For nearly 40 years, writer Jeff Swiatek and Ronald Hawkins have shared competing picks regarding the upcoming Major League Baseball season. The person with the most correct picks is the beneficiary of a dinner from his opponent.
This tradition began when the writers were working at a daily newspaper in Carlisle, Pa. Hawkins has moved many times and Swiatek a few times with both somehow ending up in Indiana. Despite the moves, the competition has continued unabated.
Hawkins has completed his 2019 predictions and has agreed to post them here. He confesses to being a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, but isn’t blinded to the challenges the team faces in the 150 anniversary of Cincinnati claiming the first all-professional team.
The predictions:
2019 Major League Baseball Predictions
Division/Pennant/world series winners
National League
East: Philadelphia Phillies
Central: Milwaukee Brewers
West: Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals
Wild Card: Atlanta Braves
Playoffs
National League
Braves over Cardinals
Dodgers over Braves
Phillies over Brewers
Phillies over Dodgers
American League
East: New York Yankees
Central: Cleveland Indians
West: Houston Astros
Wild Card: Boston Red Sox
Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays
Playoffs
Red Sox over Rays
Houston over Red Sox
Yankees over Cleveland
Houston over Yankees
World Series
Phillies over Astros
Individual Honors
National League
Average: Jesse Winker
Home Runs: Christian Yelich
Wins: Max Scherzer
American League
Average: Mookie Betts
Home Runs: Aaron Judge
Wins: Corey Kluber
ODDITIES
Reds win 87 games and barely miss the playoffs
Bryce Harper and Manny Machado each miss 26 games
Machado benched for failing to hustle.
Christian Yelich hits for the cycle again, the third time in two years, but this time it isn’t against the Reds.
Winker has a six hit game.
Harper hits six homers over two games.
Ten games are showed out in March and the first week of April
Reds beat the Pirates in a snowball fight
RDH Great Stories 