6 Bold MLB Predictions

The Docs Get a Little Crazy and Predict the Future

6 Bold Predictions for 2010.

NL East: John Smoltz Rejoins the Braves

After some Braves pitchers go down with injury, the team fills the void with future HOFer John Smoltz. While starting when he arrives in Atlanta, Smoltz finishes the season in the Braves pen, giving the Braves another veteran closer to rely on.

With Smoltz help, the Braves win the Wild Card and finally return to October. The team overcomes the Phillies for the NL Pennant, but eventually falls short in the World Series.

After returning to the playoffs, Smoltz, Chipper and Bobby Cox all call it a career. The three good friends make plans to meet up in Cooperstown five years later.

NL Central: Alcides Escobar Wins Rookie of the Year

Jason Heyward, Stephen Strasburg, Aroldis Chapman, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Pedro Alvarez.

Despite being one of two players on this list with a guaranteed starting job, Escobar has been overshadowed by many other rookies.
But hype doesn’t always win out. Escobar builds on his strong MLB play last year to edge out Jason Heyward for NL Rookie of the Year.
When Rickie Weeks struggles (which would be the opposite of a bold prediction) Escobar is moved atop the Brewers order. Hitting over .300 while stealing 40 bases, Escobar is among the league leaders in runs with Braun and Fielder hitting behind him.

NL West: Matt Kemp wins MVP

Continuing his rapid ascent to stardom, Kemp ends the year as baseball’s first 40/40 player since Alfonso Soriano in 2006.
Reaching his full power potential, Kemp manages to reach the 40 homer mark for the first time. He also steals 42 bases (eight more than last year). With a 300+ batting average and well over 100 RBI, Kemp wins MVP.

Despite Kemp’s extraordinary year, the Dodgers miss out on the playoffs due to a poor performance from their starting rotation.

AL East: Rays trade Carl Crawford, Still Make Playoffs

Knowing that they have little chance to keep Carl Crawford following the 2010 season, the Rays make a deadline deal to send him away for more prospects.

Although the Rays are behind both the Red Sox and Yankees in the standings, they eventually rally into the Wild Card spot, led by Crawford’s replacement, Desmond Jennings.

Jennings, a prospect in the same mold as Crawford, excels in his first MLB season. Coupled with Jeremy Hellickson, the Rays begin another youth movement which leads them back to October.

AL Central: Francisco Liriano Competes for the Cy Young, But Loses to Jake Peavy

Remember when Liriano burst onto the scene in 2006 with a 2.16 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 121 innings pitched. Well if his spring was any indication, we might finally get to see the 2006 version of Liriano again.
I see Liriano putting up a 2.90 ERA this year while striking out 200+ batters if he stays in the rotation all year.

Now think back to 2007, the last season that Jake Peavy made more than 30 starts. That year, he won the pitching Triple Crown while posting 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts.

I also see Peavy returning to his old form in 2010, posting numbers very similar to Liriano. In the end, the White Sox win the division, and a higher win total might give the Cy Young to Peavy.

AL West: The Mariners Record Doesn’t Improve Despite Off-Season Additions

Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins were brought in Seattle to make the Mariners competitors, but I still think this team is far behind the Angels and Rangers.

Last year, the Mariners got extremely lucky, winning 85 games despite posting a run differential of -52. The expected record for a team with that run differential is 75-87.

In 2009, Lee and Figgins had WARs of 6.6 and 6.1, respectively. Their combined WAR of 12.7 is less than 10 above the players that they are replacing (Adrian Beltre and a number of pitchers who made starts in 2010). That, coupled with Russell Branyan departing (and being replaced with the much worse Casey Kotchman), leaves the Mariners a team that should improve by 5-7 wins in 2010.

Assuming that the Mariners have neutral luck (which would have led to a 75-87 record in 2009), they will finish this season around .500, possibly below it. Even with a small amount of good luck, the Mariners will be hard pressed to reach the 85 wins that they had in 2009.

Brett Kettyle

The Docs Get a Little Crazy and Predict the Future April 12, 2010 – Brett Kettyle 6 Bold Predictions for 2010. NL East: John Smoltz Rejoins the Braves After some Braves pitchers go down with injury, the team fills the void with future HOFer John Smoltz. While starting when he arrives in Atlanta, Smoltz finishes [...]