MLB 2018 Predictions and Reflections
By Ciaran Murphy
Author’s Note: This article was written on Wednesday May 2
In this article, I will be running over a few key team’s starts and how their pace compares to their predictions in ESPN’s preseason power rankings
Astros
Preseason Power Ranking; 1
Preseason Wins Prediction: 95
Win total through 31 games: 20
Win total if keeping pace: 104.5
As you can see, the pace keeping stat is going to be kind of ridiculous for the win totals, as its REALLY HARD to get to 100 wins, let alone 104, although I wouldn’t put it past this team. The ‘stros have one of the best /if not the best/ infields in baseball, and their outfield is solid also. You can bank on the dynamic youngsters Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, Alex Bregman, not to put down 1B Yuri Gurriel.
Dodgers
Preseason Power Ranking: 2
Preseason Wins Prediction: 95
Win total through 29 games: 12
Win total if keeping pace: 67
This season could be more of a struggle than a success after Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Rich Hill, Logan Forsythe, and Julio Urias landed on the DL in the first month of the season. 67 wins is a stretch, but the way they’ve been playing, it’s not out of the picture.
Yankees
Preseason Power Ranking: 3
Preseason Wins Prediction: 92
Win total through 29 games: 19
Win tital if keeping pace: 106
If you paid any attention to the hype in the Bronx over to offseason, this could have been what you expected, if you are a Yankees fan *waits for response*, you tried to make all the Red Sox fans expect this. But what the Yankees didn’t expect was the Red Sox. We’ll get to that later, but anything above 105 is a stretch, and don’t begin to think that any team will keep exact pace.
Indians
Preseason Power Ranking: 4
Preseason Wins Prediction: 94
Win total through 29 games: 16
Win total if keeping pace: 89
If you follow baseball, this start is the second biggest bad surprise of the first month, just after the Dodgers’ injury calamity. This team has all of the things that you need to be a contender, and they do have what they need, but with this start, and the catastrophic defeat in the hands of the Yankees in the ALDS, this is a bit of a shock with how this team is playing in this last stretch of games.
Nationals
Preseason Power Ranking: 5
Preseason Wins Prediction: 89
Win total through 30 games: 14
Win total if keeping pace: 75.6
Another surprise, as I and /I/ presume many others reeled in shock to see the BRAVES AND THE PHILLIES in second and third, having better starts then that of the Nationals and even the Dodgers. If this doesn’t kill some of the Nationals confidence, this news will; Of the current Nationals team, 6 players are free agents after the season, including Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Gio Gonzalez, Matt Wieters, Ryan Madson, and Brandon Kintzler including 2 of which already have given the vibe that they will seek money on the open market (Harper and Murphy), 3 of which are key in the pitching staff (Gonzalez, Madson, and Kintzler) and the starting catcher for 2018 Opening Day.
Cubs
Preseason Power Ranking: 6
Preseason Wins Prediction: 94
Win total through 28 games: 16
Win total if keeping pace: 92.6
THe only surprise i the first month of the season was big-ticket acquisition Yu Darvish, who is 0-3 with a 5.26 ERA. Everyone knew that Darvish was Pitch-tipping in the World Series, but everyone also believed that the Cubs had fixed that in Spring training, but it apparently didn’t happen, and the Cubs will have to either take action or lose every 5th game as Darvish’s ERA grows and tipping gets worse.
Red Sox
Preseason Power Ranking; 7
Preseason Wins Prediction: 90
Win total through 30 games: 22
Win total if keeping pace: 118.8
Here’s what I was talking about when I told you about the surprise in the Yankee’s section. The Red Sox started the season’s first 19 games 17-2, tying MLB’s all time record for best start to a season ever. They have fallen off since then, dropping 2 in Oakland, one being no hit in, which stalled their offense, then dropped one in Toronto, while regaining some poise at the plate, but recently dropped 2 of 3 playing the Rays at Fenway, but have taken their most recent series, taking 2 of 3 against the Royals in a series finishing on today (wednesday) before the Sox fly off to Arlington, Texas to have a 4 game set with the scuffling Rangers. The future looks bright for Boston, as they continue to win more than they lose, yet falling off their record-setting pace that they set up at the beginning of the season.