MLB Predictions Thread

[Megatron]

I know that Spring Training has just gone underway, but we're entering March, which means that the greatest sport on earth is just around the corner. As such, it is time for our now annual predictions thread, where we'll predict things such as division orders, playoff teams, award winners, and other things. I'll try and get back to this at the end of the year, and the person with the most correct total predictions will get something from me (what that is, I have no clue. More then likely, just some nice rep or a nice message in my sig. But it's the THOUGHT that counts, people).

Now that I got all of the lame opening paragraph crap out of the way, I'm going to predict divison by division, before I give my final predictions a few days before Opening Day. So, without further adieu, time for my first division breakdown, which will be in the AL East.

AL East Standings
1. Boston
2. New York
3. Baltimore
4. Tampa Bay
5. Toronto

I think it's quite clear that this is THE most talented division in all of baseball. Boston and New York are always going to be featured at the top of the standings, and the other 3 could do well in any division that wasn't this. Such is life. The reason why I chose the Red Sox over their rival is simple, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford will have a field day with the Green Monster for 81 of their games. I could see Gonzalez going 40-40 (as in HR's-2Bs) because he was a monster in a terrible hitters field, Petco Park. The lineup 1-6 is just dangerous, Ellsbury, Pedroia, Crawford, Gonzalez, Ortiz, Youkilis will produce a great deal of runs. If there's a question, it will be if Beckett and Lackey can bounce back to their old selves and help out Lester and Buchholz, who provide a nice 1-2 punch. If they can, they can break 100 wins. If not, they may be fighting for a WC spot.

As for the Yankees, there hasn't been many changes from last year, but that might not neccesarily be a good thing. Why would you say that?, you might ask, but that's because they A) won't have Pettitte, who was a fine #2 behind Sabathia and B) have huge questions regarding pitching orders 3-5. Yes, Burnett will be a #3, but he was downright awful last year and if he puts up that type of performance again this year the Yankees won't make the postseason. Not only will there be questions about Burnett, but Freddy Garcia and their #5 starter (whomever that will be) as well. Their 8-9 bullpen with Soriano and Rivera should be one of baseballs best, but if their back end can't produce well, they will have their problems.

People may be wondering what I'm thinking putting Baltimore at #3 in the division, which is a big step up from where they have been lately. Yes, they were 66-96 last year, but let's not forget the last 50 or so games that Buck Showalter managed, the Orioles looked like a very good ballclub. They've had a few under the radar signings such as Vladimir Guerrero and Derek Lee, who'll give veteran leadership to a very young team. I think Jeremy Guthrie will have a breakout season as well, as he lowered his ERA half a run after Showalter came along, and went 7-3 in those last 11 starts. This team could make a run like the 08 Rays, but I think they may be a year away. Breaking .500, though, doesn't seem out of place.

Tampa, I feel, will feel the affects of playing in a small market that can't afford all of their key pieces. Yes, Price and Longoria, the faces of the team, are still there, but you can't tell me they'll lose Crawford, Garza, Pena (although he was quite bad last year) and all of their bullpen pieces and still pick up 95 wins. Yes, they have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball, but I don't see them striking gold two times in a matter of 3 years because this time people actually would see it coming. They may hang around until August, but their lack of depth in the bullpen and losing key veterans will cause them to fade away late.

As for Toronto, they could go anywhere from 3rd to 5th, but giving Shawn Marcum to Milwaukee and the overall talent of the other teams will hurt them. I see Jose Bautista regressing, slightly, not because of steroids, but because of a lack of protection around. This team would be fortunate to break .500, and I don't see it happening.

Coming up next, NL East.

 

[MVP12]

For me I have to go with

Boston
Baltimore
New York
Tampa Bay
Toronto

The Red Sox made too many improvements to not be considered number one. Adding Crawford, A-Gon, Jenks, Wheeler and some other good players just makes that team, amazing. Baltimore at number two because their record was the second best from the time they hired Showalter. They were a great team after he got hired. Yankees at number three because they have way too many question marks. Two unproven guys at the bottom of their rotation has me worried about them (given not too worried seeing that I am a Sox fan and want them to fail) Soriano, doesnt look like he even wants to play there, and has been isolating himself from the rest of the team, and that was their major aquisition? come on, hes good but hes going to be a setup man not even a closer. Tampa Bay at four because well they have just lost too much to keep up this year. Their younger players will be ok next year, just don't see them doing that great this year. Bluejays five because well they havent done as much as the rest, and when that happens you see yourself in last.

 

[Megatron]

Now onto my second division prediction, the NL East.

NL East Standings
1. Philadelphia
2. Atlanta
3. Florida
4. Washington
5. New York

This division looks like it will be a race for second, as I have a strong feeling the Phillies big 4 will produce in a big way, as most people feel they will. While their offense will lose a bit without Werth, they will still be able to knock some runs in. The Braves, last years Wild Card, appear to be the strongest challenger with a pretty nice rotation of their own in Hanson, Hudson, Lowe, and Jurjens, but when you match it up with Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels it just seems they're down a slight notch. They made a nice addition with 2B Dan Uggla, who should give them an offensive boost. They will be in the playoff hunt throughout the year with new manager Fredi Gonzalez. Speaking of Gonzalez, his old team, the Marlins, seem stuck in the middle right now. They have some nice pieces with Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, and Gabby Sanchez, but don't seem to have enough to stay competitive for 162 games. As for the Nationals, it's all about 2012, when Strasburg comes back from Tommy John and some of their talent really shows. Until then, expect Werth, the surprising free agent signing, to lead them with 3B Ryan Zimmerman, especially with their loss of slugging 1B Adam Dunn. The Mets, meanwhile, need to get through 2011 as fast as they can so they can burn out some of these ridiculous contracts (Beltran, Reyes). They won't be getting Johan Santana back until the middle of the season at the earliest. They have to get their situation with their owners settled first, as they are being sued for some hefty wads of cash.

Not as in depth as my first prediction, but I won't lie, I focus on the AL more then the NL. If someone could bring the proper perspective to this division, that'd be great.

Up next is the AL Central.

 

[HiddenInPlainView]

The Philllies have one of the top rotations in the league right now....maybe the best since the mid-90's Braves. I think the problem they are going to have is the fact that teams have learned how to pitch to that line-up. It is still a fearsome line-up but there are alot of free swingers (Howard, Rollins, and Victorino) who are getting alot less fastballs to hit. Utley has been hurt the last two years and is already experiencing health problems this spring. I think the Phils will miss Jayson Werth more than they realize. I sure don't think he is worth all the money Washington payed for him, but the platoon of Domonic Brown and Ben Francisco will be hard pressed to match his production. That being said, i still feel as if the Phillies are the favorites to represent the NL in the World Series. And facing that rotation in a seven game series is gonna be brutal!!!

 

[Alberto_Del_Burrito]

AMERICAN LEAGUE​

AL West
1. Rangers - We (Rangers fan here) were the front runners in the division w/o Cliff Lee last year, who did nothing besides win a few playoff games for us. Other than those playoff wins, he really sucked in the regular season (he had an ERA in the 5's @ home with Texas). I don't expect much drop off from last season.
2. Angels - Not really sure what to make of them really. they are supposed to be vastly improved but I think Texas CAN maintain a strangle hold on the division for the next 2-3 years.
3. Mariners - King Felix is still here to win atleast 15 and keep them in 25 games alone w/ his pitching ability.
4. Athletics - Oakland didn't really improve much from last year's team. I expect a last place finish.

AL Central
1. Twins - Still the best team in this division. Chicago or Detroit should give them a good run for their money though.
2./3. White Sox / Tigers - Both solid teams with their bright spots.
Both of them get good starting pitching, should be interesting to see this race break down.
4. Indians - Oh Cleveland.....
5. Royals - Trading Zack Greinke was a move in the wrong direction for the franchise. Hopefully they don't become the Pirates and trade away all their good players. ANOTHER last place finish for KC this year.

AL East
1. Red Sox - The most complete team in the game in my opinion.
Should easily dispose of the Yankees and other contenders in route to a world series berth.
2. Yankees - The offense is there but there isn't really much in terms of starting pitching. They have the money to get a top guy w/ an expiring contract before the trade deadline, but I doubt they will. Expect them to finish at least 8 games behind Boston in the AL East race this season.
3. Blue Jays - Better than the Rays and O's. Started hot last year but cooled down the last 100 games of the season and finished 4th again.
4. Rays - Lost too much to compete this season. Was a good run while it lasted.
5. Orioles - They are still the Baltimore Orioles. Hopefully for them Matt Wieters is the real deal and can bring some life back into that franchise.

AL WILD CARD
1. Angels - This year the wild card berth comes to the AL West!
2. Yankees - The Yankee bandwagon will be a thing of the past once someone besides CC has to pitch a game.
3. Blue Jays - Legit contenders, no real aces/gems in their rotation though.
4. White Sox - Winning the division is their only hope of making the playoffs
5. Tigers - *see #4*

National league coming soon....

 

[nwocongo]

I'll just put up my division winners
Al East
Boston I think they added enough to surpass NY who didn't make many moves. Boston is better on paper across the board.
AL West.
Texas has most of their pieces back. Losing an aging Guerrero doesn't hurt em too much, of course losing Cliff Lee doesn't help, but this is the weakest division in the AL possibly in the whole league, NL central is pretty bad as well.
AL Central
Toss up with the Twins and Whitesox. Twins are still a little lacking in the rotation but Gardenhire is probably the best manager in the Bigs and you can count on Mauer to hit 300 and drive in 90+, gotta worry about catching all these games wearing on him though. If Morneau stays healthy all year I think they'll be around 100 wins again.
ChiSox have one of the best rotations in the AL, and adding Dunn was a huge move. Main concerns with this team is you can't really expect Konerko to have another MVP calibre season, and they did nothing to replace closer Bobby Jenks.

Wild Card. Yankees have more than enough firepower to make up for the rotation. Whoever finishes 2nd in the Central probably has a legit shot as well.

NL East. Of course Philly, barring quite a few injuries they may break the 117 win mark this year.
West. Giants have the best rotation other than Philly, however lost a few key role players like Uribe and Renteria. Dodgers could make a run at it but I think the Giants' pitching carries them back to the playoffs.
Central.
Cincinatti. The Reds didn't lose much from last years team and still have a ton of offense. The pitching is average but that can win this division. The Cubs have a good rotation and if Pena can bounce back from his .190 avg from last year they will have found the left handed bat they've needed for 5+ years. After losing Wainwright for the year I think St Louis is out of the picture.
Wildcard
Atl got stronger by adding Uggla. They have above average pitching staff and I think Jason Heyward will have a breakout All star kind of year. Only question mark is the new manager
LA or SF whoever blows it out west will be close in the running as well, hell maybe even San Diego or Colorado, the West always plays out strangely.

Worst team-probably the usual suspects Pittsburgh and Kansas City, Oakland will probably be down there too.
Most Improved team- I think Baltimore may surprise some people this year after adding two postseason vets. They have a pretty good young outfield. Pitching is still a little suspect however.

 

[CH David]

In the AL East, on paper I'll take the Sawks. The one team that made significant upgrades to the team to win championships for the next few years. Crawford and Gonzalez especially will make impacts. How can you not with Crawford's speed and Gonzalez' ability to swing the stick. The only question they really have is if they can play in a higher pressure market like Boston. If they don't press and just play their game I see no reason. The rotation looks like it will be middle of the road which could be a problem but their offense has the ability to bail them out. The pen isn't completely horrible, but they need pitchers to not blow games, and Papelbon needs to get back to his old dominating ways. Catcher is their primary weakness though. Varitek is older and while still the captain (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) hasn't really cut it during games. Saltalamacchia hasn't been a consistent hitter in his time in the pros, but he can improve since he is only 25.

I don't recall the Yankees making any Earth-shattering moves during the offseason, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's not necessarily a good thing either. Their #1 rival got immensely better in the offseason and the Yankees brought back the captain. I don't see it changing their position in the standings, except maybe losing a few more games. Their starting rotation won't strike fear into anyone except maybe Sabathia. Hughes, Burnett, and whoever else rounds out the rotation are gonna need to pitch their asses off to help win the division. Catching is going to be spotty, Posada is 39 and coming off a down year, Russell Martin also had a down year in 97 games, and Cervelli just doesn't scream backup! The rest of the team is fine, but pitching and catching would have me worried currently.

The rest of the division is meh. The best thing going for the Orioles is Adam Jones, Jose Bautista for the Jays, and Evan Longoria for the Rays. That's all there is to it. That's a three team race for 3rd, and Sawks/Yanks will battle for first. Let's see what happens once the games actually mean something. I'll get to the NL East either later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Theo Mays]

I'm not gonna say the Orioles are going to contend, but I see them as a potential sleeper team in the AL East. They have a young pitching staff with a load of potential (Matusz, Guthrie, Arrieta). Matusz is the guy I'm really looking forward to seeing. The kid was dealing in the second half of the year and I think if he continues it he could be a Cy Young sleeper. In August he was 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA, 37 innings, 26 Ks, and a 1.08 WHIP. And in September he was 2-0, with a 1.89, 19 innings, 17 Ks, and a 1.05 WHIP. Just a kid to look out for over this season.

The whole division has talent as a whole and I could see every team potentially going over .500. In the end I'm with the majority that the Sox are gonna take this one. I like their staff and their offense better than the rest of the division and barring any injuries they could potentially be the best team in the AL. I wish I had the guts to take the O's, but I don't (nor am I that crazy). However I do suspect them to surprise some folks.

EDIT: Seems like there is some love for the Os already...awesome.


Just saw the NL East and obviously I'm gonna take my beloved Phillies. They have the best rotation in the East and arguably the whole league. The Phearsome Phoursome, R2C2, the Phantastic Phour (oh yea and Average Joe, can't forget him) is gonna carry the load for this team. I do love the rotation and Blanton is arguably the best number 5 pitcher in baseball (as he really isn't that bad). These guys will carry the team for most of the season. I expect the offense to struggle early on and then turn on down the stretch. Francisco has been playing lights out and will most likely start in RF since Dom Brown has struggled and has a serious injury. This is pretty much a race for 2nd (like Megatron said). Braves are likely to take it. Good staff and excellent offense. Marlins will hang out (like always), I suspect the Mets to have a down year, and the Nats will definitely give a fight, but won't hang around.

 

[Alberto_Del_Burrito]

National League

NL West

1. Giants - This division is full of great pitching and San Fran doesn't disappoint. We all saw what they did to a great Rangers offense in the World Series.
2. Rockies - Front runner for the wild card berth in my opinion. Good, young core of position players and solid pitching w/ Ubaldo Jimenez at the top of the rotation.
3. Dodgers - Had a down year. I do expect them to improve from 80 wins to around 90 this year.
4. Padres - The loss of their best and only quality hitter in Adrian Gonzalez knocks them from 2nd to 4th this year. They still have a great young pitching staff w/ Latos becoming a legitimate ace and the next big name.
5. D-Backs - Uhh....

NL Central

1. Reds - Chris Carpenter's injury gives the Red's the #1 spot in the division until proven otherwise.
2. Cardinals - Carpenter's injury + Pujols' situation = 2nd place finish in a fairly soft division.
3. Cubs - Should do better than last year. Still not a contender though.
4. Brewers - They always seem to be one of those teams that are just there.
5. Pirates - Getting better
6. Astros aka LAST-ros - Could be worse than KC and Oakland this year

NL East

1. Phillies - Obvious #1. Great pitching staff w/ an inconsistent offense though. Mark them around 95 wins.
2. Braves - #2 contender for the wild card berth in the NL. Fairly balanced team in terms of pitching talent weighted vs. offense ability.
3. Nationals - Young talent, and alot of potential
4. Marlins - Atleast they got Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez
5. Mets - Is Johan Santana actually healthy or not? it won't really matter with a last place finish in the division.


NL WILD CARD
1. Rockies - Best of the rest in regards to teams who don't win the division.
2. Braves - The other wild card contender, Rockies look slightly better to me
3. Dodgers - Would have to win their division to make the playoffs
4. Cardinals - ^
5. Cubs/Nationals - Neither will be within 10 games of the Wild Card leader

 

[Megatron]

AL Central
1. Minnesota
2. Detroit
3. Chicago
4. Cleveland
5. Kansas City

As much as it pains me to do this, I can't keep the Twins out of first until they are dethroned. While the Tigers and White Sox made some big additions, the Twins have two guys coming back, Joe Nathan (who missed all of last year) and Justin Morneau (who missed about half the year), from injuries that will really improve a team that hasn't lost much from last year. I think the race between all three will come down to the last week or so, but the Twins have their name all over this division until anything is done.

Yes, I'm being a slight homer in picking my Tigers above the White Sox, but their additions will make a bigger impact, imo. Martinez will be a great weapon behind Cabrera (who will be in the MVP race throughout the year), Benoit will be a key addition to the bullpen (which will be stronger this year then last) and their 'big 3' of Verlander, Scherzer, and Porcello will carry the rotation. The key question will be if Phil Coke can transition back to starter well enough and if Brad Penny can produce like the All-Star he once was.

The White Sox will be right in the race as well, especially with the addition of big hitting Adam Dunn, who with Konerko will provide a fearsome two punch in the middle of the order. The rotation should be decent with Buehrle, Danks, and Peavy coming back from a major injury, but the bullpen appears to be a key problem here, with no assurance at the closer spot.

The Indians and Royals will be battling for last place. Both have some pieces, with the one with the most potential out of either team being the Indians catcher Carlos Santana. With the Royals giving away their best player to the Brewers (Grienke), I see them finishing at the bottom, yet again. Hopefully, for both teams sake, their young talent will grow this year in hopes for future successes.

Next up is NL Central

 

[The Best]

AL East
1. Boston- Boston probably had one of the best, if not the best off-season after last year.
2. Yankees
3. Tampa
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore

AL Central
1. Minnesota- Mauer gets the MVP in my book, a healthy Morneau is not good for opposing pitchers, Liriano gets 15 plus wins, and a lot of other young guys/ role players step up for that team.
2. White Sox
3. Detroit
4. Cleveland
5. Kansas City

AL West
1. Texas- One of the best teams in the AL in one of the worst division, you figure that out.
2. Oakland
3. Angels
4. Mariners

Wild Card: Yankees- Lose in a tight division race against Boston, but claim the wild card

Most Improved Team: Oakland- Honestly I think this team has a lot of potential, but Texas picks up were they left off last year, and Oakland loses a close wild card race to the Yankees

Worst Team: Royals- They legit have nothing to look up to this year, gave up their ace, and in a tight division, have fun with the 1st pick in the draft KC.

NL East:
1. Phillies- By far the best rotation in the bigs, Halladay and Lee get around 20 plus wins, and Doc wins another CY Young.
2. Braves
3. Marlins
4. Mets
5. Nationals

NL Central:
1. Cubs- I actually see this team doing very well this year, IMO these Cubs are like the Rays a few years back, everyone thinks they'll be in the basement again this year, but I see the Cubs pulling off a miracle season this year.
2. Reds
3. Brewers
4. Cardinals(Wainwright and maybe even Carpenter leaves them with a dead rotation, Pujols comes close to the triple crown again though.)
5. Astros
6. Pirates

NL West
1. Giants- Defending world champs, sick young talent in Buster Posey, great pitching staff, this team takes the division by a landslide.
2. Rockies
3. Dodgers
4. Padres
5. D-backs

Wild Card: Reds- Votto coming off of a monster year, along with other talents such as Phillips, Bruce, Stubbs, and a strong; young pitching staff, Cincinatti barely loses the division to the cubs, and takes the wild card closely over Colorado.

Most Improved Team: Cubs- I just have this feeling that this is their year, decent hitters, and a good pitching staff lead the Cubs to the division crown.

Worst Team: Dbacks: No true stars, a couple talented young guys, but this just isn't their year.

 

[Theo Mays]

Gotta give the Twins the AL Central. I see the Twins as potentially the 2nd best team in the AL behind the BoSox and I don't think the gap is that big. The Twins have an underrated pitching staff with some top notch talent, plus Joe Nathan returns. They have a good lineup with Span, Mauer, Kubel, Young, and a returning Justin Morneau. Twins just have too much talent to lose the Central. The true battle will be between the ChiSox and the Tigers for 2nd place and a potential wild card berth. Both teams added some key contributors and I think they will likely be equals this year. I'm gonna give the edge to the Tigers though. Verlander really edges it out in their favor. They guy is just a straight up ace and if Cabrera can't put his off field issues behind him (which I believe he will), he could be in store for an MVP type season. Royals and Indians round out the division. Nothing special with the teams other than Santana for the Indians and Soria for the Royos.

As for the NL Cental, that one is a bit harder to predict. I expect the Reds to be just as good as last year and I see the Cardinals falling down a bit with the lost of Wainwright. I think the Pujols contract is gonna control the season and I see them finishing in fourth place. Cubs will compete for the Wild Card, as will the Brew Crew. That matchup reminds me of the matchup with the Tigers and ChiSox. I'm taking the Brewers in 2nd by a nose. Pirates and Astros round it out. Looking forward to seeing what the kids in Pittsburgh put together. McCutch, Walker, Alvarez, and Tabata should be in store for solid seasons.

 

[CH David]

Well that took a while to get back to this. NL East is up. I'll give it to the Phils. Halladay, Hamels, Lee, and Oswalt are bonafied. No doubt they have an amazing starting four, and Blanton is going to be solid for the fifth spot. Jayson Werth leaving is a little troublesome as he was a steady hitter, but they will always be in a position to win because of their starters. As long as the team stays fairly healthy they should have no problems taking the division.

The Braves will keep it close. Last year was very solid and they have the chance to keep getting better. Jason Heyward needs to keep improving but if he hits a sophomore slump, it could spell trouble for the team. Rotation should be decent to good.

I don't see the Marlins, Mets, or Nationals doing much this season. Nationals may finish in 3rd or 4th though if Bryce Harper is in the line-up.

 

[Megatron]

Harper won't see the majors until probably 2013. The kid is still really young, like 18 I think. I'd be greatly surprised if they called him up. He's still kinda raw, and a few years in the minors would do him some good.

 

[Megatron]

NL Central
1. Milwaukee
2. Cincinnati
3. Chicago
4. St. Louis
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh

Cincinnati and Milwaukee will rule the division with their pitching, but I like the Brew Crew slightly over the Reds because of their quality compared to the Reds quantity of pitchers. Chicago will improve, but it will be next year, after they get some of those contracts off the books, where they are in the thick of the playoff race. The Cardinals will have a long season with Wainwright out and the Pujols contract situation being the talk once they fall out of the playoff race in late August. The Astros are stuck in no mans land, even though they have a few good pieces with Hunter Pence and Michael Bourne. They are probably nothing more then a 75 win team. And it will be another long year in Pittsburgh, but guys like Tabata and Alvarez will give them some hope for the future.

Up next is the AL West.

 

[Stormtrooper]

So it's that time of year again. MLB Predictions. here I go.

American League East:
1. Yankees
2. Red Sox (WILD CARD)
3. Orioles
4. Blue Jays
5. Rays

Am I a bit bias here? Maybe. However, people are acting like the Red Sox have already won the division, and that's asinine. The Yankees have just as good of a lineup as the Rex Sox (all but 2 Yankees had off years, and people act like they can't hit), and a better bullpen (the best on paper in all of baseball). The Yankees rotation is a bit of a question, but CC is better then every pitcher on the Sox, and the Sox don't have a great rotation either. This will still end up coming down to the last weekend, and maybe even a Game 163 Tiebreaker, with the loser being the Wild Card.

My big prediction is that Baltimore will finally make the jump out of the cellar, and they will win 81 or 82 games. They have a very underrated team, especially their lineup, which is very solid.

American League Central:
1. Twins
2. Tigers
3. White Sox
4. Royals
5. Indians

Until the Twins don't win, I can't NOT pick them. They seem to pull it out every year, which is a major credit to them. The Royals, while still finishing towards the bottom of the division, will start to look good towards the end of the year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they make the jump to contending in 2012.

American League West:
1. Rangers
2. Athletics
3. Angels
4. Mariners

Last year, the Angels finally cracked. This year, I finally picked against them. The Rangers should be able to find a way to win this division, although I doubt they will be as dangerous as last year, without Cliff Lee.

AWARDS:
AL Cy Young: David Price (even though they will finish last, he'll be a beast).
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez. He's healthy for the first time in 3 years (he has been rehabbing the past 3 offseasons, but this offseason he didn't have to). He's got one more magical year in him, and 2011 will be it. 40+ Homers, 130 RBI.
AL Manager: Buck Showhalter. He'll have turned around the biggest joke in the AL in recent years. Making the O's respectable alone is worth the award.

I'll do the NL at another time.

 

[Megatron]

AL West
1. Texas
2. Oakland
3. Los Angeles
4. Seattle

Slightly unpredictable division here. While I do think Texas has both the offensive firepower and pitching to win the division, the A's have the best rotation with Braden, Gonzalez, and Cahill leading the way and will give the Rangers a run for their money. I think the loss of Guerrero to the O's will affect their offense slightly, but not getting Lee was obviously a bigger loss. The problem I see lurking with the A's is their lack of offensive firepower. They signed Hideki Matsui to a deal, but they do not have much for power and have seemed to try and steal the Giants approach with winning by good pitching and timely hitting. And hey, they won the World Series last year, so it's possible the A's could follow that mould. For the Angels, I see them cracking over .500 and have a rotation full of potential with Haren, Kazmir, Santana, Pinero, and Weaver, but something will keep them just a notch below the top two teams. The Mariners will continue to keep Felix Hernandez in the cellar, which is a shame since he's still locked up for 3 more years after this one. What a poor soul.

Finally up is the NL West, followed by my playoff predictions after.

 

[Theo Mays]

Man the AL West might be the toughest division to pick. For me it really comes down to two teams, the AL Champ Texas Rangers and the Oakland A's. The Rangers lost their ace in Lee, but they still have a potent offense with Hamilton, Beltre, Nelly Cruz, Kinsler, Elvis, etc. The pitching staff will hold its own as they still have some quality guys like CJ Wilson, Tommy Hunter, and if Brandon Webb shows any spark it'll be huge. And lets not forget Feliz at closer, guy is just an absolute fire thrower.

Now to the A's. I really like this team this year and they have a dynamite rotation. Trevor Cahill (who was great last year), Gio Gonzalez (who I think will be fantastic this season), Braden, Anderson, and most likely a returning Rich Harden. Easily the best overall staff in the AL West. They also have a pretty legit bullpen. The lineup is pretty solid as well. They won't wow people, but they are pretty reminiscent of last year's WS champs San Francisco Giants.

In the end I'm gonna go with the A's as taking the division. I definitely think the Rangers will be the top contender in the WC hunt. Angels and M's round out the division. I don't expect much from either team this season.

 

[The Brain]

AL East

Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees (Wild Card)
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Rays
Toronto Blue Jays

The Red Sox and Yankees are going to be in a dog fight all year I think. With the additions of Crawford and Gonzalez the Sox are just too good now. I see it being close but I think the Sox win the division with the Yanks getting a nice consolation prize as the wild card. I think the Rays and Orioles will be in a close race for third. The Orioles made some nice signings and should see a significant improvement with a full season under Showalter. I expect a breakout season from Brian Matusz. The Rays just lost too much this winter. I think their starting pitching is good enough to keep them out of the cellar and a third place finish wouldn’t surprise me, but that’s about it for them in 2011. It may be a close race for third, but neither will be anywhere near second. I think a lot of Blue Jays overachieved last year and they still finished fourth. I expect some of those bats to come back to reality and with the improvement of the O’s I see last place for the Jays this year.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Cleveland Indians

I hate to admit it, but I think the Sox are winning the central. I do think the Twins and Tigers will stay in contention throughout the season but the Sox will end up division champs. With Peavy’s injury woes the Sox don’t have a true ace but their staff is still damn good. If Peavy can return anywhere near his Cy Young form it will be the icing on the cake. The Twins will contend all the way because they are the Twins and that’s what they do. They are possibly the most fundamentally sound team in baseball and always find a way to compete. Those guys Mauer and Monreau don’t hurt either. Detroit has some talent but guys like Ordonez and Guillen have seen better days. Cabrera is as good as it gets on the field. Hopefully his off field problems don’t interfere. The staff has potential but Verlander is the only one with proven consistency. He’s a stud but he can’t do it alone. I think Detroit is talented enough to contend throughout most of the season but will probably fade away in September. Kansas City and Cleveland are the bottom dwellers of the American League. If they were in different divisions they would both be in last place but since one will finish ahead of the other I pick KC for fourth and the tribe for last.

AL West

Texas Rangers
Los Angeles Angels
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners

I’m not sure I trust the Rangers pitching yet. Lewis and Wilson looked good last year, but they need to do it again before I’m sold. I do think the Rangers offense is good enough to allow them to repeat as division champs. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Angels return to the top. Haren and Weaver is a strong one two punch at the top of the rotation. The return of Morales and addition of Wells should help the offense. Abreu and Hunter may be passing their primes, but both are still solid contributors. The Angels’ reign at the top ended last year but don’t be surprised to see them start another reign this year. The A’s seem to be a fashionable pick, but I just don’t see it. The pitching has great potential but the offense is pretty mediocre. Maybe next year. If Felix Hernandez was somehow able to pitch every day I’d pick Seattle to win the division. Every fifth day means last place again.


ALDS: Red Sox over Rangers & Yankees over White Sox
ALCS: Red Sox over Yankees

MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
Cy Young: Justin Verlander
ROY: Jeremy Hellickson

Stay tuned for National League picks.

 

[People's Champ]

I'll predict the West as that's what I know the most.

NL West---San Francisco Giants

Not really a hard pick to make. Yes they did get hit a little with the injury bug, with Ross starting the season on the DL and Wilson injuried. However,both are minor injuries and really shouldn't affect them. Sandoval has come back in much better shape and should return to his '09 form. Posey will start the season in the bigs and should improve. The staff is basically back. And be on the look out for a rookie named Brandon Belt. With the injury to Ross, Huff may start in right and Belt may get to start at first the begining of the season. He is another young fantastic player, and will be a big boost to the offense.

AL West---Oakland A's

Looking at the rest of the division, the A's have a real shot here. Theo made the statement that this year's A's look like last year's Giants. They are pretty close. They are built around strong pitching and will leaning heavily on them as their offense is average. They got a little more pop, and considering how the Rangers losing Lee makes them worse, Seattle is still bad, and the Angels will not be as good as years past. Look for the A's to win the division.

 

[The Brain]

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
Washington Nationals
New York Mets

You’d probably have a tough time finding someone to pick against the Phillies from winning another division title in 2011. Their pitching staff may be the best of my lifetime. The offense is starting to show signs of decline. I think we can officially label Chase Utley as injury prone. Rollins has gone down each season since winning the MVP four years ago. Edge signed with Washington. There’s still enough talent in the offense and more than enough in the pitching to get the job done. I see Florida really challenging Atlanta for second place, but their probably still another year away from competing for postseason. Washington has improved but probably only enough to get out of the cellar. The Mets seem to be a mess. Wright is the only one you can count on. Everyone else is a question mark when it comes to injuries and talent.

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinnati Reds
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Houston Astros
Pittsburgh Pirates

The Brewers are the trendy pick in the National League and I’m jumping on the bandwagon. Greinke with run support should be dangerous. I’m not saying he’s going to repeat his 2009 numbers but he should be a star pitcher. I’ve always liked Marcum and think he’s a nice addition. Gallardo is the one who seems to be under the radar because of the attention the new guys are getting. I think he’s the best of the bunch and is only going to get better. The offense looks good with Braun and Fielder leading the way. Fielder is in a contract year by the way. I’m not sure if I believe in McGhee yet. Last year Weeks finally broke out. Was it for real or a career year? A while back I said to my friends that the Orioles and Reds would be contenders again in 2011. Well I was probably a little early with the O’s but the Reds came in a year early. I think there is a lot of talent on this team and after so many years of the Cardinals and Astros, and occasionally the Cubs on top, it looks like the balance of power has shifted in the central. Do I have the Cubs in third because of a hometown bias? Should they be lower? Soriano looks to be pretty much done. Ramirez has been injured in recent years but can still contribute when healthy. Zambrano is the real wild card. I think the Cubs season could depend on how Zambrano performs. The loss of Wainwright is devastating to the Cardinals, especially with Carpenter’s injury history. Pujols and Holliday are awesome but I don’t see anything special in the Cards offense beyond them. After years at or near the top of the division the Astros are facing some dark times. I don’t see much reason to be excited in Houston. The only reason I didn’t pick the Astors for last is because they happen to be in the same division as the Pirates. I’m probably one of the few people here old enough to remember when the Pirates were good. I feel bad for their fans. This will be the 19th consecutive losing season in Pittsburgh.

NL West

San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies (Wild Card)
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks

Like the other two divisions I’m picking the team with the best pitching to come out on top. We all know Lincecum is awesome and Cain has been underrated for years. I’m curious to see how Sanchez does. He had a good year last year and I think this is the year we find out who he really is. The offense isn’t strong but I think Sandoval will bounce back nicely from the sophomore slump. Posey is the real deal and probably won’t experience the sophomore slump. The pitching will carry the way and the offense will be good enough for a repeat. I look at Colorado’s lineup and I’m not overly impressed, but there’s something about the team I like. If Gonzalez can show us 2010 was not a fluke and Tulo carries his late season momentum into this year they are going to be a force to contend with. This year Kershaw breaks out as a star and Kemp bounces back to solidify himself as one of the top players in the game. That won’t be enough to get into the postseason but the Dodgers should rebound nicely from their disappointing 2010. The Padres surprised everyone last year by remaining in contention until the very last day of the season. I don’t expect that to happen again, especially with the departure of Adrian Gonzalez. The Diamondbacks have some nice pieces but not nearly enough.

NLDS: Phillies over Rockies & Brewers over Giants
NLCS: Brewers over Phillies
WS: Red Sox over Brewers

MVP: Ryan Braun
Cy Young: Cole Hamels
ROY: Freddie Freeman

 

[Megatron]

NL West
1. San Francisco
2. Colorado
3. Los Angeles
4. San Diego
5. Arizona

The defending champs earn the division berth again thanks to the two things that helped them win it all last year: 1) a great rotation and 2) timely hitting from unlikely players. They return most of the offense from last year, such as key pieces like Buster Posey, Andres Torres, Aubrey Huff, and Cody Ross. They lost World Series MVP Edgar Renteria, but replaced him with Miguel Tejada, who was very productive last year as a Padre. I do think the Rockies big offense will be able to keep them within the Giants reach, thanks to Tulowitzki, Gonzalez, and Helton in the middle of their order. The Dodgers will bounce back with a very strong rotation of Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Kuroda, and newcomer Jon Garland. Their offense will be up and down, though. Kemp, Loney, and Ethier are all good hitters, but their left side of the field either has health questions (at 3rd and SS) or just ability questions (at Left Field). The Padres will slip back a bit after having an overachieving year, due to giving up their lone source of power with Adrian Gonzalez. Not that they're built on offense anyways, but you need to score more then 2 runs more often then not to win a game. As for the Diamondbacks, they're kinda anti-NL West method of having some pretty good hitters but not many pitchers that'd be back end rotation guys on even decent rotations. Their bullpen will continue to have problems, as well, which will cause them another last place finish.

My final predictions will come on the eve of Opening Day, which is Wednesday (which I timed out really well ).

 

[Megatron]

Playoff Predictions:

AL Wild Card
1. Boston
3. Minnesota

2. Texas
4. New York

NL Wild Card
1. Phillies
4. Reds

2. Giants
3. Brewers

ALCS
Boston over Texas

NLCS
Milwaukee over Philadelphia

World Series
Boston Red Sox over Milwaukee Brewers in 6.

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Boston
NL MVP: Ryan Braun, LF, Milwaukee
AL Cy Young: Trevor Cahill, Oakland
NL Cy Young: Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee

Well that's all for my predictions, now lets get to opening day!