2013 Fire Brand of the American League Staff Predictions

by | Mar 30, 2013 | 2013 Boston Red Sox, Aaron Hicks, Adrian Beltre, Andrew McCutchen, Atlanta Braves, Brandon Mauer, Bryce Harper, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Red, Clayton Kershaw, Cleveland Indians, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Detroit Tigers, Dylan Bundy, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jason Heyward, Jedd Gyorko, Joey Votto, Jose Bautista, Julio Tehran, Jurickson Profar, Justin Upton, Kyuji Fujikawa, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Matt Kemp, Mike Trout, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Predictions, Robinson Cano, Ryan Braun, San Francisco Giants, Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals, Stephen Strasburg, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, Wil Myers, World Series, Yasel Puig

Fire Brand readers, below are the staff’s predictions for the 2013 MLB Season. While there is a very good chance many of these will be incorrect, it will make all of you proud to note that not a single writer picked the Yankees to make the playoffs.

Some interesting notes:

  • Only 4 of the 11 writers picked the Red Sox to make the playoffs. I guess the staff doesn’t have much faith!
  • No one picked the Orioles to make the playoffs. No luck in 2013?
  • The Tigers were the unanimous pick to win the AL Central.
  • Scott Candage must have just finished reading “Francona” as he picked the Indians to grab the 2nd Wild Card spot.
  • 10 of the 11 writers picked the Nationals win the NL East.
  • Dan Podheiser went outside the box with his Wild Card picks: Phillies and Pirates.
  • Justin Verlander and Stephen Strasburg are the Cy Young favorites.
  • Mike Trout and Joey Votto are to be the MVP frontrunners.
  • Nearly everyone predicts the Tigers and/or the Nationals will make the World Series with 5 predicting a Nationals championship and 3 riding the Tigers bandwagon.

Let us know what you think and please feel free to post your own predictions in the comments.

 Fire Brand Writers Evan Brunell Hunter Golden Timothy Brooks Scott Candage Ben Carsley
AL East Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers
AL West Texas Rangers Los Angeles Angels Texas Rangers Los Angeles Angels Texas Rangers
AL Wild Cards Tampa Bay, Chicago Toronto, Texas Boston, Oakland Boston, Cleveland Los Angeles, Tampa Bay
NL East Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Atlanta Braves Washington Nationals
NL Central St. Louis Cardinals Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds
NL West San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Cards Atlanta, Cincinnati San Francisco, Atlanta St. Louis, Atlanta Washington, Los Angeles Atlanta, St. Louis
AL Rookie of Year Dylan Bundy Jackie Bradley Jr. Wil Myers Jurickson Profar Wil Myers
NL Rookie of Year Julio Tehran Yasel Puig Jedd Gyorko Yasel Puig Shelby Miller
AL Cy Young Felix Hernandez Justin Verlander Justin Verlander Justin Verlander Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young Cole Hamels Stephen Strasburg Clayton Kershaw Clayton Kershaw Stephen Strasburg
AL MVP Jose Bautista Mike Trout Adrian Beltre Mike Trout Robinson Cano
NL MVP Andrew McCutchen Joey Votto Ryan Braun Joey Votto Joey Votto
World Series  Rays over Nationals Nationals over Tigers Nationals over Tigers Tigers over Reds Nationals over Tigers

 

 Fire Brand Writers Brett Cowett Josh Cookson Jack Keller Daniel Poarch Dan Podheiser Joe Reilly
AL East Toronto Blue Jays Boston Red Sox Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers
AL West Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Angels Texas Rangers Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Angels
AL Wild Cards Texas, Boston Texas, Tampa Bay Tampa Bay, Texas Los Angeles, Oakland Texas, Toronto Texas, Tampa Bay
NL East Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Washington Nationals Washington Nationals
NL Central Cincinnati Reds St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds
NL West San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Cards Atlanta, St. Louis Atlanta, Cincinnati Atlanta, Los Angeles Cincinnati, Atlanta Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Los Angeles, Atlanta
AL Rookie of Year Dylan Bundy Brandon Maurer Jurickson Profar Wil Myers Aaron Hicks Jurickson Profar
NL Rookie of Year Jedd Gyorko Jedd Gyorko Shelby Miller Shelby Miller Kyuji Fujikawa Jedd Gyorko
AL Cy Young Felix Hernandez Justin Verlander Justin Verlander Felix Hernandez Justin Verlander Justin Verlander
NL Cy Young Clayton Kershaw Stephen Strasburg Stephen Strasburg Stephen Strasburg Cliff Lee Clayton Kershaw
AL MVP Mike Trout Mike Trout Mike Trout Mike Trout Mike Trout Mike Trout
NL MVP Justin Upton Joey Votto Andrew McCutchen Jason Heyward Bryce Harper Matt Kemp
World Series Reds over Angels  Braves over Tigers Nationals over Angels Nationals over Tigers Detroit over San Francisco Tigers over Nationals

So there you have it! Let’s hope we are all 100% wrong and the Red Sox win it all in 2013!