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I started posting my Bold Predictions articles a few years ago as a way to see how many of them could actually come true, or come close. What I have found is that about 3-4 of my bold predictions do come true each year. I like to submit my bold predictions where the likelihood of it coming true is about 5% or so.
With that said, below you will find my bold predictions for each American League team, and I will follow it up with a bold predictions article for each National League team in the next day or so.
You will find bold predictions from several of the Fake Teams writers throughout the week.
AL East
Grady Sizemore goes all 2008 on fantasy owners, hitting .275 with 30 home runs, scores 90 runs, drives in 80 runs and steal 25 bases, making the All Star team as well. But, the Red Sox disappoint their fans, finishing in third place behind the Yankees and Rays.
Rays outfielder Desmond Jennings finally breaks out, hitting 25 home runs, stealing 43 bases and scoring 103 runs in 159 games. The Rays make the playoffs as a wild card, as Chris Archer wins 17 games with a 2.61 ERA and is the best pitcher on the Rays staff in 2014.
In his first season in MLB, Masahiro Tanaka is the best pitcher in the American League, winning 19 games with a 2.33 ERA, 225 strikeouts and a 1.01 WHIP, leading the Yankees to the AL East division title.
Tommy Hunter loses the closer job on April 20th, and is replaced by Kevin Gausman who keeps the job all year, saving 45 games and striking out 110 batters in 72 innings.
Brett Lawrie stays healthy all season. That is all.
Staying healthy all season, Lawrie finally breaks out hitting .304 with 28 home runs, 90 runs scored, 85 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
AL Central
Third baseman Nick Castellanos finally finds his power stroke, and boy does he ever, as he hits a team leading 31 home runs, but the Tigers fail to make the playoffs for the first time in several years. After turning down the Tigers lucrative offer in spring training, Max Scherzer struggles in 2014, winning just 12 games with a 4.50 ERA and sees his strikeout rate plummet to below eight strikeouts per nine innings.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas figurest things out at the plate, hitting .285 with 37 home runs, 80 runs and 107 RBI, helping the Royals win the AL Central division title for the first time in many years. Teammate Alex Gordon thrives after being moved down in the Royals lineup, hitting .310 with 33 home runs and 95 RBI. Pitching prospect Yordano Ventura is the Royals best starter, winning 15 games, striking out ten batters per nine innings with a 3.10 ERA.
Now that he is no longer catching every day, Carlos Santana shows that the team made the right call in moving him into a full time DH role, hitting .297 with 33 home runs and 101 RBI, leading the Indians to the playoffs as a wild card team.
Outfielder Oswaldo Arcia has a break out season, hitting .270 with 28 home runs and 95 RBI, but the power breakout comes with 170 strikeouts.
The White Sox continue their rebuild and make a blockbuster trade on July 31st, dealing ace starter Chris Sale to the Pirates for Austin Meadows, Jameson Taillon, Josh Bell and Harold Ramirez. Cuban first baseman Jose Abreu leads the American League in home runs with 42 and RBI with 122.
AL West
Yet another injury to shortstop Jed Lowrie leads Billy Beane to call up top prospect Addison Russell on April 23rd. Russell proceeds to hit .317 with 17 home runs, 70 runs and 75 RBI in 135 games.
The Rangers disappoint all season, losing 90 games and finishing in fourth place. First baseman Prince Fielder has the worst season of his career, hitting .250 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI.
Mike Trout is human, as he suffers a down year, for him, hitting just .275 with 17 home runs, 70 runs, 70 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Reports surface that he turned down a 10 year, $350 million contract right before the season started, and ask what happened to Mike Trout, the easy #1 pick in fantasy drafts before the season started.
The pressure of his new 10 year contract, and the move from Yankee Stadium, depress Robinson Cano's stats in 2014. Cano hits just .255 with 16 home runs, 70 runs and 75 RBI in his debut season in Safeco Park. General Manager Jack Zdurencik is fired hours after the Mariners fail to make the playoffs.
Outfield prospect George Springer is called up on May 1st and proceeds to win the American League Rookie of the Year award, hitting .295 with 29 home runs and stealing 31 bases. The Astros sign him to a 5 year, $60 million deal after the season ends.
Let me know in the comments section which prediction is the boldest. Again, these have a very small chance of happening this season, but is fun to talk about. Discuss.