2012 Season Preview

With the 'Opening Game' being hours away from starting, I figured now would be an appropriate time to release my predictions for the 2012 season.

AL EAST

1. New York Yankees (95-67) - Experience, health, and an improved rotation lead the Yankees to the front of the division
2. Boston Red Sox (90-72) - New manager, new closer, and new clubhouse rules give Red Sox the last spot in the American League playoffs.
3. Tampa Bay Rays (89-73) - The Rays come up just shy of the playoffs as they lack production from the lower half of their roster.
4. Toronto Blue Jays (79-83) - The Jays offense is up to snuff with the rest of the division, but the starting pitching can hang with the Yanks, Sox, and Rays.
5. Baltimore Orioles (62-100) - Orioles have boom and bust line-up and a pitching staff that looks to reclaim their spot as the team with the highest ERA in the MLB, securing their fifth straight year in fifth place in the AL East.

AL CENTRAL

1. Detroit Tigers (94-68) - Fielder and Cabrera mash their way to the AL Central Crown while Justin Verlander dominates the league yet again.
2. Cleveland Indians (82-80) - Indians mix of youth and experience combined with improved pitching make Indians a speed-bump on the Detroit's road to the division title.
3. Chicago White Sox (78-84)- Rebuilding White Sox have talent in place to not be embarrassing, but many players likely to move at the trade deadline.
4. Kansas City Royals (78-84)- Youth hitting proves that is ready to take the next step, as is the bullpen, but Kansas City's rotation holds the young Royals back in 2012.
5. Minnesota Twins (73-89)- Morneau doesn't look healthy and the Twins have holes all around their roster.

AL WEST

1. Los Angeles Angels (99-63)- The Angels might be the only team to suffer from having too much talent. When the worst thing people can bring about your team is your fifth starter and middle relievers, you're doing something right.
2. Texas Rangers (98-64)- 2 time defending American League champions fall just shy of the AL West title, injuries effect the team throughout the year.
3. Seattle Mariners (69-93)- Seattle barely escapes the cellar for the first time since 2009 but still lots of holes to fill and tough competition to overcome before they find the playoffs again.
4. Oakland Athletics (68-94)- Winning isn't easy when you trade away your two best pitchers and lose your closer in free agency. Lots of youth to develop in Oakland.

 

NL EAST

1. Philadelphia Phillies (91-71)- Phillies still look best on paper, but missing Howard and Utley causes a slow start in Philly.
2. Atlanta Braves (85-77)- Braves have talented young rotation and solid bats, but health and consistency cost them throughout the course of the year.
3. Washington Nationals (82-80)- The Nationals future arrives in D.C., unfortunately it comes to late for their 2012 playoff surge.
4. Miami Marlins (81-81)- A .500 season is enough to revitalize the Miami community and their team full of free agents acquisitions. New Marlins Park brings in record attendance numbers for the franchise causing management not to unload salary a la 1997.
5. New York Mets (67-95)- Mets struggle to find wins in the toughest division the senior circuit has to offer.

 NL CENTRAL

1. Cincinnati Reds (89-73)- Reds sold the farm for Mat Latos and it paid off as the Reds win their division for just the 2nd time in the past 17 seasons.
2. Milwaukee Brewers (84-78)- No Prince Fielder, no problem. The Brewers rotation leads them into a tie for the second wild card spot in the National League.
3. St. Louis Cardinals (83-79)-  In year 1 L.A.P. (Life After Pujols) doesn't have the Cards in the playoffs. Chris Carpenter is out indefinitely and production will be lacking in the middle of the order.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates (73-89)- Pirates developing but still missing key components to the baseball success puzzle power hitting corner outfielders and reliable starting pitching.
5. Chicago Cubs (72-90)- Injury stricken in 2011, 2012 will bring another round of "there's always next year" for the north-siders. Talent awaits in AAA if the Cubs should so choose to call upon it.
6. Houston Astros (65-97)- At least they avoided being worst in the league! Mostly due to the competition within the rest of their division more than actually improving talent wise.

NL WEST

1. Arizona Diamondbacks (91-71)- Led by Justin Upton the D'Backs rise to tie the Phillies for the best record in the league, but lose the tiebreaker based on interleague play where they racked up wins against the Royals, A's, and Mariners.
2. San Francisco Giants (84-78)- Anemic offense struggles to help out dominate pitching staff and the Giants drop some low scoring games.
3. Colorado Rockies (81-81)- 49 year old Jamie Moyer could be the Rockies #5 starter, fortunately for them they have enough offensive threats to overcome their starting rotations woes.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (80-82)- Recently purchased Dodgers almost reach .500 but the supporting cast can't help out the bright shining stars, Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, enough.
5. San Diego Padres (69-93)- Padres have the best minor league system in the game but it won't have a major impact on their 2012 season. The future looks brighter in the future for the Friars though.

AL PLAYOFFS

Wild Card Round: Rangers over Red Sox.
ALDS: Angels over Rangers, Yankees over Tigers.
ALCS: Angels over Yankees

NL PLAYOFFS

Play in Game: Brewers over Giants
Wild Card Round: Braves over Brewers.
NLDS: Phillies over Braves, D'Backs over Reds.
NLCS: D'Backs over Phillies

WORLD SERIES

Angels over D'backs in 6.

AWARDS

AL MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B, Los Angeles Angels
AL CY YOUNG: Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels
AL ROY: Matt Moore, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

NL MVP: Justin Upton, OF, D'Backs
NL CY YOUNG: Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies
NL ROY: Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals