Our baseball experts offer their 2016 MLB predictions
If we could make a living from our baseball predictions, then this dispatch would have a Las Vegas dateline on it.
It doesn't, but we won't let that stop us. Whether we get it right next October or whether our “best guess” becomes a bust after the first 60 days of the season, predicting which teams will make the MLB playoffs and get to the World Series is a rite of spring for every fan as well as our sports writers and columnists.
In addition to sharing the annual predictions by columnists Mike Imrem and Barry Rozner, and our veteran baseball beat writers Scot Gregor and Bruce Miles, we asked WSCR baseball host Jordan Bernfield to share his picks for each division and the playoffs. You'll hear more from him each Monday in his weekly column on Chicago baseball.
Will the Cubs win it all? Well, only three of our five prognosticators say yes.
Will the White Sox win the AL Central and make the playoffs? Well, one of our faithful scribes believes that will happen.
And there it is: a ray of hope for whichever Chicago team you support.
All it takes is one.
Check out our 2016 predictions and see how they compare with your picks:
MIKE IMREM
NL East
Mets
Nationals
Marlins
Braves
Phillies
NL Central
CUBS
Cardinals
Pirates
Reds
Brewers
NL West
Diamondbacks
Giants
Dodgers
Rockies
Padres
NL wild-card playoff:
Nationals over Giants
Division series:
CUBS over Mets
Diamondbacks over Nationals
NLCS: D-backs over CUBS
AL East
Blue Jays
Rays
Yankees
Red Sox
Orioles
AL Central
WHITE SOX
Royals
Twins
Tigers
Indians
AL West
Astros
Rangers
Angels
Mariners
Athletics
AL wild-card playoffs:
Rangers over Royals
Division series:
Blue Jays over Rangers
Astros over WHITE SOX
ALCS: Blue Jays over Astros
World Series:
D-backs over Blue Jays
BARRY ROZNER
NL East
Mets
Nationals
Marlins
Phillies
Braves
NL Central
CUBS
Pirates
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
NL West
Giants
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Rockies
NL wild-card playoff:
Nationals over Diamondbacks
Division series:
CUBS over Nationals
Mets over Giants
NLCS: CUBS over Mets
AL East
Blue Jays
Rays
Red Sox
Yankees
Orioles
AL Central
Royals
WHITE SOX
Tigers
Indians
Twins
AL West
Rangers
Astros
Mariners
Athletics
Angels
AL wild-card playoff:
Astros over Rays
Division series:
Blue Jays over Rays
Rangers over Royals
ALCS: Rangers over Blue Jays
World Series:
CUBS over Rangers
SCOT GREGOR
NL East
Mets
Nationals
Marlins
Braves
Phillies
NL Central
CUBS
Pirates
Cardinals
Reds
Brewers
NL West
Giants
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Rockies
NL wild-card playoff:
Pirates over Nationals
Division series:
CUBS over Pirates
Mets over Giants
NLCS: CUBS over Mets
AL East
Blue Jays
Red Sox
Yankees
Rays
Orioles
AL Central
Royals
Tigers
WHITE SOX
Indians
Twins
AL West
Astros
Rangers
Mariners
Athletics
Angels
AL wild-card playoff:
Rangers over Red Sox
Division series:
Royals over Rangers
Blue Jays over Astros
ALCS: Blue Jays over Royals
World Series:
CUBS over Blue Jays
BRUCE MILES
NL East
Nationals
Mets
Marlins
Braves
Phillies
NL Central
CUBS
Pirates
Cardinals
Brewers
Reds
NL West
Giants
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Rockies
NL wild-card playoff:
Diamondbacks over Mets
Division series:
Cubs over Diamondbacks
Giants over Nationals
NLCS: Giants over Cubs
AL East
Blue Jays
Red Sox
Yankees
Rays
Orioles
AL Central
Royals
Indians
Tigers
White Sox
Twins
AL West
Astros
Rangers
Mariners
Angels
Athletics
AL wild-card playoff:
Indians over Rangers
Division series:
Astros over Indians
Blue Jays over Royals
ALCS: Astros over Blue Jays
World Series:
Giants over Astros
JORDAN BERNFIELD
NL East
Mets
Nationals
Marlins
Phillies
Braves
NL Central
CUBS
Cardinals
Pirates
Brewers
Reds
NL West
Giants
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Rockies
NL wild-card playoff:
Cardinals over Nationals
Division series:
Cubs over Cardinals
Giants over Mets
NLCS: Cubs over Giants
AL East
Blue Jays
Red Sox
Yankees
Rays
Orioles
AL Central
Royals
WHITE SOX
Indians
Tigers
Twins
AL West
Rangers
Astros
Mariners
Angels
Athletics
AL wild-card playoff:
Astros over Red Sox
Division series:
Rangers over Astros
Royals over Blue Jays
ALCS: Rangers over Royals
World Series:
Cubs over Rangers