MLB 2009 – Part Two Predictions!

Today begins the second half of the 2009 Major League Baseball season. And, though I’ve watched all or part of most New York Yankees game this year – and have attended four games, with tickets for two more – there’s been surprisingly little Yankees commentary on this Blog.

Three games before the All Star Break (the unofficial mid-point of the season) the Yankees were tied with archrivals the Boston Red Sox (Boooo!) for first place in the American League Eastern Division.

Then, they lost three in a row to the seemingly superior Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (…Now REALLY! They’ve GOTTA do SOMETHING about that name!), and ended the first half three games out – followed by last year’s American League champions the Tampa Bay Rays at 6.5 games out.

However, the Yankees have a 2.5 game lead in the race for the American League Wild Card over the Texas Rangers and 3.5 over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Now considering that they’ve failed to best the Red Sox all year – and have managed precious few victories over the Angels – and somehow even managed to lose 2 out of 3 to the lowly Washington Nationals – the Yankees are in surprisingly good shape, as we start Part Two.

My prediction is that they will continue to flirt with first place (or “almost-first-place”) but fail to catch the Red Sox. I do believe they will take the Wild Card playoff spot, though.

As for the New York Mets, at 6.5 out, they will not catch the Philadelphia Phillies and – because there are too many superior contenders for the National League Wild Card – will sit out another post season.

In September, we’ll see just how right – or wrong – I turn out to be. See you then…