A Tablespoon of Predictions and a Pinch of Hope

Well, today is Opening Day and the Royals are already under way. The Royals are carrying 5 rookies on their roster--four in the bullpen (Crow, Adcock, Collins, and Jeffress), and one as a reserve OF (Dyson). This is the appetizer to the main course of The Process we should see next year. We just need to get through this season however we can. But that's not what this post is about.

Ever since spring training began, everyone has been asking me, "Adam, what are your predictions for this MLB season?" People on the street approach me and demand to know who the AL MVP is going to be. My professors stop class and refuse to continue until I tell them who will be in the World Series. And to be honest, I just couldn't deny the people anymore.

So without further adeu, here are my "predictions" for the 2011 season.*

*I am very aware that these numbers might not equate to 2430 wins and 2430 losses, the requisite number of Ws and Ls for a major league season.

 American League

AL East
Boston Red Sox 95-67
New York Yankees 88-74
Tampa Bay Rays 84-80
Toronto Blue Jays 81-83
Baltimore Orioles 72-90

Everyone is on this bandwagon this year. Crawford will probably do better at that hitter's park in Fenway, Yankees and Rays not looking quite as good this year. Yankees got no back of the rotation and Rays slowly becoming shells of their 2008 glory.

AL Central
Kansas City Royals 160-2
Detroit Tigers 90-72
Minnesota Twins 85-77
White Sox 84-78
Cleveland Indians 5-157

I know, Royals record seems unrealistic right? But I figure the umpires will probably manage to screw them out of at least one game in such a long season. The Indians are terrible. Not a lot else to say about that.

AL West
Texas Rangers 89-63
Oakland Athletics 88-64
Los Angeles Angels 79-83
Seattle Mariners 32-130

Those Athletics sure can pitch, but the Rangers can pitch just enough for their hitting to overcome. The Mariners win every game Felix Hernandez starts this year, but this time he loses the Cy Young.

National League

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies 130-32
Atlanta Braves 83-81
Florida Marlins 72-90
Washington Nationals 66-96
New York Mets 0-88

Phillies win every game Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels start- duh, best pitching staff ever! New York Mets get contracted at the All-Star Break.

NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers 87-75
Cincinnati Reds 86-76
St. Louis Cardinals 81-83
Chicago Cubs 74-88
Pittsburgh Pirates 70-92
Houston Astros 62-100

Brewers are a trendy pick, and I happen to agree. When Greinke and Marcum are ready, they will have a dominant rotation to go with that powerful offense, Yuniesky Betancourt notwithstanding. Cardinals loss of Wainwright is too much to overcome.

NL West
San Francisco Giants 91-71
Colorado Rockies 85-77
Los Angeles Dodgers 82-82
San Diego Padres 77-85
Arizona Diamondbacks 65-97

Giants pitching nearly matches the Phillies, poor Rockies miss out on playoffs.

World Series
Royals over Phillies in 4.

Awards
AL ROY- Mike Moustakas
NL ROY- Who Cares

AL MVP- Carl Crawford who becomes slowly more and more overrated as the season progresses
NL MVP- Albert Pujols, but Buster Posey finishes in 2nd

AL Cy Young- Gio Gonzalez comes out of nowhere
NL Cy Young- Tommy Hunter...erm, Tommy Hanson (aren't they the same person?) wins after the 4 Phillies and 3 Brewers steal too many votes from each other

...If you've made it this far, you might be thinking, "Adam, your predictions are totally unrealistic and not even that funny." If that's you... Sorry.

What do you think? Are your predictions in line with mine?