Crystal Ball Time for 2019

Gary Sanchez and Miguel Andujar will be fitted for rings before this year is out. Two of the young Yankees core players who can look forward to another season-long battle with Boston for the AL East, and probably another playoff showdown as well. But this year should turn out differently. Sanchez and Andujar will prove GM Brian Cashman's wisdomin not swappin them out for, say, JT Realmuto and Manny Machado. Add former Mariner James Paxton to the rotation, resurgent Troy Tulowitzki temporarily at shortstop and Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino to the bullpen and you have the recipe for over 100 wins and a two or three game advantage over the World Champion Red Sox.
One more incentive for the Boys from the Bronx to bring home a pennant: as the final season of the 2010s begins, the Yankees want to continue their unprecedented record of having appeared in a World Series at least once in nine consecutive decades. A trip to this year's fall classic will make a "perfect" 10.

There'll still be plenty to buzz about in Boston, as the Red Sox defend their fourth championship of the century. But the absence of closer Craig Kimbrel and setup man Joe Kelly will be felt.

My AL post-season picks:
Yankees/Indians/Astros (wild cards) Red Sox/Twins.

The National League story starts with the powerhouse East division, where the heavily rebuilt Mets and Phillies battle the young and talented Braves and the perennially contending Nationals -- who, in effect, traded Bryce Harper for a third top-flite starting pitcher in Patrick Corbin. My hunch is that the Nats and Mets changes have the best chance to pay off: Washington still boasts everyday standouts such as Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner and rising star outfielders Juan Soto and Victor Robles to go with that frontline pitching. The Mets brought in Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos and power hitting rookie Pete Alonso to upgrade their lineup and Edwin Ramos to firm up the bullpen. Tack on a rotation as impressive as the Nats, that begins with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler, and you have a couple of 90-win clubs.
Starting pitching is what separates New York and Washington from Atlanta and Philadelphia. The Braves have a balanced lineup with no obvious weak spots -- NL Rookie of the Year Ronald Acuna Junior and veteran Freddie Freeman are just two names that grab your attention. But injuries have thinned out a less than stellar rotation where veteran Julio Teheran is the only given. The Phils spent a ton of money and prospects to land Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, Jean Segura and Andrew McCutchen. But GM Matt Klentak was outbid for Corbin by Washington's Mike Rizzo. The Phils failed to land another other quality starting pitching. Once you get past young ace Aaron Nola, the Phils present more question marks on the mound than reasons for confidence. What they're left with are akin to the '85 Yankees, an offensive powerhouse that lacks the pitching to make the post-season.

My NL post-season choices:
Nationals/Brewers/Dodgers (wild cards) Mets/Rockies.

Let's match the Yanks and Nats in the World Series with New York pulling it out in six.

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