Spring Training has been up and running for around a month and in a week we will see our first action of the baseball season between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
Now that Spring Training is nearing an end, it's time to take a look at each division and give our winners, who will grab the Wild Cards and Players of the Year.
AL East
1. New York Yankees
It's simple. Most fans have recognized it, but don't want to admit it. No matter how much some people may hate the Yankees they are stacked and primed for another repeat.
It will be a tight race in the AL East, but I see the Yankees coming out on top with another title.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
This may come as a surprise to some, but with a healthy team, the Rays will be very dangerous. Evan Longoria will be a prime MVP candidate this year and he will carry the Rays to the Wild Card.
3. Boston Red Sox
It will be disappointing for the Red Sox to miss the playoffs, but with this division it's two teams in and one left out in the cold.
The Sox picked up one of the best free agents, John Lackey, in a pretty weak class. They are a playoff caliber team but there isn't room for them in the playoffs this year.
4. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles aren't going to compete this year, but looking towards the future they have many bright stars in Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis.
The pitching staff is real bad though, and it will be the downfall of this team as they miss the playoffs for the 13th straight season.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are in rebuilding mode this year and in the next couple. They lost their best player in Roy Halladay, but did get a bundle of young prospects including Kyle Drabek from the Phillies.
AL Central
1. Minnesota Twins
After giving the fourth largest contract in MLB history to catcher Joe Mauer, the Twins will be set this year with a very good team. The only problem they may run into is losing closer Joe Nathan for the whole season.
2. Chicago White Sox
Depending on Jake Peavy's health, this could be a very good team. If Peavy under performs though, I could see the Sox dropping to third and the Tigers finishing in second. They have a good lineup with Peavy, Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks.
3. Detroit Tigers
For a team that has underachieved the past couple of years, they are looking forward to another disappointing season. In the offseason they picked up Johnny Damon, but also lost Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. In the trade for Granderson they picked up Austin Jackson who is a promising young outfielder.
4. Kansas City Royals
The Royals are looking at the bottom of the division again, but to have an ace in Zach Grienke who is looking for his second straight Cy Young. A lowly Indians team is the only thing keeping them out of last place.
5. Cleveland Indians
It's weird to think in 2007 the Indians were playing in the ALCS. They have since let CC Sabathia walk and traded away Cliff Lee. With new manager Manny Acta in town, they will be a bit better than last year's Nationals, which Acta was fired from.
AL West
1. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners look real good for this year. Their pitching staff is loaded, with the best one-two punch in Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. To go along with their pitching, the Mariners have a good lineup including Ichiro and newly acquired second baseman Chone Figgins.
2. Los Angeles Angels
The Angels will be good, but this is a different team from last years ALCS. Gone is John Lackey and coming in is Hideki Matsui. Matsui will be a good option at the DH, if he can stay healthy. It will be a tight race between the Angels and the Mariners for the division, but I see the Angels coming in second and missing the playoffs.
3. Texas Rangers
Just like last season, I see the Rangers finishing third in the AL West. They have a good infield with Elvus Andrews, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young. They brought in two health questions during free agency with Ben Sheets and Vladimir Guerrero. If those two can put together healthy seasons the Rangers could jump ahead of the Angels.
4. Oakland Athletics
The A's have a young ace in Andrew Bailey, who put up a 6-3 record with a 1.84 ERA. Bailey will be a bright spot for the future of the A's and he could stand out as one of the top young pitchers with a good year.
NL East
1. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are poised to go to there third straight World Series, as they have improved their team that lost to the Yankees last year. It will be hard for any teams in the NL to compete with the Phils and it will be especially hard for the rest of their division, which they will run away with.
2. Atlanta Braves
Throughout Spring Training, there has been alot of buzz around the 20-year-old outfielder for the Braves, Jason Heyward. He could turn this team around and lead them right into the playoff race, which will be a lot to ask for from a 20-year-old.
3. Florida Marlins
This Marlins team, led by Hanley Ramirez, will be in the race for the wild card. Hanley is possibly one of the top 5 players in the league right now, and with some help from Dan Uggla, the Marlins could snag a wild card or jump ahead of the Braves.
4. New York Mets
It's sad what's happened to the Mets. Two years ago, they were atop the NL East and had a promising future with Jose Reyes and David Wright. Now Reyes is hurt, Johan Santana is hurt and the team is looking at another disappointing season.
5. Washington Nationals
Whether this season is a success or not doesn't depend on the Nationals final record. This season will be a success if the first overall pick Stephen Strasburg gets called up and has a good season.
NL Central
1. St Louis Cardinals
Along with the Phillies, the Cardinals will be the main contenders for the World Series in the NL. With Albert Pujols looking to repeat as NL MVP and Matt Holliday they will have a dangerous lineup with the pitching staff including Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
If healthy, the Brewers could find themselves in the middle of the wild card race. They will have a tough lineup with Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks and Ryan Braun.
3. Chicago Cubs
The curse on the Cubs will continue for another year. They have some good spots on their team but all together they may give a run for the playoffs, but finish third in the NL Central.
4. Cincinnati Reds
The biggest move the Reds made in the offseason was sign Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman. They have solid pitching and batting, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish ahead of the Cubs in third.
5. Houston Astros
I like Hunter Pence alot and this may be his year to become leader of the team. They still have Lance Berkman who will provide power and Wandy Rodriguez who will be their only solid starter.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have a very good young star in Andrew McCutchen but he's about the only good player for the Pirates. They will be in the bottom five teams at the end of the year.
NL West
1. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have a good, young team and it will propel them ahead of the Dodgers this year. Troy Tulowitzki is now a top SS in the league and he will be the teams leader for years to come.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
The success of this team relies on the pitching of Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. If those two pitchers can preform up to expectations, then this team could possibly take the NL West from the Rockies.
3. San Francisco Giants
It's a shame that Tim Linceum will be going for his third straight Cy Young award but he has never sniffed the playoffs. Their pitching staff will be good with Lincecum and Matt Cain, but the lineup won't be enough to get it done.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
The worst possible news this offseason came for the D-backs, losing ace Brandon Webb to shoulder surgery. Without Webb, the pitching staff for the D-backs looks very thin and will be the weak spot of this team.
5. San Diego Padres
The best player on the Padres will most likely be gone by the time that the season is over. With or without Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres just are not a contending team this season and should just make sure they get something good out of a Gonzalez trade.
AL
Yankees over Rays
Mariners over Twins
Yankees over Mariners
NL
Phillies over Dodgers
Cardinals over Rockies
Phillies over Cardinals
World Series
Yankees over Phillies in 6
Now before this 2010 MLB preview is over, it's time to hand out some awards.
AL MVP: Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays
In the two years that Longoria has had with the Rays he has put up a .277 ERA, 60 HR's and 198 RBI's.
With the Rays in the thick of the AL East and AL Wild Card races, I see Longoria putting the team on his back and putting up big numbers. We could see him winning or in the thick of the MVP race for years to come.
Runner up : Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
I see no reason why Albert Pujols can't put up MVP numbers again this year for a Cardinals team that will dominate the NL Central. "The Machine" Albert Pujols will have another great year and continue to pave his legendary career.
Runner up : Chase Utley
AL Cy Young :Felix Hernandez, Mariners
King Felix is a part of baseball's top 1-2 pitching rotation punch. With him having another great year and winning his first Cy Young, he will prove that he is the best pitcher in baseball.
Runner up: CC Sabathia
NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Phillies
With Roy Halladay moving from the toughest division in baseball to the National League, his already amazing numbers will sky rocket and he'll earn his second career Cy Young award.
Runner up: Tim Lincecum
So there you go. For this upcoming baseball season expect to see a World Series rematch, an MVP from the Rays and Roy Halladay dominating the NL.
Stay tuned as we'll soon put out our baseball power rankings.
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