The 2008 Major League Baseball season is underway and what better way to kick it off than to humbly offer predictions for the upcoming season and play the first ever RealGM Name Game. This article is the second of two parts of the inaugural edition of the Name Game, and this version will highlight the names to take notice of for the American League this season. The National League Name Game. debuted on RealGM on Wednesday, March 26, 2008. As stated in the first part of this piece, the Name Game is a team-by-team breakdown that selects the Newcomer to Watch, the Most Overrated Player, the Most Underrated Player, the Best Player Name on the Roster, and the Depth Chart Anomaly. Each category is pretty straight forward, and the Depth Chart Anomaly is, as Webster?s Dictionary would define it, ?an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, (relating to a Major League roster).? As there have been questions also surrounding the ?Best Player Name on Roster? category, it?s basically a representation of the name most fun to say on each squad. Without further adieu, I present to you my 2008 American League predictions and Name Game. American League Playoff Teams AL East Champ: Boston Red Sox AL Central Champ: Detroit Tigers AL West Champ: Seattle Mariners AL Wild Card: Cleveland Indians American League Championship Series Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox 2008 World Series Detroit Tigers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks 2008 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers American League MVP David Ortiz, BOS American League Cy Young Justin Verlander, DET American League Rookie of Year Adam Jones, BAL American League Manager of Year John McLaren, SEA Team-by-team Name Game Baltimore Orioles Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Adam Jones, CF Most Overrated Player: Melvin Mora, 3B Most Underrated Player: Daniel Cabrera, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Rocky Cherry, RP Depth Chart Anomaly: This team is expected to win 50-60 games, yet has veterans Jay Payton and Jay Gibbons riding the pine while Jeremy Guthrie is their ace. Boston Red Sox Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Sean Casey, 1B Most Overrated Player: Jason Varitek, C Most Underrated Player: Mike Timlin, RP Best Player Name on Roster: Coco Crisp, CF Depth Chart Anomaly: The absence of Doug Mirabelli. How long will the ancient knuckleballer Tim Wakefield tolerate world records for passed balls before Theo Epstein is forced to lure Mirabelli back to Fenway with a $6M deal? Chicago White Sox Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Nick Swisher, CF Most Overrated Player: A.J. Pierzynski, C Most Underrated Player: Orlando Cabrera, SS Best Player Name on Roster: (tie) Boone Logan, RP, and Donny Lucy, C Depth Chart Anomaly: Why is Joe Crede still on the roster with Josh Fields waiting in the wings and Javier Vazquez penciled in at number-two starter? Cleveland Indians Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Masa Kobayashi, RP Most Overrated Player: Jhonny Peralta, SS Most Underrated Player: Rafael Betancourt, RP Best Player Name on Roster: Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B Depth Chart Anomaly: How much longer will Cleveland let Casey Blake stay at 3B while super prospect Andy Marte sits behind him? Detroit Tigers Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Dontrelle Willis, SP Most Overrated Player: Joel Zumaya, RP Most Underrated Player: Nate Robertson, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Placido Polanco, 2B Depth Chart Anomaly: The Tigers are the only MLB team (maybe in history) with more left-handed pitchers in the starting rotation (3) than they have left-handed hitters in their entire roster of everyday players (2). Kansas City Royals Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Jose Guillen, RF Most Overrated Player: Alex Gordon, 3B Most Underrated Player: Tony Pena Jr., SS Best Player Name on Roster: Jimmy Gobble, RP Depth Chart Anomaly: I couldn?t help but notice the glaring hole on the Kansas City 60-day DL when I realized that Mike Sweeney has been discarded after THIRTEEN YEARS in Kansas City?yes, since 1995?and has now found himself a home in Oakland. Over/under on games before he is out for the year is set at 7. Los Angeles Angels Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Torii Hunter, CF Most Overrated Player: Jon Garland, SP Most Underrated Player: Jered Weaver, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Reggie Willits, OF Depth Chart Anomaly: This must be the most expensive four-man OF rotation in history ? Vladimir Guerrero, Garrett Anderson, Torii Hunter, and Gary Matthews Jr. will combine to make approximately $55M this season. Minnesota Twins Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Livan Hernandez, SP Most Overrated Player: Justin Morneau, 1B Most Underrated Player: Pat Neshek, RP Best Player Name on Roster: Boof Bonser, SP Depth Chart Anomaly: If anyone in the infield gets hurt, its basically up to Craig Monroe to pick up the slack. Same goes for Nick Punto in the infield. New York Yankees Favorite Newcomer to Watch: LaTroy Hawkins, RP Most Overrated Player: Jason Giambi, 1B/DH Most Underrated Player: Robinson Cano, 2B Best Player Name on Roster: Melky Cabrera, CF Depth Chart Anomaly: Is it weird that the Yankees currently list Morgan Ensberg as their fifth string 1B? Or is it weirder that Johnny Damon is the fourth string? Oakland Athletics Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Keith Foulke, RP Most Overrated Player: Bobby Crosby, SS Most Underrated Player: Jack Cust, LF/DH Best Player Name on Roster: Wes Bankston, 1B Depth Chart Anomaly: Is it a bit awkward that Keith Foulke is suiting up as a set-up man back in Oakland after totally peaking and eventually bottoming-out into complete obscurity in Boston? Where was he last season? Seattle Mariners Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Erik Bedard, SP Most Overrated Player: Adrian Beltre, 3B Most Underrated Player: Miguel Batista, SP Best Player Name on Roster: (tie) Wladimir Balentien, CF and Charlton Jimerson, RF Depth Chart Anomaly: Scanning the Mariner depth chart, there is one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb. Why is Jose Vidro their third-string 2B? He gets the good fortune of never having to play the field and be their new Edgar Martinez. Tampa Bay Rays Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Matt Garza, SP Most Overrated Player: Johnny Gomes, RF Most Underrated Player: James Shields, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Evan Longoria, 3B Depth Chart Anomaly: Following in the footsteps of former retirement pit-stops in Tampa Bay like Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, and Fred McGriff, the Rays have added veterans Troy Percival, Cliff Floyd, and Eric Hinske. If that isn?t enough to get you excited, how about the Rays potentially being the first to extend an offer to Barry Bonds. Come on?like you wouldn?t die to see Cliff Floyd and Barry Bonds battle it out for the starting DH spot? Texas Rangers Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Milton Bradley, RF Most Overrated Player: Hank Blalock, 3B Most Underrated Player: Kason Gabbard, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C Depth Chart Anomaly: Speaking of Best Name, where is Salty? You?re telling me that the Rangers traded Mark Teixeira, a man-beast who crushed 17 HRs and 56 RBIs in 54 games with Atlanta after the trade last year, a guy who hit 43 HRs and 144 RBIs in 2005, and a guy who averages?key word - averages?37 HRs and 120 RBIs per 162 games, for a guy who can?t make the Major League squad as a backup catcher to Gerald Laird??okay, just checking. Toronto Blue Jays Favorite Newcomer to Watch: Marco Scutaro, 3B Most Overrated Player: Lyle Overbay, 1B Most Underrated Player: Shaun Marcum, SP Best Player Name on Roster: Buck Coats, OF Depth Chart Anomaly: With Scott Rolen perpetually on the shelf, the Blue Jays infield of Lyle Overbay, Aaron Hill, David Eckstein, and Marco Scutaro will have difficulty getting on the scary rides at theme parks with their average height of 5-10 1/2. Agree? Disagree? Did I forget to mention someone? Please let me know! Jason M. Williams can be reached at [email protected] for questions or comments.