Is this going to be the year of the underdog?

I see you get on here about as often as I do, Frizzer! Good to see you after so long....

To be honest, you're right about this being the year of the underdog to a point. Many teams that have been mediocre for so long are finally showing signs of unexpected life like the Braves, Reds, Padres and even Mets in the National League, as well as the A L Rangers, White Sox, and Rays - although I think we can agree the Rays' success isn't such a great surprise - especially in their division.

The Red Sox injuries have certainly handicapped their success this year, but anyone's a fool to take them lightly - especially when David Ortiz is heating up. Once they get their lineup back to some semblance of what it is intended, they are sure to challenge for the Wild Card - if they don't run out of time first. They are truly a sleeping giant.

Switching to the National League and speaking of the Giants, I simply can't figure them out. They look good one day, then one wonders how they'll ever win again. I expect the Rockies to put on a surge when they get over their own injury problems and the Dodgers will be there, too, so that division is going to be quite interesting the rest of the way. The Cardinals are always going to be consistent with LaRussa at the helm, and the Cubs are, as usual, an enigma that even Lou Piniella, whom I consider one of the best managers in baseball, can't solve.

All in all, however, I simply can't think of a team that is going to give the Yankess a problem in a seven game series - unless they do nothing to shore up their set-up situation by taking advantage of their financial bounty and eating the contract of Joba Chamberlain or doing whatever they need to do to rid themselves of him short of dumping him in the Hudson. He's either so good he's a blessing or incredibly, horribly POOR he's not worth all the "Joba Rules" it takes to maintain him. Simply put, there is really no happy medium with him. Yankee fans everywhere cower when they hear he's coming in!

Anyway, like I noted in the beginning, it will be the year of the underdog to a point, but when the smoke has cleared, it will be the Yankees that take home the Championship Trophy once again. They just have too many more weapons than everyone else...

I would guess that of all the underdogs listed the Rangers and Padres have the best chances of winning their respective divisions. The Rangers have proved, at least to this point of the season, that they are the best team in the AL West. Add to that the fact that they were able to pick up Cliff Lee, their chances have actually improved. They are already 7.5 games up and showing no signs of slowing down. Josh Hamilton is having a career season as well. Even Danny Haren won't be enough to make the Angels better than the Rangers.

The Padres are playing the best "team" baseball in their division. The Giants via Tim Lincecum are doing "okay" but not what was expected going into the season. With Joe Torre probably retiring at the end of the season, seems to have let the air out of the Dodger balloon.

As to the perennials making a comeback before the season ends, the Phillies, in my opinion is the only team capable of that feat. Their lineup, when healthy is the best overall in the NL. The key of course is to get and stay healthy for the September run. The Mets will find a way to fall short. If they are to do anything worthwhile this would be the season. I just don't see it.

The Red Sox are old. I know Boston fans don't want to hear it but it's true. I'll even go as far as to say that unless the Yankees reload before next season, the same could apply to them as well.

All these pennant runs are really based on the trade deadline. By Saturday the picture will be a great deal more clear.

I wouldn't call it the year of the underdog, given there is very rarely only one favourite at the beginning of the year. Very few teams have more than a 50-50 chance before the season starts to get to the playoffs, so what you call underdogs is relative.

I've included the projected standings from February as calculated by the CHONE projecting engine, and they predicted two of your underdogs to lead the division, and another to be middle of the pack.

In the NL East, it was expected to be a 3-man race with the Phillies having an edge, maybe Phi 45%, Atl 30%, NYM 15% or something. The west could have been won by anyone but SD, according to most people. The AL Central never has a clear favourite, and Chicago's always got a shot, and with the Angels expecting to lose a lot of ground, the Rangers were threatening to be the close favourite.

The AL East has the three best teams in the league, so by definition, one is going to drop out, and they've been taking their turns missing the playoffs, to date. It just happens to be Boston's turn to get unlucky.

Really, only the Padres and the Reds are a real surprise.

Anything can happen in a short season, and luck can often play a factor. When the races are close, whoever gets injuries or slumps usually falls back, but that's not because they're a bad team. Good teams can slump, and bad teams can get lucky. The standard deviation of wins over a season is about 6, meaning about 5 teams will play about 6 games over their heads, and 5 teams will play 6 or more games less than expected, and one or two teams are bound to be 10 games over or under.

But that's why we follow the season.

I do not consider Ottawa would ever be regarded an "underdog" in all honesty. A lot of folks had the Red Wings advancing to the finals, a few folks had Ottawa. Most folks picked anyone else simply due to the fact there are 14 different groups within the playoffs. Sheer statistics could point out that even a favourite isn't going to be picked by means of so much folks. I consider the common consensus was once that Ottawa was once the favourite within the first circular. They had been mild favourite towards the Devils and are almost always approximately a tossup towards the Sabres. Of direction now the Sens are anticipated to win, however earlier than the sequence started, public notion was once lovely break up. If the Sens to strengthen to the finals, I individually count on them to win. The approach they're gambling is unreal, and I consider the one workforce that has a truly shot at preventing them is the Ducks.

I take little interest in the "underdog" status -- hey, overdogs need some love too -- but I do like variety in the pennant races and postseason. Reds? Not seen since 1995 (with a playoff game appearance in 1999), so bring them on. Padres? They've shown up a bit, but usually get the floor mopped with them, so hand them a ticket too. Rays? Their 2008 season was a treat and a half, let's have them again!

There is the bonus that unexpected teams make for pretty good storylines (as well as, though this never gets any purchase, making the preseason rote predictions and the people who make them, appear dumber than dirt), and any "the surprising little team that could" story is better and much more refreshing than "Dreadnoughts And Their BILLLLLYUN Dollar Payroll Crush Everyone -- Again" dreary rerun.

(Nice to see you, M.)

To be fair, I woudlnt put the Mets as apart of the "favorites" since they havent won a divison in a while.

But it is nice to see some new teams like the Padres and the Rangers step up. I remember the Nationals started the season strong too before tailing off. The A's are 2 games over .500 somehow. The Marlins are back in teh playoff pitcture and playing great baseball..

I would love to see a shocker for the world series. Padres v. A's!

After about 10 years of suffering with the Reds, I was hoping just for above .500 this year and to be a real contender next year. Would be icing on the cake if they somehow made it to the playoffs. They are such an iffy team, one time they are scoring 15 runs and the next day shut out. Their pitching has definitely improved and can only get better next year. Defensively very good but getting old.

I sure hope is the year of the underdog, the padres are doing a great job due to their pitching and the pitcher friendly ballpark, if they keep it up i think this team has a great chance to make an impact in the playoff, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

i know this sounds bad but i think tht the cubs mite make the wildcard