Email: ltkst2@mail.rmu.edu
Lets's get it started.. Lee Kunkel picks:
American League
East: Baltimore
Central: Detroit
West: Los Angeles
Wildcard: Tampa, Boston
Champion: Baltimore
National League
East: Washington
Central: St Louis
West: Los Angeles
Wildcard: Milwaukee, Cincinnati
Champion: Washington
World Series: Baltimore over Washington
MVP: (AL) Mike Trout, (NL) Ryan Braun
Cy Young: (AL) David Price, (NL) Jose Fernandez
Rookie of the Year: (AL) Xander Bogaerts, (NL) Billy Hamilton
Reasoning: I'm going with Baltimore in the East. Yes, I'm biased as many of you know, but I've done this for a couple of years now, and I have never taken the O's to win the division. The Wildcard maybe (okay always), but not the division. The East is once again loaded. I could see every team but Toronto winning it, and I think the Jays are still a viable Wild Card contender. Whoever does take the East will be well prepared to make a run in the playoffs.
Detroit should run-away with the Central. Cleveland could push them, and the Royals have a loaded pitching staff, but I still think Detroit has the best roster, and Joe Nathan should sure up the bullpen.
The West is also tough. Oakland has already lost a few starters to injury, and Bartolo Colon left for the Mets. I think the Angels, with a bounce back year from Big Albert and MVP year from Trout, finally get Trout to the playoffs. Texas will be right there too, and Seattle, after a huge offseason, will be in the hunt.
In the NL, I think the East won't be much of a race. Of course I said that last year, and Washington fell apart, but this year their really isn't a team that matches up with them. The Braves were the team to beat a few weeks ago, but the season hasn't even started and their pitching staff has been devastated by injuries. The Marlins are much improved, and Jose Fernandez is a top three pitcher in baseball in my opinion at age 2, but they don't have the experience or depth to compete for the division.
The NL Central will once again be a lot of fun. As you can see from my predictions, the Brewers/Braun are my bold pick of the year. The pitching is good, and I love the Garza addition. They will need to find some depth in the bullpen, and develop a few backend starters, but I think the top of the rotation is due for a big year.
As for Braun, he's my MVP pick. I have no idea if he would actually get selected even if he hit .600, 300 rbi's and 180 homeruns because of the roids and perception from last season, but I think he will have a lot to prove and comes out on fire. He may not be the most liked guy in the league, but let's not forget he is one of the best all around hitters in the sport.
As for the rest of the division, there are a lot of good teams. St Louis is loaded once again. They could be picked to win the World Series every year and you would have a good shot at being correct. I think they may be the best organization in sports all things considered.
Cincinnati lost a few key players, and Aroldis Chapman could be out awhile after that nasty face injury. I like Pittsburgh, but can they pitch that well again? Cutch would be my MVP pick if I couldn't take Braun. This race will be a lot of run, especially if I'm remotely accurate on the Brew Crew.
The west might be the worst race in baseball. The Dodgers have everything after another big spending offseason. They're going to have an all star outfielder on their bench every night. The staff is loaded, the pen is deep, and they found a way to get all that talent out of Hanley Ramirez. Maybe the pitching in San Francisco or Arizona can keep pace for awhile, but the Dodgers should cost into the playoffs with the west wrapped up.
World Series Winner: Baltimore
In my opinion, Baltimore has the best lineup (certainly the most powerful) in all of baseball with Nelson Cruz on board. Davis might not be as good as he was last year, but he will once again be in the MVP discussion. Wieters, Hardy, and Markakis all had slightly down years last season, and Jim Johnson blew too many saves. I like this bullpen a lot, and I think people over rate the closer role. You can find a guy to fill that void as the season goes on. Look a Koji in Boston.
They also have the best defense once Machado comes back (and I think he elevates his game once again this season becoming one the leagues best all around players). The pitching is much improved with Ubaldo on board, and Tillman could be the front end ace they so desperately need. I think Dylan Bundy could have a huge impact on their rotation come July. Maybe not Michael Wacha good, but Gerrit Cole good.
Oh, they're also my favorite team.
What do you think will happen, send me your picks at ltkst2@mail.rmu.edu and ill post them in here. Come late October we can go back and see who got the most right.
Andrew Heiland:
AL
East: Baltimore
West: Texas
Central: Detroit
Wildcard: Tampa, Boston
Champ: Baltimore
NL
East: Washington
West: LA
Central: St Louis
Wildcard: Cincinnati, San Fran
Champion: LA Dodgers
World Series: Baltimore over LA
MVP: Trout, Harper
Cy Young: Wainwright, Price
ROY: Jon Schoop, Kolten Wong
Explanation: Baltimore is the GOAT of the MLB in 2014
Dre Frye:
National League Standings:
East: Nationals
Central: Pirates
West: Dodgers
Wild Card: Cardinals, Padres
NLDS:
Dodgers over Pirates
Nationals over Cardinals
NLCS:
Dodgers over Nationals
American League Standings:
East: Orioles
Central: Tigers
West: Rangers
Wild Card: Rays, Royals
ALDS:
Rangers over Orioles
Rays over Tigers
NLCS:
Rangers over Rays
World Series:
Rangers over Dodgers
Offseason Awards:
AL MVP: Mike Trout
NL MVP: Bryce Harper
AL Cy Young: Yu Darvish
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw
AL ROY: Jose Abreu
NL ROY: Billy Hamilton
The boldest of the bold prediction:
This is the moment you have been waiting for! Only one other person knows this and that is DA GOAT that is Chris Cappella and it is because I don't want the criticism from my friends, especially Grasso, for saying this because it is monumental. With all this being said here is the prediction:
This year I believe the 56 game hit streak is broken by someone. Why do I say this? Because of the fact that it just is "impossible." Last year the Pirates were the best story in baseball and this year, the broken streak will be it easily. It's easy to point to Miguel Cabrera to do it because I say what is he going to do next. Chris said if it happens it could be Robbie Cano. Point is it will break and I wholeheartedly believe it will be Miggy but it could also be Cano, Trout, Cutch, or even Bryce.
Brandon Stoneburg:
AL:
East-Rays
Central-Tigers
West-Rangers
WCs-O's, Red Sox
Champ-Tigers
MVP-Miguel Cabrera
CY-David Price
ROY-Xander Bogaerts
NL:
East-Braves
Central-Reds
West-Dodgers
WCs-Nationals, Cardinals
Champ-Reds
MVP-McCutchen
CY-Kershaw
ROY-Billy Hamilton
World Series: Tigers over the Reds
Chas Roth:
American League
East - Red Sox
Central - Tigers
West – Athletics
WC – Rays
WC – Angels
League Champion – Tigers
MVP – Mike Trout
Cy Young – Justin Verlander
ROY – Xander Bogaerts
Trout finally gets the MVP he’s deserved for the last two seasons and pushes the Halos into a playoff spot. Yankees miss the playoffs because of injuries/worst infield in baseball. Rangers and Royals narrowly miss playoff berths.
National League
East – Nationals
Central – Cardinals
West – Diamondbacks
WC – Reds
WC – Dodgers
League Champion – Nationals
MVP – Paul Goldschmidt
Cy Young – Stephen Strasburg
ROY – Oscar Taveras
Much like Trout in the AL Paul Goldschmidt powers the D-Backs to the playoffs and earns himself MVP. Strasburg outduels Kershaw for the Cy Young. Pirates miss Burnett’s veteran leadership, Liriano has a down year and miss out on the playoffs in the final week of the season.
World Series: Tigers over Nationals
Cabrera continues on his otherworldly hitting pace and their top three is too much for Strasburg and Zimmerman. Joe Nathan battens down the weak spot of the Tiger team. Miggy gets his second title and is MVP of the series.
Joe Haefner:
DIV WINNERS:
AL EAST: Tampa Bay
AL WEST:Oakland
AL CENTRAL: Detroit
NL EAST: Washington
NL WEST: LA
NL CENTRAL: Cardinals
Wild Card:
NL: Pittsburgh & Atlanta
AL: Boston & KC
WS:
Oakland WINNER IN 7 VS. Cardinals
MVP:
NL: Cutch
AL:Trout
CY YOUNG:
NL: Wacha
AL: Justin Verlander
ROY:
NL: Taillon
AL: Tanaka
Zach Lash:
AL East- BOS
AL Central- KC
AL West- OAK
NL East- WAS
NL Central- STL
NL West- LAD
AL WC1- NYY
AL WC2- CWS
NL WC1- ATL
NL WC2- CIN
AL Champ- BOS
NL Champ- LAD
WS Champ- LAD
AL MVP- Miggy
NL MVP- Bryce Harper
AL Cy Young- Gimme James Shields lol
NL Cy Young- Stephen Strasburg
AL ROY- Boegarts
NL ROY- Billy Hamilton
Matt Heiland:
Division Champs:
Boston Red Sox (AL East)
Detroit Tigers (AL Central)
Texas Rangers (AL West)
Washington Nationals (NL East)
St. Louis Cardinals (NL Central)
Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West)
Wild Cards: New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles
Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants
American League Winner: New York Yankees
National League Winner: St. Louis Cardinals
World Series Champion: St. Louis Cardinals
Awards:
AL MVP – Mike Trout
NL MVP – Bryce Harper
AL Cy Young – Yu Darvish
NL Cy Young – Jose Fernandez
AL ROY – Xander Boegarts
NL ROY – Archie Bradley
Chris Cappella:
WS: Texas over LA
Playoffs:
AL: Texas
Detroit
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Boston
NL: Nationals
St. Louis
LA
Cinncy
San Diego
MVP: Bryce Harper
NL Cy Young: Jose Fernandez
AL Cy Young: Chris Sale
Rookie: Nick castellanos, detroit
