Preview/Prediction

Those looking for this year's Josh Hamilton—a breakout slugger—look no further than teammate Nelson Cruz. Nelson, who will turn 29 this season, has made a career in the minor leagues.

He capped off his minor career last season with a bang; a bang which included blasting 37 home runs and batting in 99 runs, not to mention a .342 batting average. Last year's spectacular performance in triple-A earned him the Pacific Coast League MVP award.

Nelson's triple-A contract with Oklahoma was bought out on Aug. 25, 2008.

Another baseball season upon us, and another chance to prove how little I know when it comes to accurately predicting how the new season will play out.

Nevertheless, I like to entertain myself and look back seven months from now and see if I knew anything, so before all you critics out there rip my predictions to shreds, know that I make them without doing any real research and simply off of gut feelings based on how teams faired last season and how they look based on the moves they made during the offseason.

Here are my picks for the 2009 season:

National League:

East

1. Philadelphia Philies (94-68) The defending champs will not need a Mets Collapse this year

2. New York Mets (91-71) With a beefed up 'pen the Mets should win the Wild Card

3. Florida Marlins (89-73) The Marlins are gradually improving and are almost there but still only the third best team in this division

4. Atlanta Braves (80-82) This team has improved, just not enough

We hear about them on TV, we see them in the newspaper, and we research them on the computer; not all of them, however. Prospects are among the most exciting factors of the baseball world.

If you look at a team's success, they are most successful when they are built up of home grown talent rather than record-breaking free-agent signings.

The Mariners had forgotten that concept and now they are coming off a 61-101 season. But don't worry, the farm system is stocked with young talent, and now, with Jack Zduriencik at the helm, that is not going to be changing.

2009 has the potential to be a big season, the last season at the Metrodome with a chance to give it a proper send out by being able to celebrate on the field.

It was a long and slow off season for the Twins. There were many rumors of trades and free agent signings then came and went. I believe their patience payed off as they eventually signed their man in Joe Crede.

As the 2009 Major League Baseball season rapidly approaches and the second edition of the WBC fades into the rear-view mirror, it’s hard not to look across the league as a whole and notice a distinct alteration from, say, 2004 in regards to the depth and over-arching philosophy guiding the overseers of many low-profile organizations.

So we're here...almost to Opening Day. Time for the NL West picks before we go to my fantasmagical playoffs that probably won't happen. Here it is...the final division to analyze in baseball...the NL West.

In first Place...

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yeah. Look at him up there. All Manny-bein'-Manny like. Yeah...

I hate him with a fiery passion.

Despite all my rage (I am still just a rat in a cage), the Dodgers will win the NL West.

R.A. Dickey, knuckleballer extraordinaire, has been announced to take over the fifth spot in the rotation for the Minnesota Twins, replacing the injured Scott Baker.

I'm all for giving guys a chance, but it seems like the Seattle Mariners tried the same thing with this guy last year, with rather bleak results—a 5.21 ERA—but was found to be rather serviceable from the bullpen.

With the Grapefruit League completed, the Braves will prepare to face Philadelphia on Opening Day on Sunday.

The Braves finished with a 20-11 record, and gave fans a lot to look forward to this season.

Below is a review of the Braves' offense this spring, as well as predictions on where each player will be at the start of the season.

Catchers

Brian McCann (.304/.379/.478 in 23 AB)