March 27, 2013
The very feeling of Opening Day baseball returning, is like coming home from a 6-hour road trip...
AND...with Opening Day baseball returning, I'm going to do what I always do every year, and that's give my predictions to the season.
EAST
I can't see this Phillies' rotation, with Roy Halladay (who I know is having a bad spring) Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels fail to make to the playoffs for the second straight year. And Halladay is going to get it together. I'm not worried about him.
Their offense is gonna want to prove something. The veterans like Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are gonna be too stubborn to not make the playoffs again. These guys are use to being in October every year and won't stand for it again. The Philly core is gonna want to prove to the league that they're still a championship team.
Michael Young and Ben Revere may not seem much of an upgrade to the subtractions of Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, but I believe they'll replace them very well. Revere and Young are going to be motivated and will feed off the other veterans.
Also, Phillies will go out and make a move before the trade deadline, if they needed another bat.
I was going to be the Nationals to win the East, but I can't see this young team, just easily, redoing what they did last year. Young teams like the Nationals with no experience, usually play poorly the next season after having a great one the year before. Especially the way they were eliminated from the postseason. The Nats have a lot of young pitchers and position players who played too well last year, that makes it hard for me to believe they would duplicate that.
CENTRAL
I don't think the Cincinnati Reds will make any noise this year. I can't take them seriously.
If anything, I can see the Pittsburgh Pirates making a run and giving the Cardinals a little trouble -- but that's it. I see the Cards winning this division.
The Cardinals remind me of the New York Yankees in the A.L East this year. Where they don't seem to look like a division champion, but no one around looks serious enough to make a run.
St. Louis has the guts, the experience and the championship pedigree to win this division.
WEST
The Dodgers' frontline pitching rotation of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke could be the best in baseball. And with that offense, it should be enough to win the division.
I don't think the San Francisco Giants will be any good this year, after coming off a championship. I just don't see it.
The Atlanta Braves offense should be the best in baseball. They literally have the best outfield in baseball with B.J, Justin Upton and Jason Heyward. Won't shock me if they make a close run at the N.L East division, but they're pitching won't enough to win it. If Atlanta can a big pitcher in the middle of the season, they could win the division. But for now, I only see them getting into the wild card.
The Washington Nationals are going to be good. Just not good enough to win the N.L East. I can't see a young, inexperience team having that good of a season again; they're relying on too many young players. But the Nats will be good enough to make the wild card.
.... I know, I know ... WHAT A SURPRISE!
But I do feel the New York Yankees will win the A.L East, yet again; even through all their injuries.
I'm not as high on the Toronto Blue Jays like everyone is. I can see them getting off to a hot start, then fall off toward the middle of the season.
I take the Tampa Bay Rays more seriously than the Jays -- because they're in it t'll the end, almost every year. They're proven.
Yankees might surprise people with their un-Yankee like lineup. Wouldn't surprise me if they get off to a hot start. They might thrive off being, sorta, the underdog.
With the acquisition of Vernon Wells, the Yankee lineup doesn't look that bad. Once Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira return, the Yankees are gonna look heavy-powered again. Especially if they can get anything left out of Travis Hafner.
The Yankee rotation is really good and really old at the same time -- which is scary.
Detroit Tigers should be able to win this division in a landslide.
Tigers have the best right-handed hitter in baseball, Miguel Cabrera, and the pitcher in baseball, Justin Verlander. Can't beat that.
Kansas City Royals could give the Tigers trouble, but won't be a threat in the Central.
Los Angeles Angles. I don't think they're gonna be the Miami Heat of the MLB because of their amazing offense, but they'll win their division.
Angels pitching is a bit of suspect to me. Jared Weaver and C.J Wilson isn't enough, however, it could be enough for the Angels to win the division -- because they're gonna mash their way to a division title.
I'm interested to see if Mike Trout repeats his explosive rookie season from last year. If so, the Halo's lineup will be the scariest in baseball. With Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and -- don't forget -- Mike Trumbo, they can score four runs a night, easily.
No James Shields -- still won't matter. Tampa Bay Rays still have David Price and Evan Longoria, and still have other key players. I also think Desmond Jennings is gonna have a break out year.
I was going to pick the Seattle Mariners as the second wild card team...then I thought about their pitching and the Texas Ranger pitching, it's difference in depth.
Rangers lose Hamilton, but still Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus, and did acquire Lance Berkman and A.J Pierzynski; which will turn out to be big signings.
MVP
A.L: Josh Hamilton
N.L: Justin Upton
Cy Young
A.L: Felix Hernandez
N.L Cliff Lee
N.L WILD CARD TEAMS
EAST
But I do feel the New York Yankees will win the A.L East, yet again; even through all their injuries.
I'm not as high on the Toronto Blue Jays like everyone is. I can see them getting off to a hot start, then fall off toward the middle of the season.
I take the Tampa Bay Rays more seriously than the Jays -- because they're in it t'll the end, almost every year. They're proven.
Yankees might surprise people with their un-Yankee like lineup. Wouldn't surprise me if they get off to a hot start. They might thrive off being, sorta, the underdog.
With the acquisition of Vernon Wells, the Yankee lineup doesn't look that bad. Once Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira return, the Yankees are gonna look heavy-powered again. Especially if they can get anything left out of Travis Hafner.
The Yankee rotation is really good and really old at the same time -- which is scary.
CENTRAL
Tigers have the best right-handed hitter in baseball, Miguel Cabrera, and the pitcher in baseball, Justin Verlander. Can't beat that.
Kansas City Royals could give the Tigers trouble, but won't be a threat in the Central.
WEST
Angels pitching is a bit of suspect to me. Jared Weaver and C.J Wilson isn't enough, however, it could be enough for the Angels to win the division -- because they're gonna mash their way to a division title.
I'm interested to see if Mike Trout repeats his explosive rookie season from last year. If so, the Halo's lineup will be the scariest in baseball. With Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and -- don't forget -- Mike Trumbo, they can score four runs a night, easily.
A.L WILD CARD TEAMS
Rangers lose Hamilton, but still Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus, and did acquire Lance Berkman and A.J Pierzynski; which will turn out to be big signings.
MVP
A.L: Josh Hamilton
N.L: Justin Upton
Cy Young
A.L: Felix Hernandez
N.L Cliff Lee
