Major League Baseball Predction Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Since Pitchers and Catchers have started reporting... It's time to try our hand at prediction for Baseball (and laugh when we're all wrong in October)

Here are my picks;

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves; The Braves have a pitching staff to rival their great teams of 1990's and should win this division going away, despite an average offense. Projected Record; 96-66

2. Washington Nationals; The Nationals are a talented team and should do better than last year, although that may not be enough to guarantee one of the two wild-cards. Projected Record 85-77

3. New York Mets- They're getting better, although a .500 record is probably out of reach. Projected Record; 76-86

4. Miami Marlins; They always seem to end up with great prospects from they're rummage sales... Maybe the Yankees could take lessons in that. Projected Record; 69-93

5. Philadelphia Phillies- They're old and slow at the plate and in the field, and that doesn't cover up a very good pitching staff. Projected Record; 57-105

NL Central

1. Pittsburgh Pirates- Last Year was no fluke- The Pirates are for real;  Projected Record 93-69

2. St. Louis Cardinals- St. Louis has the best pitching staff in the division, but losing Carlos Beltran will sting as will trading former World Series David Freese; Projected Record 91-71

3. Cincinnati Reds- The Reds have the best bats in the division, and the best bullpen. Projected Record; 90-72

4. Milwaukee Brewers- Only highlight is Ryan Braun, an individual who was found guilty of steroid use by MLB... He's still a great hitter though. Projected Record; 68-94

5. Chicago Cubs- The Curse of the Billy Goat will live for another year; Projected Record; 61-101

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers (and Yankees) have proven money really does buy wins, as they have best lineup in the division (and possibly the whole NL) and a strong pitching staff. Projected Record; 112-50

2. San Fransisco Giants. The Giants are a strong team, but their in the wrong division to have any shot at making the playoffs. Projected Record; 89-73'

3. San Diego Padres. Projected record; 74-88

4. Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have a Cy Young candidate in Patrick Corbin, an MVP candidate in Paul Goldschmidt... and that's about it. Projected Record; 70-92

5. Colorado Rockies; They have two MVP candidates in Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki, plus former Twin who can still hit in Justin Morneau, but they have no pitching and the fact that their park is a mile high doesn't help. Projected Record; 56-106

American League

AL East

1. Tampa Bay Rays- Let's be honest, the AL East is insane... but I think Tampa makes it out of the madhouse because they have the best Manager in all of Baseball- Joe Madden. Projected Record; 91-71

2. Boston Red Sox- There's no reason why the defending champs shouldn't return to the playoffs. Projected Record; 89-73

3. Baltimore Orioles- The Orioles should remain a solid, if underrated franchise. Projected Record; 86-76

4. New York Yankees- The Yankees lineup is improved but pitching (except for Tanaka) is a question mark. Derek Jeter's retirement tour should provide season-long entertainment. Projected Record; 83-79

5. Toronto Blue Jays; Projected Record 66-96

AL Central

1. Detroit Tigers- The Tigers are easily the best team in the American League. Projected Record; 108-54

2. Kansas City Royals- The Royals young core is finally starting to mature; Projected Record; 85-77

3. Cleveland Indians- Projected Record; 83-79

4. Chicago White Sox; Like the Phillies a relatively old an aging team, like the Phillies, they will go nowhere. Projected Record; 77-85

5. Minnesota Twins; They're going to be a disaster, just be glad Joe Mauer is still on the team. Projected Record; 61-101

AL West

1. Texas Rangers- Great Pitching, solid hitting make a division winner; Projected Record; 95-67

2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- The Angels have decent pitching and good hitting, and actually spent wisely this offseason. Projected Record; 85-77

3. Seattle Mariners- No, signing Robinson Cano does not make the Mariners a playoff team. But it does make them a team with a winning record. Projected Record; 82-80

4. Oakland Athetics; Projected Record; 80-82

5. Houston Astros; This team is bad enough to threaten and break the 1962 Mets record for most losses in a season. Projected Record; 36-126  

Postseason


Wild-Card Round

NL; Cardinals defeat Reds
AL; Red Sox defeat Orioles

ALDS
Tigers defeat Red Sox in five
Rangers defeat Rays in five

ALCS
Tigers defeat Rangers in six


NLDS

Pirates defeat Braves in five

Dodgers defeat Cardinals in five

NLCS
Dodgers defeat Pirates in four

World Series
Tigers defeat Dodgers in seven

[Хahar 🤔]

There aren't going to be two teams that each win 108 (!!!) games. Having five teams each lose 100 games is even more absurd.

[Flake]

57-105 for the Phillies?

I'm gonna say 82-80 this year.

[The Dowager Mod]

I drafted 4 japanese pitchers onto my fantasy team and didn't realize it until the draft was over haha.

[Psychic Octopus]

The Athletics won't be 80-82 without significant missteps and injuries. And given the depth of the roster, that's just not happening. The pitching is very good, there's no clear gaping flaws, and the team is more-or-less the same club as last year.

The Dodgers aren't winning 112 games. They're great, but there not that great. That's just an insane projection. Same with the Tigers.

[free my dawg]

AL East:

1. Red Sox - Ellsbury may be gone, but that's no big deal. Xander Bogaerts is an upgrade over Drew, and I think Middlebrooks bounces back. And who knows about Grady Sizemore? 94-68
2. Rays - Joe Maddon helps a lot, and David Price is in his contract year. It'll be close, but the Rays have a chance at winning this year. 92-70
3. Orioles - Not big on Jimenez at all. Cruz is good, but expect similar returns. 86-76
4. Yankees - McCann is going to be awesome for them, but I think Tanaka will be a #3 starter and Ellsbury's basically guaranteed to miss 20-40 games. Plus there's going to be a massive hole at 2B (come on, we all know Roberts is gonna get hurt). Still a .500 team. 81-81
5. Blue Jays - If they were in any other division, they would be around .500. 72-90

AL Central:

1. Tigers - Tigers gonna Tiger. 98-64
2. Royals - This is the year they turn the corner. Aoki is no slouch either. 93-69 (WC)
3. Indians - Meh. Just meh. 84-78
4. White Sox - Most definitely had an under the radar offseason, but still not good enough to beat the Indians. 68-94.
5. Twins - hhehehe. 66-96.

AL West:

1. Rangers - Smart offseason, by far the winners. 94-68
2. Athletics - Lots to like about this team going forward. Kazmir is my sleeper pick of the year. 92-70
3. Angels - Not bad, but not as good as the Rays or Royals. 85-77.
4. Mariners - Cano isn't gonna help them pass the Angels. 76-86.
5. Astros - heading out of "absolute walking disaster" territory, but not quite there yet. 54-108.

NL East:

1. Nationals - Their pitching staff isn't even fair, and a healthy Harper should do wonders for this year. 97-65.
2. Braves - Quiet offseason, but whatever. 95-67 (WC)
3. Mets - Progress! 75-87
4. Phillies - Unacceptable offseason. Lee and Hamels save this team from being the worst in the league. 67-95
5. Marlins - lol. 64-99

NL Central:

1. Cardinals - Far and away the best team in baseball. 105-57.
2. Pirates - Love this team going forward. 95-67 (WC)
3. Reds - Losing Arroyo/Choo hurts, but they're still not that bad. 91-71.
4. Cubs - Marginal offseason, but Castro should bounce back and Rizzo should break out just enough to get out of the cellar. 72-90
5. Brewers - Good on paper, crap on the field. 71-91.

NL West:

1. Dodgers - Depends on how healthy Kemp is. Can be anywhere from 93-100 wins. 96-76.
2. Giants - Decent core, but not good enough to make the playoffs. 84-78
3. Padres - Much-improved. 80-82
4. Diamondbacks - Still a .500 team. 79-83
5. Rockies - I can count a few good people on this team, but I'm honestly not too keen. 76-86.

Playoffs:

WC:
Rays over Athletics
Royals over Rays

Braves over Pirates

Division:

Sox over Rangers in 4
Tigers over Royals in 4

Cardinals over Braves in 4
Nationals over Dodgers in 5

Championship:

Sox over Tigers in 7

Cardinals over Nationals in 6

World Series:

Cardinals over Sox in 6. I turn into a drunk, crying mess.

Awards (AL/NL):

MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Bryce Harper
ROTY: Xander Bogaerts, Oscar Taveras
Cy Young: David Price, Clayton Kershaw
MOY: Ned Yost, Matt Williams
Comeback Player of the Year: Netfali Feliz, Tim Hudson
World Series MVP: Matt Carpenter

[free my dawg]

Alright. A deconstruction of NYE's predictions:

*The Braves' rotation isn't nearly as good as it was in the 1990s. In fact, it isn't even the best in the division. While I'm a huge fan of Minor and Teheran, Strasburg, Zimmerman, and Gonzalez are still much better, and I'd take Fister over Teheran too. The Nationals have the best rotation in baseball, and I expect them to do big things. I'm very high on them this year.
* The Phillies still have Lee, Burnett, and Hamels. Their rotation's actually one of the better ones in the league - problem is their third-best hitter is Darin Ruf.
* The Dodgers are good, but not 110 games good. No way in hell they have the best lineup in the league - Cardinals still have that. I'm definitely not big on Haren either. More on them later.
* I can't believe you don't have the Cardinals winning the division. Wacha is the next Matt Harvey, Miller's still beastly, and Taveras will have no problem picking up where Beltran left off. Plus Lynn and Garcia are great for the back end of the rotation.
*Not necessarily about the Diamondbacks - Trumbo and Hill aren't that bad. This is a .500 team at its finest, with a high ceiling.
* Tanaka is still the biggest question mark on the Yankees. Nova's underrated, but age is hitting Sabathia hard. This team is the biggest question mark going forward - especially with all the old, injury-prone players. I could honestly see them finishing anywhere in the division.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

NYE types a very long post and it's so much drivel I don't know where to begin.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I think the Pirates will win 88-89 games this year, tops.  We don't have the offensive muscle.  I don't know if that's enough for a Wild Card spot, but it might be enough.

While I don't think he's our ace by any stretch, I think if Charlie Morton stays healthy (a big IF), he might be our most reliable pitcher this season.  "Ground Chuck" has the ability.

[free my dawg]

I think the Pirates will win 88-89 games this year, tops.  We don't have the offensive muscle.  I don't know if that's enough for a Wild Card spot, but it might be enough.

While I don't think he's our ace by any stretch, I think if Charlie Morton stays healthy (a big IF), he might be our most reliable pitcher this season.  "Ground Chuck" has the ability.

Irrelevant. Your rotation's incredible, and I can't wait to see a full season of Gerrit Cole. Taillon will probably be up later this year too. Your lineup's okay, but your rotation can definitely carry the team going forward.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I think the Pirates will win 88-89 games this year, tops.  We don't have the offensive muscle.  I don't know if that's enough for a Wild Card spot, but it might be enough.

While I don't think he's our ace by any stretch, I think if Charlie Morton stays healthy (a big IF), he might be our most reliable pitcher this season.  "Ground Chuck" has the ability.

Irrelevant. Your rotation's incredible, and I can't wait to see a full season of Gerrit Cole. Taillon will probably be up later this year too. Your lineup's okay, but your rotation can definitely carry the team going forward.

Our rotation is outstanding, and we're deep.  Starting the year out with Liriano, Cole, Morton, Wandy, and Locke, with plenty of depth behind them and a bull pen to envy with Grilli, Melancon, Wilson, Watson, Hughes, etc.....we're fine.

Pedro needs to start hitting singles and doubles as well as homers.  170+ strikeouts is too many.  Walker just needs to hit lefty and quit this switch hitting nonsense.  Marte is going to break out I feel.

We held our own against the Cards and Reds last year and I think we can again, but I won't be pissed with 88-89 wins.

[Gass3268]

NL Central:

1. Cardinals - Far and away the best team in baseball. 105-57.
2. Pirates - Love this team going forward. 95-67 (WC)
3. Reds - Losing Arroyo/Choo hurts, but they're still not that bad. 91-71.
4. Cubs - Marginal offseason, but Castro should bounce back and Rizzo should break out just enough to get out of the cellar. 72-90
5. Brewers - Good on paper, crap on the field. 71-91.

Brewers are sooooooo much better than the Cubs.

[WalterMitty]

al east: tampa
al central: detroit
al west: oakland

wild cards: baltimore, kansas city

nl east: atlanta
nl central: st. louis
nl west: los angeles

wild cards: pittsburgh, washington

world series: pirates over royals.

[The Dowager Mod]

Red Sox
Tigers
Rangers
Rays (wc)
Royals (wc)
-------------
Nationals
Pirates
Dodgers
Cardinals (wc)
Braves (wc)

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Pirates

God Bless you.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Oh ho ho, no way am I giving overall records

NATIONAL LEAGUE

East
(2) Atlanta
(5) Washington
New York
Philadelphia
Miami

Central
(3) St. Louis
(4) Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Chicago
Milwaukee

West
(1) Los Angeles
San Francisco
Arizona
Colorado
San Diego

NL Wild Card Playoff: (4) Pittsburgh over (5) Washington

NLDS: (1) Los Angeles over (4) Pittsburgh, (2) Atlanta over (3) St. Louis

NLCS: (1) Los Angeles over (2) Atlanta

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East
(3) New York
(4) Boston
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Toronto

Central
(1) Detroit
(5) Kansas City
Chicago
Cleveland
Minnesota

West
(2) Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Los Angeles
Houston

AL Wild Card Playoff: (5) Kansas City over (4) Boston

ALDS: (1) Detroit over (5) Kansas City, (3) New York over (2) Oakland

ALCS: (1) Detroit over (3) New York

2014 WORLD SERIES: Al Champion Detroit Tigers defeat AL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers

[Suburbia]

Oh ho ho, no way am I giving overall records

NATIONAL LEAGUE

East
(2) Atlanta
(5) Washington
New York
Philadelphia
Miami

Central
(3) St. Louis
(4) Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Chicago
Milwaukee

West
(1) Los Angeles
San Francisco
Arizona
Colorado
San Diego

NL Wild Card Playoff: (4) Pittsburgh over (5) Washington

NLDS: (1) Los Angeles over (4) Pittsburgh, (2) Atlanta over (3) St. Louis

NLCS: (1) Los Angeles over (2) Atlanta

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East
(3) New York
(4) Boston
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Toronto

Central
(1) Detroit
(5) Kansas City
Chicago
Cleveland
Minnesota

West
(2) Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Los Angeles
Houston

AL Wild Card Playoff: (5) Kansas City over (4) Boston

ALDS: (1) Detroit over (5) Kansas City, (3) New York over (2) Oakland

ALCS: (1) Detroit over (3) New York

2014 WORLD SERIES: Al Champion Detroit Tigers defeat AL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers

I am not giving records either until later this month or in April, but here's where I stand:

AMERICAN LEAGUE:
East:
Boston (2)
New York Yankees (4)
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Toronto

Central:
Detroit (3)
Cleveland
Kansas City
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota

West:
Oakland (1)
Texas (5)
Los Angeles of Anaheim
Seattle
Houston

AL WILD CARD GAME: (4) New York Yankees over (5) Texas
ALDS: (4) New York Yankees over (1) Oakland in 5 games, (3) Detroit over (2) Boston in 5 games
ALCS: (4) New York Yankees over (3) Detroit in 7 games

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

East:
Washington (2)
Atlanta (4)
New York Mets
Philadelphia
Miami

Central:
St. Louis (1)
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Milwaukee
Chicago Cubs

West:
Los Angeles (3)
San Francisco (5)
Arizona
San Diego
Colorado

NL WILD CARD GAME: (5) San Francisco over (4) Atlanta
NLDS: (1) St. Louis over (5) San Francisco in 5 games, (3) Los Angeles over (2) Washington in 5 games
NLCS: (1) St. Louis over (3) Los Angeles Dodgers in 7 games

WORLD SERIES: National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals over American League Champion  
New York Yankees in a thrilling, heart-pounding 7 games

[RI]

AL East
(3) Tampa Bay
Boston
Baltimore
NY Yankees
Toronto

AL Central
(2) Detroit
(5) Kansas City
Cleveland
Minnesota
Chi White Sox

AL West
(1) Oakland
(4) LA Angels
Texas
Seattle
Houston

NL East
(3) Washington
(4) Atlanta
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Miami

NL Central
(1) St. Louis
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Milwaukee
Chi Cubs

NL West
(2) LA Dodgers
(5) Arizona
San Diego
San Francisco
Colorado

Wild Card Round
LA Angels over Kansas City
Arizona over Atlanta

Divisional Round
St. Louis over Arizona
Washington over LA Dodgers
Detroit over Tampa Bay
Oakland over LA Angels

Championship Round
Washington over St. Louis
Detroit over Oakland

World Series
Washington over Detroit

[Suburbia]

Heading into the second half of baseball, I think that the Tigers, Yankees, Athletics, Cardinals and Dodgers are facing the most pressure of winning the 2014 World Series. Giants and Brewers too.

[Gass3268]

Suck it to everyone who had the Brewers last!

5. Brewers - Good on paper, crap on the field. 71-91.

Its possible we could get that many wins by the end of July!

[tmthforu94]

I enjoy seeing the love for the Royals in this thread - it's been a long time coming...

Went through a rough patch lately, but still in pretty good position I'd say.

[Suburbia]

I just want to know which league will likely win the All Star Game?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Don't feel like starting a thread for this, and this comes closest to a general purpose baseball thread, so I'm posting this here.

Do our baseball experts here agree with the rule interpretation for this scenario?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[President Tyrion]

Don't feel like starting a thread for this, and this comes closest to a general purpose baseball thread, so I'm posting this here.

Do our baseball experts here agree with the rule interpretation for this scenario?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

No, I don't. There are two different scenarios:

First off, a pitch is considered to be "in the strike zone" if any part of it crosses the plate. If we treat the volume of the ball as including the plasma cloud around it, then it certainly crosses the plate. That means that regardless of it hitting the player, it's a strike.

Secondly, the player is physically unable to make a good faith attempt to move out of the way of the pitch, a necessary condition for being awarded the base. In the absence of such an effort, the pitch is ruled as it would be based on its location.

So, I believe it's a strike.