Preview/Prediction

The Chicago Cubs haven't won a World Series in over a century and haven't lost any fewer than 87 games in five years, and we're supposed to believe they're going to contend in 2015?

So they say. And you know something? Their chances of at least contending for a wild-card spot deserve to be taken seriously.

Spring training will be here in a matter of weeks, and 2015 could turn into a very big year for the New York Mets. Of course, what is seen on paper has to translate into on-field success, and hopefully, the Mets will be able to put together their first winning season since 2008 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Here are five bold predictions for the Mets this season.

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Sometimes, baseball's rumor mill spins furiously, spitting out juicy tidbits with the speed of an Aroldis Chapman fastball and leaving us with more potential trade scenarios to dissect and speculate about than we know what to do with.

Other times, the rumor mill resembles David Ortiz rounding the bases, taking a slower, plodding approach that forces us to dig deep in finding worthwhile trade scenarios to banter about. For a weekly series such as this, it's those other times that prove to be the most difficult.

Baseball is a tough game to predict, but there are a handful of advanced statistics these days that serve as a useful tool for forecasting player regression.

It's by no means an exact science, and there are always exceptions to the rule, but the following statistics are good predictors of regression (definitions via FanGraphs):

It's no secret: The Seattle Mariners regained relevance last season due in large part to their starting rotation.

As general manager Jack Zduriencik puts the finishing touches on 2015's roster, however, that may not hold so true as the M's make their first playoff push since the early 2000s.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation is undoubtedly the strength of the team. It is loaded.

Two Cy Young winners head the staff, and the back half is talented as well. Legitimate arguments can be made that Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu are each among the top 20 pitchers in all of baseball, and new acquisitions Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson have question marks but are talented.

The Washington Nationals have been maddeningly patient this winter, but the team still has a few months to let its fans stew and a short list of pieces that could fill its only visible hole: second base.

Nationals rumors this offseason have been largely dominated by who might be leaving the team. Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Ian Desmond are no closer to learning their fate. 

With the free-agent market largely devoid of impact talent—aside from Max Scherzer and James Shields, that is—general managers around baseball have little choice but to explore trades in order to plug holes or find the upgrade at a position that they've been searching for on their respective rosters.

But in order to swing a deal, a GM must find a willing trade partner, which is often a bigger challenge than coming to an agreement on an actual swap.

The New York Yankees have had an eventful offseason despite not making any major splashes, yet there is still some work to do.

They have already found Derek Jeter's successor in Didi Gregorius, traded for young starter Nathan Eovaldi, re-signed third baseman Chase Headley, brought in reliever Andrew Miller and made a handful of other smaller moves, so it has not exactly been quiet on the Yankees' front.

One of the Los Angeles Dodgers' biggest weaknesses last season was their bullpen.

It was no secret, and the numbers didn't lie. Los Angeles relievers in 2014 surrendered more earned runs than 18 other bullpens in the majors, and only four other relief corps finished the year with a higher walk rate.