Predicting MLB's Division Winners After the Deadline
The dust has settled on the July 31 trade deadline, and now we can begin to look ahead to the playoff picture as contenders have all the pieces in place for their late-season push.
The addition of a second wild card in each league adds a different dimension to this year's postseason, and because winning a wild-card spot only assures you a spot in what is essentially a play-in game, winning your division is more important than ever.
So, here are my predicted finishing orders for each division, as well as a look back at my predictions from the beginning of the year and midseason.
NL East
1 of 61. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Miami Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets
1. Washington Nationals
2. Atlanta Braves
3. New York Mets
4. Miami Marlins
5. Philadelphia Phillies
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. Washington Nationals
2. Atlanta Braves
3. New York Mets
4. Miami Marlins
5. Philadelphia Phillies
Overview
The NL East was expected to be a four-way race entering the season, with the Mets a notch below the rest of the pack.
Instead, the Phillies and Marlins struggled in the first half and wound up selling big at the deadline. The Mets, on the other hand, far exceeded expectations, but a second-half slide has left them out of the postseason picture.
Both the Braves and Nationals are in a great position to make the postseason, either as a wild card or division winner. I'll give the nod to the Nationals and their fantastic pitching staff to win the division.
NL Central
2 of 61. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Cincinnati Reds
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Houston Astros
6. Chicago Cubs
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. Cincinnati Reds
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Houston Astros
Overview
Not so long ago, the NL Central was viewed as the worst division in baseball, and 90 wins seemed to be a sure bet to make the postseason.
This year, however, it has been a dog fight at the top, as the Reds and Cardinals have duked it out as expected alongside a young Pirates team that looks to be the real deal after flirting with contention last season.
It will likely be close the whole way, as I do not expect the Pirates to collapse like they did last season, but in the end, I don't see anyone catching the Reds. They've been one of the hottest teams in baseball of late, and they've been doing it without Joey Votto. Once he's back, the division title will be theirs to lose.
NL West
3 of 61. Arizona Diamondbacks
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Diego Padres
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. San Diego Padres
5. Colorado Rockies
Overview
The NL West has been all about the Dodgers and Giants this season, but don't count out the reigning division champion Diamondbacks, who are just four games out of first place.
The Dodgers showed they are ready to do whatever it takes to win, as they acquired Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Brandon League and Randy Choate at the deadline (or through waivers, in Blanton's case).
Not to be outdone, the Giants added Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro to bolster their lineup behind what is a fantastic pitching staff. There is a major question mark at closer, but the Giants are still the class of the division in my mind.
.png?w=256)
AL East
4 of 61. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles
1. New York Yankees
2. Baltimore Orioles
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Boston Red Sox
5. Tampa Bay Rays
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. New York Yankees
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Boston Red Sox
Overview
The Orioles have been the surprise team of the year this season, and they are currently just 4.5 games behind the Yankees for the division lead.
Injuries to the Red Sox (Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford), Rays (Evan Longoria) and Blue Jays (everyone?) have hurt those teams chances, but the gap between the top and bottom of the division has never been smaller.
The Yankees are clearly the class of the division right now, and while the Orioles have a legitimate shot at a wild-card spot if their pitching holds up, I can't see them catching and passing the Yankees for the division.
AL Central
5 of 61. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Kansas City Royals
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Chicago White Sox
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Minnesota Twins
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Cleveland Indians
5. Kansas City Royals
Overview
After making it to the ALCS last season and with the signing of Prince Fielder, the Tigers were expected to run away with the AL Central this year.
However, they scuffled early, and a White Sox team that was expected to begin rebuilding emerged as the class of the division.
The Tigers have since righted the ship, but with the White Sox adding Francisco Liriano, Brett Myers and Kevin Youkilis to an already solid roster, it won't be as easy as expected for Detroit. The Tigers close their season with 13 games against the Twins and Royals, so I give them the edge, but it'll be a fight to the end.
AL West
6 of 61. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland Athletics
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners
Predicted Standings (Post-Trade Deadline)
1. Texas Rangers
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners
Overview
The Rangers have been hit hard by injuries to their pitching staff, and Josh Hamilton has slumped badly in the second half, but the team still holds a six-game lead in the division.
The Angels landed the biggest name of the trade deadline when they acquired Brewers ace Zack Greinke, and the A's came out of nowhere to push their way into relevancy.
Adding Ryan Dempster helps the Rangers' pitching woes, and they still have the best lineup in all of baseball. It will be interesting to see if the A's can give the Angels a legitimate run for second place, but I don't see either of them passing the Rangers.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
