Projections, projections everywhere

If it is too early to predict March's madness, then it is waaaay too early to be putting W's and L's on Major League Baseball teams, right?

Well, maybe not.

Replacement Level already has some projections for the 2009 MLB season, highlighted by the New York Yankees winning 101.7 games with a 95.5 percent chance of making the playoffs.

Sure, the Yanks have single-handedly stimulated the economy by going all PacMan Jones over CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett, but I doubt this projection system has taken into consideration the following variables:

• Chances Sabathia injures his hamstring chasing down the last donut at the buffet table.
• The odds Burnett injures his arm as he poses for a picture with the winner of the Erin Andrews look-a-like contest.
• The possibility A-Rod disappears thanks in part to a soul-searching religious outing with Madonna.
• The very distinct possibility that Derek Jeter gets John Tucker'd by Jessica Biel, Minka Kelly, Mariah Carey and every other woman he has be known or rumored to have been with.

Other noteworthy questionable projections:

• The Cubs to win 91 games, despite not knowing how many times Milton Bradley and Carlos Zambrano will throw down a mid-game skirmish.
• The White Sox losing 90 games, even though the South Siders won the AL Central last year.
• Winning the NL West are the Colorado Rockies, who lost the face of their franchise and best offensive force.
• AL West champ LA of A is projected to finish 80-82, which should automatically eliminate them from playoff contention.
• As for 2009's World Series participants, 88 wins apiece for the Phils and Rays.
  

Wake me up when pitchers and catchers report. Until then, I'm going back to baseball hibernation.

Extremely Early Projected Standings [Replacement Level]