Red Sox and Cubs

In the AL I gotta go with Boston. Papelbon is probably the best closer in the game today, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, and Javier Lopez all stepped up big time at different parts in the season last year. Julian Tavarez and Mike Timlin are getting older but are still tough workhorses you can run out there every few days. After Boston, I like Cleveland or Minnesota in the AL. Minnesota has had one of the top bullpens each of the past three years, and Cleveland has a tough duo with Borowski and Rafael Betancourt at the end of games. In the NL I like the Cubbies. Eventhough they do not have a clear favorite to take over the closer role after Dempster lost the job, it will probably be Bobby Howry, Carlos Marmol, or Kerry Wood. Howry throws fire and Marmol is a young talent with great upside. If Kerry Wood can stay away from injury he still has nasty stuff as well. Michael Wuertz and Scott Eyre are two quality middle relievers to compliment the late inning guys. After Chicago, the Padres and Dodgers have some impressive bullpens. In San Diego, the bullpen is full of youthful arms besides their closer Hoffman, and the Dodgers have quality young arms in their pen too, with Joe Beimel, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito.

hard to argue with AndyRay

I don't think the Sox will end up with the best, but they certainly seem tops in preseason and on paper right now.
- Freddie Footballer

Boston is the favorite

i can't argue witht that. I would put the Dodgers at #2 simply because of what they've done in the past and the arrival of Torre. he's great at managing the pen and I'm sure the Dodgers RP's will get a boost from him just being there. -bB

Angels

Pretty solid over there with K-rod in the closing role...90 strike outs in 67ip. Pretty good set up guys in Spier and Shields and a lefty specialist in Darren Oliver. Pretty good overall pitching situation for this al team I'd say. That said, I love my Bosox for this prize. Who can argue with the stats of the Wild Thing?? Pair him with our surprise phenom lefty Okie Dokie...have you ever seen a sexier duo?? That bullpen is just padded with possibilities...and the intelligence of bp coach Gary Tuck...reasons that Pap only had to pitch 58 innings last year...