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Well, go ahead make a copy of it, bookmark it, because come October you will have proof of how much, or more likely how little, we know about baseball. Here's our staff predictions for each division, the playoffs and the World Series. Immediately you probably have to question our thinking when three of the six guys have the Cubs in the World Series, with one of us having them win it.

In my first full year covering baseball, I admittedly got caught up in some rare euphoric state of my first time on a major league beat and let some hyperbole get to my head when I made some of my predictions last year.

Did I believe John McLaren when he said that Richie Sexson was going to win the comeback of player of the year. No. Come on, I was starstruck, not stupid. But I felt pretty stupid picking the Mariners to win the AL West last season. I think I even went on ESPN radio's baseball show and told them the Mariners would win 90 games. Looking back, people should have had me examined for heat stroke or malaria, or something.

Not this year, I'm a hardened, bitter cynic. I picked the Mariners, third, which is where all of my cohorts picked them, with the exception of Darrin Beene, who had them last. Do I think the Mariners are better than last year? Yes, about a 1,000 times better. They have a plan, an emphasis, a style and most importantly, they seem to be headed in the direction where they want to go. Could they be better than third in the AL West? Definitely. This division is not good - perhaps the worst in baseball. So if they can play good baseball, not flashy, just consistent baseball, they can surprise some teams. Don't get me wrong, a lot of things need to go right for them just to finish third. But put it this way, I feel more confident that this team can do those right things, than the team I saw heading into the season next year.

Anyway, here's our picks, feel free to agree, disagree, even mock them. And feel free to post your own. I'd be curious to what you think.

News Tribune picks below

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They are here, they have worked out, and the Seattle Mariners are officially ready for opening day.

The roster is set. The lineup has been written.

With Ichiro still in Arizona, working out and trying to recuperate from a bleeding ulcer, the Mariners will honor him by hanging his jersey in their dugout during the series in Minneapolis. Ichiro will join the team in Oakland, although he won’t be eligible to play until April 15.

Felix Hernandez is the opening day starter. Brandon Morrow the opening day closer.

“We’re not a finished product,” manager Don Wakamatsu said. “We’re going to try to play our game, and we’re going to use our entire roster. I expect to use the entire bench in this series.”

Almost everyone who has an audience has picked this team to finish fourth in the American League West. The Mariners believe – from GM Jack Zduriencik to rookie Matt Tuiasosopo – they can surprise people.

Soon enough, we’ll begin finding out.

The first lineup:
Endy Chavez LF
Franklin Guttierrez CF
Mike Sweeney DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Jose Lopez 2B
Russell Branyan 1B
Kenji Johjima C
Yuniesky Betancourt SS