With the MLB season just around the corner, it’s time to break out your ball caps, re-memorize the lines of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and get ready for another seven months of America’s pastime. While some teams have been stacking up their rosters in the off-season, others are still projected to finish in the bottom of their division and be the laughing stock of the league. Without a doubt, the team to watch this year is the Chicago Cubs. Will they finally be World Series champions or will the Billy Goat Curse continue to haunt them. Below are the predictions as to how each division will shape up by the end of the regular season.
American League
A.L. East
1st Place: Toronto Blue Jays
Without a doubt, the Blue Jays are the best hitting team in the American League. They currently have the reigning AL MVP, third-baseman Josh Donaldson, who hit 41 home runs last season, racked up 123 RBI’s* and maintained an excellent batting average of .297. Included in the lineup are: shortstop Troy Tulowitski, outfielder Jose Bautista and DH Edwin Encarnacion, both of who hit over 30 home runs and collected 100+ RBI’s last season. Toronto also has a solid pitching rotation with Marcus Stroman as their ace. Included in the rotation is: Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, Aaron Sanchez, and R.A. Dickey. Expect another first place finish by this highly talented Blue Jays team.
*Runs Batted In
Josh Donaldson
2nd Place: New York Yankees
Every year, the Yankees are projected to be playoff contenders and this season is no different. With the addition of the hard throwing closer Aroldis Chapman and infielder Starlin Castro, this team has the potential to finish in first place but the only issue keeping them in second this season is a subpar pitching staff. Last season, four out of the five regular starting pitchers finished the season with a 4.00+ ERA.* The saving grace of this team is their batting lineup. Although there wasn’t a single starter last season to bat over .300, the Yankees find ways to score runs with heavy hitters like catcher Brian McCann, first Baseman Mark Teixeira, and third Basemen Alex Rodriguez, all of who hit 20+ home runs during the 2015 season. Outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are also important contributors to the lineup with their speed on the bases (41 combined stolen bases last season). Assuming that the Yankees’ lineup stay healthy, they have another promising chance at making it to the postseason in 2016.
*Earned Run Average
Alex Rodriguez
3rd/4th Place: Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles were predicted to make some noise in the A.L. East last season but they never really excelled and ended up finishing the season with a record of 81-81. Like the Yankees, it was the starting pitching rotation that killed the Orioles with four of their five starters also finishing the season with an ERA above the 4.00 mark. It especially doesn’t help that their best pitcher, Wei-Yin Chen, was traded to the Marlins in the off-season. The acquisition of starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo probably won’t make much of a difference as he had a mediocre 2015 season. The fate of the 2016 season will likely depend on how productive their starting lineup is. Fortunately for the Orioles, their lineup contains powerful and consistent hitters. There are three key players to look out for this season: third basemen Manny Machado, outfielder Adam Jones, and first basemen Chris “Crush” Davis. These three players combined for a total of 109 home runs last season. One giant problem with the Orioles lineup is that they have no speed. Manny Machado was the only player last season to record double digits in stolen bases. Due to the fact that the Orioles have a terrible pitching rotation and rely on three players to produce runs, they will either finish in third place or fourth behind the Boston Red Sox.
Manny Machado
3rd/4th Place: Boston Red Sox
The 2015 season was a rough one for the Red Sox, finishing last place in the AL East despite being filled with plenty of young talent. This means that the club can only look up at this point and the future looks bright with the off-season acquisition of starting pitcher David Price. Last year with the Blue Jays, Price was almost unhittable and earned a 9-1 record while keeping an excellent 2.30 ERA. He will be a much needed addition to a starting rotation that had plenty of trouble last season. Expect an improved season from Eduardo Rodriguez, a young pitcher who dominated the first half of his rookie season but started to show his inexperience during the second half. Look out this season for an explosive starting lineup boasting of players like veterans David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and Hanley Ramirez. Young stars such as Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts will be players to look out for as well. Given their unpredictable starting rotation, it is unclear what we should expect from the Red Sox this upcoming season.
David Ortiz
5th Place: Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a tragedy story when it comes down to close games in the 8th and 9th innings. if it wasn’t for a terrible relief pitching rotation led by closer Brad Boxberger, they just might have finished in second place and made the the playoffs for the 2015 season. It’s shocking that the Rays stuck with Boxberger the whole season considering he lost ten game and blew six saves, two stats which are a huge factor for the Rays not making the playoffs. Another problem with this Tampa Bay team is the average hitting by their starting lineup. Although five out of their nine starters recorded double-digit home run numbers, not a single player had above a .300 batting average. If their is one factor that will keep the Rays out of a last place finish, it will be their starting pitching rotation. Not a single starter had above a 4.00 ERA and star pitcher Chris Archer struck out 252 batters, a number that is often unheard of in baseball nowadays. A giant problem with the club is that they did not make a significant transaction during the off-season. Unless the Rays are able to clean up their mess of inconsistent relief pitchers, 2016 will be another sloppy season.
Chris Archer
A.L. Central
1st Place: Kansas City Royals
This is your 2015 World Series champion and this year is looking very bright as well. The only concern this team faces is losing pitcher Johnny Cueto and infielder Ben Zobrist to free agency while receiving no key players in return. The strong factor for this team is their starting lineup which always finds a way to get on base and score runs. They are led by significant players such as outfielder Lorenzo Cain who is also a speedster on the bases (28 stolen bases last season), DH Kendrys Morales who has the ability to reach 100+ RBI’s each season, and outfielder Alex Gordon. All these players have the ability to hit for power and get on base. The big area of concern is their pitching rotation, which gave up plenty of runs last season. If they can reduce the amount of runs given up during a game, the Royals will once again be a force to be reckoned with in the A.L.
2nd Place: Detroit Tigers
A last place finish in the 2015 season is by no means an indication of how this year will turn out. Last year, the Tigers were plagued by injuries to key players like first basemen Miguel Cabrera, designated hitter Victor Martinez, and starting pitcher Justin Verlander. This year, the Tigers have a healthy lineup and had an excellent off-season by acquiring starting pitcher Jordan Zimmerman, outfielder Justin Upton, and closer Francisco Rodriguez. Although the Tiger’s starting rotation was an embarrassment last year, a fully healthy Verlander and newcomer Zimmerman should give the rotation the boost it needs. The Tigers starting lineup has everything you could ask for with speed on the bases, powerful bats, and the ability to get runners on base. J.D. Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and Ian Kinsler are the key players to keep an eye on. Also expect James McCann to have a solid year after an average rookie season. If this Tigers team plays to their full potential, expect them to give the Royals a run for their money for the first place spot in the division.
J.D. Martinez
3rd Place: Chicago White Sox
Playing for the 2015 Chicago White Sox team would be a nightmare for any starting pitcher. Not only do they play in a hitter friendly ballpark but pitchers were given very little run support. If this updated starting lineup is any proof, 2016, is going to be a completely different story. The White Sox were one of the teams that had a successful off-season by acquiring third basemen Todd Frazier, second baseman Brett Lawrie, veteran catchers Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro, and starting pitcher Mat Latos. Frazier and Lawrie will likely be the spark plug that will ignite the offense which has been struggling the past couple of years. Although Avila and Navarro are past their prime, they will hopefully add some power to the catcher’s position which the Sox have sorely missed. Key returning players to the lineup are: first baseman Jose Abreu, and outfielders Adam Eaton, Melky Cabrera, and Avisail Garcia. It will be interesting to see what Mat Latos brings to the table. Even though he is anything but an all-star, he’ll add veteran experience to a rotation that includes ace pitcher Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Carlos Rodon who is a second year player with plenty of potential. Expect a noticeable improvement from the Sox this year, but a third place finish is most likely due to the tough and competitive nature of the A.L. Central
Chris Sale
4th Place: Cleveland Indians
It is a shock to me that the Indians finished with a .500 record during the 2015 baseball season. They have an explosive starting lineup and a decent pitching rotation but for some reason couldn’t pull it together to formulate a playoff worthy team. This off-season didn’t treat them well either as they only acquired one significant player, Rajai Davis. This team is filled with big bats like first baseman Carlos Santana, shortstop Francisco Lindor, and outfielders Michael Brantley and Brandon Moss. Not only do the Indians hit for power but five out of their nine starters recorded double digits for stolen bases. In regards to their pitching rotation, they have former Cy Young winner Cory Kluber and young phenom Danny Salazar. Kluber had an uncharacteristically disappointing 2015 season so it will be no surprise if he has his typical all-star season in 2016. Salazar is coming off a solid rookie season and will likely improve his numbers this year as well. The Indians have the potential to be a powerful force in the A.L. Central but if they can’t consistently play at their potential, it will be just another disappointing year.
Cory Kluber
5th place: Minnesota Twins
Halfway through the 2015 season, the Twins were one of the hottest teams in baseball and no one really understood why. They have an average starting lineup and the pitching was sub-par. However, just like any average team, they finished with a record of 83-79 and came in second place. With no positive transactions during the off-season and the retirement of Torii Hunter, this team is likely headed towards a slippery downwards slope in the AL Central. The key players on this Twins team are second basemen Brian Dozier and DH Miguel Sano. Sano is coming off a very good rookie season with high expectations in 2016. With not a single pitcher who threw under the 3.50 ERA mark, their starting rotation has little to be desired. Unless they are able to pull off a miracle, this team appears to be heading towards the bottom of the division.
Miguel Sano
A.L. West
1st Place: Houston Astros
The most surprising team in 2015 was easily the Houston Astros. They had the best record in the MLB halfway through the season and most of the experts predicted they would slow down and not even make the playoffs. This obviously wasn’t true. Not only did they make the playoffs but the Astros led the A.L. West in ERA while coming in second place with home-runs. Entering the 2016 season, this team has changed very little. The pitching rotation is still led by the 2015 AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and he has plenty of talent behind him in the rotation with Collin McHugh, Lance McCullers, and Scott Feldman. The power-hitting starting lineup is back as well for the Astros. In 2015, eight out of the nine players in the starting lineup recorded double-digit home run numbers. The key players to look out for in this starting lineup are: second basemen Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa, and outfielder George Springer. Not only can these players hit for power but all three combined for sixty-eight stolen bases, Altuve being the leader with thirty-eight. If this team can stay healthy and have second year players like Correa and McCullers improve their stats, the Astros have a good chance at being the best team in the American League.
Dallas Keuchel
2nd Place: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Ignore the fact that the Angels finished at third place in the A.L. West in 2015, this is a dangerous team who played in a very competitive division. They finished three games behind the first-place Texas Rangers and just one game behind the second-place Houston Astros. The best player on this team is Mike Trout, who is also the most versatile player in the MLB. Not only does he hit for power (41 home-runs last season), he is also a threat on the bases and a batter’s nightmare in the outfield with his usual wall leaping catches. Additional threats in the starting lineup are Albert Pujols who still hits for power at the age of thirty-five, and Kole Calhoun who is another heavy slugger. The Angels’ starting pitching rotation is average at best. Not single pitcher made it under the 3.50 ERA mark but as long as they are able to limit teams to three runs per game for most of the season, their high powered offense will be able to help the Angels pull away and come up with wins.
Mike Trout
3rd Place: Texas Rangers
Just like the Angels and Astros, this is a team that can finish anywhere in the top of the division. However, they lost more key players in the offseason rather than gaining them and that’s the reason for their third place finish. With the loss of Yovani Gallardo, their best pitcher of the 2015 season, the Rangers have a rather sub-par pitching rotation. It also doesn’t help that injury prone pitcher Yu Darvish is out for part of the the season due to elbow surgery. The only factor that will help the Rangers have a good season is their outstanding starting lineup. This lineup has two of the best veterans currently in baseball: third basemen Adrian Beltre and designated hitter Prince Fielder. At the seasoned age of thirty-six, Adrian Beltre is still near the top of his game while Prince Fielder still hasn’t lost his power stroke. Also, expect solid seasons from shortstop Elvis Andrus and second basemen Rougned Odor.
Adrian Beltre
4th Place: Seattle Mariners
Although the Mariners made some key off-season changes by picking up outfielder Nori Aoki, first basemen Adam Lind, and starting pitcher Nate Karns, these roster boosts most likely won’t be enough to compete for a high finish in the A.L. West. The Mariner have a weak pitching rotation and that is a big issue in a division that consists of high scoring teams. Expect a much better season from Felix Hernandez, their ace pitcher, who had an uncharacteristically bad season in 2015. With the addition of Nate Karns, the Mariners will have a better chance to compete for a higher spot in the division. Although the Mariners have a starting lineup that produces plenty of home-runs, their main problem is getting runners on base and scoring them. Last season, the Mariners placed fourth in the division with batting average and last in runs scored. The Mariners will likely increase their numbers in both categories with new additions Adam Lind and Nori Aoki. Both players are offensive weapons who will boost a lineup containing key players such as outfielder Nelson Cruz, third basemen Kyle Seager, and shortstop Ketel Marte who is returning from an injured 2015 season. If the Mariners want to make any impact in the near future, something has to be done to improve their sub-par pitching rotation.
Felix Hernandez
5th Place: Oakland Athletics
If you need any more proof that the “moneyball” philosophy simply doesn’t work for certain teams, look no further than the Oakland Athletics. You need a consistent amount of talent on a baseball team to win games and the Athletics seem to give that talent away every year. In a span of two years, the Athletics have lost players like Ben Zobrist, Scott Kazmir, and Brett Lawrie while receiving very little talent in return. Even during this off-season the A’s acquired players with very little value. Surprisingly, the A’s managed to keep some talent on their team with players like catcher Stephen Vogt, outfielders Josh Reddick and Billy Burns, and pitcher Sonny Gray. The lack of talent on this team is not even close to the amount needed to compete in this division and don’t be surprised if they finish with a record worse than the one they had to finish off the 2015 season.
Sonny Gray
National League
N.L. East
1st Place: New York Mets
Expect nothing less than a first place finish in the N.L. East by this highly talented Mets team. They made it to the World Series in 2015 and will likely make another long playoff run in 2016. The strongest aspect of the Mets is its pitching rotation. They key players in the rotation are Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, and Jacob DeGrom and they may be the best 1-2-3 combo in baseball. Another player to look out for in this rotation is Steven Matz who had an all-star rookie year and is expected to have just as good a season in 2016. The starting lineup for the Mets is not something to look down on either. Last season, they led their division in homeruns and that was without having hard hitting outfielder Yoenis Cespedes for a full season. Additional key players in this lineup are: first baseman Lucas Duda, outfielders Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson, and shortstop Wilmer Flores. This will be an exciting Mets team to watch in 2016.
Matt Harvey
2nd Place: Washington Nationals
The team with the biggest bust during the 2015 season easily goes to the Nationals. They were cruising in first place for a while when all of a sudden, everything fell apart and they landed in second place without even making the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Nationals, they will probably suffer from losing two of their starting pitchers during the off-season in addition to second basemen Yunel Escobar and outfielder Denard Span. However, the Nationals did find replacements by acquiring outfielder Ben Revere and the Mets 2015 playoff hero, second basemen Daniel Murphy. The Nationals also have the current N.L. MVP Bryce Harper, who had a monster 2015 season and is expected to do the same this year. Additional key players in the starting lineup are: shortstop Ian Desmond and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Fortunately for the Nationals they did not suffer too much from losing two starting pitchers thanks to their depth at that position. The starting rotation is led by Max Scherzer who is a former Cy Young winner and is coming off an excellent season. Included in the rotation are veterans Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Joe Ross who is coming off a solid rookie season. Although the Nationals may not have as much talent as the Mets, it will be a close and exciting race for a first place finish in the N.L. East.
Bryce Harper
3rd Place: Miami Marlins
The Marlins may have a couple of the best players in the game, but there is no way possible that a few players can make a difference in a division like the N.L. East. Fortunately for the Marlins they have their two stars, outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and pitcher Jose Fernandez, healthy in time for the 2016 season. Stanton only played seventy-four games last season but during that span, he hit twenty-seven home runs. If Stanton was healthy enough to play the whole season, he would have been on pace for 50+ home runs in 2015. Fernandez also came back more than halfway through the season but he posted a 6-1 record and earned a 2.92 ERA. Other key players in the starting lineup for this Marlins team are: second basemen Dee Gordon, first baseman Justin Bour, and outfielder Christian Yelich. The Marlins were able to improve an ailing pitching rotation by acquiring Wei-Yin Chen, a solid pitcher from the Baltimore Orioles. Although the Marlins’ have a solid starting lineup, the questions remain as to whether or not Stanton can stay healthy for a whole season and if the pitching rotation can improve off of last years’ atrocity with a healthy Jose Fernandez.
Giancarlo Stanton
4th Place: Atlanta Braves
Sorry if I make any Braves fans angry (if there are any), but this team really has no chance this year. One positive aspect about this team going into 2016 is that they had a decent off-season by bagging outfielder Edgar Inciarte, shortstop Erick Aybar, and pitcher Jhoulys Chacin. The Braves will be lucky if Inciarte and Aybar are able to boost a sub-par starting lineup. Another problem for the Braves is that Jhoulys Chacin can pitch to his full potential but that won’t change how horrendous the starting rotation is. A big loss for the Braves rotation was Shelby Miller but I don’t blame him for leaving. Miller had an excellent 3.02 ERA in 2015 but finished the season with a 6-17 record thanks to Braves lack of ability to produce runs. A fourth place or worse finish this year is inevitable.
Nick Markakis
5th Place: Philadelphia Phillies
We have finally reached the worse team that will probably ever exist in MLB history; the Philadelphia Phillies. They are so bad, they are not even worth writing a summary about so I will just put a picture below that pretty much sums up how the 2016 season will turn out for them:
Yup, I’m sure this catch was just as painful for him as the Phillies season will be for us to watch. As seen from all the earlier teams, I usually post a picture of a key player under the summary but there’s not a single player who’s worth mentioning on this team so why bother.
N.L. Central
1st Place: Chicago Cubs
Being a Chicago White Sox fan, I hate to admit this but the Cubs are the most talented team in the MLB and most likely, 2016 World Series champions. Often times you hear Cubs fans year after year saying “this is the season where the Cubs win it all.” Well this season, they may very well be right. Part of their likely success this season can be contributed to a terrific off-season where they were able to pick up key players such as outfielder Jason Heyward, second baseman Ben Zobrist, and starting pitcher John Lackey. As if their off-season pickups weren’t good enough, the Cubs now boast of having the most dangerous starting lineup and pitching rotation in the MLB. The scary part about this team is not only will they be good, but most players are under thirty so the Cubs can expect to have playoff-producing seasons for years to come. The key players in the lineup are: first baseman Anthony Rizzo, third baseman Kris Bryant (NL rookie of the year), and outfielders Dexter Fowler and Kyle Schwarber. The most dangerous aspect of this lineup is the power they produce. Last year, they were first in the N.L. Central for home runs. Their pitching rotation is just as good, if not better, consisting of players like Jon Lester, John Lackey, and 2015 Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. Even though the NL Central is the best division in baseball, don’t be surprised if the Cubs run away with the first place finish.
Jake Arrieta
2nd Place: Pittsburgh Pirates
Although the Pirates may not be favorites to win the division, they are still a team stacked with talent and a probable favorite to make playoffs as a wildcard slot. During the off-season, the Pirates lost first baseman Pedro Alvarez and pitcher A.J. Burnett but they were able to make up for it by picking up third baseman David Freese and pitcher Jonathan Niese. Freese will be a solid addition to a lineup that consists of catcher Franklin Cervelli, and outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte. This starting lineup can hit for power and has speed on the bases as well. They finished the 2015 season leading the N.L. Central in batting average and runs scored. The Pirates also have an excellent pitching rotation to back their starting lineup, giving up the second fewest runs in the National League in 2015. This pitching rotation consists of key players like Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, and the recently acquired Jonathan Niese. The Pirates will definitely be an exciting team to watch in 2016.
Andrew McCutchen
3rd Place: St. Louis Cardinals
A possible third place finish for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016 is by no means a sign of a bad year. If we recall from last year, the Cubs won 97 games, made a wild card spot in the playoffs, but finished in third place in the division. Yes, the N.L. Central is that good. The main reason that the Cardinals will most likely finish in third place is the loss of key players during the off-season. They lost starting pitcher John Lackey and outfielder Jason Heyward to the Cubs, and they lost Lance Lynn, one of their key pitchers in 2015, to a season ending injury. However, the Cardinals are fortunate to have a few players who were injured for most of 2015 return completely healthy for this upcoming season. These players are: outfielder Matt Holliday, first basemen Matt Adams, and starting pitcher Adam Wainwright. Hopefully for the Cardinals, Holliday and Adams will help the starting lineup return to their typical dominating style of play with the help of third basemen Matt Carpenter and catcher Yadier Molina. In regards to the Cardinals’ pitching rotation, they may not be the top of the league like they were last year but you should still expect them to keep opposing teams to low scores. Adam Wainwright, Carlos Martinez, and Jaime Garcia are the key players to watch in this rotation.
Carlos Martinez
4th Place: Milwaukee Brewers
It’s fair to say that once you get past the top three teams in the N.L. Central, the two bottom teams really have no chance at making an impact. This will most likely be the case for the Brewers. During the off-season and 2015 season, they lost half of their lineup in trades. The most significant losses were outfielders Carlos Gomez and Khris Davis, first baseman Adam Lind, and starting pitcher Mike Fiers. The sad but true fact coming into this season is that the Brewers have not picked up a single player worth mentioning to replace their losses. The only light at the end of the tunnel for this team is that they have outfielder Ryan Braun and catcher Jonathan Lucroy returning to the starting lineup this upcoming season. Unfortunately for the Brewers, they don’t even have a talented pitching rotation coming into 2016. Last season, not a single pitcher made it under the 3.50 ERA mark and throwing in a hitter-friendly ballpark is just another problem to worry about. Expect another sub-.500 record for the second year in a row.
Ryan Braun
5th Place: Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are another one of those teams that lost too many key players and gained no one of importance in return. Over the the course of a year they have lost third baseman Todd Frazier, outfielder Marlon Byrd, starting pitchers Mike Leake and Johnny Cueto, and closer Aroldis Chapman. This team is too depleted to make any type of statement in 2016, especially the starting pitching rotation. The best starting pitcher that is left on this team is Anthony DeSclafini and he finished last season with a shaky 4.05 ERA. Expect the Reds’ starting rotation to have a worse season than in 2015, which is really saying something considering that they finished last in their division in the ERA category. If the Reds expect to have a better season than last year, their saving grace will have to be their starting lineup. Key players returning to the lineup are: first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Brandon Phillips, shortstop Zack Cozart, and outfielders Billy Hamilton and Jay Bruce.
Billy Hamilton
N.L. West
1st Place: Arizona Diamondbacks
If I had to choose a dark horse team in 2016, it would have to be the Diamondbacks. Last year, their starting lineup was among the top three in the National League but it was an inconsistent starting rotation that kept the Diamondbacks from making any real impact during the 2015 season. However, with the off-season pickup of pitchers Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, this is finally a talented team that opponents have to respect. Greinke finished the 2015 season with a 1.66 ERA while Miller ended his season recording a 3.02 ERA. They will be excellent additions to the Diamondbacks starting rotation and will be joined by key returning pitchers Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin, Another exciting off-season acquisition is second basemen Jean Segura. He will add some speed to a starting lineup that is already one of the top in the league and consists of key players such as first basemen Paul Goldschmidt and outfielders A.J. Pollock, David Peralta, and Ender Inciarte. This is not a team you want to underestimate in 2016.
Paul Goldschmidt
2nd Place: Los Angeles Dodgers
Despite losing Zack Greinke during the off-season, expect the Dodgers’ starting rotation to be just as good as last season thanks to the acquiring of pitchers Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda who is a rookie from Japan. They will join former Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. In addition to this rotation, the Dodgers have an electrifying starting lineup that doesn’t have a single new face. All eight starters in the field are returning players who led the National League in home runs. The key players in this starting lineup are: third baseman Justin Turner, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, shortstop Cory Seager, and outfielders Yasiel Puig and Joc Pederson. Although this starting lineup can hit for power, they struggle to consistently get hits and put runners on bases, two factors which are obviously necessary to score runs. Fortunately for the Dodgers they will have Seager and Puig, two dynamic players, completely healthy to start the 2016 season.
Clayton Kershaw
3rd Place: San Francisco Giants
During the seasons of 2010, 2012, and 2014, the Giants have won the World Series so are we going to see the pattern continue with them winning in 2016? Not likely. Although the Giants have a chance at making the playoffs this season, the National League has too many talented teams and the Giants aren’t in that top-tier of talent. That being said, they made a couple key off-season transactions by acquiring outfielder Denard Span and pitcher Johnny Cueto. In addition to Denard Span, the Giants’ starting lineup is filled with talented players such as: catcher Buster Posey, second basemen Joe Panik, first basemen Brandon Belt, and outfielder Hunter Pence. An average pitching rotation will hope to have a better season as Johnny Cueto will join forces with Madison Bumgarner, and Jeff Samardzija who will likely have a comeback year after a horrendous 2015 season. Although I predicted the Giants to finish in third place, this division is up for grabs and the Giants have a chance to finish on top.
Madison Bumgarner
4th Place: San Diego Padres
Like most teams ending up in the fourth place slot, the Padres have very little talent in both their starting rotation and starting lineup. The only play-makers in their lineup are outfielders Justin Upton and Matt Kemp. In 2015, they both recorded double digits in home runs and stolen bases. Perhaps the most pathetic fact about this starting lineup is that they finished last in the N.L. West in batting average and runs scored. The pitching rotation isn’t much better as they came in fourth place in the division for the amount of earned runs given up during a season. The only key players to watch in this rotation are James Shields and Tyson Ross. Don’t expect any threatening runs by this team in 2016.
Matt Kemp
5th Place: Colorado Rockies
Even though the Rockies in 2015 had the best offensive season of any team in the National League, they also had the worst pitching rotation in the MLB. They gave up 844 runs last season and had an team ERA of 5.04. There are collegiate teams that could probably put together a better pitching staff than the Colorado Rockies. It also doesn’t help that the Rockies play in the most batter friendly ballpark in baseball; Coors Field. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum is the Rockies starting lineup that led the National League in runs while placing second in batting average and home runs. The lineup is composed of key players such as: third baseman Nolan Arenado, second baseman D.J. LeMathieu, and outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon. Arenado and Gonzalez are the two main run producers on this team as they both recorded 40+ home runs last season. The Rockies have the potential to be one of the best teams in baseball but until they improve their pitching staff, continue to expect last place finishes.
Nolan Arenado
No matter what place your team comes in this 2016 season, this is about to be another great seven months of enjoying America’s pastime. If you get a chance, attend a game. Not only is it fun to watch your team play but baseball stadiums are a fun, social atmosphere for people of all ages to enjoy.
Follow Patrick on Twitter: @Patrick_Wool95
Be sure to follow HYPELINE on Facebook and Twitter!