The Major League Baseball offseason is in full swing and teams have started to improve their rosters. With this being done, we make our way too early 2017 National League predictions.
It seems like the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series just weeks ago, but in reality, it was over a month ago. And it seems like baseball season is an eternity away, but pitchers and catchers report less than two months from now. So of course, it is time to make predictions, because that it what all baseball fans love to obsess over.
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Some teams, like the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals, seem like they are completely going for it in 2017. While others, the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburg Pirates, seem to be taking the rebuilding approach. Rosters have been tweaked and some farm systems have been completely blown up. The Winter Meetings featured plenty of big deals and a couple of blockbuster trades that knocked everyone off their seats.
There are still a couple of big-name free agents, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Mark Trumbo, who have yet to be signed, but making predictions shouldn’t be drastically changed by the team that they sign with.
The NL East has the Nationals who are clearly going for it all in 2017. They’ll have to compete with one of the best rotations in baseball and a couple of young teams on the rise. The Central is riddled with talent. The Cubs finally won and look to be favorites again while the Cardinals and Pirates will be tough opponents. Out in the West, the Dodgers will look to finally crack the NLCS, and the Giants are going to need some odd-year magic.
It may be just December, but it’s never too early for 2017 National League predictions.