Let’s be honest, nothing can really top the Cubs waiting 108 years to win the World Series, but this is baseball, so we can certainly try. This is a team-by-team preview of all there is to come in Major League Baseball’s 2017 season.
– Arizona Diamondbacks 2016: fourth in NL West, 69-93. Zack Greinke has had a “spotty,” at best, spring training, and pitching overall is a question mark. Arizona also lost their top-five hitter Jean Segura to the Mariners, so offense will drop down a peg. While I don’t think the D-backs will be much worse in 2017, they won’t be much improved for 2017 either. Prediction: 68-94, fourth in NL West.
– Atlanta Braves 2016: fifth in NL East, 68-93. If you’re an Atlanta sports fan still recovering from the Super Bowl and thinking, “oh great, now I have to watch the Braves,” don’t fret. This team has a lot going for it: a good farm system, a new stadium, Freddie Freeman is red hot and the momentum they had at the end of last season might propel them this season. Will it be enough? We’ll see. Prediction: 76-86, third in NL East.
– Baltimore Orioles 2016: second in AL East, 89-73, lost Wildcard. Buck Showalter is still one of MLB’s best managers, so there’s no real issue there. What may be of concern is not having a strong enough pitching rotation, but they definitely have a solid pitcher in Kevin Gausman. Mark Trumbo also lead baseball last year with 47 home runs, so you got that to look forward to. Prediction: 86-76, third in AL East, chasing Wildcard.
– Boston Red Sox 2016: first in AL East, 93-69, lost ALDS. Boston sports are seeing a rejuvenation, between the Patriots winning the Super Bowl, the Celtics trying to give the Cavs a run for their money and the Red Sox being favorites for the World Series. If they can stay healthy, I like their chances. They won’t have David Ortiz to motivate them, but they still have strong pitching and great hitting. Prediction: 92-70, first in AL East, ALCS.
– Chicago Cubs 2016: first in NL Central, 103-58, World Series Champions. Sorry Cubs fans, but you had your glorious day in the sun, which means it’s somebody else’s turn. No team has won back to back World Series since the Blue Jays of ‘92 and ‘93, and no National League team has done so since the Reds of ‘75 and ‘76. Don’t be sad though, you’re still really good, and you’re still the greatest sports story of the last decade. Prediction: 94-68, first in NL Central, NLCS.
– Chicago White Sox 2016: fourth in AL Central, 78-84. Between the Chris Sale drama and the other Chicago baseball team getting all the glory, you have to feel sorry for White Sox fans. This team had great potential, but they look to be cleaning house, which I really can’t blame them for. Prediction: 66-96, fourth in AL Central.
– Cincinnati Reds 2016: fifth in NL Central, 68-94. Cincinnati has some pretty abysmal pitching, and the only real improvement in that category is the phrase, “well, it can’t get much worse from here.” That said, this team is very young and still has Joey Votto to make for a potential offensive heavy team, that will only win games if they don’t need to rely on pitching. Prediction: 71-91, fifth in NL Central.
– Cleveland Indians 2016: first in AL Central, 94-68, lost World Series. Cleveland as a city has been the butt of every sports joke for decades, and it’s mostly the Browns’ fault. But, the Cavs are favorites to repeat as NBA Champions and the Indians were well on their way to winning the World Series, until fate intervened. Indians fans, you can be rest assured that your team is now hungrier than ever to get back to the World Series and enact revenge. Will it work? Maybe. Prediction: 99-63, first in AL Central, ALCS.
– Colorado Rockies 2016: third in NL West, 75-87. Full disclosure: I’m a fan, but I’m not stupid. I know the Rockies won’t win the World Series this year, but still, this team has some of the best bats in baseball. LeMahieu, Story, Arenado, Blackmon, I mean this team is stacked. Pitching, like always, is questionable, but that’s what Bud Black is here for. One big concern though is injuries, because spring has not been kind to the Rockies health. Like the Red Sox, if they can stay healthy, this team is on the up and up. Prediction: 81-81, third in NL West, chasing Wildcard.
– Detroit Tigers 2016: second in AL Central, 86-75. If your team’s superstar player is married to a supermodel, odds are you’re either the Patriots, or the Tigers. While Justin Verlander is still a favorite for Cy Young, that doesn’t mean pitching is out of the woods. Injuries are also of concern for this team, so Detroit might want to brace itself for a spotty year. Prediction: 81-81, third in AL Central.
– Houston Astros 2016: third in AL West, 84-78. Look out, because all of a sudden Houston has amassed one of the best bullpens in baseball, and are making a statement. This team plays in a really tough division though, so if they’re going to make a case for being the best in baseball, they need to win as many division games as they possibly can. Prediction: 88-74, second in AL West, ALDS.
– Kansas City Royals 2016: third in AL Central, 81-81. The Royals were a nice test balloon for the Cubs winning the World Series; both teams with a long championship drought, finally reaching greatness. But unlike the Cubs, the Royals peaked and have since fizzled, whereas the Cubs look to be just getting started. This team either needs to reach back for playoff glory, or tank, and I don’t think they have the same kind of team to reach the postseason. Prediction: 78-84, third in AL Central.
– LA Angels 2016: fourth in AL West, 74-88. The Angels, as translated from Spanish, are a team that has the best player in baseball, with one of the worst supporting casts. It’s like putting Tom Hanks in a movie alongside Kim Kardashian. LA should do itself a favor and trade Mike Trout, in exchange for which they’ll no doubt receive the entire GDP of the United Kingdom. Prediction: 73-89, fourth in AL West.
– LA Dodgers 2016: first in NL West, 91-71, lost NLCS. Say what you will about Clayton Kershaw’s inabilities in the postseason, he is still one of the best pitchers in baseball. I like the Dodgers chances of making it all the way, pending injuries and if Yasiel Puig has learned his lesson (although I wouldn’t bet the farm on it). Prediction: 92-70, first in the NL West, NLCS.
– Miami Marlins 2016: third in NL East, 79-82. The death of Jose Fernandez will not only be a tragic loss off the field, but on it as well. This team’s pitching is subpar, and their efforts in free agency over the last few years, have proven expensive and ineffective. Sorry Marlins fans, but this will definitely be a rough year for you. Prediction: 68-94, fourth in NL East.
– Milwaukee Brewers 2016: fourth in NL Central, 73-89. Milwaukee has a very similar problem like the Angels: really great player, no support. So, in similar fashion to the Angels, the Brewers would be doing themselves a favor in trading Ryan Braun for great prospects and a chance to make waves in the future. Until then, this team doesn’t have a lot going for it, so it should be a lot of the same. Prediction: 72-90, fourth NL Central.
– Minnesota Twins 2016: fifth in AL Central, 59-103. Oh boy, where do I even start? First of all, my friends would like me to point out that I once picked Minnesota to be a dark horse for the Wildcard, so clearly I failed somewhere in life. Secondly, never ever ever let someone tell you the Twins will be good this year, unless you have objective proof that hell has frozen over and pigs have crossed the Atlantic on wings. Prediction: 62-100, fifth in AL Central.
– New York Mets 2016: second in NL East, 87-75, lost Wildcard. The Metropolitans have an opportunity in front of them to really compete in the National League, but it’s quickly drying up. As their players get older and run a risk of injury, this team needs to do something big before the trade deadline to make a strong case for the NL. Prediction: 88-74, NLDS.
– New York Yankees 2016: fourth in AL East, 84-78. If the Yankees played in the American League Central, they would probably be in the playoffs, but they don’t. They play in the toughest division in baseball, the AL East. Boston, Baltimore and Toronto all made the playoffs last year, with New York trailing only a few games behind. If they can utilize their young group of hitters and have steady pitching, while simultaneously hoping either Toronto or Baltimore falls, this team might have a shot. Prediction: 86-76, chasing Wildcard.
– Oakland Athletics 2016: fifth in AL West, 69-93. Unless Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt combine their wealth to build the A’s a new stadium and some better hitting, this team doesn’t have much. And even that scenario is made more difficult knowing that Brad Pitt is going through a divorce and California has a 50/50 property split law. Prediction: 61-101, fifth in AL West.
– Philadelphia Phillies 2016: fourth in NL east, 71-91. Poor Philly, the only time they won the World Series was when someone put a gift shop Billy Penn statue on top of the Comcast building. That alone should prove the curse of Billy Penn is very much alive and well. To say nothing of the fact that Philadelphia was supposed to be our nation’s capital, until D.C. stole it from them. Sorry Philly, but hey you guys produced The Roots, so be thankful for that. As for your team, they have one of the worst offenses in baseball, and have done very little in the offseason to change that. Prediction: 66-96, fifth in NL East.
– Pittsburgh Pirates 2016: third in NL Central, 78-83. Clint Hurdle had a rough 2016, partly due to the fact that he plays in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. Their pitching rotation is also very raw, and if the team can’t figure a way to produce wins early, don’t be surprised if they start hearing offers for Andrew McCutchen before the trade deadline. Either they’ll be great, or they’ll clean house. Prediction: 75-87, third in NL Central.
– St. Louis Cardinals 2016: second in NL Central, 86-76. This team is really good, but the Cubs are even better, which is partially why this team did not reach the postseason in 2016. They have great pitching out of Carlos Martinez, and just signed Yadier Molina to an extension, so they should be good to go for 2017. Prediction: 90-72, second in NL Central, Wildcard.
– San Diego Padres 2016: fifth in NL West, 68-94. Now that the Chargers have set sail for the city of angels, San Diego fans will have to rely on the Padres to deliver their sports fix. Unfortunately this will be a tall order, considering the Padres will probably not do so well this year. That said, maybe Hunter Renfroe will be the team’s saving grace, who really knows? Prediction: 66-96, fifth in NL West.
– San Francisco Giants 2016: second in NL West, 87-75, lost NLDS. “It’s not an even year” I hear you scream, but whatever. I mean honestly, if the calendar year determined who would win the World Series, then I think the Cubs have a right to sue the inventor of the Gregorian calendar, because it’s clearly rigged. Regardless, San Fran still has some of the best pitching in baseball, with solid offense. Defensively, they have some holes, which is why I think they won’t be amazing this year, but you never know. Prediction: 84-78, second in NL West, Wildcard.
– Seattle Mariners 2016: second in AL West, 86-76. Seattle added former Diamondbacks shortstop Jean Segura, making a good team, great. Segura was a top five hitter in the National League with a .319 batting average and 20 home runs in 2016. The Mariners—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—actually might make a decent run in the American League. Prediction: 88-74, second in AL West, Wildcard.
– Tampa Bay Rays 2016: fifth in AL East, 68-94. The pitching is there, the hitting is there, but there has been a lot of shuffling players to new positions on defense that they’ve seldom or never played at before. If they can get over that and make a name for themselves in the pitching game, this team should be on their way up. Prediction: 76-86, fifth in AL East.
– Texas Rangers 2016: first in AL West, 95-67, lost ALDS. Texas is still really good, and they still really, REALLY hate Toronto. Rangers fans need not worry about the regular season, it’s the postseason that you should be thinking about getting healthy, especially pitching. Prediction: 89-73, first in AL West, ALDS.
– Toronto Blue Jays: third in AL East, 89-73, lost ALCS. This could very well be the last chance for Toronto to reach the World Series, but unfortunately there’s just too much good competition, especially in the American League. Unless the rest of their division collapses, which it probably won’t, Toronto will still be a good team, but just on the cusp. Prediction: 87-75, second in AL East, Wildcard.
– Washington Nationals 2016: first in NL East, 95-67, lost NLDS. Either this team is going to win the World Series, or they will once again have another disappointing season. Although to be fair, if your idea of disappointment is not winning one of the hardest championships to win in all of sports, then clearly you must be doing something right. Bryce Harper is right up there with Mike Trout as one of the best players in baseball, but Harper has what Trout does not: a strong team around him. I don’t see the Nationals falling from where they are, but I don’t see them, winning the whole thing. Prediction: 93-69, first in NL East, NLCS.
Hopefully this has been enlightening for you, because it certainly has been for me. Get ready to completely toss this entire article by mid-July.
