Baseball’s Best, 2015: Where Will Your Team Finish?

aNewDomain — After a winter filled with the usual flurry of activity, baseball’s regular season is just a month away. The inevitable questions are hanging in the air: Who’s going to win it all? Where will my team finish? How about the MVP awards?

The answers are all here, from the World Series champs (Washington) to the American League Manager of the Year (Seattle’s Lloyd McClendon).

Read on and become educated about Major League Baseball 2015.

American League Central

Chicago’s bold moves during the offseason mean that any of four teams could make a run at the division title. In all likelihood, only one team will reach the playoffs since these clubs will beat up each other all season. Sorry, Twins.

American League East

Baseball’s most evenly matched (did someone say mediocre?) division could be won by any of these five teams. Chances are, though, the Red Sox and Orioles will be the last teams standing at the end of the season.

American League West

The Angels and Mariners will have a pitched battle for the AL West title all season. Seattle is looking to break a playoff drought that has lasted since 2001. While Oakland appears to be retooling again, it’s tough to dismiss the A’s.

National League Central

The hype has centered around the Cubs this offseason, but reality is that the Cardinals are still the class of the division. Chicago hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years and the Pirates could slip up from behind and grab that opportunity.

National League East

No one stands a chance of catching the Nationals, who figure to win the division by at least a dozen games. Miami is getting better but is probably a year or so away from truly competing. The Mets are improving and it will always be strange seeing the Braves near the bottom of the pack.

National League West

The Dodgers have baseball’s biggest payroll while the Giants have traditionally put their teams together in a more steady and thoughtful way. Still, the Dodgers appear to be the class of the division. The Padres need another year to percolate and figure out what they have.

AL Playoffs

Wild Card: Seattle over Baltimore

Division Series: Seattle over Boston

Los Angeles Angels over Detroit

Championship Series: Los Angeles Angels over Seattle

NL Playoffs

Wild Card: Chicago Cubs over San Francisco

Division Series: Washington over Chicago Cubs

St. Louis over Los Angeles

Championship Series: Washington over St. Louis

World Series

Washington over Los Angeles Angels

American League award winners

MVP

Mike Trout, Angels

Trout is the ultimate five-tool guy and baseball’s best everyday player.

Cy Young

Felix Hernandez, Mariners

King Felix put up a microscopic 2.14 ERA last season and finished second in Cy Young balloting.

Rookie of the Year

Rusney Castillo, Red Sox

Castillo was an impressive September call-up and is entrenched as Boston’s right fielder to start the season.

Manager of the Year

Lloyd McClendon, Mariners

A strong playoff run will be enough to give McClendon the nod.

National League award winners

MVP

Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins

Stanton was well on his way to an MVP season when he was beaned in Milwaukee last September. He will finish the job in 2015.

Cy Young

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

Like Mike Trout in the American League, it’s hard to imagine anyone taking this award from Kershaw. This would be his fourth Cy Young, all by the age of 27.

Rookie of the Year

Joc Pederson, Dodgers

A risky call here since Pederson will need to keep the center field job during spring training.

Manager of the Year

Joe Maddon, Cubs

We’ll go along with the masses and take Maddon, who made a winner of the Tampa Bay Rays. That was quite an accomplishment.

For aNewDomain, I’m Rodney Campbell.

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