Crashburn Alley’s 2018 Predictions
The 2018 season kicks off today. The Phillies have high expectations relative the past few years, but they aren’t the only team with high expectations. Once again the members of the Crashburn Alley staff has put together their predictions for standings, awards and other things.
Participating this year:
- Matt Winkelman
- Brad Engler
- Adam Dembowitz
- Michael Schickling
- Colbert Root
- Liam Murphy
- Jack Merlino
*Note: On mobile devices, these predictions are best viewed using a horizontal orientation.
Standings
AL East | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Yankees | Red Sox | Yankees | Yankees | Yankees | Yankees | Yankees |
2 | Red Sox | Yankees | Red sox | Red Sox | Red Sox | Red Sox | Red Sox |
3 | Blue Jays | Orioles | Blue Jays | Blue Jays | Blue Jays | Rays | Orioles |
4 | Orioles | Blue Jays | Rays | Orioles | Orioles | Blue Jays | Blue Jays |
5 | Rays | Rays | Orioles | Rays | Rays | Orioles | Rays |
AL Central | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Indians | Indians | Indians | Indians | Indians | Indians | Indians |
2 | Twins | Twins | Twins | Twins | Twins | Twins | Twins |
3 | Royals | White Sox | Royals | White Sox | Royals | White Sox | White Sox |
4 | White Sox | Tigers | Tigers | Royals | White Sox | Royals | Royals |
5 | Tigers | Royals | White Sox | Tigers | Tigers | Tigers | Tigers |
AL West | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Astros | Astros | Astros | Astros | Astros | Astros | Astros |
2 | Angels | Angels | Angels | Angels | Angels | Angels | Mariners |
3 | Mariners | Mariners | Mariners | Athletics | Mariners | Athletics | Angels |
4 | Rangers | Atheltics | Athletics | Mariners | Rangers | Mariners | Rangers |
5 | Athletics | Rangers | Rangers | Rangers | Athletics | Rangers | Athletics |
NL East | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals |
2 | Phillies | Mets | Phillies | Phillies | Phillies | Phillies | Phillies |
3 | Mets | Phillies | Mets | Mets | Mets | Mets | Mets |
4 | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves |
5 | Marlins | Marlins | Marlins | Marlins | Marlins | Marlins | Marlins |
NL Central | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Cubs | Cubs | Cubs | Cubs | Brewers | Cubs | Cubs |
2 | Brewers | Cardinals | Brewers | Brewers | Cardinals | Brewers | Brewers |
3 | Cardinals | Brewers | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cubs | Cardinals | Cardinals |
4 | Pirates | Reds | Pirates | Pirates | Pirates | Reds | Reds |
5 | Reds | Pirates | Reds | Reds | Reds | Pirates | Pirates |
NL West | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
1 | Dodgers | Dodgers | Dodgers | Dodgers | Rockies | Dodgers | Dodgers |
2 | Dbacks | Dbacks | Dbacks | Dbacks | Dbacks | Dbacks | Dbacks |
3 | Rockies | Rockies | Rockies | Giants | Dodgers | Rockies | Rockies |
4 | Giants | Giants | Gians | Rockies | Giants | Padres | Giants |
5 | Padres | Padres | Padres | Padres | Padres | Giants | Padres |
Playoffs
Matt
- ALCS: Dodgers over Cubs in 7
- NLCS: Indians over Astros in 7
- World Series: Dodgers over Indians in 6
Adam
- ALCS: Astros over Indians in 7
- NLCS: Nationals over Cubs in 6
- World Series: Astros over Nationals in 7
Brad
- ALCS: Astros overs Yankees in 7
- NLCS: Cubs over Dodgers in 6
- World Series: Cubs over Astros in 7
Michael
- ALCS: Indians over Astros
- NLCS: Dodgers over Cubs
- World Series: Dodgers over Indians
Colbert
- ALCS: Yankees over Astros
- NLCS: Nationals over Brewers
- World Series: Yankees over Nationals
Liam
- ALCS: Yankees over Astros
- NLCS: Rockies over Nationals
- World Series: Yankees over Rockies
Jack
- ALCS: Astros over Yankees in 6
- NLCS: Diamondbacks over Dodgers
- World Series: Astros over Diamondbacks 6
Awards
Awards | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
AL MVP | Trout | Trout | Lindor | Trout | Trout | Judge | Judge |
AL Cy Young | Kluber | Sale | Kluber | Kluber | Stroman | Severino | |
AL ROY | Ohtani | Calhoun | Jimenez | Ohtani | Mejia | Barreto | Ohtani |
NL MVP | Harper | Harper | Arenado | Harper | Blackmon | Goldschmidt | |
NL Cy Young | Scherzer | Syndergaard | Scherzer | Kershaw | Kershaw | Strasburg | Kershaw |
NL ROY | Acuna | Acuna | Brinson | Acuna | Acuna | Kingery | Crawford |
Phillies-Centric
Phillies Centric | Matt | Adam | Brad | Michael | Liam | Colbert | Jack |
Hitter WAR | Hoskins | Hoskins | Santana | Herrera | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins |
Pitcher WAR | Nola | Nola | Nola | Nola | Arrieta | Nola | Nola |
Stolen Bases | Kingery | Kingery | Kingery | Kingery | Herrera | Kingery | Quinn |
Walks | Santana | Santana | Santana | Hoskins | Hernandez | Hoskins | Santana |
Home Runs | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins | Hoskins |
Pitcher Strikeouts | Nola | Nola | Arrieta | Nola | Nola | Nola | Arrieta |
Saves | Neris | Neris | Neris | Neris | Neris | Neris | Neris |
Win- Loss Record | 84-78 | 84-78 | 85-77 | 80-82 | 85-77 | 84-78 | 84-78 |
philk
March 30, 2018 09:30 AM
Oh boy, here I go……Since this article is about awards, I want to give my award to the worst managing debut in baseball history to Gabe Kapler. Before talking about this I want to qualify what I say with three items: 1. One of the beauties of baseball is that it is 162 games long and that everyone will have ample chances for redemption and that I shouldn’t get so misplaced after one game, one incident, 2. It is a positive testament to Gabe that he has confidence in his bullpen until shown otherwise, and, 3 I think sabermetrics and the minute analyzing of all things baseball is very important. Now – If I may, I think Gabe Kapler took Aaron Nola out of his opening day start yesterday because of sabermetrics. Nola felt fine and wondered why?? I have to cast a vote here – I vote for talking to your pitcher: I vote for a manger balancing their gut with their brain: I vote for a manager also becoming a student of why some ‘old school’ (I know this is a hot button word) managers were very successful. I see this as a portent of things to come – for instance – because of a 100 pitch obsession taking a guy out with two outs in the eighth while pitching a perfect game. Isn’t the spirit of the human and the clubhouse, TEAM CHEMISTRY as, or more, important and a contributing factor in a decision. . In closing, to reiterate, I believe in sabermetrics, but in the trenches, for the assistant whispering the good facts into the manager’s ear – but when it comes to the manager that I want to see on the field I want an integration of all things baseball not some absolute frame of reference that dwindles away a 5 – 0 lead with a stat that comes up from punching in a real life scenario into a computer. Sorry Gabe this is how I saw and see your debut yesterday and the overall picture of baseball decisions from stats over….well….reality. GO PHILLIES and GO Gabe!
Chris S
March 30, 2018 01:16 PM
From Bill Baer himself:
mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/03/29/gabe-kapler-draws-criticism-with-quick-hook-of-aaron-nola/
Good article and well worth a read.
Ryan
March 30, 2018 03:07 PM
Sabremetrics don’t support this decision. The only stats that I’ve seen that support it are surface level stats mostly due to small sample size. Considering on pitches 51-75 he has an OPS against of 0.610 the stats seem to suggest he was at his best at this time and that taking him out is a bad idea. Also Hoby Milner had a good season last year, except it was almost all luck and looking at sabremetrics and stats beyond ERA would have told Kapler this.