Blog entryA look ahead to the 2012 MLB Season

Gotta Love Baseball.

Prince Fielder is a Tiger.

Albert Pujols is an Angel.

Bud Selig added 2 more Wild Cards.

AND

Only Ryan Braun knows the truth. 

Aside from that...not much else has changed.  The  Marlins still don't have people in the stands, the Padres and Orioles will finish in last place again,  and I still can't believe the San Francisco Giants have World Series ring.  But a new season means new hope, and more incorrect predictions by me.

Lets take a look at what should be the Division Winners:

NL East Champ: Philadelphia Phillies - No one will argue that the Phillies rotation is tops in the league.  Throw in Paplebon to the end of the bullpen and you are going to win a ton of games.  But the big bats of the past, Utley and Howard, need to get healthy to make a deep post season run.  

NL Central Champ: Milwaukee Brewers - The loss of Prince Fielder will hurt, but Albert Puljos leaving the Central will make more of an impact.  In another dead ball era, I like the Brewers rotation over their division foes.  

NL West Champ: Los Angeles Dodgers - The NL West winner has been a carousel for the past three seasons, and the Dodgers are next up in the rotation.  They finished 2011 as one of the hottest teams (Went 34-20 in August and September), and look to carry that into 2012.

One Game Wildcard Playoff - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants

Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh Pirates - The Buco's are scrappy, led by the Multi-Million Dollar Man Andrew McCutchen, and their pitching will catch some teams by surprise.  

AL East Champ: Boston Red Sox - The East was the toughest to division to decide, as always, when you are talking Sox and Yanks.  But I look at the some of the young talent on the Red Sox, combined with a new attitude from new manager Bobby Valentine, and Boston finishes on top.

AL Central Champ: Detroit Tigers - This one is no contest.  No one else in the division comes even close in talent when you combine the addition of Prince Fielder with Miguel Cabrera and the 2011 MVP Justin Verlander. 

AL West Champ: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - The addition of Pujols is an obvious upgrade.   But moving your division rivals best pitcher (C.J. Wilson) to an already dominant pitching rotation, brings the division title back to Anaheim.

One Game Wild Card - New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers

Honorable Mention: Kansas City Royals - Young talent will get the Royals off to a hot start, but unfortunately for them, baseball is a grueling 162 game season.  This team will contend very soon.

Manager's of the Year -Mike Scioscia (Angels) and Ron Roenicke (Brewers) 

MVP's - Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) and Matt Kemp (Dodgers)

CY Young's - Justin Verlander (Tigers) and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) 

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