The Obligatory 2009 MLB Season Predictions Post
While we once again failed to capitalize on our free time and produce an extensive fantasy baseball blog this offseason, Dave and I managed to muster up just enough ambition to put together our predictions for the upcoming season. We’ll overlap quite a bit, but there are some stark contrasts within our predictions. In this year’s edition, we project our divisional standings and playoff outcomes, take a couple of stabs at who will win each of the most prestigous regular season awards, and go team-by-team handpicking a sleeper and bust for each. Without further adieu, our highly-unlikely-to-be-even-remotely-accurate predictions for the 2009 baseball season:
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2009 MLB Predictions
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James
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Dave
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Divisional Standings
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American League
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AL East
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Red Sox*
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1st
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Red Sox*
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Yankees
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2nd
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Yankees*
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Rays
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3rd
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Rays
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Blue Jays
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4th
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Orioles
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Orioles
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5th
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Blue Jays
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AL Central
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Twins*
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1st
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Twins*
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Tigers
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2nd
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White Sox
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White Sox
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3rd
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Indians
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Royals
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4th
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Tigers
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Indians
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5th
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Royals
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AL West
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Angels*
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1st
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A’s*
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A’s*
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2nd
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Mariners
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Mariners
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3rd
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Angels
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Rangers
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4th
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Rangers
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National League
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NL East
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Mets*
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1st
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Mets*
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Marlins*
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2nd
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Marlins*
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Phillies
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3rd
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Phillies
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Braves
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4th
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Braves
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Nationals
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5th
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Nationals
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NL Central
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Cubs*
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1st
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Cubs*
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Reds
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2nd
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Reds
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Cardinals
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3rd
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Cardinals
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Brewers
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4th
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Astros
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Pirates
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5th
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Brewers
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Astros
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6th
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Pirates
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NL West
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Dodgers*
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1st
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Dodgers*
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Giants
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2nd
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Diamondbacks
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Diamondbacks
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3rd
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Giants
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Rockies
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4th
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Rockies
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Padres
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5th
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Padres
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Playoffs
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ALDS
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Red Sox def. A’s
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Red Sox def. Twins
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Angels def. Twins
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Yankees def. A’s
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ALCS
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Red Sox def. Angels
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Red Sox def. Yankees
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NLDS
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Marlins def. Cubs
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Marlins def. Cubs
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Mets def. Dodgers
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Mets def. Dodgers
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NLCS
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Marlins def. Mets
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Marlins def. Mets
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2009 World Series
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Red Sox def. Marlins
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Marlins def. Red Sox
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World Series MVP
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Josh Beckett
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Regular Season Awards
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AL MVP
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Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
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Jason Bay, Red Sox
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AL MVP Runner-up
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Jason Bay, Red Sox
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Justin Morneau, Twins
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AL Cy Young
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Felix Hernandez, Mariners
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Felix Hernandez, Mariners
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AL Cy Young Runner-up
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Josh Beckett, Red Sox
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C.C. Sabathia, Yankees
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AL ROY
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Brett Anderson, A’s
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Matt Wieters, Orioles
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AL ROY Runner-up
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Matt Wieters, Orioles
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Travis Snider, Blue Jays
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AL Manager
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Don Wakamatsu, Mariners
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Bob Geren, A’s
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AL Manager Runner-up
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Ron Gardenhire, Twins
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Joe Girardi, Yankees
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AL Comeback Player
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Travis Hafner, Indians
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AL Comeback Runner-up
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Chad Cordero, Mariners
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NL MVP
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Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
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Albert Pujols, Cardinals
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NL MVP Runner-up
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Albert Pujols, Cardinals
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Chase Utley, Phillies
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NL Cy Young
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Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
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Josh Johnson, Marlins
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NL Cy Young Runner-up
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Johan Santana, Mets
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Matt Cain, Giants
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NL ROY
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Dexter Fowler, Rockies
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Tommy Hanson, Braves
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NL ROY Runner-up
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Mat Gamel, Brewers
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Mat Gamel, Brewers
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NL Manager
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Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins
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Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins
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NL Manager Runner-up
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Bruce Bochy, Giants
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Bruce Bochy, Giants
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NL Comeback Player
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Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
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NL Comeback Runner-up
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Aaron Harang, Reds
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Sleepers
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Top Sleepers
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Adam Jones, Orioles
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AL East
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Phil Hughes, Yankees
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Jeremy Bonderman, Tigers
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AL Central
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Carl Pavano, Indians
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Jason Giambi, A’s
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AL West
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Jason Giambi, A’s
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Ryan Zimmerman, Nats
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NL East
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Jeff Francouer, Braves
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Mike Fontenot, Cubs
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NL Central
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Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
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Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies
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NL West
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Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies
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Team Sleepers
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Justin Masterson
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Red Sox
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Clay Buchholz
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Hideki Matsui
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Yankees
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Jorge Posada
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Willy Aybar
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Rays
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Jason Isringhausen
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David Purcey/Ricky Romero
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Blue Jays
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Aaron Hill
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Chris Ray
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Orioles
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Ty Wigginton
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Kevin Slowey
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Twins
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Jason Kubel
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Carlos Guillen
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Tigers
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Eddie Bonine
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Chris Getz
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White Sox
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DeWayne Wise
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Alberto Callaspo
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Royals
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Kila Kaaihue
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Shin-Soo Choo
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Indians
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Jensen Lewis
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Kendry Morales
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Angels
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Howie Kendrick
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Ryan Sweeney
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A’s
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Ryan Sweeney
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Jeff Clement
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Mariners
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Ryan Rowland-Smith
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David Murphy
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Rangers
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Taylor Teagarden
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John Maine
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Mets
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Luis Castillo
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Josh Johnson/Andrew Miller
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Marlins
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Chris Volstad
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Jayson Werth
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Phillies
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Raul Ibanez
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Yunel Escobar
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Braves
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Martin Prado
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Joel Hanrahan
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Nationals
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Nick Johnson
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Sean Marshall
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Cubs
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Sean Marshall
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Ramon Hernandez
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Reds
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Jared Burton
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Joe Thurston
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Cardinals
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David Freese
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Yovani Gallardo/Manny Parra
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Brewers
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Mat Gamel
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Ivan Rodriguez
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Astros
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Ivan Rodriguez
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Paul Maholm
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Pirates
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Paul Maholm
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Andre Ethier/James Loney
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Dodgers
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Blake DeWitt
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Travis Ishikawa
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Giants
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Randy Johnson
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Stephen Drew/Justin Upton
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Diamondbacks
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Felipe Lopez
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Chris Iannetta
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Rockies
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Huston Street
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Chase Headley
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Padres
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Chase Headley
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Busts
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Top Busts
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J.D. Drew, Red Sox
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AL East
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Joba Chamberlain, Yankees
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Cliff Lee, Indians
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AL Central
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Fernando Rodney, Tigers
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Justin Duchscherer, A’s
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AL West
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Ervin Santana, Angels
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Mike Gonzalez, Braves
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NL East
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Joe Blanton, Phillies
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Todd Wellemeyer, Cardinals
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NL Central
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Rich Harden, Cubs
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Aaron Cook, Rockies
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NL West
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Aaron Rowand, Giants
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Team Busts
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Brad Penny
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Red Sox
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Mike Lowell
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A.J. Burnett
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Yankees
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Derek Jeter
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Grant Balfour
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Rays
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Andy Sonnanstine
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Dustin McGowan
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Blue Jays
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Scott Rolen
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Melvin Mora
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Orioles
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Jeremy Guthrie
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Joe Mauer
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Twins
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Joe Mauer
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Gary Sheffield
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Tigers
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Justin Verlander
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Bobby Jenks
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White Sox
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Josh Fields
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Mike Aviles
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Royals
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Mike Jacobs
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Kerry Wood
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Indians
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Cliff Lee
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Joe Saunders
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Angels
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Kendry Morales
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Brad Ziegler
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A’s
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Brad Ziegler
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Jose Lopez
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Mariners
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Wladimir Balentien
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The Entire SP Rotation
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Rangers
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Elvis Andrus
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Daniel Murphy
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Mets
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Oliver Perez
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Cody Ross
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Marlins
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Cameron Maybin
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Jamie Moyer
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Phillies
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Cole Hamels
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Casey Kotchman
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Braves
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Kenshin Kawakami
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Cristian Guzman
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Nationals
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Joel Hanrahan
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Kevin Gregg
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Cubs
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Milton Bradley
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Francisco Cordero
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Reds
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Chris Dickerson
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Troy Glaus
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Cardinals
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Jason Motte
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Rickie Weeks
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Brewers
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Bill Hall
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LaTroy Hawkins
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Astros
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Mike Hampton
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Adam & Andy LaRoche
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Pirates
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Ryan Doumit
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Casey Blake
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Dodgers
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Casey Blake
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Aaron Rowand
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Giants
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Pablo Sandoval
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Mark Reynolds
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Diamondbacks
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Conor Jackson
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Jason Marquis
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Rockies
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Aaron Cook
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Jody Gerut
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Padres
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Kevin Kouzmanoff
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First Managers Fired
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American League
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Eric Wedge, Indians
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Eric Wedge, Indians
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National League
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Cecil Cooper, Astros
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Bud Black, Padres
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