2013 MLB Predictions

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Will the Tigers celebrate a World Series title in 2013? One of us thinks so.

Well, it's that time again. Everyone out there is making their predictions for the upcoming season, which begins at long last tonight when the AL West's newest rivals (the Astros and Rangers) meet in Houston. And plenty of those experts out there -- it appears even to be a majority of them -- are picking the Nationals to win the World Series.

Do Chase Hughes and I concur? You'll have to keep reading to find out how far we predict the Nats will go in 2013, not to mention how every division will finish and who will win the major postseason awards in each league.

Enjoy, and be sure to check back here come October to see how foolish we were...

MARK ZUCKERMAN
NL EAST
1. Nationals
2. Braves*
3. Phillies

VIDEO: World Series or bust?

On Friday night's SportsTalk Live, Comcast SportsNet's Rob Carlin and Brian Mitchell debated the idea of whether the Nationals should consider this season a failure if they don't win the World Series. They play off of a Thomas Boswell column that said the team will not win it all this season. Check it out.

World Series Game 4: Giants at Tigers

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Will the Giants enjoy the ultimate celebration tonight in Detroit?

I'm not sure anyone would have guessed the baseball season could end tonight. Then again, I'm not sure anyone would have guessed the Giants could hold the Tigers to three total runs in Games 1-3 of the World Series ... without having sent their ace to the mound.

It's been a stunning Fall Classic so far, and though it's not officially over yet, let's be honest. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series. And only three of the 23 teams that have faced a 3-0 deficit have even been able to force a Game 5.

So the Giants will be smelling blood tonight and will try to wrap this thing up at Comerica Park. They'll hand the ball to Matt Cain, who won Game 7 of the NLCS and has been Mr. Consistency for them all season. Detroit's Max Scherzer has been fantastic in the postseason, but it won't matter how he pitches tonight if his teammates can't produce some semblance of offense.

Since there's obviously nowhere to go around D.C. tonight, might as well batten down the hatches and watch Game 4 with the rest of us. I'll again share my thoughts along the way in the comments section...

THE 108TH WORLD SERIES - GAME 4
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 8:15 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox
Radio: 980 AM, 92.7 FM, 94.3 FM, XM 178
Weather: Showers, 45 degrees, Wind 16 mph out to CF

GIANTS
CF Angel Pagan
2B Marco Scutaro
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Buster Posey

World Series Game 3: Giants at Tigers

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The Fall Classic shifts to chilly Comerica Park tonight.

Is a 2-0 series deficit insurmountable? No, it's certainly happened before. But make no mistake, the Tigers really have their backs against the wall now as the 108th World Series shifts to chilly Comerica Park for the next three nights. A Detroit club that entered this Fall Classic as slight favorites because of ace Justin Verlander and a deep and potent lineup didn't play well at all in Games 1 and 2 in San Francisco and needs to get back on track in a hurry.

A couple of signs that may point in the Tigers' favor tonight for Game 3: 1) They fared much better against right-handers (62-49) than left-handers (26-25) during the regular season, 2) Anibal Sanchez has posted a 2.07 ERA over his last nine starts and 3) Detroit gets to use its regular lineup (with Delmon Young as DH) while San Francisco is forced to use backup catcher Hector Sanchez in the DH role.

One big sign, however, that points in the Giants' favor: Ryan Vogelsong has been dominant this month, going 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three postseason starts.

So, how will this pivotal Game 3 play out? If you're the Tigers, you've got to jump out to an early lead (their first of the series). If you're the Giants and you get ahead first, all the momentum remains on your side. Enjoy the game, and enjoy the discussion in the comments section (I'll be participating again myself)...

THE 108TH WORLD SERIES - GAME 3
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 8:07 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox
Radio: 980 AM, 92.7 FM, 94.3 FM, XM 178
Weather: Partly cloudy, 46 degrees, Wind 11 mph out to CF

GIANTS
CF Angel Pagan
2B Marco Scutaro
3B Pablo Sandoval
C Buster Posey

World Series Game 2: Tigers at Giants

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Does Pablo Sandoval have more heroics in store tonight?

So, Game 1 pretty much went exactly as expected, right? Right? Guess this is why we love baseball so much, because it never fails to surprise us, even on its grandest stage.

The pertinent question is this: Did the Giants' lopsided Game 1 win over the Tigers fundamentally change the complexion of the series? On one hand, you have to say the answer is yes. Not only did San Francisco take out Justin Verlander in stunning fashion, but history tells us the last 11 home teams that won Game 1 went on to win the World Series.

On the other hand, a big performance tonight from Doug Fister & Co. would get Detroit back on track and even the series up heading back east to Comerica Park. He gets overshadowed by Verlander and others on the Tigers roster, but over his last 17 starts (postseason included) Fister is 8-4 with a 2.52 ERA. That's pretty good.

Just like last night, I'll be hanging out here all night providing my own thoughts and interacting with everyone in the comments section. Please join us as you watch the game...

THE 108TH WORLD SERIES - GAME 2
DETROIT TIGERS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: AT&T Park
Gametime: 8:07 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), XM 178
Weather: Sunny, 62 degrees, Wind 11 mph out to RF

TIGERS
CF Austin Jackson
2B Omar Infante
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder

World Series Game 1: Tigers at Giants

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Sparkling AT&T Park hosts Game 1 of the Fall Classic tonight.

It's not the World Series that Nationals fans wanted, but it's still a fantastic matchup between two storied franchises with two rabid fan bases and plenty of big names involved that nobody saw coming. (Oh wait, I actually did predict this exact matchup way back on Opening Day! I trust you'll ignore the 27 other predictions I got wrong in that article.)

In one corner stand the AL champion Tigers, pushed to the brink by the A's in the ALDS before they mowed through the Yankees in a four-game ALCS. Detroit, which reached the World Series in 2006 but hasn't won it since 1984, has the best pitcher in the sport on the mound tonight in Justin Verlander, the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years in Miguel Cabrera and a really deep lineup that also includes $214 million first baseman Prince Fielder.

In the other corner stand the NL champion Giants, who have merely won six elimination games this month to reach the World Series for the second time in three years. They've got a two-time Cy Young Award winner in Tim Lincecum and the NL batting champ (and perhaps MVP) in Buster Posey, but their biggest contributors so far this postseason have been an obscure second baseman named Marco Scutaro and a couple of resurrected veteran pitchers named Barry Zito and Ryan Vogelsong.

My three keys to the series: 1) Can Verlander be Verlander, which makes him the most dominant pitcher on the planet? 2) Can Posey and Hunter Pence start driving in runs and take the pressure off Scutaro? 3) Will Detroit's shaky closer situation prove significant, or can Verlander and Co. simply finish what they started and leave Jose Valverde out of the equation altogether?

If you're still having trouble getting over the Nats' NLDS loss from nearly two weeks ago, it's time to turn the TV back on and watch baseball again, because there's still nothing like the Fall Classic (no matter your personal rooting interest). I'll certainly be watching, and I'll share my thoughts right here and in the comments section for anyone who would like to join in...

THE 108TH WORLD SERIES - GAME 1
DETROIT TIGERS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Where: AT&T Park
Gametime: 8:07 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), XM 178
Weather: Sunny, 58 degrees, Wind 10 mph out to CF

TIGERS
CF Austin Jackson
2B Omar Infante
3B Miguel Cabrera
1B Prince Fielder