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PrintForty-nine ESPN “experts” made MLB predictions back in April. Care to guess how many of them had the Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics or Chicago White Sox pegged as playoff teams?
If you guessed “none,” you’re correct.
Additionally, all 49 experts picked the Detroit Tigers to win the AL Central, and all but four thought the Los Angeles Angels would advance to the postseason. The Angels, in fact, were the Worldwide Leader’s No. 1 pick to win the World Series. (L.A.’s most likely opponent, according to 15 experts, was the Arizona Diamondbacks.)
The consensus World Series choices:
- Angels (18 of 49)
- Rangers (7)
- Rays (7)
- Tigers (6)
- Phillies (5)
If the season were to end today, only the Rangers would make the playoffs.
Below is a listing of ESPN’s preseason expert predictions. Try not to laugh too hard, because there’s a good chance that yours weren’t any better. Ours certainly weren’t.
* * *
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL EAST
Yankees (37)
Rays (11)
Red Sox (1)
AL CENTRAL
Tigers (49)
AL WEST
Angels (25)
Rangers (24)
WILD CARDS
Rays (26)
Rangers (24)
Angels (20)
Red Sox (15)
Yankees (11)
Blue Jays (2)
AL PENNANT
Angels (20)
Rangers (8)
Rays (8)
Tigers (7)
Yankees (4)
Red Sox (1)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
NL EAST
Phillies (27)
Marlins (11)
Braves (10)
Nationals (1)
NL CENTRAL
Cardinals (20)
Reds (18)
Brewers (11)
NL WEST
Diamondbacks (32)
Giants (15)
Dodgers (1)
Rockies (1)
WILD CARDS
Marlins (17)
Phillies (16)
Nationals (14)
Giants (13)
Diamondbacks (10)
Reds (9)
Cardinals (6)
Brewers (6)
Dodgers (4)
Braves (3)
Rockies (1)
NL PENNANT
Diamondbacks (15)
Phillies (14)
Cardinals (5)
Reds (4)
Braves (3)
Giants (3)
Nationals (2)
Brewers (2)
Marlins (1)
WORLD SERIES CHAMP
Angels (18)
Rangers (7)
Rays (7)
Tigers (6)
Phillies (5)
Yankees (3)
Cardinals (2)
Red Sox (1)
