Five Bold Predictions for the 2017 MLB Season
@SouthSideSN
Spring training begins today. It's the official start to the 2017 season. Every year is full of surprises and this year is certain to be no exception. Here are our 5 bold predictions for the 2017 season!
1) Joc Pederson will be a top player in the MLB
Joc has flashed a lot of potential in his young career. He was an all star his rookie year, hits 450 foot home runs, is a top defensive center fielder and placed second in a home run derby. Along with that, he cut his strikeout rate down last season, got on base at a .352 clip and slugged a superb .495. If Joc continues to improve we see a big year out of him. He easily possesses 30+ home run power, can rip 30 doubles, walk 80+ times and steal 10+ bases all while offering top 5 defensive production in center field. All we need from Joc is for him to reach his potential and boost his average a tad and he will be a legitimate top player in the league.
2) Pablo Sandoval will be a major factor in the Red Sox success
Panda has left a sour taste in Bostonian’s mouths the last few years. He had his worst offensive years of his career in his first season with the team in 2015, was a major liability defensively and managed to step into the box just 7 times last year before missing the rest of the year with an injury. Is it too late for the 2 time all star to fix his broken relationship with Sox fans? I don’t think so. He turns 30 this year and though his good years seem like forever ago, Sandoval did come into spring training in better shape than ever before. Helped out by being in arguably the best offense in the league, we see some major potential for the big man. Expecting an all star appearance may be a reach, however a .280/.340/.460 season is not at all unrealistic. The title of this article is bold predictions so you heard it here first, Sandoval performs well over the slash line given earlier and tops 20 homers for the first time since 2011.
3) Chris Carter will hit 50 home runs
The Yankees signed slugger Chris Carter to a one year deal during the offseason. Everyone knows exactly what kind of hitter Carter is. He’ll bat under .230, strikeout at a rate good enough for 200 total in a full season yet supply whatever lineup he’s in with a major power boost. He hit 41 homers last season, 24 in 2015 (in only 130 games), 37 in 2014 and 16 in 2013 through only 67 games. It’s clear he has what it takes to hit 40 home runs every season given enough at bats. So why the sudden 50 bomb season? It’s easy. Carter now has the advantage of hitting in Yankee stadium. If Chris Carter is given enough at bats (600-700), he will clear the 50 home run mark and lead the MLB. After all, the guy’s at bats per home run over the last 5 seasons sits at an unheard of 14.7 which is higher than Hank Aaron’s. Give him the opportunities and he will hit the dingers. Fifty of them.
4) Clay Buchholz will be good again
Ah Clay Buchholz.The most inconsistent pitcher in the league. The guy that has had 2 Cy Young caliber years and a few years that were laughable. He has always been a mystery. Whenever he takes the mound you are forced to wonder which version of him you will see. Clay was traded to the Phillies from the Red Sox during the off season. In 2015 he posted a solid 3.26 ERA and despite his poor overall numbers in 2016 he did have a 3.56 ERA throughout his last 25 games (11 starts) and finished the season with a 3.14 ERA in his last 5 starts. Clay reportedly messed with his wind up a little bit and is feeling completely confident in it. For him, confidence is the most important thing. He certainly is a head case and when his head is in the right place he can be a well above average pitcher. My prediction, he boasts a low to mid 3 ERA, starts more than 25 games, wins double digit games for the first time since 2013 and is the best pitcher on the Phillies (if he remains there for the entire season).
5) The Cubs, Pirates and Cardinals all make the playoffs coming out of the same division
The Cubs making the playoffs is as safe of a bet as they come. However with the Pirates and Cardinals both expecting good seasons we see a very rare situation where three teams from one division all make the playoffs. The Pirates heavily underperformed last season and with bounce back years from Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen we see them winning at least 85 games. The Cardinals don’t have the flashiest roster but it has a good combination of veterans and young prospects and we would not be surprised if they, along with Pittsburgh and Chicago make the playoffs.