Make Your 2012 Major League Baseball Predictions

Before we get to your predictions for the season, we have to ask what you think about the Ryan Braun situation. Braun, last year's NL MVP, tested positive for a prohibited substance and had elevated levels of testosterone during last season's playoffs. So it seemed that he would face a 50-game suspension to start this year. However, Braun disputed and appealed the results of the positive test and eventually had the suspension overturned by an MLB arbitration panel. They decided that valid questions had been raised about the way in which Braun's test sample was handled, resulting in him winning the appeal. This was the first time an MLB player had successfully challenged the results of a drug test. Braun maintains that he was completely innocent, but was he?

Hands down, the biggest fish in the free agent sea this past off-season were Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Surprisingly, neither ended up with the team(s) that they were expected to end up with. Pujols left St. Louis for Anaheim, and Fielder left Milwaukee for Detroit. Both moves were relatively surprising. So now that the sluggers are out of the NL, which will have a bigger impact for their new teams?

Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw both dominated opposing hitters last year. Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award and the AL MVP, while Kershaw nabbed the NL Cy Young and NL Pitching Triple Crown. Both are incredibly rare feats for pitchers. Will they have similar success this year?

Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays has been the home run champion the last two seasons, with totals of 54 in 2010 and 43 in 2011. But home run totals were down across baseball last year. So what will it take to be the leader this year?

The Marlins have a new name, stadium, uniforms, and manager. That's right, the always outspoken Ozzie Guillen has parted ways with the Chicago White Sox and is on board to lead the new-look Miami squad. Along with him, Miami also picked up Guillen's former White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, Mets SS Jose Reyes, Padres P Heath Bell, and Cubs P Carlos Zambrano. The pickup of Reyes means that Hanley Ramirez will move to third base, and word on the street is that he is fine with that. But is he? And with the potential for controversy and high emotions with this club, how will the Marlins perform?

Derek Jeter is still playing shortstop for the Yankees, and until that changes, his play is going to continue to be one of the most talked about and analyzed topics in baseball. His career batting average is .313, and after a (still pretty good) low of .270 in 2010, people started saying he was done. Then, after a slow start last year, he finished strong and ended up batting .297. Still, you get the feeling that unless Jeter bats over .300, people will question whether he should still be the man leading the Yankees.

Matt Kemp recently made news by saying his goals for this season are to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. That may be a little overzealous, but last year he only came one home run short of being the fifth player ever to join the 40/40 club. Can he do it this year?

Michael Bourn has quietly led the National League in stolen bases the last three seasons. Last year his 61 steals was tops in all the majors. The next closest was Coco Crisp and Brett Gardner with 49 each. Typically the stolen base champion swipes 50-70 bags. What do you think for this year?

What do you get after you sign a guy for seven years at $142 million? If you guessed Carl Crawford's worst season of his career, you're right! After the Boston Red Sox gave Crawford the huge deal, he rewarded them with a .255 batting average, 11 HRs, and only 18 steals (about a third of his normal season average). But maybe the pressure of getting all that money was too much for him, and he'll make everything all right this year. What do you think?

The Philadelphia Phillies won 102 freakin' games last year, tops in the majors. After signing former Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon (pictured) to a 5-year deal, many predicted them to win 100 games again this year. But, Ryan Howard will be out until at least May, Chase Utley is oft-injured and the pitching staff is solid, but another year older. So how will the Phillies do this year?

To say Adam Dunn had a bad season in 2011 would be like saying Penn State had to deal with some minor distractions this past year. Dunn had one of the worst statistical seasons in the history of baseball, and to make matters worse, he is well on pace to break Reggie Jackson's all-time career strikeout record. He needs 197.25 strikeouts per year the next 4 years to do it. Sound like a lot? He had 195 in 2004, 194 in 2006, 199 in 2010, and 177 last year in only 122 games! Does Dunn have what it takes to be the all-time Whiff Master?

Manny Ramirez is back. The eccentric slugger came out of retirement and joined the Oakland Athletics in the offseason. However, he will have to serve his second career 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs last season while he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. This makes him eligible to play for the A's on May 30th (barring rainouts), which is also his 40th birthday. But will Manny be effective? Last year in five games with the Rays he went 1 for 17. He was not very good for the White Sox in 2010, either. Will his age and time off be too much to overcome, or will be produce?

Washington Nationals super-prospect Bryce Harper is talented and cocky. Despite being only 19 years old, he has said he plans on making the Nats opening-day roster. While that hasn't been determined yet, the odds are he will make his major league debut this season.

And finally...