It's a Swing and...a Miss? How About a Home Run?

#TwineTime steps up to the plate with a MLB Season Preview

Welcome to #OpeningDay everyone!  The day of the year where cleat heads from around North America unite on twitter and begin chirping one another on how this will finally be the season the <insert your favorite team here> will break through and win the World Series.  Today is also the day where we officially declare the Cubs are already eliminated from the post-season race...soon to be joined tomorrow by the Astros and the Rockies.  But hey, who knows, maybe this will be THE year for at least one of baseball's reliable losers.

Ok I will admit it...baseball is probably the major sport I know the least about.  Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete nob when it comes to the sport but I think my knowledge of many other sports is stronger.  Plus there are a few things about every MLB season that just annoy me, such as:

• The season is WAY too long
• The playoff format sucks given how many teams there are
• By the All-Star break, most players/teams are already thinking about what to do over the offseason

Now, having said that, I am still involved in 6 fantasy baseball leagues and get into the season every year just like any sport.  I will rally hard around my two favorite teams (I won't say which ones yet but if you know me, you already know who they are) and hold out little hope they will finally meet in the World Series (Could this be the year though? HINT HINT HINT).

Unlike a few of my other sport preview blogs, I won't go into super long rationale behind my predictions...especially given how many teams there are.  It would take forever to do a team-by-team breakdown and I know none of you want my opinion in that much detail.  Let's be honest, you want to just see who I think will win each division, who lands the coveted wild card spots and who I think will matchup in the World Series, right?  Then, deep down, you want to judge and ridicule and tell me how completely wrong I am and how you know way more right?  Ok...let's get right into it then...stepping up to the plate, #TwineTime....

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East

1. Boston Red Sox
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. New York Yankees
5. Tampa Bay Rays

Central

1. Chicago White Sox
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Minnesota Twins

West

1. Seattle Mariners
2. Anaheim Angels
3. Oakland A's
4. Houston Astros
5. Texas Rangers

Wildcard Game:  Toronto over Anaheim

Divisional Round:  Toronto over Seattle - 5 games
                               Chicago over Boston - 4 games

AL Championship Series:  Toronto Blue Jays over Chicago White Sox - 7 games

NATIONAL LEAGUE

East

1. Washington Nationals
2. Miami Marlins
3. New York Mets
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Philadelphia Phillies

Central

1. Pittsburgh Pirates
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Cincinnati Reds

West

1. LA Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. SF Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. Arizona Diamondbacks

Wildcard Game:  San Diego over St. Louis

Divisional Round:  Washington over San Diego - 4 games
                               Pittsburgh over LA - 5 games

NL Championship Series:  Pittsburgh Pirates over Washington Nationals - 7 games

WORLD SERIES

NL Champion Pittsburgh Pirates over AL Champion Toronto Blue Jays - 6 games 

Ok I will admit, this may be a bit of heart over head pick here but, let's also be a bit realistic, this could happen!  Both of these teams have what it takes to make the playoffs and, as last season proved, just making it to the playoffs opens up opportunity.  Anything can happen once Fall comes around.  I think the Blue Jays are due for a breakout.  So much potential over the past few years just to see disappointment.  This team has the roster and bullpen to really make a move though.  The AL East is wide open and there for the taking.  Yes, I think they will come up short behind the Red Sox for the division title but the wild card round might just be the blessing in disguise (ask last year's World Series teams, SF Giants and KC Royals, how that feels).  The Jays can easily replicate last year's Royals playoff push.  Only to also duplicate last year's World Series result when they run into a hotter NL team!  Behind Andrew McCutchen and Sterling Marte, the Pirates can easily bring a championship back to the Three River City in 2015.  The tough wild card loss last year to eventual champions SF still rings loud in PNC Park.  Fans in Pittsburgh have waited a LONG time for a playoff run and 2015 should be the season for them to reap the rewards of all those years of losing.  Besides, let's be honest, as sports fans we want to see a few unheralded smaller market teams battle it out for World Series glory right?  What better sports franchises than Toronto and Pittsburgh.  Both cities are in need of a championship team to cheer for (Toronto more than anyone).  However, the chants of #BucsNation and Black & Yellow will ring loud in October!

Selfishly, if you haven't guessed yet, these just happen to also be my 2 favorite MLB teams.  So while this would be a dream World Series for me, I honestly do think there is more reality in this prediction than just me sleeping at my computer.  What say you sports nation?