Even though the thick of March Madness is happening, America’s pastime gets into the full swing of the 162 game season on Thursday. The beginning of a sports season would be nearly worthless if it was not for some predictions.
Here are your division champions:
AL East - Boston Red Sox
Winners of 4 out of the last 6 divisions, the reigning World Series Champs have a nearly identical lineup returning for the 2019 season. Winning this division will not be an easy accomplishment though. The Yankees are also one of the best teams in baseball and it is nearly a coin flip between them and the Red Sox. Both teams are going to be tethering near 100 wins, but Tampa Bay is a team people are really sleeping on. 90 wins in 2018, the Rays are going to be near the same win total this year and could compete in the East. When it comes down to it though, the Red Sox will be too much. Benintendi, Betts, Martinez, and Bogaerts at the top of the lineup is DEADLY. Their offense alone could win the AL and then add on Sale, Price, and Porcello in the rotation and the Sox will win 100+ games this year.
AL Central - Cleveland Indians
An easy pick. Cleveland has steamrolled through this division since 2016, winning it by nearly 12.6 games. What it comes down to is the rest of the division stinks. The White Sox missed out on Manny Machado this winter and are still in rebuilding mode. The Royals have not had a winning record since making the 2015 World Series and Alex Gordon is the only projected starter remaining from that run. The Tigers are a contender to lose 100 games with second year manager Ron Gardenhire. Only semi bright spot is the Minnesota Twins. They will be hovering near .500 all year, but to have to do better than 29-52 on the road. The Indians will win the division by 10+ games yet again.
AL West - Houston Astros
An even EASIER pick. I think the Astros are going to finish with the best record in baseball this year. Not only do they have the talent to be the best team in baseball, the teams around them are awful. Like the Central, the four other teams in the West have a really good chance of ending the season under .500. Texas is in the middle of their rebuild after a half decade run and will not be looking to win any ball games for a couple more years. Seattle blew their entire roster up by trading Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, and Jean Segura. Even though they have Edwin Encarnacion, more than 75 wins would be an accomplishment. Even with arguably the best baseball player of all time, Mike Trout and the Angels are an average team. The surprise of 2018 and the Oakland A’s are looking to rebound off a 97 win season. Khris Davis hit 48 bombs and will have to reciprocate that to keep the A’s competitive. A 20 game division win could be in store of the Astros.
NL East - New York Mets
This pitching staff has to win a division. Doesn't it? DeGrom, Syndergaard, Wheeler, and Matz all have the capability to throw sub 4 ERA. Trading for Robinson Cano and adding Wilson Ramos helps what was a piss poor Mets offense last year. Closer Edwin Diaz came over from Seattle with Cano and will be the guy to close out games for the Mets. That could be the difference for them this year. Everyone else in the division should be a solid team, except the Miami Marlins. They are probably the biggest dumpster fire in the entire sport. Bryce Harper signed with Philly and adds to their already young lineup. If it was not for a second half collapse, they could have won the division last year. Atlanta won the division last year and also have a young core. If Acuna Jr. and company can keep up the pace, they could contend for the division again. The team that lost Bryce Harper, the Nationals, responded with the signing of Patrick Corbin and Brian Dozier. A little addition by subtraction could be in store in Washington. Cano and Ramos could be the deciding factor to push the Mets into the playoffs though. If the offensive support for their outstanding pitching staff can increase, a division title will be coming back to Queens.
NL Central - Chicago Cubs
Oh boy. What a division this is going to turn out to be. The Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals all have the talent to win this division. Adding into the competition this year will be the Cincinnati Reds. A big time trade with the Dodgers saw the Reds acquire Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, and Alex Wood. Adding on Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark via other trades and the trades turn into an above .500 team. They will be competitive, but the other three teams are looking solid to make the playoffs. Chicago is back with the core of Baez, Bryant, Rizzo, Lester and will have the first full year of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. Rizzo and Bryant are consistent behind the plate and Baez is always an NL MVP candidate. The reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich and the Milwaukee Brewers are the reigning Central champions after a one game playoff in 2018. Their outfield of Cain, Yelich, and Braun is one of the most deadly in the NL. Their starting pitching may be shaky, causing them to be buyers towards the end of July. And ding dong! The St. Louis Cardinals are back. Paul Goldschmidt being placed in the middle of lineup will rejuvenate the Cardinals to bring them back to the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Pirate exist too. But, meh. Chicago still has the best roster in the division and their starting pitching will get them a tough 90 win division winning season.
NL West - LA Dodgers
The only lock of the NL is the LA Dodgers. Since 2013, the Dodgers have won the West. Not much is going to change in 2019. Trading away Puig, Kemp, and Alex Wood hurt a little, but signing free agent AJ Pollock helps. Their core players are still studs and still prime to make a World Series run. Oh, and Clayton Kershaw is still on the roster. Nobody is really questioning the Dodgers and they should run away with this division. The rest of the teams are average and only kind of exciting. The final year of Bruce Bochy in San Francisco should keep the team relevant, but their on the field play won’t be eye catching. Big time stars Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner will help, but not much past that. Arizona lost Patrick Corbin and AJ Pollock to free agency and traded away Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis. Zack Greinke is 35 and Adam Jones signs after leaving the terrible Orioles. Coors Field being the park it is keeps the balls flying out of the park and after extending Nolan Arenado, he is going to be hitting bombs there for years to come. Him and Trevor Story MIGHT help the Rockies squeeze into the Wild Card race. Finally, the San Diego Padres got Manny Machado this year and paid him a boatload. Arguably the best defensive third baseman/shortstop of the century, he is going to be electric and make San Diego a team to watch. However, the Dodgers and the Dodgers and unless the Giants are contending with them, their going to win the West. Do not expect anything dramatic out of the West.
Wild Card
Yankees def Rays
Brewers def Cardinals
Division Series
Astros def Yankees
Red Sox def Indians
Cubs def Brewers
Dodgers def Mets
Championship Series
Astros def Red Sox in 7
Cubs def Dodgers in 6
World Series
Astros def Cubs in 6
This would be a great series between two formal NL Central 100 loss teams. Both considered the laughing stock of baseball at one point and this series would be a lot of fun. Both teams have a young core with a load of stars and experienced starting pitching. On top of that, managers Joe Madden and AJ Hinch and the top managers in baseball. With the Astros having home field advantage and having a better offensive explosion than Chicago would be the difference in this series.
Let’s get this started and try to enjoy every single second of this baseball season.