2013 Commissioner's Picks

Shortly after I saw, Jefe's post, I received a text that my SI Baseball Preview was on the way. Before looking at either, I quickly made my own 2013 predictions.  Here they are:

AL EAST
Toronto Blue Jays

Tampa Bay Rays
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees

AL CENTRAL
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers*

Kansas City Royals

Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins

AL WEST
Texas Rangers

Los Angeles Angels*
Seattle Mariners

Oakland Athletics
Houston Astros

NL EAST
Washington Nationals
Atlanta Braves*
Philadelphia Phillies
New York Mets
Miami Marlins

NL CENTRAL
Cincinnati Reds

St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs

NL WEST
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants*
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks

Colorado Rockies

PLAYOFFS:
AL Wildcard: LA Angels def. Detroit 1-0
NL Wildcard: San Francisco def. Atlanta 1-0

ALDS:
Texas def. LA Angels 3-2
Toronto def. Cleveland 3-2

NLDS:
Washington def. San Francisco 3-0
Cincinnati def. LA Dodgers 3-2

ALCS:
Texas def. Toronto 4-2

NLCS:
Washington def. Cincinnati 4-1

WORLD SERIES:
Washington def. Texas 4-3

AL Awards:
MVP - Mike Trout
Cy Young - Brandon Morrow
ROY - Jurickson Profar
MGR - Terry Francona

NL Awards: 
MVP - Bryce Harper
Cy Young - Stephen Strasburg
ROY - Yasiel Puig
MGR - Don Mattingly

Yes, the Texas Rangers are well on their way to becoming MLB's Buffalo Bills.  But I've failed to bet on Nolan Ryan for too long, now.  It won't happen again.  

And following in Jefe's footsteps, here are my own 5 Bold Predictions:

5. The Los Angeles Dodgers call up Yasiel Puig after two weeks, and in route to a ROY season, he also makes at least one appearance at every defensive position except pitcher and catcher.

4. The Kansas City Royals, failing to make the playoffs despite more preseason hype than - well, last season, fire Manager Ned Yost at the end of the season and replace him with Mike MacFarlane.

3. Noting the success of the Cardinals and the Dodgers, after being eliminated from the NLDS, the San Francisco Giants hire Barry Bonds as their hitting coach.

2. At the All-Star break, the Miami Marlins complete the deconstruction of their lineup by trading Mike, errr... Giancarlo Stanton to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Elvis Andrus, which paves the way for Jurickson Profar to play everyday at SS.  Both Stanton and Profar are instrumental in the Rangers run to the World Series.

1. Much to my chagrin, and that of real baseball fans everywhere, after the "reported" success of inter-league play integrated throughout 2013, at the season's end the clamor for both leagues to play with the same rules will be greater than ever.  Bud Selig will make make a sweeping, unilateral decision to implement the DH in the National League beginning in 2014.

I hope I'm wrong about some of this, particularly Bold Prediction #1.  But unfortunately, I'm afraid you can take these predictions to the bank.  

Sorry folks.

Let the game begin!

Play Ball!!!