Playboy Magazine Taps Cleveland Indians to Win AL Central Division & Head to the World Series

It's been a strange start to the 2009 baseball season for the Cleveland Indians, who opened the year at 0-5 but then recently went on to crush the New York Yankees 22-4 on the road. It's hard to say how they'll play this year, but Playboy Magazine has made their prediction. In the "2009 Baseball Preview" article which is featured in the May edition of the magazine, Hall of Fame sportswriter Tracy Ringolsby predicts that the Indians will not only win the American League Central Division, but also the AL Championship.

So just who would the Tribe face in the World Series? Ringolsby is betting on the Chicago Cubs, who he predicts will ultimately take home the trophy.

While it'd be great for fans of both teams, with a multitude of options for transportation between the two cities for die-hard fans wanting to catch games at both Progressive Field and Wrigley Field, the rest of the world would do good to hold their breath. Such a match up would truly be a sign of the Apocalypse, with neither teaming having won a World Series title in decades (101 years for the Cubs, 61 years for the Indians).

Here are Playboys 2009 MLB predictions:

AL East: New York Yankees
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox
AL Champs: Cleveland Indians

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card: New York Mets
NL Champs: Chicago Cubs

World Champions: Chicago Cubs