Preview/Prediction

The National League Central is filled with talent, and Chicago Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija leads the list of players who are going to have breakout seasons.

With the Houston Astros no longer in the division, teams in the NL Central will face each other 19 times this season. 

Last season featured Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates as the breakout star of the division. There probably won't be a performance like that from any of the players on this list, but these players will certainly make a name for themselves this season.

The St. Louis Cardinals have compiled a 6.58 bullpen ERA through seven games, which is important to consider when making your MLB picks Tuesday night, as they prepare to take on the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium.

One week into the season, the Dodgers sit in third place in the NL West, one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. 

So far, the team has allowed just 10 runs in six games, demonstrating the strength of its pitching staff.  It has certainly been an impressive start, but there are some things to watch for as the season progresses.

Here are the six best early-season storylines.

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Every year, there's at least one surprise when it's time to dole out the hardware. Last year, R.A. Dickey was the first knuckleballer to ever win the Cy Young, but he's not alone when it comes to the seemingly out-of-nowhere greatness that we see on podiums every fall.

The baseball gods aren't wasting any time at testing the Cincinnati Reds' 2013 season.

With Ryan Ludwick’s injured shoulder after three innings on Opening Day, the Reds have to adjust.

The Chicago White Sox are not averse to a little turnover on the 25-man roster. It actually seems to be an annual occurrence that the White Sox part ways with at least one veteran who was a long-time fan favorite.

In 2011, it was Mark Buehrle. Last year, A.J. Pierzynski bid the White Sox a fond farewell.

Will longtime captain Paul Konerko be this offseason’s veteran departure?

What about the rest of the active roster?

Once the Cardinals finish up their West Coast swing through Arizona and San Francisco, they'll find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a duel against their fiercest competition for the NL Central crown, the Cincinnati Reds.

Welcome to the big leagues Brandon Maurer.

Thursday afternoon, fans of the Seattle Mariners had hoped to see the rookie hurler make the leap from Double-A to the majors unscathed following his impressive showing at spring training.  

Unfortunately, the Oakland A's had other plans (Yahoo!Sports).

As the 2013 season begins, the Seattle Mariners, like many teams, have several story lines to monitor moving forward. Whether they are at the major league level now, or on the verge of being there, Mariners fans will have plenty to think about other than the win-loss record.

Opening Day is a time of hope and optimism around Major League Baseball.

In an era of parity, it's not hard to envision at least 20 cities believing a postseason trip is within reason.