuries, and lineups.

New York Yankees

The Good — The Yankees may have lost the aging Johnny Damon, injury-riddled Hideki Matsui, and underperforming Melky Cabrera, but they gained more than they lost. The Yankees acquired SP Javier Vazquez from the Braves, OF Curtis Granderson from the Tigers, and Nick Johnson from the Marlins.

Vazquez finished the 2009 season with a 15-10 record with a 2.87 ERA and 238 strikeouts. While a regression is possible as he moves to the tough AL East, he is a major improvement over Joba Chamberlain, who may not even make the rotation this season.

Curtis Granderson was with the Tigers last season, and while he had a solid season, his .249 average left something to be desired. However, in relation to Melky Cabrera, Granderson has the ability to hit more home runs and add a decent stolen base total.

Nick Johnson returns to the Yankees, where he played from 2001-2003. Like Hideki Matsui, Nick Johnson is an injury concern, but he will be a solid source of power at the designated hitter position.

The Bad — While there are not many negatives facing the Yankees this season, their most glaring weakness is at the fifth spot in their rotation. Currently, the battle for the final coveted starting spot is down to Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Alfredo Aceves.

While the stats may say otherwise, I do not like any of these pitching options this season. All three are bullpen pitchers, but if I had to pick one, which the Yankees will have to do, it would be Aceves. While he does not have a lot of experience in a rotation, he has the most upside.

The Bottom Line — The Yankees have a solid mix of talent consisting of both young and old players. While their lineup has changed, their style and talent level has not. Out of the other 28 MLB teams, the Yankees have the best shot at another title in 2010.

In closing, here is a final tidbit of information for all of you superstitious type people. In 2009, manager Joe Girardi wore the No. 27 and it just so happened that the Yankees won their 27th World Series championship. As a result, Girardi has decided to wear the No. 28 this season with the hope of winning their 28th World Series championship.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Good — In an eight-player trade with Toronto, the Phillies got Roy Halladay for Cliff Lee. Based on their 2009 stats, this was a fair trade based on the 2009 stats of both pitchers. However, Halladay comes in to Philadelphia with more upside. What you have to remember is that Halladay pitched for a weak Blue Jays team. Imagine what he can do now that he has a solid offensive supporting cast.

The Phillies have also upgraded at 3B when they released Pedro Feliz and signed Placido Polanco. While Polanco is not much of an upgrade on the offensive side, but he is a solid upgrade on the defensive side. During the 2009 season, Polanco boasted a .997 fielding percentage and committed only 2 errors, compared to Feliz, who had a .966 fielding percentage and committed 15 errors.

The Bad — The Phillies biggest concern is their closer, Brad Lidge who had a horrible 2009 season. While he finished the season with 31 saves, his other stats tell the real story. Lidge ended 2009 with a 7.21 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, and 11 blown saves. When he is healthy and on his game, he can be a dominant closer, but he has a lot to prove in 2010. If he cannot start the season off strong, Ryan Madson will be in the 'pen waiting for his opportunity.

The Bottom Line — The Phillies have won consecutive NL pennants and will start the 2010 season with a team that is slightly better than they were in 2009. If their lineup can meet or exceed last season's stat line, they have a chance at making a third trip to the World Series.

Boston Red Sox

The Good — Jason Bay was the only key player that the Red Sox lost during the offseason, but like the Yankees, they more than made up for it with key offseason acquisitions. The players that were signed during the offseason that will make an immediate impact defensively are John Lackey, Mike Cameron, Marco Scutaro, and Adrian Beltre.

While I will not go into detail about what each player brings to the team, they were able to upgrade at SS (Scutaro), 3B (Beltre), and pitching (Lackey). The Red Sox will see a slight downgrade in the OF with Cameron replacing Bay, but they should make up for it at other positions.

The Bad — Currently, Daisuke Matsuzaka is set to start the season on the DL and the ageless Tim Wakefield will fill the spot. When he is healthy, Matsuzaka can be a dominant pitcher. The key word here is "if," as he was injured for the better part of the 2009 season and he cannot seem to stay healthy during spring training. While Wakefield will be a decent option until Matsuzaka returns, Wakefield is not getting any younger and the Red Sox need a healthy Matsuzaka for their run to the World Series.

Another concern for the Red Sox going into the 2010 season is their potential lack of a 30 HR and 100 RBI bat in their lineup. In fact, it has been 11 years since a team has won the World Series without a 30/100 hitter, but the Red Sox have the ability to break that streak this season.

The Bottom Line — While the lack of a top hitter and uncertainty at the bottom of their rotation may be a concern, the Red Sox have improved overall as a team and if their rotation can meet their lofty expectations, they will be a force to be reckoned with this season, with a trip to the World Series a possibility.

Seattle Mariners

The Good — The Mariners finished with a decent win/loss record in 2009, but finished at the bottom of the AL in the following key categories, runs, hits, BB, OBP, and OPS. As a result, GM Jack Zduriencik made numerous key acquisitions (Chone Figgins, Milton Bradley, Casey Kotchman), which will allow the Mariners to improve their offensive stats. While they are not a power team, they now have the players in place that will allow them to increase their OBP, which will in turn increase their chances for runs.

Another key acquisition was the trade, which brought Cliff Lee to Seattle. Normally, teams will be fortunate enough to have one ace in their starting rotation. The Mariners, on the other hand, will start the season with two aces in their rotation, Cliff Lee (traded from Philadelphia) and Felix Hernandez.

Hernandez was the rotation last season, as he did not get much help from the other four pitchers. He was second in Cy Young voting and finished with a 19-5 record, 2.49 ERA, and 217 strikeouts. Lee's season was split between Cleveland and Philadelphia, which accounts for his subpar 14-14 season. Keep in mind that Lee is just one season removed from his 2008 Cy Young award and 22-3 record, so a rebound is in order.

The Bad — Last season, Felix Hernandez was the lifeline of the Mariners' rotation. While Hernandez finished with a 19-5 record, the rest of the rotation ended the season with a combined 23-15 record. Something is terribly wrong with this picture and if they are to have a chance at making it to the World Series, they will need to tighten up their rotation.

While Cliff Lee will certainly help, Ian Snell, Doug Fister, and Ryan Rowland-Smith will need to step up their game. On a more positive note, these three pitchers are in the rotation for a reason; they have proved to be serviceable SP options. We just need to see if for ourselves.

The Bottom Line — The Mariners have improved their offense by a big margin and with the addition of Cliff Lee, their rotation is looking better. However, in order to have postseason aspirations, the bottom third of their rotation must come ready to pitch.

So, what's next? Sit back, relax, and enjoy the long and arduous 162-game MLB season. Be sure and check back here in late October as I fully expect two of these teams to be playing in the Word Series ... just wait and see.