Predicting individual leaders in each statistical category is like picking bull stocks from the NASDAQ—everybody has 20/20 hindsight.
But before reading all the Warren Buffett spring training predictions, keep in mind how many people really bought stock in Apple or Google 10 years ago.
Likewise, who really thought Jose Bautista would hit 54 HRs last year or that Adrian Beltre would lead the American League with 49 doubles?
It seems reasonable to have predicted that Juan Pierre would have led the league in stolen bases, unless you recall that he was a part-time player for two years in Los Angeles before his 2010 renaissance.
As with fantasy projections, there’s no more reliable metric than consistency. But factor in emerging talents, changing team environments and whatever other crazy baseball-only circumstances you want, and we could have a different cast of AL category leaders in 2011.
And so, fearlessly tossing aside any other disclaimers, here are our buy low/sell high predictions for AL statistical leaders in 2011…