Power Pros Forum

woo-hoo Sunday is the big day, the MLB season will officially kick off

So it's time for predictions with rosters pretty much set

Predict things like
MVP
Standings
Division winners
Cy Young
Rookie of the year
Breakout players
Breakout team
etc

And you can talk about the expectations for your favorite team(s)

I'll do my predictions later

I'll start my predictions when the season's almost over.

that would be too easy

I'm only going to do divisions and world series, since I fail at the other stuff .

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Card: Yankees

Playoffs, AL:
BOS over CHW
SEA over NYY

ALCS:
BOS over SEA, in 7

NL East: Braves
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Rockies
Nl Wild Card: Giants

Playoffs, NL:
ATL over SF
STL over COL

NLCS:
ATL over STL, in 7

World Series:
BOS over ATL, in 7

Breakout Teams: ATL, SEA, SF, KC, TEX

me too

AL East: Yankees
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Card: Red Soxs

Playoffs, AL:
BOS over CHW
NNY over Mariners.

ALCS:
NYY over BOS, in 6

NL East: Braves
NL Central: Cubs
NL West: Rockies
Nl Wild Card: Cardinals

Playoffs, NL:
Cubs over COL
Rockies over Braves

NLCS:
Cubs over Rockies, in 7

World Series:
Cubs over NNY, in 5

I don't think you can get re-entered in the playoffs after getting eliminated.

AL
MVP: Miguel Cabrera
CY Young: Jon Lester
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Angels (Sorry Seattle, but 2 starters and subpar offense wont win. Look at the Giants)
Wild Card: Red Sox
Rookie of the year: Brian Matusz
Breakout players: David Price
Breakout team: Seattle Mariners

NL
MVP: Albert Pujols
CY Young: Roy Halladay
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cardinals
NL West: Dodgers
Wild Card: Giants
Rookie of the year: Jayson Hayward
Breakout players: Tommy Hason
Breakout team: Giants

ALDS:
Yankees 3:2 Mariners
Red Sox 3:2 Twins

NLDS:
Phillies 2:3 Giants
Dodgers 3:1 Cardinals

ALCS:
Yankees 4:3 Red Sox

NLCS:
Dodgers 4:1 Giants

World Series:
Yankees 4:2 Dodgers (Torre retires at the new Yankees Stadium)

THANK YOU, RD!!!!!!!! Wait, why is Colorado playing the Cubs AND the Braves in the Division series?
Now, I haven't been paying much attention to anyone but the Cubs, so it's time to watch me fail at predictions!!! YAY!!!!!
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Angels
AL WC: Red Sox

Division: Twins over Sox, Yanks over Angels
League: Yanks over Twins

NL East: Uh... Phillies?
NL Central: Cardinals (but it IS possible for the Cubs)
NL West: Dodgers
NL WC: ...Mets?

Division: Cards over Mets, Dodgers over Phils
League: Cards over Dodgers

WS: Yanks over Cards

Aw, crap! I just predicted my 2nd least desirable WS matchup EVER! Right after White Sox vs Cards! Cubbies, PLEASE keep the Cards out of the playoffs. I don't care how much you suck after that, but just don't let them in the playoffs!

AL MVP: Aw, crap, I can't think of anyone... Joe Mauer again
AL Cy Young: CRAP! Uh... King Felix

NL MVP: Pujols... again
AL Cy Young: CARLOS SILVA! jk... Uh, let's just go with Lincecum

AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Mariners
AL Wild Card: Red Sox


NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Cardinals (Much to my chagrin)
NL West: Rockies
NL Wild Card: Giants


World Series: Yankees over Phillies


I expect big things from Cubs starting pitcher Randy Wells. They'll be fine as long as Dempster and Z don't destroy their stock of Gatorade. Go Cubs Go!

Ain't gonna happen, bro.


AL
East: Yankees (ugh... did NOT want to pick, but the Granderson acquisition puts them over the top in arguably the most competitive division in the MLB.)
Central: Twins (probably in another 163-game season, this time against the Royals. Yes, I said Royals.)
West: Mariners (All those offseason moves!)
WC: Rangers (Sorta like the Rockies of the American League. Offense is always good, and pitching gets better every year.)

MVP- Nelson Cruz (SURPRISE!!! Thought this came out of nowhere? He will be the reason the Rangers make the playoffs. I predict .280+, 40+ homers, and 110+ RBIs from the cleanup spot.)
Cy Young- King Felix (Should have won in '09, now has a much improved defense and is maturing every year.)
Rookie of the year- Brian Matusz (Showed promise when he was called up, also very slim field this year will help.)
Breakout player- Matt Wieters (Now that hype has moved on to Strasburg/Heyward, Wieters should thrive with less pressure put on him.)
Breakout team- Royals (Young talent will get much better this year. I believe they will be this year's Rays of '08.)
Declining Player- Javier Vazquez (A move to the AL is worse for a pitcher, especially when one moves from a pitcher's park to a hitter's park. Vazquez has had a problem with ERA, and the fly outs to right field in Turner Field will turn into home runs in Yankee Stadium.)
Declining Team- Angels (Obvious no-brainer. When you lose your ace, the team sparkplug, and the veteran image, the rest of the team must struggle to pick up the slack.)

NL

East: Phillies (Have reigned supreme in this division, don't know why they won't win this year, especially with the Halladay acquisition.)
Central: Cardinals (Did you really think I was going to pick any other team?)
West: Dodgers (See Cardinals)
WC: Braves (I like 'em. 'Nuff said. Also, throw the Rockies into the mix.)

MVP- Albert Pujols (Do I need an explanation?)
Cy Young- Roy Halladay (While he's old, he still deals, and he'll get more wins with a more competitive team.)
Rookie of the year- Jason Heyward (I want to say Strasburg, but Heyward will start in the Majors earlier, and that will ultimately win Heyward the award.)
Breakout player- Jay Bruce (Will get a chance to prove himself after an awful '09, but an unreal rookie year in '08. Also rebounded in the 2nd half of '09 after an injury.)
Breakout team- Nationals (Hey, they can't possibly get any worse, right?)
Declining Player- Jason Bay (Citi Field won't have many home runs, which happens to be most of what Bay does. Also, he's not getting any younger.)
Declining Team- Marlins (Their bullpen will be the reason for this decline.)

PLAYOFFS

ALDS:

Yankees 3:2 Mariners
Twins 3:1 Rangers

ALCS:

Yankees 4:1 Twins

NLDS:

Cardinals 3:0 Braves
Phillies 3:2 Dodgers

NLCS:

Cardinals 4:3 Phillies

World Series:

Cardinals 4:3 Yankees

As if I needed you to remind me.
But Marlon Byrd and Carlos Silva don't suck as much in Spring as everyone thought they would, Tyler Colvin is a breakout, Fukudome isn't using his sissy swing anymore, Carlos Zambrano is actually serious about this year, Silva got mad at HIMSELF, not the fans when he did suck, Carlos Marmol gives me a heart attack, but he usually doesn't blow the save, just puts a lot of runners on, and Starlin Castro is close to the majors, so he can get Fontenot/Baker out of the starting lineup and move Theriot to second, where he's a better fielder. If Geo bounces back and the Cardinals have an injury, we could do it! (I'm one of the few optimistic Cubs fans left).

AL West:
1. Rangers (I agree with MaL about the Mariners, and the Rangers have such a good offense to pass up)
2. Angels
3. Mariners
4. A's

AL Central:
1. White Sox
2. Tigers
3. Twins
4. Royals
5. Indians

AL East:
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Orioles
5. Blue Jays

AL Wild Card: Yankees

NL West:
1. Rockies
2. Diamondbacks
3. Dodgers
4. Giants
5. Padres

NL Central:
1. Cardinals
2. Brewers
3. Cubs
4. Astros
5. Pirates
6. Reds

NL East:
1. Phillies
2. Braves
3. Mets
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks

ALDS:
Red Sox over Rangers
Yankees over White Sox

NLDS:
Phillies over Diamondbacks
Rockies over Cardinals

ALCS:
Red Sox over Yankees (the Red Sox have a better bullpen)

NLCS:
Phillies over Rockies

World Series:
Red Sox over Phillies

AL Awards:
MVP: Adrian Gonzalez (he will get traded to the Red Sox in July and then transform into a four headed monster)
Cy Young: Jake Peavy
ROY: Brett Wallace
Comeback Player of the Year: Jake Peavy

NL Awards:
MVP: Chris Young (Diamondbacks)
Cy Young: Yovani Gallardo
ROY: Alcides Escobar
Comeback Player of the Year: Chris Young (Diamondbacks)

fixed

I think I'll predict some of the AL all stars, that's usually pretty easy, it's just a popularity contest and the same players make it every year no matter how much they sucked:

Derek Jeter (SS)
Alex Rodriguez (3B) (The two players that are never allowed to miss an all star game before they retire, also, after this I'm pretty much just wild guesses, and most of them are Yankee and Red Sox players)
Kevin Youkilis (1B/3B)
Zack Greinke (P)
Josh Beckett (P)
CC.Sabathia (P)
Joe Mauer (C)
Jon Lester (P)
Jonathan Papelbon (P)
Mariano Rivera (P)
Dustin Pedroia (2B)
Ichiro (OF)
Jacoby Ellsbury (OF) (Seems unlikely, but it's possible if he has a good year)
A.J Burnett (P)
Mark Teixeira (1B)
Torii Hunter (OF)
Felix Hernandez (P)

And now for some NL players:

Ryan Howard (1B)
Albert Pujols (1B)
Chase Utley (2B)
Roy Halladay (P)

That is all.

bobby I like your predictions, but please tell me you were kidding about the Adrian Gonzalez as AL MVP thing... being around for 2 months of a season shouldn't let you be MVP

Well here are my ipredictions, some are hunch feelings


AL East : Red Sox (98-64) Say I'm biased sure. But the 1-2-3 is great and I think Lackey will do well. there are a lot of players that we hope can have good seasons and if guys like Lackey, Beltre, Cameron, Scutaro, etc go bad then we could be looking at a 3rd place finish

AL Central : White Sox (88-74) They will probably have Peavy for a full season(barring injury) and will have a very good rotation of Buehrle, Peavy, Danks and Floyd(not sure on 5th starter). Their offense maybe be a little weakened but they're more athletic and younger

AL West : Rangers (92-70) They are a fun team to watch. Good offense if Hamilton comes back and good pitching, especially if Harden is dominant when he was healthy

AL Wild Card : Yankees (97-65) Great team but I think bullpen may hurt them in the end. They lost big bats in Damon and Matsui but Granderson is a great move especially considering they have to deal with Randy Winn in left field.


NL East : Phillies (101-61) Dominant american league like offense and probably best team in MLB(for record at least). Will have Halladay now who could easily win 20 games with the offense behind him, not to mention he's in the NL

NL Central : Cubs (90-72) Tough choice but I chose a non-injury Cubs team. It's mainly a hunch but if guys like Soriano and Ramirez are healthy it can work out

NL West : Rockies (94-78) No miracle comeback needed this guy. Very good young team and have good hitters and have power but not a huge 40+ homerun hitter. Good pitching too

NL Wild Card : Giants (90-72) Great pitching and I believe that Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff will JUST be enough to help improve thing offense a little and make the playoffs


AL MVP : Josh Hamilton
AL Cy Young : Jon Lester
AL ROTY : Wade David (Rays)

NL MVP : Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young : Roy Halladay
NL ROTY : Jason Heyward (Braves)

Yeah. He would probably be in the AL for too short of a time. Also, WTF? Chris Young for NL MVP?