2012 Season Predictions

Just hours away from the traditional Opening Day in Cincinnati, here's my picks for every division, every team in baseball, plus a World Champion. I left it to a couple sentences per team, just to make it easier on you. And if you've got the time, make sure you check out my Cincinnati Reds preview. Whatever you're doing today, I hope you find a few minutes to flip on a baseball game and enjoy today. There's nothing like it in sports. 

NL East

Ozzie will be smiling at the end of the season, too.

1. Miami (93-69) - The Phillies are ripe for the picking, with that rotation a year older and the injuries to Howard and Utley. The Marlins additions (Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, and Ozzie Guillen) are hard to ignore.

2. Philadelphia (90-72)* - A year older, and the Phillies' decline will continue. They remind me of the Cubs, as they started to age three years ago after a couple of dominant years. How has that turned out?

3. Washington (85-77) - They're the trendy pick across baseball to make a lot of noise and squeeze into the playoffs. I still think the Nats are a year (and a big bat, namely Bryce Harper) from being big time contenders.

4. Atlanta (81-81) - The hangover after last year's epic collapse will effect them through the first month. That and there's a lot of questions on this team, and the rotation has yearly health concerns.

5. New York (72-90) - I don't think the Mets are actually this awful. They have some really nice pieces to their team, but they play in the wrong division.

NL Central

If Scott has 120 healthy games in him, the Reds will win the
Central.

1. Cincinnati (90-72) - The top of the Central will be one of the most tightly packed divisions in baseball. I'll take the Reds to barely win the division, because of their improved pitching and strong defense. We know they are going to score a ton of runs, but the season will come down to the health of Scott Rolen.

2. Milwaukee (89-73)* - The Brew Crew has the best rotation in the Central, and arguably the best rotation. Their defense is till a major question, and the offense could be suspect with the loss of Prince Fielder, while relying on the slow starting Aramis Ramirez and youngster Mat Gamel.

3. St. Louis (86-76) - Probably the most balanced team in the division, with a strong bullpen, rotation, and offense. But there's a lot of questions here - can Lance Berkman and Kyle Lohse repeat their performances?; can David Freese and Carlos Beltran stay healthy?; how much can Adam Wainwright (Tommy John surgery) and Chris Carpenter (nerve irritation) provide?

4. Pittsburgh (75-87) - They surprised a lot of teams by leading the division in July. The Buccos will be hard-pressed to get off to a strong start again, and attempt to maintain that across 162 games with a lack of depth.

5. Chicago (73-89) - The addition of GM Theo Epstein will help this team in the long haul. But they need to develop that farm system first.

6. Houston (66-96) - The Astros are the worst team in baseball. And the rest of the division will miss beating up on them at the end of the season.

NL West

The Giants need a banner year from their young catcher.

1. San Francisco (89-73) - Behind that strong three of Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner, the Giants will bounce back and have a strong season. But they're going to need a comeback from Buster Posey, and an MVP-type season from Pablo Sandoval.

2. Arizona (87-75) - The surprise of the National League last year, I think Arizona takes a step back this year. However, I think this is the team to take the West should the Giants stumble at all. They are the most balanced team in the division, top to bottom and Kirk Gibson is a rising star as a manager.

3. Los Angeles (83-79) - Give Magic Johnson two years, and the Dodgers will have the best team in the division. They are finally headed in the right direction after changing owners, and locking up All Star Matt Kemp for the future.

4. Colorado (77-85) - Everything hinges on that young rotation. If they take off, the Rockies have the offense to carry them into the playoffs. But if they pitch like the youngsters they are, it will be a long season in Denver.

5. San Diego (70-92) - Edinson Volquez gets the Opening Day start for the Pads. What does that say? They have issues in the rotation, but they are heading in the right direction, particularly in building around Yonder Alonso and Cameron Maybin.

*Denotes Wild Card

AL East

The East will have to get used to this stare all over again.

1. New York (95-67) - Year in, year out, they're the class of this division. Their could be some questions about this rotation, but if Pineda is healthy, and Pettitte gives them some nice innings, the Yanks have more than enough offense to make a deep run.

2. Tampa Bay (90-72)* - Best young pitching staff in the game, with three or four guys that could be aces on other teams. The offense is an annual question, but pitching, defense, and strong development will keep this franchise in it year after year.

3. Toronto (84-78) - The sexy pick of the American League, like the Nationals, I believe the Blue Jays are still a year away. There's a lot of star power developing in Toronto, though, and if they are start to have success, it's a big market city just waiting to explode.

4. Boston (81-81) - See Atlanta Braves. After an epic September collapse, new manager Bobby V has a lot of attitudes to change on this club. Not having good 4 and 5 starters in a tough division will kill this talented team, though.

5. Baltimore (72-90) - Anyone else feel like people have been saying the Orioles are ready to break out for, oh, the last six or seven years? There's a lot of former big time prospects on this team, but they've never been able to put it all together.

AL Central

Looks weird, doesn't it? Tigers fans aren't complaining.

1. Detroit (91-71) - Easily the best team in the division without Prince Fielder. With Prince? The Tigers will clinch the division by the end of April.

2. Cleveland (79-83) - They surprised a lot of teams last season by hanging around for a long time. In the end, Cleveland fans got what they are always used to - disappointment. Now, everything hinges on that deal they made for Ubaldo Jimenez. If he finds his 2010 form, the Indians will be fine. If he doesn't, they may have mortgaged the franchise.

3. Kansas City (76-86) - At long last, the talented Royals are finally arriving to the big leagues. Led by Eric Hosmer, this team has a chance to contend maybe into August, before they fall off. For the first time in a long time, though, there's finally some hope in KC.

4. Minnesota (73-89) - The M&M boys used to be the toast of the American League, as they bashed their way to division title after division title. Now, they're struggling to stay on the field. That and a lack of quality players around them, and the Twins have really fallen off.

5. Chicago (73-89) - The Sox were always a trendy pick to win the Central, but a lot of bad contracts have sunk this team, just like their counterparts on the North Side. Adam Dunn can't be that bad again, can he? At least there's always Paul Konerko to root for.

AL West

El Hombre has a new zip code, but he's still the best in the
business.

1. Los Angeles (90-72) - Albert Pujols, plus that rotation of Weaver, Haren, Wilson, and Santana, means the Angels are the new favorite in the West. And that budding rivalry with Texas is going to be fun to watch. 

2. Texas (88-74)* - Call me crazy, but the addition of Yu Darvish doesn't do anything for me. I don't think he's better than CJ Wilson. The Angels passed the Rangers over night in the West.

3. Oakland (68-94) - A couple of years ago, it looked like they were building the kind of staff that could keep them in races for years. And then they traded them all away. Remind me again why Hollywood made a movie about Billy Beane?

4. Seattle (64-98) - Jesus Montero and Dustin Ackley might be future superstars for the Mariners. But they're still going to need a lot of other talented hitters to find any semblance of an offense in Seattle.

*Denotes Wild Card

I hesitate to give World Series pick, in lieu of the fact that it's hard enough to just pick a division winner. As always, however, it will come down to whatever team can ride a hot finish into the playoffs. The one thing that could be different this year is that the Wild Card teams will have already spent their ace in a one game playoff. That makes a huge difference for some teams. But it is rare that you ever see the best team in either league win it all, and that follows suit again this year. I like strong rotations in the playoffs, though. Give me the Angels, as Albert thumbs his nose at the Cardinals, winning a World Series away from St. Louis.