Arizona Diamondbacks 84.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: Parker and I agree on this one. Whereas I personally think the Diamondbacks will dial back from their amazing 2011 season where they won 94 games, I still don’t see it creeping below 84 games. I have them pegged for 87-88 wins this season.
Atlanta Braves 86.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: Atlanta won 89 games last year and finished second. I have them finishing fourth in the division with about 80-82 wins. Their starting pitching is unreliable and that bullpen was taxed in 2011, so expect a regression there.
Baltimore Orioles 70.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: The O’s were my favorite AL team growing up, partially because I was a huge fan of Cal Ripken Jr. When your pitching staff includes guys who wouldn’t be lucky to be No. 5 starters on other teams, you’re in trouble. I’d say 70 wins would be a victory for the O’s, but 65-67 is more realistic.
Boston Red Sox 87.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: Sore thumbs are just the latest issue. You can’t tell me this team is heading in the right direction. They fell apart in September and they got worse in the offseason by not addressing any key issues. Firing the two-time World Series winning manager and letting Theo Epstein walk is just stupid. With the Rays, Yankees and Jays all boasting superior pitching staffs, the Sox will be lucky to get 85 wins.
Chicago Cubs 73.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Point: I agree again. The Cubs may get 73 wins, but that’s still under. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are doing good things in Chicago, and if Matt Garza can have a Cy Young-like season, I’m going to have egg on my face, but I’m saying 72 wins
Parker’s Point: Even with Theo now in the Windy City, it’s too early to start saying they are going to win. They are a young team with some good young talent but they wont see a winning team for another couple years. Garza will get traded to a contender by the end of July and with the Brewers, Reds and Cardinals in the same division it will be hard to get wins. … But, hey, you have the Pirates and Astros right? 70 Wins.
Chicago White Sox 76.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Point: Finally, we disagree. Jake Peavy and Jon Danks will bounce back, and Adam Dunn is going to hit 35 homers and 100 RBIs. It’s not going to win them the division, and it’s not going to get them into the wild card, but they’ll battle the Royals for second place with about 80-82 wins.
Parker’s Point: I don’t think Peavy will have a bounce back year and besides the overpaid contract to John Danks and Floyd, their rotation is not very deep. Dunn will have a bounce back year and with Konerko, who I was targeting in the draft, they will have some home run power, but I don’t see them making a run for a playoff spot. Other than those two there is not much offense. I say 73 wins.
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: Joey Votto just got paid. Brandon Phillips could be next. Mat Latos is in town now. That’s just three things to be excited about if you’re a Reds fan. Another division title will make it even more exciting. I have them winning 92-93 games.
Parker’s Point: Simple logic, they won their division in 2010. Everyone on that team who was anyone is still on the team. They had one of the best offseasons in the league and only got better, especially their starting rotation and bullpen. I say 91 wins and a division title is in the books and they just have to watch out for that Halladay guy in the playoffs.
Cleveland Indians 75.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Point: Maybe Parker is still thinking Ubaldo Jimenez is the guy he had in fantasy two years ago. I’m sorry. The Indians have moved in the wrong direction. The moves they’ve made have not panned out. Just look at the guys they got for CC Sabathia. Matt LaPorta, where is he. What about the guys for Cliff Lee? Now, they give up top-notch prospects for Jimenez, and they must be wishing they still had Drew Pomeranz. The Indians need to go into the main menu and turn trades “OFF.” Silly video game.
Parker’s Point This was one of my “Bold” picks where I look stupid picking them but not if they win. … I do like Ubaldo and no I don’t think he is the guy of two years ago. I do think Masterson will have a good year. I can’t pick against Santana, this guy is a beast and he is going to lead his team to 77 wins.
Colorado Rockies 82.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: The Rockies won 73 games last year so if they win 78-80, I guess that’s a decent jump for the organization, but it’s not enough to go over the Vegas line. Pitching is just a year away and so are a few other batting prospects. I could see the Rockies contending in 2013.
Detroit Tigers 94.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: Detroit should win 96-98 games, and maybe more, as long as the Tigers pitching 2 through 5 is decent. Justin Verlander should win another 24 games, and the offense should help the other starters get close to 15 wins.
Houston Astros 62.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: We’re talking about a 100-loss team. Just hard to see how they compete daily. This is a couple-year rebuilding process and they’re still stuck in year one.
Kansas City Royals 78.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: Pitching is a huge question mark, but on offense alone, the Royals should win 82 games and be a .500 team. And if they use their many prospects to get themselves a quality starter, perhaps they win 87-88 and compete for the wild card in early September.
Los Angeles Angels 89.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: The Angels won 86 games last season with inept offense. They add Albert Pujols, Kendrys Morales and maybe Mike Trout by the All-Star Break, and they bolster the rotation with four top-notch starters, making me believe 94 wins is realistic. I just see 97 wins in the cards for Texas, leaving LAA as a wild card.
Los Angeles Dodgers 81.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: I don’t know how far over Parker has this, but I can tell you, I could see the Dodgers wining 87-89 games this year if all goes the way I think it will. Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershew are two of the best players in the game. They’ll ride the wave of a rejuvenated fan base to the wild card race. As I said before, they’re my darkhorse to beat out the Diamondbacks for the wild card.
Miami Marlins 82.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: The Marlins have been predicted to win this division by many, but I’m not going there. They’ll finish third with 85-87 wins, and they’ll battle the Nats closely for second place and the other wild card. I just do not trust their pitching. I love the offense, but not the pitching.
Milwaukee Brewers 82.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Point: I disagree with Parker here and it’s because I see many struggles coming for the Brewers in 2012. Prince Fielder will be dearly missed, and injuries will catch up with the pitching staff. Yovani Gallardo and Zack Greinke will battle hard to make the Brewers an 80-win team.
Parker’s Point: Let’s just say I don’t think they will win many games over 82.5. I think they have the guys who will make up for Fielder in Gamel and Ramirez. Braun will reproduce his MVP season even though he won’t win that this year because of all the doubters. I say 84 wins.
Minnesota Twins 74.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Point: I have the Twins finishing last, so I have to go under this number. They haven’t addressed starting pitching. They have middle infield issues. They have Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau injury worries. They let guys like Kubel walk. They have the makings of a team that is heading in the wrong direction.
Parker’s Point: They will not be a .500 team, that being said they will be just under that. Mauer and Morneau will have bounce back years with no set backs. Willingham is going to have a big year and I think they may get a lot of wins out of their bullpen because I think that is one of their strongest parts with Capps and Duensing. I say 78 wins.
New York Mets 74.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: They’re looking to lock up Jonathon Niese for five years. Do we need to say any more about the direction of this franchise? I think 65-67 wins would be a miracle.
New York Yankees 93.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Point: Under, but not by much. I think 90, 91 wins are in the books for the Yankees. If a few things go right, perhaps Michael Pineda returning in All-Star form, I could see the Yankees rise up and win the division with 95 wins, but I’m doubting that right now. Rays win this division.
Parker’s Point: They are still the best team in the division. Yes, the Rays do have the better pitching staff but I can’t go against the offense in NY as much as it pains me. They will roll over Boston, Jays and Orioles and come in first in the division. Rays win the first wild card, while the Yankees win 96 games.
Oakland Athletics 72.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: Who can’t agree with this? Trade away all your pitching and add five outfielders equals at least 95 losses.
Philadelphia Phillies 95.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: Under, but not by much. I have them winning 91, 92 games, which will be enough to edge out the Nationals for the division title.
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Point: Maybe it’s because I lived in the city for four years and I just want to see the Pirates win. Maybe I’m just a huge fan of Andrew McCutchen. No matter what, call me crazy, but I think the Pirates do it this year. They get over .500 and end the 19 straight losing seasons. I’m going with 83 wins for the Pirates.
Parker’s Point: When your biggest offseason move is to bring in A.J. Burnett and then you have the misfortune to losing him due to a foul ball to the face while bunting, you’re bound to win only 70 games. Hello 20 straight losing seasons.
Jimmy’s Extra Point: I sent this file to Parker to read over and put his points down and now I’m proof-reading and he just cracked me up. Touche, Parker. Touche. But, hey, Burnett is on pace to come back in mid-April, early May and I still think he’ll win 15 games for the Pirates. Hello told you so.
San Diego Padres 70.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: Not by much, but I can see the Padres scraping out 71, 72 wins. Yonder Alonso will put up All-Star numbers and win the NL Rookie of the Year, and Cory Luebke will win nearly 15 games. There’s a glimmer of something good on the horizon — that I’m sure the Padres will trade away in three years.
San Francisco Giants 87.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Point: Way over. The Giants win at least 95 games. Madison Bumgarner emerges as one of the game’s elite, added to Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, and they’ll rival the Phillies for best pitching staff in the NL. The lineup is going to score many more runs this season. Buster Posey is back. Brandon Belt will be there either to start the season or soon after that. Melky Cabrera is a very underrated pickup and Pablo Sandoval showed last season he wasn’t a one-hit wonder.
Parker’s Point: Listen, I want to love this team and I should… However, I look at last year, they won only 86 Games… Yes, Posey wasn’t there but I still do not like their offense. Posey has to come back and have a huge year, Belt has to finally step up. I don’t see a lot of runs being scored. I see a lot of 1-0, 2-0 losses here. Their pitchers, on the other hand, will be like Felix Hernandez a couple years ago 2.00 ERA with 14 wins.
Seattle Mariners 72.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Point: Over, but I’m saying over by one or two. They’ll get 73, 74 wins because of the youth movement that will come up in July, including stud starting pitcher Danny Hultzen. That will help them win a few extra games and get over the 72.5 line.
Parker’s Point: The youth movement is why I am under, it’s to early for them. Ichiro will have a bounce back year but not like the Ichiro of old. They do have two young starting pitchers that will be up soon in Hultzen and Paxton, but that’s not till 2013 when they are household names. I’m going with 71 wins.
St. Louis Cardinals 87.5
Parker’s Pick: Under
Jimmy’s Pick: Under
Point: I understand there is a winning tradition in St. Louis and they think they’ll win without Albert Pujols, and I’m sure in time they will, but without him and with a tired pitching staff that gave it their all at the end of the 2011 season, this team will take a step back. Expect 85 wins.
Tampa Bay Rays 87.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: The Rays win the division with 95-97 wins. This is the best pitching staff in baseball. David Price will battle Verlander for the Cy Young; James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson will be close to what they were last year; and Matt Moore is going to go for that AL Rookie of the Year award. This staff, added with some decent offence from Evan Longoria, Desmond Jennings and Carlos Pena, will control the AL East throughout most of the season.
Texas Rangers 94.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. The Rangers win the division with 97 wins. Everyone is shouting about Detroit’s offense, but I still think this team is the best offensively. And they have one of the better bullpens in baseball, so leads will be taken and leads will be held.
Toronto Blue Jays 81
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: I have the Jays finishing third and I think 87 wins is what they’re looking at this season. The pitching staff is strong and there are some younger players who are going to give Toronto some life.
Washington Nationals 80.5
Parker’s Pick: Over
Jimmy’s Pick: Over
Point: I hear the pundits. The Nationals won’t be able to keep it going because Stephen Strasburg will be shut down. Well, I think with the No. 1 farm system in all of Major League Baseball, the Nationals, if in contention for the division/wild card, will be able to make a deal for a pitcher that could pick up where Strasburg left off. I’m picking them to get 88-89 wins, just enough to edge out the Marlins, which is why you say the Marlins in third on my predictions.
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