Yahoo! Sports

2011 MLB predictions, forecasts and wild guesses

By Yahoo! Sports Staff Tuesday, Mar 29, 2011

AL MVP
	Tim Brown	Steve Henson	Jeff Passan
Winner:	Alex Rodriguez (notes)	Adrian Gonzalez (notes)	Adrian Gonzalez
Dark horse:	Carl Crawford (notes)	Robinson Cano (notes)	Nelson Cruz (notes)

NL MVP
Winner:	Albert Pujols (notes)	Ryan Braun (notes)	Jason Heyward (notes)
Dark horse:	Chipper Jones (notes)	Troy Tulowitzki (notes)	Ryan Braun

AL Cy Young
Winner:	David Price (notes)	Jon Lester (notes)	Jon Lester
Dark horse:	Trevor Cahill (notes)	Jered Weaver (notes)	John Danks (notes)

NL Cy Young
Winner:	Roy Halladay (notes)	Roy Halladay	Roy Halladay
Dark horse:	Clayton Kershaw (notes)	Matt Cain (notes)	Tommy Hanson (notes)

AL Rookie of the Year
Winner:	Jeremy Hellickson (notes)	Jeremy Hellickson	Jeremy Hellickson
Dark horse:	J.P. Arencibia (notes)	Michael Pineda (notes)	Mike Moustakas (notes)

NL Rookie of the Year
Winner:	Aroldis Chapman (notes)	Freddie Freeman (notes)	Brandon Belt (notes)
Dark horse:	Brandon Belt	Danny Espinosa (notes)	Craig Kimbrel (notes)

AL HR leader
Winner:	Adam Dunn (notes)	Adrian Gonzalez	Alex Rodriguez
Dark horse:	Mark Reynolds (notes)	Jose Bautista (notes)	Mark Trumbo (notes)

NL HR leader
Winner:	Albert Pujols	Prince Fielder (notes)	Mike Stanton (notes)
Dark horse:	Dan Uggla (notes)	Mike Stanton	Jay Bruce (notes)

AL batting champ
Winner:	Joe Mauer (notes)	Ichiro Suzuki (notes)	Ichiro Suzuki
Dark horse:	Robinson Cano	Carl Crawford	Carl Crawford

NL batting champ
Winner:	Carlos Gonzalez (notes)	Joey Votto (notes)	Albert Pujols
Dark horse:	Hanley Ramirez (notes)	Matt Holliday (notes)	Starlin Castro (notes)

MVPs-in-waiting
AL	Evan Longoria (notes)	Robinson Cano	Carlos Santana (notes)
NL	Jason Heyward	Ryan Braun	Buster Posey (notes)

Cy Youngs-in-waiting
AL	Clay Buchholz (notes)	David Price	Justin Verlander (notes)
NL	Matt Cain	Clayton Kershaw	Clayton Kershaw

Comeback players
AL	Manny Ramirez (notes)	Justin Morneau (notes)	Justin Morneau
NL	Pablo Sandoval (notes)	Nate McLouth (notes)	Chipper Jones

Breakout hitter
AL	Matt Wieters (notes)	Nick Markakis (notes)	Travis Snider (notes)
NL	Colby Rasmus (notes)	Matt Kemp (notes)	Mike Morse

Breakout pitchers
AL	Jeff Niemann (notes)	Gio Gonzalez (notes)	Brandon Morrow (notes)
NL	Jonathan Sanchez (notes)	Tommy Hanson	Julio Teheran (notes)

First home run of 2011
	Joey Votto	Alex Rodriguez	Jason Heyward

First manager fired
	Jim Riggleman	Brad Mills	Edwin Rodriguez

First GM fired
	Tony Reagins	Tony Reagins	Neal Huntington

First irrational Hank Steinbrenner comment
	July 4	May 12	Tomorrow

Fastest Aroldis Chapman pitch
	105.2	104.5	104.7

Bryce Harper (notes) called up
	April 2, 2012	May 30, 2012	June 5, 2012

Chase Utley (notes) games played
	101	77	22

Wins for the Phantastic Four
	67	68	68

Albert Pujols contract/team
	8 yrs/$220M/Cubs	9 yrs/$245M/Cardinals	10yrs/$280M/Cardinals

Manny Banuelos (notes) called up
	June 3, 2011	July 1, 2011	June 10, 2011

No. 1 overall draft pick
	Gerrit Cole	Gerrit Cole	Bubba Starling

Date of Derek Jeter's (notes) 3,000th hit
	July 4	June 20	June 9

Date of Jim Thome’s (notes) 600th home run
	June 6	Aug. 4	Aug. 19

Jose Bautista home runs
	31	37	31

Longest home run
	Alex Rodriguez, 495	Mike Stanton, 525	Mike Stanton, 497

Brandon Belt called up
	April 25, 2011	March 31, 2011	May 6, 2011

Number of no-hitters
	1	4	1

Runs scored by Red Sox
	900	897	918

Runs scored by Yankees
	835	877	891

Felix Hernandez (notes) ERA
	2.99	3.14	2.74

Mike Trout (notes) called up
	Sept. 1, 2011	May 15, 2012	July 28, 2011

Percentage ownership sold by Mets owners
	100	49	100

Percentage ownership sold by Frank McCourt
	0	0	0

Stephen Strasburg (notes) return date
	April 2, 2012	Sept. 18, 2011	Opening day, 2012

Will Brian Wilson (notes) shave his beard?
	Yes, but keeps mustache	Yes, after fifth blown save	No, dyes it blonde

Regular season predictions

AL East
	Red Sox: 101-61	Red Sox: 98-64	Red Sox 95-67
	Yankees: 91-71	Yankees: 93-69	Yankees: 92-70
	Rays: 85-77	Rays: 87-75	Rays: 90-72
	Blue Jays: 78-84	Blue Jays: 79-83	Blue Jays: 77-85
	Orioles: 77-85	Orioles: 79-83	Orioles: 75-87

AL Central
	Twins: 84-78	White Sox: 85-77	Twins: 88-74
	White Sox: 83-79	Twins: 84-78	Tigers: 85-77
	Tigers: 82-80	Tigers: 83-79	White Sox: 83-79
	Indians: 75-87	Indians: 70-92	Indians: 70-92
	Royals: 64-98	Royals: 65-95	Royals: 68-94

AL West
	Athletics: 88-74	Rangers: 88-74	Rangers: 88-74
	Rangers: 86-76	Athletics: 87-75	Angels: 83-79
	Angels: 80-82	Angels: 80-82	Athletics: 81-81
	Mariners: 60-102	Mariners: 61-101	Mariners: 67-95

NL East
	Braves: 92-70	Braves: 90-72	Phillies: 94-68
	Phillies: 91-71	Phillies: 89-73	Braves: 92-70
	Marlins: 84-78	Marlins: 85-77	Marlins: 78-84
	Mets: 77-85	Mets: 78-84	Mets: 74-88
	Nationals: 75-87	Nationals: 71-91	Nationals: 73-89

NL Central
	Reds: 89-73	Brewers: 88-74	Reds: 91-71
	Cardinals: 84-78	Reds: 87-75	Cubs: 83-79
	Brewers: 82-80	Cardinals: 83-79	Cardinals: 81-81
	Cubs: 75-87	Cubs: 77-85	Brewers: 80-82
	Astros: 75-87	Astros: 72-90	Astros: 68-94
	Pirates: 69-93	Pirates: 70-92	Pirates: 66-96

NL West
	Giants: 88-74	Giants 89-73	Dodgers 87-75
	Rockies: 85-77	Rockies 87-75	Rockies: 86-76
	Dodgers: 81-81	Padres 83-79	Giants: 86-76
	Padres: 79-83	Dodgers 74-88	Padres: 76-86
	Diamondbacks: 70-92	Diamondbacks 68-94	Diamondbacks: 73-89

Postseason predictions

ALDS
	Red Sox over Twins	Red Sox over White Sox	Red Sox over Rangers
	Athletics over Yankees	Yankees over Rangers	Yankees over Twins

NLDS
	Giants over Braves	Brewers over Braves	Phillies over Dodgers
	Phillies over Reds	Phillies over Giants	Braves over Reds

ALCS
	Red Sox over Athletics	Yankees over Red Sox	Red Sox over Yankees

NLCS
	Giants over Phillies	Brewers over Phillies	Braves over Phillies

World Series
	Red Sox over Giants	Yankees over Brewers	Red Sox over Braves