Parody, Predictions and previews for the second half.

As I sit here and watch the Subway Series I can't help but think of all the parody that rattles Major League Baseball. Here is Oliver Perez -- the definition of inconsistency (5-5, 5.29 era) --who makes "only" six digits on his pay check is dominating a Yankee payroll which is tops in the league.

Chicago, Florida, and Tampa Bay all teams slated to finish near the cellar of the league are either in first or second in their respective divisions.

Seattle, Cleveland, and Colorado teams which were all supposed to be playing in October can't find their way out of the cellar.

Then there's Arizona who sits atop of the NL West even though they are 13-34 in their last forty-seven games.  

No team in the NL East will finish June with a record above .500, the Mets who sit two games below five hundred are only four games out of first place.

Just down the Subway tracks the Yankees are seven games above five hundred yet they trail AL East leading Boston by five games. 

All that being said I look back at my pre-season predictions and chuckle, and wallow in self-pity and then I remember there's still a whole lot more baseball left for teams to turn things around. And if they get a second chance well than so do I, so without further ado here they are the second half predictions for America's past time.

National League

EAST

NOW: Philadelphia Phillies; they finished 2007 off in a fashion unlike any other team in the history of the sport and that's where they started off their '08 campaign. They've been helped out by the Mets poor performance -- that and Chase Utley -- 23 hr, 65 RBI his June slump is sure to end soon, I see Philadelphia making a run but until their starting rotation improves they won't make it too far in October.

THEN: New York Mets; what else is there to say about this seasons Soap Opera team -- they're not very good. The Mets are 93-97 since last September and sit in 4th place in the NL East. The way things are going, we won't see the Mets in the playoffs come October.

CENTRAL

NOW: Chicago Cubs - the big leagues best team is on a roll and not going to stop until they end their 100 year drought without a World Series title. The Cubbies don't necessarily need to add a Rich Harden or C.C. Sabathia; but, with the red hot Brewers catching speed Chicago is sure to be active before the August 15 trade deadline.

THEN: Chicago Cubs win division and Milwaukee Brewers take the wild card - Back when I first jotted down these predictions I flipped a coin to see which team will win the division and who will settle for the Wild Card -- Cubs came out on top and that's where they stand -- nothing like a good ol' fashion coin toss to make a difficult decision. This time when I ask myself who will represent the NL in the World Series -- the coin landed on tails -- in Milwaukee's favor.

WEST

NOW: Arizona Diamondbacks - They started off hot but have been anything but since, 13-34 in their last forty-seven games the young D-Backs are letting their youth show. Arizona will need Dan Haren to win more on the road he's 1-4 when pitching away from home; and Brandon Webb who started off 9-0 is 3-4 in his last seven games, and has watched his era jump from 2.45 to 3.21. It's up to that lethal 1-2 punch to get the Diamondbacks back on track and into another post-season appearance.

THEN: Los Angels Dodgers- Maybe it was the nostalgic feeling that Joe Torre or I felt smart predicting youngsters such as James Loney and Matt Kemp would have breakout years while catcher Russell Martin would be an MVP candidate -- and while those players haven't been totally disappointing they haven't lived up to the hype around them. Trade rumors surrounding those young names in hopes to land an ace such as C.C. Sabathia or a number two or three pitcher in A.J. Burnett. Don't count the Dodgers out -- Joe Torre is known for his second half magic.

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

EAST

NOW: Tampa Bay Rays - Did you see this coming? Did anyone except the Tampa Rays see this coming? I don't think so; but, with their plethora of one run wins and dominating defense the Rays are here to stay.  Not to mention that the Yankees and Red Sox are taking them more seriously -- the young Rays have brawled with both perennial power houses. What really takes the cake however, is Hank Steinbrenner telling his Yankees " We need to play more like the Rays." The question now for the Rays, can the youngsters keep up the momentum in the second half?

Then: New York Yankees win division and Boston wins AL Wild Card - Things don't look too bright in da Bronx, when Ching Ming Wang went down in Houston the Yankees might have seen their season go down as well as their 13 straight post-season appearances. Boston holds a half game lead in the AL East and will be heading back to the playoffs to defend their title.

CENTRAL

NOW: Detroit Tigers - Did he really just pick the 40-40 Tigers? OK, so they're nowhere near the expectations everyone set for them before the season started, but that doesn't mean the Tigers are done fighting for their livelihood. They're the best team in the majors in the month of June with an 18-8 record. Only one team from the Central is going to make it to the playoffs and Detroit is rolling as of late. 8-2 in their last ten games and at .500 for the first time this season -- if Dontrelle Willis can find his stuff in single A ball the Tigers will be hard to take down in the second half.

THEN: Detroit Tigers - Granted I kept my pick the same but I also said they were my choice to finish with the best record in baseball -- not going to happen. Detroit has been a disappointment and if they can't find their grove or some help in the bullpen the AL Central will be Ozzie Guillen's high flying White Sox for the taking.

WEST

NOW: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of Orange County, United States of America - They may not be the best pitching staff but they are the deepest. Ervin Santana, John Lackey, Jon Garland, Jared Weaver, and Francisco Rodriguez have all been lights out as of recently and all a big part the Angels hold a 3.5 lead in the AL West. Don't look for the Angels to slow down anytime soon, they're deep in nearly every position and will have a chokehold on the west all the way to their first World Series  appearance since winning it all back in 2002.

Then: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of Orange County, United States of America - They were my pre-season favorite to go all the way and I'm going to keep it that way. Oakland has made a name for themselves with their young players and the emergence of Rich Harden as a number one ace -- if Harden makes a move before the trade deadline there willbe no one standing in the Angels way out west.

Post Season Predictions

Now Then

Phillies - East   Phillies - East

Cubs - Central           Cubs- Central

Diamondbacks - West Dodgers - West

Brewers - Wild Card    Brewers - Wild Card

Now Then

Rays - East Yankees - East

Tigers - Central Tigers - Central

Angels - West            Angels - West

Red Sox - Wild Card   Red Sox - Wild Card

Now Then

World Series: Brewers v. Angels Phillies v. Angels

World Champion: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of Orange County, United States of America in six games. 

If things go as planned they'll be hoisting the World Series trophy in Anaheim come October.

Sean Youngberg is a baseball analyst for ESPN Radio "1240 am The Boss"

He is the host of the weekly sports talk show "So You Think You Know Sports"

He is a staff writer for The Breeze whose works have also been published by several online publications including CBS Sports.