2015 Major League Baseball Predictions
With 40 days until Opening Day, take a look at our season predictions:
(*) = 1st Wild Card Team
(**) = 2nd Wild Card Team
American League East:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | Boston Red Sox | Boston Red Sox |
2 | Toronto Blue Jays | Baltimore Orioles |
3 | New York Yankees | Toronto Blue Jays |
4 | Tampa Bay Rays | Tampa Bay Rays |
5 | Baltimore Orioles | New York Yankees |
American League Central:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | Cleveland Indians | Cleveland Indians |
2 | Detroit Tigers* | Kansas City Royals** |
3 | Kansas City Royals | Chicago White Sox |
4 | Chicago White Sox | Detroit Tigers |
5 | Minnesota Twins | Minnesota Twins |
American League West:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | Seattle Mariners | Seattle Mariners |
2 | Oakland Athletics** | Los Angeles Angels* |
3 | Los Angeles Angels | Houston Astros |
4 | Houston Astros | Oakland Athletics |
5 | Texas Rangers | Texas Rangers |
National League East:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | Washington Nationals | Washington Nationals |
2 | New York Mets | New York Mets** |
3 | Miami Marlins | Miami Marlins |
4 | Atlanta Braves | Atlanta Braves |
5 | Philadelphia Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies |
National League Central:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | St. Louis Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals |
2 | Pittsburgh Pirates* | Pittsburgh Pirates* |
3 | Chicago Cubs | Chicago Cubs |
4 | Milwaukee Brewers | Cincinnati Reds |
5 | Cincinnati Reds | Milwaukee Brewers |
National League West:
Place | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
1 | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants |
2 | San Francisco Giants** | San Diego Padres |
3 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Los Angeles Dodgers |
4 | Arizona Diamondbacks | Arizona Diamondbacks |
5 | Colorado Rockies | Colorado Rockies |
Playoffs:
Game | Brett Malamud’s Pick | Alex Horowitz’s Pick |
ALCS | Red Sox defeat Mariners | Red Sox defeat Indians |
NLCS | Nationals defeat Cardinals | Cardinals defeat Nationals |
World Series | Nationals defeat Red Sox | Cardinals defeat Red Sox |
Yankees Hot Stove: Players to Watch
By Brett Malamud
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
Lester to Decide Soon
By Alex Horowitz
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, free agent starting pitcher Jon Lester has narrowed down his potential destinations to either the San Francisco Giants or Chicago Cubs. A decision is expected to be made no later than Tuesday.
Lester would instantly join the top of the rotation for either team, but he’d especially be a significant upgrade in the Windy City. The Cubs currently lack a true ace, so Lester would need to carry Chicago’s young pitching staff.
In San Francisco, Lester would most likely slide into the #2 spot in the rotation, behind reigning World Series MVP and 2014 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Madison Bumgarner. It wouldn’t be a far move for him, either, as he played across the bay in Oakland for the second half of last season.
Between Boston and Oakland in 2014, Lester compiled a 16-11 record with a very formidable 2.46 earned run average. He was the starting pitcher in Oakland’s eventual loss to Kansas City in the AL Wild Card game, and received a no decision despite allowing 6 earned runs in 7.1 innings.
Lester’s contract will be one of the more expensive ones of this free agent class. According to several reports, a contract seems to be in the range of $140 million for 6 years, although those in Lester’s camp are quietly pushing for a deal in the $150 million / 7 year range (via MLB Trade Rumors).
Alex Horowitz is a senior at Briarcliff High School and is an aspiring sports writer. As a lifelong sports fan, he has rooted for the New York Knicks, New York Mets, and Detroit Lions. You can follow him on Twitter @alexhorowitz3
Sox Open Their Wallets, Sign Hanley and Panda
By Brett Malamud
The Red Sox broke the bank on Monday when multiple news outlets reported that the team came to terms with shortstop Hanley Ramirez on a four-year, $88 million deal with a fifth year option for an additional $22 million. Ramirez now heads back to the team that drafted him, before Boston traded him and four other players to the Marlins for a three player package highlighted by pitcher Josh Beckett.
Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the 30-year-old Ramirez would be the Red Sox’s backup plan, had they failed to sign third baseman Pablo Sandoval. However, Monday afternoon brought an important announcement from Sandoval’s agent.
The man they call the Kung Fu Panda is expected to ink a deal with the Red Sox worth at least $90 million over five years. Sandoval’s agent informed the San Francisco Giants that the switch hitting slugger had chosen to play for Boston. Sandoval was believed to have been choosing between San Francisco, Boston, and the San Diego Padres.
Ramirez isn’t expected to play shortstop for Boston due to the presence of the 22-year-old Xander Bogaerts. The Red Sox wouldn’t replace Bogaerts, would they? It would be more likely to see Sandoval at third and Ramirez in the outfield. With six other potential outfielders, the signing could lead to the Red Sox dealing one of their current outfielders in a trade. Many will speculate that the odd man out will be the recently acquired outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, simply because of his value. Cespedes will be a free agent at the end of the 2015 season, so he seems like a likely candidate. At the end of the day, the Red Sox improved and that’s what matters most to the fans of Boston. They’re sure to make some noise this season.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
Positives of the 2014 Mets Season
By Dan Lagnado
It was another losing season for the New York Mets, but one with a few more positives than there were in years past. So, I’m going boost everyone’s expectations, on a realistic level, for 2015.
Here were the biggest positives of 2014:
- Lucas Duda proved he can start everyday
It’s safe to say at this point that the Mets won the Ike Davis trade. We haven’t even seen either of the players they got back play in major leagues yet. But the trade’s edge is clear and Lucas Duda is the reason. Thirty home runs, good for third in the NL, 92 RBI, more than enough to lead the team, and Duda did all that while hitting a respectable .253 on the season. Davis couldn’t even settle into a full time role for the needy Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Daniel Murphy continued his solid play
By far the most consistent player on the roster for the last three seasons, Murphy continued to prove how valuable he is. He upped his power numbers from last season while still hitting an impressive .293 this season. While it remains to be seen if he is still on the roster come opening day, if he is, he just about guarantees production from the #2 hole in the lineup.
- Emergence of young players
Jacob deGrom, Jeurys Familia, Jenrry Mejia and Travis d’Arnaud are the four names that stick out to me as having truly arrived this season. deGrom and Familia may well have been the team’s two rookies of the year, with deGrom having a real chance for the big award as well. Familia proved to be a lockdown reliever late in the game working mainly in the eighth inning, but also picking up a save spot every now and then. Mejia showed that he’s capable of being put into clutch positions and succeeding in them. He converted 28 saves in his first chance at being a closer. d’Arnaud was a slow starter but really got it together after his demotion. He ended the year with 13 home runs, third on the team, and got his batting average up to .243 before the season ended. It’s also possible to include on this list, Wilmer Flores. He showed that he is capable of playing the position of a competent shortstop and certainly will provide more than Ruben Tejada would. The only question is whether he can hit for average and get on base more. I think Flores has the inside track to be at least a backup middle infielder, if not the starting shortstop, if the team doesn’t sign a free agent. Additionally, Dilson Herrera was fairly impressive in his handful of games while Murphy was sidelined.
- The bullpen got it together
This was an area that the Mets have not been able to figure out in recent years. At the beginning of this season it was Jose Valverde, Kyle Farnsworth and Bobby Parnell who were supposed to fill the late inning roles. Parnell was out since opening day for Tommy John surgery and Valverde and Farnsworth both found themselves released soon enough. As a result, Mejia, Familia and Vic Black locked down the late inning roles, with Carlos Torres as everyman, Josh Edgin and Dana Eveland handling the lefties with Daisuke Matsuzaka, Buddy Carlyle and Gonzalez Germen filling roles as they popped up as a result of injury, demotion or release.
It was a less than impressive season for the Amazin’s but the future is bright and if the ball bounces the right way, 2015 could be the year. With Matt Harvey’s return, and some potential trade chips, many people believe that this team can compete with the Nationals for the division.
Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
Yes, We Can.
Jeter walkoff….could you imagine? #Yankees #MLB #FarewellCaptain #JetersLastHomeGame
— Brett Malamud (@Brettnyy) September 26, 2014
Was put up on Twitter during the seventh inning by Dabuzzza founder Brett Malamud. Jeter hit a walkoff in the ninth.
A Tribute to Derek Jeter
By Brett Malamud
The day that Yankees fans have been dreading for the entire season is finally here. Tonight, Derek Jeter will take the Yankee Stadium field for the final time. After being officially eliminated from playoff contention in yesterday’s game, today’s game will strictly be about Jeter. I view the loss yesterday as a positive thing because in my mind, the Yankees have been out of the playoff hunt for a few weeks now. By losing yesterday, it allows the Yankees a final night at home in which they can properly honor and thank their captain. Could you imagine if they won yesterday and their playoff hopes were still alive? There would be no focus on Jeter, but rather the game, which of course is the way Derek would want it. But instead it’ll give fans a night that they’ll probably remember for the rest of their lives.

Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy