Twins/MLB Predictions

Twins: 89-73

This club should make a slight improvement over last year. They overachieved last year, and benefited from a woeful crop of AL teams, but instead of just standing pat they actually made some significant improvements. 6 weeks of no Santana and half a season of no Polanco (who was garbage until August last year anyway) will hurt a little, but they should be able to at minimum hang in the wild card race all season. A full season of good Buxton would be huge. Dozier and Mauer are both in contract years, so you know they will both be good. Besides Castro the lineup should be potent. Pair that with a still not stellar but certainly improved pitching staff  and about 37% of your schedule being against the White Sox, Royals and Tigers, and this should be a wild card team.

League predictions:

AL EAST:
1. Yankees
2. Red Sox
3. Blue Jays
4. Orioles
5. Rays

It hurts, but the Yankees are going to probably run away with things. Boston is still loaded enough to get a wild card. Tampa may lose 110. In between are a couple of fringe contenders.

AL CENTRAL:
1. Indians
2. Twins
3. White Sox
4. Royals
5. Tigers

Twins are better, but that's a 17 game gap with Cleveland that needs closing. White Sox are a year or 2 away. Royals are on the way down. And, uh, good luck Gardy.

AL WEST:
1. Astros
2. Angels
3. Rangers
4. Mariners
5. Athletics

Astros win a world series, then add Cole and have 6 months of Verlander. They'll run away with the division. Angels will be in the wild card mix for sure. After that there's the okay Rangers, and the Mariners who never live up to the hype. And the A's are the A's.

NL EAST:
1. Nationals
2. Braves
3. Mets
4. Phillies
5. Marlins

Again the Nats should win this easily. Marlins will be a disaster. In between those 3 teams could finish in any order, and none are much of a playoff threat.

NL CENTRAL:
1. Cubs
2. Brewers
3. Cardinals
4. Reds
5. Pirates

Cubs were due for a world series hangover, but they are the class of the division for sure once again. Brewers are gonna be pretty good. Cards are always going to at least be in the mix. Reds avoid the cellar cause the Pirates have been stripped bare with more to come.

NL WEST:
1. Dodgers
2. Giants
3. Diamondbacks
4. Rockies
5. Padres

Dodgers due for a slight step back but should still win baseball's best top to bottom division. Giants bounce back (it IS an even year) although the offense might have to carry them this time. D'Backs and Rockies are both good, and will be in the WC mix. Padres will be the best last place team in baseball, which is...something.

PLAYOFFS:

AL Wild Card Game: Red Sox over Twins (cause it'll probably be at Fenway)
NL Wild Card Game: Brewers over Giants

ALDS: Yankees over Red Sox, Astros over Indians
NLDS: Nationals over Brewers, Cubs over Dodgers

ALCS: Yankees over Astros
NLCS: Cubs over Nationals

World Series: Yankees over Cubs

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