With one week to go to until the season starts, teams and rosters are starting to take shape. Here are my predictions for each division. This, of course, doesn’t take into account which team gets Cole Hamels, or any other major trades. It’s based on where these teams are today.

National League East
Washington: Just too dominating and deep, this team can sustain injuries and still win
Miami: A much-improved team, but not enough to take the next huge step.
New York Mets: Better than people might think, especially Mets fans
Atlanta: Rebuilding for some other era
Philadelphia: How the mighty have fallen, a World Series juggernaut just a few years ago (sound familiar)

National League Central
St Louis: Another year, another Cardinals playoff run
Pittsburg: Not enough pitching
Cincinnati: This team might surprise and finish higher, if not expect a mid-season salary dump
Chicago: Kris Bryant for twelve games or not, not this year
Milwaukee: An easy team to forget about, like their own GM did

National League West
San Diego: The most improved team in baseball, this year’s Royals
Los Angeles: They traded away too much talent and didn’t count on injuries
San Francisco: You never know, they could just as easily win the whole thing
Colorado: No
Arizona: Double no

Los Angeles beats Pittsburg in the Wild Card game.
Playoffs:
Washington beats Los Angeles
San Diego beats St Louis
Washington wins the National League

American League East
Baltimore: Even though they let a lot of talent walk, they still have a lot
Toronto: Not enough pitching, not enough offense
Boston: If only they had pitching
New York Yankees: Three years in a row with no playoff appearance, no tears shed here
Tampa Bay: Remember when they were good? They were bad a lot longer

American League Central
Detroit: Still better than anyone else even if their pitching is getting thinner
Cleveland: Up and coming, they might have a chance to knock off the Tigers
Chicago: Maybe, but probably not
Kansas City: Last year everything clicked
Minnesota: Getting better, but still a long way from good

American League West
Seattle: The team in the AL with the fewest holes
Oakland: This team was totally rebuilt and didn’t miss a beat
Los Angeles: Only two starters, Richards and Weaver
Houston: Up and coming, but not their year, not until they get better pitching
Texas: The window closed, talent drain and injuries nailed it shut

Cleveland beats Oakland in the Wild Card game
Playoffs:
Seattle beats Cleveland
Detroit beats Baltimore
Seattle wins the American League

World Series:
Only two teams in Major League Baseball have never been to the World Series: Washington and Seattle. This year, those two teams play one another.

Seattle wins.