Baseball Prediction: The 2006 White Sox Will Settle For The Wild Card
Detroit is unstoppable; let’s face it, fellow Chicago White Sox fans.
The Sox have the second best record in all of baseball, in the National and the American leagues. But Detroit will edge them out for the Central Division Championship this year.
That’s my prediction and I’m sticking to it.
I say this because:
(1) The Tigers are managed by Jim Leyland, and I think that fact is going to give them the edge in at least five crucial games down the stretch. His experience and poise under pressure will keep the team playing at a fever pitch.
(2) Detroit’s schedule in July is more favorable than that of the Sox. The Tigers are playing more games against weak teams, so I believe they’ll pick up another game or two on their division rivals in that month, alone, giving them a four game lead going into August.
(3) Detroit is hungrier. I heard the fans at Comerica Park going crazy on every pitch the other night against the Astros, and fan support will constitute the 10th player on the field for the team for the rest of the season.
(4) Detroit is managing around injuries very well, platooning Pudge Rodriguez and others as they need to. The Sox have had a few hit the disabled list, but manager Guillen’s abilities to shuffle a lineup card may not be as sharp as Jim Leyland’s.
(5) The White Sox believe they’ll continue to beat Detroit, head to head, as they’ve been able to do this year, to date. I don’t see that lasting, because Detroit has to find its confidence building as they start pulling away in July, and any mystique the Sox have will have rubbed off by that point.
And of course, the Wild Card championship is not a lock. The Yankees are going to be in the race. They’re managing very well to be in second place in both the Eastern Division of the American League, and in the Wild Card race, given their injuries.
If they make a solid trade or two, or get some of their personnel back for August or September, they’re going to be tough competition for the Sox.
Stay tuned for more predictions!
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the best-selling author of 12 books, over 600 articles, and the creator of numerous audio and video training programs, including "The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable," published by Nightingale-Conant-a favorite among salespeople and entrepreneurs. For information about booking Gary to speak at your next sales, customer service or management meeting, conference or convention, please address your inquiry to: gary@customersatisfaction.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Gary_S._Goodman |
Comments on this article