The results are in. After peering deeply into their crystal balls, TTFB writers have finalized their 2014 MLB predictions. As the chart below indicates, there wasn’t much consensus on which team would hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season. However, there was plenty of consensus regarding a few of the divisional title winners.
Of the 27 writers who submitted picks, 23 selected the Cardinals to win the NL Central, 22 picked the Tigers in the AL Central and the Nationals in the NL East, and 20 chose the Dodgers to win the NL West. The Red Sox got 13 votes and the Yankees seven in the AL East and the A’s edged the Angels 11-10 in the AL West.
Surprisingly, the Rays only received five votes to win the AL East, but were selected by 13 writers to play in the AL Wild Card Game. Despite not getting a lot of support to win their division, the Rays tied the Tigers with eight votes each to represent the AL in the World Series. The defending champion Red Sox only received four votes to repeat as AL champs, with the Yankees and A’s getting three votes each, and the Royals getting one.
The Dodgers received the most votes to represent the NL in the World Series with nine, just edging the Nationals with eight votes. The Cardinals received five, followed by the Giants and Braves with two each, and the Pirates with one.
But when it came down to who would win the World Series, the Rays edged the Cardinals with five votes to four, respectively. TTFB writers picked nine different teams to win the World Series and 14 different matchups in the Fall Classic.
World Series Winner
5 — Rays
4 — Cardinals
3 — Dodgers
3 — Nationals
3 — Red Sox
3 — Tigers
3 — Athletics
2 — Yankees
1 — Braves
Here are the 2014 MLB preseason picks by writer:
| East | West | Central | Wild Card | Wild Card | Champs | World Series | ||
| Jon Sumple | AL | Yankees | Athletics | Tigers | Red Sox | Rays | Athletics | Athletics |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Braves | Dodgers | ||
| Jed Rigney | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Rays | Athletics | Rays | Dodgers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Braves | D-backs | Dodgers | ||
| Martin Marrufo | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Yankees | Athletics | Red Sox | Red Sox |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Pirates | Cardinals | Braves | Dodgers | ||
| Rob Harris | AL | Yankees | Rangers | Tigers | Royals | Red Sox | Tigers | Cardinals |
| NL | Nationals | Giants | Cardinals | Reds | Pirates | Cardinals | ||
| Tyler Maher | AL | Rays | Rangers | Tigers | Red Sox | Royals | Rays | Dodgers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Braves | Reds | Dodgers | ||
| Jake Mastroianni | AL | Rays | Angels | Royals | Tigers | Orioles | Rays | Rays |
| NL | Nationals | Giants | Reds | Dodgers | Cardinals | Giants | ||
| Russell Whiting | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Rays | Royals | Tigers | Nationals |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | D-backs | Nationals | ||
| J.D. Salyer | AL | Orioles | Angels | Tigers | Red Sox | Royals | Tigers | Tigers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Reds | Pirates | Cardinals | Nationals | ||
| Mike Viso | AL | Red Sox | Rangers | Tigers | Rays | Royals | Tigers | Tigers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | Braves | Cardinals | ||
| Jessica Lyons | AL | Red Sox | Athletics | Tigers | Rays | Orioles | Red Sox | Red Sox |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Braves | Dodgers | ||
| Mark C. Volain | AL | Red Sox | Athletics | Tigers | Yankees | Royals | Tigers | Tigers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Braves | Nationals | ||
| Mike Lovett | AL | Red Sox | Athletics | Tigers | Rays | Royals | Red Sox | Cardinals |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | Pirates | Cardinals | ||
| Brad Congelio | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Yankees | Royals | Red Sox | Red Sox |
| NL | Braves | Dodgers | Reds | Pirates | Cardinals | Pirates | ||
| Brian Roach | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Rays | Royals | Royals | Nationals |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | Rockies | Nationals | ||
| Jamie Shoemaker | AL | Yankees | Angels | Tigers | Rangers | Athletics | Tigers | Braves |
| NL | Braves | Giants | Cardinals | Nationals | Dodgers | Braves | ||
| Brandon C. Williams | AL | Red Sox | Athletics | Royals | Rays | Orioles | Rays | Rays |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | Padres | Nationals | ||
| Matt Commins | AL | Rays | Athletics | Royals | Angels | Red Sox | Athletics | Athletics |
| NL | Braves | Padres | Cardinals | Pirates | Nationals | Nationals | ||
| Jackie Micucci | AL | Yankees | Athletics | Tigers | Red Sox | Rays | Yankees | Nationals |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | D-backs | Nationals | ||
| Josh Michael | AL | Orioles | Angels | Royals | Red Sox | Rays | Rays | Rays |
| NL | Braves | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Padres | Dodgers | ||
| David Weightman | AL | Red Sox | Rangers | Tigers | Rays | Athletics | Tigers | Dodgers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Braves | Dodgers | ||
| Zach Herman | AL | Rays | Athletics | Tigers | Yankees | Royals | Rays | Rays |
| NL | Nationals | Giants | Cardinals | Dodgers | Padres | Giants | ||
| Steve Randel | AL | Yankees | Angels | Tigers | Red Sox | Athletics | Yankees | Yankees |
| NL | Nationals | Giants | Cardinals | Dodgers | Pirates | Nationals | ||
| Paul West | AL | Yankees | Athletics | Tigers | Rangers | Orioles | Athletics | Athletics |
| NL | Nationals | Giants | Cardinals | Brewers | Mets | Cardinals | ||
| Michael Dault | AL | Red Sox | Angels | Tigers | Rangers | Rays | Tigers | Tigers |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Braves | Dodgers | ||
| Eric Aron | AL | Red Sox | Athletics | Royals | Tigers | Rays | Rays | Cardinals |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Reds | Braves | Cardinals | ||
| Rachel Drummond | AL | Rays | Rangers | Tigers | Red Sox | Orioles | Rays | Rays |
| NL | Braves | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Nationals | Braves | ||
| Chol Souders | AL | Yankees | Rangers | Tigers | Athletics | Rays | Yankees | Yankees |
| NL | Nationals | Dodgers | Cardinals | Pirates | Phillies | Dodgers |