2012 MLB Season Outlook
The MLB season has already technically started with two games in March as the MLB went to Japan for the first time. Ichiro Suzuki went home with the Seattle Mariners to Tokyo playing in front of a huge crowd. The National League has also kicked off their season with the Miami Marlins opening their new ballpark against the defending champions. The season begins in earnest this today as almost every team begins their season playing the first of 162 games. Every team will be looking towards the same goal as many teams will see it as the beginning of their season sees a perfect record. Every team has hope at this point in the season and will all be looking to get their chance at the World Series Title. Of course these hopes will be destroyed for some while others will see these dreams come true. With such a long season the winning at the start of the season cannot bring you into the playoffs. Losing at the beginning of the season will do you no good as well as you cannot win a championship at the beginning of the season but you can lose one. Teams will try to get out to a good start as they look to build momentum early in the season. Teams will begin to figure out what they have and if they have what it takes to be a contender. As this all will unfold it is time to look ahead in the season to see who the early favorite is to win the World Series this year. Here is a look at each league top see what teams have the best chance at making a run at the World Series this year.
National League Outlook
The National League boasts the defending World Series Champions but this year the champs will not be the team to beat. In fact the loss of Albert Pujols has greatly hurt the chances of the Cardinals repeating as champions and may even see them out of the playoffs. The Cards will be forced to fight it out for the wild card. Along with the Cards will be Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Arizona Diamondbacks fighting it out for the two wild card spots this year. The Diamondbacks are just too good to be denied this year as they will only be beat by a very good San Francisco Giants team for the division. The D-Backs could take the last spot behind a much improved Marlins team with a new commitment towards winning. Meanwhile the divisions will see two familiar teams and one more unusual one. The Giants and Phillies will remain at the top of their divisions and the top of the league again. The Phillies will try to bounce back from a disappointing season with a still great lineup and a feeling that if they want to win it has to be this year. The Giants will try to bounce back from a disappointing season with all of their parts back and a few additions to make them a strong favorite again this year. The Cincinnati Reds are on the rise and will take their division but may struggle with a young team and probably won’t make it out of the NLDS. The beasts of the league will fight it out again as the Giants and Phillies look to face off in the finals with Phillies taking their desperation and talent into the World Series to represent the National League.
Final Standings:
1. San Francisco Giants
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Miami Marlins
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
6. Atlanta Braves
7. St. Louis Cardinals
8. Washington Nationals
9. Los Angeles Dodgers
10. Colorado Rockies
11. Pittsburgh Pirates
12. San Diego Padres
13. New York Mets
14. Chicago Cubs
15. Houston Astros
National League Wild Card Playoff:
Arizona Diamondbacks 6 – 3 Miami Marlins
– The D-Backs are the best team that may not win a division only thanks to their opponents and will beat the revamped Marlins in the inaugural season with the one-game wild card playoff as they will move on to the NLDS
National League Divisional Series:
San Francisco Giants 3 – 1 Cincinnati Reds
– The Giants are renewed from a year ago and will take their great pitching and experience into the 5 game series against the young up and coming Reds who’s inexperience will hurt them in the NLDS
Philadelphia Phillies 3 – 2 Arizona Diamondbacks
– The Phillies have a feeling that if they do not win this year then they will not win again with this team as they are getting older and with that they will get past a very good Arizona team in what could be a close series
National League Championship Series:
Philadelphia Phillies 4 – 3 San Francisco Giants
– The two beasts of the NL will be back to get their spot in the postseason and will go back and forth with two of the best pitching rotations in the league facing off in what could be the best series in the postseason
American League Outlook
The American League is a traditional powerhouse with some of the best teams coming out of this league and into the record books as the World Series Champions. Last year they could not do it though as the Texas Rangers moved through to the World Series for the second year in a row. The Rangers showed their dominance all year but again failed to come through in the final series losing to the Cardinals in the finals. This year the Rangers will be looking to get back to the World Series and finish the job but that is easier said than done. The Rangers will have plenty of challengers including the two wild card teams that will play this year. The AL is essentially the reason the MLB added the second wild card team but only one team will benefit this year. The AL East will dominate again as the Rays look to be on their way to another wild card berth with the Red Sox right behind them battling until the end. The East will not take the second wild card though as the Angels will benefit from the second wild card spot with a very good team. Meanwhile the divisions will continue trends as the three teams that won the divisions last year will be back. The Yankees will be on the top again with the Tigers right on their heels and the Rangers taking their title for the third time in a row. With traditional powers abound a team that has struggled may emerge as the favorites as the Tigers will win their division for the second year in a row but will be even better than last year. The Tigers are much more improved and experienced than last year and they will look to get to the World Series to represent the AL.
Final Standings
1. New York Yankees
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Texas Rangers
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Los Angeles Angels
6. Boston Red Sox
7. Toronto Blue Jays
8. Cleveland Indians
9. Chicago White Sox
10. Minnesota Twins
11. Baltimore Orioles
12. Oakland Athletics
13. Kansas City Royals
14. Seattle Mariners
American League Wild Card Playoff:
Los Angeles Angels 8 – 5 Tampa Bay Rays
– The Angels are a better team with Albert Pujols leading the offence and they will take on the consistent Rays but will come out on top with an offence that not even the best pitching rotation can contain
American League Divisional Series:
New York Yankees 3 – 2 Texas Rangers
– The Yankees were disappointed last year, which happens when they don’t win the world series, but another year with a young rotation will help them end the Rangers rule over the American League
Detroit Tigers 3 – 1 Los Angeles Angels
– The Tigers look seriously dangerous this year as it seems that they may not be able to be stopped and unfortunately for the Angels the next team in their path after the regular season will be them
American League Championship Series:
Detroit Tigers 4 – 3 New York Yankees
– It will be a tight battle in the championship series but the young pitching of the Yankees will get banged up by Prince Fielder and the Tigers as Verlander and the Tiger rotation will be able to keep the Yankees in check
2012 World Series:
Detroit Tigers 4 – 3 Philadelphia Phillies
– Detroit is desperately in need of a championship and the Phillies players need one before they move on in their careers but the Tigers just look too strong with Prince Fielder leading the offence and Justin Verlander leading the rotation against the offensively challenged Phillies
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