NPAR | 19
The 2017 MLB season preview
Written by : Joe Drake NPAR Correspondent
For the first time in over a century we open the season with the Chicago Cubs as the reigning World Series champions . With such a young , talented roster , they just might be the favorites this season , too . In this issue , we ’ re going to take a quick spin around the league to give you an idea of what to watch for this season . We ’ ll discuss division winners , a World Series matchup prediction and waytoo-early MVP and Cy Young favorites . Without further ado , the NPAR brings you the 2017 MLB season preview .
Division Winners We ’ ll start in the American League and go East to West before doing the same in the National League . Perennially , the AL East is one of the toughest divisions in all of baseball , and 2017 should be no different . The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays should make things interesting , but the Boston Red Sox will emerge victoriously . The AL Central is a bit more top-heavy . We ’ ll see the Cleveland Indians take the division title by a sizable margin . On the Pacific coast , the Seattle Mariners will surprise people by beating out the Texas Rangers for the AL West crown .
On to the National League ! The Washington Nationals will continue their divisional dominance by winning another NL East title on the resurgence of Bryce Harper . The NL Central should be a tight one with the Pittsburgh Pirates and St . Louis Cardinals keeping things close , but the Cubs will prevail as division champs . Finally , we ’ re back out west where Clayton Kershaw ’ s Los Angeles Dodgers will finish on top of the NL West .
A quick recap : We ’ ve got Red Sox , Indians , Mariners leading the AL , and Nationals , Cubs , and Dodgers leading the NL .
World Series Prediction With division winners in , it ’ s time to tell you who ’ s going to win it all . From the American League , the Red Sox will redeem themselves from last year ’ s embarrassing playoff appearance and earn the crown of AL champs . Out of the National League , a surprise : the New York Mets ! This wild card team might have the deepest pitching staff in the league , and it will earn them the status of NL champions . Red Sox and Mets , it ’ s 1986 all over again !
World Series Winner : New York Mets win it all , four games to two over the Boston Red Sox .
MVP Candidates The next two sections are going to be rapid fire . I ’ m going to give you three candidates from each league to watch for in 2017 .
American League : Mike Trout , outfielder , Los Angeles Angels ; Mookie Betts , outfielder , Boston Red Sox ; Robinson Cano , second baseman , Seattle Mariners .
Trout is the reigning MVP , but Mookie Betts was close behind in 2016 . Betts could look even better this season without David Ortiz to steal his thunder . Robby Cano will find himself in this conversation with a big year and a big win total from Seattle .
National League : Kris Bryant , third baseman , Chicago Cubs ; Bryce Harper , outfielder , Washington Nationals ; Corey Seager , shortstop , Los Angeles Dodgers .
As you know , Bryant is the reigning NL MVP and one of the game ’ s brightest talents . Bryce Harper is a former MVP with something to prove in 2017 , and Corey Seager is one of the game ’ s best young players entering his sophomore season .
Cy Young Candidates American League : Corey Kluber , Cleveland Indians ; Chris Sale , Boston Red Sox ; Felix Hernandez , Seattle Mariners .
All three of these guys will determine the fate of their respective franchises in 2017 . Kluber and Hernandez are looking at comeback seasons , while Sale makes his debut in Beantown .
National League : Clayton Kershaw , Los Angeles Dodgers ; Madison Bumgarner , San Francisco Giants ; Noah Syndergaard , New York Mets .
The NL is so pitching-rich that this is a very difficult decision . Kershaw and Bumgarner are “ old hat ” in this race by now , and obviously deserving , while Syndergaard is looking to assert himself as a truly elite pitcher in 2017 .