2119 Season Preview - Wiguy - 09-29-2022
Season Predictions:
American League East
- Boston 98-64
- Montreal 90-72
- New York 84-78
- Baltimore 75-87
- Toronto 58-104
Boston has a well rounded roster and add OF Alambar for some lefty thump. Their staff fits their park perfectly and they should score a ton of runs. They disappointed a year ago but this year looks to be the year they pass the other mainstays at the top. Montreal won the division last season but fizzled out in the playoffs. No major adds means they are running it back. I don’t see enough here to challenge the BoSox even if SP Wallace and OF Wheeler are both top tier talents. The once mighty Yankees have turned to relics. Their staff is still top flight but the offense has begun to sour faster than a bag of store bought lettuce. Their GM has indicated moves are on the horizon and a rebuild is upcoming. How quickly that starts will determine where they ultimately finish. Baltimore has some decent pieces but no where close to the firepower to compete with the top of the division. Their GM drafts well and a reload may be the end goal. For this season they simply are out gunned on both offense and in the rotation. Toronto, what’s their to say about Toronto. If Baltimore is outgunned, then Toronto brought a sling shot to the shoot out. It’s hard to tell if they are even trying to win games at this point. My prediction may be gracious as they might flirt with 50 wins. The only real question is will Moody more bombs than his team wins.
American League Central
- Kansas City 96-66
- Cleveland 94-68
- Detroit 81-81
- Chicago 78-84
- Minnesota 65-97
The Central, much like the East is the same as it ever was. The Royals and Guardians pace the division. The Royals offer a formable speed, power combo with a diverse pitching staff. The defending champs can score runs with anyone. Their staff anchored by Thackery and Bradridge match up against any in the league. Cleveland is the 1B to Kansas City, their team is predicated on power and defense. They should once again give the Royals all they can handle and be one of the top teams in the AL. Detroit is heading to a transition, they got old quickly, and will look to rebuild assets. The process begun when the moves Ray Perez and will most likely continue as the season progresses. The White Sox are approaching the end of their rebuild. A couple young players will start with the big club and others should make their debuts as the season moves along. They still have a few pieces they need to get in place but after years of losing the light at the end of the tunnel is approaching. The Twins are a boat without a paddle, they haven’t fully turned into a rebuild, they don’t have good players, and they have limited assets. Their GM needs to figure out the plan and then execute, or they could be stuck in the cellar for years to come.
American League West
- Los Angeles 100-62
- Houston 91-71
- Las Vegas 80-82
- Texas 67-95
- Seattle 61-101
LA continues to be the standard in this division even with their GM’s empty threats of a rebuild. The Angels rotation and offense have no equal out West. The thing in LAA rear view mirror that is quickly approaching is the Houston Astros. The farm has matured in Houston and their young kids are coming up. They will soon overtake the Angels for this year though they surprise and take a WC. Las Vegas surprised the league last year and took the 2nd WC. But this season the outlook does not look as rosy. No notable additions coupled with a thin farm means little to no reinforcements to help the big club. Their GM could trade their picks for some help but at some point they are going to have to hit the reset button and start a lengthy rebuild, this may be the season the white flag waves. Texas looks to have a couple nice pieces but not near the horses to be a player in this race. The main question becomes which direction does their GM go? They’ve looked up at LA for the last few years and will soon do the same to Houston. Seattle is aging and may have missed their opportunity to sell high on some valuable pieces. This team looks to be headed for a lengthy rebuild with years before they are ready to contend again.
National League East
- Washington 95-67
- Philadelphia 93-69
- New York 91-71
- Atlanta 70-92
- Florida 64-98
The East has quite the interesting mix of teams. Two teams are clearly at different stages of their rebuild. The Braves have acquire a lot of nice young pieces and now they wait for them to mature. They will take some lumps this season but should be a team to look out for. The Marlins on the other hand need to tear it down to the studs like a house in a hurricane. Their bats have begun to die and their rotation is getting older by the minute. It’s time to sell anything not tied down and begin a start over mission. The trifecta at the top all have significant strengths and weaknesses. The Nationals appear to be the most well rounded so they get the pick to take the division. Their drafting prowess and huge payroll have allowed them to acquire the necessary pieces to come out on top. The Phillies have a fantastic rotation that lost a piece or two in the off-season. It’s led by Jim Kaiser the reigning Cy Young winner who dominated last season. The Mets have a ace of their own and a dynamic lineup with speed and power. It wouldn’t surprise if any one of these teams came out on top and I have all two of the three making the playoffs.
National League Central
- Milwaukee 99-63
- Pittsburgh 96-66
- St. Louis 84-78
- Cincinnati 66-96
- Chicago 59-103
The central is a story same as the last. It’s a two team race and it’s not even close. Chicago and Cincinnati stink as they both look to acquire young talent for rebuilds. St. Louis is mired in middling purgatory destined for bronze. The top two dogs are the Brewers and Pirates, with Milwaukee having the slight edge. The Brewers’ lineup top to bottom is filled with power. The addition of Ric Wilson adds a little dash to the substantial mash. Couple that with the rotation they built through the draft and you have one of the favorites in the NL. The only weakness may be the bullpen that doesn’t have a ton of depth. In Pittsburgh they play good baseball, pitch well, and spell like they have Dyslexia. They match up well with the Brewers when it comes to pitching and may have a better pen. Their offense may come up a little short of the Beer Makers. It will be a battle all season with either having the ability to take it.
National League West
- San Francisco 89-73
- Colorado 87-75
- Los Angeles 81-81
- San Diego 75-87
- Arizona 63-99
The talent out West isn’t nearly as staunch as the other divisions. The Giants have a ton of talent led by their talented 2B who is a perennial MVP candidate. The Rockies surprised and took the division last season behind a strong season from reigning MVP Hoy. This season they look to repeat but still have a few holes that limit their upside and ultimately leave them short of the Giants. The Dodgers look poised for a run a few years ago. That window has slammed shut with nothing but heart ache and bong water to show for it. Decision will need to be made in Los Angeles about which direction the Dodgers go next, a fire sale could be on the horizon. The Fathers look to continue their March to prominence by stacking assets and adding where they can. Their recent first round pick Blair looks ready to contribute this season but may be ahead of the rest of their young pieces: They’ll take some lumps but in a couple years they will be the hammer instead of the nail. Rounding out the cellar are the Dbacks who still don’t seem to know where they are headed. Poor Liron Smith deserves better and should demand a trade. They look to be far and away the worst team in this division and that don’t appear to be changing any time soon.
AL MVP
- C Ron Acheson BOS
- OF Joe Tate LAA
- OF Nat Dostal CLE
NL MVP
- OF Mark Tremain MIL
- 2B Chumeon Yanda SFG
- 3B Mark Veksler PHI
AL Cy Young
- SP Ichiro Hagi LAA
- SP Perry Bradridge KCR
- SP Jake Towles CLE
NL Cy Young
- SP Mike Glock PIT
- Peter Millikin NYM
- Jim Kaiser PHI
AL ROY
- 1B Justin Frank BOS
- OF Jamie Beyes CLE
- RP Jon Kihane CHW
NL ROY
- SP Sal Kerswell WAS
- IF Eric Marr PIT
- OF Mark Werner SFG
Wild Card Games
 over 
 over 
ALDS
over 
 over 
NLDS
 over
 over 
ALCS
over
NLCS
over
World Series
over
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