2014 NL West Predictions

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers- On paper, the Dodgers look to have the best team in baseball. They enter this year with the highest payroll in baseball at just over 220 million dollars, which breaks the Yankees streak of 15 consecutive years with the MLB's biggest payroll. The Los Angeles lineup is stacked top to bottom. The top of the order will feature stars such as Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and 2013 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Yasiel Puig. Veterans Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, and Juan Uribe should provide nice production as well. The rotation is led by the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, but should be solid in all spots. Three out of the five starters had a 3.00 ERA or lower in 2013. The bullpen is the weakness of this team, even though it is above average. With setup men Brian Wilson and Chris Perez setting things up for closer Kenley Jansen, don't expect the Dodgers to lose many late leads. Although the NL West should be a solid division, look for the Dodgers to have no problem capturing the division title.

2. San Francisco Giants- The Giants won't be great this year and are a distant second to the Dodgers, but should be able to put together a good enough year to finish second in the NL West and compete for a Wild Card spot. Angel Pagan will play center field and bat leadoff, and he will be followed in the batting order by impressive power hitters Hunter Pence, Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Pablo Sandoval. The rotation should be very good, featuring Madison Bumgarner as the ace. Following him in the rotation will be Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and veteran Tim Hudson, who was signed as a free agent this past offseason after an ankle injury ended his season early last year. He comes into the season at one hundred percent, but his (and the entire rotation's) health is going to be a huge part of this team's success. The bullpen should be solid, but not great. Sergio Romo will have the role of closer. Although the Giants don't have nearly the talent that the Dodgers have, they have put together a team that should be able to compete at a high level.

3. Arizona Diamondbacks- Paul Goldschmidt emerged as a real star in the MLB last year as he hit .302 with 36 home runs, 125 RBI's, and 15 stolen bases in just his second full season in the majors, finishing in second place in the NL MVP voting. One key to Arizona's success is the ability of A.J. Pollock and Aaron Hill to get on base atop the order in order to set up RBI opportunities for Goldschmidt, Martin Prado, and Mark Trumbo, who joins the Diamondbacks after playing his first three big league seasons with the Angels. Although the top and middle of the order should be potent, the bottom of the order doesn't pack much of a bunch. The rotation was average at best, but that was before ace Patrick Corbin went down with an elbow ligament injury that will cause him to miss the entire year. His loss makes the rotation under par and ill force Wade Miley into the role of number one starter. The bullpen doesn't have any superstars, but it is solid top to bottom. The offense should be able to produce, but the rotation will have to outperform expectations in order for Arizona to compete for a Wild Card spot this year.

4. Colorado Rockies- I am tempted to place the Rockies higher than fourth, but the pitching just will not be enough in such a hitter-friendly ballpark. It is common knowledge among baseball fans that Coors Field in Denver is the most batter-friendly stadium in the MLB, mostly because the high altitude and thin air cause the ball to carry farther than it normally would. As a result, the Rockies have always been near the top of the league in offensive statistics, as well as near the bottom in pitching statistics. The lineup, as usual, will be solid. Former batting champ Michael Cuddyer will likely hit in the two slot and try to set the table for Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, and Justin Morneau. The rotation will be the issue this season in Colorado. Jorge De La Rosa will be the ace of the staff, but he has been surrounded by trade rumors and may not stay with the team for the entire year. Rex Brothers will lead the bullpen, especially until solid reliever Boone Logan returns from opening the season on the disabled list. The Rockies may be a dark horse contender in the NL West, but their lack of pitching will prevent them from making a real push at the playoffs.

5. San Diego Padres- The Padres have definitely improved from a few years ago when they were one of the worst teams in the league, but they NL West is simply too strong for them to make any noise this year. Everth Cabrera will be the shortstop and leadoff hitter, and he will be relied on to get on base and take advantage of his speed. Chase Headley and Jedd Gyorko will be the power hitters in the lineup, usually batting third and fourth. The Padres don't have great hitters, but they are consistent from the top of the lineup to the bottom. The rotation and bullpen will be aided by Petco Park, known as an extreme pitcher's park. Andrew Cashner will be the ace of the staff and should put up a solid season, but behind him, the Padres don't have much talent in the rotation. The bullpen should be average, led by setup man Joaquin Benoit and closer Huston Street. Although the Padres shouldn't be bad this year, they don't have the pieces necessary to compete in a strong division like the NL West.

2014 NL Central Predictions

NL Central

(Note: My apologies for this being a day later than originally expected.)

1. St. Louis Cardinals- After a World Series appearance in 2013, the Cardinals will look to return this year, hoping for different results this time around. With nearly all key players returning, the Cardinals are in prime position to once again have the top record in the National League and possibly make a deep playoff run. The offense is more balanced than most in baseball, as the Cards have production from top to bottom in the batting order. Young infielder Matt Carpenter will bat leadoff, with Matt Holliday and slugging first baseman Matt Adams provide some pop in the middle of the order. The pitching staff is one of the best in the game, and is only matched by the Nationals in terms of top to bottom production. Adam Wainwright will be the ace of the staff as long as he's healthy, but all five starters are more than capable of producing at a high level. The Cardinals' bullpen never seems to have any big names, but always manages to get the job done anyway. Trevor Rosenthal will step into the closer's role this year, as 2013 closer Edward Mujica is now with the Red Sox. The Cardinals will have one of this most talented teams in baseball this year, and they shouldn't have much problem winning the NL Central and being very competitive in the playoffs.

2. Cincinnati Reds- The buzz in Cincinnati at the outset of this season surrounds rookie outfielder Billy Hamilton. Hamilton was called up to the big club in September last year and instantly electrified the game with his speed. He stole 13 bases in 13 games last year, as well as 9 in 18 games this spring. Hamilton will bat leadoff and attempt to set up RBI opportunities for sluggers Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, who combined for 54 home runs and 212 RBI's last year. The rotation will be led by Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey, but the Reds are hoping third starter Tony Cingrani will be able to build on his solid 2013 campaign, where he started 18 games and had a 2.92 ERA. The bullpen should be very good, especially when hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman returns in late April from surgery resulting from being drilled in the head by a line drive in Spring Training. Meanwhile, the Reds will rely on guys like Sam LeCure and J.J. Hoover to anchor the pen. The Reds earned a Wild Card spot in 2013, and should be able to build on that experience this year as they attempt to return to the playoffs.

3. Milwaukee Brewers- The Brew Crew endured an awful 2013 without their superstar Ryan Braun, who was suspended after failing a test for performance enhancing drugs. Only two years removed from winning 96 games and the division, last year's Brewers won only 74 games and fell to fourth in the NL Central. Although being stuck below the Cardinals and Reds will most likely keep them out of the playoffs this year, Milwaukee should field a solid team and be much improved. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura will provide a very speedy duo atop the order, followed by power hitters Braun, Aramis Ramirez, and underrated catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The rotation should be decent, but not elite. Yovani Gallardo is their number one guy, followed by Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza. Also watch out for fifth starter Wily Peralta, as he tries to redeem himself after a disappointing rookie season last year. The bullpen was not good in 2013, but with the top 3 relievers from last year's squad back this year, look for improvement in the pen. Milwaukee might still be a few pieces short of bring a contender, but they have some very nice building blocks for coming years and could find themselves back at the top in a year or two.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates- The Pirates were one of the league's best feel good stories of 2013, as they snapped a 21 year playoff drought by grabbing a Wild Card spot. Andrew McCutchen was awarded the National League MVP Award after a season in which he hit .317 with 21 long balls, 84 RBI's and 27 stolen bases. McCutchen should once again put up big numbers and be in the thick of the MVP race, but the loss of a few key players on last year's team, as well as the return of Ryan Braun to the Brewers, should keep Pittsburgh from making an impact in the playoffs in 2014. Starling Marte had a fantastic season last year, his first full year in the bigs, and will look to build on that success this year. McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez should provide plenty of pop in the middle of the order, but there doesn't figure to be much production behind them. The rotation shouldn't be bad, but likely won't be exceptional either. Francisco Liriano will be the Opening Day starter, but Gerrit Cole had a great year last year and many would argue that he is the ace of the staff. The bullpen is this team's strength, led by one of the league's most underrated closers, Jason Grilli. This team has the ability to make a push for a playoff spot, but with so many competitive teams in the division, the Pirates might be the ones left hanging come October.

5. Chicago Cubs- The Cubs are the only team in this division that would need a miracle to compete for a playoff spot. The Cardinals are the clear favorite to win the division, and the other three teams could conceivably make a run at the Wild Card. Chicago, however, is still a few years away from contention. Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro, who is one of the top young shortstops in baseball, will lead a lineup that shouldn't be very good, but will probably still be the strength of the team. The rotation will be led by Jeff Samardzija, who has been involved in trade rumors and will most likely be dealt by the trade deadline in July. Edwin Jackson should also be able to provide solid outings. The bullpen is young and talented, but still not ready to produce in a big way at the Major League level. Jose Vera's had a bad year in 2013, but the Cubs will look for him to rebound and be counted on to close games. The Cubs have one of the best farm systems in baseball, including a foursome that's been dubbed by the front office as the "Core Four." However, with these players and others still developing in the minor leagues, it will still be a few years before the Cubs contend.

2014 NL East Predictions

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves- This might be the best division race in the Major Leagues this year. I give the Braves a slight advantage because of what should be a superior lineup. Injuries have decimated Atlanta during Spring Training, but the Braves have patched the leaks enough to stay in it until they can get their pitching back, and a weak schedule for the first two months of the season should help. Freddie Freeman will lead a stacked Braves lineup that shouldn't have much problem scoring runs. Watch for Dan Uggla and BJ Upton to rebound from horrific years last year. (For what it's worth, both performed well in Spring Training.) The rotation is the biggest question for this team, as key starters Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy were both lost for the year after Spring Training injuries. Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang were signed to replace them. The Braves will start the year with a four man rotation led by Julio Teheran until Mike Minor and Gavin Floyd return from offseason surgeries by mid-to-late April. The bullpen, led by Craig Kimbrel, will once again be one of the best in baseball and will be aided by the midseason return of setup man Jonny Venters. Although this should be a tight division race that comes down to the last days of the season, I expect the Braves to make a push when they get healthy and repeat as division champions in 2014.

2. Washington Nationals- The Nationals didn't make any earth-shattering news this offseason, but they return most of a team that won 86 games last year and should be improved this year. The lineup isn't one of the league's elite, it should be above average. The middle of the order, which includes Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, and Bryce Harper, will be tough for opposing pitchers to handle. This team, however, will go only as far as their starting pitching will carry them. The rotation as a whole might be the best in baseball. Stephen Strasburg, the former number one overall pick in the MLB Draft, has developed into one of the league's premier starters and will be the ace of the staff. Behind him, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Doug Fister fill out a fantastic rotation. The bullpen should be strong as well, with proven relievers such as Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen, and closer Rafael Soriano back for another year. The Nationals will field a strong team this year, but the National League Wild Card race will be a tight one, so both of the top NL East teams will have to perform at a very high level if both hope to make the playoffs.

3. New York Mets- Much was made of Mets' general manager Sandy Alderson's offseason comments that the Mets can win 90 games this year. That is a lofty and almost unrealistic expectation, but it sounds good to fans and sells tickets, so I suppose he's just trying to help out his marketing department a bit. Nothing wrong with that. As far as on the field performance, the Mets should be improved, but still not good enough to compete for a playoff spot. They signed Curtis Granderson in free agency, which should help bolster the lineup and provide some protection for David Wright. Those two will provide some pop in the middle of the order, but outside of Wright and Granderson, the Mets don't offer much resistance on offense. As far as the rotation, the Mets number one starter, Jon Niese, will begin the year on the disabled list, but should be back by mid-April. He will be joined in the rotation by veteran Bartolo Colon, as well as Dillion Gee, who is looking to build on a good year in 2013. The bullpen isn't very good, but Bobby Parnell returns as the best reliever and will be the closer again this year. Although the Mets should be decent this year, it should still be a year or two until they can seriously compete for a playoff spot.

4. Philadelphia Phillies- The Phillies are much like the Yankees this year in the sense that their success largely depends on health. Even while healthy, they can't compete with the Braves and Nationals, but they could challenge the Mets for third place if key players can stay on the field. Unfortunately, like the Yankees, most of the stars have a lengthy injury history. Another problem for this team is the growing dispute between franchise shortstop Jimmy Rollins and manager Ryne Sandberg over Rollins' benching in Spring Training. Many experts believe that Rollins will be traded to dissolve the issue. The lineup could be potent in such a hitter-friendly ballpark, with players like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Domonic Brown taking advantage of the short porch in right field at their home ballpark. Also look for young outfielder Ben Revere to have a breakout year in the leadoff spot. The starting rotation should be good. It's led by veteran Cliff Lee, but also features solid starters such as Cole Hamels (will return in late April from DL), AJ Burnett, and Kyle Kendrick. The bullpen is the weakness of the club, with the one strong link being closer Jonathan Papelbon. The Phillies have the potential to be a good team this year, but injuries will likely keep them from being a force in the NL East.

5. Miami Marlins- I hate to put the Marlins in last here because, as I've mentioned before, I love teams with good pitching. The Marlins have one of the best young rotations in baseball, but with little to no offense, they have little chance to have a decent team this year. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was added in the offseason to upgrade the lineup and the defense at catcher. Giancarlo Stanton is one of the best power hitters in the game, but with no protection in the lineup, opposing teams should be able to minimize his effectiveness. Jose Fernandez will lead a young pitching staff with loads of potential. Nathan Eovaldi and Henderson Alvarez will help fill out a great 1-2-3 in the rotation. The bullpen is also young and talented, led by some of team's only veterans in Carlos Marmol and Mike Dunn, as well as young closer Steve Cishek. Although the pitching should do enough to improve on the club's dismal 62-100 record in 2013, the Miami front office will have to add more offensive help before this team is able to seriously contend.

2014 AL West Predictions

AL West

1. Texas Rangers- The Rangers have been riddled by injuries more than any other team in Spring Training, but they still have a strong team, and most of the injured players are not out for the season. The offense will be anchored by offseason acquisitions Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder. They will join returning players Elvis Andrus, Alex Rios, Adrian Beltre, and young outfielder Leonys Martin to form an excellent lineup. The rotation will be short handed at the outset of the season, but ace Yu Darvish and Matt Harrison both figure to be back from injury by mid-April. Derek Holland plans to join the rotation in June after offseason surgery. The bullpen was one of the best in the American League a year ago, and there's no reason why it can't be once again in 2014, as solid relievers Neal Cotts and Joakim Soria will return. If the Rangers can survive the first few weeks of the season with all their injuries, they should be considered the favorites to take the AL West when they do get healthy.

2. Los Angeles Angels- If the offseason acquisitions of years past had panned out as planned for the Angels, we might be talking about the best team in baseball here. Unfortunately for the Halos, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton have not played up to their huge contracts so far. On a positive note, they can't get too much worse than they've been so far, and the emergence of the best young player in baseball in Mike Trout has been a huge boost. The lineup should be good, and if Pujols and Hamilton can regain their old pop, it could be one of the best in baseball. When they are clicking, Trout, Pujols, and Hamilton form the most dangerous 2-3-4 punch in the MLB. The rotation is led by Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson, but behind them, it could be shaky. The bullpen is not one of the league's best, to say the least, but Ernesto Frieri could be a bright spot in the closer's role. The Angels could pose a threat to the Rangers atop the division, but have been too inconsistent in years past to capture a division title. Look for there to be a heated battle between the Angels and Royals for the final spot in the Wild Card play-in game.

3. Oakland Athletics- The Athletics don't have any superstars on this team, but then again, they rarely do. The franchise most well known as the home of Billy Beane and "Moneyball" doesn't play on the same field as the Dodgers and Yankees. Their payroll this year is 27th in the league, and they do not have a player making over 8.5 million dollars in 2014. However, they should still be able to field a respectable team this year, as Billy Beane usually does. The cornerstone of the offense will be cleanup hitter and 2013 Home Run Derby sensation Yoenis Cespedes, but he has some good bats surrounding him. Players like leadoff hitter Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie, Josh Donaldson, and Brandon Moss will all have to provide consistent production for the A's to have a shot at making a run at the playoffs. The rotation is strong this year, led by one of the best young pitchers in the game, Sonny Gray, and veteran Scott Kazmir. The bullpen is one of the best in baseball, and it will return a solid core from last season that includes Sean Doolittle, Ryan Cook, Dan Otero, and Jim Johnson. The A's don't have a lot of superstars, but look for this team to have a solid season. If everything goes right, they could challenge their crosstown rivals for second place in the division.

4. Seattle Mariners- The Mariners made offseason headlines by signing former New York Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano to a monstrous 10 year, 240 million dollar contract. Cano is the best second baseman in the game, but many question whether he is worth that type of contract. Only time will tell who got the better end of the deal, but regardless of what happens in the long run, Cano becomes the face of the franchise and the cornerstone of the team this year. The only problem is, Cano IS the team. He will get little help in the lineup, so expect to see teams pitch around him a good bit to minimize his effectiveness. Felix Hernandez is one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, but outside of him, the rotation is average. The bullpen isn't great, but the offseason addition of Fernando Rodney through free agency should help, even though he has been disappointing so far in Spring Training. Seattle has plenty of star power and will likely sell plenty of tickets as a result, but they won't be able to compete on the field due to their lack of depth on their roster. No team can expect to win when half of their payroll is devoted to two players, and the Mariners will be no exception.

5. Houston Astros- To put it simply, the Astros are the worst team in baseball. The lineup is the worst in baseball. The rotation is the worst in baseball. The bullpen, you guessed it, is the worst in baseball. In 2013, they finished a mind-boggling 45 games behind the first place Athletics and only won 51 games. Obviously, the Astros aren't trying to win now. The franchise is now focused on bulking up the farm system and developing players at the Major League level. The offseason acquisition of Dexter Fowler to occupy the leadoff spot in the order is helpful, but behind him, it gets ugly. Jose Altuve and Chris Carter have both shown signs of becoming good players down the road, but both are still very raw and inexperienced. The rotation is really, really bad, but Scott Feldman, their Opening Day starter, could put forward a decent effort every five days. If one had to pick a strength, it would be the bullpen. Veterans Jesse Crain and Matt Albers will look to set things up for closer Chad Qualls. As bad as this team is now, the organization has plenty of talent at the minor league level, and if development continues as they hope, the 'Stros should be back to competing in a few years.

2014 AL Central Predictions

AL Central

1. Detroit Tigers- Make no mistake about it. The American League Central is the Detroit Tigers' to lose. This team has no glaring weakness. The lineup, especially spots 1-6, is absolutely filthy. Anchored by 2012 Triple Crown winner and unofficial best player in baseball Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers shouldn't have any problems putting runs on the board. One would figure that with such a great lineup, the pitching couldn't possibly be as good. Think again. The rotation is led by two of the best pitchers in baseball (Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer) and only features one starter (Rick Porcello) who had a 4.00+ ERA last year. If forced to pick a weakness, it would be the bullpen, but the offseason acquisition of Joe Nathan will fill their need at closer. Although the Royals and Indians will field respectable teams this year, no one is stopping Detroit from winning the division and making a strong push at a World Series title.

2. Kansas City Royals- The Royals and Indians are as good as interchangeable at second and third place, but I go with the Royals here because I am one of the few who still believe in good pitching, and the Royals have it. The lineup doesn't seem to have much talent at first glance, but it has the perfect balance of youthful talent and experienced players. Veteran players like Billy Butler and Alex Gordon will try to carry the load while promising young players such as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Salvador Perez continue to show what they can do at the MLB level. The rotation will be led by James Shields and should be respectable despite the loss of Ervin Santana in free agency. The real strength of this club, however, is in the bullpen. Top to bottom, this is one of the best bullpens in baseball, led by underrated closer Greg Holland. Stuck behind the Tigers, the Royals do not have a great chance at a division title this year. With that said, a good season should be expected, and if the chips fall in their favor, they might be able to snag the final Wild Card spot over the second place team from the AL West.

3. Cleveland Indians- Expectations in Cleveland are high coming off only the second playoff appearance since 2001 for the Indians. The lineup is not world class, but it should be enough to keep the team afloat despite playing in a pitcher-friendly park. Carlos Santana will be a player to watch as he makes the transition to DH from the everyday catcher. Cleveland is hoping this move will help his health and his bat, both of which will be vital to the team's success. The rotation figures to be solid even with the departure of Ubaldo Jimenez, but decent production from Carlos Carrasco will be needed in the fifth starter spot, and he has not yet shown he can produce on a regular basis at the Major League level. The bullpen is nothing special, but should be good enough. Most key relief pitchers from last year's squad will be back. Like the Royals, the Indians are a far cry from the Detroit Tigers, but whichever of the teams finishes second in the AL Central will have a good shot at a playoff berth.

4. Minnesota Twins- Most people have the Twins finishing last in this division, and they very well could, but I give them the narrow edge over Chicago here. Like Kansas City and Cleveland, these two are almost interchangeable. There is a distinct gap between the 2-3 and 4-5 teams in this division, similar to the one created by Detroit atop the division. I think Minnesota's lineup might surprise some people. They won't lead the league in average this year, but they have plenty of power scattered throughout the order. Joe Mauer will be counted on to carry this team, but don't be surprised if someone like Josh Willingham or Brian Dozier offers decent production. Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes will anchor what looks like a decent rotation. The bullpen is not great, but it's always nice to have a closer like Glen Perkins on the back end. The Twins also have the best farm system in the league, and a few of their top prospects have a chance to hit the big stage this year. Minnesota is still a few years from competing, but don't be surprised if they beat out the White Sox to avoid being the AL Central cellar dwellers of 2014.

5. Chicago White Sox- The White Sox have gone into rebuilding mode, trying to shed expensive contracts and acquire young, cheap prospects. Jose Abreu is a promising young first baseman that will likely hit in the three hole, while veteran Adam Dunn figures to hold down the cleanup spot and provide some power (and plenty of strikeouts). The rotation will be led by Chris Sale who is coming off a career year in 2013. The rest of the staff should be average at best, but keep an eye on the fifth starter, Erik Johnson, as he looked great in limited innings last year. The Sox' bullpen doesn't look pretty, especially on the back end, as Nate Jones will be called on to close this year despite flashing over a 4.00 ERA last season. The White Sox won't win many games this year, or for the next few years for that matter, but if they can continue to develop their young talent into reliable everyday players at the Major League level, look out for this team down the road.

2014 AL East Predictions

Baseball is finally back. Well, almost.

We are now six days away from MLB Opening Night (March 30th). It's called Opening Night even though the season has technically already been opened, as the Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks in a two game series in Australia. This makes no sense to me, but they didn't ask me about it, so there's that. Each day leading up to Opening Night, I'll be releasing my divisional predictions for the upcoming year. I'll begin with the AL East, and end with the NL West on March 30th. Feel free to leave a comment with any agreements/disagreements, and also feel free to bring this back up at the end of the season when my picks have all been proven wrong. Hope everyone enjoys.

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox- Coming off a World Series title in Boston, expectations are rampant for this group. And why not? Even with Jacoby Ellsbury bolting to New York for a huge pay day, this group should be more than fine. The lineup is solid, the rotation is one of the best in baseball, and the bullpen should be sufficient. The main questions surrounding this group will be the production of new starters Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr., as well as the health of aging players such as David Ortiz and AJ Pierzynski. If the Sox can stay healthy, look for them to take the AL East crown.

2. Tampa Bay Rays- The biggest obstacle to a Red Sox AL East championship repeat will be the Tampa Bay Rays. Their strength will be a strong rotation, led by David Price and Matt Moore. The bullpen was improved over the offseason, and the infield should be good defensively and anchor the middle of an above average lineup. The biggest question for this team will be how much production they get from the top of their lineup as they attempt to set up a strong middle of the order led by Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, and James Loney. If the Rays can indeed finish second in the AL East, they should be considered a favorite for a Wild Card game spot.

3. New York Yankees- One word should tell the story for the New York Yankees this year- health. If the Yankees can stay injury free (or at least not injury riddled), they will become a favorite to win not only the AL East, but possibly a World Series. Talent abounds on the roster, but most of it is aging, injury-prone talent. Free agent signees Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner, and Carlos Beltran should hold down the top three spots in the everyday lineup, but all three have injury history, along with just about every other player in the starting lineup. The starting rotation should be solid, but the bullpen could be a major issue. If the Yankees can keep the injuries to a minimum, they should compete, but since that is a Yankees-payroll-sized "if," they sit at third in my predictions and miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

4. Baltimore Orioles- The Orioles are definitely in consideration for "dark horse of the year," as they could make some noise in the AL East. They grabbed Nelson Cruz out of free agency right before training camp, which should bolster an already solid middle of the order which includes Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Cruz, and Matt Wieters. Manny Machado will provide immediate offense when he returns from the DL. The weakness on this squad will be pitching. The offseason addition of Ubaldo Jimenez will help, but the rest of the rotation and the bullpen remain weak. The offense will win their fair share of games, but playing 81 games in a hitter friendly park like Camden Yards won't be pretty for the O's staff. Although they have the talent and potential to make a run at the playoffs, I don't believe the pitching will provide enough help for them to seriously contend.

5. Toronto Blue Jays- The fact that I am projecting the Toronto Blue Jays to finish last in the division should send a major message about the AL East. This is not a bad team, they just happen to be stuck in the toughest division in baseball. There are questions about the health of Jose Reyes, but if he's able to take the field on Opening Day, he will lead a trio of very dangerous hitters that also includes Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. The rest of the order, however, is underwhelming. The rotation, led by knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, is solid, but not great. The bullpen is also mediocre. Once again, this is not a bad team, but they're not good either. And to win in a division like the AL East, you have to be a lot better than good.