Okay, I'll start it out. I love this time of year! Every team gets a fresh start and one goal - World Series Champs. Go White Sox! I know it is a rebuilding season here on the south side but there is something about spring training and all the new guys hoping to make the team. Here's to a great baseball season!

My friend start praying now and , Yankee's are gonna kick tail ! But it is gonna be fun , we all must look for the good times and fun along with the beer ,Nathan Hot Dogs, Chips, yelling , screaming ! Hey Ya !

Detroit looks very tough in the AL Central. Texas and Anaheim should have an interesting battle in the West. Boston has a lot to prove and a very big chip on its shoulder, and Joe Maddonalways seems to keep the Rays in the thick of the fight.

The new Miami Marlins may be the most improved team, and their pitching is tough. The Nationals think they can compete, and if Bryce Harper can stick with the club and secure a starting spot, the teenager just might be MLB's answer to Tebow and Lin. The Phillies may have the best rotation, anchored by Halladay, Lee and Hamels, but Howard won't be ready and Utley has a bum knee, so the race in the East can be close. Sorry, pizzaboy, but the Metsshould once again provide the comic relief in the division.

I think the Reds may challenge the Brewers in the central. Ryan Braun got away with murder on his steroid appeal (I still can't believe it), and that should keep them competitive.

The West is up for grabs. I'll wait until pre-season ends before I'd hazard a pick. One thing though is Bruce Bochy should have the Giants close.

These are my early season picks by division:

AL East
-New York Yankees

AL Central
-Detroit Tigers

AL West
-Texas Rangers

AL Wild Card
-Boston Red Sox

NL East
-Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
-Cincinnati Reds

NL West
-San Francisco Giants

NL Wild Card
-Milwaukee Brewers

The Tigers are going to be tough to beat in the AL Central - no doubt. They are the team to beat for my Sox. Maybe we can get down to some real baseball on the south side now that Ozzie Guillen is Miami's problem now. Miami fans - you will love him for a couple of years but his act gets old rather quickly. I am also curious to see how the Cubs do under the new Theo Epstein "Moneyball" style baseball. It's gonna be a great year! (Except for Pizzaboy and the Mets!)

AL EAST
New York Yankees

AL CENTRAL
Detroit Tigers

AL WEST
LA-Anaheim Angels

AL WILD CARD
Tampa Bay Rays

AL WILD CARD
Boston Red Sox

NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies

NL CENTRAL
Pittsburgh Pirates

NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks

NL WILD CARD
Atlanta Braves

NL WILD CARD
Milwaukee Brewers

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
LA-Anaheim Angels

White Sox will win between 60-70 games.

EDIT: just added the second wild card teams in the AL and NL.

Pretty good picks, Irish.

Mark, I agree that Ozzie will be an immediate hit with the Marlin fans. It'll be interesting watching him adapt to handling a national league bullpen.

That is why Irishman 12 is the BOSS ! He has been around . So I follow the Wiseman !

Just Sayen !

Frosty

BAM, I was thinking of putting of picking the Angels and Rays too. But I can't beat against Boston. As much as I hate them, they've got a HUGE chip on their shoulder coming into the season. Especially Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. Look for those guys to have good years. As for the Angels, their rotation along with the Yankees are the best in the AL. However, their lineup around Albert doesn't excite me just yet.

I think you meant the Cubs will be lucky to win 60 - 70 games this year.

cubs will win 75+ games

You're including spring training.

i would say something here...but, yea i like having thumbs and not sleeping with the fishes.

Pretty smaht for a Cubs fan... not dumb - smaht!
BTW - I know it is only preseason but it sure sounds nice to have the Sox/Dodgers game on the radio this afternoon! And yes - it is even nice to hear the Cubs on WGN today as well.

Everyone, who made thhis picks, may want to amend them since there will be two wild cards in each division this year. Also, in the best of five divisional series, the lower seed will host the first two games while the final three, if necessary, will be played on the higher seed's field, instead of the 2-2-1 format in the past.

Yankees or Texas this year

I thought I'd make my picks:

NL East: MIAMI
NL Central: CINCINNATI
NL West: SAN FRANCISCO
WC: LOS ANGELES and PHILADELPHIA

AL East: NEW YORK
AL Central: DETROIT
AL West: LOS ANGELES
WC: TEXAS and TAMPA BAY

World Series.....Reds over Tigers in 6.

Here's mine...
White Sox take Phillies in World Series that goes 7 games.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! omg, great joke! i can't stop laughing!

I don't get it. What's so funny?

Pirates v. Red Sox.

As teams are approaching their opening days, the team that has the longest current opening day winning streak is the Pirates.

This season historic Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary.

When Jamie Moyer, who made the starting rotation for the Rockies, takes the mound this season, he will become the 11th oldest player to play in MLB history at the age of 49. What's more remarkable is that he missed all of last season and underwent reconstructive surgery on his pitching arm.

By the way - there was a great documentary on PBS about the 100 year old Fenway Park. Very cool.

HBO is airing Jews and Baseball. Give it a look.

I freakin' love baseball. This is the best time of the year for me, by far.

It is great to have the games back on.

It is, and it's even better because Thursday is opening day for our local Single-A Phillies club. Thursday home games are "Thirsty Thursdays" with $1 beers. I'll be going at least 10 times this year.

We have a local brand new stadium and team. It's beautiful. They do $1 beers on Fridays, and fireworks on Saturdays. The food isn't great, but everything else is wonderful.

That Detroit Tigers offense is ridiculous, anybody catch those highlights of Cabrera and Fielder hitting all those homers off the Red Sox? It is going to be an entertaining year in the American league thats for sure.

Ozzie, don't drink and talk.