MLB Predictions

Alright ladies and germs (and I use that term loosely) we are almost a quarter of the way through baseball season and this is when I like to make my ridiculous predictions that are assured to be wrong.  Just like every other blogger and so called expert we think there is a chance we can tell the future, which is always not true but so much fun for discussion.  So with out further adeiu.....

HERE WE GO......

MY FINAL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS:

AL----Rays, Tigers, Rangers
AL Wildcards---Yankees, Orioles
ALCS---Rangers vs Tigers---RANGERS WIN in 6
Call me crazy on some of these but let me splain. The Rays have SOOOO much pitching on top of having, in my opinion, the best manager in baseball.  The Tigers will come out of their funk because they have too much talent, the 3rd best manager in baseball and the weakest division of all 3 (Sorry Tribe fans it ain't gonna last).  The Rangers need no explanation...they are the best team in baseball..PERIOD. 
On to the Wild cards...Yes I chose 2 teams from the AL East, not because of bias but because it is top to bottom the best division in baseball.  Every team will be within 5-6 games of each other.  If the Rays are 1 the Yankees are 1A.  Even without MO they will be able to make a run just on talent and experience.  Now on to the one everyone will tell me I am wrong on, but HEY I am enjoying the ride and I don't think its a fluke.  As I commented during the offseason, I love what Duquette and Showalter were doing.  Bringing in ballplayers, not just guys to fill holes.  They were also adding depth that is already paying dividends.  Everyone on this Orioles team is contributing and they have the ABSOLUTE right leader for the job.  Go back and look at Buck's 2nd year with every team he has coached. HERE.  This team will make the playoffs, and quickly lose their play in game. 

NL---Nationals, Reds, Dodgers
NL Wildcards---Atlanta, St Louis
NLCS---Nationals vs Dodgers----DODGERS in 5

The Nationals are for real.  There is enough pitching on that team to last 4 lifetimes!  They are young but have a very experienced and WINNING manager in the dugout. The Reds have enough talent that they should overtake the LaRussa less Cardinals finally, and the Dodgers are the BEST team in the NL.  With perennial contenders for both Cy Young and for MVP in Kershaw and Kemp, Donny baseball will finally get to show teh NY brass why Girardi was the wrong choice. 

WORLD SERIES---Rangers vs Dodgers----RANGERS WIN IN 7
This is going to be weird to say but ultimately the Rangers will have too much PITCHING for the Dodgers to beat them....

POST SEASON AWARDS---
AL CY Young---CC Sabathia---he will finally get a chance to deserve one because he is the ONLY dependable starter the Yankees have and has shown he knows it so far
AL MVP---Josh Hamilton---As if I could be wrong here---the only thing that derails this is injury, which is a big possibility.   Here is a BONUS PREDICTION--If healthy Josh Hamilton will put together the finest offensive season we have seen since Ted Williams 1941 season (.406BA 37 HR 120 RBI).  HE WILL WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN!
AL MANAGER of the YEAR--Buck Showalter---How could it not be if I am correct????

NL CY Young---Gio Gonzalez---This guy has become the NL worst nightmare---better than Strasburg right now...
NL MVP---Matt Kemp---Should of won it last year and will this year by competing for his own triple crown but falling just short.
NL MANAGER of the YEAR---Don Mattingly--to go through all the organization has over the last 12 months and still get them to the level they are is something only special managers can do...

What are your predictions for the year?  What do you think of mine?
Follow me on Twitter @stevegoldbeck

GOLDY!