2012 Predictions - How did they work out?

Let's dust off my 2012 predictions and see how they worked out:

Cleveland Indians

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

Result: I was within two games of this disaster as the Indians finished 88-94.  I think we will all agree that Jimenez was the biggest disappointment but Chisenhall getting hurt made that prediction impossible.   That Chris Perez (or his mouth) was really the MVP speaks volumes of why we collapsed.

Columbus Clippers 

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

Result:  Well my prediction was off as they didn't even make the playoffs.  They did finish 75-69 but their performance was relatively disappointing as was the performance of LaPorta (predicted) and the lack of performance/trade of Mills (not predicted)

Akron Aeros 

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

Result:  They finished 82-59 so I was close there.  I was probably correct about the MVP if Fedroff and Goedert had stayed but was wrong about Weglarz, lukewarm regarding Bryson and dead on, in part due to injury, with Bellows.
Carolina Mudcats 

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)

Results: Again, close with the finish, they finished 63-77.  Not close with the MVP as Moncrief didn't come on as I expected.  Close with biggest surprise with Cody Allen and Ronny Rodriguez.  Very close with the bigget disappointment being Lowery, lukewarm on Holt and wrong on Wolters as he exceeded my expectations.

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. 

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)

Results: They only finished 71-68 and when you look at my MVP candidates and biggest surprise candidates you can see why.  I also was way wrong on LIndor although his offense was just passable, even for his age at this level.   They did make it to the second round of the playoffs, however, and were tied after 6 innings of the deciding game in that round until Pasquale imploded. 

So, there you have it.  Not a bad set of predictions for 2012.  Maybe I am getting better at this stuff or maybe I was just lucky this year.