Spring’s here: Bring on the baseball

If you want to watch some of the best baseball players in the world perform, there isn’t a bigger stage than the Major League.

Every team wants to make it to the October playoffs but the journey there is always a long one.

A team must play more than 162 games before October, but it deal with the unavoidable wear and tear of the sport and focus on its main goal: Winning the World Series.

In the American League East, one of baseball’s toughest divisions, the New York Yankees will once again be favorites to win the division.

The Yankees are still loaded offensively after winning last season’s World Series and have one of the best pitchers in baseball, C. C. Sabaitha.

The Red Sox will give them a run for their money, as will the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Red Sox have a loaded pitching staff, but there are still questions regarding the health of the pitchers. Boston also produces one of the best offenses in baseball and don’t count the Rays out—they can turn some heads with the young talent they possess.

But the Minnesota Twins and the Detroit Tigers will most likely control the AL Central Division. The White Sox also pose a possible threat to sneak the division title from the Tigers and Twins.

The AL Central is the division to watch because it is home to the past four batting champions. The Minnesota Twins’ Joe Mauer earned the title three times and the Detroit Tigers’ Maglio Ordonez won it once.

Mauer is fresh off a huge contract extension and continues his consistency behind the plate.

Some tough teams are participating in the AL West. The Seattle Mariners have a good chance at taking this division and running away with it.

Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki powers the offense with very good numbers and has done so every season he has played in the league.

Suzuki now has second baseman Chone Figgins to compliment him in the lineup. Seattle also added former all-star pitcher Cliff Lee to the pitching rotation. If the Mariners can keep their top players healthy, they just might run away with the division.

The Philadelphia Phillies are favored in the National League East division. The Phillies picked up arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball, Roy Halladay this summer.

Halladay was a 17-game winner in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. He’s never before pitched in a post-season game, but this will likely change soon.

The Braves may also surprise fans this season. They have some big names: Veteran Chipper Jones and rookie sensation Jason Heyward.

Don’t be surprised if Atlanta gives the Phillies a run for their money.

The Cardinals are the favorite in the NL Central. They feature first baseman Albert Pujols, who has the potential to be a Triple Crown winner this season.

To win a Triple Crown, a player must be the league leader in RBI’s, home runs and batting average. With Pujols leading the offense, the Cardinals will be the NL Central champs.

The Dodgers will likely contend for the division title in the NL West. They have excellent pitching, after leading the National League in ERA last season.

The team didn’t make any moves in the off-season, which would have been unnecessary anyway. If they are doing well by the All-Star break, they will have a clean shot at the NL West.