2011 MLB Preview: The Playoffs, World Series and One Dark Horse Champion
With the 2011 MLB season upon us it's anyone's game.
The season is long, the season is hard. But October is on everyone's mind.
Will the Giants repeat? or will the favored Phils come out of the NL? Which high-powered AL offense will lead their team to the postseason?
Here are my predictions for each division and the one team that will come out on top in 2011.
AL East
1 of 7
Division winner: Boston Red Sox
Runner up: New York Yankees
Surprise: Baltimore Orioles
The Red Sox made the moves they felt were necessary in order to give them the edge in a competitive AL East. One of the most complete teams in baseball, Boston will end up on top of their division.
The Yanks are always a threat to make a run at the postseason. But can the starting pitching (outside of CC) go 6-7 every night to get to Soriano and Rivera?
Yeah, there's a baseball team in Baltimore. We'll all be reminded this year.
AL Central
2 of 7
Division winner: Minnesota Twins
Runner up: Chicago White Sox
Surprise: Cleveland Indians aren't as bad as the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Minnesota is there every year, Chicago is close. Same ol' same ol' this year.
Detroit's bullpen will keep them from being competitive.
AL West
3 of 7
Division winner: Texas Rangers
Runner up: Oakland Athletics
Surprise: Seattle actually scores runs.
Texas is the most dangerous team in the league. As long as they stay healthy, they should win a ton of games.
Seattle can't score less than they did last year, can they?
NL East
4 of 7
Division winner: Philadelphia Phillies
Runner up: Florida Marlins
Surprise: The Fish win the Wild Card.
The Phil's pitching will give them a chance to win every night, but everyone will be gunning for them.
Florida is going to surprise a lot of people this year...they always compete for the Wild Card, and this year they'll get it. And you know what happens when Florida wins the Wild Card...
NL Central
5 of 7
Division winner: Cincinnati Reds
Runner up: St. Louis Cardinals
Surprise: Only one team makes the playoffs/Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati will get back to the playoffs, but injuries in St. Louis will keep the Cards from getting to the postseason.
Playing Pittsburgh isn't an 'automatic win' anymore...
NL West
6 of 7
Division winner: LA Dodgers
Runner up: Colorado Rockies
Surprise: San Fransisco Giants don't make playoffs after winning the World Series the year before.
The Dodgers have a lot of weapons, on the mound and in the batters box.
The Rox will rely heavily on their offense, the Giants will rely heavily on their pitching. Neither has a complete team, and I don't think the San Fran pitching will repeat what it did last year.
Playoffs and World Series
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It seems every year, a surprise team makes it into the playoffs and somehow finds its way to the World Series.
Colorado, Tampa Bay and San Francisco are the most recent.
2011 will be no different.
Introducing the dark horse World Series champion of 2011: The Florida Marlins.
The Fish are competing for the Wild Card every season, and this may be the year the put it all together. With Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson leading the starting rotation, the Marlins have one of the top rotations in all of baseball.
They have a young, talented team that can hit with power and for average. They've made huge improvements to their bullpen and will win a lot of games this season.
Like 1997 and 2003, the Wild Card will be the Marlins key to the playoffs.
They control their own destiny and I believe this season they are destined for World Series greatness.
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