Dodgers and Angels: 2012 Season Predictions
By Derek Hart
This time of year, I have often said…
“Forget January 1st – this is New Year’s Day!”
Of course I’m referring to the start of the Major League Baseball season, which commences for our two Los Angeles area franchises Thursday and Friday as the Dodgers open the 2012 campaign at Petco Park in San Diego to take on SoCal’s third MLB team, the Padres, while Albert Pujols makes his official debut in an Angels uniform this Friday night, when they start the year against the Royals at Angels Stadium.
Being that baseball is my favorite sport, and has been for well over three decades, I thought I’d give my predictions as to how the 2012 season will go with our two L.A. area teams, starting with the…
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Dodgers have experienced some encouraging things these past few months, not only with Magic Johnson’s group buying the team from Frank McCourt, but with the fact that they played their best ball during the last two months of the 2011 season, with Clayton Kershaw winning the Cy Young Award and Matt Kemp getting robbed of MVP honors by Ryan Braun.
The best thing about this team’s prospects is – as in the last few years – there is no clear-cut favorite in the National League West as four teams could win it, including Don Mattingly’s (who incidentally did a good job in his first year as the Dodgers’ manager) blue-clad club.
That is, if other key guys whose last names are not Kershaw or Kemp step up and have good seasons, such as James Loney, Juan Uribe, Juan Rivera, and especially Andre Ethier and Chad Billingsley as they must bounce back from their disappointing seasons.
Ethier has been tearing it up in spring training, so I’m looking for him to have a big year supporting Kemp.
Meanwhile, it’s time for Billingsley to fulfill the promise that he has had throughout his time as a Dodger; I’ve said that for several years now as I’m frankly sick of his .500 win-loss records and his earned run averages being a point and a half higher than it should be.
If the Dodgers are to be legitimate contenders in what is their 50th year in Dodger Stadium, Billingsley needs to step up once and for all.
I’m excited about Dee Gordon, the young shortstop, for one reason: speed, as he’s capable of batting .300 by bunting alone and is the kind of player whom you don’t care if he never hits the ball over the fence. His presence at the top of the lineup will give the Dodgers more opportunities to score runs. Look for him to steal around 60-70 bases if not more.
And the bullpen looks promising with Kenley Jansen and closer Javy Guerra.
Having said all of that, here’s my official prediction for the Dodgers:
Depending on how players perform, this team could win the division or finish as low as fourth. As such, I’l say that these Dodgers will finish third in the N.L. West, with a very good chance at second place.
OK, here’s what I have to say about Los Angeles’ (or actually, Orange County’s) American League team, the…
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
When Arte Moreno signed the best all-around hitter in the 21st century – all-around player, really – this past December as Albert Pujols agreed to become an Angel for the next ten years, I know that every red-clad Halos fan was ecstatically jumping for joy.
As big as Pujols’ signing was, however, I felt that the acquisition of key Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson was equally as important, as he adds to a stellar starting staff, led, of course, by Jered Weaver and Dan Haren; that rotation is so loaded, Wilson is penciled in as the #3 starter and the #4 guy, Ervin Santana, was the one who threw a no-hitter in Cleveland last summer.
As for the Angels’ offensive attack, Pujols has merely enhanced an already good lineup, and with the return of Kendrys Morales (who was outstanding in the spring) from a broken ankle after two years, this lineup will do some damage at the plate.
Look for guys like Howie Kendrick, who will be getting lots of fast balls hitting in front of Pujols, and Torii Hunter to have good years, and I’m particularly expecting Vernon Wells to bounce back from doing so badly in 2011.
Peter Bourjos is a young guy that I like in center field, and I felt that much like Kemp getting robbed of the N.L’s MVP award, Mark Trumbo got robbed of the A.L’s Rookie of the Year honors; how many rookies have hit 29 homers in a season?
The one possible achilles heel that Mike Scioscia’s team has is its bullpen as the closer, Jordan Walden, led MLB with ten blown saves last season. Walden throws hard and is more than capable of being lights out, but those blown saves must go down dramatically.
Virtually everyone is picking the Angels to be the American League’s entry in the World Series this October. Here’s what I say:
I concur with the baseball pundits in stating that these Angels are loaded, with pretty much all the pieces there for a deep post-season run.
In order to fulfill the wishes of the red-clad Angel Nation, however, they must get past the Rangers as it will be a dogfight with them for the American League West title.
These Angels from Anaheim will win the division crown, finishing second with a wild card berth at worst. If things go their way and injuries are avoided, Angels Stadium will likely host some World Series games.
Well, there you have it – opinions of how the baseball season will go from someone whose fondness for this game goes back a long way.
I suppose the words “Play Ball!” goes without saying. I know that’s a cliche, but at the same time, there’s nothing more to say than that, except…
Here’s to a great season from L.A. and Orange County’s baseball teams.