If there’s one thing that is always true about baseball, it is that nobody can ever accurately predict what will happen. Lots of people try, and most of the time it comes down to uninformed people making statements that often times seem like they come from left field. For instance, saying that a certain team will win two games in a three game series, or that a pitcher will throw a no-hitter on this day, or that team will win the AL East. There are, however, predictions that have some truth to them, and will happen most of the time. Numbers don’t lie, and neither do I. Here are four bold predictions that, pending some good or bad fortune, will likely happen in 2015.
Prediction One
The Padres will be an average team. Remember when the Los Angeles Angels traded and acquired a number of big name star players who had MVP type seasons for their teams? Albert Pujols in 2012 and Josh Hamilton in 2013 to add to Jered Weaver and Mike Trout. With so much raw talent, everyone thought that the Angels were the team to beat in 2013, and it turned out that they went absolutely nowhere, and finished 78-84. The San Diego Padres will be “that” team this year. Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, and James Shields all have the ability to do great and perform way above the talent level. Put them together, and you get too many forces constantly butting heads. It’s like a star that has too much pressure just waiting to explode.
Prediction Two
San Francisco will not be in contention come September. For the last half-decade, the Giants have been all about this every-other-year dynasty where they only make a good run every other year. When the Giants won the World Series in 2010, the following year they were just five games above .500. Again, in 2012, they won the Series. 2013 brought nothing but disappointment to a spoiled Giants fanbase. They finished well below .500 at 76-86 and 16 games back of first place. The drop-off from last year to this will not be as drastic as it was in 2013, but with the current trend, the Giants will not be competing for another ring until 2016.
Prediction Three
Washington will win the NL East. It’s a pretty safe bet, barring injuries, that the Washington Nationals will run away with the East title. 2012 was the first year in nearly a decade that the Nats were over .500, and solidly competing for an eastern division title. Since then, they’ve had no less than 86 wins, and have finished second place or higher. With the recent acquisition of Max Scherzer, making their rotation a team full of potential Cy Young winners, and an offense that is ready to explode at any second, the Nationals will be bursting with talent. Unlike the Padres, they have just enough talent that they don’t overdo it, while still being able to compete. While a division title will be largely due to their talent level, the rest of the East will be attributing to that while staying at least 20 games back of their respective leader.
Prediction Four
The Oakland A’s will go absolutely nowhere. Many thought that Billy Beane had lost his touch when he traded Yoenis Cespedes for Jon Lester. When Beane made the trade, he didn’t account for the fact that Cespedes was half of the entire offense. That being said, the other half of the offense was carried by Josh Donaldson, who was traded this offseason to Toronto. Before the All-Star Break, the A’s, with their offense still intact, were 59-36. Post-ASB/awful trade by Billy Beane, the A’s were just 29-38. Oakland was going down, and going down hard. Billy Butler and Ben Zobrist should help the offense, but with Donaldson gone, the A’s season will become a bust if they can’t get to .500 by the All-Star Break.
2015 will definitely be a year of change in Major League Baseball. With an increase in team changes from years past, it will take some adjusting. This year has the potential to be a historic one for the MLB. The differences were subtle, yet noticeable, and that will make for an exciting year in 2015. You better be ready in April. Baseball’s coming, guns blazing
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