AL East: Rays, Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox Orioles
This divison is hard to predict, for there are four teams with the potential to win it all. The poundits are picking the Blue Jays to win it, due to some high-profile free agent signings. My approach is to mistrust these free agent signings, since the pressure on these guys is so great that in their first season with their new teams they often fail miserably. I have no great love for the Rays, but they are a team which consistently over-performs its roster. The Yankees have their usual turmoil, this time with players who refuse to be vaccinated.
AL Central: White Sox, Twins, Guardians, Tigers, Royals.
Not much controversy here. The pundits tend to prefer the Tigers for third, but I have to go with my home-state Guardians.
AL West: Astros, Mariners, Angels, A's, Rangers
The Mariners are one of my favorite teams, due to the awesome setting of their stadium in downtown Seattle. I am predicting they will nose out the Angels for second. The pundits all have the rebuilding A's last, but they are a team which has consistently out-performed its roster, so I am betting they will nose out the Rangers for fourth.
NL East: Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins, Nationals
The pundits pick the Mets for second, but I am dubious. There seems to be no coherency to this organization. It throws money at free agents, rather than having a clear plan for building a winning organization. And its pitchers have been notoriously brittle in recent years. The Nationals have disappointed me for years, seemingly wasting what should have been their golden years. Now, their time has come and gone, and I am rooting for the Marlins to at least finish fourth.
NL Central: Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Reds, Pirates
I asm proud of correctly predicting last year that my home-state Reds would beat out the fading Cubs for fourth, but the Reds are shedding payroll and will drop back to fourth this year. The Cardinals are one of those teams that often over-perform their roster, aided by the best fan base in baseball, but I have to go with the Brewers for first. They have been learning how to win and buildig up their dominance in recent years, and I look forward to their upcoming success this year.
NL West: Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Rockies, Diamondbacks
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Padres, hence I'm picking them for second over the Giants. Same with the Rockies over the D-Backs for fourth.
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