Scouting Reports
Sad but true: Not every team is doing all that it can to win.
Blame clueless management, lack of playing talent, insufficient
funds, weakness of will. Because of all this--and the arrival of
the wild card--the traditional divisions have become a joke. The
Braves, a lock in the NL East, are more concerned with potential
World Series foes like the Indians and the Yankees than division
rivals. The Mets, hoping for a wild-card slot at best, are more
likely to worry about the Astros or the Rockies than the
unbeatable Braves. We've redefined the divisions, the better to
reflect baseball reality.
TANNED, FOCUSED AND LOADED
Atlanta Braves
New York Yankees
Baltimore Orioles
Cleveland Indians
Los Angeles Dodgers
St. Louis Cardinals
Seattle Mariners
CLOSE BUT NO CIGARS
Colorado Rockies
Toronto Blue Jays
Anaheim Angels
Houston Astros
San Diego Padres
New York Mets
San Francisco Giants
RIGHT ROSTER, WRONG DIVISION
Boston Red Sox
TALENT CHALLENGED
Texas Rangers
Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers
Arizona Diamondbacks
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Pittsburgh Pirates
CLUELESS
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Kansas City Royals
NOT EVEN TRYING
Chicago White Sox
Florida Marlins
Montreal Expos
Minnesota Twins
Oakland Athletics
TOM VERDUCCI'S PICKS (for traditionalists)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
EAST
1. YANKEES
2. ORIOLES*
3. RED SOX
4. BLUE JAYS
5. DEVIL RAYS
CENTRAL
1. INDIANS
2. WHITE SOX
3. TIGERS
4. ROYALS
5. TWINS
WEST
1. MARINERS
2. ANGELS
3. RANGERS
4. ATHLETICS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
EAST
1. BRAVES
2. METS
3. EXPOS
4. MARLINS
5. PHILLIES
CENTRAL
1. CARDINALS
2. ASTROS
3. BREWERS
4. CUBS
5. PIRATES
6. REDS
WEST
1. DODGERS
2. PADRES*
3. ROCKIES
4. GIANTS
5. DIAMONDBACKS
* Wild-card qualifier.
DIVISION SERIES
Indians over Orioles
Yankees over Mariners
Braves over Padres
Dodgers over Cardinals
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Indians over Yankees
Braves over Dodgers
WORLD SERIES
Indians over Braves
B/W PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK CARDILLICCHIO EYES ON THE PRIZERangers first baseman Will Clark, a man of legendary intensity, believes Texas has what it takes to make the playoffs. We don't. [Will Clark's eyes]