By Blake Monachino Edited by Peter Cordi
AMERICAN LEAGUE:
AL East:
For the past couple years, the American League East has been considered the best division in baseball, yet it never lived up to the expectations. With that being said, this year the division is not being overhyped as they usually are. Last season, the Baltimore Orioles won the division with ease. This season, the Boston Red Sox have as good a chance as any to place above the Orioles in the standings and take back the title. Expect the Red Sox to win anywhere from 90-100 games with the new additions to the team. The Sox are also showing great chemistry with Ortiz, Ramirez, and Sandoval "Los tres amigos" forming an MLB “big 3”. It will not be an easy division title for the Sox, however. The Orioles will give them a run for their money and will make it a challenge, but expect the Red Sox to win it at the end of the season. As for the rest of the American League East, the only other team that could have a chance to do better than average is the Blue Jays. They added a couple pieces in the offseason to try and help them win. Expect the team to finish around .500 or 81 wins. Both the Rays and Yankees will struggle this season and will not do very well. The Rays traded Price at the deadline and was a major blow to the team. The Yankees lost Derek "the captain" Jeter retired after an amazing career and A-rod came back. That will cause locker room cancer that will stop the Yankees from playing to their potential.
AL Central:
Last season, the Detroit Tigers were the team that won the division. The Royals and Indians gave them a challenge near the season ending. The Tigers are the favorites to win the division this year after trading for Yoenis Cespedes from the Red Sox. David Price, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, and Alfredo Simon will lead the Tigers to win about 95 games and capture the division with ease. The Chicago WhiteSox made some big moves this offseason including adding Jeff Samarjizda. The Cleveland Indians are an up-and-coming team lead by Terry Francona. At the trade deadline last year, they made some moves and helped improve the team. It will be a competition between the Indians and WhiteSox for second place and maybe even a Wildcard playoff spot. The Kansas City Royals did make it to the World Series last year, but they did it with some luck and heating up at the end of the season. They will definitely not have as great of a season especially after losing Billy Butler. The Twins will surely show improvement, but will still be the bottom of the division yet again.
AL West:
For most of the season last year, this division was a big fight between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angles of Annaheim. Although the competition slowed down after the trade deadline (for example, after trading away letter fielder Yoenis Cespedes), The A's continued trading away players in the offseason and dealt 5 of their 7 players that made the all-star team the previous season. The Angles will win the division with ease this season and will notch about 90-95 wins, capturing a top AL seed. As for second place, it will be a race between the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers, but the Mariners will ended up with the two spot. Although the A's traded away a lot of talent, they will do better than the Astros and avoid dwelling at last place in the division.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL East:
Last season, the Nationals destroyed this division. They beat the second place Braves for first by 17 games and never felt a threat from any other divisional team. Since last season, not much has happened in this division except for the Nationals adding pitching in Max Scherzer. With that being said, the division won't change much and the Nats will be celebrating another divisional title. The Braves will yet again come in last in the division and the Mets will come in third. The Marlins and Phillies will again be in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
NL Central:
This is a division that has more talent in it than a normal division should. Last season, there were three teams that finished above .500, and two legit playoff contenders from the NL Central. The Cardinals yet again have the best chance of winning the division as long as they stay healthy. The Cubs had a big offseason, adding starting pitcher Jon Lester and a couple other key pieces. They will take second place in the division and might even steal a playoff spot. The Pirates will take second if the Cubs don't, but will probably end up at third in the division. The Brewers showed flashes, at points last season, of a winning team, but they just aren't good enough. The Reds, needing improvement, did nothing this offseason and will have yet another disappointing year. It will be between the Reds and Brewers for last place in the NL Central
NL West:
This division, like the NL Central, has a lot of talent. This is the hardest division to predict because it could come down to one injury to change everything around. Last season, the Dodgers won it over the Giants (who went on to win the World Series yet again). In the offseason, the Padres added key players including outfielders Matt Kemp and Will Myers. With no major injuries, the Giants will win the division over the Dodgers and Padres, but not by much. The Dodgers will get second place but will most likely make the playoffs. The Padres will be close behind and might also be able to get a playoff spot, and if not, they won't be far behind. The Rockies and Diamondbacks made almost no moves and probably won't improve from previous years. It will be one of them placing last in the west.
AMERICAN LEAGUE:
AL East:
For the past couple years, the American League East has been considered the best division in baseball, yet it never lived up to the expectations. With that being said, this year the division is not being overhyped as they usually are. Last season, the Baltimore Orioles won the division with ease. This season, the Boston Red Sox have as good a chance as any to place above the Orioles in the standings and take back the title. Expect the Red Sox to win anywhere from 90-100 games with the new additions to the team. The Sox are also showing great chemistry with Ortiz, Ramirez, and Sandoval "Los tres amigos" forming an MLB “big 3”. It will not be an easy division title for the Sox, however. The Orioles will give them a run for their money and will make it a challenge, but expect the Red Sox to win it at the end of the season. As for the rest of the American League East, the only other team that could have a chance to do better than average is the Blue Jays. They added a couple pieces in the offseason to try and help them win. Expect the team to finish around .500 or 81 wins. Both the Rays and Yankees will struggle this season and will not do very well. The Rays traded Price at the deadline and was a major blow to the team. The Yankees lost Derek "the captain" Jeter retired after an amazing career and A-rod came back. That will cause locker room cancer that will stop the Yankees from playing to their potential.
AL Central:
Last season, the Detroit Tigers were the team that won the division. The Royals and Indians gave them a challenge near the season ending. The Tigers are the favorites to win the division this year after trading for Yoenis Cespedes from the Red Sox. David Price, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, and Alfredo Simon will lead the Tigers to win about 95 games and capture the division with ease. The Chicago WhiteSox made some big moves this offseason including adding Jeff Samarjizda. The Cleveland Indians are an up-and-coming team lead by Terry Francona. At the trade deadline last year, they made some moves and helped improve the team. It will be a competition between the Indians and WhiteSox for second place and maybe even a Wildcard playoff spot. The Kansas City Royals did make it to the World Series last year, but they did it with some luck and heating up at the end of the season. They will definitely not have as great of a season especially after losing Billy Butler. The Twins will surely show improvement, but will still be the bottom of the division yet again.
AL West:
For most of the season last year, this division was a big fight between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angles of Annaheim. Although the competition slowed down after the trade deadline (for example, after trading away letter fielder Yoenis Cespedes), The A's continued trading away players in the offseason and dealt 5 of their 7 players that made the all-star team the previous season. The Angles will win the division with ease this season and will notch about 90-95 wins, capturing a top AL seed. As for second place, it will be a race between the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers, but the Mariners will ended up with the two spot. Although the A's traded away a lot of talent, they will do better than the Astros and avoid dwelling at last place in the division.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL East:
Last season, the Nationals destroyed this division. They beat the second place Braves for first by 17 games and never felt a threat from any other divisional team. Since last season, not much has happened in this division except for the Nationals adding pitching in Max Scherzer. With that being said, the division won't change much and the Nats will be celebrating another divisional title. The Braves will yet again come in last in the division and the Mets will come in third. The Marlins and Phillies will again be in the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
NL Central:
This is a division that has more talent in it than a normal division should. Last season, there were three teams that finished above .500, and two legit playoff contenders from the NL Central. The Cardinals yet again have the best chance of winning the division as long as they stay healthy. The Cubs had a big offseason, adding starting pitcher Jon Lester and a couple other key pieces. They will take second place in the division and might even steal a playoff spot. The Pirates will take second if the Cubs don't, but will probably end up at third in the division. The Brewers showed flashes, at points last season, of a winning team, but they just aren't good enough. The Reds, needing improvement, did nothing this offseason and will have yet another disappointing year. It will be between the Reds and Brewers for last place in the NL Central
NL West:
This division, like the NL Central, has a lot of talent. This is the hardest division to predict because it could come down to one injury to change everything around. Last season, the Dodgers won it over the Giants (who went on to win the World Series yet again). In the offseason, the Padres added key players including outfielders Matt Kemp and Will Myers. With no major injuries, the Giants will win the division over the Dodgers and Padres, but not by much. The Dodgers will get second place but will most likely make the playoffs. The Padres will be close behind and might also be able to get a playoff spot, and if not, they won't be far behind. The Rockies and Diamondbacks made almost no moves and probably won't improve from previous years. It will be one of them placing last in the west.