It’s an interesting year for predictions, I think. Ohtani, a lock for MVP when healthy, won’t even be in that discussion; this year’s rookie crop is decidedly less glamorous than 2023’s; the Rays…always there is the question of what to make of the Rays…the Rangers and Astros both have plenty of firepower and question marks in the rotations…both Central divisions feature intriguing dark horses and (unless you believe in the Twins) no real powers… Who freaking knows!?
AL EAST: Orioles
AL CENTRAL: Tigers
AL WEST: Astros
AL WC #1: Rangers
AL WC #2: Blue Jays
AL WC #3: Rays
AL MVP: Vlad Guerrero
AL CY: George Kirby
AL ROY: Colt Keith
An avowed Twins atheist, I am most sneakily thrilled by my Tigers prediction. 1. They ended their playoff losing streak, that’s in the bag, now it’s time for the Twins to have some starting pitcher injuries to go along with their usual backlog of position player misfortunes; 2. the Tigers have quietly accumulated rather a mass of young talent, a managerial situation A.J. Hinch has found himself in before. I see echoes of the Astros’ 2015 in Detroit. (The Astros won a wild card in '14, not the division, but I suspect that those Rangers were better than these injury-decimated Twins.) I’m also writing a ticket for Toronto to the playoffs, somewhat on inertia (every year I do this), but also because I think a couple years of age and losing will have seasoned their core beneficially.
I’m bored by my repeat-Acuna pick, and I certainly empathize with the MVP-buzz around the superlative Mookie, but Acuna’s legs and home-run power are just so flipping good.
We did AL and NL divisions the last two weeks and do awards and postseason predictions tonight. Will be released tomorrow, usually around noon. Cohost is Chase, the guy who joined our fantasy league this year.
I’d love nothing more, but in a league where the field includes Trout, Rodriguez, Judge, Soto, Guerrero, Witt, and Ramirez (just to name a few that spring to mind), it seems pretty far-fetched.