Preview: the 2020 MLB Season

Photo courtesy of www.mlb.com

The Major League Baseball season is just around the corner; or at least it was. 

Sports and life have been canceled or postponed as the coronavirus continues to sweep through. However, The Campus is here to offer its predictions on the 2020 season. A season prior to the pandemic seemed ripe to be titled, “The Houston Astros versus everybody,” The Astros were exposed for stealing signs in an elaborate camera/trash can banging scheme and the rest of Major League Baseball is out for revenge. Teams other than the Houston Astros made moves in the offseason which shows the 2020 season will be intensely intriguing. 

Predictions

Jon Painter

National League East: Atlanta Braves

On paper it seems as though everyone besides the Miami Marlins has a chance to win the NL East. The Phillies added starting pitcher Zack Wheeler from rival New York Mets and Didi Gregorius was also  signed in free agency. However, the most talented team still is the Atlanta Braves. Look for Ronald Acuna to carry the Braves to the NL East title in an MVP caliber season. 

National League Central: Cincinnati Reds

2020 will be the return of the Big Red Machine. Trevor Bauer was terrible last year after being traded to the Cincinnati Reds from the Cleveland Indians. Bauer, along with All-Star Sonny Gray, will lead a resurgence in the Reds rotation. Reds and first baseman Joey Votto hold off the St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League Central.

National League West: Los Angeles Dodgers

When was the last time the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t win the National League West? When was the last time the Dodgers won the World Series? Exactly, and the Dodgers traded for American League MVP Mookie Betts. This division race was over before it started. 

National League Wild Card 1: New York Mets

National League Wild Card 2: St. Louis Cardinals

American League East: New York Yankees

With the coronavirus likely drastically shortening the season, the American League East will be a sprint between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. Had the season started on schedule the Yankees likely would have been without top sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. Whenever the season starts the Yankees should have a full complement of sluggers to bounce the Rays. 

American League Central: Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are loaded with talent amongst their position players and they added Dallas Keuchel to lead their starting rotation. Corey Kluber was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Texas Rangers. Speculation is rampant the Indians will also look to trade their superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor. Talent is easing out of the division while the White Sox are ascending and have enough pitching to hold down the Minnesota Twins. 

American League West: Oakland A’s

The Houston Astros are going to be eviscerated by fans every time they play on the road because of their sign stealing scandal. The Oakland A’s have enough on their team to take down the evil Astros. The Astros lost Gerrit Cole to Yankees and he will be sorely missed. Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers are vastly improved so do not expect a 100 win team to emerge from this division. However, the A’s get their revenge in 2020 and win the American League West.   

American League Wild Card 1: Minnesota Twins

American League Wild Card 2: Houston Astros

World Series Los Angeles Dodgers over the Oakland A’s in 6 games. 

Dillon Johnson

National League East

Washington Nationals are the defending champions. The Nationals have lost some players that helped them on their run to the World Series, but they seem to be looking for rookies and lesser known names to fill in those gaps and bring them back to defend their title. They still have a great hitting group, and their bullpen has improved and should be an improvement, given no injuries. 

National League Central

The St. Louis Cardinals were one series away from going to the World Series. They lost to the World Series Champions- the Washington Nationals. I see the Cardinals going back and playing for the pennant, with big rookie prospect in Dylan Carlson, and excellent pitcher in Jack Flaherty, they can look to make another run.

National League West

LA Dodgers, the team that always lets down their fans with high hopes. Every year, the Dodgers are expected to make a deep run into playoffs, and for good reason, they seem to always do really well in the regular season. I see the Dodgers facing the Cardinals for the pennant this year, especially now that the Dodgers picked up Mookie Betts and rookies Dustin May and Gavin Lux.

National League Wildcard 1

Atlanta Braves

National League Wildcard 2

Chicago Cubs, I see the Cubs upsetting the defending champs.

National League Pennant- St. Louis Cardinals

American League East

New York Yankees--the sluggers of the league. Hitting alone will get this team into the playoffs and keep them in every game. On top of their great hitting, they have a great pitcher in Gerrit Cole. They were only one series away from going to the World Series and they lost to the Astros, so I see them having a little extra something to play for this year. 

American League Central

I see the American League Central as one of the weaker divisions in baseball. No clear favorites come out to me, but I’ll have to go with the Cleveland Indians. Ace Mike Clevinger and shortstop Francisco Lindor have me picking the Indians to win the American League Central. 

American League West

The Houston Astros had the scandal of last year. The signal calling scandal is awful and if karma was real, the Astros won’t come close to the playoffs, but in sports, it just doesn’t seem to be that way. Remember all the scandals the New England Patriots had and look how good they’ve been over the past 20 years. Scandal or not, this is still a very good team with a good core set of hitters and an ace in Justin Verlander. 

American League Wildcard 1

Oakland Athletics. Call it my love for the movie Money Ball, but I see the As scraping into the playoffs and making a run and beating the Astros for the pennant.

American League Wildcard 2

Minnesota Twins

American League Pennant- Oakland As

World Series Winner- St. Louis Cardinals in 5 games.