Steamboat Pilot & Today

Luke Graham

Luke Graham's column appears periodically in the Steamboat Today. Contact him at 970-871-4229 or lgraham@SteamboatToday.com.

Find more columns by Luke here.

Last year included probably the most exciting baseball season of my life.

The season ranked right up there with 1998, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa went back-and-forth in search of the homerun record. I was at Coors Field when McGwire hit a homerun that year and remember watching batting practice and thinking it was one of the greatest displays of showmanship I had ever seen. I remember checking SportsCenter every night to see if McGwire or Sosa went deep. I remember sitting on a coffee table in my parents' living room when McGwire finally hit No. 62.

Last year was different but better.

It was indescribable to see the Colorado Rockies' run. The playoff-clinching game against San Diego will always be in my pantheon of five greatest sports moments ever. The way a team could go from the kid with no friends to the prom king runner-up in three months, was unbelievable.

Unfortunately, last year's over. Las Vegas currently has the Rockies over/under for wins at 83. Not sure how I feel about that number, but here are a few predictions I'm confident in:

A.L. Rookie of the Year

Evan Longoria - Tampa Bay

A number of players could win this award, but Longoria is best suited for a full season. He tore it up in college and the minors and should do so in the majors.

N.L. Rookie of the Year

Cameron Maybin - Florida

Maybin might be the most exciting young outfielder in the game. He'll definitely get his chances with the Marlins, as outside of Hanley Ramirez, Florida's devoid of a lot of proven talent.

A.L. MVP

Curtis Granderson - Detroit

Last year, Granderson hit 20 homeruns and had 20 triples, 20 doubles and 20 steals. With Detroit's lineup being one of the toughest in the game, Granderson will continue to flourish. Don't be surprised to see all those numbers reach 30.

N.L. MVP

David Wright - New York

The best hitter in the best National League lineup. Look for Wright to hit .330 with 40 homeruns and 120 RBI.

A.L. Cy Young

Justin Verlander - Detroit

The best young starter in the league. There's no doubt he'll get run support, so Verlander's the best bet in the American League to be a shoo-in for 20 wins.

N.L. Cy Young

Jake Peavy - San Diego

Peavy's the most consistent pitcher, has some of the best stuff and plays in the most pitcher-friendly ballpark in the game.

A.L. West Champion

Seattle

A.L. East Champion

Boston

A.L. Central Champion

Cleveland

A.L. Wild Card

Toronto

N.L. West Champion

Arizona

N.L. East Champion

Philadelphia

N.L. Central Champion

Chicago

N.L Wild Card

New York

A.L Championship Series

Boston def. Cleveland in six

N.L. Championship Series

Arizona def. Chicago in five

World Series

Arizona def. Boston in seven

You heard it here first.