1.) New York Yankees (96-66)
Along with the AL Central, this appears to be the only other division where the best team is clearly evident. The Yankees should be able to outlast Tampa Bay and Boston to win another division title.
2.) Tampa Bay Rays (92-70)
Behind their stable of strong young arms, the Rays will send the Red Sox home packing once again, advancing to the Wild Card round of the postseason.
3.) Boston Red Sox (89-73)
They will not have a dramatic collapse like last year, but they will have their hands full battling the Yankees, along with a young Rays team.
4.) Toronto Blue Jays (79-83)
Always the biggest tease in baseball. First place on Memorial Day, fourth place by Independence Day. Great lineup, but still lacking depth in the pitching department, which will be their downfall.
5.) Baltimore Orioles (64-98)
While their lineup features some good pieces within it, they still lack the overall pitching to even pose a remote threat to anyone. Their lineup will not be good enough to mask their pitching deficiencies (unlike Toronto), and the other four teams in the division will feast upon them. This will be their 15th consecutive losing season, the second-longest current streak in baseball, and the third-longest in MLB history.
AL Central:
1.) Detroit Tigers (98-64)
The Tigers will have the easiest path to the playoffs of any AL Central team since the Indians of the late '90s. They are clearly the class of the division, and they feature last year's MVP (Justin Verlander) and two other players who are fully capable of winning one (Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder). While they lack team speed, they make up for it by featuring an intimidating lineup, along with a decent rotation behind Verlander. They will benefit from playing the majority of their games against inferior competition within their division. This will also mark the first time since 1934-1935 that Detroit will record consecutive postseason appearances.
2.) Cleveland Indians (83-79)
The Tribe, much like last year, will be nothing more than average. An over-reliance on Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore to stay healthy and produce will be their downfall once again.
3.) Chicago White Sox (80-82)
Honestly, things could not get much worse than last year, and they still finished 79-83. Adam Dunn will be better, but the Sox will continue to be hampered by inconsistent offensive performances from Alex Rios and Gordon Beckham. They will also lose many games late due to a poor bullpen.
4.) Kansas City Royals (75-87)
The lineup is finally there, but their pitching is not. Since closer Joakim Soria may need Tommy John surgery, it is a good thing they signed Jonathan Broxton, or else they could be worse.
5.) Minnesota Twins (72-90)
Even with Mauer and Morneau, this is one of the weaker lineups in baseball. When Jamey Carroll is projected to be one of your regular starters, you are in deep trouble. Additionally, when you consider that they have a collection of number three and number four starters in their rotation, this has all the makings of a last-place team. Whatever magic they have been producing in the Twin Cities all these years is finally gone.
AL West:
1.) Texas Rangers (94-68)
All of the accolades you have been hearing about out of the West are going to the Angels for landing Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson during the offseason. In fact, the Angels have been getting so much attention that people forget they still have to un-seat the two-time defending American League Champions within their own division! The fact that the Angels have such a bright spotlight on them will enable the Rangers to fly under-the-radar, which will help lead them to their third consecutive division championship. It won't be without a battle though, one that will come down to the season's final day. Texas still possesses the most frightening lineup in baseball when everyone is completely healthy, and their pitching will be just good enough for them to get by.
2.) Los Angeles Angels (93-69)
The Angels were good, but not quite good enough last year. Picking up Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson will help account for a seven-win spike over last year's total. The quartet of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana may be the best group of starting pitching in the American League.
3.) Seattle Mariners (68-94)
Their willingness to trade Michael Pineda to the Yankees for catcher Jesus Montero speaks to how desperate the M's are for any sort of offense. Montero is a nice piece to build around for the future, but for right now, they will not even sniff contention.
4.) Oakland A's (63-99)
Only the additions of Yoenis Cespedes and Manny Ramirez keep them from having the worst offense in the game. Trading away Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill will also hurt what was once a good pitching staff. This will be the worst team in the American League, and perhaps the most boring to watch in all of baseball.
On to the National League....
1.) Philadelphia Phillies (92-70)
Their dominance over the East is slowly eroding, and their lineup is not as formidable as they once were. Nonetheless, their starting rotation remains strong, and that will be enough for them to capture their sixth consecutive division championship, the third-longest streak in baseball history.
2.) Miami Marlins (91-71)
This will be MLB's most improved team this season, as they will increase their win total by 19 over last year. A healthy Josh Johnson will help stabilize their rotation, and the additions of Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano will be a boost to the back end of their staff. Heath Bell closing games will be a huge improvement over Juan Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez) and Hanley Ramirez will have a comeback year.
3.) Washington Nationals (88-74)
Get ready for one of the more exciting teams to watch in baseball this season. Their win total may seem pedestrian, but it will be enough for the franchise to reach their first postseason since 1981, when they were still in Montreal. For the city of D.C., it will be the first time they have seen postseason baseball since 1933! The keys to their improvement will be having a healthy Stephen Strasburg for the entire season, along with having lefty Gio Gonzalez backing him up in the rotation. Some of the younger players such as Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa will make improvements at the plate this season, and the inevitable mid-season call-up of Bryce Harper will definitely give their lineup an added boost. For those who believe this appears far-fetched, remember this: the team finished 80-81 last year without Strasburg, Gonzalez or Harper.
4.) Atlanta Braves (85-77)
The Braves will have a good team, but somebody has to finish fourth in this stacked division!
5.) New York Mets (60-102)
They'll be the laughingstock of baseball, but they will get the number two overall pick in next year's draft. Hopefully for their case it will be someone that pans out.
NL Central:
1.) Cincinnati Reds (95-67)
The addition of Mat Latos will be huge for Cincinnati, and the regression of St. Louis and Milwaukee will enable the Reds to win their second division title in three years.
2.) St. Louis Cardinals (87-75)
Not much of a drop-off from last year (they won 90 games in 2011), but they will feel the pinch of losing Albert Pujols. Rotation is very good and perhaps a bit underrated, but expect Lance Berkman to take a step back this year.
3.) Milwaukee Brewers (84-78)
Prince Fielder's departure via free agency will be a big loss for Milwaukee. Aramis Ramirez was a nice acquisition to make up for that, but he will not approach the kind of numbers Fielder put up year in and year out.
4.) Pittsburgh Pirates (79-83)
Oh, so close. The Buccos are getting better, but that elusive winning season will fall just out of their reach once again. This year will mark their 20th consecutive losing season, by far and away the longest streak in professional sports. However, this season will still mean something: the light at the end of the tunnel is near. I wouldn't be surprised to see that streak end next year.
5.) Chicago Cubs (64-98)
They are not as bad as the Astros, but that's not saying much. Now that the final remnants of the Lou Piniella era are finally gone (Carlos Zambrano and Aramis Ramirez), Theo Epstein and company can get to work with rebuilding this team. It will be a Herculean task; honestly, when was the last time you ever heard about the Cubs having one of the best farm systems in baseball?
6.) Houston Astros (54-108)
Right now represents the absolute dark ages for the Houston Astros. Their final year in the National League will not be a memorable one. The only silver lining in their recent run of ineptitude is that they will continue to get high draft picks. Hopefully their scouts are doing their homework, because things will probably get a lot worse for the Astros before they get any better.
NL West:
1.) Arizona Diamondbacks (86-76)
Arizona will be good, but "good" will be more than enough to win this dreadful division. This will be an unprecedented sixth division title for the Diamondbacks since joining the league in 1998. Arizona still features a solid offense led by Justin Upton, but their real strength will lie in their rotation, as Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Trevor Cahill will each get the job done.
2.) San Francisco Giants (80-82)
Once again, the story will be all about the pitching from the Giants. Their lineup is absolutely dreadful and it will be the albatross around their collective necks all season.
3.) Los Angeles Dodgers (76-86)
The Dodgers have great individual talent on their team (Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp), but not much else.
4.) Colorado Rockies (75-87)
The biggest enigma in all of baseball. Whenever you expect great things from them, they fall flat. When you expect nothing from them, they play out of their minds. I'll probably eat crow on this one.
5.) San Diego Padres (67-95)
They acquired some good young pieces from the Reds in first baseman Yonder Alonso and catcher Yasmani Grandal. However, Grandal does not figure to be in the plans for the major-league squad right away, and there is nothing more than marginal talent on the team.
AL Wild Card Game:
Angels defeat Rays
Playing before the home crowd, the Angels will bounce the Rays for their first postseason victory in three years.
NL Wild Card Game:
Nationals defeat Marlins
Davey Johnson's boys will pull off the shocker in South Beach.
Division Series:
ALDS: Tigers over Angels, 3-2
ALDS: Rangers over Yankees, 3-0
NLDS: Reds over Nationals, 3-0
NLDS: Phillies over Diamondbacks, 3-2
League Championship Series:
ALCS: Tigers over Rangers, 4-2
The Tigers will get their revenge on the Rangers for bouncing them out of last year's playoffs, reaching their first Fall Classic since 2006 while denying the Rangers for the chance of an AL three-peat.
NLCS: Reds over Phillies, 4-3
Revenge will be the storyline in the LCS, as the Reds issue some payback to the Phillies for shutting them down in the postseason two years ago.
World Series:
Tigers over Reds, 4-3
The I-75 series! It will be the first time since 1940 that these two teams have hooked up in the World Series, and like the Fall Classic of 72 years ago, it will go the full seven. Both teams are evenly matched, but Justin Verlander will out-duel Johnny Cueto in Game 7 for the Tigers to win their first championship since 1984.
American League MVP: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
National League MVP: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
American League Cy Young: Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels
National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Rookie of the Year: Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays
NL Rookie of the Year: Drew Pomeranz, Colorado Rockies
AL Manager of the Year: Ron Washington, Texas Rangers
NL Manager of the Year: Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals
Other bold and utterly insane predictions...
- After another disappointing last-place finish in Minnesota, manager Ron Gardenhire will be shown the door by management following the season. In Twins-like fashion, they will stay in-house for Gardenhire's replacement, but it will come with a twist. Tom Kelly will come out of retirement (and the front-office) to manage the Twins again. For those unfamiliar with his work, Kelly piloted the Twins from 1986-2001, winning World Championships in 1987 and 1991.
- Reds second baseman will elect to stay in Cincinnati following an excruciating near-miss of a World Championship at the hands of the Tigers. Of course, this will fire up speculation as to whether or not the club can bring back Joey Votto, which will be a major storyline heading into 2013.
- Justin Verlander will toss his third career no-hitter, but unfortunately, he won't be able to join Kate Upton's "Perfect Club!"
- Johan Santana will become the first pitcher in Mets history to throw a no-hitter this season, leaving the Padres as the oldest franchise without one.
- Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee will also toss no-hitters during the season.
- The Marlins' Mike Stanton will become the first player in nine years (and just the 16th in MLB history) to blast four homers in one game.
- Adam Dunn, not Joe Mauer, will win the American League Comeback Player of the Year.
- Pujols will be dominant as always, but Evan Longoria will steal the MVP from him.
- The Pirates will be 79-77 with six left to play, but will get swept by the Reds and Braves to finish the season, narrowly missing their first winning campaign since 1992.
- The Reds/Cardinals rivalry will go to another level this season, as Cincinnati will destroy St. Louis' hopes for a playoff berth by taking two of three from them to close out the season.
- As noted above, the Yankees will get swept in the playoffs for only the fourth time in team history, as the Rangers will decimate them in the Division Series.
- Yankees closer Mariano Rivera will finally show signs of slowing down, as he will lead the majors in blown saves. In a not too surprising decision, he will announce his retirement after the postseason.
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| Jamie Moyer's 1987 Topps card. Yes, he is still pitching. |
- Colorado's Jamie Moyer will put together a decent year, and he will announce at the close of the season that he plans to pitch for his 27th big league campaign in 2013, when he will be 50 years old. The Rockies will gladly bring him back. His 27th major-league season will also tie him with Nolan Ryan for the longest career in baseball history.
- Joey Votto will narrowly miss winning the Triple Crown, as he will lead the league in batting average and RBI, but not home runs. The Marlins' Mike Stanton will be the NL home run king in 2012.
- In a similar twist, Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays will also narrowly miss winning the AL Triple Crown, leading the league in batting average and home runs, but not RBI. Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers will be the AL RBI champ.
- Matt Kemp will not be the first 50-50 player in MLB history as he said he would attempt to do this season, but he'll go 40/40. He will join Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano as the only players in history to achieve the feat.
- Joey Votto will become the first NL player since Barry Bonds in 2002 to hit .370 in a season.
- Even though three teams will finish with a worse overall record, the Cubs will have the season's longest losing streak, dropping 15 straight at one point.
- On the other side of this, the Reds will have the longest win streak of any team during the regular-season, winning 14 straight at one point.
- In the Division Series, the Phillies will go down 0-2 to the Diamondbacks before winning three straight to finish them off.
- The National League will win their third-consecutive All-Star Game for their longest streak since 1994-1996. Unfortunately for the Reds, this means that they will become the first team since the 1979 Orioles to lose Game 7 of the World Series at home.
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