MLB 2019 predictions: Harper to lead Phillies to World Series glory
I’m most excited by ...
The influx of young talent, but specifically Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The son of The Impaler, one of the greatest right-handed bats of all-time, is the top prospect in all of baseball. Since he struggled in spring training, it’ll be easy for the Jays to stash the 20-year-old in the minors, but the infielder should be up north by midseason at the latest. DL
I’m glad that the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees have renewed their rivalry. Here’s hoping that last year’s somewhat underwhelming ALDS was just a preview of this upcoming season. While it’s understandable that those without any skin in the rivalry could be a little bit annoyed at the amount of attention that these two teams receive, the truth is that baseball is better when both of these teams are at full strength. HF
The Red Sox and Yankees playing a two-game set in London in June. It’s so good to finally see MLB bring the game to Europe and, unlike the NFL, we’ve actually got one of the most heated rivalries in sports to whet our appetites with. D Lev
Machado, Harper and Trout all signed huge contracts. Which team got the best deal?
Any deal that secures Mike Trout makes sense, but the Padres won big with Manny Machado. The four-time All-Star may draw the ire of cranky baseball fans for not running out every ground ball, but he plays on an elite level every day and is the ideal anchor player for a team with a stash of futurephenoms lurking in the minors. DL
Believe it or not, the Los Angeles Angels. Yes, Trout got the largest sports contract ever, but it’s well worth the Angels to have effective lifetime rights over the best baseball player in the world. Hey, maybe some time over the course of the next 10 years they will actually put together a half-decent team around him. HF
The Angels. And it’s not even close. I like the Machado signing for the Padres, and I hear he’s doing wonders for season ticket sales in San Diego. I can’t help but feel the Phillies paid Harper for his 2015 MVP season, where he notched
a 9.9 WAR, his highest to date. Meanwhile, Trout is not only the best player in the game, he’s on pace to be among the greatest in the history. Hell, $500m would have been good value. D Lev
MVP winners
Yasiel Puig was dealt from the Dodgers to Cincinnati this offseason, which means the outfielder will get to hit in the Great American Ballpark, a stadium that happened to give up the most home runs per game in 2018. His new digs should up the sluggers game considerably. As for the AL, well, Mike Trout hasn’t won the award since 2016. That can’t last. DL
When in doubt, just pick Trout, who probably should have a few more on his shelf than he does. Meanwhile, in the NL, look for the St Louis Cardinals to benefit from the services of sixtime All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who they acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks during the offseason. HF
I believe the Angels will hold Trout back for another rightful MVP season. Instead, I’m going with Nolan Arenado in the NL and JD Martinez in the AL. Martinez finished fourth in voting in 2018, with off-the-chart numbers across the board. 2019 is his year. D Lev
Cy Young winners
Max Scherzer was only denied the plaque last year because Jacob deGrom put up one of the best seasons in baseball history, which will be a tough trick to turn again. Scherzer, who is getting better with age, should win his fourth award in 2019. In the NL, Justin Verlander is another hurler in a time-machine: last season, the 36-year-old made his first All-Star team since 2013 and posted the best WHIP of his career. DL
Believe it or not, Boston’s Chris Sale has yet to win a Cy Young award although he’s been one of the best pitchers in the American League for ages. If he can stay healthy, he’s due. The New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom, won the NL Cy Young last year, and there’s no reason to think he can’t make it back to back. HF
Entering his age-25 season, the time is right for Luis Severino to carry the Yankees rotation into the playoffs and beyond. In the NL, Kyle Freeland of the Colorado Rockies went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA in 202 innings last year, and another season in the realm of 20 wins and a sub-three ERA will be enough for his first award. D Lev
AL East winner
Just a few years ago, Yankees fans surely thought they’d have Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, or possibly both. Instead they acquired James Paxton, re-signed JA Happ and continued to focus on their insane bullpen. Still, they strike out too much and Boston are just better. DL
Sigh, the Yankees. Everything went right for the Red Sox last year, they put together the best record in baseball and were still just four games ahead of New York. Expect them to have a few hiccups and expect their stacked rivals to capitalize. HF
The Yankees will make it close, especially if Aaron Judge can stay healthy for the entire season. However, you just can’t look past the Red Sox who looked formidable throughout last season on their way to the title. D Lev
AL Central winner
Thanks to a rash of injuries to start the season and their dealing of Edwin Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso, we’re hearing a lot about the importance of base stealing coming out of Cleveland’s camp. It’s enough to make the collective heads of sabermetricians bobble off their springs, but with 190 RBI’s elsewhere, speed is what they have an speed is what they’ll use to try and keep dominating baseball’s most appalling division. DL
The conservative choice is the Indians. Last year they easily won the division, with the Minnesota Twins ending up 13 games behind them in second place. It’s hard to see that the competition has improved enough that they shouldn’t be favored. HF
Cleveland will make it four AL Central titles in a row, in part because they are good, but also in part because the other four teams are not good. D Lev
AL West winner
Obviously the American League could use a few teams to come along and shake things up a little. The AL West did the best they could in 2018, with Oakland’s surprising playoff run and sickly Seattle somehow winning 89 games. None of those teams can challenge the Houston Astros, who will enjoy a relaxing six months leading into October. DL
The Astros won 103 games last season and went to the ALCS. So once again, I’m going to go conservative here and assume that they will win the division again, although the Oakland Athletics will once again be at their heels. HF
The Astros have one of the best starting rotations and infields in the game. D Lev
NL East winner
There I was, on the treadmill just a few weeks ago, when a figure of 93 Mets wins suddenly popped into my head. Was it runner’s high? The division has fattened up considerably, and so that relatively low number could be enough to win it, if it actually happens. I’m feeling reckless, and so I’ll stick with that sensible selection. DL
The Philadelphia Phillies. They get extra credit just for ending the Bryce Harper situation by finally signing him in free agency. On top of that, they added Andrew McCutchen and JT Realmuto. Unlike nearly every other team, they went all in on free agency and it would be nice to see them rewarded. HF
The additions the Phillies have made, particularly plucking that guy Harper from the Nationals, should see them improve in multiple positions, not just in right field. D Lev
NL Central winner
The Cardinals, will be pipped by a Cubs team playing for their manager’s job. Joe Maddon and company still have the most talent in the division and despite a somewhat shaky rotation, there’s no reason why they can’t win again. DL
Assuming that Paul Goldschmidt does have an MVP caliber season, it would give the Cardinals a great chance to return to their status as a postseason inevitability. Let’s also assume that the Cubs take a step back and return to their regular role as division disappointments. HF
The Cardinals. Goldschmidt puts St Louis over the top, though the likes of reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich at the Brewers will make it close. D Lev
NL West winner
The Dodgers have never been to three consecutive World Series, even when it seemed like they were losing every year to the Yankees back in Brooklyn. There’s no such restriction on division titles however, and with the Padres waiting for talent, the D-Backs in a rebuild and the Giants spinning around in the universe, only the Rockies can challenge. It took a tremendous amount of luck for Colorado to get to game 163 last season v the Dodgers, and lightning is unusual in LA. DL
The Dodgers didn’t have the greatest offseason but they still have Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler in the starting rotation, so expect the World Series runners-up to make the playoffs. HF
Colorado are loaded with Arenado, Blackmon and Story, and David Dahl entering his third season. D Lev
AL wildcards
Rays, Yankees. DL Red Sox, Athletics. HF Yankees, Mariners. D Lev
NL wildcards
Braves, Nationals. DL Padres, Brewers. HF Braves, Cardinals. D Lev
ALCS result
Astros over Red Sox, 4-3. DL Yankees over Red Sox, 4-3. HF Red Sox over Yankees, 4-2. D Lev
NLCS result
Dodgers over Nationals 4-1. DL Phillies over Dodgers, 4-2. HF Phillies over Rockies, 4-3. D Lev
World Series
Astros over Dodgers, 4-2. The Astros are too good to not get that affirming second title and are helped once again by Dave Roberts. The Dodgers skipper somehow sticks with a TBD washed up reliever acquired late in the season in key late-game at-bats, even though he’s already blown two games earlier in the series. DL
Phillies over Yankees, 4-3. Assuming that Commissioner Rob Manfred actually cares about the league he presides over, one would think that he would be hoping for a World Series like this with two of the biggest markets and marquee teams facing off each other. Plus, it would help if it actually went the distance unlike last year’s anticlimactic Red Sox/Dodgers showdown. Let’s have the Phillies winning in seven games, maybe on a Game 7 walk-off from Bryce Harper. HF
Phillies over Red Sox, 4-3. The addition of Harper was obviously a huge pick up for the Phillies, but they also added a stellar shortstop in Jean Segura, catcher JT Realmuto – who knocked 21 homers last year – former All-Star Andrew McCutchen and one of the best late-inning relievers in the game, David Robertson. Philadelphia to win it all. D Lev