2019 Nats media season predictions

Hey, do you know what today is? Yes, of course you do. And because you know it's opening day, you also know it's media prediction day!

Ah yes, media prediction day, when my colleagues and I make complete fools of ourselves (some more than others) in trying to guess how the Nationals' season is going to play out. This is now the 10th consecutive year we've done this, via three different media outlets. And our pool of participants has both grown and changed dramatically in that time. We've got a record (I think) 12 participants this season representing eight different outlets.

As you'll see, we tend to agree on several of these topics, but we've got some wide-ranging differences on others. Some of the categories are the same ones we always do. Some are brand-new, including for the first time an attempt to rank the National League East final standings, given how competitive the division is expected to be in 2019.

So before you head out to the ballpark today, be sure to check these out, feel free to make your own predictions in the comments section and then check back with us in October when we re-publish this and find out how we did ...

WHICH NATIONALS WILL BE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-STAR GAME?
Jamal Collier (MLB.com) - Sean Doolittle, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Trea Turner
Jesse Dougherty (Washington Post) - Sean Doolittle, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto
David Driver (Washington Times) - Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto
Todd Dybas (NBCSportsWashington.com) - Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Stephen Strasburg
Brittany Ghiroli (The Athletic) - Anthony Rendon
Craig Heist (106.7 The Fan) - Sean Doolittle, Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto
Byron Kerr (MASNsports.com) - Max Scherzer, Juan Soto
Pete Kerzel (MASNsports.com) - Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Trea Turner
Bill Ladson (MLB.com) - Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Stephen Strasburg
Eddie Matz (ESPN.com) - Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Trea Turner
Barry Svrluga (Washington Post) - Yan Gomes, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg
Mark Zuckerman (MASNsports.com) - Sean Doolittle, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto

WHAT WILL TOTAL HOME ATTENDANCE BE?
Byron Kerr - 2,875,301
Craig Heist - 2,700,000
Brittany Ghiroli - 2,600,000
Todd Dybas - 2,548,978
Barry Svrluga - 2,560,000
Jesse Dougherty - 2,530,717
David Driver - 2,528,123
Pete Kerzel - 2,515,333
Mark Zuckerman - 2,497,386
Jamal Collier - 2,473,781
Eddie Matz - 2,424,242
Bill Ladson - 2,400,000

HOW MANY HOMERS WILL BRYCE HARPER HIT AGAINST THE NATIONALS? HOW MANY TIMES WILL HE DRAW A WALK?
Bill Ladson - 10, 30
Byron Kerr - 10, 20
Brittany Ghiroli - 8, 15
Craig Heist - 6, 17
Jamal Collier - 6, 13
Eddie Matz - 6, 11
Todd Dybas - 5, 17
Pete Kerzel - 5, 16
Barry Svrluga - 4, 19
Jesse Dougherty - 4, 18
Mark Zuckerman - 4, 14
David Driver - 3, 15

WHO WILL BAT LEADOFF THE MOST TIMES?
Jamal Collier - Adam Eaton
Jesse Dougherty - Adam Eaton
David Driver - Adam Eaton
Todd Dybas - Adam Eaton
Brittany Ghiroli - Adam Eaton
Craig Heist - Adam Eaton
Byron Kerr - Adam Eaton
Eddie Matz - Adam Eaton
Mark Zuckerman - Adam Eaton
Pete Kerzel - Trea Turner
Bill Ladson - Trea Turner
Barry Svrluga - Trea Turner

WHAT WILL JUAN SOTO'S OPS BE?
Mark Zuckerman - .987
Brittany Ghiroli - .959
Todd Dybas - .942
Bill Ladson - .940
Eddie Matz - .934
Jamal Collier - .925
Pete Kerzel - .902
Byron Kerr - .899
Jesse Dougherty - .888
Craig Heist - .875
Barry Svrluga - .870
David Driver - .823

RANK BRIAN DOZIER, ANTHONY RENDON, VICTOR ROBLES, JUAN SOTO AND RYAN ZIMMERMAN IN ORDER OF HOME RUNS.
Jesse Dougherty - Soto, Dozier, Rendon, Zimmerman, Robles
Todd Dybas - Soto, Dozier, Rendon, Zimmerman, Robles
Pete Kerzel - Soto, Dozier, Rendon, Zimmerman, Robles
Eddie Matz - Soto, Dozier, Rendon, Zimmerman, Robles
Mark Zuckerman - Soto, Dozier, Rendon, Zimmerman, Robles
Jamal Collier - Soto, Rendon, Dozier, Zimmerman, Robles
Bill Ladson - Soto, Rendon, Zimmerman, Dozier, Robles
David Driver - Rendon, Soto, Zimmerman, Dozier, Robles
Brittany Ghiroli - Rendon, Soto, Zimmerman, Dozier, Robles
Barry Svrluga - Rendon, Soto, Zimmerman, Dozier, Robles
Craig Heist - Rendon, Soto, Dozier, Zimmerman, Robles
Byron Kerr - Rendon, Soto, Dozier, Zimmerman, Robles

HOW MANY STOLEN BASES WILL TREA TURNER HAVE?
Bill Ladson - 70
Craig Heist - 53
Todd Dybas - 52
Byron Kerr - 52
Jamal Collier - 51
Jesse Dougherty - 51
Pete Kerzel - 51
Eddie Matz - 51
Mark Zuckerman - 50
Brittany Ghiroli - 48
David Driver - 43
Barry Svrluga - 38

HOW MANY GAMES WILL YAN GOMES START?
Byron Kerr - 111
Brittany Ghiroli - 110
Todd Dybas - 109
Barry Svrluga - 100
David Driver - 93
Eddie Matz - 92
Jamal Collier - 91
Mark Zuckerman - 91
Jesse Dougherty - 86
Bill Ladson - 81
Craig Heist - 75
Pete Kerzel - 74

HOW MANY GAMES WILL KURT SUZUKI START?
Pete Kerzel - 86
Bill Ladson - 81
Jamal Collier - 69
Craig Heist - 69
Eddie Matz - 67
Mark Zuckerman - 67
David Driver - 66
Jesse Dougherty - 59
Byron Kerr - 55
Brittany Ghiroli - 52
Todd Dybas - 46
Barry Svrluga - 40

HOW MANY STRIKEOUTS WILL MAX SCHERZER RECORD?
Mark Zuckerman - 302
Bill Ladson - 300
Jesse Dougherty - 291
Todd Dybas - 289
Pete Kerzel - 288
David Driver - 283
Eddie Matz - 281
Byron Kerr - 280
Brittany Ghiroli - 275
Barry Svrluga - 275
Jamal Collier - 272
Craig Heist - 270

RANK PATRICK CORBIN, JEREMY HELLICKSON, ANÍBAL SÁNCHEZ AND STEPHEN STRASBURG IN ORDER OF ERA.
Jamal Collier - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
David Driver - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
Todd Dybas - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
Craig Heist - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
Byron Kerr - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
Bill Ladson - Strasburg, Corbin, Sánchez, Hellickson
Barry Svrluga - Strasburg, Sánchez, Corbin, Hellickson
Jesse Dougherty - Corbin, Strasburg, Sánchez, Hellickson
Pete Kerzel - Corbin, Strasburg, Sánchez, Hellickson
Mark Zuckerman - Corbin, Strasburg, Hellickson, Sánchez
Brittany Ghiroli - Corbin, Sánchez, Strasburg, Hellickson
Eddie Matz - Sánchez, Strasburg, Corbin, Hellickson

WHO WILL BE THE SIXTH PITCHER TO START A GAME?
Jesse Dougherty - Erick Fedde
David Driver - Erick Fedde
Todd Dybas - Erick Fedde
Brittany Ghiroli - Erick Fedde
Craig Heist - Erick Fedde
Byron Kerr - Erick Fedde
Pete Kerzel - Erick Fedde
Bill Ladson - Erick Fedde
Eddie Matz - Erick Fedde
Barry Svrluga - Erick Fedde
Jamal Collier - Joe Ross
Mark Zuckerman - Joe Ross

HOW MANY SAVES WILL SEAN DOOLITTLE RECORD? HOW MANY BLOWN SAVES?
Jesse Dougherty - 43, 4
Mark Zuckerman - 38, 2
Todd Dybas - 36, 4
Barry Svrluga - 35, 4
Jamal Collier - 31, 3
Eddie Matz - 31, 4
Craig Heist - 31, 5
Byron Kerr - 30, 2
Brittany Ghiroli - 30, 5
Bill Ladson - 30, 7
Pete Kerzel - 29, 6
David Driver - 26, 2

WHAT WILL ROBINSON CANÓ, FREDDIE FREEMAN AND BRYCE HARPER HIT AGAINST TONY SIPP?
Todd Dybas - .362
Barry Svrluga - .300
Bill Ladson - .290
Jesse Dougherty - .274
Eddie Matz - .268
Byron Kerr - .255
Pete Kerzel - .241
Jamal Collier - .238
Mark Zuckerman - .234
David Driver - .231
Brittany Ghiroli - .220
Craig Heist - .212

HOW MANY GAMES WILL THE NATIONALS WIN?
Byron Kerr - 93
Eddie Matz - 93
Jesse Dougherty - 92
David Driver - 92
Todd Dybas - 91
Pete Kerzel - 91
Barry Svrluga - 91
Mark Zuckerman - 91
Brittany Ghiroli - 90
Craig Heist - 90
Jamal Collier - 89
Bill Ladson - 82

HOW WILL THE NL EAST FINISH FROM TOP TO BOTTOM?
Jesse Dougherty - Nats, Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins
David Driver - Nats, Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins
Brittany Ghiroli - Nats, Phillies, Mets, Braves, Marlins
Todd Dybas - Nats, Phillies, Braves, Mets, Marlins
Byron Kerr - Nats, Phillies, Braves, Mets, Marlins
Pete Kerzel - Nats, Phillies, Braves, Mets, Marlins
Barry Svrluga - Nats, Phillies, Braves, Mets, Marlins
Eddie Matz - Nats, Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins
Craig Heist - Nats, Mets, Phillies, Braves, Marlins
Jamal Collier - Braves, Nats, Phillies, Mets, Marlins
Mark Zuckerman - Braves, Nats, Phillies, Mets, Marlins
Bill Ladson - Phillies, Braves, Mets, Nats, Marlins

HOW WILL THE NATIONALS' SEASON END?
Eddie Matz - Lose World Series
Jesse Dougherty - Lose NLCS
Todd Dybas - Lose NLCS
Brittany Ghiroli - Lose NLCS
Byron Kerr - Lose NLCS
Pete Kerzel - Lose NLCS
Barry Svrluga - Lose NLCS
Jamal Collier - Lose NLDS
David Driver - Lose NLDS
Craig Heist - Lose NLDS
Mark Zuckerman - Lose NLDS
Bill Ladson - Miss playoffs