Reviewing 2012's 10 Fearless Predictions

I lied again.  One last 2012 review post, and I swear that's it for me.  I did my first 10 Fearless Predictions post before the beginning of last season, and ended up doing about as horribly as I did in my 2012 divisional predictions.  I ended up with 2.5 out of 10 right, which put me at a better hit rate than Russell Martin had this season but still isn't getting me any significant multi-year contract offers.  I was looking to take a step in the right direction in 2012, learn from my mistakes, be a little more patient, take some predictions to the opposite field every now and then just to keep myself honest.  I felt good about my 10 fearless for 2012, I really did.  I thought I'd be looking at at least .400 this year.  How'd that turn out?

1) After having the streak broken last season, Alex Rodriguez will reach 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI this season.

Ouch.  18/57 isn't quite 30/100.  Off to a bad start.

2) With his velocity and breaking ball command intact, Phil Hughes will pitch well enough to make his 2nd MLB All Star Game.

Well they were both intact, and Phil pitched well enough to stay in the rotation for the entire season, but nobody with a HR rate like that is getting an All Star invite.  0-2.

3) In the 2nd game of the 3rd Yanks-Sawx series of the season on Saturday, July 28, with D-Rob and Mo both being unavailable after pitching the night before, Rafael Soriano will record a perfect 2-inning save by sitting the Fraud Sawx's 1-6 hitters down in order, and will break a smile after doing it.

Mo and D-Rob weren't available, and Soriano did get into the game in the 9th, but he ended up taking the loss 8-6 after Curtis Granderson forgot how to play center field and gift-wrapped the Fraud Sawx 2 runs.

4) Despite a decrease in HR from his 2011 total, Curtis Granderson will beat his XBH total of 77 from last season and his career high of 84 XBH from '07 by smacking 40+ doubles this season.

Nope.  C-Grand gave up on the doubles to focus on more home runs and strikeouts.  You know, like when the lead guitarist of a band cuts a solo record to do the things he's really good at.  Curtis only hit 18 doubles this season and ended up with 65 XBH.

5) Thanks to an elevated win total from playing with the Yankee offense supporting him and barely any regression from his career NL numbers, Hiroki Kuroda will get at least one Cy Young Award vote.

He did have an elevated win total this season, but it had more to do with how well he pitched than how much run support he got.  And there wasn't any regression from his NL numbers at all.  I'm slumping early here, and I stand by my believe that Kuroda woulda had some votes with a few more wins, so I'm giving myself half a point here.  Deal with it.

6) After earning a mid-season promotion from Trenton to Triple-A Empire State, Pat Venditte will be called up when rosters expand in September and become the 2nd switch pitcher in the modern era to pitch in a Major League game.

Or he could get hurt and miss the entire season.  That too.

7) Helped in part by an improved offensive season closer to his 2010 campaign, Brett Gardner will finally win a Gold Glove.

Or he could get hurt and miss the entire season.  That too.

8) The entire Yankee infield will play in the All Star Game. Cano, Jeter, and A-Rod through fan vote; Teix as a bench selection behind Albert Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez.

The door was wide open for Teix, but he was too busy going 1-4 every day and having coughing fits to walk through it.  A-Rod's days as an All Star are clearly over.  Jeter will probably still win the fan vote at AL shortstop even after he retires.

9) After never attempting a bunt against the shift once during the first 161 games of the regular season, Mark Teixeira will square around during his first AB of the final game after getting the bunt signal from manager for the day Mariano Rivera.

This would have been cool as shit to see, and something I could have seen Mo doing just as a joke.  But the close pennant race all the way down to the final games prevented this scenario from ever coming close to happening.  It's hard to have fun when you're still playing for home field.  Man I fucking suck at this.

10) Bobby V will be fired after his first season in Bahhston when his team fails to make the postseason again, and when it's announced I will take the day off from work to celebrate.

YES!  YES!  YES!  YES!  I don't even care about any of the other predictions anymore!  This was the one I hoped I would get right the most and I fucking NAILED it!!  Woo-hoo!!!!  This makes it all worth it.  I went 1.5-10 on the year, dropping my prediction skills below replacement level, but I got the Bobby V one right.  For that, I'll walk out of the 2012 season with my head held high.