Dog Days of August – Season Predictions

So, the AL wins the All-Star game again lead by Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, this year the Yankees and a healthy amount of players in D.C., buuuttt, the Mets, well, they only have Cy-Young Frontrunner Jacob DeGrom who allowed a homer. Jean Segura, the most unlikely character to hit a game-winning three-run homer, but the real hero in this story is Alex Bregman, he put the tying blow in the ninth to keep the AL alive as the NL was up.

I didn’t like the hasty call that Max Scherzer would start the game for the NL because obviously, Max was at his home ballpark, blah, blah, blah, if you look closer, Scherzer is only better in one category, SOs. He is a strikeout machine, but DeGrom just doesn’t allow a run. Would you rather have no runs or strikeouts? Put your answers in the comment box. Bryce Harper is the slugger Bryce is. He won the Home Run Derby because there were no real contenders, yeah, OK, Jesus Aguilar, he had more homers than Bryce entering the All-Star break.

The unlikely contender in the finals is Kyle Schwarber. He partnered with NASA and sent one to the one a few times, but Bryce in that Hulk frame of his hit his 21 homers to beat Kyle. Then comes the Trade Deadline, Manny Machado gets traded to the Dodgers, ok, Dodgers just got a biiiggg boost. Then Jeurys Familia got traded and the Mets got a trash minor leaguer, a third baseman, and Bobby Wahl, who proved very successful in his Mets debut, as the Mets are really hoping for some help in the ‘pen.

Then little trades happened like Brad Hand and Lance Lynn but another big one was Mike Moustakas and Justin Schoop went to make some beer in Milwaukee with the Brew Crew.

Will they prove to be a good trade, I don’t know, but I do know that after the acquisitions, the Brewers playoff odds went up. Then, the Dodgers went out and got Brian Dozier, a player that I was praying the Mets would get after they traded Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies, the only trade that proved half-decently successful, acquiring rookie star Franklyn Kilome.

So, with an infield of Manny Machado, Brian Dozier, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, if I’m the opposing pitcher, I would intentionally walk every single one of them. If you calculate the HR totals from last year of each one of them, (The stats for Max Muncy are the stats for this year) the total is 144, you will not believe it. That is more homers than 24 players had on the Giants last year. The Astros have the biggest chance to win the World Series, but right behind them is the lovable Dodgers, then the team that went to the Series, two years ago, then, the Red Sox, then the Cubs.

BREAKING NEWS: I have just received word that Mickey Callaway will be Mets manager for the 2019 season. Welp, there goes another season down the drain.

Matt Carpenter doesn’t wear batting gloves but he is slugging those balls into the seats, I’ve always wondered why players don’t wear batting gloves, I thought it hurts if the ball connects in the wrong spot and then you feel like your thumb is broken. Maybe I should shed the batting gloves in my upcoming season? Franmil Reyes launches a homer 474 ft. in Wrigley Field, the longest there since Kris Bryant in 2015, we all know he was a consistent slugger, he just refreshed our memories.

So now for my mid-to 5/7 season predictions. The Red Sox are back on top of the Power Rankings and the Yankees fall down to seven, yeesh, harsh, very, harsh. The Cubs are in third as they are very hot. The Indians are back intact as Jose Ramirez is so hot, I think the only thing hotter in the world is the sun. The Phillies are next and are really making a comeback year and they’re in fifth in power rankings, Aaron Nola leads the team with a 2.37 ERA and every fifth day, the Phillies are bound to win. All three NL Cy Young candidates are in the East, or at least I think so, Jacob DeGrom, Mets, Max Scherzer, Nationals and Aaron Nola, Phillies, with DeGrom being the frontrunner in my mind.

NL East Winner: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central Winner: Chicago Cubs

NL West Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

AL East Winner: Boston Red Sox

AL Central Winner: Cleveland Indians

AL West Winner: Houston Astros

NL Wild Card: Atlanta Braves

AL Wild Card: New York Yankees

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves, Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

NLDS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs, Winner Chicago Cubs

ALDS: Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians, Winner: Boston Red Sox
ALDS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees, Winner: New York Yankees

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs, Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, Winner: Boston Red Sox

2018 World Series: Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Winner: Boston Red Sox

Player Awards:

AL MVP: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

NL MVP: Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

AL Cy Young: Chris Sale, LHP, Boston Red Sox

NL Cy Young: Jacob DeGrom, RHP, New York Mets

AL Rookie of the Year: Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH, Los Angeles Angels

NL Rookie of the Year: Juan Soto, OF, Washington Nationals

AL Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone, New York Yankees

NL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs

AL Batting Title: Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox

NL Batting Title: Nick Markakis, OF, Atlanta Braves

AL Home Run Leader: Jose Martinez, DH, Boston Red Sox

NL Home Run Leader: Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

AL Hits Leader: Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

NL Hits Leader: Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

AL WAR Leader: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

NL WAR Leader: Javier Baez, 2B, Chicago Cubs

AL Stolen Base Leader: Dee Gordon, 2B/OF, Seattle Mariners

NL Stolen Base Leader: Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals

Grab a hot dog on your way out.