You’re welcome, you’re welcome, you’re welcome. Yes, we have reached Major League Baseball’s mid-season All-Star Game break and you checked out my picks to click that I so generously gave you without charge on April 4. And you’re ecstatic! My prediction of a Cubs-Indians World Series is looking great. And your wager with the Vegas future book promises to make you as rich as Trump! Don’t mention it.
I suppose if I were forced to list my many virtues, modesty would be on top. That said, I feel the need to resurrect my pre-season picks—not to gloat-- but to point out how truly astoundingly accurate they are. Bold Face indicates they are currently in the exact same place in the standings as I predicted they would be at season’s end.
Note that I have picked five of the six division leaders correctly; and the American League East is a wide-open affair and may still go to the Red Sox. Note also that I have placed all five teams in the National League East in their exact order; and not a bad job calling the National League Central, either. (Some of you captious fans will point out that I fudged with boldfacing the Cleveland Indians; they are picked second, not first in the spring analysis. Yes, but they are boldfaced because they are picked as the first Wild Card team in the AL and to face the Cubs in the World Series. Fair enough?
Anent that World Series.... I told you this spring I couldn’t pick a winner between two habitual losers. Told you to flip a coin. Well, in the wake of the Cleveland Cavaliers upset of the Warriors, and wearing my Chief Wahoo cap as I write this, my powers of prophecy have returned. I’m picking the Tribe in six. You should hedge your bets accordingly.
Penultimately, you Angel fans who heaped all sorts of hurtful abuse on me for picking your Haloes third, I’m awaiting your apologies. Check the standings and tell me how kind I was for starters.
Finally, no doubt you will be wondering as you load up your Brinks rental with Vegas swag at season’s end how I fared, monetarily speaking. Well, that’s a sad and complicated story, and has one of three answers possible:
- Zero. Gambling is against my religion.
- Nada. I’ve taken a lifetime vow of poverty.
- Zilch. My short-term memory failed me and I forgot to go to Vegas and place my pre-season bets.
Which is it? I can’t remember. But I’ve been fair and balanced with you. You decide.