2012 Predictions

OK, we are to that point.  The season has started or is about to start for all of the Indians' minor league teams and for their major league team.  So it's time to do my annual predictions.  These are done without a lot of knowledge of what will happen during the season in terms of injuries, promotions, etc.

Cleveland - I really want to find something positive to say about the Indians.  In the 70s and 80s the Indians had the #1 draft choice one time, I think.  They were just never bad enough to be the worse, just bad enough to be terrible.   So it will be for the Indians this year. 

Record: 70-92
MVP: Justin Masterson
Biggest Surprise: Lonnie Chisenhall
Biggest Disappointment: Ubaldo Jimenez


Columbus - This will be an interesting team.  On paper it is the best team, top to bottom, that the Clippers have had.  The starting pitching is great, the bullpen is deep, the position players are experienced and hungry and know, with a good performance, they stand a good chance to play in Cleveland this year. 

Record: 85-59
MVP: Lonnie Chisenhall
Biggest Disappointment: Matt LaPorta
Biggest Surprise: Beau Mills

Akron - Akron will benefit from the position player backup at Columbus.  Their starting pitching will probably be weak but the bullpen is strong and the position players are mainly prospects with some talent who are, due to too many guys at AAA, are repeating this level.

Record: 83-61
MVP: Tim Fedroff, Jared Goedert
Biggest Surprise: Nick Weglarz, Rob Bryson
Biggest Disappointment: Kyle Bellows

Carolina - New team, same league, different results.  Carolina will finish with a 60-84 overall record and fail to make the playoffs. 

Record: 60-84
MVP: Carlos Moncrief
Biggest Surprise: Cody Allen, Carlos Moncrief, Ronny Rodriguez
Biggest Disappointment: Tyler Holt, Jake Lowery, Tony Wolters (only because of his age)
Lake County - Same team, different year, different result.  This team will sizzle this year.  All the guys who underperformed there last year will perform very well this year. 

That's it.  I will revisit this in a couple of months to see how I am doing.

Record: 90-54
MVP: Felix Sterling, LeVon Washington
Biggest Surprise: LeVon Washington, Alex Lavisky, Kyle Blair
Biggest Disappointment: Francisco Lindor (he is too young and inexperienced to be here, just like Lavisky was last year)