Eleven predictions came true (either exactly or close enough to be declared finalists) for Contest #1: Make a Prediction about the 2012 Baseball Season.
Now it’s up to you folks to decide which one should be declared the winner:
A few ‘rules’:
*Deadline to send in your selection is Oct. 31 at midnight.
*You can send your choice to me by email (Samesty84@gmail.com) or simply put it in the Comment section below.
*Consider adding an explanatory sentence or two when you vote, especially if you want others to be influenced by your wisdom, insight, or because you want them to vote with you. (If you send your vote by email, let me know if I can post it in the Comment section).
*You have to be on the MillersTime email list or you must have made a submission to at least one of the MillersTime Baseball Contests over the past three years.
Here are this years finalists. Vote for the one you think is the Best Prediction, however you want to define “Best.” Remember, all of these predictions were made before Opening Day 2012.
- Cards Make Playoff
- Red Sox rebuilding, Not close to playoffs
- Phillies greatest decline in W-L (actually they tied with Red Sox, 21 fewer wins)
- Strasburg voted to All-Star game
- Astros worst team in the Majors
- Cards better offense without Pujois (true in Hits, Runs, RBIs, but three less HRs, .002 in BA)
- Nats make playoffs
- Rafael Soriano performs for the Yanks
- Angels not win their Division
- O’s not last in AL East
- Papelbon stellar Year. Sox will miss him.
PS – I’ll be interested if the Yankees can make up for their worst choke ever (2004 AL Playoffs when they blew a 3-0 game lead to the mighty Sox and lost 4-3, before the Sox went on to win the WS). Whaddayathink? Just wondering…
Joe Higdon said:
#3 edging out #6 by a hair
Justin Stoyer said:
I still Have to Support the Orioles. To go from LAST place in the AL east to darn near winning the division is remarkable. Especially since most of the pieces were the same pieces from last year. If Showalter is not Manager of the Year, I will be shocked.
unknown said:
I will humble vote for ME..since prior to this season I thought I knew beisbol..and its obvious I dont know jack! plus I havent won ANY Contests!
Orioles#2013
David Price said:
It has to be #8. Mariano Rivera is/was the best closer ever to have played the game of baseball therefore to act as a great stand-in all season for the superior Yankees is a feat in itself.
There are many knockers at the moment (some justified, some just plain rude or Red Sox) of baseballs greatest ever team but remember these words ‘We WILL be back with a vengeance soon’! Poor form, desperate umpiring and ‘has-been’ players will not get in our way forever.
Chris Boutourline said:
There were a lot of good predictions to chose from (I was partial to #’s 2, 3, & 7). I had a insurmountable problem with the word “rebuilding” in #2; if they had said “stink”, “implode” or “quit” it would get my vote. However, rebuilding, to me, implies a planned restructuring based on obvious weaknesses and that’s not how I would characterize my experience of the team this year. #3- The Phillies offense was always suspect in my view and with injuries…. (although, the foreseen, measurable, decline was very compelling). So my vote goes to #7 based in part on what pre-season experts, and past performances, predicted would happen. According to the 2012 ESPN fantasy predictions Ryan Zimmerman, at # 27, was the Nat’s highest ranked regular (includes both leagues). For comparison the Red Sox had 3 regulars in the top 20 (& Ortiz was not one of them). Granted, the Nat’s pitching was expected to be pretty good but since there has been little to cheer in Washington since Frank Howard left town I’m going with the most unexpected success story of 2012 (save, perhaps, the A’s) . Today, even CC can’t stop the Yankee’s slide.
Chris Boutourline said:
PS At first I liked the #10 Orioles choice but all it really predicted (based on most expectations) was that the O’s would have a better record than Toronto.
Monica said:
Although one of these (other) predictions is my own…I’m going with #7. Because the Nats truly had an amazing year I never could have expected.
Land Wayland said:
NATS MAKE PLAYOFFS. I did not think the Nats could do it. But they surprised me and now I now understand the awesome power of the ESP that was exercised by a certain DC resident to greatly influence the outcome of an important local event. Now I will find out if the same person’s ESP works for national elections.
Kevin said:
I agree that #2 doesn’t belong on the list at all. Rebuilding? Heck No – the Red Sox stunk.
#’s 6 and 7 were the biggest surprises on the list and if forced to choose I would say the Nats making the playoffs gets the edge
Richard said:
Land,
Methinks you give me too much credit for the Nats’s season. Tho perhaps you are on to something as I was in the Amazon, with no access to the outside world, when they lost that last playoff game.
I won’t make the same mistake for the national elections. I’m heading to Ohio at the end of this month to work for the reelection of Pres. Obama.
Rob Higdon said:
I have to agree with my dad, #3 over #6
#3- I think everyone predicted they would at least be in the playoff hunt, which would have left them in the 85-90 win range, so this prediction was quite unique
#6- subtract the best offensive player of the generation and get a new manager, and actually improve. surprising to say the least.
As for other top ideas, I know many people thought the Nats might make the playoffs, but no one predicted the best record in the majors. O’s not finishing last is somewhat surprising, but more surprising is how well they did.
Cory said:
My choice for best prediction is # 2 – “Redsox rebuilding – not close to playoffs.” I was surprised by this and thought the Redsox would make a run and get close; also surprised that Bobby Valentine didn’t work out and thought he would help guide them back to a shot.
tiffany said:
#5. I mean, I’m pretty shocked that they beat the Rockies and the Royals for the cellar… oh yeah, and the Cubs.