MLB Preview

Opening Day is only a week away! The off-season was filled with plenty of headlines, from blockbuster trades, to big free agent signings and messy contract negotiations. It's time to put all that aside and play ball.


Here are my predictions for this season:

• The Yankees will miss the playoffs for only the 2nd time since 1995.
• Derek Jeter will continue to decline, making the Yankees regret that big contract extension a year or two earlier than they expected.
• Finally free of Petco Park, Adrian Gonzalez will find comfort in the friendly confines of Fenway Park, hitting over 40 HRs for the first time in his career (40 is his current career high). Let's say... 42.
• Jacoby Ellsbury will lead the league in steals, regardless of where he hits in the order.
• Jon Lester will win 20 games for the first time in his career.
• Josh Beckett will continue his trend of delivering a solid performance every other year. Last year was awful, which means this year he'll be good. I'm thinking 16 Wins, an ERA under 4.00, and just under 200Ks.
• Let's not even talk about Dice-K....
• Tampa Bay will miss the playoffs, but won't fall off the map as much as many assume after they lost so much of their roster to free agency. They have enough young talent, especially in their starting rotation, to keep them in contention and make things interesting down the stretch.
• Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon will not combine for 162 starts.
• Jose Bautista's power is legit! Just not 54 HR level legit. Think more like 35 this year.
• Adam Dunn will lead the AL in Home Runs... but struggle to keep his average above .250.
• Miguel Cabrera will make it through the season without another alcohol related incident. He will not miss time due to his off field troubles or go to jail.
• Cabrera will challenge for the Triple Crown, but fall just short in at least one category. He'll be top 5 in all 3.
• Can you tell I drafted Cabrera in one of my fantasy baseball leagues?
• I'm rooting for Justin Morneau to fully recover from last year's concussion, but so far it doesn't look promising that he's fully healthy yet. He'll spend at least 1 stint on the DL related to his head injury.
• Joe Maur will not be in the top 5 in the AL in batting average and will hit single digit HRs.
• Cleveland's Shin-Soo Chin is one of the AL's best hitters that you've never heard of. He won't be an MVP and probably not even an All-Star, because let's face it, he plays in Cleveland.
• Kansas City is considered to have the best minor league system in the game. Unfortunately, their minor league teams are probably better than their major league team.
• Kendry Morales will bounce back after being robbed by an injury last season to hit 30 Home Runs. He will refuse to allow his teammates to celebrate with him at home plate after any of them.
• Neftali Feliz will end the season as the Ranger's closer after they realize they don't have anyone else that can fill the role nearly as well as he has.
• Michael Young will eventually be traded somewhere that will make him an everyday starter, not just a super utility or DH.
• The Seattle Mariners will score more runs than they did last year... but still rank last in the AL.
• At least one of the Phillies' big 4 starting pitchers will struggle, but it won't be Roy Halladay. They can't all be aces. My guess would be Oswalt.
• Ryan Howard will fail to hit over 30 Home Runs or drive in 100 RBIs for the first time since he became a regular starter.
• Chase Utley will not play more than 100 games this year.
• Jason Bay will bounce back to post respectable numbers, but not close enough to be worth what the Mets are paying him.
• Jayson Werth will prove he wasn't worth that outrageous contract. He'll find it harder to put up big numbers in his new ballpark.
• Chipper Jones won't make it through the season healthy and will retire at the end of the year... if not sooner.
• Jonny Venters will earn more Saves than Craig Kimbrel, but they will both get a shot.
• Mike Stanton will hit 40 Home Runs. Nobody else on the Marlins will hit more than 20.
• Aroldis Chapman will take over as the closer in Cincinnati before the end of the season.
• Prince Fielder will lead the NL in Home Runs. Why? Because I didn't draft him in my fantasy leagues this year.
• Zack Grienke will be much closer to his 2009 numbers than 2010.
• The Albert Pujols contract talks will be a big story all year since he'll refuse to talk about an extension until after the season. The drama won't faze him, but will distract his teammates.
• I bet you can't name anyone from the Pirates starting rotation. This includes Pittsburgh fans.
• After winning the World Series last year, the Giants won't make the playoffs this year.
• Jonathan Broxton will lose his job as the Dodgers' closer again. Too many other solid options in that bullpen to give a chance to if he continues to struggle.
• Minus Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres will score less runs than the Mariners did last season.
• Carolos Gonzalez was an MVP candidate for the Rockies last year. He'll be solid this year, but will see a steep decline in his batting average. After hitting .336 last year he'll finish below .300 this year.
• Justin Upton will finally break out with the .300/30/30 year we've expected the past two seasons.
• I will win all three of my fantasy baseball leagues.
• At least half of these predictions won't come true.

AL Standings
East: Red Sox
Central: White Sox
West: Rangers
Wild Card: Twins

NL Standings
East: Phillies
Central: Brewers
West: Rockies
Wild Card: Braves

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
AL CY Young: Jon Lester
AL ROY: Jeremy Hellickson

NL MVP: Troy Tulowitzki
NL CY Young: Tim Lincecum
NL ROY: Freddie Freeman

World Series: Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies