It’s that time of year again, and, along with the improved weather, comes my personal favorite part of spring/summer: baseball.

As an avid Chicago White Sox fan, I’m hoping that this year will prove to be drastically different from last year, but no matter how the South Siders perform, it’s good to kick back on a lazy day after classes and enjoy a ball game.

With the 2008 Major League Baseball season beginning just a few days ago, it is way too early to make predictions on who will play well and win their division this season, but it sure can’t hurt to try.

So, without further adieu, here is how I believe each division will shakeout when it’s all said and done:

American League East-although it is always hard to dismiss the Yankees, it is pretty much a no-doubter that the Boston Red Sox will keep rolling after their World Series victory in 2007 and win this division. With a potent pitching staff and an equally dominant offense, the Red Sox should be a pretty good bet to win 100 games this year. The Yankees don’t have adequate pitching to keep up with Boston, and, although I think the Toronto Blue Jays will field a solid squad, look for Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett (when healthy) to run away with the A.L. East.

American League Central-undoubtedly the toughest division in the Majors, three teams will likely win at least 90 games—the White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. I envision the White Sox bouncing back after a disappointing 2007 season to become division champions, with the race probably coming down to the last series of the season (which the Sox will play against Cleveland). With the additions of Orlando Cabrera, Nick Swisher and some much needed help in the bullpen, the Sox should be much improved. Although Detroit has a stacked offensive lineup, its pitching does not impress me, and the Indians look good on paper, but I don’t think they can sustain a high level of play throughout the entire season. Team chemistry is arguably the most important component to a successful team, and I think the White Sox have a great blend of veteran leaders and talent…can you say 2005?

American League West-this division will be much improved this year as the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels both made significant off-season acquisitions. Although Seattle has been the trendy pick with most MLB experts, I personally think the Angels will have one of the best teams in the league. Their pitching staff will not be overly dominant, but an offense that features Chone Figgins, Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter and Gary Matthews should be able to outscore a lot of opponents. Look for the Angels to win 90-95 games this year, with Seattle finishing a few games behind them.

National League East-  like their cross-city rivals, the New York Mets have a high payroll and what appears to be a dominant ball club. Much of their success will lie in the hands of their pitching, and with Johan Santana leading the staff, they should have a strong rotation. Expect Jose Reyes and David Wright to continue their emergence as premier superstars in the league, while Carlos Beltran should have one of his best seasons of his already impressive career. Don’t count the Philadelphia Phillies or Atlanta Braves out, but expect the Mets to win around 95 games and avoid collapsing at the end of the season as they did last year.

National League Central-yes, I know, this is going to upset the majority of the Monmouth College campus, but the Chicago Cubs will not win this division—which I believe is the weakest in the Majors. Expect the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cubs to lead the division over the first three months of the season, just to see the St. Louis Cardinals overtake both of them when Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder get healthy. Don’t forget, the Cards still have Albert Pujols, and although the Cubs went out and signed 13 starting pitchers, you only need five…and they still only have one ace in Carlos Zambrano. All three of the aforementioned teams—the Cubs, Brewers and Cards—will win between 85-90 games.

National League West-the big question will be if the Colorado Rockies will prove their 2007 World Series appearance was not a fluke. In a division consisting of four teams that should finish over .500, this divisional race will likely go right down to the wire. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks should all be solid, but Colorado will prevail in the end. With a lineup featuring Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Holliday and Todd Helton, the Rockies should get close to 90 wins and win the division.

So, there you have it, my predictions for the 2008 MLB season. Whether they pan out or not, this season should not fail to be another compelling one, especially for Monmouth College, as the White Sox, Cubs and Cardinals should all compete for the playoffs.

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