CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The mystery of a baseball season is at its peak as opening day draws near. Sure there are favorites in each league and division, but no one knows for sure who is going to do what, do they?
Who could have guessed that Texas would win the AL West last year with Houston right behind, elbowing its way into the postseason as a wild card after four dreadful seasons? What about the Mets in the NL East? They were supposed to be lost in the shadow of the powerful Washington Nationals. Funny how those things work.
This year Boston is primed to return to the top of the AL East. After two straight last place finishes, they paid left-hander David Price $216 million to come pitch at Fenway Park. Ownership knew it had to do something to keep the Fenway Faithful happy.
In the AL Central the Royals are preparing for a third straight trip to the World Series. They lost in seven games to the Giants in 2014 and swept aside the Mets in 2015. If they repeat as world champions this year, a dynasty will exist in America's heartland.
The NL East appears to be the private playground of the Mets and Nationals. The Phillies and Braves are rebuilding and the Marlins are, well, the Marlins. Who knows when their general manager will come down from the front office and replace Don Mattingly as manager?
The NL Central continues to be MLB's strongest division. It sent three teams to the postseason last year and should do the same this year. Fans of the Cubs, however, are expecting more than just a trip to the postseason.
In the NL West it's an even year and everyone knows what that means -- the Giants are going to win the World Series. Hey, that's the way it worked in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Arizona, with new ace Zack Greinke, will have something to say about that. So will Greinke's old team, the Dodgers.
After two straight last place finishes, the Red Sox seem detremined to reclaim first place in the AL East this season. They proved that by spending $216 million on free agent left-hander David Price.
Paul Hoynes
March 30, 2016
Boston signed free agent left-hander David Price to a record seven-year $216 million deal over the offseason. Price spent last season with Detroit and Toronto. (Pat Seamasky, Associated Press).
Next: AL Central
Kansas City manager Ned Yost has been all smiles this spring as his Royals prepare for a third straight trip to the World Series. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
AL Central
Projected order of finish in the AL Central:
1. Royals: They have the best lineup offensively and defensively in baseball.
2. Tigers: Owner Mike Ilitch doesn't have enough money to catch the Royals.
3. Indians: Love the pitching, worried about the offense.
4. Twins: Don't sleep on the Twins, they're dangerous.
5. White Sox: When does the next player's kid get kicked out of the clubhouse?
Next: AL East.
Boston's David Ortiz acknowledges cheers from fans after being introduced during a ceremony honoring him before a spring training baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, March 28, 2016, in Fort Myers, Fla. Ortiz is retiring after this season. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
AL East
Projected order of finish in the AL East:
1. Blue Jays: Offense is no problem, but do they have enough pitching to return to October?
2. Red Sox: How will Big Papi's last ride end?
3. Orioles: They are going to win or lose every game by a score of 10-8.
4. Yankees: They have a killer bullpen, but how many leads will they get to protect?
5. Rays: They have decent pitching, but not enough of anything else.
Next: AL West.
Center fielder Mike Trout, who hit a career high 41 homers last year, will once again be the engine that drives the Angels this season. It doesn't hurt that he has a teammate named Albert Pujols. (AP Photo/Matt York)
AL West
Projected order of finish for the AL West.
1. Rangers: When Yu Darvish returns they're going to be a handful.
2. Astros: Lance McCullers sore right shoulder is a concern, but this is a good team.
3. Angels: A lot of stars, a lot of guys nobody knows. The rotation is a worry.
4. Mariners: New GM Jerry Dipoto traded everybody but the Mariner Moose this winter.
5. Athletics: Let's see, they have Sonny Gray and Billy Burns and . . . of course, Marc Rzepczynski.
Next: AL wild card teams.
Shorstop Carlos Correa helped Houston reach the postseason last year, while winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. (John Raoux, Associated Press).
AL wild cards
The Red Sox and Houston will meet in the wild card game this season. The Astros are loaded with good young players such as shortstop Carlos Correa, but the Red Sox made David Price the highest paid pitcher in history over the offseason to pitch in games exactly like this. In this case the Red Sox advance to the ALCS.
Next: AL Division Series, 1.
Last season Jose Bautista helped Toronto reach the postseason for the first time since 1993 by hitting .250 (136-for-543) with 40 homers and 114 RBI. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
ALDS, 1
As good as the AL Division Series was last year between Toronto and Texas, it demands a rematch. Last year the Blue Jays beat the Rangers in five games. Jose Bautista's three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 5, complete with a bat flip for the ages, was the deciding factor. This time around the Texas rotation of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish will make the difference as the Rangers advance to the ALCS.
Next: AL Dvision Series, 2.
First basemam Eric Hosmer is a key component in a Kansas City lineup that is trying to reach the World Series for a third straight season. (Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press).
ALDS, 2
The last time Boston reached the postseason was 2013. It won the World Series under first year manager John Farrell. There will be no repeat of that this year because Kansas City, a team of destiny, will beat the Red Sox in the division series to advance to its third straight American League Championship Series.
Next: The ALCS.
Left-hander Cole Hamels helped the Rangers win the AL West last year and he's expected to help carry them back to the postseason this year. (LM Otero, Associated Press).
For the third straight year the Kansas City Royals have returned to ALCS, one step away from the World Series. Their opponent, the Texas Rangers, are making their first appearance at this level since 2011 when they beat Detroit to advance to the World Series only to lose in seven games to St. Louis. The nod goes to the playoff-tested Royals, who win their third straight AL pennant.
Joe Maddon led the young and talented Chicago Cubs to their first postseason appearance last year since 2008 in his first year as manager. How far can he take them this year? (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
NL Central
Projected order of finish in the NL West.
1. Cubs: They spent a lot of money to win a rugged division and they'll need every nickle.
2. Pirates: They're good enough to make the postseason for the fourth straight year, but it won't happen.
3. Cardinals: They lost Jason Heyward and John Lackey to the rival Cubs.
4. Reds: They're rebuilding in the Queen City.
5. Brewers: They're rebuilding in Suds City.
Next: NL East.
Can Bryce Haper, last year's NL MVP, help the Washington Nationals rebound from last year's disappointing season to win the NL East? (AP Photo/John Raoux)
NL East
Projected order of finish in the NL East.
1. Mets: Re-signing Yoenis Cespedes might have been the biggest move any team made in the offseason.
2. Nationals: If Dusty Baker can bring peace to the clubhouse, look out.
3. Miami: Ichiro goes for 3,000 hits and can Giancarlo Stanton stay healthy?
4. Phillies: Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera will ease the pain of the rebuilding process.
5. Braves: New center fielder Ender Inciarte will help Atlanta's rebuild.
Next: NL West.
Arizona's surprise signing of Zack Greinke over the winter, just before the Dodgers were set to re-sign him, could reshuffle the power rankings in the NL West. (AP Photo/Matt York)
NL West
Projected order of finish in the NL West.
1. Diamondbacks: Zack Greinke will help, but the Diamondbacks have a good offense.
2. Giants: What kind of return will they get from Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija?
3. Dodgers: They've been ravaged by injuries this spring and a slow start is looming.
4. Padres: GM A.J. Preller keeps changing directions without success.
5. Rockies: Is Nolan Arendado the best third baseman on the planet?
Next: NL wild card teams.
Left-hander Madison Bumgarner went 18-9 last year, but it wasn't good enough to put the Giants in the postseason. Over the winter, the Giants signed starters Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to give Bumgarner a hand. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
NL wild cards
The last time the Giants and Washington met in the postseason was 2014 in the NLDS. The Giants won the series, 3-1, on the way to a World Series titles. The Nationals get their revenge this time.
Right-hander Noah Snydergaard, nicknamed Thor, and the rest of the Mets starting rotation took center stage in the postseason last year. They'll be making a return engagement this October. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
NLDS, 1
The Diamondbacks have Zack Greinke. The Mets have Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Bartolo Colon. Case closed. Mets advance to the NLCS.
Third baseman Kris Bryant won the NL Rookie of the Year award last season by hitting .275 with 26 homers and 99 RBI. A lot more good things should be in store for Bryant and the Cubs this year. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
NLDS, 2
The Cubs and Nationals meeting in the NLDS is a great platform for two of the best young hitters in the game -- Chicago's Kris Bryant and Washington's Bryce Harper. But this series will be decided by pitching and mojo. Cubs advance.
The Mets have the pitching to return to the postseason this year, but they need offense as well. Yoenis Cespedes, who drove them to the World Series in 2015, is more than capable of supplying it. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
4
It will be the Mets and Cubs for the right to go to the World Series. Yes, it's a repeat of last year's NLCS and the results are the same with the Mets advancing to the Fall Classic. The Cubs have to wait for next year. . .again.
Left fielder Alex Gordon re-signed with the Royals over the winter just in time to win his second straight World Series title. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
World Series
In a rematch of last year's World Series teams, the Mets dominant pitching staff once again falls prey to the Royals relentless offense, stellar defense and strong-armed bullpen. The Royals are the first team to repeat as World Series champions since the 1999-2000 New York Yankees.
Ad Choices