Phillies Opening Day is upon us, which means it's time to make the tough picks on expectations for the 2012 Phillies.
This is the time of year when fans debate how many games the Phillies will win and if they will return to the World Series for the first time since 2009. while baseball experts hunker down to make their picks.
VegasInsider.com lists the Phillies as co-favorites (along with the Tigers) as 6:1 to win the World Series.
But most people out there seem reluctant to pick the Phillies to win it all. Over at ESPN.com only four of about 50 experts polled picked the Phillies to win it all. At least former Phillies ace Curt Schilling is on the Phillies World Series bandwagon.
Most of the other pickers out there also seem reluctant to pick the aging Phils to win it all.
NBC10's John Clark: Phillies make the playoffs with 91 wins before falling short in the World Series.
NBC10's Tim Furlong: 93 wins and the wild card but they will lose to the Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series. “Pitching will keep them in games, but small ball is gonna be a tough transition for a squad used to relying on the long ball.”
NBC10's Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz: 100 wins and beating the Giants on the way to the World Series where the Phillies will lose to the Angels.
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Blogger BeerLeaguer: 92 wins and a loss to the Yankees in the World Series.
Blogger Crashburn Alley: 94 wins. "The playoffs are a crap shoot, maybe NLCS."
Philthy Stuff blogger Michelle O’Malley: 99 wins and a loss in the National League Championship Series.
Philthy Stuff blogger Dash Treyhorn: 94 wins and World Series champs. "I'm an optimist."
I guess that makes this blogger an optimist too (even though I see myself more as a realist). I see 97 wins, a division crown and a return to the World Series where the Phillies beat the Angels or Tigers in six games.
What do you think?
