I guess today is technically Opening Night for the 2015 MLB season, but if ESPN isn’t carrying the Cubs and Cardinals, did it really happen? Either way, tomorrow is Opening Day, which means baseball All. Day. Long.
No upcoming season is complete without a preview piece, so let’s take a look at each division, the award winners and the eventual World Series winners.
AL East:
1. Baltimore Orioles – Least amount of downside in the division. Resurgent Chris Davis will carry them to the division title.
2. Boston Red Sox – Most upside in the division, but the pitching staff is horrible. Johnny Cueto, anyone?
3. Toronto Blue Jays – Great blend of youth and right-handed power. The rotation scares me a bit, especially in this division.
4. New York Yankees – This team’s a mess. Thankfully for them, there’s the…
5. Tampa Bay Rays – Hello rebuild. Their pitching will compete with anyone’s come June, but where are they getting their runs from?
Bold prediction: Alex Rodriguez clubs 25 homers.
AL West:
1. Seattle Mariners – I guess this is hopping on the bandwagon? Similar to the Orioles, they just seem like the safest bet to me. They needed a right-handed power bat and got that in Nelson Cruz. Time for the young pitchers to take the next step.
2. Oakland A’s – They know what they’re doing. The staff will be just fine until Jarod Parker and A.J. Griffin return, and the lineup will produce.
3. Los Angeles Angels – This team is Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun. That’s it. It’s an old, overrated team, that will find a way to still compete. Jered Weaver is consisten and Garrett Richards is a stud in the making, but after that, they have nothing.
4. Texas Rangers – A healthy Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo could allow this team to compete in Jeff Banister’s first year away from Pittsburgh.
5. Houston Astros – I love what the Astros are doing, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them leapfrog the Rangers. Their top of the rotation is solid, and their youthful, powerful lineup will make them fun to watch at least.
Bold prediction: Prince Fielder hits 42 homers
AL Central:
1. Cleveland Indians – Arguably the best rotation in baseball, especially if you buy into the potential breakouts in the back-end of it. Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco in a playoff series? No thanks.
2. Chicago White Sox – The Sox are going for it, and I’m buying in. I love the additions of Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson. If Jose Abreu avoids a sophomore slump, the Sox could push for the playoffs.
3. Kansas City Royals – A slight regression for the AL champs from last year. I hope Ned Yost keeps bunting, though.
4. Detroit Tigers – Hi Tigers, meet Father Time. Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez are hobbled, and Justin Verlander won’t win many games on the field this year, but at least he trumps us all with Kate Upton.
5. Minnesota Twins – Phil Hughes is an underrated ace, but here’s hoping the Twins call up Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton to make the season at least interesting.
Bold prediction: Phil Hughes wins 20 games.
NL East:
1. Miami Marlins – Washington Nationals. Yes, I get it. But the Marlins are going to swoop in the last week of the season to win the division. The have the best outfield in baseball, an underrated addition in Michael Morse, great speed with Dee Gordon and if Jose Fernandez can show that he’s 80 percent of himself, they’ll take the division.
2. Washington Nationals – Best talent in baseball, without a doubt. However, where’s the depth at?
3. New York Mets – The Zack Wheeler injury hurts, but the Mets have the pitching depth to overcome it. They are truly a shortstop and a solid back-end of the bullpen away from competing.
4. Atlanta Braves – They’ll be the second-worst team in baseball. Thank god for the Phillies.
5. Philadelphia Phillies – Hey, maybe they’ll sign Bobby Bonilla, Luis Gonzalez and Mo Vaughn out of retirement. They may be some of the younger acquisitions in recent years.
Bold prediction: Phillies keep both Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon for the entire year.
NL West:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers – Clayton Kershaw + Yasiel Puig = entertainment. That’s what it’s all about!
2. San Diego Padres – I love the moves they made. They may have the worst defense in baseball, but Justin Upton will keep them in contention all season.
3. San Francisco Giants – They only win it every other year. #Logic
4. Colorado Rockies – *Copy and paste from 2011-2012* Can Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez stay healthy?
5. Arizona Diamondbacks – Yasmany Tomas should be fun to watch. Wait, he’s in the minors. Carry on.
Bold prediction: Alex Guerrero posts the second-highest home run total on the team.
NL Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals – I won’t’ change my mind until they give me a reason to. Great defensive upgrade with Jason Heyward. If Adam Wainwright can stay healthy, make it another division crown.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates – It’ll be a slugfest with the Cardinals again this year, but matching these teams up beside each other on paper, while it’s close, the nod goes to the Cardinals.
3. Milwaukee Brewers – The beginning of last year wasn’t a fluke. The pitching staff leaves much to be desired, but I truly believe Ryan Braun is over the lingering thumb injury.
4. Chicago Cubs – Sorry, I don’t buy all the hype that the team is going to click all at once. Next year? Yeah, sure.
5. Cincinnati Reds – Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Bold prediction: Jorge Soler finishes second in the NL home run race.
American League playoff teams
Orioles, Indians, Mariners, Red Sox, White Sox
National League playoff teams
Marlins, Cardinals, Dodgers, Nationals, Pirates
World Series:
Indians over Cardinals
Awards:
MVP – Robinson Cano (AL), Yasiel Puig (NL)
ROY – Dalton Pompey (AL), Jorge Soler (NL)
Cy Young – Chris Sale (AL), Max Scherzer (NL)
Manager of the Year – Terry Francona (AL), Mike Redmond (NL)
HR champ – Josh Donaldson (AL), Giancarlo Stanton (NL)
Comeback player of the year – Chris Davis (AL), Matt Harvey (NL)
Batting champs – Jose Altuve (AL), Matt Carpenter (NL)
