2008 Preview: MLB Awards and Playoffs

Awards:

NL MVP: David Wright
Should of won last year, will get it this year as long as the Mets win the NL East

NL Cy Young: Johan Santana - He might come close to 300 Ks this year

NL Manager of the Year: Bobby Cox
Like Scorsese winning for "The Departed" will get it for getting the Braves in the playoffs on his farewell tour

NL Rookie of the Year: J.R. Towles C Houston
Only because Andy LaRoche more than likely will be platooning with Nomar

AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
Another year, another 50 HRs, another MVP.

AL Cy Young: John Lackey
He won 19 games, led the league in ERA last year. There's no signs showing that he won't have a dominant season again

AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon
If getting Tampa over .500 doesn't get you Manager of the Year I don't know what will.

AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria 3B Tampa Bay - It will be between him and Daric Barton of Oakland. But due to the Rays success, Longoria gets more attention and the votes


Playoffs:

NL
Division Winners
NL East: New York Mets
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West : Arizona Diamondbacks
Wild Card: Atlanta Braves
The Braves just edge out Philly and Los Angeles

NLDS:
Mets def. Cubs 3-0
Diamondbacks def. Braves 3-2

NLCS:
Mets def. Diamondbacks 4-2

AL
Division Winners
AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Detroit Tigers
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
Wild Card: Cleveland Indians
Indians hold off the Yankees to make it back to the playoffs

ALDS:
Red Sox def. Indians 3-2
Tigers def. Angels 3-1

ALCS:
Red Sox def. Tigers 4-2
This one's brain over heart. Unless the Tigers get some major bullpen help, I just don't see them beating the Red Sox.

World Series:
Red Sox def. Mets 4-3
A rematch of 1986, this time no Buckner error to hand the series to the Mets. Still it goes 7 games with a classic Santana-Beckett showdown in Game 7

World Series MVP:
Josh Beckett


So there you have it, my projections for the upcoming MLB season. Based on my track record about three of these things will be right, and I'm hoping my pick of the Tigers falling in the ALCS isn't one of them.