MLB Opening Day Predictions

And so it starts. Opening Day is about a week away, and I couldn't possibly be happier. Just around the corner is baseball, warm weather, and not school. If you're reading this blog, you're probably looking forward to the season starting as much as I am. So before our heads all explode from anticipation, let's make with the predictions.

American League West
1. Angels
2. Athletics
3. Mariners
4. Rangers

This one's tough, but I'm pretty sure that the downgrades made by the Angels aren't going to be outweighed by the upgrades made by the A's. I'm not too worried about Lackey's injury.

AL Central
1. Twins
2. White Sox
3. Royals
4. Tigers
5. Indians

The Twins looked good last year, and the experience their young players gained can only help. The Royals have to improve at some point, and I think this will be the year. The Tigers are probably going to be about the same as last year, mostly because I have little to no confidence in their pitching.

AL East
1. Red Sox
2. Rays
3. Yankees
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles

I like the Red Sox rotation a lot, and their bullpen should be good, as usual. The lineup could be an issue, but I don't think the Rays have much better, and their rotation's advantage is outweighed by the relatively weak bullpen.

In New Yorok, Sabathia and Teixiera are both overrated to me, and Burnett will probably not make all his starts—and even if these names play to their potential, the Rays still have at least as good a rotation, and the Yankee outfield is hit or miss. Jeter's aging, and I just don't see the lineup and rotation in the Bronx being as good as people would have you believe. The Rays will win the wild card, and the top three will be very close.

National League West
1. Diamondbacks
2. Dodgers
3. Giants
4. Padres
5. Rockies

Webb and Haren will do this year what I thought they would last year—that is to say, they will be dual aces and lead the D-Backs back to the playoffs. Manny will help the Dodgers, but they don't have enough other pieces, especially after losing Lowe to Atlanta. The Giants are on their way back to not sucking, but they won't be quite good enough this year to make the playoffs.

NL Central
1. Cubs
2. Cardinals
3. Astros
4. Brewers
5. Pirates
6. Reds

This is going to be a pretty weak division, aside from the Cubs. They've improved a bit from last year, but they're not winning anything of consequence. The rest of the division is largely a crap shoot of teams that are pretty similar on the surface. The Brewers don't have much of anything without Sabathia and Sheets.

NL East
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Braves
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

The Mets, I think, have fixed their biggest problem—if they'd had K-Rod and Putz last year, they very well could have won the division, the pennant, and the championship. They have them now. If Delgado doesn't regress, Wright progresses, and Murphy the Wunderkind continues to be awesome, this could very well be the team to beat in the National League, along with the Cubs and their rivals, the Phillies.

The offense needs to not be this year's problem, though (with the rotation costing the Mets the division in 2007, and the bullpen and a swath of injuries costing them last year). I don't think Philadelphia did enough to improve this offseason, and though they are very good, and will make the playoffs, this is the year the Mets will finally play the way they should have been for the past two years and take the division.

The Braves improved, but they kind of sucked to begin with, and I don't think that Derek Lowe is going to solve much of anything, especially with Smoltz moving to Boston.

Playoffs

ALDS:
Boston over Los Angeles (three games)
Tampa Bay over Minnesota (four games)

NLDS:
New York over Chicago (five games)
Arizona over Philadelphia (four games)

ALCS:
Boston over Tampa Bay (seven games)

NLCS:
New York over Arizona (six games)

World Series:
New York over Boston (six games)

And yes, I really have to pick the Mets to win the World Series. I can't not pick them. But the rest of these predictions are mostly unbiased and based on how I think things will actually happen. To clarify, though: I do honestly believe that the Mets can win the World Series, especially in the scenario I've predicted.

If I had to handicap the Series winner now, just without any other variables, I would probably bet on the Red Sox or the Rays.

But I pick the Mets, and I will stand by that prediction.

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