matthewhatfield.com Blog

The
2012 MLB Season is just underway. There are plenty of storylines to watch as
the St. Louis Cardinals try to defend their World Series crown after Albert
Pujols departed to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Also on the move was Prince
Fielder, leaving Milwaukee for Detroit. Several teams are expected to contend,
such as the Yankees, Phillies and two-time reigning AL Champion Texas Rangers.

Let’s
get right to it now with our division-by-division picks through the playoffs
below!

AL East:

#1 NY
Yankees

#2 Tampa Bay Rays (Wild Card)

#3 Boston Red Sox

#4 Toronto Blue Jays

#5 Baltimore Orioles

AL Central:

#1
Detroit Tigers

#2 Cleveland Indians

#3 Chicago White Sox

#4 Kansas City Royals

#5 Minnesota Twins

AL West:

#1 Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim

#2 Texas Rangers (Wild Card)

#3 Oakland Athletics

#4 Seattle Mariners

AL Playoffs:

Wild
Card Round – Rays over Rangers

ALDS – Tigers over Rays, Angels over Yankees

ALCS – Tigers over Yankees

ALCS MVP – Tigers SP Justin Verlander

NL East:

#1
Philadelphia Phillies

#2 Miami Marlins (Wild Card)

#3 Washington Nationals

#4 Atlanta Braves

#5 New York Mets

NL Central:

#1 St.
Louis Cardinals

#2 Cincinnati Reds

#3 Chicago Cubs

#4 Milwaukee Brewers

#5 Pittsburgh Pirates

#6 Houston Astros

NL West:

#1 Los
Angeles Dodgers

#2 San Francisco Giants (Wild Card)

#3 Arizona Diamondbacks

#4 Colorado Rockies

#5 San Diego Padres

NL Playoffs:

Wild
Card Round – Marlins over Giants

NLDS – Marlins over Cardinals, Dodgers over Phillies

NLCS – Marlins over Dodgers

NLCS MVP – Marlins 3B Hanley Ramirez

World Series Pick – Tigers over Marlins in 6

World Series MVP – Tigers 1B Prince Fielder

Season Picks:

AL MVP – Rangers OF Josh Hamilton

AL
Cy Young – Yankees SP C.C.
Sabathia

AL
Manager of the Year – Tampa
Bay’s Joe Maddon

NL MVP – Dodgers OF Matt Kemp

NL
Cy Young – Giants SP Matt
Cain

NL
Manager of the Year – Washington’s
Davey Johnson