2017 MLB Baseball

[capable_keL]

if that doesn't get you excited, you have no soul

[Ramen]

Dodgers taking it this year

[Dwight Strawberry]

Ah…the joys of Spring. Flowers bloom, warmer days are ahead, and the crack of baseball bats can be heard throughout Florida and Arizona. Yes my friends, Spring Training games have begun and the 2017 baseball season is upon us. So, what does a baseball nerd like me do every season around this time? I write up my annual preseason baseball predictions post of course! In October I’ll look back on this and be horribly incorrect, but hey, I find this shit fun. So, here we go…

AL East
1. Boston Red Sox – The addition of Chris Sale to their rotation will pay huge dividends. While Big Papi will be missed, they still have enough talent in this lineup to manufacture runs. Betts/Bogaerts/Bradley is the youth movement, and the veteran leadership of Pedroia and Hanley should suit them well. I think they take the division fairly easily.
2. Toronto Blue Jays* – The only real threat I see to the Red Sox. Yes, they lost Edwin, but replaced his bat with Moralas…not a huge drop off. They need more pitching depth IMO. If they can acquire an ace at the trade deadline, they can be dangerous. I’m calling Wild Card for now.
3. Baltimore Orioles – They will score runs for sure, but I see a pitching staff littered with holes. If they hang around and make some moves at the deadline, they could be a dark horse to take the AL East.
4. New York Yankees – The Yankees youth movement is here. That hasn’t been said for some time huh! While there remains a few veterans, they are clearly building for the future with guys like Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, and Greg Bird. Due to some smart deals in 2016, they also boast a top 5 farm system. The Yankees might come up short in 2017, but things are looking up in the near future.
5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays – I think their pitching staff will do well, keep them in games. At the end of the day though they are going to have a tough time scoring runs in a division full of teams with above average offenses.

AL Central
1. Cleveland Indians – They came up 1 win short. They blew a 3-1 WS lead. They are going to kill it again in 2017. Give em the AL Central title now, and let’s see what they can do in the Playoffs again
2. Detroit Tigers – These guys always seem to be a day late and a dollar short. I see the same shit in 2017. They will win games. They will flirt with the Wild Card. They will be playing golf in October.
3. Kansas City Royals – Here is where the AL Central drops off. The Royals had their shine in 2015 but dropped off a cliff in 2016. I see an even bigger cliff in 2017. RIP Yordano Ventura
4. Chicago White Sox – They got 2 of the top prospects in baseball this past off season. Bad news is their team pretty much sucks balls for 2017.
5. Minnesota Twins – Yeah, the Twins. They’re going to continue to lose a lot of games. I feel like all of their prospects have busted more than Ron Jeremy in the 1980’s. You’ll always have Kirby Puckett!

AL West
1. Houston Astros – Fun team right here. Most competitive division in the AL if you ask me. This lineup is going to give opposing teams nightmares. Pitching is the key to their success.
2. Texas Rangers* – Another stacked lineup. If Yu Darvish stays healthy, him and Cole Hamels should run game like Corey Haim and Corey Feldman circa 1988. Taking Wild Card.
3. Seattle Mariners – Can also compete for the AL West crown. Another deep lineup with a slightly above average pitching staff. The key is King Felix.
4. LA Angels – Poor Mike Trout. This kid needs to be traded to a contender. Angels are gonna suck shit.
5. Oakland A’s – A’s are gonna suck more shit than the Angels though!

NL East
1. New York Mets – Would you really expect me to pick anyone else? In all seriousness, if the pitching staff can stay healthy, they are a top 3 team in baseball. I’m looking forward to a great season. LET’S FUCKING GO!
2. Washington Nationals* – It’s going to come down to Washington or NY for the East. Can Murphy have another season like 2016? Is Trea Turner really this good? Will Harper rebound to 2015 performance? It’s going to be a tight race.
3. Atlanta Braves – The Braves have made some under the radar moves to help them win some games for their inaugural year at their new stadium, SunTrust Park. Seeing Bartolo and Dickey in Braves uniforms will sting a bit. They might flirt with .500 for now, but they do have a top farm system.
4. Miami Marlins – RIP Jose Fernandez  It’s going to impact and set them back quite a bit. He was a special talent. The hope this season is the rumors are true and Loria is selling the team.
5. Philadelphia Phillies – The shackles of the Ryan Howard contract are finally broken! Now what?

NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs – 108 years down the shitter! Congrats Cubbies! This team is built to sustain winning for the foreseeable future. How do you not love this Anthony Rizzo kid! Lock em in for NL Central title.
2. St. Louis Cardinals – They’re the Cardinals…they always find ways to win and develop players. Flirt with the Wild Card they will.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates – They went from 98 wins in 2015 to 78 in 2016. Things were looking so up, then went so down. A rebound could happen. They need bounce back seasons from McCutchen and Cole and a bomb to go off in Wrigley Field to win the NL Central though.
4. Milwaukee Brewers – I feel like the Brewers have pretty much sucked since I fell in love with baseball in 1985. OH YEAH! They pretty much have! I do have a dope Robin Yount Rookie Card though.
5. Cincinnati Reds – The only good thing I can say about the Cincinnati Red is…well, nothing.

NL West
1. LA Dodgers – A lot of people are riding the SF Giants cocks for the NL West. I say fuck them! The Dodgers are as solid of a team as anyone heading into 2017. I see an NL West title.
2. SF Giants* – It’s an odd year. They might even finish behind the Rockies! I’ll give em the Wild Card though.
3. Colorado Rockies – Ok, this might sound crazy, but this is my NL Dark Horse. Their offense is going to be pretty damn good. Adding Ian Desmond, getting Trevor Story back, Aranado, CarGo, etc. They are going to score a ton of runs. Problem is their pitching staff is going to post a 5.00 EAR and close to a 1.5 WHIP. They need shit to break right. If it does, they might just sneak into the playoffs.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks – Give the Rockies the Dbacks pitching staff, and you have a hell of a team. I don’t see them having a great season though.
5. San Diego Padres – I mean, at least the weather in San Diego is always beautiful. Outside of that, their football team split town and their baseball team sucks more cocks than a….ok, I’ll be nice…


AL Wild Cards: Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers
NL Wild Cards: Washington Nationals and SF Giants

AL Champions: Houston Astros
NL Champions: New York Mets

World Series Champions: NEW YORK METS!!!!!!

AL MVP: Mookie Betts
NL MVP: Corey Seager

AL Cy Young: Yu Darvish
NL Cy Young: Noah Syndergaard

AL ROY: Andrew Benintendi
NL ROY: Dansby Swanson

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Garrett Richards
NL Comeback Player of the Year: Andrew McCutchen

So there it is everyone, my 2017 MLB prediction write up. The New York Mets will be your 2017 World Series Champions and all will be right in the world. Enjoy the upcoming season!

[Homer Simpson]

[capable_keL]

[Myjah]

Hell yeah 30 year anniversary of the 1987 Twins baby wooo!!!!

[capable_keL]

holy shit we're old

[WiCkEd22]

Dodgers taking it this year

[WiCkEd22]

It's Opening Day for SF GIANTS Baseball. Got the Brats goin and it's a beautiful day...

[Philaflava]

Bum is your best bat on the team and I'm not even joking.

[WiCkEd22]

Bum is your best bat on the team and I'm not even joking.

How crazy is it that he hit 2 HR's today? Too bad our bullpen blew it again. smfh

[capable_keL]

What a great day

[GUCCI CONDOMS]

It's Opening Day for SF GIANTS Baseball. Got the Brats goin and it's a beautiful day...

That struggle TV tho...

[capable_keL]

Shohei Ohtani—Japan's Babe Ruth—is about to change the face of baseball

Shohei Ohtani boasts a higher strikeout rate than Clayton Kershaw and better home run rate than Bryce Harper. The question now is: Which big league team will let him play both ways?

[alpha]

retards saying he won't be able to play two ways here. only teams that will have a chance to sign him will let him play.

[WiCkEd22]

Here we go, Giants home opener. Got the Brats ready to go and sippin on a nice Irish Style Red Ale...

[Myjah]

Byron Buxton can stop striking out any time now...

[capable_keL]

it saul good; we got robbie grossman!

[Tommy Bunz]

retards saying he won't be able to play two ways here. only teams that will have a chance to sign him will let him play.

He won't though. Bat is overhyped. Ace pitcher in MLB who could be a Bumgardner-type in the NL, murdering mistake fastballs and shit.

[Tommy Bunz]

Thames going HAM

[capable_keL]

Thames...a good prospect, is coming out of nowhere to knock big league pitching around like he's in single A ball

sign me up

[alpha]

retards saying he won't be able to play two ways here. only teams that will have a chance to sign him will let him play.

He won't though. Bat is overhyped. Ace pitcher in MLB who could be a Bumgardner-type in the NL, murdering mistake fastballs and shit.

Agree to disagree. Everything I've read he's pretty adamant on hitting. Did you read the SI article? Should be fun either way, looks like he'll be here in 2018

[Tommy Bunz]

He wants to hit, most of the scouts I respect the most don't think he's good enough to be a full-time hitter in the MLB. Which I why I think he'll end up in the NL where he can still hit every 5 days.

[capable_keL]

5. Minnesota Twins – Yeah, the Twins. They’re going to continue to lose a lot of games. I feel like all of their prospects have busted more than Ron Jeremy in the 1980’s. You’ll always have Kirby Puckett!


NL East
1. New York Mets – Would you really expect me to pick anyone else? In all seriousness, if the pitching staff can stay healthy, they are a top 3 team in baseball. I’m looking forward to a great season. LET’S FUCKING GO!

I feel like you got these two takes mixed up

[capable_keL]

Mark MF Reynolds!!!!

[alpha]

Giants already done, how sad. Didn't see Toronto falling off so fast either

[capable_keL]

Giants already done, how sad. Didn't see Toronto falling off so fast either

No team is done in May. The Mets and Giants fans need to RELAX.

BUT..... What happened to Jose Bautista? Chris Davis??

I would like to read Myjah's write up about Jose Abreu contrasted with Miguel Sano.




Is anyone enjoying this season ?

[Myjah]

HOW ABOUT THOSE FIRST PLACE TWINS!?!?!

MIGUEL SANO, BABY! WOOO!!!!!!!!!

[Myjah]

retards saying he won't be able to play two ways here. only teams that will have a chance to sign him will let him play.

He probably won't. Teams don't usually do this because of the $$$ risk and injury hazard. He could be appealing as a hitter in the NL tho.

[capable_keL]

with the first pick, the minnesota twins select....