Josh Reddick Goes Shirtless Once Again After Astros Win Alcs Title

The 2022 SB Nation MLB preview independent predictions. A lot of those predictions were wrong. This is the 2022 SB Nation MLB preview, and y'all are about to read more predictions. They will be wrong. You volition non become these minutes back, even so at that place'southward even so a hazard yous will proceed reading. Are you merely skimming? Are you lot a copy editor, employed past SB Nation? Why are y'all here?

Because there are reasons to read predictions that will almost certainly be wrong. Let united states recount them.

You want someone to be angry with

Say you're a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. When you open up up a predictions post like this, y'all know in that location is going to exist a passage making fun of the Phillies organization and/or electric current roster. It's a given, a box to cheque off for the person who writes information technology. Why are yous here, and so?

i. You're a super fan, and y'all nonetheless believe in Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, and 2008 wasn't that long ago, and nosotros'll see, we'll all encounter. And then you want someone to motivate yous and your team with cynical predictions, possibly while using the term "haterade" without irony.

2. Y'all want to hate the Phillies even more right at present, and these things help.

Either reason is fine with me. Thank you for reading.

Y'all desire someone to ostend your hopes and dreams

At some point, I will refer to the Nationals as the all-time team in baseball. Are you a Nationals fan? You lot're here because you need validation. The baseball flavor is dark and full of terrors, and the last three Nationals seasons have concluded in crushing disappointment. In ane of those seasons, the Nationals were supposed to exist the consensus best team in baseball game — only like now — and they didn't even make the postseason. It could happen once again.

Information technology could happen over again.

Non in these predictions, though! The Nationals make the postseason in these predictions every time, merely like you were hoping and predicting. It's uncanny. Nix bad happens to them in these predictions. There aren't whatsoever freaky injuries, weird slumps or untimely suspensions. Just the Nationals winning the NL East over and over and over once again.

Baseball game writers are dumb and smug, and you lot desire to rub their predictions in their impaired, smug faces adjacent year

Fair plenty. I predicted Prince Fielder to win the AL MVP last yr. That prediction was the baseball equivalent of the reporter who cruel down while stomping grapes. It was so painful to watch that it was a level removed from funny. (Fielder did not win the AL MVP.)

In that location volition be something in here that'south merely as stupid. Please, throw it in my face up. I article of clothing stupid predictions like merit badges, and I reference them often when freestyling, hoping to have ammunition away from my opponent. Baseball writers should never forget that baseball is both malevolent and smarter than them. Unless it's waaaaay dumber than all of united states of america, and nosotros're giving information technology too much credit. Either way, don't take these predictions too seriously.

Even though near of them are probably right.

Delight savour the 2022 SB Nation MLB Predictions!

AL West

Projected standings:

one. Los Angeles Angels
2. Oakland A'due south
iii. Seattle Mariners
4. Houston Astros
five. Texas Rangers

Chances of the 5th-place squad winning the division: Not ludicrous or 80-point-font-on-the-Times-front-page surprising, merely not peachy.

Chances of the fourth-identify team winning the segmentation: Meet the above. The Rangers would take been slight favorites for fourth identify with Yu Darvish.

1. Angels
Muddied secret nigh these predictions: It'southward possible to rip every squad apart, except for maybe the Nationals and Dodgers. If yous want to make an argument confronting the Angels, it would invoke the regression of Matt Shoemaker and Kole Calhoun, and it would loudly point out that the slow decline of Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and/or Albert Pujols is about to evolve into sudden decline. David Freese was a mess last year, and C.J. Cron is unproven. They got worse at second, and they're out of tantalizing prospects to dangle at the merchandise deadline. They might finish behind the Astros with a few bad breaks.

And so I expect into those large doe eyes of Mike Trout, and …

They take the best head start in baseball, which means they become a pass on some of those other dodgy variables. If Freese is all the same a mess, they'll find someone else and they'll have Mike Trout. If Wilson never finds what made him so good in Texas, they'll explore deals in July and they'll have Mike Trout. One role player doesn't make that much of a difference over 162-game flavor … unless he'southward Mike Trout.

2. A's
I practice non dearest the roster overhaul or the wacky permutations it took to get there. The A's had a talented, depression-price team with holes, they made a dozen jarring, disorienting moves, and they emerged to field a talented, low-toll squad with holes. It'southward certainly possible that everyone on the team hated each other, but allow me to be the gramps who argues in favor of continuity, both for the fans and the players. You've seen what happens when things are at hazard of being yanked away past a hook from the heavens at any time. Their brain gets mushy. They first worshiping the claw. It'southward all they tin call back almost.

That written, the A's are notwithstanding a talented low-cost team with holes, but not plenty to prevent them from contending. The Josh Reddick/Baton Butler/Ike Davis centre of the order scares the bejeepers out of me, and it should scare you too. The residue of the lineup features solid-to-splendid players, and so it'south besides like shooting fish in a barrel to become hung up on that troika, only it'south not like you lot have to concoct the ultimate doomsday scenario to get 1,700 combined at-bats of 100 OPS+, .310 OBP and 500 strikeouts.

Sonny Grayness, Scott Kazmir and Jesse Hahn are a great start toward the rotation the A's need, with a potential render from Jarrod Parker helping the depth. This but looks like the kind of pesky A'southward team we underrate at our own peril, so I'll put them a little higher than the project systems have them. They'll figure something out.

They'll figure something out, or we'll get 583 articles nigh how Billy Beane ruined the clubhouse chemistry. Brrrrr.

3. Mariners
The Mariners have the best pitcher in the sectionalisation. They have the second-all-time role player in the segmentation, but he would be the best player in virtually any other division. They're atop the FanGraphs projected standings by a game. Then why do I put them 3rd?

My gut. At that place's golden in there. And my gut tells me that four or five of the hitters in the Mariners lineup will struggle mightily all danged season. They'll flail around in the land of the vacant-eyed 640 OPS, wondering why they're not striking similar they should. The pitching will exist fabulous, of course. There will be two-1 games and 2-0 games and 4-iii games and, when things get wacky, perhaps a couple of 5-4 games. The Mariners won't win plenty of them to win the sectionalization, and they won't lose enough of them to fall out of contention.

You lot can hate this prediction. You tin hate the reasoning behind it. But I don't remember Seth Smith, Nelson Cruz and J.A. Happ are enough to reverse the raging current that has annoyed/drowned Mariners fans for the last few years. Unless at that place'south something of a group effort from the under-30 prepare similar Mike Zunino, Dustin Ackley, Brad Miller and Austin Jackson to emerge from their potential chrysalis at the same fourth dimension, it looks like the same Mariners team as last season to me.

I'd apologize, but there are just so many Mariners fans that I actively hate, so that felt cathartic.

four. Astros
They certain had a fine offseason effort. I'll miss the easy laughs and immobile targets.

RIP, FUNNY ASTROS. And Matt Downs. Nosotros'll miss all of you.

The but thing missing if the Astros wanted to ape the 2006 Tigers was the what-are-they-doing feeling that came with the Tigers spending exorbitant amounts of coin on All-Stars in their 30s. That might be side by side year for the Astros, just if they get on an early season gyre, those play tricks-crazy deals might come at the trade deadline. Here's the roster. Wait for the gaping hole. Look for the histrion who should not, under any circumstances, belong to a major league lineup, bench, rotation or pitcher.

He's not in that location. That player was the default of the 2012 Astros, and his bite would infect the players who were acquired or called up. The 2022 Astros are clean, though. Even the players you should exist skeptical virtually (looking at Jake Marisnick) are talented enough to get at least a trial on a transitional team. When you have a roster like this, where everyone makes some sense, y'all take the potential for a surprise title run. Astros fans, especially the ones who have stuck around, deserve it.

5. Rangers
Oh, Rangers.

It's only a tragedy if they end the picture correct at present. Information technology's a delightful rom-com if they ringlet the last three years into an opening montage, where in that location's nowhere to go just up! The Rangers won the pennant, and then they won the wild carte, then they missed the playoffs and and so baseball set them aflame. Pretend this is just the start of their story, and when they win iii straight titles behind Rougneds Odor, well, but recall how bleak it seemed for them once.

That isn't to say this is a squad without talent. It's a team with plenty of talent, both fallow and possibly resurgent. At that place are former stars who could rising from the ashes, and in that location are emerging stars who could interruption through. They have a minor league system of note, with one of the about compelling power prospects of the last decade. It's a cocktail that can come up together rapidly. Maybe even next twelvemonth.

Not this year. They're going to surrender a billion runs. With Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Yovani Gallardo at the top of the rotation, they had the slimmest of glimmers. Now they only accept Holland, Gallardo and the sketchiest 3-5 in the American League. Oh, and Holland's shoulder is sore. A commenter on this Baseball Prospectus article on pitching depth said it well:

Wouldn't it be astonishing if the Rangers only needed a sixth or 7th starter, instead of a 22nd and 23rd starter?

Oh, Rangers.

AL Fundamental

1. Cleveland Indians
ii. Detroit Tigers
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Kansas City Royals
five. Minnesota Twins

Chances of the fifth-place team winning the division: Not very good, despite how it approached the offseason. The pitching and hit could both be OK, and the Twins could surprise, just more in an 81-win kind of manner.

Chances of the fourth-place team winning the division: Decent. It won the pennant last yr, after all.

1. Cleveland Indians
I tin't tell if this is a dark-horse pick, or if it's a trendy pick. Maybe I'one thousand simply doing it to break up the monotony of picking the Tigers every yr, tin't tell. Still, the Indians have a deep lineup that gets fifty-fifty better if/when Nick Swisher gets good for you, the rare starting ix that doesn't give a pitcher a break anywhere. Jose Ramirez would take been a Rookie of the Year candidate if he didn't lose his rookie status, but Francisco Lindor will be a Rookie of the Year candidate the 2d he'southward called up. The best mode to describe the depth of the lineup is with a sentence: Yan Gomes, who hit 21 homers and won a Silver Slugger award concluding year, is probably striking sixth.

The rotation is risky in that old Rays kind of fashion, lining up youngish, one-half-proven pitchers backside their established ace, but it's still filled with potential. That's even if y'all don't trust Trevor Bauer. If you're predicting good things from him, well, this is probably the 2nd- or tertiary-best rotation in the partitioning. That doesn't sound impressive until yous realize they have the best or second-best lineup in the division. It'south the combination of the 2 that makes them particularly unsafe.

two. Detroit Tigers
There are just plenty questions to push them closer to the wild card game than a division championship. Justin Verlander volition have to accept an ERA over five.00 to get bounced from the rotation — call this the Lincecum Theory — and even then, the team still might give him 32 starts. The pitcher problems might exist a touch overblown, merely they certainly aren't completely manufactured. The upwardly-the-middle defence is stellar, just the corner defense is a Christmas play put on by dizzy kindergartners.

They have the talent to win the division and the World Series, of course. Yoenis Cespedes is a fine replacement for Torii Hunter, David Price is one of the simply pitchers who could replace Max Scherzer at the elevation of a rotation, and Anthony Gose's talent would probably play Austin Jackson's talent in a moving-picture show adaptation, and then it's not every bit if they're that much unlike from last twelvemonth'southward. It's not similar this roster is substantially worse than the roster that opened terminal season, and those Tigers were consensus favorites. The predicted 2nd-place finish has more to do with the Indians existence adept than the Tigers being flawed.

They are flawed, though. A listing of players I'm skeptical about for 2015: J.D. Martinez, Gose, Nick Castellanos, Verlander, Alfredo Simon, Jose Iglesias, Shane Greene, and Joe Nathan, for some reason. Those players still might contribute, heed you, but I'chiliad skeptical most their abilities to perform equally well as they did last year, or equally well equally the Tigers are hoping for. Information technology all might be plenty to motion a 90-win team to an 86-win squad, and 86 wins is going to be on the fringes for the wild menu game.

three. Chicago White Sox
What a dizzying offseason. What a surprising, aggressive offseason. They accept one of the three all-time pitchers in the American League, and they take one of the iii best hitters, as well. So if the White Sox are building a roster, and have that kind of caput outset, shouldn't a bunch of smart moves make them favorites?

Probably not. I believe a lot more in the Conor Gillaspie from 2013 than the one from last year, and that'southward true for Adam LaRoche, also. Jose Quintana might be the most underrated pitcher in baseball, but John Danks and Hector Noesi are most certainly not. If either (or both) of them stammer, there aren't a lot of thrilling options to supersede them unless 2022 starting time-round pick Carlos Rodon is even more special than believed.

I still almost put them ahead of the Tigers. I still might put them there before this is published. But when yous think of a ball hit off Danks sailing over Carlos Sanchez'southward caput and shooting into the gap, yous go a visual of why it's difficult for them to be favorites for anything.

4. Kansas City Royals
And so, in the middle of the Earth Series, for the get-go time in my life, I thought, "You know, I'm not certain if either of these teams in the World Series are that good." Hey, if I can acknowledge it, Royals fans should be able to. The postseason is a barrel of monkeys, alright, only the monkeys are mischievous and extra-bitey, not fun. That barrel was how the Royals ruined the flavour for iii different teams. Someone shook the barrel upwards, also.

Edinson Volquez isn't James Shields, and the parallels are more than depressing when you realize that he was even worse than Shields in his wild card game start. Kendrys Morales and Alex Rios have a chance to exist as valuable as the players they're replacing, only the Royals are nigh certainly a little worse without Shields. Because they were already a impact lucky concluding year (five games over their expected win-loss record), that'south non the management they needed to go.

In that location's a chance, a real take chances, that they might have sub-.300 OBPs from the No. 5 spot in the lineup through the No. 9 spot — four of the five hitters did information technology concluding year — at which bespeak the lineup would turn over with a player who besides has a run a risk to brand a lot of outs. Yordano Ventura is a treat, and they still take the competent veterans in the rotation and the globe's sludgiest, funkiest bullpen. But as Abraham Lincoln said to Abner Doubleday when giving him a medal for inventing baseball and winning the war: You tin can't steal beginning.

5. Minnesota Twins
Possibly I should be nicer to the Twins. Every member of the starting lineup had an adjusted OPS above the league boilerplate last year, and while I dislike the Ervin Santana contract, I don't dislike him every bit a contributor for a team that needs steadier pitching. Phil Hughes was a revelation last year, even if the ERA didn't line up neatly with the historically outstanding strikeout-to-walk ratio. They have ii of the best prospects in baseball, and it's not farfetched to think one or both might force their way into the majors. They're not the Phillies. They're not especially close.

Can't trust them, though. They tin can't possibly have enough pitching around Hughes and Santana. Kyle Gibson and Mike Pelfrey are very, very, very Twins, in all the incorrect ways, and Ricky Nolasco is morphing into a pure Twins pitcher by the lite of a full moon. It would accept some serious breakouts from the young hitters in the lineup, possibly around a resurgent Joe Mauer, to contend. Could happen. Might happen. Probably won't happen.

AL East

1. Boston Crimson Sox
2. Baltimore Orioles
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. New York Yankees

Chances of the fifth-place team winning the division: Very realistic. The Yankees are a zombie team, and you cannot kill what is undead.

Chances of the quaternary-place team winning the division: Besides realistic. Where there's pitching, there's a run a risk for surprises.

ane. Boston Cherry Sox
If it's non wise to predict the White Sox to reverse their record with a splashy offseason, maybe we're giving the Reddish Sox also much credit. Maybe 71-91 means as well much to ignore.

Except the Red Sox have a lineup this year that's different from what they tried concluding twelvemonth in one primal way: They tin can be excellent even if the young hitters don't develop correct away or break out. Last year, they counted on Will Middlebrooks, Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Xander Bogaerts. When those players didn't hit, it was too much to inquire a lineup with A.J. Pierzynski and Jonny Gomes to overcome that. David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia can't do everything.

With the additions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, though, the Blood-red Sox accept an outstanding, five-deep run in the middle of their lineup that'southward free of serious red flags. Ramirez, Sandoval, Ortiz, Pedroia, and Mike Napoli aren't locks for annihilation — never forget that baseball is awful and age is even worse — but they're all proven, reliable hitters. Now if Mookie Betts wants to intermission out? Certain, come along. Aforementioned goes for Bogaerts and Rusney Castillo. Happy to take you. The Cherry-red Sox don't take to take them practise things they've never done before.

The rotation sure does bring up a lot of questions, though, so this isn't the lock of MLB. Every unmarried pitcher comes with a "yep, but," and those things can ruin the best-laid plans. Still, the Red Sox have depth upon depth upon depth at nearly every position. They should exist one of the more watchable teams this year. Other than the four-60 minutes-game part.

ii. Baltimore Orioles
They did zippo this offseason. Nothing. Nooooooothiiiiiiiiing. I see you waving, Travis Snider, but the vocal remains the aforementioned. Nothing. Information technology's a fascinating gambit, if merely because it's amazing how curt-term the Orioles' commonage memories are. Don't they recollect what it was like for near of the last 2 decades? It wasn't fun at all. This should have been a pouncepouncepounce offseason, in which an owner who remembered the bad old days seized the opportunity to become greedy.

They tin all the same hit dingers, though. They should have Manny Machado back. They'll somewhen have Matt Wieters dorsum. They should have Chris Davis dorsum, at least a version that'due south better than the miserable 2022 multifariousness. Even with Steve Pearce almost certainly taking a step dorsum, the Orioles should ht the brawl shut to as well as they did terminal flavour, which is plenty well enough.

Which means their rotation just has to be OK, much similar the Red Sox. The two teams at the top of these projections take a like quantity-non-quality feel to them, and all the teams demand to do is hit as well as everyone expects them to. The Orioles' path to the 2022 postseason is the exact same equally their path to the 2022 postseason. Maybe that'due south why they did nothing.

Like, seriously. Nothing.

3. Toronto Blueish Jays
Are the Blue Jays a hot domestic dog? Probably. Nosotros're talking a hot dog without condiments. Standard bun. Standard processed hot domestic dog from a huge visitor. Boiled. They have been this hot canis familiaris for two decades, never odious plenty to plough your tum, and never delicious plenty to leave you satisfied.

Like every team in the AL East, they could win the division. They're better on newspaper than most people guessed last year's Orioles would be, and by a good margin. The Blue Jays would be the 2nd-biggest surprise in the AL East over the last two years. They have dingers and OBP for the start five lineup slots, even if the next four are a little underwhelming. They have intriguing arms in all five rotation spots, fifty-fifty if they're almost all filled by someone also old or immature to trust completely. A surprising flavor or ii from random folks, like Dalton Pompey or Kevin Pillar, and they could coast into the postseason and end the nasty drought.

After Josh Donaldson, though, the lineup really is a bound of organized religion out of the nest. The Marcus Stroman injury hurt their depth, which they'll probably have to tap into this flavor, but where the Cherry Sox and Orioles should both do at least one thing well, the Blueish Jays are in danger of middling performances everywhere on the roster other than the middle of their lineup.

They're in danger of being the Blue Jays, and then. We probably should accept seen that coming.

4. Tampa Bay Rays
If a team has five solid starting pitchers, it has a chance. You lot don't need a list of former division winners to prove that maxim. The Rays had those v starting pitchers before the Grapefruit League started, and information technology might accept fabricated sense to slot the squad higher in these projections. Heck, if Matt Moore came dorsum on schedule, they might have had the best rotation in the partition.

Instead, forearm tightness and shoulder tendinitis accept already made two Rays questionable for opening mean solar day (Alex Cobb and Drew Smyly, respectively), and the Rays don't have the backup plans to deal with worst-example scenarios effectively. While the lineup all the same has a couple candidates for breakout seasons, information technology's probably the worst lineup in the partition, or shut to it, without those breakouts. Evan Longoria should render to form, and the Rays aren't a team bereft of talent, but they aren't balancing their noticeable flaws with a pile of sure things, either.

They have v solid starting pitchers. They have a gamble. Information technology's just less of a chance than the iii teams ahead of them.

5. New York Yankees
There is a monster who lives under Yankee Stadium similar a rancor, and he's fabricated of magic. The only things it eats are cynical predictions from dumb sportswriters, and he uses them to as fuel for magic monster beams that assistance the Yankees argue, even when they have absolutely no right to argue. He's eating this paragraph right now. The Yankees will use it to fuel another contending flavour. Sorry. Sad for writing this.

I just can't stop myself, though. The Yankees accept a rotation that's held together with twine and moist newspaper. CC Sabathia wasn't good final year, and then he missed fourth dimension with a serious injury. Michael Pineda had serious shoulder problems, and Masahiro Tanaka's throwing ligament is partially torn. It's more than likely that all three of them miss chunks of the season than they all make more than 28 starts, so the Yankees would have to effigy out how to make pitching stew out of flour and warm Tab if anything went incorrect. Ivan Nova and Chris Capuano are already injure, too.

The lineup is filled with I've-heard-of-them players, simply they're all a yr older, and Chase Headley isn't enough to relieve an offense that was comfortably beneath-average last year.

(You know Alex Rodriguez is going to striking 30 homers and the Yankees are going to win the segmentation, right? Just making sure.)

NL W

one. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. San Francisco Giants
four. Colorado Rockies
five. Arizona Diamondbacks

Chances of the fifth-identify team winning the sectionalisation: But mildly ludicrous. Not desperately ludicrous.

Chances of the fourth-place team winning the partitioning: Only mildly ludicrous. Not badly ludicrous. I'chiliad pretty sure they're both the same squad, to exist honest.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
One of only two teams I didn't hem and haw with at the superlative of their division, the Dodgers are pretty, pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good. They remade their team, with their two all-time hitters from last season gone, and nevertheless they somehow got better. What manner of dark alchemy is this? Money can't buy World Series trophies, and money tin't buy happiness, only information technology can patently buy some fancy roster moves and a new braintrust. Which can help that first part. And then agree off on being and so sure nigh what money can or can't buy.

Even if Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy were both expensive risks (with delightful Twitter accounts!), the Dodgers clearly have the best rotation in the division. That starts with the all-time pitcher live, an unfair head start on the rest of the world. Zack Greinke is excellent enough to give the Dodgers a formidable rotation, even if the three pitchers behind him falter or miss games. In that location'south a good mix of once-weres and should-bes in the minors, too, but in case of a serious emergency.

It'southward the lineup that'southward going to get them in the mid-90s, though. They don't accept any holes at whatever position, and even if in that location are some players y'all're correct to wonder about — say, 3rd base and an outfield spot or two — they accept contingency plans for everything. If they made a lineup out of their demote and prospects who won't be on the team …

1. Justin Turner - 3B
2. Alex Guerrero - 2B
3. Scott Van Slyke - 1B
4. Andre Ethier - RF
5. Corey Seager - SS
6. Chris Heisey - LF
7. Scott Schebler - CF
8. A.J. Ellis - C

… information technology would out-hit more than than a few teams around both leagues. The Dodgers are loaded. Except for the pitcher, simply they'll figure that out. Unless it RUINS EVERYTHING, ha ha ha ha aaaa ha ha. Ha ha ha. Uh. Ha?

Dammit.

2. San Diego Padres
After winning the imaginary offseason World Series, the Padres had an imaginary offseason parade. 1 of the imaginary floats drove into the crowd and exploded in a delightful explosion of cotton processed and sunbeams. You should have been in that location.

It certain was an offseason from Padre-fan dreams, though. Lots of activity and a new identity is just about everything fans from a previously tiresome team could enquire for. The Padres couldn't hit home runs, and now they can. They could pitch just not score, and at present they can do both. While Alexi Amarista isn't exciting, and Yangervis Solarte is probably closer to the player no one thought most before last season, there should be dingers and more dingers so some more. The rotation would have been good enough to argue with that lineup, simply so they signed James Shields. Lap information technology up, Padres fans. You've earned this.

If I tin business concern-troll for only a moment, though! I just mentioned the pitching every bit if its completely isolated from the rest of the squad. It's not. Pitchers demand assist from their fielders, and the Padres might have the worst defense in baseball game. Matt Kemp is a known quantity in right field, and that quantity is negative-5 billion. Wil Myers is likely to be rough in center compared to his peers. Derek Norris has well-chronicled problems throwing out baserunners, and he isn't likely to brand upward for it with his framing. The all-time you say about the remaining five is that they could/should be average. In that location aren't standout defenders anywhere.

Information technology'll bother you lot until the next dinger, which will usually exist a half-inning away.

3. San Francisco Giants
Bonds assistance me, I tried to put them at No. ii. They were there for a week before I just couldn't go through with it. Hunter Pence is hurt. Affections Pagan is having predictable dorsum issues. Their biggest weakness is supposed to be their starting pitching, and all of their starting pitchers have been shelled this preseason, other than Tim Hudson. They can't win in the Cactus League. Doomed. They're doomed. Doooooooooomed

They withal have Buster Posey, listen you. And you aren't really buying into Madison Bumgarner being in problem because of leap stats, are you? They merely won the World Serial, the difference between Michael Morse/Pablo Sandoval and Norichika Aoki/Casey McGehee can't be much more than than a win or 2, so they have something going for them. Even though they're starting some older/questionable pitchers, at least they have a lot of them in case repairs are needed.

If you were going to make a checklist of warning signs before this season, though, the Giants would have checked more than a couple off already. Even if you don't believe in odd-twelvemonth nonsense like a smart person, you can however look at the Giants and see all of the ways things could become horribly for them. They'll need either summit striking or surprising pitching to make the postseason over again. Sounds simple, except 1 of the best hitters will miss a month, and the pitchers aren't showing any indication that they'll surprise anyone.

4. Colorado Rockies
They have the potential to be an abrasive team if they stay good for you. Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Morneau, Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado brand a fearsome middle of the order, and they have worthwhile hitters at the top of the order, too. Team defense is a strength, which should help a rotation that needs every last bit of it. Actually, I'm non sure what nosotros're then worried near.

Kyle Kendrick named Rockies' Opening Day starter http://t.co/W2R1eaiidp

— HardballTalk (@HardballTalk) March nineteen, 2015

Oh. Oh, dear. There might be an explanation for this, but it's withal a disconcerting kickoff to the season.

That is a faux tweet, included because I lack restraint. Nevertheless, you get the idea. Injuries and pitching, pitching and injuries. If the Rockies can cobble a pitching staff out of some of their younger pitchers, and if they can stay good for you, they actually take a shot. That'south an "and," though, not an "or." It has to exist both, which makes things exponentially more difficult.

five. Arizona Diamondbacks
They have the same trouble every bit the Rockies — an offense with a few steady names, just a pitching staff that should exist a abiding source of turmoil. They don't have a lot of starting pitchers who can miss bats, and they'll start the flavour with substantial worries about the players at tertiary, backside the plate, and in right field. While they take at to the lowest degree 2 or iii Golden Glove candidates, it'll still be an occasional amusement park ride out there.

This wouldn't be a huge consequence a) if they had the frontline pitchers who would be good behind any defense, like the bulk of the Padres' staff, or b) they had the 1-through-9 depth of the Dodgers. But they don't come up close to either, which leaves them wishing on Aaron Colina to hit better, for Marker Trumbo to rebound (or at least make a few assists), for Chris Owings to hit just enough, and for everyone to come together and help brand up for the guaranteed offensive void left past various catchers.

The Diamondbacks have two young, talented pitchers in Archie Bradley and Braden Shipley, so if the squad is going to surprise, it'll be with their help. It would have a surprise that eclipses final year's Orioles team, though. They would need 2013 Pirates-level surprise, and Andrew McCutchen isn't gliding effortlessly through that door.

NL Fundamental

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
five. Cincinnati Reds

Chances of the fifth-place squad winning the division: Jason Marquis.

Chances of the quaternary-place team winning the sectionalisation: Could happen! Of all the fourth-place teams around, this is the one with the best shot.

1. St. Louis Cardinals
Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents. How can you detest him? And even so you practice. Perfect in every way, but never with a guarantee that he'll get exactly what he wants. Even afterward the about devastating of losses, he'll look upwards with a dumb, optimistic, Labrador Retriever grin and mumble something virtually adjacent year. He'll e'er, always, always get that risk.

They're probably the best team in the sectionalization. Once more. For starters, the Cardinals take one of the cleaner 1-through-9s in the game, joining a group that includes the Dodgers, Nationals, Indians and maybe a couple others. They augment that with a deep rotation, with a nice mix of veteran talent and upwardly-and-comers in the wings. If Jaime Garcia can't stay in the rotation after his injury, the Cardinals take Carlos Martinez. If he'southward not skillful to go, they accept Marco Gonzales and Tyler Lyons in the seventh and eighth spots. The Cardinals are probably set.

Ah, but that assumes the front of the rotation is solid and dependable. Which it certainly could be, what with Adam Wainwright a perennial All-Star and Lance Lynn coming into his own. Just anyone who watched Wainwright in the playoffs was at to the lowest degree a piddling uncomfortable with the apparent fatigue that was dragging him downwards, and Michael Wacha was a phantom in the postseason until the exact wrong moment. How will he recover from injury?

Whatever. They'll be good. If those guys don't do well, the other guys will. And if those guys don't, the other guys will surprise. If those other guys don't surprise, they'll trade for some more other guys. They're the Cardinals. They always land on their anxiety. They take Jason Heyward, you know. They'll sign him to an extension before the flavour is over, and he really will plough into Stan Musial. Meet the Cardinals.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates
They've been underestimated for ii straight seasons, and so it'south time to compensate, and while having the best outfield in the game doesn't have to mean anything, it can't hurt. The all-time way to evaluate the Pirates is by noting they take Pedro Alvarez striking sixth, with a backup plan or two behind him. He's not the shining hope, the slugger who needs to thrive to make everything work. If he hits well, he hits well. If he doesn't, they'll effigy something out. That's the spot they're in, and it's much different from the one they were in a couple of years ago.

It's a solid lineup, with a competent rotation of familiar faces who all have a chance of beingness something more, something exciting. Gerrit Cole is the ace-in-waiting, and even if that's an unfair label, he'due south probably the all-time bullpen on the staff. A.J. Burnett is back, and so is Francisco Liriano, a veteran tandem that's probably adept for forty starts or so, only with a great run a risk of beingness an above-average xl starts. That's a large deal. The fourth starters take fifth-starters-in-waiting, and the 5th starters have sixth-starters-in-waiting. They have a deep, cool bullpen.

This could be the yr. What, yous remember Liriano is going to get …

/ ligament makes SPROOING audio and shoots beyond the room

Well, it looks like a solid rotation on paper, at least. And it'south a lineup without a lot of obvious holes. The World Series will exist won by a team that doesn't have an obvious path to the championship, as is the Discussion Serial' fashion. Why not the Pirates? foreshadowing

3. Chicago Cubs
SO CLOSE. Probably a full season of Kris Bryant away, actually. Maybe a non-expressionless-armed Jon Lester. Whichever the example, the Cubs will be competitive. They'll be active, both before and afterward the trade deadline. They'll offer hope for the nowadays and the hereafter. They'll just come up up a little curt this fourth dimension. Not next time. Probably not next time. Maybe the fourth dimension later next time will be theirs. Anybody but exist patient. EVERYONE Exist PATIENT.

Practice you lot think this is pessimistic? Possibly, but feast thine eyes on the Cubs hitters who volition likely bat after the cleanup hitter:

• Miguel Montero
• Chris Coghlan
• Mike Olt
• Tommy La Stella

There are fill-in options, both Bryant-related and not, but for the kickoff month or 2 of the season, the Cubs will exist counting on a half-lineup. Dexter Fowler is a fine leadoff hitter, and three-fourth dimension All-Star (!) Starlin Castro should be the right hitter to move him along. This is the year that Jorge Soler becomes the star that Anthony Rizzo already is. Those 4 are the crime until Bryant and others (Bryant, Baez, Alcantara, Russell) force their way into the lineup.

Assuming Lester (he of the dead-arm-that-isn't-a-big-deal) is fine, the Cubs have a rotation to match the lineup, heavy at the top and light at the back. Fifty-fifty then, information technology's not like the top of the rotation is filled with sure things after Lester. Tin Jake Arrieta repeat his superb flavour? Was first-one-half Jason Hammel the real i, or is the dismal second-half version the one to wait at present? Travis Forest and Kyle Hendricks both have an upside of "OK, so long as everything else is going well," then the Cubs volition be counting a lot on a minor number of players.

four. Milwaukee Brewers
They probably deserve ameliorate. I'm non sure if at that place's a division they would be the favorites for, but they are an overqualified fourth-place team. If we had some inkling as to which Ryan Braun was going to testify up, perhaps the Brewers would jump up a spot or two or 3. If Braun is closer to the MVP variety, the Brewers take the best start to a lineup in baseball, and they follow that with ability. The rotation doesn't take a clear, win-twenty-four hour period ace, only at that place isn't a Jason Marquis in the agglomeration, either. They have a shot to win the division, a real shot.

The problem is that they're counting on simultaneous somethings from simply virtually everyone in the rotation, more so than the boilerplate team. They're counting on Kyle Lohse to ward off the aging demons for some other twelvemonth, Matt Garza to finish beingness and so flaky, Mike Fiers to put together a total season, Wily Peralta to go along the walks downwardly and strikeouts up, and Jimmy Nelson to establish himself. Backside those five is a bullpen that's probably going to be shaky for what feels similar the 2nd straight decade. If you rewrite this paragraph to highlight the things the rotation might go right, the Brewers would almost audio like the best team in baseball game.

As is, they're counting on too many parlays. If Braun hits and the question marks in the rotation go exclamation points, this is the ranking that's probable to look the silliest by September. Nosotros were almost used to a good Brewers squad last year when the calamity rained downward from the heaven and melted everything. If they started the season poorly and finished it stiff, we would probably have a different, more optimistic view of them. Funny how that works.

5. Cincinnati Reds
It's not that Jason Marquis is going to be in the rotation. Information technology's that two weeks before they needed to make a decision, the Reds said, "OK, we don't need to see any more. Marquis is clearly the best option we have, so permit's just announce this now." This should exist the final-gasp season of last-gasp seasons, with the Reds clawing frantically for one … last … shot … before well-nigh their entire rotation goes abroad in complimentary agency. Instead, they embarked on a half-rebuild, half-argue strategy, trying to sell their cake and display it, too. This is how you stop up with things like Jason Marquis.

If the All-Stars in the lineup render to form — as in, completely — the Reds could win 90 games, even with the questionable pitching. That'due south how All-Starry the former All-Stars are. Joey Votto tin still be i of the best hitters in the game, and Jay Bruce is immature enough to expect a renaissance, fifty-fifty if Brandon Phillips isn't. With Devin Mesoraco and Todd Frazier having a chance to hitting 30 homers, that would requite the Reds the kind of offense that fabricated them Globe Series contenders but a couple seasons agone.

They're stretched too thin, though, and even if Homer Bailey shows up similar naught was e'er wrong with his arm, they'll take two iffy starters in the rotation. The lineup probably won't be potent enough to bear them 40 percent of the time, which makes .500 seem like a small-scale victory. If they can surprise in the beginning half, though, I could see the Reds going bananas at the trade borderline, buying instead of selling. If things get well for them, the holes will be obvious and fixable. Hopefully for the Reds, it won't be too late to do something nearly them.

NL East

1. Washington Nationals
two. New York Mets
iii. Miami Marlins
four. Atlanta Braves
5. Philadelphia Phillies

Chances of the 5th-identify squad winning the division: And I looked, and behold a stake horse: and his name that saturday on him was Decease, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Chances of the fourth-identify team winning the partition: And to them information technology was given that they should not kill them, but that they should exist tormented 5 months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall non find it; and shall desire to dice, and death shall abscond from them.

one. Washington Nationals
Most of these predictions utilise words similar "depth" to depict teams that feature rosters filled with skillful-to-outstanding players. Here, then, is a different kind of depth. Final year, according to wins above replacement, Tanner Roark was the sixth-most valuable starting pitcher in the National League. The Nationals looked at this and said, "Gee, if merely there were some way to supersede him." The Nationals won 96 games concluding twelvemonth. They should be better this year. Here's your best team in baseball game, and I'm not sure if information technology's especially close.

It'due south been an ominous beginning, mind you. Jayson Werth and Denard Span are both going to miss chunks of the season, which leaves Michael Taylor and Tony Gwynn as the bookends of the lineup. That wasn't the plan, and if Bryce Harper is more of a candidate to break than break out, there really aren't any exciting options in the minors. Play a game, though. Pick the five worst lineups in baseball, and put whatsoever of them behind the Nationals rotation. Is that team still the favorite in the E? Probably. Surgically inserting the Phillies lineup into the eye of the Nationals' roster would probably however give united states a contender, if not a favorite.

They don't have the Phillies' lineup, of course. They have Anthony Rendon, Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman in the middle of the lineup until Werth gets back. And they accept Bryce Harper, who is going to lay waste material to the National League this twelvemonth, we're totally serious, this fourth dimension for real. If you venture down the dark alleys of the Net, you lot'll notice people who are convinced that Harper is overrated, that he's nothing but hype. Those people are bad people, and this is the year they feel bad.

#Phillies prospect Maikel Franco is optioned to minor league campsite (via @ryanlawrence21). He is 51 days older than #Nationals Bryce Harper.

— Ace of MLB Stats (@AceballStats) March twenty, 2015

Basically notwithstanding a prospect. This is the yr, everyone. This is the year. Just spotter. Just wait. You'll meet. This is the twelvemonth Harper goes basics. Everybody kick back and watch the bear witness.

(Probably.)

two. New York Mets
So the Mets reached into their bag of dad magic, rustled around and pulled out a Michael Cuddyer. Are you not impressed? They can practise it again, yous know.

What a bizarre offseason. Mets fans told me that the team'due south inactivity was expected, because the state of the Wilpons' finances. It was as if the organization had a plan to make a quick strike in free agency to fool everyone into thinking the Mets were agile. It didn't work. The team went into the offseason without a shortstop they loved, and they didn't exercise a affair nearly it. They went into the offseason in demand of an outfielder, and they left with a DH. I don't get information technology. Even considering the fiscal limitations, I don't go it.

The Mets notwithstanding accept enough striking to contend behind their rotation, though, even if yous can tell how former Bartolo Colon is by cutting him open and counting the many, many rings. Dillon Gee is ostensibly the Zack Wheeler replacement, simply that won't last long if someone else like Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz starts pushing him from the minors, and Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom are good enough at the top to let the Mets fence for a wild card spot, even if the partition is probably out of reach.

Considering what the Nationals expect like, maybe this is what the Mets should do. Hang back, encounter what they take, and add together at the borderline if they demand to. Next year might be the amend flavor to make an all-in push. Still, for a squad this close, the Offseason of Cuddyer didn't make a lick of sense.

iii. Miami Marlins
On the other hand, the Mets could have gyrated and jiggled like the Marlins all offseason, making move after move, and come up away with a roster that isn't that improved in the curt term at the expense of the long term. The Marlins traded some of their best assets for a 2nd baseman who striking his ceiling last year and isn't likely to practice it again, and and then they traded even more for Martin Prado, who is showing signs of rapid decline. They traded even more for a pitcher who isn't likely to be much meliorate than the ane they traded away for Prado, and they spent coin on a first baseman who can't really play offset base of operations. If they got ameliorate, y'all have to squint to run into it.

The good news is they were already pretty respectable, with one of the two bully young outfields in the game (forth with the Pirates), and a rotation that should do fine until Jose Fernandez is ready to return. While I'm fond of making fun of the Dee Gordon trade, he'southward a serious asset if he does exactly what he did last yr, and there's enough talent in the lineup to accept a hitter like Marcell Ozuna hitting sixth, which is where he should be in a productive lineup. They don't take the pitching of the Mets, not withal, so there's no sense in pretending they're favorites, just like every other No. 3 squad in these predictions, don't be surprised by the surprise. One of these No. three teams volition win the partitioning. Why non the Marlins?

Right. The Nationals. Even so, the wild card isn't out of the question, and even though they made a large push for a pending free agent (Mat Latos) and the already arbitration-eligible Gordon, they're still set up well for the future. If Fernandez comes back and looks like his old cocky, and if Latos reclaims his velocity and ace-like stuff, the Marlins won't be that far backside the other contenders in the National League.

4. Atlanta Braves
Adept news, Braves fans! The Braves signed Nick Markakis because they still think they're contenders. Let'south just bank check in on how his spring is going …

DNP - Neck SURGERY

Well, I'g sure he'll be fine. Let's bank check in on his temporary replacement.

Zoilo Almonte

Hey, it's the guy who won that MVP dorsum in the '60s! Good for him. Good for the Braves.

But this lineup probably won't score 600 runs. It might threaten to score fewer than 500. They spent the offseason trying to bargain Chris Johnson, and no one bit considering he's non a very proficient hitter. He's striking fifth in the lineup. In a power-starved open market place, everyone still passed on Jonny Gomes considering it's been a couple years since he hitting enough to justify his strangeglove ways. He's the cleanup hitter. The Mets didn't have any use for Eric Young because he couldn't hit plenty. He's the Braves' leadoff hitter.

You get the thought. The pitiful part is the Braves still might have the 2d-best rotation in the division, and that's even bold Mike Minor will miss a little time. It takes a special lineup to await at Alex Woods, Julio Teheran and Shelby Miller at the front of the rotation and recall, well, in that location'southward no way this team can contend.

This is a special lineup. Freddie Freeman might have 35 homers and 36 RBI this yr. If they can find offense anywhere, anywhere at all, they'll exist better than expected. As of right now, though, this is the worst lineup in baseball, give or accept. Although it's likewise possible it isn't even the worst lineup in the partition, considering the …

v. Philadelphia Phillies
If you're looking for a reason to pick the Marlins or Mets for the wild carte du jour, consider that they each play 36 combined games confronting the Phillies and Braves. When the Phillies went out of their way to re-sign Jerome Williams last twelvemonth, I remember wondering why they did and then. Considering it turns out Williams is one of their 5 all-time options to showtime baseball games, apparently. Welcome to Philliestown, population: aw, jeez.

Pretend you take a Game Genie for the Phillies and you can brand Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz equally good every bit they were in 2011 or so. Would they have plenty pitching to contend with that fearsome showtime to a lineup? Probably non. At present realize the Game Genie is a fantasy, and those older players are surrounded by once-weres and never-will-bes. I'g starting to wonder if Domonic Brown might non work out. And is that Grady Sizemore in right? At to the lowest degree Jeff Francoeur is behind him, just in example!

The Braves have Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons as their core, and they still take the bounty of young pitching, so they can exist bad without being actively depressing. The Phillies nevertheless accept the players that used to brand them a yearly contender, which makes them extra lamentable. Trading Cole Hamels might fifty-fifty improve spirits, considering that he reminds everyone that this squad used to be so excellent.

For at present, though, capeesh them for what they're best at: giving the world a chance at 600 at-bats from Jeff Francoeur in the yr 2015. Keep your fingers crossed, everyone.

NL Playoffs

Wild card game: Pirates over Mets
NLDS: Dodgers over Cardinals, Pirates over Nationals
NLCS: Pirates over Dodgers

AL Playoffs

Wild carte du jour game: Tigers over Orioles
ALDS: Angels over Indians, Red Sox over Tigers
ALCS: Angels over Red Sox

World Series

Pirates over Angels

You know information technology's going to be someone random. Why non the Pirates?

Awards

NL MVP: Bryce Harper
AL MVP: Jacoby Ellsbury

NL Cy Immature: Clayton Kershaw
AL Cy Young: Masahiro Tanaka

NL Rookie of the Yr: Kris Bryant
AL Rookie of the Year: Robert Refsnyder

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Source: https://www.sbnation.com/a/mlb-preview-2015/houston-astros

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