Ahhhh. Spring is in the air. The weather is starting to get warm and the leaves are starting to bud on the trees. There are many reasons why spring is a great time of year. The start of spring means two things for me. The first thing is that the start of spring starts the countdown to summer. The second thing is baseball is back!! Ahh the cracking of the bats, the smell of fresh cut grass on the baseball diamond, the ice cold beer and cracker jacks filling the stands, and the "this is our year" mentality of fans, players and coaches (even for mets fans like myself). Spring training is starting to wrap up, rosters are being made, and teams are making final changes for opening day. Yes my friends, opening day is near.
This off season was interesting to say the least. Albert Pujols spurned his old team, The St. Louis Cardinals, and signed a monster 10 year deal with the LA Angels, a surprise to many. The Angels made another big move after that and signed former Ranger starter CJ Wilson to bolster the already strong starting rotation. Prince Fielder signed a monster deal with the Detroit Tigers. Asian sensation Yu Darvish, who is absolute stud, decided to come to the majors and sign with the Rangers. The drama with the Red Sox continued into the offseason by leading to the resigning of Terry Francona and the hiring of former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. Hopefully Bobby V can change the image of the Sox from beer drinking, fried chicken eating laziness to once again becoming serious contenders. The "Miami" Marlins open their new billion dollar stadium with a new logo, new manager, and new colors, which are hideous. The Cubs hired former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to hopefully, one day end their dreadful 102 year title-less streak. Last years national league MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for PED's and won his appeal of his 50 game suspension (if I'm leaving out any other big stories I'm sorry). A lot of interesting stories and drama surrounded this off season, hopefully leading to an interesting and exciting 2012 season. In my 2012 MLB preview, I will predict my winners in each division and wild card spots and I will also pick my Cy young award winners, my league MVP's, and I will also pick my world series matchup.AL East: New York Yankees
The Yankees are an aging team and everyone knows it, but this aging team has so much talent that it's hard to go against them. The Yankees were big winners in the off-season by trading away top catching prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle for Michael Pineada, improving their starting rotation. The Yankees got rid of AJ Burnett's awful contract and shipped it to Pittsburgh, where careers die. The Yankees starting rotation will be near the top once again with the addition of Pineda and their aging lineup is just too powerful and formidable for the rest of the AL East to compete with. The Yanks are still the Yanks.Al Central: Detroit Tigers
Detroit shocked the world by signing high profile first baseman Prince Fielder in free agency. The combination of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder will be a scary one two punch and will make Detroit's middle of the lineup dominant. Defending Cy Young and AL MVP winner Justin Verlander will be stellar once again, leading this young rotation and formidable lineup to the division crown.
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
AL Wild Card: Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers
Over the offseason, the MLB changed its playoff format by adding an extra wild card spot. So there will now be two wild card teams in the playoffs. The Red Sox's late collapse last September will add extra motivation in the 2012 campaign and Bobby V will bring intensity and a "straight business" attitude that the Sox need. Plus, the Sox have way too much talent in the lineup and rotation not to make the playoffs. The Rangers lost number 1 starter CJ Wilson to free agency, but they made a bold move by bringing in the asian sensation Yu Darvish to fill that hole. Darvish has nasty stuff in his pitching arsenal, which will make him an all star in this league. The Ranger dangerous lineup will carry them to the playoffs.
NL East: Atlanta Braves
Like the Red Sox, the Braves had a september collapse to miss the playoffs by a narrow margin. This will serve motivation for the Braves campaign this season. This season will be Chipper Jones' last season in the majors, ending an amazing career and a career that will go down as one of the top 3rd baseman's of all time. The motivation will be there to make Chipper's last season with the Braves a memorable one. Young talent like Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward mixed with veterans like Chipper in the lineup will make it formidable. I expect Freedie Freeman to have a breakout year along with Heyward. Not to mention a rotation led by Tommy Hanson and Tim Hudson, expect big things from the Braves this season. Bold prediction for the season, the Phillies will not make the playoffs. Calling it. Don't sleep on the Nationals either.NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals
The obvious loss of Albert Pujols was a major blow to the Cardinals. You take Albert Pujols away from the Cardinals, you still have a very solid ball club. The Cardinals still have Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, David Freese, Yadier Molina, and now Carlos Beltran in the lineup. The rotation will be a major question with Chris Carpenter's injury in spring training and Adam Wainwright coming off Tommy John surgery. The defending champ mentality of the Cardinals will carry them to the division crown once again.
NL West: San Fransisco GiantsThe NL West is the most wide open division in baseball. Any team can really make a run for the division title. The Dbacks last year was a fluke in my opinion. Not enough experience or power in the lineup. They just had a good run. The Giants have been there before. A nasty rotation is what led them to a world series title two seasons ago, so if they can do it then, why not now. Pitching wins championships and the Giants have that. A lineup full of role players and a nasty rotation is the Giants DNA. The return of Buster Posey after his horrific injury last season will be a good story.
NL Wild Card: Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins
The Reds have a formidable lineup with annual MVP candidate at first in Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips at second, and a young, talented outfield with Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs. The starting rotation is a question going into the season though. The Marlins made major moves in the offseason adding Jose Reyes at shortstop, closer Heath Bell to secure wins, and Mark Burhele to boost the rotation. The Marlins also added Ozzie Guillen to be the new skipper. Reyes and Hanley Ramirez will be a powerhouse at the top of the order. Josh Johnson coming off an injury is a question for the rotation. The new billion dollar stadium will fill the stadium for the Marlins and make going to a Marlins game attractive.
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young: Matt Cain
AL MVP: Albert Pujols
NL MVP: Matt Kemp
World Series: Yankees over Braves (Yep. Going back to the '90's)
There you have it. Leave your comments below. I would like to hear your opinions.
- Padre Bama
Follow me on twitter @PadreBama
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