Congratulations to the Washington Nationals and their first World Series victory in franchise history.
Once the World Series is over, I like to go back to the MLB season previews that come out in March and see how all the different predictions panned out.
For the purpose of this article, I looked at the NY
Post and Sports
Illustrated.
So Here they are:
Ken Davidoff
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Kevin Kernan
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George A. King III
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NL East
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Nationals
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Nationals
|
Nationals
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NL Central
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Reds
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Cardinals
|
Brewers
|
NL West
|
Dodgers
|
Dodgers
|
Dodgers
|
NL Wild Card 1
|
Phillies
|
Cubs
|
Braves
|
NL Wild Card 2
|
Rockies
|
Brewers
|
Cardinals
|
Mets Prediction
|
3rd
|
2nd
|
4th
|
NL Winner
|
Nationals
|
Cardinals
|
Brewers
|
AL East
|
Yankees
|
Red Sox
|
Red Sox
|
AL Central
|
Twins
|
Indians
|
Indians
|
AL West
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
AL Wild Card 1
|
Red Sox
|
Yankees
|
Yankees
|
AL Wild Card 2
|
Indians
|
Rays
|
Angels
|
AL Winner
|
Yankees
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
WS Winner
|
Yankees
|
Cardinals
|
Brewers
|
Dan Martin
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Mike Puma
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Joel Sherman
|
|
NL East
|
Phillies
|
Phillies
|
Nationals
|
NL Central
|
Brewers
|
Brewers
|
Brewers
|
NL West
|
Dodgers
|
Padres
|
Dodgers
|
NL Wild Card 1
|
Nationals
|
Nationals
|
Cubs
|
NL Wild Card 2
|
Cubs
|
Dodgers
|
Rockies
|
Mets Prediction
|
3rd
|
3rd
|
3rd
|
NL Winner
|
Brewers
|
Padres
|
Dodgers
|
AL East
|
Yankees
|
Yankees
|
Yankees
|
AL Central
|
Indians
|
Indians
|
Twins
|
AL West
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
AL Wild Card 1
|
Red Sox
|
Red Sox
|
Red Sox
|
AL Wild Card 2
|
Twins
|
A's
|
Indians
|
AL Winner
|
Astros
|
Yankees
|
Yankees
|
WS Winner
|
Dodgers
|
Padres
|
Yankees
|
Mike Vaccaro
|
Sports Illustrated
|
|
NL East
|
Nationals
|
Nationals
|
NL Central
|
Reds
|
Cubs
|
NL West
|
Dodgers
|
Dodgers
|
NL Wild Card 1
|
Cardinals
|
Phillies
|
NL Wild Card 2
|
Brewers
|
Mets
|
Mets Prediction
|
3rd
|
|
NL Winner
|
Dodgers
|
Nationals
|
AL East
|
Yankees
|
Yankees
|
AL Central
|
Twins
|
Indians
|
AL West
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
AL Wild Card 1
|
Red Sox
|
Red Sox
|
AL Wild Card 2
|
Indians
|
Rays/A's (tie)
|
AL Winner
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
WS Winner
|
Astros
|
Astros
|
Two, Mike Vaccaro and Sports Illustrated, had the Astros winning it all. No one had the Nationals winning it all but Sports Illustrated had them in the World Series Vs. the Astros. Pretty good.
Everyone listed here picked the Astros to win the AL West. That makes sense after they had two straight years with over 100 wins coming into this year.
Three had the Twins winning the AL Central. I did not see that coming after they won just 78 games in 2018.
Probably the most daring prediction goes out to Mike Puma. He had the Padres over the Yankees in the World Series. Pares finished last in the NL West with a 70-92 record despite their big off season acquisition of Manny Machado.
Probably the most daring prediction goes out to Mike Puma. He had the Padres over the Yankees in the World Series. Pares finished last in the NL West with a 70-92 record despite their big off season acquisition of Manny Machado.
One amazing thing is that after they won the NL East in 2018, not one of the writers above picked the Braves to repeat as NL East Champs and only one, George A. King III, picked them to even make the playoffs. Most had them finishing fourth behind the Mets! (Wish that was true.)
Only Sports Illustrated had the Mets making the playoffs as a wild card team.
Not listed here, Bill
Madden of the NY Daily News said that the NL East would be between the Mets and the Nationals with the bullpen being the difference. Boy was he right. However, Bill gave the nod to the Mets as they picked up Diaz and Familia. Funny how things work out.
You can probably point to the Nationals building up their bullpen at the trade deadline as a another key reason why they won. It sure held up in the post season.
At least the Mets will get a new Manager soon. They will most likely interview Nationals coach Tim Bogar again now that the World Series is over.
They may end up being able to hire Brodie's pal AJ Hinch if the Astros decide to make a change.
You can probably point to the Nationals building up their bullpen at the trade deadline as a another key reason why they won. It sure held up in the post season.
At least the Mets will get a new Manager soon. They will most likely interview Nationals coach Tim Bogar again now that the World Series is over.
They may end up being able to hire Brodie's pal AJ Hinch if the Astros decide to make a change.
10 comments:
Excellent retrospective. The better than expected performances by Alonso, McNeil, and Davis were undercut by the sub par years of Cano, Familia and Diaz. So we missed the playoffs, as most predicted.
Winning in 2020 would be far easier with Gerrit Cole - but I read today he grew up a big Yankee fan.
Very interesting excel sheet.
Staying quiet today... in mourning over last night's game.
Yep, Mack, it is not only Edwin Diaz that the mighty Nats beat up in relief.
Astros' relievers allowed 17 runs in 22.1 innings in the series. Good in 4 games, ripped in the other 3.
Cole was drafted out of HS by the Yankees and did not sign. Don't put him in the Bronx just yet. Whoever pays the most will get him.
I mostly agree, John - whoever pays the most AND has a big chance of winning a World Series. Is that really the Mets? It could be, if the Wilpons step it up.
Interesting.
Houston blew it. How great is the much heralded AJ Hinch manager really, since he had all the horses he needed to win it right there with him? Astros got outplayed and outsmarted. Period. They earned the loss. No cigar!
NFL - The usual five or six good teams competing for the Championship, everyone else gets goats milk cookies. Look at the Patriots points scored against, there's the story. The closest team to them has a points against of twice as large. If Brady stays healthy, they win it. Best NFC teams I think are New Orleans and SF. One plays the Patriots. Green Bay fans get ready now for the annual letdown.
NYK - The Knicks have three big men now (Portis, Morris, and Randle) which is very good. But they have NO big man defender to shutdown the lane and rebound like they need one to do. Mitchell and Portis are slight in build. Portis had a nice game recently and scored some points in their first win. Maybe pick one between Morris or Randle for the PF position. Then trade the other in a package for a monster center from another team, if one is out there. Otherwise look internationally if they have to. Without this key monster center piece, I don't see anything significant for them if they make the playoffs. Team will gel second half, same as the Mets did this season. But without this monster center, it will all be for naught. Knick fans are beyond restless with this team. They want a true competitor on the floor. The Knicks are comparable right now to the Mets with their recent bullpen.
NYM - Why all this trash talk regarding JD Davis not being a true starter at least in LF? Look again at his 2019 stats after Dominic went down injured. .306 BA, 22 HR's, .369 OBP. And there are critics who don't want him to start in LF? Are you kidding me? It was his first go-round here as a Met. Get him signed Bubba!
Michael Conforto is a FA now. Could the Mets upgrade him in RF? Maybe.
I am sorry.
But I do not see Tomas Nido ever hitting for an average. The Mets have given him ample playing time to see an improvement. He is pretty much mucho-lost at the plate. Unbalanced, bad footwork, bad timing, no weight transfer of significance. Who taught him how to hit, Stevie Wonder?
Yes, he is a superb catcher defensively. But this isn't the 1960's anymore with Jerry Grote hitting below average. A catcher has to be able to hit and produce at the plate. I'd much rather see Ali Sanchez as Wilson Ramos' backup in 2020. Ali has shown signs of being a hitter for average, and already is a decent defensive catcher as well.
I'd probably use Patrick Mazeika in a trade package perhaps, so he can get a shot at some MLB playing time too. He's getting to that age now.
Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia are important pieces to the Mets bullpen, if the NYM want to contend for a Championship in 2019. They have to be made swiss watch again relieving. I think they both can be.
Off the FA list, just JD Davis and Brad Brach really. I mentioned JD Davis above. He was excellent second half this season. Brad Brach has a unique delivery, one almost similar to the way Asian pitchers throw. He winds it up pre-delivery, and it works.
If I had a choice between Derrick Cole or Jose Uriquidy in the seventh game, I might just take Jose. He was a difference maker for sure!
The Big Question
If the Houston Astros had used Jose Uriquidy earlier on after Greinke had come out last night, and then Derreck Cole after Jose, would the outcome (a Houston loss) still have been the same?
This is what I was expecting Hinch to do. But he did not.
It's a good and fair question. One which will never in time be answered I am afraid.
You have now entered..."Baseball's Twighlight Zone" a place of reason and sanity, a place of non-juiced up baseballs and no box drawn on your television at homeplate.
Someone online mentioned Yoenis Cespedes coming back and playing left field. Does anyone think this a possible of any credibilty. An outfield of LF Cespedes CF Nimmo RF JD Davis.
I have watched the 2015 replayed games and Yo' was major back then. But I don't really know if he could ever come back close to 100% again and stay on the field. I tend to think not.
Get 3B Bobby Dalbec Mr. Van Halen! See how Yo' is doing now with the feets and all. And a left-handed superb later-inning reliever. Ding-ding, a winner.
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