Published: April 19, 2008 12:42 am            

AARON SNYDER: Ten bold predictions

The 2008 Major League Baseball season is well underway and it’s time to make some bold predictions. Ten things that have a good chance of happening this season that would surprise some people. To get it started:

1. Barry Bonds will sign with a team. The all-time leading home run hitter will sign with a team that is making a run for the playoffs by June or July. I see it being the Angels. They are a team that could maybe use an extra push now, with two members of the starting rotation out, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar. But they will definitely need it by the middle of the summer. An extra left-handed bat will help. And Bonds still wants to play.

2. Junior will stay healthy. I really don’t want to jinx Ken Griffey, Jr. “The Kid,” I realize, is now 38 years old, but with some new life pumped into Cincinnati, the Reds’ leader will stick it out the whole season without any serious injuries. That includes the playoffs. Yes, I said playoffs…

3. The Reds will win the division. It’s been 13 years since the Reds made it to the postseason. Manager Davey Johnson and MVP Barry Larkin led the way to a NL Central Division title and an appearance in the National League Championship Series. This year it will be manager Dusty Baker and MVP-caliber second baseman Brandon Phillips leading the way.

4. Brandon Webb will throw a no-hitter. Webb has won the Cy Young and has a 42-innings scoreless streak next to his name, but has yet to throw a no-hitter. I know it’s kind of crazy to just throw it out there and say this, but with the kind of pitcher that he is, he has a solid chance of doing it. His focus is on getting batters out; not on how he gets them out.

5. The Red Sox and Yankees will meet in the playoffs. Boston should win the division, but New York has the ingredients for a Wild Card team. The two will meet in the ALCS in another autumn classic. It depends on how it plays out, but look for the Yanks to end this season in “The House that Ruth Built,” this being the final season in the sacred stadium. Maybe even with a win.

6. Ichiro will reach 200 hits… Again. The guy can just flat out hit. If he reaches 200 hits this season it will mark the eighth straight year he has done so. This would tie the major league mark for most consecutive seasons with 200 hits, set by Willie Keeler in 1901.

7. A-Rod will reach 550. Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez will become the youngest player to reach 550 homers. I know he’s already less than 30 home runs away from the milestone, but he will have to stay healthy and still put up decent numbers to get there.

8. The Royals and Rays will not finish in last place. With the way the Baltimore Orioles are playing right now, the Rays probably will finish in last place, but I look for the O’s to have a string of L’s. As for the Kansas City Royals, they have finished in last place the last four years. Save the AL Central cellar for Minnesota this year.

9. A big-name manager will be fired. It happens every year; a couple managers lose their jobs because their team is underachieving. But this year I am thinking a big name will be dropped from the coaching ranks. Possibly Ozzie Guillen just because he can’t keep his mouth shut, but probably not. Think along the lines of Charlie Manuel.

10. Another high-profile player will be caught for taking steroids. Not that the release of Jose Canseco’s new book, “Vindicated,” is any indication on who will be named, but I do think another name will surface, which is good, in a way, because it shows the system is working.

I may be lucky to get even two of these correct, but I am willing to take the ridicule. Send me nasty e-mails telling me why I’m an idiot if you deem it necessary.

One thing’s for sure. I’m glad it’s baseball season.

AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2658.

        

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