Test your prognostication skills in the 2004 Batter's Box Predictions Contest!
Last year's contest drew 39 entries and was miraculously won by yours truly.
The prize for winning this year's contest may or may not include one of the following:
- One of my old plaid flannel shirts with a crudely forged signature of Rob Neyer.
- A portrait of Peter Gammons.
- A mason jar of the corn liquor Jason Stark drank before writing his prediction for 2003 American League MVP.
During a wretched, week-long business trip to El Centro, California, I revised the point system so that a perfect score is 100 points.
CATEGORIES (100 points possible):
1 point for each team's place within a division (30 points possible)
2 extra points for division winner (12)
1 extra point for team in each league with fewest wins (2)
2 points for each wild card (4)
4 points for each pennant winner (8)
8 points for World Series winner (8)
5 points for each MVP (10)
5 points for each Cy Young winner (10)
5 points for each Rookie of the Year (10)
3 points for each Manager of the Year (6)
(Half credit will be awarded for ties in places or voting.)
TIEBREAKER:
How many innings will Roy Halladay pitch this year?
My picks:
WORLD SERIES CHAMP: New York
AL PENNANT: New York
AL EAST: New York, Boston, Toronto, Baltimore, Tampa Bay
AL CENTRAL: Kansas City, Chicago, Minnesota, Cleveland, Detroit
AL WEST: Oakland, Seattle, Anaheim, Texas
AL WILD CARD: Boston
AL FEWEST WINS: Detroit
NL PENNANT: Philadelphia
NL EAST: Philadelphia, Atlanta, Montreal, Florida, New York
NL CENTRAL: Houston, Chicago, St Louis, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh
NL WEST: Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Colorado
NL WILD CARD: Chicago
NL FEWEST WINS: Pittsburgh
AL MVP: Carlos Beltran
NL MVP: Jim Thome
AL CY YOUNG: Pedro Martinez
NL CY YOUNG: Randy Johnson
AL ROY: Bobby Crosby
NL ROY: Kazuo Matsui
AL MANAGER: Terry Francona
NL MANAGER: Jimy Williams
TIEBREAKER: 225.0 innings
THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1:00PM EDT. Please make my life easier by placing the categories in the order listed above. And perhaps I'll come up with a real prize. Good luck!
