Attempting the Impossible: Predicting the 2017 Season

John Sickels, the Minor League Ball overlord, posted his predictions for this upcoming season earlier this morning. They’re awful. Wayne Cavadi, another one of our authors, posted his a bit ago, too. They’re also atrocious. Here are my predictions for the season, bound to be every bit as wrong as John’s and Wayne’s.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Rookie of the Year: Lucas Giolito, RHP, Chicago White Sox

Giolito has long been a darling of prospect evaluators, called the Nats’ ace of the future and was one of the big fish minor leaguers that was brought in to the fold in the much-hyped White Sox rebuild. He had a bumpy entrance into the bigs last season and will start 2017 in the minors, but a plethora of reasons that he might get back to the MLB soon, and I bet he’ll do well.

MVP: Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

Altuve is an absolute delight, indisputably the very best second baseman in the game right now. A true five-tool player, Altuve brings everything to the table. No one would be shocked to see him get even better and put up MVP-esque numbers.

Cy Young: Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers

This may be a bit of a homer pick, as I’m a Tigers fan by nature, but Verlander more than earned the Cy in 2016, and only lost it to Porcello because he didn’t have as many wins. WINS. There were no other flaws in his year, and no signs of slowing down. There’s nothing to say he can’t snag the award he deserves in 2017.

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
Wild Card 1: Toronto Blue Jays
Wild Card 2: Texas Rangers
Pennant Winners: Boston Red Sox

National League

Rookie of the Year: Josh Bell, 1B/OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

It seems like Bell has been around for an eternity, having been drafted in 2011, his plus bat tantalizing all through his slow ascent to the majors. Now that he’s here, he’s bound to make a splash. It remains to be seen if he’ll edge the Braves’ Dansby Swanson, a bit of a long shot, but if Swanson doesn’t win it, it’ll be Bell.

MVP: Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Goldschmidt has consistently and quietly been one of the best first baseman in the game over the last couple of years, rivaling even Joey Votto and Miguel Cabrera. unfortunately, playing for the Diamondbacks has been condemned to a life of relative anonymity outside of the small circles of Arizona fans and diehard followers of baseball in general. Hopefully he’ll be so undeniably fantastic this year that he gets the recognition he deserves.

Cy Young: Noah Syndergaard, RHP, New York Mets

The nickname “Thor” isn’t one that is given without being earned, and a fastball that could only have come straight from Asgard will do the trick. Pair that with an arsenal equally as impressive in quality and depth, and it’s only a matter of time before Syndergaard snatches a Cy Young of his own.

NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Chicago Cubs
NL West: LA Dodgers
Wild Card: San Fransisco Giants
Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals
Pennant Winners: Chicago Cubs

World Series: The Cubs take down the Red Sox in six games.