Bold Predictions: Start of Summer

This is my first in the Bold Predictions segment, but I plan to do this occasionally.  I am definitely not going to get all of these right, but they're out there for you to chew on.  Some are kind of surprising, others not as much.

Personal Predictions:
-Ubaldo Jimenez, ERA (0.93) and Wins (11) leader of the NL, continues his dominance to win 20 games and win the Cy Young just like Zach Greinke did in surprising fashion in the AL last year.
-Josh Beckett, now injured and frustrated with a 7.29 ERA in eight starts, returns and becomes slightly effective although he never completely gets his stuff back.    He finishes with an ERA in the mid 4s. 
-Paul Konerko (17 HR) fades after the All-Star Break or possibly sooner, but still finishes with about 30 home runs. 
-Jose Bautista (18 HR) of the Jays does the same.
-Aramis Ramirez (.169 AVG, 22 RBI) who has been arguably the most disappointing hitter in the NL, recovers in the summer and catches fire in July.  He cools off at the end of the year, but finishes around .260 with 25 HR and 75 RBI.
-For the second time in three years, Miguel Cabrera leads the AL in HR and throws in a nice 125 or so RBI.
-Alex Rios (12 HR, 17 SB) continues resurrect his career with his 25-25 talent.

-Stephen Strasburg, the most overhyped big league prospect of all time, finishes 2010 with around 2.50 ERA after hitters make the adjustments to hit that 103 mph fastball.  He throws about 100 innings in the Nationals' rotation.

-Jason Heyward, another guy who had a lot of hype around him, gets 25 HR and 100 RBI.

I hope you're chewing that good.  Because at the All-Star Break, you might just look back and go, "How did he know that???"  Also, I'm introducing a new series call Wrap-Ups.  The two forms of the series are 'Road Trip Wrap-Up' and 'Homestand Wrap-Up'.  These will appear after each road trip and homestand and will go over some stats and review the games, including analysis and discussion.  Then, I'll get you set for the next opponents.  The first issue of 'Road Trip Wrap-Up' will appear after this current trip to Pittsburgh, Houston, and Milwaukee is over this Thursday.  Also, look forward to special coverage of the Crosstown Classic.

Team Predictions:
-The Rangers (30-26, 1st in AL West by .5 games), behind the continued hot hitting of surprising Vladimir Guerrero and regular Josh Hamilton, extend their lead in the division to at least three by the All-Star Break.  The Angels stay in the race, but finish near 85 wins as the Rangers win the division by at least five.
-The Rays (37-20, 1st in AL East by 2 games) lose their division lead to the Yankees although they continue to win all year and the Rays will be right there with them at the Break.
-The Red Sox (33-25, 3rd) stop getting so lucky with guys like Clay Buchholz and see a big gap in the division appear between them and the Yankees and Rays.
-Amazingly, the Blue Jays (33-25) hang in there and take 3rd while the Red Sox fade.
-The Braves (33-24, 1st in NL East by 2 games) keep winning with Troy Glaus' hot bat, putting the pressure on the Phillies.
-The Mets (30-27, 3rd) keep winning as well to pass the Phillies, in 2nd place by the All-Star Break.
-The Phillies (30-25, 2nd), who stop pitching when Roy Halladay isn't on and still can't hit, prove to everyone that they aren't the team 'that we thought they were.'
-I shouldn't do this, but the Cubs (25-31, 3rd in NL Central by 8 games) start winning a bit and pass up the Cardinals on their way down.  The Reds and Cubs battle it out beginning after the All-Star Break.
-For the first time since 2006, the Padres (33-23) and Dodgers (33-24) reunite a geographical rivalry as they fight for the NL West down the stretch.  The Rockies and DBacks hang around .500, but can't muster a big winning streak enough to catch up.