SpicyTricks

Written by Jared Riley and Spencer Husen 

The 2012 Major League Baseball season ended Sunday, October 28, 2012 with the San Francisco Giants winning their second world series in three years, and since then the landscape of the MLB has changed drastically.

All-Stars such as Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes found new homes, along with former Most Valuable Player Josh Hamilton and reigning Cy Young award winner RA Dickey. There were also many hits to usual contenders such as the Yankees who before opening day had 4 of their everyday players on the disabled list. All of this combines for what should be an interesting season.

Below is a prediction of every division. (The Major League Baseball playoffs are separated into two brackets with the American League and National League each having 5 teams. There are 3 division winners along with two wild card members who make the playoffs in each League. The Playoffs culminate with the two league winners playing in the World Series.)
 

American League East

The AL East is usually a race where you see who will finish third as only twice since 1998 has anyone other than the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox won the division, but this year could be a different story. The Yankees have several stars injured, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Curtis Granderson, and the Red Sox are coming off of a last place finish and the firing of their manager after just one season with the team. The Toronto Blue Jays, usually the number 4 finisher in the division, made several moves during the offseason including the acquisitions of Dickey and all-stars Reyes and Johnson, making them a serious contender for not only the division crown, but also the world series. There is also a team that made the playoffs last season who no one is talking about - the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles had their best season since 1997, winning 93 games and beating the team that had won the American League pennant two years in a row in the wild card play in. Most people are failing to talk about them because of their lack of offseason moves, much like the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have been a very successful team since making a surprise run to the world series in 2008 before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. The team is known predominantly for their excellent pitching, but always has trouble scoring enough runs. This is possibly the most wide open division in baseball due to the fact that every team could finish with an above .500 winning percentage.

Prediction: Winner- Orioles
Wildcard Team(s)- Yankees

American League Central

The AL Central is usually the division that has one really good team and four really bad teams, and this year is no exception. The Detroit Tigers have had the last two AL Most Valuable Players including the first pitcher to win the award since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 in Justin Verlander, and the first Triple Crown award winner (to get this award one must lead their league in home runs, runs batted in, and batting average) since Ted Williams in 1947, Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers also made it to the World Series before falling to the Giants. They also have a stacked lineup that not only includes the MVP but one of the most perennial home run hitters in the game, Prince Fielder. Overall there are no other teams that should really give the Tigers any scare for the division title.

Prediction: Winner- Tigers
Wild Card Team(s)- None

American League West

The AL West will be another strong division with three teams that could make the playoffs. The team that has had the most buzz during the offseason is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The team added Josh Hamilton, a former MVP, to a lineup that already had Mike Trout, the AL Rookie of the Year, and Albert Pujols,3 time MVP. The Angels, however, didn't even make the playoffs last season, but the Oakland Athletic’s did. The Angels are a young team with a tremendous pitching staff and a power lineup that includes Yoenis Cespedes, a 27 year old Cuban who is only in his second year in the big leagues. There was also another playoff team from the west, the Texas Rangers. The Rangers, who Hamilton left to go to the Angels, still have a very prominent lineup that includes many silver sluggers and have a decent young pitching staff that includes Derrick Holland and Yu Darvish. This division could have the biggest disappointment of the year with an Angels team that will probably struggle for parts of the season, but still could win a very good division.

Prediction: Winner- Rangers
Wild Card Team(s)- Angels

National League East

The NL East, much like the AL East, is one of the best divisions in baseball. The division holds a young team that made it to the playoffs without their star pitcher for the last month of the season, a team thats usually a couple of games shy of the playoffs but made it last season, and a veteran team with many stars that were a disappointment last season. The young team we mentioned is the Washington Nationals. The Nationals have two of the top five pitchers in the NL on their team in Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, and also the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper. The Nationals were one of the biggest surprises last season when they won the division despite having Strasburg sit out the final month of the season due to team restrictions to ensure his health. The team that always seems to be a little short of the postseason is the Atlanta Braves. The Braves, who made the playoffs last season, made a few off season moves that could bump them from the wild card spot into a division champion. The team added star brother outfielders Justin and BJ Upton to an outfield that already had an all star in Jason Heyward to make ‘Up Up and Away,’ which could be the best outfield trio in the big leagues. The Braves also have a very dependable pitching staff that will be good enough to win one run games. The veteran team in the division is the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have an infield that holds a 50 home run hitter, an MVP, and a perennial .300 hitter. The team also has 2 CY Young award winners and a World Series MVP, but, despite the talent, the team failed to make the playoffs last season. This year they are an old team that is injury prone and could disappoint again. The other teams in the division are the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets, both of whom are in the stage of rebuilding and shouldn't be any challenge to the other 3 teams.

Prediction: Winner- Braves
Wild Card Team(s)- Nationals

National League Central

The NL Central is a division that has two major playoff contenders: the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds, who won the division last year, made no noticeable changes during the off season and will be led by stars Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips. The team will dominate the weak teams in their division. The Cardinals are a lot like the Reds, but are led by their pitching instead of offense. The team will be very competitive and could make a run for the division if their pitchers can stay healthy. There are also two teams that have a small chance to win the division but are very inconsistent:  the Milwaukee Brewers and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Prediction: Winner- Reds
Wild Card Team(s)- None

National League West

The NL West has three teams that could make the playoffs. The first is the defending world series champion San Francisco Giants. The Giants return most of their team from last season and have a very high chance of winning their 3rd title in 4 years. They are led by MVP Buster Posey and a strong pitching staff led by Matt Cain. The second team is the Los Angeles Dodgers who made moves at the trade deadline and during the offseason that could gain them a division title. They acquired stars Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Hanley Ramirez, along with Zack Greinke. This adds to a team that already had a CY Young winner in Clayton Kershaw and star in Matt Kemp. The other team that could make a run is the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs have a very good, young rotation that could lead them close to the playoffs but might not have enough offense. Overall, this leads to a race that could be one of the tightest in baseball this season.

Prediction: Winner- Giants
Wild Card Team(s)- Dodgers

World Series

After predicting each division winner, we began looking at the playoffs and predict that the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves will play in the 2013 World Series. The Tigers have probably the best combination of pitching and hitting in the big leagues, and are predicted by us to have both the CY Young award winner and MVP. The Braves, who we predict will play them, have great pitching along with a lineup that has both contact and power hitters. In the end, it is our prediction that the Detroit Tigers will win the 2013 World Series in 6 games.

Awards

AL MVP- Prince Fielder

NL MVP- Justin Upton

AL CY Young-  Justin Verlander

NL CY Young- Stephen Strasburg

AL Rookie of the Year- Wil Myers

NL Rookie of the Year- Julio Teheran

AL Manager of the Year- Joe Girardi

NL Manager of the Year- Kirk Gibson

AL Comeback Player of the Year- Mariano Rivera