With the Giants defeating the Royals in the 2014 World Series thanks to the historic efforts of Madison Bumgarner, all teams will now turn their attention to 2015 and so will I by offering the earliest predictions for the upcoming season that you will see anywhere. Being this early makes them pointless, but it does make them first.
Kansas City should win the AL Central as they are a team on the rise and the Tigers are a team on the decline, especially with the potential loss of Max Scherzer, and Miguel Cabrera’s more-serious-than-expected foot injury.
The Dodgers had the clear edge in the NL West last year, but they have some things to fix over the winter (i.e. shortstop) and the Giants are a team on the rise. Too close to call right now.
The Orioles and Nationals should repeat in their divisions. The Red Sox restocked with some excellent trades this year, and with money to spend on free agents, they could pose a problem. The Mets, while on the rise, aren’t on the Nationals’ level yet.
The AL West is a total toss up. Oakland, Los Angeles, and Seattle are all in the mix and neither Texas nor Houston will be as bad as they were this year.
Look for the Pirates to take the NL Central. It’s dangerous picking against the Cardinals, but I think St. Louis is on a down turn. Some fools will pick the Cubs to go from worst to first. They will be wrong, but before April gets here, everyone outside of Chicago will be sick of hearing how they are a good young team on the rise. Even though they are.
Okay, these are half predictions and half observations and if I get them half right, I will be wholly happy!
APPEARANCE NOTE: I will be discussing Boots Poffenberger: Hurler, Hero, Hell-Raiser with the Baltimore/Washington SABR chapter this Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at Brighton Gardens, 7110 Minstrel Way, Columbia, MD. It’s free and open to the public, so if you can make it, come on out!
Austin Gisriel 
I hereby predict that at the end of the 2015 Season, the Orioles will be the World Champions of 1983.
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Agreed. I find that I am much more accurate with retroactive predictions.
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First let me say that while the Royals were a great team in the playoffs and the series, I was happy to see the Giants win. The Royals left a bad taste in my mouth with Guthrie’s Tee Shirt, though he pitched well, in my opinion what goes around came around. Also, the comment made during the ALCS saying the Orioles knew the series would not be coming back to Baltimore, did not set well with me either. Now that I have that off my chest, 2015 should be a repeat of the O’s being champs of the Eastern Division. To David B. Stinson, Here, Here, !!
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Agree completely, Don. I think the Royals’ act wore on many people as the playoffs progressed. Look up “cool” and you’ll find Madison Bumgarner’s photo under a couple of the word’s definitions. He didn’t congratulate himself for doing what he thought he was supposed to do.
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Yeah, how ’bout dem Gint’s. Oops, wrong Gint’s. Anyway, I thought it interesting that a one time backup catcher, who’s claim to fame in San Diego was to once attempt to catch a ball dropped from a ten story building, is now being touted as Hall materiel. Joe Torre redoux?
As for ’15 ALeast, you don’t think ARod can save da Yanks? Heh, heh.
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The HOF talk regarding Bochy is well-deserved. Three titles in five years with great teams, on which have been very few great players. He’s snuck up on me in that regard, but when I think about it, I’d say he’s deserving.
As for the Yankees, if amassing the biggest collection of aging, injured ballplayers is the goal, then yes, A-Rod should help!!
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Unfortunately, they owe too many guaranteed bux to those aging & injured “players” to have much other choice. What will be very interesting to me will be how Jeter’s replacement handles the inevitable comparison. Kind of like Tino Martinez following Donnie Baseball. Big cleats require instant filling at The House Steinbrenner Built.
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You’re right. As for Jeter’s replacement, whoever it is has the advantage of replacing a guy who wasn’t very good the last couple of years and on a team that won’t be too good any time soon.
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Let me run something by you, and any true baseball fans out there: Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw won the Cy Young award by an overwhelming margin as he should have. However, I feel that him also being voted MVP took away an award that an everyday player should receive. Lets be realistic here for a moment. A great pitcher in most cases is as good as the team that plays behind him. I feel that the Cy Young, and MVP should be separate. Looking for your thoughts, and maybe Al, and David Stinson, who are followers of your posts as well.
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Don, I tend to agree, but to me it really has to be judged on a season by season basis. There are years in which a pitcher is the “most valuable” player; think of Gibson and McLain in 1968. I’m not sure that the Cardinals or Tigers make the World Series (certainly not as easily) without those two guys. With five teams making the playoffs now, however, I think it should be LESS likely for a pitcher to win. The Dodgers probably make the playoffs this year even without Kershaw, which is why I would have voted for Stanton who was probably “more valuable” to his team than any other player was to any other team in baseball regardless of win totals. All things being equal, I would give it to a position player every time, but there are exceptions.
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