Five Deep Sleeper Teams for the ’09 MLB Season
I know this guy (I’ll stop short of calling him a friend but wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone if he called) that at the start of all the major sporting seasons will throw out his list of “sleeper teams” to watch out for.
What’s funny about this guy is that he knows if he’s wrong he’ll never be called out because hey, they were just sleeper teams anyways right? But if he’s right, well hell, he’ll look like some kind of sports sleeper team Nostradamus.
This is the same guy that’ll pick a No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 every year in the March Madness Tournament, so on the rare chance it happens he’ll have the opportunity to say that he called the upset of a lifetime. The funny thing is that he would have been wrong the previous 34 years of predicting 16’s over 1’s, but that would be beside the point.
Anyway, this piece is dedicated to him – the “Sleeper Team Guy.” For fans, there’s nothing like predicting a perennial loser (i.e. the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays) to rise from the ashes and make a postseason run no matter what sport it is. And with Opening Day right around the corner, I think it’s a perfect time to hand out some potential sleeper candidates of my own.
Below are five deep sleepers to make a postseason run this year in baseball. Most pundits assume that none of the five will finish better than third in their respective divisions, which is why I can get away with calling these teams “deep sleepers.” If any of them make the playoffs, I’ll wax poetically about it in my sleeper teams piece next year. If none even sniff a postseason berth, then in honor of “Sleeper Team Guy” don’t expect me to admit I was wrong. Yeah, that’s right – accountability is for losers.
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Posted in: MLB
Tags: 2009 MLB Predictions, 2009 MLB Preview, Aaron Rowand, Anthony Stalter, Bengie Molina, Brandon McCarthy, Cameron Maybin, Chris Davis, Cincinnati Reds, Coco Crisp, Dan Uggla, Dusty Baker, Edgar Renteria, Edinson Volquez, Edwin Encarnacion, Florida Marlins, Fred Lewis, Gaby Sanchez, Gil Meche, Hank Blalock, Hanley Ramirez, Homer Bailey, Ian Kinsler, Joey Votto, Johnny Cueto, Jorge Cantu, Jose Guillen, Josh Hamilton, Josh Johnson, Kansas City Royals, Kevin Frandsen, Matt Cain, Matt Harrison, Michael Young, Mike Jacobs, Pablo Sandoval, Randy Johnson, Randy Winn, San Francisco Giants, Sleeper Baseball Teams in 2009, Texas Rangers, Tim Lincecum, Travis Ishikawa, Vincente Padilla, Willy Taveras, Zach Greinke
