Some predictions for the 2016 season

As the season opens, here are thoughts, predictions and tips on how the season is going to go:

* The Nationals are going to win the National League East by eight games over the Mets. Outside of Bronson Arroyo, what problems have there been? The offense will be much improved with the left-handed bats of Daniel Murphy and Ben Revere - players who seldom strike out - adding balance. And it helps that Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon are healthy. Last spring training, Rendon had four at-bats, Werth none.

* The Blue Jays will win the American League East. It's difficult to pick the Orioles, even with their unbelievable offense, tight defense and strong bullpen. The Blue Jays have just enough pitching in the rotation to do it. The Orioles rotation is a huge question.

* The surprise team in the American League will be the Rays. Their pitching staff is going to carry them a long way. There are Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore and Drew Smiley in the rotation. Erasmo Ramirez is the No. 5 starter and Alex Cobb will be along mid-season. Throw in an improved offense, thanks to Steve Pearce, Corey Dickerson and Logan Morrison coming to Tampa Bay, and the Rays will not be easy to beat.

* The surprise National League team will be the Phillies. The Phillies will not challenge the Mets and Nationals in the NL East, but their rebuilding program is on a good path, especially with their young pitching. Prospects Jerad Eichoff and Aaron Nola are good pitchers, and Vince Velasquez, 23, has nasty stuff with 58 strikeouts in 55 innings last year for Houston. Plus, the young core of players, including center fielder Odubel Herrera, is impressive. The Phillies aren't as rock bottom as, say, the Braves.

* It's a trendy pick, but the Cleveland Indians will win the AL Central on the strength of their rotation with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer. The Indians are on track to score more runs than in 2015.

* In the NL Central, it's difficult to see how the Cubs will not win the division by 10 games. The Cardinals will be their closest competitor and the Pirates, because of a lack of deep pitching and being too reliant on young players, will not make the postseason this year.

* The Astros, with former Nat Doug Fister helping the back of the rotation, will win the AL West, and Arizona, with Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller at the top of the rotation, will win the NL West.

* Bryce Harper won the NL MVP last season with 99 RBIs in a lineup that was slammed by injuries. So think what he'll do this year with a healthy Ryan Zimmerman batting behind him and Revere and Rendon hitting ahead of him? Of course, Harper can win a second consecutive NL MVP, but his strongest competition will come from Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt and the Cubs' Kris Bryant. And if Miami's Giancarlo Stanton hits 50 home runs, his name will be in the mix.

* The AL MVP will be Houston shortstop Carlos Correa, who could likely hit .300 with 30 home runs in his first full season. The Orioles' Chris Davis and Manny Machado - assuming they put up numbers similar to last season and the Orioles contend - could finish in the top five. If both Machado and Davis have spectacular years, Machado would probably finish higher in the voting, given his ability to steal bases and his Platinum Glove defense at third base.

* It could be that the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, will be in a tight vote for the top spots in the NL Cy Young voting. They are the best one-two combination in baseball, especially if Strasburg comes close to averaging 14 strikeouts per nine innings as he did in the final month of last season. Unlike Ian Desmond in 2015, pitching in his final season before free agency won't distract Strasburg.

* AL Cy Young: It would be easy to take Boston's Dave Price or Tampa Bay's Chris Archer, but the call here is 32-year-old Cole Hamels of Texas. He's found new life with a contending team. The Rangers are going to be in the hunt and Hamels should win an AL award to go with the one he has from the NL.

* The San Francisco Giants have beaten Texas, Detroit and Kansas City in the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014. This time, the every-other-year magic doesn't work, even though the Giants have improved their defense and the top of their lineup by signing Denard Span. The Giants don't have enough pitching to win the NL West, let alone go deep into the postseason. Madison Bumgarner is fine, but Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija are questions, as are Jake Peavy, Matt Cain and Chris Heston.

* AL Rookie of the Year: The Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote Minnesota's Byron Buxton as the Rookie of the Year. Buxton's game is speed. Last year, he experienced failure in 129 at-bats, but when he learns to drive the ball, watch out.

* NL Rookie of the Year: It's a predictable choice, but the Los Angeles Dodgers' Corey Seager, a shortstop who is the brother of Seattle's Kyle Seager. Corey Seager had a .986 OPS in 92 September at-bats in 2015.

* The Cincinnati Reds will be the only team to lose 100 games. ... Stanton, Davis and Toronto's Josh Donaldson will each hit 50 home runs. ... Seattle's Felix Hernandez will lead the AL win 23 wins. ... The St. Louis Cardinals will not make the postseason for the first time in five years. ...Mike Scioscia, the manager of the Los Angeles Angels, will step down as manager by mutual agreement sometime late in the season. The Angels are going nowhere. Their system is thin and they didn't do much to help their offense and rotation.

* Arizona will beat Houston in the World Series. Outfielder David Peralta of the Diamondbacks will be the World Series MVP.