We sat there, mouths agape, not believing what we were seeing.
Cardinals leaping for joy, our beloved Phillies' season, and Ryan Howard's Achilles, in tattered shreds. A 102-win season, for naught. Losing to the eventual World Champions was of little consolation, just as falling to the Giants a year earlier wasn't any better. Just ask Texas.
Alas, the grass is again green, the air is fresh and once again -- it's baseball season!
Without further adieu, our 2012 MLB Predictions:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
West
4) Seattle Mariners
The two big boys on the block loaded up and there's just not much for fans here to hope for. Besting Oakland would be considered a success. Houston can't get here soon enough.
3) Oakland Athletics
Moneyball works when the big money resides outside of your division. At least then, you have a shot at the postseason. Sadly for the A's, their schedule is littered with Rangers and Angels.
2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Albert Pujols was the most sought-after free agent this past winter for a reason. He is still in his prime and is one hell of an improvement over Mark Trumbo. CJ Wilson brings them another solid, if to our view a bit overrated, arm. Still, we just don't think they have enough to reclaim the division and, sadly, will also fall just a game or two short of the Wild Card.
1) Texas Rangers
Still the best in the division. We're not convinced Neftali Feliz can make the transition to stater but even if he fails, that just makes an excellent bullpen a scary-good one. The Rangers will enter the postseason as the number one seed, thanks to the Beasts of the East pummeling each other all summer.
Central
5) Chicago White Sox
This team is in full rebuild mode (seriously -- does one guy in that picture look happy to be there?) and will only be entertaining insomuch as the rest of their division is not very talented. As a result, their record will look better than it should. The big question: can Adam Dunn hit his weight? Can he hit his bat's weight?
4) Minnesota Twins
They've been doing it with smoke and mirrors for twenty years now and this year will be another rough one, until they can get some reinforcements from the farm. Third place would not be out of the realm of possibility but nothing better.
3) Kansas City Royals
The Royals are the trendy pic this year to make the move to the First Division. We think they're still a year away, though we do love that ASG logo.
2) Cleveland Indians
Kind of by default, the Indians are the second-best team in this division. There's no way they win it and we don't see anyone passing them. So here they are.
1) Detroit Tigers
If the Detroit Tigers do not win this division in a stroll, something very, very bad happened. They will enter the playoffs as the number two seed.
East
5) Baltimore Orioles
Yes, they still play baseball in Baltimore. Seriously. And, almost as if to acknowledge how much of a joke they are, they brought back this. Ridiculous.
4) Toronto Blue Jays
It'll be a lot closer than usual and the Canadians won't fall from the race until early September. But in the end, the three teams atop this division just have too much. They get our most improved though, simply for returning to this!
3) New York Yankees
We're not sold on their rotation and aging infield. They'll still be the Yankees but the two teams above them have anger and talent on their side. Still -- and as much as we hate picking three teams from the same division to make the playoffs -- the Yankees will enter the postseason as the number 5 seed and second Wild Card team.
2) Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox under performed last season and people lost their jobs. It will not happen again. There is simply too much talent on this roster for them not to win their division -- except they won't. Bobby V will be just what they needed but they will still fall a game short of the division title, a game ahead of The Empire and take the first Wild Card slot and 4th seed headed into the postseason.
1) Tampa Bay Rays
Simply put, this is a rock-solid baseball club from top to bottom, with arguably the best manager in the Majors. They will win the division and enter the playoffs as the 3 seed. If only they could swing a deal with the Yankees to play their home games at Tampa's Legends Field, instead of the Trop.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
West
5) San Diego Padres
For a bad team, the Pads will be entertaining and they will revel in the role of the September spoiler. This may very well be the best last-place team in baseball.
4) Colorado Rockies
The middle of this division is really a toss-up and, although we don't think of the Rockies as a 4th place team, there's nowhere else to put them, given our reasoning for the other teams. We're very pleased to see Jamie Moyer make the rotation though, as they break camp.
3) Arizona Diamondbacks
Teams that make a huge leap invariably take a step back. Normally this would be to second place. But we have a sneaking suspicion...
2) Los Angeles Dodgers
The McCourt mess is over and there is Magic in the air! The talent was not the undoing of thie team the last few years -- it was the turmoil. A solid talent base paired with what we guarantee will be a major deal at the trade deadline will send the boys in blue back in the direction they're used to. While we're not making the call, we'd not be surprised to see them win the division.
1) San Francisco Giants
You don't bet against superb pitching. Not in the regular season. We have the Giants entering the postseason as the 1 seed.
Central
6) Houston Astros
Because they cannot finish 7th.
5) Chicago Cubs
Because Theo can't hit. Or catch. Or run.
4) Pittsburgh Pirates
Another trendy pick for breakout, we'll consider a .500 season a success here and have them penciled in as dangerous in 2014, if they stick to the plan and don't get greedy.
3) Milwaukee Brewers
Losing Prince and residual Brauntosterone will be enough to assail their division aspirations but they'll still be a good ballclub.
2) St. Louis Cardinals
Despite losing Pujols and Tony LaRusa, this is still the second-best team in the division, which probably speaks more to the division than them. Still, the Cardinals are always in the hunt.
1) Cincinnati Reds
Last season's step back behind them, they will ride their young core to their second division championship in three years, entering the postseason as the 3 seed.
EAST
5) New York Mets
It will be a long summer in Flushing, as the Mets play division whipping boy.
4) Washington Nationals
Still a year away, the Nats will be vastly improved and will end the season ramping up toward contention in 2013.
3) Atlanta Braves
Much like the Cardinals, the Braves are a team that just does it the right way and is always within striking distance. They'll lose a tiebreaker to enter the postseason as the 5th seed, second wild card.
2) Miami Marlins
New stadium, new unis (the M is way too big on the caps but overall, we love the new look) and even a new name. The Marlins will take a huge step forward in what is now a loaded division. They don't have enough to take it yet but they're getting there. They will head to the playoffs as the 4 seed and first wild card.
1) Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies will win their 6th consecutive division title but it will be a lot closer this time. Ryan Howard will take a good three months to get back to his normal self and Chase Utley may never do so. Still, with Halliday, Lee, Hammels, Worley and Blanton on the hill, there's just too much talent here for anyone else in the division to overcome. Surviving early injuries and a bloodbath of a division race, the Phils will enter the playoffs as the second seed.
What does it all mean, you ask? Well...
AL WILD CARD
Boston Red Sox over New York Yankees
AL DIVISION SERIES:
Texas Rangers over Boston Red Sox
Detroit Tigers over Tampa Bay Rays
ALCS
Taking away the difficulty of a team winning three consecutive pennants and going with the teams themselves, we gotta go with
Texas Rangers over Detroit Tigers
NL WILD CARD
Atlanta Braves over Miami Marlins
NL DIVISION SERIES
Atlanta Braves over San Franciso Giants
Philadelphia Phillies over Cincinnati Reds
NLCS
Philadelphia Phillies* over Atlanta Braves
*If Utley never comes back full strength, Galvis can't hit and Mayberry can't make the Next Step, this prediction will look very foolish.
WORLD SERIES
Texas Rangers over Philadelphia Phillies, in 7.
Third time's a charm and their superior offense will be the difference.
Play ball!
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