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It's been quite the past few weeks for baseball fans. From being ultimately disgruntled with everything about the sport's status when labor negotiations felt insulting and dismissive of the baseball fan, to the emotion that surfaced to your team's transactions in the flurry of moves that was the "off-season". Some Hot Stove...
I'm happy baseball will be played. Who isn't? I'm glad they figured something out. However, there still is a part of me that wonders, what truly was resolved? Heading into this season, only a handful of teams are legit contenders, and even more depressing is the gap increased as some have all but said, "we'll try again in 2023." I'm trying to stay positive...
There's also the desecration that is the left-field wall in beautiful Oriole Park in Camden Yards! Ugh.
Regardless, we'll get baseball this summer. I'll take it.
As is tradition, here are my wacky predictions for the upcoming season. I beg of you, do not place real bets, with real money, based upon this information.
STANDINGS (WINS)
AL East
Yankees - 91
Rays - 90
Blue Jays - 90
Red Sox - 88
Orioles - 68
AL Central
White Sox - 93
Twins - 87
Royals - 78
Guardians - 73
Tigers - 73
AL West
Astros - 92
Angels - 87
Rangers - 82
Mariners - 78
Athletics - 65
NL East
Mets - 91
Braves - 91
Phillies - 88
Marlins - 77
Nationals: 72
NL Central
Cardinals - 92
Brewers - 90
Reds - 78
Cubs: 77
Pirates: 67
NL West
Dodgers: 97
Giants - 90
Padres: 88
Diamondbacks: 78
Rockies: 72
GOALS / AWARDS / LEADERS
AL Hitting Leaders
Batting Champion: Tim Anderson (.339)
Home Runs: Aaron Judge (51)
RBIs: Vladimir Guererro Jr. (121)
On-Base Percentage: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.413)
Slugging Percentage: Vladmir Guerrero Jr. (.611)
Stolen Bases: Cedric Mullins (41)
NL Hitting Leaders
Batting Champion: Freddie Freeman (.329)
Home Runs: Matt Olson (48)
RBIs: Manny Machado (121)
On-Base Percentage: Bryce Harper (.431)
Slugging Percentage: Bryce Harper (.631)
Stolen Bases: Fernando Tatis Jr. (40)
AL Pitching Leaders
ERA: Gerrit Cole (2.45)
Wins: Alek Manoah (18)
Strikeouts: Gerrit Cole (233)
WHIP: Gerrit Cole (0.88)
Saves: Jordan Romano (39)
NL Pitching Leaders
ERA: Zack Wheeler (2.88)
Wins: Walker Beuhler (20)
Strikeouts: Zack Wheeler (239)
WHIP: Corbin Burnes (0.94)
Saves: Devin Williams (37)
BREAKOUT STARS
AL: Spencer Torkelson (DET)
AL: Wander Franco (TB)
NL: O'Neil Cruz (PIT)
NL: Hunter Greene (CIN)
BIGGEST NAMES TO BE TRADED
AL: Frankie Montas
AL: Noah Syndergaard
AL: Trey Mancini
NL: Josh Hader
NL: Jesus Aguilar
NL: Eric Hosmer
10 RANDOM, WILD, OR BOLD PREDICTIONS
- The new technology will catch on, even dare I say, increasing the pace of play of pitches being thrown to the plate.
- Albert Pujols, back in Cardinal red, will indeed reach 700 in the most dramatic storyline of the baseball season.
- Shohei Ohtani will do it again - making pitching and hitting seem easy.
- Rumors around Juan Soto being traded begin.
- Rumors around Mike Trout "wanting to win" begin.
- The AL East will dominate the American League sending four teams to the Postseason.
- Fernando Tatis Jr. has a 40/40 season.
- Derek Jeter lands another executive position in baseball.
- Carlos Beltran leaks more insight into the 2017 Astros season over the course of the year in his role as YES analyst.
- At least two people are seriously injured by the dumb left-field wall at Camden. Can you tell I'm not a fan of this?
AWARDS
AL Rookie of the Year: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)
NL Rookie of the Year: O'Neil Cruz (PIT)
AL Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Hicks (NYY)
NL Comeback Player of the Year: Albert Pujols (STL)
AL Cy Young Winner: Gerrit Cole (NYY)
NL Cy Young Winner: Zack Wheeler (PHI)
AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrerro Jr. (TOR)
NL MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL)
WORLD SERIES
World Series: Yankees vs. Cardinals
World Series MVP: Gerritt Cole
Eh, everyone's falling in love with the Blue Jays, Brewers, etc...
I don't get the unsatisfaction narrative with the Yankees roster...so hey, why not?