For most major league baseball teams, the halfway point of the season is upon them. So, let’s take out the preseason crystal ball and check in on how our predictions look. Let’s start in the National League.
In the East, my pick was the Atlanta Braves. The Braves, leaders in the wild card race, just seem destined to take second place this season. This is due to the Philadelphia Phillies, who have had their own injury problems with All-Stars Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto missing numerous weeks, but have yet to skip a beat. Their lead in the East is seven games, and they have looked every bit like a World Series contender from opening day.
The Los Angeles Dodgers lead in the West is also massive—eight games. The Dodgers seem to be on cruise control, as no one in that division has shown any signs that they can compete with them.
The Central was the division that was wide open. I really thought that almost any team could win the division. Currently, the Brewers are the leaders, followed by the resurgent St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are one of my wild card teams. After a disappointing start, they have found some traction–even without getting much punch from Goldy and Nolan Arenado.
My pick in the Central was the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are 10 games out of first place. The offense is fun to watch; they actually have a run differential of +11. What is hindering this team is the inconsistency of their young pitching staff. Another inconsistent team is my final wildcard pick, the Arizona Diamondbacks. This team will win four games, then lose five—the ultimate rollercoaster team. E-Rod has yet to pitch, Corbin Carroll has struggled, and yet they sit just 1.5 games out of the wildcard.
In the American League, my picks are absolutely off. The three wildcard picks—Toronto, Texas, and Houston—are a huge miss. The Jays are like a mixture of water and oil. A really good pitching staff is going to go to waste with a group that can’t find its way to play good baseball. To make matters worse, I picked the Tigers to win the Central.
My only hit in the AL was the Orioles. They may not win the East, but they will get to the postseason. My World Series prediction of Baltimore and Philadelphia still looks good, and that would be quite a showdown. Let’s see what is in store for the second half of the baseball season.
