MLB National League Winning Predictions
Posted by Henry Watkins on Monday,October 3, 2016 3:46, EDT in
It doesn’t really matter which team you follow in the MLB, you really couldn’t help but be impressed by the season that the Chicago Cubs put together in 2016. Any time you have a team that goes over the 100-win mark, you know you are watching something special. The problem with being that good in the regular season is that there are huge expectations placed upon you heading into the playoffs, and that tends to mean a ton of pressure. It’s worth remembering that the Cubs are still a pretty young team, and that is something that may work against them when it gets down to the nitty gritty. It’s also worth remembering that there are 4 other very good teams in the postseason, so let’s take a little bit of a closer look at the 5 NL representatives in the postseason as well as their current betting run lines.
In Depth Analysis On The MLB National League Winning Predictions
Chicago Cubs (EV)
The Chicago Cubs finished the season with 103 wins, and were also the first team since 2005 to have a tie game, after a late season meeting with the Pirates was rained out and unable to be rescheduled. That little nugget aside, this is a team that is going to be incredibly difficult to beat, as they are head and shoulders above everyone else right now. As well as heir 103 wins, the Cubs also ended the season with a +252 run differential, which is an absolutely astonishing number. The Cubs are not just the NL favorites; they are also the betting odds favorites to win it all.
Washington Nationals (+250)
The Washington Nationals took the NL East by the scruff of the neck in the second half of the season, eventually winning the division by 8 games. The Nats are defensively strong, and have great pitching to fall back on. They only gave up 612 runs this season, which would have been the best in the NL were it not for what the Cubs were doing. They will open up against the LA Dodgers in the NLDS.
LA Dodgers (+300)
The Dodgers in recent years have been the team that has shelled out a ridiculous amount of money in salaries, only to have nothing to show for it in return. They won the West by 4 games, but it’s their road record that may once again be their Achilles heel. They finished the season 5 games below .500 on the road, and will be facing a Washington team that was dominant at home all year.
New York Mets (+750)
The Mets made it all the way to the World Series last year before losing out to the Kansas City Royals, and they will have revenge on their mind. If they are to get back there, though, they are going to have to do it the hard way. They will face the Giants in the Wild Card game, and will then have to take on the Cubs in the NLDS.
San Francisco Giants (+900)
The Giants were just unable to run down the Dodgers in the West coming down the stretch, and also weren’t able to do enough to secure a home game in the Wild Card. They will have to go on the road to face a Mets team who have playoff experience, and who have been nothing short of brilliant at home in the second half of the season.
I hate to just pick the favorite, but I really don’t see any team being able to take out the Cubs in a 7-game series. Chicago to the World Series is my pick.
