MLB Predictions 2011

Jeff Westover · Mar 24, 2011

Time to prognosticate your major league baseball picks for 2011. The new season begins here shortly and hope springs eternal for everyone.

Please predict...

NL East Division Winner:
NL Central Division Winner:
NL West Division Winner:
NL Wild Card Winner:

NLCS Participants:
NL Pennant Winner:

AL East Division Winner:
AL Central Division Winner:
AL West Division Winner:
AL Wild Card Winner:

ALCS Participants:
AL Pennant Winner:

World Series Winner:
Number of Games:

Jeff Westover · Mar 24, 2011

Here are my 2011 picks:

NL East Division Winner: Atlanta Braves
NL Central Division Winner: Milwaukee Brewers
NL West Division Winner: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Philadelphia Phillies

NLCS Participants: Brewers vs. Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Giants

AL East Division Winner: Boston Red Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Minnesota Twins
AL West Division Winner: Oakland Athletics
AL Wild Card Winner: Los Angeles Angels

ALCS Participants: Red Sox vs. Angels
AL Pennant Winner: Red Sox

World Series Winner: Giants
Number of Games: Seven

xmas365 · Mar 24, 2011

NL East Division Winner: Phillies
NL Central Division Winner: Cardinals
NL West Division Winner: Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Reds

NLCS Participants: Phillies vs Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Phillies

AL East Division Winner: Red Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Twins
AL West Division Winner: Rangers
AL Wild Card Winner: Yankees

ALCS Participants: Red Sox vs Yankees
AL Pennant Winner: Red Sox

World Series Winner: Red Sox
Number of Games: 6

Yes, call me a homer, Expectations are through the roof for the Sox up here!

Storeytime · Mar 24, 2011

NL East Division Winner: Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central Division Winner: Houston Astros
NL West Division Winner: San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Atlanta Braves

NLCS Participants: Phillies vs. Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Phillies

AL East Division Winner: Boston Red Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Minnesota Twins
AL West Division Winner: Oakland Athletics
AL Wild Card Winner: New York Yankees

ALCS Participants: Red Sox vs. Athletics
AL Pennant Winner: Red Sox

World Series Winner: Phillies
Number of Games: Seven

OK, so being a lifetime Astros fan makes me not only an eternal optimist, but also not very honest when it comes to picking at least one of these division winners. Seriously though, I think they will suprise this year and be in the race till the end.

Jeff Westover · Mar 25, 2011

You're dreaming about the Stros, bro.

But the Phillies are going to need a serious turn on their luck if this season is to work out. The Utley situation will tell the story. They might have maybe had a chance with Werth gone and Brown doing a fine imitation but Brown is hurt until at least may and he's really young and unknown. Howard is not the threat he once was and unless they find some serious offense (like from Rollins) they are going to lose a lot of low scoring games. I'm willing to bet they end up trading one of those pitchers for a bat.

MerryCarey · Mar 25, 2011

I like it ... go Sox!

xmas365 said:
NL East Division Winner: Phillies
NL Central Division Winner: Cardinals
NL West Division Winner: Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Reds

NLCS Participants: Phillies vs Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Phillies

AL East Division Winner: Red Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Twins
AL West Division Winner: Rangers
AL Wild Card Winner: Yankees

ALCS Participants: Red Sox vs Yankees
AL Pennant Winner: Red Sox

World Series Winner: Red Sox
Number of Games: 6

Yes, call me a homer, Expectations are through the roof for the Sox up here!

Jeff Westover · Mar 25, 2011

Yes, nothing but expectations and no excuses for the Red Sox this year.

ScottCalvin · Mar 27, 2011

Ill shall be keeping an eye on how the Mets do

ballcoach · Mar 27, 2011

Two words.....

RED SOX

Jeff Westover · Mar 27, 2011

ScottCalvin said:
Ill shall be keeping an eye on how the Mets do

You mean implosion?

whychristmas · Mar 27, 2011

NL East Division Winner: Phils
NL Central Division Winner: Brew crew
NL West Division Winner: Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Braves

NLCS Participants: Phils & Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Giants

AL East Division Winner: Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Twins
AL West Division Winner: As
AL Wild Card Winner: Yanks

ALCS Participants: Sox & Twins
AL Pennant Winner: Sox

World Series Winner: Sox
Number of Games: 6

Can't wait for the season to start - gotta to get my mlb.tv sorted out. I'm hoping the Phils can sort out 2B and LF... (and please trade my Blanton for some offense!) I reckon the Brewers and As are gonna surprise a lot of people.

xmas365 - the Cards?!!?!?!?!? Could be last I reckon and there's gonna be a whole lot of distracting hoopla about Albert come July...

Not sure if I'm gonna do fantasy this year. I tend to lose interest come mid-season. I play on: http://www.fantasybaseballuk.com/ Anyone else play fantasy and where?

Jeff Westover · Mar 27, 2011

whychristmas said:
Can't wait for the season to start - gotta to get my mlb.tv sorted out. I'm hoping the Phils can sort out 2B and LF... (and please trade my Blanton for some offense!) I reckon the Brewers and As are gonna surprise a lot of people.

xmas365 - the Cards?!!?!?!?!? Could be last I reckon and there's gonna be a whole lot of distracting hoopla about Albert come July...

Not sure if I'm gonna do fantasy this year. I tend to lose interest come mid-season. I play on: http://www.fantasybaseballuk.com/ Anyone else play fantasy and where?

I play and have played for a number of years at http://baseballmanager.com. By far the best fantasy game online.

I think the Brewers and the Cards will be handled well by the Reds. In fact, both Pujols and Fielder could be trade bait rent-a-players come July if the pitching doesn't hold up in that division. Also, the Cubs won't be a factor but they could be better. The NL Central will be fun to watch.

The Phils right now are a train wreck if you ask me. I don't think Utley's situation is hopeful and his is a giant presence to lose, especially with Werth out of that lineup. And with Howard hitting like a little girl the Phils look really vulnerable to me. They could lose a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 type games.

I am looking forward to the Red Sox becoming the new Yankees, meaning they should win but might not due to whatever freak thing. So much expectation there. Frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing Baltimore surprise some and get better. I'm a believer in Buck Showalter.

But none of it will matter. The Giants are a team of destiny and will again arise in the West after another under-the-radar run supported by a brilliant pitching-centric post season. The Belt thing if it doesn't pan out, and I think it might, would make the Giants prime for one of those big July free agent acquisitions to ice it. I think the management there, unlike the Red Sox, has a pile of money they are sitting on waiting to spring in the right situation for a run. The Pads won't compete this year, neither will the D-backs. The Dodgers could but aren't expected to because of all their drama and a surprising lack of offense. Interesting to watch if Donnie Baseball can awaken those bats.

It could be a good year for Bay Area baseball between the Giants and the A's.

Jeff Westover · Mar 27, 2011

I'd love to see if we had enough baseball freaks here to put together a fantasy league. It is only $100 bucks or so for a season and it would take 10 of us. Great entertainment between now and October that is very compatible with Christmas, by the way.

ScottCalvin · Mar 28, 2011

If you can get 8 more Ill join, don't know too many Baseball players but I like playing fantasy sports I am currently 3rd in a NHL league

ScottCalvin · Mar 28, 2011

Jeff Westover said:
You mean implosion?

Yeah we will another world series someday, if we are lucky maybe 2025-2026

xmas365 · Mar 28, 2011

whychristmas said:
NL East Division Winner: Phils
NL Central Division Winner: Brew crew
NL West Division Winner: Giants
NL Wild Card Winner: Braves

NLCS Participants: Phils & Giants
NL Pennant Winner: Giants

AL East Division Winner: Sox
AL Central Division Winner: Twins
AL West Division Winner: As
AL Wild Card Winner: Yanks

ALCS Participants: Sox & Twins
AL Pennant Winner: Sox

World Series Winner: Sox
Number of Games: 6

xmas365 - the Cards?!!?!?!?!? Could be last I reckon and there's gonna be a whole lot of distracting hoopla about Albert come July...

I don't really follow the National League, except for maybe the Padres, (Tony Gwynn was one of my favorite players growing up) the Cardinals are a complete guess, I feel Pujols will remain and resign with them. No other team jumps out at me in that division.

whychristmas · Mar 28, 2011

You can count me in for a league if that's do-able! Off to renew my mlb.tv package (only way I can see anything over here - well without having to page £30+ a month...)

SW1Dennis · Mar 29, 2011

:sparkle:

Mine is the same as last year. Whatever the National League sees fit to dig up to face the MINNESOTA TWINS in the World Series.

The Twins will give them a good pounding!!

whychristmas · Mar 31, 2011

OPENING DAY!!! (that is all)

MerryBells · Mar 31, 2011

I don't know much about Baseball, but my Mother assures me that the Baltimore Orioles are going to win every game of every division, whether it's their division or not. They will be so marvelous that they will have to compete against themselves in the world series. I told her that sounded good to me.