Season previews have been a popular staple here on Batter's Box for the past several years, and given that it's March 20, some Bauxites are starting to ask, "Hey, where the *&^% are the team-by-team season previews?"
Well, we're doing things a little differently this year, but it all starts on Monday. And we come to you now with an invitation to help. Updated (again) 3/30.
Rather than doing 30 separate team previews, we will offer divisional previews for the "other five" big league divisions, then roll into team previews for every squad in the American League East, concluding with our traditional three-part breakdown of the hometown favorites and a 2009 post-season awards prediction contest.
Now, speaking of predictions, we noticed last year that among the nine or 10 of us who wrote previews, we projected something like twenty-six playoff teams (okay, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea) ... so this year, instead of a breakdown and preview/projection of each division or team, we will be presenting a series of "Key Questions About ..." So you might see headlines like "10 Key Questions About the NL West" or "Nine Key Questions About the Boston Red Sox." (As tempting as it might be, you will NOT see the headline "$400M Key Questions About the New York Yankees" ...)
At which point, we will turn the blogwaves over to you, reader-Bauxites, to give answers to those questions proffered. First, though, you are also invited to make suggestions about what questions should be asked ... just click the name of the previewer(s) below and send them your thoughts and demands. (Legal note: "demands" must be worded politely or risk being ignored or deleted.)
Here's the working schedule. Let's have fun with this 14-part discussion, everyone!
- March 20: Previewing the Preview Schedule - mickwrites@hotmail.com
- March 23: Key Questions About the 2009 NL West - john@northeyfamily.com & dave.rutt@gmail.com
- March 24: Key Questions About the 2009 NL Central - marchulet@gmail.com & tbj1992@hotmail.com
- March 26: Key Questions About the 2009 NL East - a.obal87@gmail.com & bradenhunt@gmail.com
- March 27: Key Questions About the 2009 AL West - melmslie@gmail.com & thomas.ayers@gmail.com
- March 28: Key Questions About the 2009 AL Central - gwyn@gwynprice.com & anders.whist@gmail.com
- March 30: Key Questions About the New York Yankees - mickwrites@hotmail.com
- March 31: Key Questions About the Baltimore Orioles - bradenhunt@gmail.com
- April 1: Key Questions About the Boston Red Sox - marchulet@gmail.com
- April 2: Key Questions About the Tampa Bay Rays - gwyn@gwynprice.com
- April 3: Key Questions About the Toronto Blue Jays - dfmcilroy@battersbox.ca
- April 4: Blue Jays Preview: The Offense - dfmcilroy@battersbox.ca
- April 5: Blue Jays Preview: The Defense & Pitching - melmslie@gmail.com
- April 6: Awards Predictions Thread - mickwrites@hotmail.com
- April 7: Blue Jays Preview: The Minor Leagues - mcdogerry@gmail.com & marchulet@gmail.com