2013 MLB Season Thread

[The Buscher]

Opening Day has arrived! Time to get the new thread started. May as well toss some predictions in here:

NL EAST
1. Nationals

2. Braves (Wild Card 1)

3. Phillies

4. Mets

5. Marlins

NL CENTRAL

1. Reds

2. Cardinals

3. Brewers

4. Pirates

5. Cubs

NL WEST

1. Dodgers

2. Giants (Wild Card 2)

3. Padres

4. Diamondbacks

5. Rockies

AL EAST

1. Rays

2. Yankees (Wild Card 2)

3. Blue Jays

4. Red Sox

5. Orioles

AL CENTRAL

1. Tigers

2. Indians

3. White Sox

4. Royals

5. Twins

AL WEST

1. Angels

2. Rangers (Wild Card 1)

3. Athletics

4. Mariners

5. Astros

Given the amount of media hysteria over the state of the Yankees currently, them making the post-season at all probably qualifies as the biggest "shock" of my predictions. But I do like their pitching and once Granderson and Teixeira are back I think there will be plenty of runs to go around. In all actuality forecasting the AL East this year is basically a crapshoot, much moreso than the other divisions. I can see all 5 teams finishing over .500 and it just being super competitive throughout.

Wild Card

-Braves over Giants

-Yankees over Rangers

Divisional Series

-Nationals over Braves in 4

-Dodgers over Reds in 5

-Tigers over Yankees in 4

-Angels over Rays in 4

Championship Series

-Nationals over Dodgers in 7 (MVP: Ryan Zimmerman)

-Angels over Tigers in 6 (MVP: Albert Pujols)

World Series

-Nationals over Angels in 6 (MVP: Stephen Strasburg)

AWARDS

NL MVP: Bryce Harper

NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

NL Rookie of the Year: Julio Teheran

NL Comeback Player of the Year: Tim Lincecum

NL Manager of the Year: Davey Johnson

AL MVP: Mike Trout

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander

AL Rookie of the Year: Jurickson Profar

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Lance Berkman

AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon

[gunnar hendershow]

The Yanks this year feel like a mirror image of the Phils last year. Hobbled offense, question marks and holes all over the diamond, but the Yankees do have stability at closer unlike the Phillies did last year. The one parallel is their rotations. What happened in Philly's case was bad luck and Halladay hitting the wall. The Phillies did get healthy by season's end and made a run for the Wild Card. That's what I expect from the Yankees. Their pitching will keep them around, and then depending on their competition in the league for the other Wild Card spots they could sneak in during September.

I know it can come across as homer speak, but the Orioles don't get quite as much respect as they should. I don't expect a playoff run again, they might finish a few games below .500, and they might finish in last. But that's as much a testament to their division as anything else. They're a team you have to watch to understand. They make up for their weaknesses at positions with filling the minor leagues with guys capable of contributing in a major league lineup. They like to ride the hot hands of these players, and for the few days they contribute they can help make the difference between a win or two and losses. It's extreme micromanaging, and it has to drive players and a GM absolutely crazy. It works though, and barring a lot of health setbacks I expect it to yet again lead the O's to a number well above their stats.

Anyway, my predictions...

* = Best record in league

z = Division Champ

x = Wildcard

American League

East

z Toronto

x Tampa Bay

New York

Baltimore

Boston

Central

z Detroit

Kansas City

Cleveland

Chicago

Minnesota

West

* Los Angeles

x Oakland

Texas

Seattle

Houston

ALCS

Detroit over Los Angeles

National League

East

* Washington

x Atlanta

Philadelphia

New York

Miami

Central

z Cincinnati

St. Louis

Pittsburgh

Milwaukee

Chicago

West

z San Francisco

x Los Angeles

Arizona

San Diego

Colorado

NLCS

Cincinnati over Washington

World Series

Detroit over Cincinnati

Awards

American League

MVP: Mike Trout

Cy Young: Justin Verlander

Rookie of the Year: Wil Myers

Manger of the Year: Joe Maddon

National League

MVP: Joey Votto

Cy Young: Stephen Strasburg

Rookie of the Year: Adam Eaton

Manager of the Year: Dusty Baker

[Your Mom]

Cant someone at least predict a 4th place finish for the Cubs? Come on people!

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

The biggest hunch that I have this year is that the Josh Hamilton tenure in Anaheim will get off to a poor start. He's going to be making a lot of money and there is going to be a ton of pressure for him to perform and given the way his time in Texas ended, I can see things getting off to a shaky start. Not to mention, he really just kind of sucked down the stretch for the Rangers. Also, I see a regression for Mike Trout. There is already hurt feelings over his contract and that the fact that he got bumped to left field, I can see him just trying way too hard.

Predictions:

AL East: Tampa

AL Central: Detroit

AL West: Texas

AL Wild Card: 1. Los Angeles of Anaheim

2. Baltimore

NL East: Washington

NL Central: St. Louis

NL West: San Francisco

NL Wild Card: 1. Atlanta

2. Los Angeles

(This would be the first time in the Wild Card era that both the Red Sox and Yankees would miss the playoffs)

Post Season

AL Wild Card: LAA over Baltimore

NL Wild Card: Atlanta over LAD

ALDS:

Detroit over LAA

Tampa over Texas

NLDS:

Washington over Atlanta

San Francisco over St. Louis

ALCS:

Detroit over Tampa

NLCS:

Washington over San Francisco

WS:

Detroit over Washington

Oh yeah, the Astros are going to give the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers are a run for their money as the worst team ever

[Blaze09]

Let's be real, the season starts tomorrow unless the Astros somehow gained a ounce of talent over spring training.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Let's be real, the season starts tomorrow unless the Astros somehow gained a ounce of talent over spring training.

They make less combined than A-Rod. so I doubt it.

[The Buscher]

Opening Day is basically Friday for me. Day game tomorrow - I've been known to take the day off for Opening Day in the past but I can't tomorrow as I have previously scheduled vacation time upcoming. No game Tuesday. Wednesday is a night game but it's the same night I'll be in class. And then Thursday is another day game.

They had a ton of Thursday day games last year as well. They're meant to be "traditional" but really it's annoying.

[ThaBoss18]

My prediction for this year?

That the cubs win more games than last year and that all the Young players play well especially Rizzo and Jeff Sam.. Or however you spell it, the guy who will be the opening day starter

[gunnar hendershow]

Cubs I think are the 4th worst team in baseball, so there's a 4th place prediction Srar.

Astros could lose 115, Twins and Marlins could lose 100, Cubs and Mets could lose 95, Rockies and Padres could fail to break 70 wins. This is gonna be a year where there's a few teams with remarkably bad records and equal number of teams with close to or over 100 wins. There's just a gigantic gap from the top tier to the 7-8 bottom teams. I say 8 because there's always room for any injury-ravaged team.

[The Buscher]

The Astros are literally the best team in baseball right now.

[9 to 5]

THE METS ARE UNBEATEN!

[MalaCloudy Black]

THE METS ARE UNBEATEN!

So are the Cubs!

[Your Mom]

Cubs win and Bryce Harper hits 2 HRs for the fantasy team. It is a good day to be Srar

[Maxx]

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh...

[Ananas]

I know we all know it and it's just beating a redundant point, but since I've been deprived of him for the better part of 6 months it really warrants pointing out that Vin Scully is just the best.

[The Buscher]

Fantastic Mets opener. More Cowgill!

[Ananas]

Clayton Kershaw through 8 scoreless innings (7k, 0bb, 3h), bats for himself to lead off the bottom of the 8th and breaks the scoreless deadlock with a solo shot to dead center. I missed you, baseball.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

So glad to have baseball back. Was fun to see the Yanks get schooled today, even if it was by the Red Sox. Bought tickets for Saturday in Toronto. Wish I could go on Friday and boo the ever-loving crap out of John Farrell, but alas, I work.

And AJ Burnett's reaction to the bag exploding (or lack there of) is the greatest thing.

SEASON PREDICTIONS:

AL EAST

1. Toronto

2. Tampa Bay (WILDCARD 2)

3. Boston

4. Baltimore

5. New York

AL CENTRAL

1. Detroit

2. Cleveland (WILDCARD 1)

3. Chicago

4. Kansas City

5. Minnesota

AL WEST

1. Los Angeles

2. Oakland

3. Texas

4. Seattle

5. Houston

NL EAST

1. Washington

2. Atlanta (WILDCARD 1)

3. Philadelphia

4. New York

5. Miami

NL CENTRAL

1. Cinncinati

2. Pittsburgh

3. Milwaukee

4. St. Louis

5. Chicago

NL WEST

1. San Francisco

2. Los Angeles (WILDCARD 2)

3. Arizona

4. Colorado

5. San Diego

AL WILDCARD: Tampa over Cleveland

NL WILDCARD: Atlanta over Los Angeles

Detroit over Tampa

Los Angeles over Toronto

Washington over Cincinnati

San Francisco over Atlanta

Detroit over Los Angeles

Washington over San Francisco

Washington over Detroit

[Berober]

Dodgers Team Stat Leaders:

[GhostMachine]

Predictions:

NL EAST

1. Nationals

2. Braves (Wild Card 1)

3. Phillies

4. Marlins

5. Mets

NL CENTRAL

1. Reds

2. Brewers (Wild Card 2)

3. Cardinals

4. Pirates

5. Cubs

NL WEST

1. Dodgers

2. Giants

3. Diamondbacks

4. Rockies

5. Padres

AL EAST

1. Rays

2. Blue Jays (Wild Card 2)

3. Yankees

4. Red Sox

5. Orioles

AL CENTRAL

1. Tigers

2. White Sox

3. Indians

4. Royals

5. Twins

AL WEST

1. Angels

2. Rangers (Wild Card 1)

3. Athletics

4. Mariners

5. Astros

Not going to do the entire playoffs, but.....

NLCS: Dodgers over Nationals

ALCS: Tigers over Angels

World Series: Tigers over Dodgers in 6

Edited April 2, 2013 by GhostMachine