2012 MLB Predictions

[Fox]

Ok, so the 2011 thread was great, lead by AnythingChicago. I figured it was about time to get some MLB predictions going for the 2012 season here on the boards. I'm not one that really likes making competitive predictions with a point system, but I would definitely be open to it if other wanted to see that. Predict the final standings, playoffs, award winners, trades, bold predictions, etc, whatever you want.

Remember- two wild cards this year. Wild card teams are seeded 4 and 5.

So to start, here are my predictions:

AL EAST

Yankees (2)

Rays (5)

Red Sox

Blue Jays

Orioles

AL CENTRAL

Tigers (1)

White Sox

Indians

Twins

Royals

AL WEST

Rangers (3)

Angels (4)

Mariners

Athletics

NL EAST

Phillies (1)

Braves (4)

Marlins

Nationals

Mets

NL CENTRAL

Reds (3)

Brewers (5)

Cardinals

Cubs

Pirates

Astros

NL WEST

Giants (2)

Diamondbacks

Rockies

Dodgers

Padres

PLAYOFFS:

Wild Card Round

Rays (5) over Angels (4)

My prediction: The pesky Rays shock the reloaded Halos in an 6-4 victory in Anaheim to advance to their third straight ALDS.

Braves (4) over Brewers (5)

Atlanta wins 7-2 at home.

Division Series

ALDS

Tigers (1) over Rays (5) in 5

Rangers (3) over Yankees (2) in 4

NLDS

Phillies (1) over Braves (4) in 3

Giants (2) over Reds (3) in 3

Championship Series

ALCS: Rangers (3) over Tigers (1) in 6

NLCS: Phillies (1) over Giants (2) in 5

World Series: (NL has homefield advantage) Rangers over Phillies in 7

Now, what are your predictions?

[aci]

AL EAST

Yankees (3)

Rays (4)

Blue Jays (5)

Red Sox

Orioles

AL CENTRAL

Tigers (2)

Royals

Indians

Twins

White Sox

AL WEST

Angels (1)

Rangers

Athletics

Mariners

NL EAST

Phillies (1)

Nationals (4)

Marlins (5)

Braves

Mets

NL CENTRAL

Reds (2)

Cardinals

Brewers

Cubs

Pirates

Astros

NL WEST

Giants (3)

Diamondbacks

Rockies

Dodgers

Padres

PLAYOFFS:

Wild Card Round

Blue Jays (5) over Rays (4)

Nationals (4) over Marlins (5)

Division Series

ALDS

Angels (1) over Blue Jays (5) in 4

Tigers (2) over Yankees (3) in 3

NLDS

Phillies (1) over Nationals (4) in 4

Reds (2) over Giants (3) in 5

Championship Series

ALCS: Tigers (2) over Angels (1) in 7

NLCS: Phillies (1) over Reds (2) in 6

World Series: Tigers over Phillies in 5

[Lights Out]

Standings

AL EAST

Rays (3)

Blue Jays (4)

Yankees

Red Sox

Orioles

AL CENTRAL

Tigers (2)

Royals (5)

Indians

White Sox

Twins

AL WEST

Angels (1)

Rangers

Mariners

Athletics

NL EAST

Marlins (1)

Phillies (4)

Nationals (5)

Braves

Mets

NL CENTRAL

Reds (3)

Brewers

Cardinals

Pirates

Cubs

Astros

NL WEST

Diamondbacks (2)

Giants

Rockies

Dodgers

Padres

Playoffs

WILDCARD

Blue Jays (4) over Royals (5)

Phillies (4) over Nationals (5)

DIVISIONAL

Angels (1) over Blue Jays (4)

Rays (3) over Tigers (2)

Marlins (1) over Phillies (4)

Diamondbacks (2) over Reds (3)

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Rays (3) over Angels (1)

Marlins (1) over Diamondbacks (2)

WORLD SERIES

Rays over Marlins in 7

[zpqmaowl]

An all-Florida World Series might just put McCarver and FOX over the edge?

?GO RAYS! GO MARLINS!

[Norva]

An all-Florida World Series would be a dream come true!

[Funky Bunky]

AL East:

New York (3)

Boston (4)

Tampa Bay

Toronto

Baltimore

AL Central:

Detroit (1)

Chicago

Minnesota

Cleveland

Kansas City

AL West:

Los Angeles of Anaheim (2)

Texas (5)

Seattle

Oakland

NL East:

Philadelphia (1)

Miami (4)

Atlanta

Washington

New York

NL Central:

St. Louis (3)

Milwaukee

Cincinnati

Pittsburgh

Houston

Chicago

NL West:

Arizona (2)

San Francisco (5)

Colorado

Los Angeles

San Diego

Wild Card:

Boston over Texas

San Francisco over Miami

DS:

Los Angeles of Anaheim over New York (in 3)

Detroit over Boston (in 4)

Philadelphia over San Francisco (in 5)

Arizona over St. Louis (in 4)

CS:

Los Angeles of Anaheim over Detroit (in 6)

Philadelphia over Arizona (in 7)

World Series:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim over Philadelphia Philles (in 6)

[BrySmalls]

The Washington Nationals win the 2012 World Series and then hell freezes over.

[CS85]

The Chicago Cubs will do surprisingly* well.

* - denotes winning 60-70 games

[It Needs A Bow]

Clearly, the Royals will be in the playoffs, so people stop pitying me for loving them.

...Actually, I'm calling that we'll be at or above a .500 record by the All-Star Game. I think we can do it this year, and that would make me ecstatic.

[NJTank]

An all-Florida World Series would be a dream nightmare come true for (MLB and Fox)!

FYP

[DDR]

I predict that the Chicago White Sox will not be as bad as many pundits believe. I predict that they'll contend for a Wild Card spot for much of the year before a late-season skid knocks them out of contention. I predict Adam Dunn will have somewhat of a bounce-back year (.240/>25HR/>75RBI). I predict Alex Rios will not (<.250/<15HR/<55RBI/<15SB). I predict they'll finish near .500. And I predict they'll finish 3rd in the Central.

[Raysfan12]

Standings:

AL East:

1. Rays (2)
   
2. Blue Jays (5)
   
3. Yankees
   
4. BoSox
   
5. O's
   

AL Central:

1. Tigers (1)
   
2. Royals
   
3. Indians
   
4. ChiSox
   
5. Twins
   

AL West:

1. Angels (3)
   
2. Rangers (4)
   
3. A's
   
4. Mariners
   

NL East:

1. Marlins (1)
   
2. Phillies (4)
   
3. Braves (5)
   
4. Nats
   
5. Mets
   

NL Central:

1. Brewers (3)
   
2. Reds
   
3. Pirates
   
4. Cardinals
   
5. Cubs
   
6. Astros (No explanation needed)
   

NL West:

1. DBacks (2)
   
2. Dodgers
   
3. Rockies
   
4. Giants
   
5. Padres
   

WC Champs:

AL: Blue Jays (5) over Texas (4): Texas will be suprised by the rising Blue Jays

NL: Braves (5) over Phillies (4): The pitching heavy Phillies are no match for the balanced Braves team.

ALDS:

Rays (2) over Angels (3) in 3

Tigers (1) over Blue Jays (5) in 3

NLDS:

Marlins (1) over Braves (5) in 4

DBacks (2) over Brewers (3) in 3

ALCS:

Rays (2) over Tigers (1) in 7

NLCS:

DBacks (2) over Marlins (1) in 5

World Series:

Rays (2) over DBacks (2) in 4: In the series featuring the two youngest franchises in the MLB (since the Nats were from Montreal), the DBacks are no match for the experenced Rays in a sweep of epic porportions. This will send the World Series to Tampa Bay for the first time and convince the city to have a new stadium.

[Shumway]

World Series:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim over Philadelphia Philles (in 6)

If this were to happen, I'd probably have zero friends.

[McCall]

Standings:

AL East:

1. Rays (2)
   
2. Blue Jays (5)
   
3. Yankees
   
4. BoSox
   
5. O's
   

NL Central:

1. Brewers (3)
   
2. Reds
   
3. Pirates
   
4. Cardinals
   
5. Cubs
   
6. Astros (No explanation needed)
   

1) I hate the Yankees and love the Rays, but that just seems too much of a homer pick.

2) How in the world are you picking the Cardinals to finish 4th?

[McCall]

My predictions:

NL East

1. Phillies (1)

2. Braves (4)

3. Marlins

4. Nationals

5. Mets

NL Central

1. Cardinals (3)

2. Reds

3. Brewers

4. Pirates

5. Cubs

6. Astros

NL West

1. Diamondbacks (2)

2. Giants (5)

3. Rockies

4. Dodgers

5. Padres

AL East

1. Yankees (2)

2. Rays (5)

3. Red Sox

4. Blue Jays

5. Orioles

AL Central

1. Tigers (1)

2. Indians

3. White Sox

4. Twins

5. Royals

AL West

1. Rangers (3)

2. Angels (4)

3. Athletics

4. Mariners

NLWC - Braves over Giants

ALWC - Angels over Rays

NLDS

Phillies over Braves, 3-2

Cardinals over Diamondbacks, 3-2

ALDS

Tigers over Angels, 3-2

Rangers over Yankees, 3-1

NLCS

Phillies over Cardinals, 4-2

ALCS

Tigers over Rangers, 4-2

World Series

Tigers over Phillies, 4-3

[The_Admiral]

Why does it matter what he'll say if you'll just counter with a spuriously justified homer pick yourself. They did, after all, lose the best hitter of our generation, who since 2007 had played for scrap-heap teams.

EDIT:

NL Central

1. Cardinals (3)

lol

EDIT: oh and also Dave Duncan isn't there anymore to turn potted houseplants into sinkerballer extraordinaires.

[McCall]

Why does it matter what he'll say if you'll just counter with a spuriously justified homer pick yourself. They did, after all, lose the best hitter of our generation, who since 2007 had played for scrap-heap teams.

EDIT:

NL Central

1. Cardinals (3)

lol

They lost one guy who, yes, is the best hitter of our generation, but, who, was not the key reason they won it all last year. I believe they're just as good. Now, will they win it all again, I'm not predicting that. I think there's too many other good teams that, at this point of time on paper, look better. But they'll probably finish at the top of or in contention for the top of the Central, rather than in the bottom half. Don't be a sour Cubs fan. It makes it so hard to feel sorry for you guys.

[The_Admiral]

No, you homer doofus, a team without Albert Pujols is not just as good as a team with Albert Pujols. Sweet ad hominem, too!

Rafael Furcal/Carlos Beltran/David Freese gonna be the new MV3, book it

[McCall]

No, you homer doofus, a team without Albert Pujols is not just as good as a team with Albert Pujols. Sweet ad hominem, too!

Rafael Furcal/Carlos Beltran/David Freese gonna be the new MV3, book it

Other than his 3-homer, offensive bust-out in Game 3, he was 0 for the series until the 9th inning of Game 6. And even in Game 3, if you remove all his offensive statistics and any scoring he was involved in, they'd still would've outscored the Rangers. He's the best, no doubt, but there were a lot more weapons than just him. Someday, if the Cubs ever win another World Series, you'll understand.

[Lights Out]

Not really sure how picking the Rays to win the division is at all a homer pick. Our offense is good enough and our rotation is beastly. Just because the Yankees are the Yankees doesn't mean they're invincible. Honestly, I think they'll dissappoint this year.