MLB Teams are entering the final two weeks of spring training. Over this time key decisions will be made regarding roster spots, positional batters and the setting of rotations. In some cases, players will be returning to teams from the World Baseball Classic, as they prepare for opening day. Every season I like to make a few fearless predictions for the upcoming season so here we go:
We looked at the National League yesterday, so we’ll move on to the American League today, and my World Series Prediction.
AL East Winner: The Toronto Blue Jays should come out of the toughest division in baseball with the AL East Crown. To me, Alex Anthopoulos couldn’t have timed the execution of two massive off-season trades more perfectly than when he pulled the trigger on acquiring Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonafacio one day, and then R.A. Dickey on another. The two moves changes the face of the Jays, and mixing them with Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnaction, Brett Lawrie, Brendon Morrow and Rickey Romero gives the Jays a legitimate World Series contending team.
I think age has started to catch up with both the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are dealing with injuries on several fronts (including the loss of Curtis Granderson already in spring training). The Boston Red Sox are also getting older. They get Jacoby Ellsbury back after losing him for most of 2012, but they are still without David Ortiz who has had a bit of a setback recovering from off-season surgery on his achilles. Both the Red Sox and Yankees lack the starting pitching depth that are held by the other three teams in this division.
Pitching, and more specifically bullpen pitching, is what provided the upstart Baltimore Orioles with a playoff opportunity in 2012. This likely won’t happen this year as the orange birds will return to earth. Tampa Bay Rays are consistent and if they ever got a real kick of offense to go along with the depth in their pitching, this team may be contenders year in and year out.
In looking over the division, I think the Jays will be the only team to make the playoffs. These five teams will beat each other up several times, resulting in the wildcard team coming from one of the other two AL divisions. The Jays rotation and offense make them the class of the AL East.
AL Central Winner: The Detroit Tigers really didn’t have to do much to improve as a team. The defending AL East Champions are home to arguably the best starting pitcher in the majors, Justin Verlander and the reigning MVP/Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera. Oh did I mention Prince Fielder too? Add to this the return of Victor Martinez (fantasy players will love the fact that Martinez retained his catcher eligiblity…something he probably won’t be eligible for after this season), who will probably be the team’s principal designated hitter. The addition of Torii Hunter to the top of the Detroit lineup should be beneficial to the big bats on the Detroit roster. After Detroit the rest of the division is a big question mark.
Can the Kansas City Royals young players perform? If Eric Hosmer and Micheal Moustakas mature into their full potential, they have two big bats to add the offense with Billy Butler. KC’s pitching has improved with the addition of James Shields to the front of their rotation.
The Cleveland Indians would be a dark horse in the AL Central race. The Indians have been quietly acquiring arms for their pitching staff, including Trevor Bauer from the Arizona Diamondbacks. With a fairly talented core of young players, including Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhill, Absrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana the Indians could emerge this year in the AL Central. The Indians were one of the busiest teams in the off season adding free agents Nick Swisher and Micheal Bourne.
The Minnesota Twins are looking at another season of re-building. Outside of Justin Morneau, who is still recovering from concussion issues, and Joe Mauer, the Twins’ offense isn’t all that impressive…nor is their pitching staff that is anchored by Steve Diamond. Wouldn’t surprise me if Mauer and Morneau were traded before the end of the season.
AL West Winner: The Los Angeles Angels spent the off season acquiring the biggest bat in free agency from a divisional rival. They also are probably enjoying the prospects of having the lowly Houston Astros in their division. When the Angels signed Josh Hamilton the baseball world was abuzz about how good the Angels lineup would be. Hamilton joins Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, Mike Trout, in what could be the best offense in this division. A deep bullpen and solid starting rotation will probably help the Angels dominate their division and finish ahead of the Texas Rangers for the AL West Divisional title.
The Texas Rangers may have lost Hamilton to the Angels, but the team is still on solid ground. The Rangers can expect Yu Darvish to have a more polished year in his second year of North American baseball. The team’s offense remains potent with the likes of Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. Ranger fans (and fantasy players) are likely eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jurickson Profar to the bigs. The slick fielding short stop may have to wait for his chance as Andrus currently occupies the SS spot.
The Oakland Athletics were a surprise last season, but I don’t think their cindrella story will happen again in 2013. The A’s have a budding superstars in Yoendis Cepedes and Jared Parker, but really not much else. Moneyball may have taken the A’s far, but take away the Rangers second half collapse, and factor in the improvement made by the Angels, and that leaves the A’s on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
The Angels have spent a lot of cash to put themselves into contention for the World Series, and this season it may pay off. I do predict that the AL Wildcard team will emerge from this division and it will likely be the Rangers. The Rangers Texan neighbours, the Houston Astros, have joined the AL West and will be nothing more than a punching bag for their divisional rivals. Personally, it may be three or four seasons before the Astros are really relevent in baseball.
AL Champions: Toronto Blue Jays
World Series Champions: Toronto Blue Jays (in 6 games)
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Now that the divisional predictions are done, here is the real fun stuff. The following fearless predictions reflect my personal prognostications for the 2013 season and really relate more to fantasy baseball than real baseball.
1. Yu Darvish will be the American League Cy Young Award Winner;
2. Jose Bautista will hit more than 45 home runs;
3. Matt Moore will win 20 games;
4: The Houston Astros will win more than 50 games;
5. Mariano Rivera will save 35 games before retiring;
6. I will win my fantasy baseball league;
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