Sluggers David Ortiz, left, and Manny Ramirez should once again give Red Sox fans a lot to smile about. (Ted S. Warren/Associated Press)

In CBCSports.ca's 2007 Major League Baseball preview, we declared that the defending American and National League champions — the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals — would fail to qualify for the post-season. We, of course, were right (though considering our pick of a Yankees-Mets World Series, we won't take a full bow).

While upheaval was all the rage a year ago (all six divisions crowned a new champion, and the Colorado Rockies — the Rockies! — won the NL before falling to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series), 2008 finds us yearning for a little continuity. That's why CBCSports.ca is predicting six of the eight teams that made the playoffs in '07 will repeat the feat this year.

So who will be playing deep into the fall, and who is headed for an early hibernation? All is revealed as we call the division champs and Wild Card winners in our '08 AL and NL previews.

THE PLAYOFF TEAMS

Boston Red Sox (AL East)
Key arrivals: 1B Sean Casey, RP Javier Lopez
Key departures: C Doug Mirabelli
What to like: The Red Sox are returning nearly the same roster that swept Colorado last fall to win Boston its second World Series title in four years. And, thanks to an infusion of young talent, they could be even better in '08. Right-hander Clay Buchholz and centre-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury enter this season with a scant 37 games of regular-season experience, but both proved their mettle down the stretch last year — Buchholz tossed a no-hitter on Sept. 1 in his second major-league start, and Ellsbury batted .360 in 11 playoff games.
What to sweat: 2004 playoff hero Curt Schilling (partially torn rotator cuff) is on the shelf until at least the all-star break, and 2007 ALCS MVP Josh Beckett (back spasms) starts the season on the disabled list. Third baseman Mike Lowell is unlikely to repeat last year's monster season (.324 batting average, 21 homers, 120 RBIs) that won him a new contract, but sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz figure to pick up the slack. Man-Ram (.296, 20, 88) appears healthier entering his own contract year, while Big Papi (.332, 35, 117) could boost his already gaudy numbers after getting his troublesome right knee repaired in the off-season. Scary.

Cleveland Indians (AL Central)
Key arrivals: INF Jamey Carroll, RP Masa Kobayashi, RP Jorge Julio
Key departures: OF Trot Nixon, OF Kenny Lofton
What to like: His future in Cleveland remains up in the air, but reigning AL Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia is still under contract for one more season. The massive lefty headlines a rotation that also includes fellow 19-game winner Fausto Carmona and cagey veterans Paul Byrd and Jake Westbrook. The staff should again enjoy solid support from a lineup paced by multi-tooled leadoff man Grady Sizemore and mashing DH Travis Hafner, who hit 24 homers and drove in 100 runs in an "off" year. If Hafner returns to form, the Indians, who were a win away from the World Series before blowing three straight games to Boston, could go all the way.
What to sweat: Closer Joe Borowski topped the AL with 45 saves in 2007, but with a bloated 5.07 ERA. If the wily veteran falters, lights-out setup man Rafael Bettancourt waits in the wings, with middlemen Rafael Perez, Jensen Lewis and Kobayashi — a Japanese import — there for support. A deep and capable bullpen will once again be a necessity as the Indians defend their division title against Detroit, which — unlike Cleveland — made major upgrades in the off-season.

Ace C.C. Sabathia will once again shoulder a big load for the Indians. (Tony Dejak/Associated Press)

Los Angeles Angels (AL West)
Key arrivals: OF Torii Hunter, SP Jon Garland
Key departures: SS Orlando Cabrera
What to like: New general manager Tony Reagins bolstered the AL's fourth-highest scoring offence by inking Hunter to a five-year, $90-million free-agent deal. The seven-time (and counting) Gold Glove winner smacked 28 homers and stole 18 bases last year for Minnesota. Reagins also took a gamble by swapping starting shortstop Cabrera for so-so righty Garland. The ex-White Sox starter has a 4.41 career ERA, but he's a two-time 18-game winner who has logged at least 208 innings in each of the last four seasons, so he should at least provide a steady presence behind ace John Lackey.
What to sweat: Starting shortstop candidate Erick Aybar may be sure-handed in the field, but he'll have to up his .274 OBP in 234 big-league at-bats. The Angels' power-starved lineup (12th in the AL with 123 homers) must also hope that Vladimir Guerrero stays healthy. The batting-glove-hating, pine-tar-loving slugger smacked 27 taters last year — the only Angel to go yard more than 18 times — but is still bothered by a sore elbow that limited him to DH duties in last year's Division Series loss to Boston. Meanwhile, the rotation could be without 18-game winner Kelvim Escobar, who appears very likely to miss the season with a tear in his throwing shoulder.

New York Yankees (Wild Card)
Key arrivals: Manager Joe Girardi, RP LaTroy Hawkins
Key departures: Manager Joe Torre, SP Roger Clemens
What to like: Hitting, hitting and more hitting. Led by AL MVP Alex Rodriguez and his ridiculous line of 54 homers, 156 RBIs and .422 on-base percentage, the Bronx Bombers torched opponents for 968 runs last season — 76 more than anyone else in baseball. Expect more of the same fireworks this year from a roster that also features .300 hitters Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada. New bench boss Girardi takes over a pitching staff blessed with a mix of promising youngsters (reliever Joba Chamberlain; starters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy) and seasoned veterans (closer Mariano Rivera; starters Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte).
What to sweat: Other than the repeated questions about what Clemens may or may not have injected? A lot of eyes will be on Girardi, who takes over for four-time World Series champion Torre, now with the Dodgers. But Girardi is an ex-manager of the year with Florida, and besides, how hard can it be to fill in the Yanks' lineup card? Actually, that could depend on the health of an aging batting order (seven players over 30).

WORTH WATCHING

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers made the biggest splash of the hotstove season with their blockbuster trade with the Marlins that netted slugging third baseman Miguel Cabrera and exciting lefty Dontrelle Willis in exchange for a king's ransom of prospects. Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski also upgraded his shortstop position by dealing for Atlanta's Edgar Renteria. If the new guys live up to their considerable hype, the Tigers will challenge Cleveland for the AL Central title.

Tampa Bay Rays: The fine minds at Baseball Prospectus project the Rays (the team shed the "Devil" over the off-season) will win 88 games in 2008. That may seem overly optimistic for a club that hasn't won more than 70 in its 10-year history, including 66 last season to finish last in the AL East. But after years of picking near the top of the draft, Tampa is chalk-full of ripening offensive talents like B.J. Upton, 23, and 22-year-old Evan Longoria (the latter will begin in the minors but figures to be called up quickly). And with Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Matt Garza (all in their mid-20s) taking the mound, the top of the Rays' rotation may be the best in the division.

Toronto Blue Jays: Despite an Opening Day payroll that's risen from $46 million in 2005 to $82 million in 2007, the Jays can't seem to reach the AL East penthouse perennially occupied by wealthier tenants Boston and New York. Toronto is expecting bounce-back years from high-paid slugger Vernon Wells and surgery-repaired closer B.J. Ryan, and strong contributions from St. Louis imports Scott Rolen (third base) and David Eckstein (shortstop). But with basement-dwelling Tampa on the rise, the Jays could be headed down the division pecking order.

POST-SEASON PREDICTIONS

AL Division Series: Red Sox over Angels; Yankees over Indians
AL Championship Series: Red Sox over Yankees
World Series: Red Sox over Cubs