Starting today it all counts.
All 30 big league baseball teams start the day tied for first place, their dreams of winning the World Series Championship just a mere seven months and 162 regular season games away.
I've never been very good at predictions of what ballclub will win what division, what player will win that award, or win what team will win that final game to secure the final wild card spot in the playoffs.
The 2016 season begins with the defending champs, the Kansas City Royals, as the team to beat again, with just about every American League team capable of winning and beating the Royals...who are trying to become the first A.L. team to win three straight A.L pennants since the 1998-99-2000-01 New York Yankees.
The Senior Circuit has the champion New York Mets trying to repeat their World Series run of 2015, while the Pittsburgh Pirates try to stay out if another Wild Card playoff game...hard to do with the Cardinals and Cubs playing against you 19 times.
Zack Greinke took his pitching prowess from Hollywood to the Arizona desert to win a championship for the Diamondbacks for the first time since their 2001 World Series title over the Yankees.
⚾ So, just because I write a baseball blog, I suppose I have to, so...I like...
...the Red Sox in the A.L. East, the Royals in Central...hey, until somebody beats the Champs...and the Houston Astros in the West.
I'll take my Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays to play in the Wild Card game, with my Tigers beating Toronto in Comerica Park behind Miguel Cabrera, Victor and J.D. Martinez, Justin Verlander, and K-Rod closing it out.
My Tigers will beat Boston in the Division Series, Houston will upset the Royals, and in the ALCS...the Astros will beat my Tigers in Game 7 in Houston behind Dallas Keuchel.
I know...you all thought I was taking my Tigers all the way...well, no, I'm not...I deleted that post, so there.
In the National League I like the Washington Nationals to win the N.L. East, the St. Louis Cardinals in the Central, and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the West.
In the Wild Card game I'll take the Chicago Cubs over the New York Mets...sorry Pirates fans.
In the Division Series I've got the Cubs vs. the Cardinals, with the Cardinals beating the Cubbies in 6 games...yes Cub fans, its still not your year...and the Nationals over Arizona.
In the NLCS I'll take the Cardinals over the Nationals in 5 games.
As for the World Series, I like the young Houston Astros, led by Jose Altuve and Carlos Corriea, to win the teams first ever Championship, in 6 games vs St. Louis.
OK, now, I'm sure there are many, many, baseball fans out there going hey...the Astros are your pick to win it all?
Really?
Yes, really...did anyone see the 2014 KC Royals coming...I know I didn't.
An easy puck would've been the BoSox in the A.L., and bring tge Mets back for redemption.
Hey, there are probably plenty of prognosticators out there saying just that...and they could be correct.
As for the baseball awards.... I'll take the Astros Jose Altuve and the Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt as league MVP'S...with the Cy Young Awards go to Justin Verlander of the Tigers (my one homer pick of the year.), and Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals.
Well, there it is...not perfect I'm sure, probably completely wrong, however, I just can't do the easy thing and pick a Red Sox-Cubs World Series...that, I'm sure, may be more than baseball fans can handle.
I hope you all have a joyous big league baseball season...and please, try and remember...the players can't hear to yell at the TV or see your mean Tweet...enjoy the game...don't disect every pitch, every swing of the bat.
It's a long baseball season...relax...and PLAY BALL! ⚾
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