Five DC Sports Predictions

By Staff Writer John Manuel:

Thought it would be fun to give my 5 DC Area Sports Predictions for the next few months. Do you agree with any of these?

1- The Washington Capitals will bounce back from a tough first week and be in the middle of the playoff race.

Two things do worry me though with this team.  One being that they had to fight just to get in playoffs last season after a coaching change.  Two, that they had another coaching change and have had very little time to work with Adam Oates and his staff.

I do think Oates was a good call to be the coach of this team.  The Eastern conference is going to be tough, but the Rangers and Flyers also have had a tough first week.  A lot of pressure will build on Alex Ovechkin if the team does struggle and he cannot put the puck in the net, but I have confidence he will get it going along with the team.

2- Not much of a surprise but when pitchers and catchers report the Washington Nationals will be the favorite to win the National League pennant by almost all baseball analysts.

The Nationals have far from kept quiet in the off-season unlike the Orioles.  They accomplished their two major goals of getting Davey Johnson to return as manager and resigning Adam LaRoche.

Last week’s somewhat surprised signing of closer Rafael Soriano shows that the Nationals, the Lerner’s and Mike Rizzo are all in 2013.  Even losing a solid bat like Morse has been nullified by adding a true centerfielder in Denard Span.  The lineup is pretty much the same, the starters the same and the bullpen should be better now.  I really don’t see this one as a shock to anyone.

3- The Maryland Terrapins and the Georgetown Hoyas will play a 23-21 game in the NCAA Tournament.

Not my real prediction, which is both teams will make the NCAA tournament.  I see the Hoyas as more of a lock than the Terps because of a stronger Big East conference.  And that the Hoyas will get some wins against rank teams down the stretch.

The Terps will have less of a chance to do the same in the ACC so they cannot lose to the Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Clemson’s off the conference.  Both teams though will need to find consistent offensive production if they want to do any damage come March as they continue to produce ugly outputs.  Maryland can really help its cause Saturday at Duke in a game where Maryland’s size and depth should help.

4- The Washington Wizards will win enough games to once again fool owner Ted Leonsis into sticking with Ernie Grunfeld as general manager.

Washington will get to the 20-25 win mark, which will allow Leonsis and Grunfeld to use the progress of the young players excuse for keeping the same game plan for the organization.  You will hear a lot of “We were a different team once John Wall returned to play along with Nene” going around from Verizon Center.

The team was not going anywhere with Wall or without Wall and DC fans will continue to suffer.  Grunfeld sticking around will make all fans nervous come draft time when Washington once again has a top 6 pick depending on how the lottery goes.  This team cannot afford another Jan Vesely especially in a draft when there is no clear superstar at the top right now.

5- The Washington Redskins will explore what it will take to acquire Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets.

The key is “explore”, and not will acquire because I don’t think they have the ammunition to make a deal.  Robert Griffin III‘s knee injury and surgery took away the Redskins top bargaining chip in Kirk Cousins.  I think if Cousins was available a trade for Revis would be a possibility.  Maybe the Skins roll the dice and take a chance that RG3 will be back quick, but I doubt it now.

Washington can wait a year and hope Revis does not resign or get traded and hope he hits free agency.  Then I think Shanahan will be all over Revis in free agency even if he shows some struggles coming back from the ACL.  I am not surprised that the Jets may look to trade Revis now that they have Antonio Cromartie signed long term and many other needs especially on the offensive side.  Plus, have to go through another negotiation with Revis may not interest the Jets.