Metro predicts the 2015 MLB season:
National League
The Washington Nationals won the NL East by 17 games in 2014 before falling to wildcard (and eventual champion) San Francisco in just four games. Once again the heavy favorites in the East, Washington signaled they won’t be content with another division championship by adding Max Scherzer to their already impressive rotation. The NL Central looks like a much more interesting division, and could be where the wildcards eventually come from. As long as Adam Wainwright and his arm are in town, St. Louis has an excellent chance of making the playoffs for a fifth straight year. Adding Jason Heyward doesn’t hurt either. Pittsburgh will be trying to return to the postseason as well, on the back of 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen. The Chicago Cubs have postseason ideas of their own, with the arrival of Jon Lester and rookies Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler ready to make some noise. In the West, Los Angeles and San Francisco will face off again. The Giants will try to finally find success in an odd-numbered year, after winning the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series. But they’ll do so without lineup staple Pablo Sandoval. For their part, the Dodgers added Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick to a team that won 94 games in 2014. American League
In the East, Boston looks to rebound from a disastrous 2014 that saw them win just 71 games. To that end, they’ve brought in the aforementioned Sandoval as well as Hanley Ramirez. Their main competition will be Baltimore, looking for their third playoff appearance in four years but now without 2014 AL home run king Nelson Cruz. The AL Central is as tight as its NL counterpart. Kansas City fell just one game shy of a World Championship last year. But Detroit will be eyeing their fifth straight division title, even with Scherzer gone to Washington. Cleveland also shouldn’t be discounted, especially not if Corey Kluber can repeat the performance that won him the 2014 AL Cy Young. Seattle added Nelson Cruz to a lineup that already features Robinson Cano. After missing the playoffs by one game in 2014, they should be ready to challenge Los Angeles and Oakland in the West. The Angels had a pretty quiet offseason, besides Kendrick moving across town to the Dodgers. That’s not the worst strategy in the world when you won 98 games the previous year, however. World Series Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers over Seattle Mariners
NL MVP
If there’s a pitcher who can repeat as MVP, it’s Dodger Clayton Kershaw, but that’s a pretty tall order even for him. A safer bet might be the Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton, who could top the 40 home run mark after knocking on the door the past few seasons. McCutchen is always a contender, and the Pirates will need him to be if they want to reach the postseason again. Matt Kemp is now a San Diego Padre, and if this is one of the years where he stays healthy and puts it all together, his name could be on this list too. The Pick: McCutchen
NL Cy Young
This is Kershaw’s award to lose, which he’s only done once in the past four years, when he finished second in 2012. It will be interesting to see if Madison Bumgarner follows his sensational postseason with an equally great regular season campaign for San Francisco. Johnny Cueto has turned in four straight seasons with an era under three for the Cincinatti Reds, but could be on the trading block this season.
Scherzer wouldn’t mind adding the NL award to his 2013 AL Cy Young, but he may not even be the National pitcher with the best chance, as Stephen Strasburg notched 242 strikeouts in 2014.
The Pick: Kershaw
AL MVP
The Angels’ Mike Trout won the 2014 award even with a dip in his batting average. Trout should be a heavy favorite again, as he has yet to play a full season where he placed lower than second in MVP voting. Also among the frontrunners is 2014 Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu, who hit 36 home runs in his first year at first base for the Chicago White Sox.
Tiger Miguel Cabrera will be on a mission to show he isn’t done winning MVPs. The 2011 and 2012 winner saw his numbers dip last year, though .313-25-109 is still pretty darn good.
The Pick: Trout
AL Cy Young
Seattle’s Felix Hernandez has six straight 200 strikeout seasons and seven straight with at least 200 innings pitched. Cleveland’s Kluber wasted no time winning the award in his first season with over 150 innings last season, and he’ll look to repeat. With Scherzer gone and Justin Verlander set to begin the season on the disabled list, the Tigers need David Price now more than ever. The 2012 winner managed to place sixth in 2014 voting despite being traded by Tampa Bay halfway through the season. The Pick: Hernandez
NL Rookie of the Year
Previously mentioned, the Cubs have a duo of rookies: third baseman Kris Bryant and outfielder Jorge Soler. Bryant hit nine homers in spring training and 43 last year in the minors, but will start the year back in AAA. Soler will be the starting lineup after batting .345 this spring. Cuban Infielder Hector Olivera just signed a $62.5 million deal with the Dodgers on March 24 and has yet to arrive in the United States.
Centerfielder Joc Pederson is one Dodger rookie who will be around for opening day.
The Pick: Bryant
AL Rookie of the Year
The Toronto Blue Jays have their own promising pair in the rotation. Daniel Norris turned in an impressive spring. 2010 first round pick Aaron Sanchez made his debut in 2014, pitching 33 innings in relief with a 1.09 era. The Red Sox’ crowded outfield has left little room for $72.5 million signing from Cuba Rusney Castillo, who will start the year in AAA.
Tampa Bay’s Steven Souza just arrived from Washington, and should have the right field job all to himself to start the 2015 season.
The Pick: Souza
2015 MLB World Series, MVP, Cy Young, ROY predictions
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