2012 MLB Predictions: Guessing the Order of Finish in Each Division

Rick WeinerJun 7, 2018

It's time to get our prognostication hats out again.

You thought we were done after yesterday, when myself and 15 other B/R featured columnists got together to predict who would take home the major individual awards at the end of the season.

But why stop there? Individual awards are great, but baseball is a team game—and there's nothing more important to a team than where it falls in the standings at the end of the season.

The 2012 season is about to get under way, and I'm up for another challenge before the first pitch is thrown.

Here's how I see things playing out this year.

American League East

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The toughest division in baseball has gotten tougher, with the steadily improving Toronto Blue Jays knocking on the door of the top three spots in the division—spots that have been occupied by the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays since 2008.

Do the upstart Jays have what it takes to make this a four-team race?

Let's find out.

1. New York Yankees (97-65)

The Yankees stars may be aging, but they still have an explosive lineup capable of producing runs in bunches.

Their starting rotation, even without Michael Pineda to start with, is vastly improved from a year ago, though Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes could thrive as easily as they could falter. The bullpen remains a strength, highlighted by the best late-inning duo in baseball in David Robertson and Mariano Rivera.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (94-68)

I said it yesterday and I'll say it again—Joe Maddon is the best manager in the toughest division in baseball.

Tampa's offense is not as dynamic as those of the Red Sox or Yankees, but with Evan Longoria, Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist, it can hold its own. Their strength lies in its starting rotation, where it has more depth than any other team in the league.

3. Toronto Blue Jays (88-74)

With a lineup that boasts perennial MVP candidate Jose Bautista, an up-and-coming superstar in Brett Lawrie, and youngsters J.P. Arencibia, Colby Rasmus and Eric Thames, the Blue Jays can handle their own offensively in the AL East.

The rotation, led by Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow, is solid, and the addition of Sergio Santos as their closer solidifies the bullpen.

4. Boston Red Sox (83-79)

Can Jacoby Ellsbury put together another 30/30 season or was 2011 an anomaly? Can Kevin Youkilis rebound from a subpar 2011? What can the Red Sox expect from Carl Crawford? After Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, can anyone in the rotation get batters out on a consistent basis? With Andrew Bailey needing surgery, can Mark Melancon fill the shoes left by Jonathan Paplebon?

There are simply too many questions surrounding this Red Sox team for me to put them higher, but they certainly have the talent to prove me wrong.

5. Baltimore Orioles (60-102)

The Orioles have some solid building blocks in place with Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters. After that, the lineup is a mix of unproven youngsters and mediocre veterans.

Their rotation, with Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman, has potential, but each of those players needs to take the next step forward in their development. The bullpen is decent, but not spectacular. There's still plenty of work to be done in Baltimore before they can climb out of the basement.

American League Central

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Of the five teams in the AL Central, only one team has not taken a turn atop the standings at the end of the season—the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals won't be crowned division champions in 2012 either, but the upstart club is poised to make things difficult for the rest of the league.

1. Detroit Tigers (95-67)

A healthy Brennan Boesch, coupled with the addition of Prince Fielder, only makes the Tigers more of a prohibitive favorite to repeat as division champions then they were when last season ended.

Justin Verlander leads a talented pitching staff that has the utmost confidence in handing the ball off to Jose Valverde in the ninth inning.

2. Kansas City Royals (83-79)

Eric Hosmer leads a young but potent Royals lineup that has few weak spots. The rotation is still a work in progress, but the addition of Jonathan Sanchez (who was awful this spring) is a move that should not be overlooked.

Losing closer Joakim Soria hurts, but the Royals bullpen has three arms who can step in and pick up the slack, including former All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton, who will get the first shot at locking down the job.

3. Cleveland Indians (78-84)

Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana and a healthy Shin-Soo Choo are reasons for optimism, but the rest of the Indians lineup leaves much to be desired.

I was a big detractor of any team dealing for Ubaldo Jimenez last season as I believe he's the most overrated pitcher in baseball, and my thoughts were only confirmed by his dreadful performance for the Indians after they acquired him.

Justin Masterson is a solid middle-of-the rotation arm, but he's by no means an ace. Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez lead a solid bullpen for the Tribe.

4. Minnesota Twins (74-88)

Health is the name of the game for the Twins. If Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau can remain healthy throughout the season, coupled with solid contributions from Denard Span, Josh Willingham and rookie 1B Chris Parmelee, the Twins should be fine with the bats.

Their rotation lacks a true ace and is full of middle-of-the-rotation arms, none of whom are incredibly reliable or durable. After Glen Perkins, the bullpen is full of question marks.

5. Chicago White Sox (69-93)

After moving on from the Ozzie Guillen era and starting anew with Robin Ventura, Chicago's lineup remains a mix of underperforming youngsters (Gordon Beckham, Brent Morel) and underperforming, overpaid veterans (Adam Dunn, Alex Rios) surrounding Paul Konerko, who is far and away the best player on the team.

The starting rotation doesn't offer much after John Danks and Gavin Floyd, though Chris Sale could surprise people by making the transition from reliever to starter. Addison Reed sure looks like the closer of the future in Chicago, though his path is blocked by Matt Thornton. It figures to be a long season for the White Sox.

American League West

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The AL West once again figures to be a case of two separate battles—the battle for first place between the Angels and Rangers, and the battle to stay out of the basement between the A's and Mariners.

Let's see who finishes where.

1. Los Angeles Angels (100-62)

With the addition of Albert Pujols, the Angels enter 2012 with a strong lineup that will only improve when Mike Trout joins the team for good later this season.

A strong rotation led by Jered Weaver and a bullpen that has a balanced mix of youth and experienced veterans make the Angels the top team in the AL West, but they will battle the Rangers for supremacy all season long.

2. Texas Rangers (97-65)

A talented rotation that may have gotten better by replacing C.J. Wilson with Yu Darvish, a deep bullpen, and a talented lineup that, when healthy, rivals any in the game will keep the Rangers in the thick of it with the Angels all season long.

Josh Hamilton's health, how Neftali Feliz adapts to the rotation and how Darvish adapts to the major leagues will be the three biggest things that manager Ron Washington will need to keep an eye on.

3. Seattle Mariners (68-94)

The Mariners have some excellent pieces to build around, primarily Dustin Ackley, Jesus Montero and the king, Felix Hernandez, but questions abound with the rest of the roster.

Will Ichiro rebound from his worst season in the major leagues? Will Justin Smoak will finally become a solid major league hitter? Can Hector Noesi replace Michael Pineda in the rotation?

4. Oakland A's (65-97)

The rebuild is in full effect in Oakland after a winter that saw both Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez traded for multiple pieces to build around.

Signing Yoenis Cespedes was a surprise that nobody saw coming, but even with Cespedes and Jemile Weeks to build an offense around, the A's are still years away from being ready to compete with the likes of the Angels and Rangers.

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National League East

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For the past five seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies have sat atop the standings in the NL East as one of the best teams in baseball. Can they continue their supremacy again in 2012?

1. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

Were it not for the trio of aces in their starting rotation—Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee—the Phillies would not be the pick to win their sixth consecutive NL East crown.

Major questions surround the offense, including the health and production of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Hunter Pence, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are capable of carrying the load until they finally return to action, but the Phillies are no longer the sure thing that they used to be.

2. Miami Marlins (91-71)

No team in the division has added more important pieces than the Marlins, who went out and added Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes to the roster and are under new management with the fiery and unpredictable Ozzie Guillen running the show.

However, the biggest addition to the Marlins will be the return of staff ace Josh Johnson, who missed the bulk of 2011 with a shoulder injury, and a return to form by Hanley Ramirez, who looks to rebound from a dismal 2011 season.

It would not be a surprise to see the Marlins and Phillies swap places at the end of the season.

3. Washington Nationals (83-79)

A deep rotation was bolstered by the additions of Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson this winter and a solid bullpen that includes Tyler Clippard, Brad Lidge and Drew Storen means Washington should be in good shape on the mound.

With phenom Bryce Harper poised to join a lineup that includes perennial All-Star Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals are on the cusp of becoming a team to be reckoned with in the National League.

4. Atlanta Braves (81-81)

The Braves look better on paper then they do on the field at this point.

Chipper Jones, in his last season, starts the year on the disabled list along with starter Tim Hudson. Questions surround the health of starters Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens, and whether youngsters Brandon Beachy, Randall Delgado and Mike Minor are ready to take the next step in their development.

Craig Kimbrel and Jonny Venters anchor a solid bullpen, but one has to wonder if the insane workload that they both had as rookies will catch up to them in 2012.

Jason Heyward could be the key to the Braves offense, as another season where he hits .220 with middling power is something the Braves likely cannot overcome a second year in a row.

5. New York Mets (72-90)

Their offense should be bolstered by the newly redesigned outfield dimensions at Citi Field, but after Ike Davis, Lucas Duda and David Wright, what do the Mets actually have on offense?

Johan Santana returns from missing all of 2011 due to injury, but is he going to be able to last the entire season? Jon Niese is a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm, but can Mike Pelfrey and Dillon Gee get the job done at the back of the rotation? Can anyone in the bullpen contribute?

At best, the Mets are a .500 team, but the reality won't be nearly that good.

National League Central

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No division in baseball saw more talent leave this winter than the NL Central, who watched both Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder defect to the American League. Is that good news for the rest of the division? Yes and no.

1. Cincinnati Reds (88-74)

Joey Votto leads a powerful Reds offense that includes Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Scott Rolen and Drew Stubbs. Questions surround the rotation after Mat Latos and Johnny Cueto, but the bullpen, bolstered by the addition of Sean Marshall, is deep enough to overcome the loss of closer Ryan Madson, who is out for the season.

It won't be pretty, but the Reds offense is powerful enough to overcome the shortcomings of their pitching staff.

2. St. Louis Cardinals (86-76)

You can't replace Albert Pujols in the lineup, but the Cardinals offense should be in decent shape with Carlos Beltran, Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday in the middle. If World Series hero David Freese can stay healthy, he has a chance to put up solid numbers as well.

The importance of the return of Adam Wainwright, who missed all of 2011 due to injury, cannot be understated, especially with Chris Carpenter out of action to start the season.

3. Milwaukee Brewers (83-79)

All eyes will be on 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun, who found himself embroiled in a performance-enhancing drug scandal following the 2011 season. Whether he can produce without Prince Fielder hitting behind him remains to be seen, though the addition of Aramis Ramirez will help to ease some of the burden.

The Brewers' strength lies in their pitching, with four excellent starters led by Zack Greinke and Yovani Gallardo, and a bullpen that ends with the duo of Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates (77-85)

No longer the laughing stock of the National League, the Pirates look to take the next step toward respectability in 2012. With a solid nucleus of Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata and Neil Walker to build around and young starters Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon likely a year away from making an impact in the majors, the future looks bright for the Pirates.

Some production out of former first-round pick Pedro Alvarez would be a welcome sight. Erik Bedard and A.J. Burnett (when he returns from injury) are capable of keeping the team in games, and the late-inning combination of Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan can close things out.

5. Chicago Cubs (70-92)

With the Theo Epstein era officially under way, so too is the rebuilding process in the Windy City.

Starlin Castro is a superstar in the making, and Bryan LaHair should provide needed power to the middle of the lineup. But this year is about making moves that set the Cubs up for future success, and a midseason trade of staff ace Matt Garza could bring back multiple pieces that the team needs.

6. Houston Astros (60-102)

The worst team in baseball, the Astros do have some bright spots in their lineup with Jose Altuve and J.D. Martinez ready to make an impact. Jordan Lyles is part of the rotation's future that the Astros hope to build upon, but aside from that, this is a team that will struggle to compete and the only NL team I see losing 100 games.

National League West

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With the Dodgers ownership situation finally settled, the rest of the NL West is on notice—the Dodgers are back as a big-market club that will be in the mix on the big-name free agents heading into 2013 and beyond.

So for the Giants, Diamondbacks and the rest, the time to strike is now before LA has a chance to reload.

1. San Francisco Giants (90-72)

The saying goes that pitching wins championships, and It's hard to argue with a rotation that includes Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner and a bullpen featuring Sergio Romo and Brian Wilson.

At the plate, Pedro Sandoval and Buster Posey are the bright spots in a relatively mediocre lineup, though a breakout season from Brandon Belt would go a long way in alleviating concerns over where the power is going to come from.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks (86-76)

Last year was a perfect storm for the Diamondbacks as they received career seasons from a number of players.

Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson comprise an excellent front-of-the-rotation combination, though expecting Kennedy to repeat his remarkable 21-4 record from last season is unrealistic. The offense revolves around Justin Upton, who was my pick for NL MVP yesterday.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (82-80)

The Dodgers could conceivably have the NL Cy Young Award winner in Clayton Kershaw and the NL MVP in Matt Kemp, but still miss the playoffs.

After Kershaw and Chad Billingsley in the rotation are veterans who may or may not deliver. While Kenley Jansen looks like the closer of the future for the Dodgers, Javy Guerra will be given every opportunity to keep the job.

Improved plate discipline from Dee Gordon and improved run production from Andre Ethier would go a long way in helping the Dodgers close the gap between themselves and the teams ahead of them.

4. Colorado Rockies (80-82)

Offense is not an issue with the Rockies, who have a perennial MVP candidate in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez to carry them.

The pitching staff is where the problem lies—when a 49-year-old coming off of Tommy John surgery is your second starter, you've got some issues. Rookie Drew Pomeranz looks like he could be something special, but the rest of the staff is relatively unimpressive and average.

5. San Diego Padres (71-91)

Moving Mat Latos for four prospects was a coup for GM Josh Byrnes as he begins to rebuild the Padres, who are now back to searching for a new owner.

Yonder Alonso doesn't have protypical power for a first baseman, but he's got a sweet stroke and should hit .300 for years in the middle of the Padres lineup. This season will be about the continued development of their youngsters, including Alonso and Cameron Maybin.