The Boston Globe’s team of baseball reporters offer their picks for how the 2012 MLB season will play out. Teams listed in predicted order of finish:
PETER ABRAHAM, baseball reporter
AL East
1. Tampa Bay — Athleticism and pitching are a winning combination in the post-steroids era.
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore
AL Central
1. Detroit — In a weak division, the Tigers are loaded with Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Prince Fielder.
2. Cleveland
3. Minnesota
4. Kansas City
5. Chicago
AL West
1. Los Angeles — Albert Pujols adds offensive punch to their good pitching. Just what Mike Scioscia needed.
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2. Texas
3. Seattle
4. Oakland
Wild cards: Yankees, Rangers
NL East
1. Atlanta — Last year’s goats will slip by the battered Phillies.
2. Philadelphia
3. Miami
4. Washington
5. New York
NL Central
1. Cincinnati — Joey Votto is still in this division, back, unlike Pujols and Fielder.
2. Milwaukee
3. St. Louis
4. Chicago
5. Pittsburgh
6. Houston
NL West
1. Arizona — Old-school Kirk Gibson is building a powerful team.
2. Los Angeles
3. San Francisco
4. Colorado
5. Houston
Wild cards: Phillies, Dodgers
World Series — Angels over Braves
DAN SHAUGHNESSY, Globe columnist
AL East
1. New York — Unless the Steinbrenners buy Manchester United.
2. Tampa Bay
3. Toronto
4. Boston
5. Baltimore
AL Central
1. Detroit — The cars aren’t the only Motown product getting better.
2. Kansas City
3. Minnesota
4. Chicago
5. Cleveland
AL West
1. Los Angeles — Slightly more aggressive than Boston during the winter.
2. Texas
3. Seattle
4. Oakland
Wild cards: Tampa, Texas
NL East
1. Miami — Lots of guys taking their talents to South Beach.
2. Philadelphia
3. Atlanta
4. Washington
5. New York
NL Central
1. Milwaukee — Do the Brewers allow beer in the clubhouse?
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2. St. Louis
3. Cincinnati
4. Chicago
5. Pittsburgh
6. Houston
NL West
1. San Francisco — Buster, Melk-man, Kung Fu Panda — who doesn’t love those names?
2. Los Angeles
3. Arizona
4. San Diego
5. Colorado
Wild cards — Philadelphia, St. Louis
World Series — San Francisco over Detroit
MICHAEL VEGA, baseball reporter
AL East
1. Tampa – One through five, the rotation is the best in the division, quite possibly the league.
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore
AL Central
1. Detroit — Prince Fielder provides offensive punch to go with a rotation led by the flame-throwing Justin Verlander.
2. Cleveland
3. Minnesota
4. Kansas City
5. Chicago
AL West
1. Los Angeles — With the acquisitions of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, Angels are well-positioned for a run to the Series.
2. Texas
3. Oakland
4. Seattle
Wild cards – New York, Texas.
NL East
1. Philadelphia — Strong starting pitching will be complemented by a strong closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
2. Washington
3. Miami
4. Atlanta
5. New York
NL Central
1. Cincinnati — All the ingredients, with hitting (Joey Votto) and pitching (free agent Mat Latos).
2. St. Louis
3. Milwaukee
4. Pittsburgh
5. Chicago
6. Houston
NL West
1. San Francisco — In a contract year, Tim Lincecum got bigger and stronger over the winter, which bodes well for the Giants.
2. Arizona
3. Colorado
4. Los Angeles
5. San Diego
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Wild cards – St. Louis, Arizona
World Series — Angels over Phillies.
TONY MASSAROTTI, Globe columnist
AL East
1. New York — May be the last rodeo for an aging group.
2. Boston
3. Tampa Bay
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore
AL Central
1. Detroit — Cabrera-Fielder tandem is the Ramirez-Ortiz of the present day.
2. Cleveland
3. Minnesota
4. Chicago
5. Kansas City
AL West
1. Los Angeles — AL’s best starting rotation now has Pujols for run support.
2. Texas
3. Oakland
4. Seattle
Wild cards: Angels, Red Sox
NL East
1. Philadelphia — Not as imposing as they were, but still darned good.
2. Miami
3. Washington
4. Atlanta
5. New York
NL Central
1. Milwaukee — Division has deteriorated, but Brewers still the best.
2. St. Louis
3. Cincinnati
4. Chicago
5. Pittsburgh
6. Houston
NL West
1. San Francisco — If Buster Posey stays healthy, offense will be good enough.
2. Arizona
3. Los Angeles
4. Colorado
5. San Diego
Wild cards: Marlins and Diamondbacks
World Series — Angels over Phillies