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Expect the Unexpected During the MLB 2007 Season

The 2007 Major League Baseball season promises to be just as exciting as the 2006. Every team hopes to wind-up in the World Series. After the Detroit Tigers improbable run to the Series in 2006, it seems possible for any team to make it there in 2007.

The Detroit Tigers are led by a group of young pitchers including last years Rookie phenom Justin Verlander. Behind the plate the Tigers have perennial All-Star Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez and in the off season they traded with the New York Yankees for slugger Gary Sheffield. These players and many others give the Tigers a good chance of winning it all this year.

It seems that every year the New York Yankees are a favorite to win it all. With players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Johnny Damon wearing the New York Yankees jersey, it makes perfect sense that the Yanks are one of the favorites once again.

Other American League teams that seem to be primed to make a run at the World Series include: the Los Angeles Angels, the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays.

In the National League there seems to be 3 teams that are the favorites to make it to the World Series.

The “other” team in New York - the Mets - has their own wealth of talent. Players such as Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes will strap on the cleats and pull on the New York Mets jersey this season. These players make the Mets one of the favorites in the National League.

Last years World Series’ winner - the St. Louis Cardinals - is favored to make it back to the World Series this year as well. The Cards still have a wealth of talent on their team that should allow them to be successful all year. Among those wearing the Cardinals MLB jersey this year will be Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, Chris Carpenter, Scott Rolen, and last year’s World Series MVP David Eckstein.

The final team that is favored in the National League is the Chicago Cubs. Could this be the year that they break the streak of years without winning the Series? Could this be the year the Cubs break the so-called curse?

The Cubs certainly have a lot of talent this year. Wearing the Cubs’ jersey in 2007 will be Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Derek Lee, Carlos Zambrano, and Mark Prior. These players along with new Manager Lou Piniella have the Cubs’ future looking pretty bright.

The baseball season is a long and grueling ordeal for all the teams. It begins in the late spring snows and it ends in the late fall snows. In between are many weeks of grueling heat that the players must play through.

There are always teams that under-perform and teams that over-perform. Will there be a Detroit Tigers of 2006 in 2007? Will the Yankees live up to the hype and win it all? Will the Cubs finally bury the curse and win the World Series?

All of these questions will be answered as the 2007 Major League Baseball season unfolds.