Predictions: Globe & Mail, Yahoo, Rosenthal

Here are the picks from the two Globe and Mail writers. I could not find an online version, but this was in today's paper:

              Jeff Blair     Robert MacLeod
AL East       Rays           Red Sox
              Red Sox (wc)   Yankees (wc)
              Yankees        Rays
              Blue Jays      Blue Jays
              Orioles        Orioles
 
AL Central    Cleveland      Cleveland
AL West       Angels         Angels
NL East       Phillies       Phillies
NL Central    Cubs           Cubs
NL West       Dodgers        Dodgers
NL WC         Marlins        Reds
 
AL Pennant    Red Sox        Red Sox
NL Pennant    Cubs           Cubs
World Series  Red Sox        Cubs
  
AL MVP        Sizemore       Teixeira
AL Cy Young   Lester         Lester
Best AVG      Pedroia        Pedroia
RBI Leader    Teixeira       Teixeira
AL Wins       Lester         Matsuzaka
ERA           Sabathia       Halladay
Strikeouts    Burnett        Sabathia
Saves         Papelbon       Papelbon

***

Richard Griffin, Toronto Star:

The Jays and O's are stuck in the AL East with three superior teams, likely putting the division title and wild card out of reach.

Yes, likely.

***

Yahoo (Tim Brown, Jeff Passan, Gordon Edes and Steve Henson):

     Brown      Passan     Edes       Henson
AL E Rays 96    Red Sox 94 Red Sox 95 Red Sox 96
     Red Sox 95 Rays 92    Rays 94    Rays 95
     Yankees 87 Yankees 89 Yankees 92 Yankees 90
  
AL C Cleveland  Cleveland  Cleveland  Twins
AL W Angels     Rangers    A's        Angels
  
NL E Phillies   Mets       Mets       Phillies
NL C Cubs       Cubs       Cubs       Cubs
NL W Dodgers    Dodgers    Dodgers    D'Backs
 
AL   Red Sox    Red Sox    Red Sox    Red Sox
NL   Cubs       Dodgers    Mets       D'Backs
WS   Cubs       Red Sox    Red Sox    Red Sox

Jonathan Lee, AccuScore analyst (Yahoo):

AccuScore uses past player performance statistics to describe how players perform under different environmental, match-up, and game situation conditions. Using projected starting lineups AccuScore simulates each game of the 2009 Season one at-bat at a time. By repeating the simulation 10,000 to 20,000 times per game AccuScore calculates the precise probability each team has of winning each game, winning their division, making the playoffs, advancing in the playoffs and winning the World Series.

                 WIN    DIV    MAKE   WIN    WIN
           W  L  DIV    OR WC  ALCS   ALCS   WS  
Red Sox   95 67  32.2%  46.5%  28.0%  19.5%  13.1% 
Rays      93 69  28.1%  42.6%  24.7%  16.5%  10.6% 
Yankees   91 71  25.4%  40.8%  21.9%  14.5%   9.1% 
Blue Jays 80 82  11.5%  22.4%   9.6%   5.3%   2.4% 
Orioles   68 94   2.8%   6.5%   1.8%   0.5%   0.1%

***

Ken Rosenthal, MSN/Fox:

AL East
Rays
Red Sox (WC)
Yankees
Blue Jays
Orioles 
  
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Angels
ALDS: Rays over Twins / Red Sox over Angels
ALCS: Rays over Red Sox
  
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Dodgers
NL WC: Mets
NLDS: Phillies over Dodgers / Cubs over Mets
NLCS: Phillies over Cubs
  
World Series: Rays over Phillies in 6

Red Sox: Too many physical questions to merit a full endorsement, but the depth of the pitching staff should ensure at least a wild card.

Yankees: As with the Red Sox, plenty of potential for age- and injury-related issues — and that's assuming A-Rod returns at 100 percent.

Rays: A lot went right last season, but not everything. The offense should be better, the defense remains outstanding and the pitching is deep and strong. For virtually every problem that may arise, the Rays have an answer.