MLB Preview 2012

American League

AL East

New York Yankees –

In the blink of an eye fixed their rotation issues and appear to have no holes as they enter 2012 as the class of the American League.  Their division, as usual, is stacked, but with the addition of the second wild card, they should be safe in case they have a down year or rewarded when they more likely win the division.

Predicted win total: 94

Tampa Bay Rays –

Provided us with a tremendous end to the 2011 regular season.  Their rotation should be able to keep them in the race all year without having to frantically come back in the final weeks this year.

Predicted win total: 92

Boston Red Sox –

New manager, new GM, new closer.  I expect the Sawks offense to be more consistent this year, with no poor start or the well-documented poor finish.

Predicted win total: 90

Toronto Blue Jays –

Their success depends on their pitching, because the offense will be there.  I would not be surprised if they crack the top three this year.

Predicted win total: 85

Baltimore Orioles –

Going out on a limb: they will finish a distant last.

Predicted win total: 73

AL Central

Detroit Tigers –

I predict that the power from their corner infielders will more than make up for their lack of mobility.

PWT: 92

Kansas City Royals –

The rest of the division is such a crapshoot, so I’ll take the team with the most upside second. 

PWT: 84

Minnesota Twins –

Maybe this will be the year Mauer and Morneau stay healthy?

PWT: 80

Cleveland Indians –

I don’t really see why some experts are picking them to compete this year…

PWT: 77

Chicago White Sox –

Are they rebuilding or aren’t they? Mid-season I believe they choose the former, and then fall apart.

PWT: 75

AL West

Texas Rangers –

Third time the charm? Could be. Could very well be.

PWT: 95

Los Angeles Angels –

All of the sudden the AL West became just as intriguing as the AL East.  Well, at least the top of it did.

PWT: 90

Seattle Mariners –

They already had an offensive explosion (for them) in the opening game in Japan when they scored 3 runs, so maybe they can build on that.

PWT: 79

Oakland A’s –

Prediction: No cinematic story this year.

PWT: 77

National League

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies –

Charlie Manuel is going to have to have his best managerial season if the Phils want to finish first in the division this year.  The lineup is already with holes, but thankfully the rotation is tops in the division.

PWT: 91

Atlanta Braves –

Thanks to the Sawks, nobody really remembers how epic the Braves’ collapse was. I expect Heyward to have a bounce-back year, and a full year of Bourn should help too.

PWT: 88

Washington Nationals –

Not sure when they plan on bringing up Bryce Harper, which is probably why they are third on my list and not second.

PWT: 87

Miami Marlins –

They need Josh Johnson to be back to 100% if they want to compete.  Also, the left side of the infield is liable to go through stretches when they just don’t feel like playing.

PWT: 87

New York Mets –

They're moving the walls in closer at Citi Field which is a shame because the seats in the outfield were so far away you almost were not forced to watch the Mets.

PWT: 75

NL Central

Cincinnati Reds –

This is going to be a tight division race too.  I’m going to give the edge to the team that did not lose their star first baseman to the American League.

PWT: 87

St. Louis Cardinals –

They don’t have Carpenter to start the year, but they gain Wainwright, who if healthy, is probably better than Carpenter anyway.

PWT: 86

Milwaukee Brewers –

Rotation looks good, but if Braun’s numbers mysteriously drop this year, I’m not sure where the pop is going to come in the lineup, unless Aramis Ramirez has an unforeseen Renaissance.

PWT: 86

Chicago Cubs –

Every year I toy with the idea of picking the Cubs higher than usual. Then I remember they are the Cubs.

PWT: 77

Pittsburgh Pirates –

They played great in the first half of 2011. Then the second half happened.

PWT: 73

Houston Astros –

I don’t even know who they have left to give the Phillies midway through the season this year.

PWT: 65

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks –

Last year I called them to be my sleeper team in NL, but when it came time to put them somewhere I still put them fourth.  This year, I will have more cahones. 

PWT: 91

Colorado Rockies –

I would be really surprised if they have 73 wins like last year.  I’m feeling a bounce-back year.

PWT: 85

San Francisco Giants –

Where, exactly, is the hitting going to come from? I’ve been asking this for 5 years now.  Granted, one year it actually came from unlikely sources, so what the hell, right? Still Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner is quite a top three. UPDATE: As I type this, they just signed Cain to long-term contract for Barry Zito money.

PWT: 84

Los Angeles Dodgers –

Kemp and Kershaw can only take a team so far… Eithier needs to play as well as he has this spring all year.

PWT: 80

San Diego Padres –

Some nice prospects, but 2012 is a lost cause, unless Carlos Quentin can outdo that one awesome year he had.

PWT: 75

Playoff teams:

1.       Rangers

2.       Yankees

3.       Tigers

4.       WC = Rays

5.       WC = Red Sox

1.       Diamondbacks

2.       Phillies

3.       Reds

4.       WC = Braves

5.       WC = Nationals

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