MLB 2014 Season Preview

The MLB season "kicks off" tonight with the Dodgers and Padres, but gets into full swing on Monday. With that, here are my division breakdowns, along with award and playoff predictions.

Boston Red Sox: 94-68

Tampa Bay Rays: 93-69 (Wild Card #1)

New York Yankees: 88-74

Baltimore Orioles: 86-76

Toronto Blue Jays: 78-84

The AL East should be a tight and interesting race. You have the world series champion Red Sox with Xander Bogaerts now the everyday SS and most of the key pieces returning. The Rays are also gearing for a run by keeping David Price in the fold. The Yankees of course spent big, and the Orioles made a pair of late acquisitions. Down the stretch though I see the division coming down between the Red Sox and Rays, with the Red Sox just edging it out in the end.

Kansas City Royals: 91-71

Detroit Tigers: 90-72 (Wild Card #2)

Cleveland Indians: 87-75

Chicago White Sox: 73-89

Minnesota Twins: 69-93

I see a bit of a shakeup with the AL Central this year. The Tigers got Ian Kinsler while unloading Prince Fielder's contract, but made a puzzling move of dealing Doug Fister, not receiving much in return. They also have a big question-mark at SS without Jose Iglesias due to injuries. The Indians, losing Ubaldo Jimenez, could also take a step back. I see a young Royals team with James Shields in his last guaranteed year with Kansas City. taking them to the playoffs.

Texas Rangers: 92-70

Oakland Athletics: 90-72

Los Angeles Angels: 84-78

Seattle Mariners: 77-84

Houston Astros: 58-104\

The AL West race will be one to watch early, as the Rangers and A's will both be dealing with pitching injuries. Rangers will also be without their starting SS and C until June at the earliest, so it'll be key for them to weather the storm. The Angels should see added production from Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, but their pitching could be suspect. And the Mariners need more than Cano to be a playoff threat. I see the Rangers being able to withstand the A's with their powerful lineup.

AL Wildcard Game:

Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Through a tiebreak or play-in, I see the Tigers getting the 2nd wildcard slot over the A's. I'd like the Tigers lineup in this game. Tigers.

ALDS:

Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox

A rematch of last year's ALCS. With the Tigers taking a step back this year, I'd like the Red Sox to take this series. Red Sox in 4

Kansas City Royals vs. Texas Rangers

This would make for an interesting series, with a Rangers lineup used to the playoffs against a young Royals team. I think that experience would pay off here. Rangers in 3

ALCS:

Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers

This ALCS would be a slugfest, with the Red Sox pitching against a top Rangers lineup. I think this series would go the distance, with the Rangers heading to another world series. Rangers in 7

AL Cy Young:

Chris Sale (CWS)

AL Rookie of the Year:

Xander Bogaerts (BOS)

AL MVP:

Mike Trout (LAA)

AL Comeback Player of the Year:

Grady Sizemore (BOS)

AL Manager of the Year:

Ned Yost (KC)

Washington Nationals: 94-68

Atlanta Braves: 89-73 (Wild Card #2)

New York Mets: 76-86

Miami Marlins: 72-90

Philadelphia Phillies: 69-93

The NL East race has seen a bit of a turn during the offseason, as the tommy-john bug has bit the Braves, causing them to have to sign Ervin Santana. Meanwhile, a young Nationals team seems poised to repeat what they did in 2012, and forget about a disappointing 2013. I think the Nationals will come together and go on a deep October run.

St. Louis Cardinals: 96-66

Pittsburgh Pirates: 91-71 (Wild Card #1)

Cincinnati Reds: 83-79

Milwaukee Brewers: 82-80

Chicago Cubs: 72-90

The Cardinals are just a loaded team, even moreso with an actual SS now in Jhonny Peralta. The Pirates will see their outfield come to fruition with the eventual call-up of Gregory Polanco. Much like last year, I see the Cardinals taking the division, with the Pirates again getting that wild-card.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 90-72

San Francsico Giants: 88-84

San Diego Padres: 84-78

Colorado Rockies: 81-81

Arizona Diamondbacks: 79-83

I see the NL West being a surprisingly close and bunched up race. The Dodgers didn't spend as much as they have in the past, but did lock up Clayton Kershaw. Meanwhile, the Giants added Tim Hudson, and the Rockies had a puzzling offseason in terms of their moves. In the end though, I see the Dodgers taking the division.

NL Wildcard Game:

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves

An interesting match-up, but I see a motivated Pirates team again reaching the NLDS. Pirates

NLDS:

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals

A repeat of last year's NLDS match-up. While both teams are young, I see a repeat of last year's final result. Cardinals in 5

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals

I think the Nationals are more balanced than the Dodgers with a deeper lineup. Nationals in 4

NLCS:

Washington Nationals vs. St.Louis Cardinals

This would be a fun NLCS match-up, with both teams pitching being fairly even. I just think the Nationals are ready to take that next step. Nationals in 6

NL Cy Young:

Jose Fernandez (MIA)

NL MVP:

Bryce Harper (WAS)

NL Comeback Player of the Year:

Brian Wilson (LAD)

NL Rookie of the Year:

Gregory Polanco (PIT)

NL Manager of the Year:

Matt Williams (WAS)

World Series:

Texas Rangers vs. Washington Nationals

A series that could see Yu Darvish vs. Stephen Strasburg, this would be an interesting match-up. Both teams seem to have even line-ups and depth, but I think the Nationals have a deeper pitching depth that would give them the edge. Nationals in 6

86th Academy Awards Predictions

Its time for the biggest night in movies, the Academy Awards. Here I'll run through the categories, and give you my prediction along with any potential upsets to look for.

Best Short Film (Live Action):

Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)

Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)

Helium

Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)

The Voorman Problem

Short films are always tough to judge, but I'm going with "Just Before Losing Everything". Its a tense film on a woman fleeing with her two children from an abusive husband. One to watch for though is "The Voorman Problem", about a doctor who examines a prison inmate who claims to be a God.

Best Short Film (animated):

Feral

Get a Horse!

Mr. Hublot

Possessions

Room on the Broom

I'm taking the safe road here and going with the Disney short film "Get a Horse!". It truly is a unique animated film though. It starts off with an old-school feel, but then as you will see, breaks dimensions by going into "the future". A clever piece of work.

Now a preview of a best picture nominee (these will be scattered throughout this post)

American Hustle:

A conman and his mistress are forced to work with a wild FBI agent as he looks to catch politicians, but that isn't enough for him, as the mission grows and gets out of control. This is American Hustle

Best Visual Effects:

Gravity

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Iron Man 3

The Lone Ranger

Star Trek Into Darkness

This is a near lock, as the effects in Gravity were unprecedented. This should be an easy win.

Best Sound Mixing:

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

Inside Llewyn Davis

Lone Survivor

This should be another fairly easy win for Gravity. If there is an upset though, look for Captain Phillips to get some recognition.

Best Sound Editing:

All is Lost

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

Lone Survivor

Look for Gravity to keep on taking the technical awards right here

Captain Phillips:

The true story about Captain Phillips and his ordeal as his ship is hijacked by Somali pirates. He would later be taken hostage by them, and a stand off then begins. This is Captain Phillips

Best Cinematography:

The Grandmaster

Gravity

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Prisoners

The technical awards keep pouring in for Gravity. If there is any upset here, watch for Nebraska, with its unique black and white camera work.

Best Film Editing:

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

12 Years a Slave

This could be the first test to see how the rest of the night is going to go in terms of best picture. However, I see Gravity continuing its award haul here. But watch for the other best picture contenders (American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave).

Best Production Design:

American Hustle

Gravity

The Great Gatsby

Her

12 Years a Slave

It may not have been the greatest adaption of a book, but its hard to argue that "The Great Gatsby" did look stunning with its design. Therefore I see it getting the win here. Watch for Gravity here, as it could be a big night if it pulls off a win here.

Best Makeup & Hairstyling:

Dallas Buyers Club

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

The Lone Ranger

Could we see Jackass get an Oscar? Who knows, but the safer bet is "Dallas Buyers Club", the transformation that Matthew McConaughey went through was incredible, but Jared Leto's may be even more spectacular. 

Dallas Buyers Club:

Electrician and hustler, Ron Woodroof's world gets turned upside down with an HIV/AIDS diagnosis. His views on homosexuality evolve, as he looks to work around the FDA to help other AIDS patients. This is Dallas Buyers Club.

Best Documentary (Short):

CaveDigger

Facing Fear

Karama Has No Walls

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall

An uplifting story about the world's oldest pianist and Holocaust survivor, "The Lady in Number 6" is a sure winner here.

Best Documentary:

The Act of Killing

Cutie and the Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

20 Feet From Stardom

This is a pretty open field for best documentary. I'm going to go with the one that seems to have the most buzz at the moment, "20 Feet From Stardom", a fascinating look at the world of backup singers and what they go through.

Gravity:

A rookie and a veteran struggle to survive during catastrophe in space, this is Gravity

Best Original Score:

John Williams, "The Book Thief"

Steven Price, "Gravity"

William Butler and Owen Pallett, "Her"

Alexandre Desplat, "Philomena"

Thomas Newman, "Saving Mr. Banks"

The music in "Gravity" was just tremendous. It blended in and became one with the film. Steven Price is a newcomer, with his first composition being listed as 2011, but he had worked on The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the music department, and it shows here. If there's an upset, look for "Her".

Best Original Song:

"Happy" from Despicable Me 2

"Let It Go" from Frozen

"The Moon Song" from Her

"Ordinary Love" from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

This seemed like a shoe-in at the Golden Globes, before "Ordinary Love" pulled off the upset, but I think "Let It Go" will take the Oscar here. In the pantheon of great Disney songs, "Let It Go" rises close to the top.

Her:

A lonely, recently divorced writer develops a relationship with a new Operating System. This is Her.

Best Costume Design:

American Hustle

The Grandmaster

The Great Gatsby

The Invisible Woman

12 Years a Slave

As with Production Design, look for "The Great Gatsby" to get recognized here for its style with Costume Design.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Before Midnight

Captain Phillips

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

This is an important win for "12 Years a Slave" to stay on pace for Best Picture. In a fairly weak field when compared to Original Screenplay, "12 Years a Slave" should get recognized here for its brilliant writing.

Nebraska:

An aging father and his son looks to make a trip from Montana to Nebraska to claim his "winning sweepstakes prize", and his son learns a lot about his father's past along the way, this is Nebraska.

Best Original Screenplay:

American Hustle

Blue Jasmine

Dallas Buyers Club

Her

Nebraska

Unlike Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay is a really crowded field, with 3 to 4 contenders to take the Oscar. I'm going with American Hustle, as the writing allowed its great ensemble to shine. However, watch for Her, which has been taking a lot of Screenplay awards this awards season.

Best Foreign Film:

The Broken Circle Breakdown, Belgium

The Great Beauty, Italy

The Hunt, Denmark

The Missing Picture, Cambodia

Omar, Palestine

A tough category to predict, especially with France not releasing "Blue is the Warmest Color" in time for this year's Oscars. With that being said, I'm going with Italy's "The Great Beauty", about a man who seduces his way through the Italian nightlife until he gets a shock from his past.

Philomena:

A political journalist picks up a story about a woman looking for her son who was taken away by a convent. This is Philomena

Best Animated Feature Film:

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest & Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

This seems like a near-lock for Frozen, as its been regarded as one of the top Disney animated films, which is a great feat in itself. If there is an upset, look for Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises", his rumored final film.

Best Supporting Actress:

Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"

Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"

Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"

Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"

June Squibb, "Nebraska"

All awards season this has been a race between Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong'o, but I think Lupita Nyong'o takes this. Her work in "12 Years a Slave" was both tremendous and haunting.

12 Years a Slave:

Solomon Northrup, a free man from New York, is kidnapped and forced into slavery. There, he looks to survive. This is 12 Years a Slave

Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"

Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"

Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"

Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Jared Leto has been surging during the awards season, and look for that to continue here. His work in "Dallas Buyers Club" was just incredible, as he transformed into his character "Rayon". For an upset here, watch for Michael Fassbender and Barkhad Abdi.

Best Actress:

Amy Adams, "American Hustle"

Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"

Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"

Judi Dench, "Philomena"

Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

Cate Blanchett seems like the heavy favorite here for her work in "Blue Jasmine". The question is, will there be Woody Allen backlash here from the Academy? Personally, I don't think Cate Blanchett should be punished for the horrible things Allen has done, but if its the case, then watch for Sandra Bullock.


The Wolf of Wall Street:
A story of a real life stockbroker's rise to the high life, to his fall involving crime and corruption, this is The Wolf of Wall Street.

Best Actor:

Christian Bale, "American Hustle"

Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"

Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"

Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Who would have ever thought that Matthew McConaughey would be a favorite for Best Actor? Well that is indeed the case as his career as sky rocketed over the last couple of years. He's been favorite ever since his Golden Globe win, and look for it to continue here for his mesmerizing role in "Dallas Buyers Club".

Best Director:

David O. Russell, "American Hustle"

Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"

Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"

Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"

Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Throughout the awards season, its been Alfonso Cuaron taking home the awards for his wonderful direction in "Gravity", and look for that to continue here. His direction truly made "Gravity" more than just special effects, he brought a theme of life and survival into it with his imagery. 

Best Picture:

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

Even as I write this, I'm still going back and forth on best picture. Leading up to the awards, the top contenders have been "American Hustle", "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave". Since its Golden Globes and SAGs awards, "American Hustle" has been fading a bit, but "12 Years a Slave" has stayed consistent in the awards season. However, "Gravity" has been rapidly rising, coming off a tie in the Producer's Guild Awards with "12 Years a Slave". I've been going back and forth between those 2. Each brings a different experience. One gives you unparalleled effects with a great story, while the other shows you the harsh realities of slavery. In the end, I think it'll be close........but I'm going with

Its been gaining steam at the right time, and I think the Academy will award how its changed what's possible with effect, after Avatar, Hugo and Life of Pi. Both "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave" are worthy of best picture.


And there you have it. Now sit back, and enjoy the Oscars.