2012 MLB Predictions
Opening Day will be here before you know it, which means it’s time to start thinking about your futures wagers for the upcoming season. Below, I have made my predictions on how I see each of baseball’s six divisions playing out to help you cash in against the MLB odds.
AL East: The AL East was perhaps the most entertaining division in 2011 because of all the drama down the stretch. The Red Sox entered the final month of the season with the best record in baseball but a monumental choke job gave the Yankees the division and allowed the Rays to grab the AL wild card. These three will likely all be in the mix for playoff spots again in 2012. I give the Yankees the edge in the division as they have won at least 90 games in 14 of the last 17 seasons and have captured 12 of the last 16 AL East titles.
1st – New York Yankees
2nd – Boston Red Sox
3rd – Tampa Bay Rays
4th – Toronto Blue Jays
5th – Baltimore Orioles
AL Central: The Tigers won the division by 15 games in 2011 and are the overwhelming favorite to win it again. They have arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Justin Verlander and added Prince Fielder to an offense that was already among the best in the majors. The White Sox, Indians and Royals will likely battle it out for second while the Twins, who finished 32 games back last season, appear destined for a second straight last place finish.
1st – Detroit Tigers
2nd – Chicago White Sox
3rd – Cleveland Indians
4th – Kansas City Royals
5th – Minnesota Twins
AL West: The Rangers have been the cream of the crop in the AL West the past two seasons, but that looks like it could change in 2012. The Halos have added former Ranger C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols, who is arguably the best hitter in the game. The A’s finished third in 2011 but will likely sink to the bottom this year as they take on a major rebuilding project.
1st – Los Angeles Angels
2nd – Texas Rangers
3rd – Seattle Mariners
4th – Oakland Athletics
NL East: The Mets clearly appear to be the bottom dweller, but the other four teams all have enough pieces to win the division. The Phillies are the favorite of course because of their insane starting rotation. The Braves should be hungry following last year’s collapse, which opened the door for St. Louis. The Nats are looking forward to making some noise with ace Stephen Strasburg on the hill for a full season, and the new-look Marlins are excited about their additions of Ozzie Guillen, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes.
1st – Philadelphia Phillies
2nd – Atlanta Braves
3rd – Miami Marlins
4th – Washington Nationals
5th – New York Mets
NL Central: The Brewers ran away with the division with a strong 96-win season, but it was the Cardinals who parlayed a late surge into a World Series title. With Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols finding new homes, it opens the door for the 2010 NL Central champion Reds to make a run at another division title. The Central could go right down to the wire between these three teams.
1st – Milwaukee Brewers
2nd – Cincinnati Reds
3rd – St. Louis Cardinals
4th – Chicago Cubs
5th – Pittsburgh Pirates
6th – Houston Astros
NL West: The D-backs were a big surprise in the West last year, and they don’t look like a one-season wonder. With that said, I believe the 2010 World Series champion Giants will reemerge as the division champs. They have the most proven starting rotation and will benefit from a healthy Buster Posey and the addition of Melky Cabrera.
1st – San Francisco Giants
2nd – Arizona Diamondbacks
3rd – Los Angeles Dodgers
4th – Colorado Rockies
5th – San Diego Padres
