And I say to you today…There’s hope.

I am not merely giddy after NJIT ended a 51-game losing streak. I am not merely giddy after yesterday’s melancholy. I can see a developing scenario where 85 wins can take down the NL Central again. Is this merely something that I am trying to propagandize a chance for the Brewers to win post CC? No.

But let’s tell it like this. It probably will not take a Mister Smarty Mans to say that Ryan Dempster is not going to have another year like last year. Through his history, he was a pitcher whose command made certain that his numbers never matched his potential game.

Yet, why is he a reason for hope within the NL Central? Simple. Tim Dierkes listed every starter who had thrown more than 3400 pitches last year. Only one was a closer to starter as a transition. This does not bode well for the Cubbies.

Their top three are Carlos Zambrano (who’s averaged 3400 pitches for the last 4 years), Dempster (obvious reasons above), Rich Harden (pitched 148 IP last year, a high since 2004, may already have a tear in his rotator cuff). So you know what that means?

1. There is a very strong chance that Ted Lilly may be your ace.
-And that means you have Ted Lilly as your ace.

2. Garrett Olson is an important starter.
-And he is merely an Ed Yarnall simalcrum. 6.65 ERA last season, and that’s in 26 starts.

3. Your fifth starter in the rotation may not exist.
-Mitch Atkins? That seems like a guy that MLB 09 inventented to fill out the Iowa roster.

I still do not say that this is a clinched win for the Brewers, the Cardinals get everything from their talent. And hell, the Cubs may have gone crazy with the attributes for their create-a-pitcher. It is what it is.

It is just that there is no guarantees in this world.

Now if I knew what it cost to get Gerald Laird?

If I was your Milwaukee Brewers? I would have offered a package of something similar. Or not. I do think he’s an upgrade over Kendall, and with a putatively better staff in Detroit? His defense will upgrade even if his offense falls off.

Which it may not. His road splits were actually better away from Arlington?

I KNOW RIGHT?

But for a Manny Parra type who hasn’t reached AAA and a dude in the Dominican Summer League? Laird could be a steal for the Dizzle.

Tampa Bay will win this series.

Really. I’m not going to say that because I hate Philly. Because the Phillies can suck it. Brewers for life if you wheel. But let’s be honest. Am I being too hopeful?

Maybe. Because look at it objectively. Jimmy Rollins? Better than Jason Bartlett. Chase Utley? Better than Akinori Iwamura. By far. The 8th and 9th innings? The Phillies can be scary if they have the lead.

Break it down by position?
C: Navarro vs. Costruiz: Advantage Rays.
1B: Pena vs. Howard: Advantage Push.
2B: Iwamura vs. Utley: Big Advantage Phillies.
SS: Bartlett vs. Rollins: Big Advantage Phillies.
3B: Longoria vs. Dobbs/Feliz: Big advantage Rays.
OF: Crawford/Upton/Gross vs. Burell/Victorino/Werth: Advantage Phillies.
Offensive Bench: Floyd/Hinske/Aybar/Zobrist vs. Jenkins/Coste/Dobbs/Stairs: Advantage Rays

Starters:
Hamel beats Kazmir
Shields kicks Myers’ ass.
Garza beats Moyer
Sonnanstine holds off Blanton

Middle Relievers:
Balfour destroys Condrey
Howell beats Romero
Miller gets bounced by Durbin

Late innings:
David Price is Ryan Madson’s X-Factor. Advantage Push.
Brad Lidge destroys Dan Wheeler.

So what does this all mean?

Your Tampa Bay Rays take it down in six. If the starters hold up.

GITS of the NFL.

Now I know that some of you are gonna say that I’m being mean by calling people Gits. But you know what? It’s an acronym.

GIT= Grant in training, as in Ryan. As in the sleeper emergent from nowhere from last season. And there are rules to this game.

1) The situation has to be unsettled. You can’t have injuries bring someone to the forefront. Sure, Michael Robinson could be a sleeper, however he’s not going to get a chance without disaster striking. There can be a clear-cut #1, but he has to be able to lose his job due to injury or incompetence.

2) No college pedigree. You can generate stats, but a man of Steve Slaton or Michael Bush’s hype cannot be a Grant in training.

3) They have to be young. No mention of Stuttering Jesus in Chicago.

So? Who do we have, besides the obvious Marcus Thomas?

Baltimore: Marcus Mason Redskins fans know all about Marcus Mason. An ex-Illinois runner who runs hard and dominated the preseason. It may mean nothing. But with Willis McGahee’s wheel, Ray Rice’s college wear, and Cory Ross’ essential third down backery? Mase may get a shot at glory.

Cincinatti: DeDe Dorsey An undersized runner from an NAIA school, he has explosive run skills. And he will outplay Kenny Watson if he gets an opportunity. And Chris Perry is probably going to have a disgusting ankle injury.

Denver: Ryan Torian will be a Ryan Grant if only because he is injured and people will forget about him.

Detroit: Marcus Thomas’s explanation is over on Epic Carnival. Search it out.

Houston: Chris Taylor Kidding. He can’t handle a one-cut offense.

New York Giants: Danny Ware While the situation does seem pretty settled. Here’s the thing. Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward both get nicked up, and Ahmad Bradshaw is tiny. And they are probably going to trade Reuben Droughns. Danny has the run skills to take advantage of any opportunity when it comes. I believe in Danny Ware.

Seattle: Justin Forsett If he was a white guy, everybody would love him. Because he’s undersized without great tools. But he gets everything out of them. And being undersized doesn’t mean he couldn’t have a Domanack Davis run of being awesome. Their run-skills are similar. Scary similar.

So, there you go. Your deep sleepers. Your watch list. These may not be your American Heroes.

But they’re American Heroes in training.