Preview/Prediction

1. San Francisco Giants (92-70)

They may have barely snuck into the playoffs last year, but their rings show just how well put together this team is.

With a starting rotation that features some of the best young arms the league has to offer, their offense can afford to put up relatively low totals as they watch the opposing hitters sit down one by one.

The 2011 Colorado Rockies have a lot of potential firepower in their mostly very young lineup.  Jim Tracy has yet to make a final decision on an opening day roster, but in looking at his spring training games so far, piecing a projected lineup together is getting a little easier.

The Rockies have a couple of the game's hottest bats right now and this could be a breakout year for them, which in turn could lead to a very good year for the Rockies.  A few questions remain, but let's take a look at what the Rockies lineup might look like on opening day.

When it comes to Major League Baseball, it’s difficult to be a knuckleball Nostradamus when so many uncontrollable factors factor into your predictions.

Whether it’s a pitching staff plagued by injuries or a set of super slumps latching onto your middle-of-the-order stars, a team can go from playoff contender in the preseason to underachieving underdogs by September.

But, like all couch GMs, I have my own bold set of prophetic thoughts for my team, so move over meteorologists, because here’s my 2011 Boston Red Sox forecast.

I am really fascinated by this Oliver Perez situation.

The Baltimore Orioles used to be the envy of the baseball world. There was an Oriole Way: The team had an identity and a unique sense of fundamental soundness and professionalism. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, they won 90 games nearly every year and went to six World Series.

Even with Miguel Cabrera, don't be surprised when the Detroit Tigers are in last place in the AL Central division after the first month of the schedule. 

The MLB schedule makers have done no favors for a team that has been abysmal on the road the last two years, and the team has one major and a few minor issues to deal with.

The NL East had quite the shake up this off-season. Cliff Lee returned to the city of brotherly love, Dan Uggla jumped ship and was traded to a team in the same division and the Nationals are trying to become relevant.

The East usually is one of, if not the toughest division in the National League and this year will be no different. 

Will these big summer acquisitions shake up the East and could there be a change of power at the top? With a long season ahead, it will be interesting to see how things shake out.

9 Innings Blog will be bringing you previews of every Major League Baseball team for the next 30 days. This is in accordance with our 30 teams in 30 days series. Today we are taking a look at the 2011 Chicago Cubs squad that is ready and raring to make it back to the playoffs and the may have the team to do it this year.

A team's fortunes can often be severely altered by the injury or severe under-performance of just one player. When a team is littered with those types of players (see the New York Mets), a season can be over in just a few short months.

Coming into the 2011 season, every team expects to be better. If they didn't believe that, what's the point in even playing the games, besides the money of course? Some of the aforementioned type of players have moved on to new teams. That doesn't mean they aren't expected to make a comeback in their new digs however.

Tampa Bay Rays fans shouldn't pin their hopes upon the dual offseason signings of veterans Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. 

The addition of the pair of former World Series-winning heroes is merely papering over the cracks of Tampa Bay's unconvincing roster.