2017 Bold Predictions Thread

[Gregg]

The Cubs win the World Series!

+ one

[SlideRule]

OK I'll do a few:

1) Byung-Ho Park out performs Kennys Vargas.
Demoted at the end of ST, Park will come back up soon and mash his way to a 20+ HR 75 RBI season in MIN.

2) Nobody in the White Sox rotation or closer role to start the year will be in the rotation on Aug. 1st.
This list includes Quintana, Shields, Holland, Gonzalez, and Covey as well as Robertson the closer. It's maybe not that bold to say they'll all be traded, injured, or demoted by then. But I'll expand it to include Carlos Rodon, who will be injured and get TJ in late May.

3) Bryce Harper has a similarly disappointing season as 2016.
This means another year of under 25 HR, 90 R, 90 RBI, and hitting sube .260 AVG. His HR/FB% stays at around 15% and although he still racks up the walks and SBs, this year looks more like 2016 than 2015. He still signs a massive 8-yr contract with the Yankees in the offseason.
(Author's note - Harper hit a HR literally within like 10 seconds of me writing this)

4) Greg Bird hits more HRs than Gary Sanchez.
This may be blasphemy. Pitchers start to expose some of Sanchez's holes and his K% jumps to 30% by July. His power numbers drop to career norms and he ends up with 20-25 HRs. Bird, on the other hand, picks up where he left off before injury with his .268 ISO in 2015, and he beats even the Fans' expectations to hit 27 HRs and 88 RBIs.

5) Yu wins the Cy, Ks 313
Darvish puts up record K numbers between a full healthy year and the increasing K trends in the game overall. He ends up with 313 Ks and 19 Wins.

6) The Astros have 8 players hit 20+ HRs.
Springer, Bregman, Altuve, Correa, McCann, Gattis, Beltran, and even Yuli Gurriel all hit 20 or more HRs en route to the Astros winning the WS. Adding Reddick would make this really bold, but he falls just shy with 17.