Time for predictions (?)

[Erie Warrior]

NL Division Winners: Mets, Cubs, Giants
Wildcard: Pirates, D-Backs

Upside Surprise: D-Backs
Downside Surprise: Nationals

AL Division Winner: Blue Jays, Royals, Astros
Wildcard: Red Sox, Yankees

Upside surprise: Red Sox
Downside surprise: Detroit

 

[da55bums]

NL: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers
Wildcard: Pirates, Giants

Upside surprise: Marlins
Downside surprise: Nats

AL: Yankees, Twins, Angels
Wildcard: Royals, Astros

Upside Surprise: Twins
Downside surprise: Blue Jays

WS: Cubs over Royals

 

[Clayton]

Upside surprise: Marlins

Most people expect them to be decent. If you don't think they are making the playoffs then they are probably right around where everyone is picking them.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

NL: Mets
AL: Blue Jays.

That is all.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Can't really call the Yankees a downside surprise if you expect them to be shitty, right?

Ahhh, I'm gonna do it anyway.

 

[molsaniceman]

AL
Red sox
white sox
astros
Jays/Rangers

NL
mets
cubs
Giants

Cards/Nats

 

[obxyankeefan]

AL Division

Blue Jays
White Sox
Astros

WC
Tigers/ Rangers

NL Division

Nationals
Cubs
Giants

WC
Cardinals/Mets
Surprises

Upside
White Sox/Marlins (only because I have to pick one)

Downside

Royals/Dodgers


World Series

Houston gets their revenge on Chicago for 2005

 

[obxyankeefan]

Can't really call the Yankees a downside surprise if you expect them to be shitty, right?

Ahhh, I'm gonna do it anyway.

 

[Clayton]

I have to be honest. Without Peralta, the Cardinals might have one of the worst offenses in baseball for the first couple of months. I don't really see a way to 95 games which is probably whats needed for a Wild Card.

So I think the Nationals will probably be my other wild card with the Pirates.

 

[ElTexan]

Prediction: Cubs win 101 games

 

[GeekSportsFan]

With the teams basically ready to go (a few names still to be signed), who do we see winning divisions, making wild cards, and my favorite topic: which teams will be the big surprises, both out and underperforming?

My predicton.......My hapless Padres will continue to reside in that cesspool of mediocrity they have somehow become comfortable with.

 

[Brees#1]

NL
West-Dodgers
East-Nats(it's their turn and Bryce probably gets hurt again, which helps the pitching)
Central-Cards(it's still about managing and cards have better pitching)
Wild Cards-Giants, Cubs
WC round-Giants over Cubs
Divisional-Giants over (1)Nats, Cardinals over (2)Dodgers
NLCS-Giants over Cardinals

AL
West-Rangers
East-Red Sox(they got Price, how do they not?)
Central-Royals
Wild Cards-Astros, Yankees
WC round-Astros over Yankees
Divisional-(1)Red Sox over Astros, (3)Rangers over (2)Royals
ALCS-Red Sox over Rangers

World Series-Red Sox over Giants(Giants every other year streak ends)

If there's one AL team who everytime they sniff the playoffs as a division winner who can make a run, it's the Red Sox.

 

[Brees#1]

AL Division

Blue Jays
White Sox
Astros

WC
Tigers/ Rangers

NL Division

Nationals
Cubs
Giants

WC
Cardinals/Mets
Surprises

Upside
White Sox/Marlins (only because I have to pick one)

Downside

Royals/Dodgers


World Series

Houston gets their revenge on Chicago for 2005

When did the astros play the cubs in the WS?

 

[Brees#1]

I have to be honest. Without Peralta, the Cardinals might have one of the worst offenses in baseball for the first couple of months. I don't really see a way to 95 games which is probably whats needed for a Wild Card.

So I think the Nationals will probably be my other wild card with the Pirates.

In baseball, it doesn't matter what happens the first two months. We saw the cards put that run together in 2011. And they have the best pitching in the NL Central with Martinez, Wacha, Lynn, and when he's back to form, Wainwright.

 

[obxyankeefan]

When did the astros play the cubs in the WS?

They didn't but the astros did lose the WS to a Chicago team in 2005.

 

[Brees#1]

I knew that, I just didn't get the revenge thing. White sox fans are not cubs fans and vice versa. They even play in different parks.

 

[calsnowskier]

In baseball, it doesn't matter what happens the first two months. We saw the cards put that run together in 2011. And they have the best pitching in the NL Central with Martinez, Wacha, Lynn, and when he's back to form, Wainwright.

???

Do games played in April only count at .75 of a game?

In 2014, the Giants were the best team in baseball for the first 2 months of the season. Then they were the worst team in baseball for the next 6 weeks. If not for the first 2 months, they never would have made the playoffs.

 

[Brees#1]

???

Do games played in April only count at .75 of a game?

In 2014, the Giants were the best team in baseball for the first 2 months of the season. Then they were the worst team in baseball for the next 6 weeks. If not for the first 2 months, they never would have made the playoffs.

i used to watch my cards blow it down the stretch in he late 2000s against the likes of the brewers and reds. Baseball is a long season.

 

[Clayton]

i used to watch my cards blow it down the stretch in he late 2000s against the likes of the brewers and reds. Baseball is a long season.

Its a very long season. Cardinals fundamentally have many of the same problems they have from last year. One starting pitcher hurt, a couple of aging stars, a couple of players that need to fill roles. Theoretically their pitching should be rock solid but if they blow their arms out again spending the whole season trying to win a tough division with a lackluster offense then they'll run out of gas at the finish line. No Heyward, No Peralta at the start, post prime Matt Holliday, post prime Yadier Molina. It'll be a transition season of sorts on offense. Probably going to need Wong to continue to improve. He says he wants to be like Carpenter and thats certainly someone who is good to emulate. Lots of 'next man up' this year.

 

[Brees#1]

We have Carpenter, Wong, and a player who did not get a lot of playing time last year named Grichuk. Grichuk could be the new Heyward or Holliday.