Exactly six months ago, I looked into my crystal ball and tried to predict the outcomes of the upcoming baseball season.  Now that the season has come to an end, and half of my predicted divison winners are headed home instead of the playoffs, let’s take a look back at how things unfolded.

American League

East: Yankees

The Yankees went down to the wire, not with the Red Sox as expected, but with the surprising Orioles.

Central: Tigers

After picking up free agent Prince Fielder, the Tigers were expected to run away with the Central division.  Instead, they underachieved much of the season and battled the overachieving White Sox for most of the season.  However, a late season collapse by the White Sox offense helped the Tigers take the division.

West: Angels

The Angels just may have been the biggest disappointment in the league this year. After dropping over $330 million in one day on Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, the Angels were expected to be at the top of the heap this year.  Unfortunately, things just did not work out and, even with the addition of rookie of the year shoo-in Mike Trout, the Angels were unable to make a serious run and finished in third place, behind the surging A’s, who swept the Rangers in the last series of the season to take the division title.

Wild Cards: Rays, Rangers

The Orioles and the Rangers will face off in the first wild card play-in game.

National League

East: Braves

Well, I was right about the Phillies giving up their hold on the division title and about the Braves making it to the playoffs. What I, and most everyone, did not expect was for the Washington Nationals to run away and hide with the division, bringing postseason baseball to our nation’s capital for the first time since 1933.

Central: Brewers

To be honest, I went out on the ledge with this pick, hoping that the loss of Prince Fielder would propel the Brewers in a similar way that the loss of Alex Rodriguez did the Mariners back in 2001.  After a disappointing start to their season, they traded away ace Zach Greinke and then, when nobody was looking, started to make a run.  Unfortunately for them, the Reds had built to large of a lead and became the first team to clinch a playoff spot and their division.

West: Giants

Another one I got right, and this one wasn’t even much of a battle. The Dodgers put up a bit of a fight early, but were never able to make any kind of sustained run.

Wild Cards: Phillies, Dodgers

The Braves and the Cardinals will face off for the privilege of facing the Nationals in the NLDS.