It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  While the high school and college seasons have already begun, the beginning of the Major League Baseball season is the official start of spring in my book.  While I always try to make sure I don’t profess my lifelong love for the Milwaukee Brewers too much, I can proudly claim that I have been at the home opener every year since 1991, a stretch I don’t intend to break anytime soon.

I always add the disclaimer that we don’t spend much time covering the big-leagues here at Perfect Game, since our focus (and purpose) is to cover the game of baseball below the Major Leagues, and even before professional baseball.  However, we would be fooling ourselves to try and pretend as though we don’t follow the game at the highest level.

Time to hand out some preseason hardware…

AL East

1.  Boston Red Sox

2.  Tampa Bay Rays

3.  New York Yankees

4.  Toronto Blue Jays

5.  Baltimore Orioles

Last year I had the Rays finishing third, which was pretty high as compared to what other people across the nation expected from them.  While the Yankees made a lot of noise this offseason, and there’s no reason to expect the Red Sox to slip, I just can’t bring myself to think the Rays will not make the postseason somehow.  They have plenty of youth just below the Major League level in the event of injury or ineffectiveness, and also have room for improvement from last year’s team.  Given the amount of money the Yankees invested this offseason, I think they have the highest risk of disappointment (they have been burned by such investments before) and if the Arod circus turns out to be more bothersome than anticipated.  This is easily the toughest division in all of baseball, as the Blue Jays (who could compete for a division title in almost any other division) and Orioles are going to have to develop some serious talent to play ball with the big boys.

AL Central

1.  Minnesota Twins

2.  Cleveland Indians

3.  Kansas City Royals

4.  Chicago White Sox

5.  Detroit Tigers

Every year there is a team that sneaks up on everyone and plays much greater than expectated.  I really want to pick the Kansas City Royals to be that team, because I really think they could as the pieces are in place if good fortune is on their side.  While they will be improved, they still lack a few parts in their lineup, in their pitching staff and on defense.  History tells me that the White Sox run hot-and-cold from year-to-year, so that means they’re due for an off year.  This division has also had a different leader the past few years, so I’m guessing it’s the Twins time to once again represent this division in the playoffs.  They made a nice step in the right direction a year ago, with a prototypical well-balanced Minnesota team.  The Indians could be in the mix as well, but I think they’re a year away from picking up where they left off in 2007.  The Tigers, like the Giants from a year or two ago, need to find out a way to get younger.  Releasing Gary Sheffield may have been a good first step for that to happen, as they need to build around Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson, not around players like Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez.

AL West

1.  Oakland Athletics

2.  Los Angeles Angels

3.  Texas Rangers

4.  Seattle Mariners

It’s hard for me not to like the moves the A’s made this offseason.  Adding Matt Holliday via trade gives them an impact right-handed bat they have been lacking for years, and adds balance to a left-handed heavy lineup.  He may only be around for one year since he’s a free agent at the end of the year, as Billy Beane seems to be gunning to take a shot in a division that may not be as dominated by the Angels as it has been the past few years.  The Angels will still be good, but not great, and will feel the effect of losing Mark Teixeira, as Vladimir Guerrero can’t carry this offense by himself.  The Rangers are getting closer to being a regular contender in this division, and like the Royals they could surprise a lot of people if a few things go right for them.  I think they’re a year away from that happening.  The Mariners have some interesting pieces, but likely will need a few years under the guidance of their new GM Jack Zduriencik to get back on track.

AL Wildcard:  Tampa Bay Rays

I have a hard time imagining the Wild Card not coming from the AL East.

AL Pennant:  Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have a little extra fuel given the attention the Yankees and Rays have received over the last year, and will be looking to prove they are still the team to beat.

AL MVP:  Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

I still contend that Youkilis was the AL’s MVP last year, and my money is on him proving that he is this year.

AL Cy Young:  Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals

Greinke stepped forward last year and was rewarded with a contract extension over the offseason.  With better, more consistent run support, he should approach 18-20 wins this year.

AL Rookie of the Year:  Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles

If you have been reading my columns, you know I have been a big fan of Matt Wieters for quite some time.  Even if he starts the year at AAA, he’s going to force the Orioles’ hand sooner rather than later and should end the year with his usual impressive numbers.

NL East

1.  New York Mets

2.  Florida Marlins

3.  Philadelphia Phillies

4.  Atlanta Braves

5.  Washington Nationals

I’ve been on and off with my preseason predictions of the Mets the past couple of seasons, as they have taken a late-season nose-dive each of the last two years, with the Phillies benefitting both times.  While the Phillies proved they are a really dang good team, the uncertain status of Cole Hamels right now has to scare the daylights out of them.  Despite the Mets addressing their most glaring need by adding two formidable bullpen arms in Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, I’m still not convinced they’re the best team in this division, as it should be very competitive.  The Marlins are due for another World Series appearance, and might just have the pieces, with a wealth of impact young talent, to make that happen.  I liked the additions the Braves made to their team, and with another wave of young talent moving up, they could be back to their usual winning ways in a year or two.  They’re not there yet, however.  The Nationals could once again be the worst team in the big-leagues, and they will spend the first two months of the season licking their chops at the chance to draft Stephen Strasburg first overall when the draft comes in June.  If he doesn’t price himself out of their stratosphere...

NL Central

1.  Chicago Cubs

2.  Milwaukee Brewers

3.  St. Louis Cardinals

4.  Cincinnati Reds

5.  Houston Astros

6.  Pittsburgh Pirates

I don’t think the Cubs will be as good as they were a year ago, as I think that they, like the Yankees, actually have a rather high potential for completely falling apart if expected key contributors like Rich Harden and Milton Bradley can’t stay healthy, something neither has been able to do during their careers.  They’re still good enough to claim the division.  The Brewers won’t be as bad without CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets as many are expecting them to be, as their offense should be much better, although I think they fall just short of the postseason since the Wildcard is more likely to emerge from the National League East.  There’s a good chance the top four teams in this division all spend time at the top, as you can’t count out the Cardinals, and the Reds look as though they might actually have some pitching depth for once.  I don’t see the Astros coming close to matching their success from last year, and the Pirates are years away from breaking their miserable stretch of losing seasons.

NL West

1.  Arizona Diamondbacks

2.  Los Angeles Dodgers

3.  San Francisco Giants

4.  Colorado Rockies

5.  San Diego Padres

The Dodgers seem to be the favorite to win this division now that Manny Ramirez contract drama is behind them.  However, what Manny drama lies ahead?  They have a ton of young talent to surround Manny in the lineup with, but those same players really had a hard time scoring runs without Ramirez last season.  The D-Backs also have a lot of young talent, talent that hasn’t fully lived up to previous expectations.  Stephen Drew started to show what he is capable of, while Conor Jackson and Justin Upton may be poised to follow suit.  However it’s the one-two punch of Brandon Webb and Dan Haren that causes me to like their chances.  If the Giants had more bats (such as Manny Ramirez, a suggestion I made during the offseason) they might be in the conversation for the postseason given their starting pitching staff, led by youth (Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain) and fortified by vets (Randy Johnson and Barry Zito).  The Rockies and Padres could both surprise some people, but I think they’re both in more of a transitional stage with room, and need, for added improvement.

NL Wildcard:  Florida Marlins

The Marlins will give Major League Baseball two playoff teams from the state of Florida for the first time ever.  They have a lot of talent on the team, with a lot more on the way, and impressive depth in the pitching staff.

NL Pennant:  New York Mets

It’s hard to ignore the importance of adding not one, but two closers to this team in K-Rod and Putz.  I also can see this team being more willing to deal their prized prospect, Fernando Martinez, mid-season to address whatever glaring needs they may have to avoid another late season collapse.

NL MVP:  Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

Pujols is the best hitter in all of baseball, and he keeps getting better.  He has finished first or second in the NL MVP voting in five of his eight years.

NL Cy Young:  Johan Santana, New York Mets

There’s no reason why Santana shouldn’t approach, if not easily exceed 20 wins by early to mid-September given the Mets’ lineup.

NL Rookie of the Year:  Cameron Maybin, Florida Marlins

If my Florida Marlins as Wildcard prediction is to come true, they’re going to need young players such as Cameron Maybin to step up and enjoy big years.  In a recurring theme for the Marlins:  He has the talent to do so, and then some.

World Series:  Red Sox over Mets

The Red Sox overall talent and experience in the postseason would prove to be too much for the Mets, or any other team the National League would have to offer in the Fall Classic.

The thoughts and opinions listed here do not necessarily reflect those of Perfect Game USA.  Patrick Ebert is affiliated with both Perfect Game USA and Brewerfan.net, and can be contacted via email at pebert@brewerfan.net.