Bold 2015 baseball predictions

As nine billion feet of snow melts away in the northeast¹I assume it’s melting. Honestly, I tuned out all the New Englanders complaining incessantly about snow back in December. and reveals the grass fields that have laid dormant underneath, it’s time for the grossly overpaid boys of summer to return for another year of playing the most glorious game. The 2015 Major League Baseball season kicks off tonight in the half-rebuilt confines of Wrigley Field.²I don’t like the season starting on Easter, but they didn’t ask me.

Last year, I went 4-for-10 on picking playoff teams for the second year in a row, so I suppose I know where Vegas is setting the line on my prognostications. Can I eke out one more correct pick this year and reach .500? I doubt it.

And in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m experimenting with using side notes³Or if you’re on a mobile device, footnotes. (instead of putting all my asides in parentheses).⁴Just like this one Not sure yet if I like it or not.

But, getting back to baseball, here they are:

2015 SEASON PREDICTIONS

• AL West: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County of California of the United States of North America of Earth
• AL Central: Cleveland Indians
• AL East: Baltimore Orioles
• AL wild cards: Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers
• NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
• NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals⁵Until someone proves me wrong, I will make this pick until the end of time.
• NL East: Washington Nationals⁶I am not, however, ready to just hand them the World Series trophy like most people want to do in April.
• NL wild cards: Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins
• The Astros will continue their upward trend, but contention is still at least a year off and I don’t see A.J. “80s Movie Trucker Name” Hinch⁷Although the guy went to Stanford, so he obviously isn’t a slouch. Not that I’m implying that truck drivers are slouches. leading them to glory based on his wits alone. I’ll go with 79-83, which would be a very impressive nine-game improvement from a surprising 2014.

I’ve got 7 of 10 last year’s playoff teams repeating, which seems a bit high. I’m not terribly sure about those Red Sox and Marlins wild card picks, but I don’t really see any other sure-fire alternatives at this point. I’m sure injuries will ruin someone’s season before April is over.⁸I hope it’s the Rangers

As usual, I refuse to make postseason predictions at this point because that’s just stupid given that many of the predictions above will be wrong. See you in October to see how I fared.

• 1
  I assume it’s melting. Honestly, I tuned out all the New Englanders complaining incessantly about snow back in December.
• 2
  I don’t like the season starting on Easter, but they didn’t ask me.
• 3
  Or if you’re on a mobile device, footnotes.
• 4
  Just like this one
• 5
  Until someone proves me wrong, I will make this pick until the end of time.
• 6
  I am not, however, ready to just hand them the World Series trophy like most people want to do in April.
• 7
  Although the guy went to Stanford, so he obviously isn’t a slouch. Not that I’m implying that truck drivers are slouches.
• 8
  I hope it’s the Rangers