0303310292
DETROIT FREE PRESS
030331
Monday, March 31, 2003
METRO FINAL
2E
MITCH ALBOM; GENE GUIDI; JOHN LOWE; DREW SHARP, Free Press
sports writers
BASEBALL 2003 | FOR OPENERS. SPECIAL SECTION.
Copyright (c) 2003, Detroit Free Press
STAFF PICKS
MITCH ALBOM
AL Central:
1. Minnesota
2. Chicago
3. Cleveland
4. Detroit
5. Kansas City
AL East:
N.Y. Yankees
AL West:
Oakland
AL wild card:
Seattle
NL East:
Philadelphia
NL Central:
St. Louis
NL West:
Arizona
NL wild card:
Los Angeles
World Series:
Oakland over Arizona
On the Tigers:
Unless Kirk Gibson starts batting cleanup . . .
JOHN LOWE
AL Central:
1. Minnesota
2. Chicago
3. Cleveland
4. Detroit
5. Kansas City
AL East:
N.Y. Yankees
AL West:
Oakland
AL wild card:
Anaheim
NL East:
Atlanta
NL Central:
Houston
NL West:
Arizona
NL wild card:
St. Louis
World Series:
Houston over Oakland
On the Tigers:
They will have a pitching staff dominated by pitchers who haven't established
themselves in the majors. By going with such a young rotation, the Tigers risk
being too far behind in the early innings too often. Manager Alan Trammell's
many improvements could be washed away.
GENE GUIDI
AL Central:
1. Chicago
2. Minnesota
3. Cleveland
4. Detroit
5. Kansas City
AL East:
N.Y. Yankees
AL West:
Oakland
AL wild card:
Boston
NL East: Philadelphia NL Central: Houston
NL West:
Los Angeles
NL wild card:
Arizona
World Series:
Oakland over Los Angeles
On the Tigers:
Their success this season shouldn't be measured in wins and losses, but rather
by how many players are deemed keepers for the future. The Tigers won't lose
106 games again because the odds are heavily against such an embarrassment.
They can't be that bad -- can they?
DREW SHARP
AL Central:
1. Minnesota
2. Chicago
3. Kansas City
4. Cleveland
5. Detroit
AL East:
N.Y. Yankees
AL West:
Oakland
AL wild card:
Seattle
NL East:
Atlanta
NL Central:
St. Louis
NL West:
Arizona
NL wild card:
Houston
World Series:
Oakland over St. Louis
On the Tigers:
They will devote this year to finally hitting rock bottom. It won't be a
pretty sight. But if Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson keep the youngsters and
more importantly, the veterans, from growing discouraged or discontented come
June, then they've had a relatively successful first year.
THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED ARTICLE.
BASEBALL;RANKING;LIST;PREDICTION;TIGERS;ANALYSIS