2015 Predictions/Season Preview Post...

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Who said anything about KoZ being a genius?

[nick]

All things considered, I think perf's a good GM, regardless of the fact that he has a better financial situation than everyone to work with or not.

It doesn't hurt to have all of that flexibility though.







~gimme a smoot~

[cjkalt]

I wonder if the preseason predictions will be done before the postseason?

[Providence A's]

I wonder if the preseason predictions will be done before the postseason?

why don't you do your own since you keep asking for them?

And the Yankees never did well in TSSL because Dry/Buck weren't very active at all. If an active person took them, they would have done quite well because they were still raking in the dough with barely any activity.

[cjkalt]

AL EAST:
1. New York: 60's and 70's yanks back in action
2. Baltimore: Great starting, but can they find enough pen pieces?
3. Tampa Bay: Do they have the depth to compete with the top 2?
4. Toronto: Not as great as the top 3, but good enough the OOTP gods could get them in the playoffs
5. Boston: Not good enough to compete, not bad enough to be bad

CENTRAL:
1. Cleveland: Pitching isn't as good as Detroit, but pitching is available at the deadline, make a move and they'll win the division
2. Detroit: This could be one of the best division races in TPSL this year, could come down to the last sim
3. Chicago: Mediocre in every way
4. Kansas City: Has the most potential, but I'm going to give it one more year
5. Minnesota: The best thing they got in the off-season was a GM, now he'll have to draft like Theo Epstein to get this team competitive in the next 3 years

WEST:
1. OAK: I think they will win the bullpen battle eventually, but another neck-to-neck division race
2. LAA: Can they get a good enough bullpen to beat OAK? MR's could be in big demand at the deadline
3. Texas: Miguel Alvarez is too good for this team to be last
4. Seattle: TPSL would miss nothing if the team became extinct

NL EAST:
1. Atlanta: Harden + full year = division
2. Florida: Lots of power, but will it lead them to a playoff spot?
3. New York: Not a bad team, but not a good one either
4. Philadelphia: I am known as a mad man, but I got a gameplan and I'm implementing it, this year will be the same old, but we should see a turn around soon.
5. Washington: New GM, Same spot in the standings

CENTRAL:
1. Chicago: Can we have a Rule 5 draft to make the league more even?
2. Cincinnati: Who is at the backend?
3. Houston: Can the pitching hold up
4. Milwaukee: Hosmer is sick, SP's are there, but will the bullpen save games?
5. St. Louis: Old + Expensive = Long rebuilding project
6. Pittsburgh: Some things never change

WEST:
1. Los Angeles: Solid all around team, might be best division winning pen
2. Arizona: Another weak pen, bullpen arms will be in high demand
3. San Diego: Time for the young guys to put up or shut up
4. San Francisco: X-Factor, could steal a WC, or be in the race for #1 if he blows it up
5. Colorado: In 2018 this team could be good, but still got a few years left

AL Playoff Teams: New York, Baltimore (WC), Cleveland, Oakland
NL Playoff Teams: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida (WC)

NY over Cleveland
Baltimore over Oakland
Chicago over Florida
Atlanta over LAD

NY over Baltimore
Chicago over Atlanta

NY over Chicago

[ljshorty89]

Chicago to beat me again? Screw DMB, haha

[nick]

*Last Season's Records in Parenthesis*

AL East:
1. New York (A) (94-68, 1st)
2. Tampa Bay (77-85, 5th)
3. Baltimore (90-72, 3rd)
4. Toronto (91-72, 2nd)
5. Boston (84-78, 4th)

The AL East will easily be the powerhouse of TPSL this year. Every team could make the playoffs in another division, and it would not surprise me to see all 5 teams hovering around .500 or higher for the entire year.
The Yankees added top SP FA Johan Santana, while tossing around an extra 20mil for 2B Chase Utely. If Utely can fight age off for another year or two, he could potentially give them another power bat to pair with Dunn. Having Peavy for a full year, and getting a healthy Christian Garcia back to go along with their lineup makes them the early favorite to win the division if injuries can be avoided........ Tampa should be much improved to an already good core, with rookies Jake Turner, Nathan Bridges, & Clarence Willbanks looking to make an impact this year. Little moves like signing Travis Hafner could pay dividends as well...... Baltimore may have the best rotation in the league, but a lot of their success will rely on whether or not their rookies can succeed in full time roles, and if their bullpen can hold things together at the end of the game.It will be a close race between Tampa & Baltimore for the wildcard in my eyes, right to the end of the year........ Toronto still has a very solid team, but didn't do much in FA and may take a step back with other teams improving so much around them...... Boston seems to be in all out rebuilding mode, albeit having some nice pieces and probably could compete in a weaker division, but in the packed East looked destined for a last place finish and some sharp bumps....

AL Central
1. Detroit (86-76, 1st)
2. Cleveland 80-82, 2nd)
3. Kansas City (67-95, 5th)
4. Chicago (A) (74-88, 3rd)
5. Minnesota (74-88, 4th)

A complete mirror to the East, one of the weakest divisions in the league. Detroit remains the favorite here based on the fact that 90% of their team is returning, and they added the top 3B on the market. If he can succeed at the ML level it solves their 3B problem (which has been evident for a few seasons now) and gives their speedy lineup some much needed pop. Should score a lot of runs, which will anchor a nice starting staff. What it will come down to is how the bullpen performs....... Cleveland is the same story again: tons of talent, and could easily win the division depending on how things shake up. If everything clicks and runs on all cylinders, they could be a top AL team. Or they could finish 4th..... Kansas City made a lot of moves at the deadline last year, and some of these players should be ready to chip in this year. They look like a better team, and will be competitive, but I don't know if they can win the divison this year.. still a very young, inexperienced squad...... CHA had a ton of salary space, and could have very well been aggressive enough on the FA market to win a weak division like the central, but seems to be rebuilding. Could still surprise some people, and has some nice pieces. Not a slouch team........ Minnesota, what can I say. New management is in place, and they can only get better from here.

AL West
1. Los Angeles (A) (94-68, 1st)
2. Oakland (92-71, 2nd +WC)
3. Seattle (58-104, 4th)
4. Texas (74-88, 3rd)

Two-team race between LA & OAK should be a good battle, but I'd be surprised if either TEX or SEA come close to topping LA or OAK by season's end. The Angels might have the best 1-9 in baseball, and have an absolute murderers row 4-7 to compliment the rest of their contact hitters. If they hit, which they will, there's no reason they shouldn't repeat with their entire rotation coming back, and a bullpen with additions...... OAK now has Albert Pujols for a full season, which should pay dividends to a lineup that lacked power last season. Pitching still is very strong, and bench is one of the best in the league, not to mention the best defense as well which will keep pitching strong... Should be right there with LAA, and will gladly take the division if LAA skips a step along the way......... SEA is still in rebuilding mode, but has some young pieces who could be ready to step in. If some fresh faces like Lobstein, Almonte, Viciedo, & Aumont can contribute, this team should avoid the gutter for a 2nd straight year..... TEX, like MIN, has a pretty big mess on their hands. New management in place will help them improve within time...

NL East
1. Atlanta (95-67, 1st)
2. Florida (85-77, 3rd)
3. New York (N) (88-74, 2nd)
4. Washington (75-87, 4th)
5. Philadelphia (74-88, 5th)

Atlanta looked to build upon their successful 2014 run by kicking off the winter meetings by acquiring slugger Aramis Ramirez, who hit 44 home runs last yr. Rich Harden and Prince Fielder, last yrs deadline acquisitions also will be returning and their pressence over the course of a full season will be felt. Expect Atlanta to repeat on their success from last season......... FLA missed out on the playoffs last yr for just the 2nd time since 2008, and will look to get back on track. Having to cut costs this offseason, SPs Ricky Nolasco & Josh Johnson were both dealt, as well as former CL Roy Corcoran. The Marlins, never short on pen-arms, should be able to handle the cost-cutting and build from within their own system, but whether they'll be able to keep up with ATL is another story....... The Mets are looking to get back to the playoffs after a 3-yr abscence. Longtime ace Rich Harden was dealt to the division rival Braves at the deadline last yr, but in return the Mets recieved a bounty of youth, including Jordan Walden & Eugene Vanderwinger who surged and nearly pushed the Mets past the Braves at the end of the season. Question remains on whether or not some of these guys can improve on their rookie seasons, and if the addition of Ben Sheets will be enough to fill the frontline starter void left by Rich Harden........ unlike some of the other teams with new management, WAS should have a good chance this season to put some W's up early. A 1-5 with little weakness, and the oldest pitcher on the staff is 33. Hoyt & Flores should make up one of the better catching duos in the league, and Marrero & Smoak are budding superstars. A bullpen with question marks has help on the way from top prospects Water Tate & Javy Castaño. They will have holes, but there's no reason they cannot finish middle of the pack and try to build upon it next season........ PHI has a very solid team on paper, but their lineup does lack balance. Cardenas & Mattair will look to duplicate last years' efforts, but the difference makers on this team will be rookies like William Giles, Kyle Lotzkar, and Chris Withrow. If they can help stabalize the Phillies staff out of the gate, they could surprise some people. Otherwise, it may be another long year.





I never finished deeeeeeez cuz I got high, cuz I got high...

[nick]

I double posted. oops.


my world series pick was going to be LAA vs. ATL I think, or CHN.... but I don't really know. I'm pretty sure if LAA makes it, they'll bowl over whoever they play. I don't really like any teams in the NL as much as LAA or NYY. OAK and TB are sound top to bottom too.

AL is much stronger than the NL this year, which is strange because the past few years the NL seemed to be a lot better.

[bjd2933]

Nicks prediction: Bearz 214 Giants zip

[Porter]

Nick is the only guy on the planet that thinks SEA is better than TEX right now.

[bjd2933]

Nick is just sitting at his computer thinking to himself... "diii'ka...bears....bears...bears... polish saaasage....diii'ka...diii'ka"

[nick]

i luv brian jacob dinan

[nick]

brian is our goalie...

[browntown653]

No Brewers writeup?

[nick]

I just never made it to the NL Central, or NL West, but figured instead of procrastinating I might as well just post what I did type up. I might finish it, I mish not, but at time of writing all of thise I thought the Cubs will win the division and you should finish 2nd.... although PIT did come out of the gates red hot, and CIN & HOU arent bad either. It's probably a better division than the West at this point as a whole.