1.  The Mariners improved a rather pedesterian rotation over the offseason, by adding Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva.  The only problem:  I can't say the offense has been terrible.  It's been non-existent.  The M's are 14-23 right now.  I'm still optimistic, but predicting them to win the Wildcard now, just seems foolish.  That being said, JJ Putz is still my favorite non-closer.  Ichiro will hopefully still start for the American League at the All Star Game in NY.  Raul Ibanez will eventually start being the only guy that knows what an RBI is and how to get one, again.  Yuni, Beltre, and Lopez will remember how not to commit such costly errors.  Felix will get his swagger and velocity back.  Erik Bedard will get a much deserved contract extension, as I still think trading for him was the smartest move of the offseason, plus he has the best curveball I've seen since Barry Zito, in his prime.  Jeff Clement will start to hit, what could be many, deep bombs over the center field wall.  Wladimir Balentien will be getting the necessary numbers to win the Rookie of the Year award.  Kenji will show us why he didn't deserve to get a 3 year contract extension.  Jose Vidro will become older and more useless than ever (They should've signed The Big Hurt, while they had the oppurtunity)  Richie Sexson will retire from baseball, opting to join the UFC.  John McLaren will continue to get run from the game, in the first inning, Sweet Lou Style.  The M's brass will realize that Mel Stottlemyre is too good of a pitching coach for this organization, that Ken Griffey Jr. needs to be retained via trade, to boost the extremely low morale of the team, and that Bryan LaHair is the future at 1st base.

2.  The Minnesota Twins are kickin' butt and takin' names!  I couldn't have been more wrong about them.  Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young, but especially Gomez, are going to be great players for years to come.  I'm stunned that Francisco Liariano hasn't returned to top form yet.  I still don't think they have the rotation to win the Central, but they definitely have the lineup and bullpen too.  Cleveland is still my pick though.  Again, sorry Twins fans: You were alright for bashing me about my prediction, regarding the Twins. 

3.  The Cardinals and A's are in 1st place, in their respective divisions.  Both teams are a real surprise this year, especially the A's.  I've never seen a rebuilding team play like a pennant winner, and do with a handful of players no one has ever heard of.  Dana Eveland? Daric Barton?  Greg Smith? Santiago Casilla (the next great closer)?  Emil Brown?  Actually I knew who he was, but not that he was that good.  The Cards are winning with an interesting rotation of American League has beens and guys I've never heard of.  I guess all Joel Piniero needed was a change of leagues.  Todd Wellemeyer?  Kyle Lohse is pitching way over his head right now.  Right, Twins fans?  Adam Wainwright is looking like a Cy Young candidate.  Skip Schumaker?  Guy sounds more like a jockey or a golfer than a baseball player.  Rick Ankiel and Albert Pujols are seriously raking.  That doesn't surprise me with one of them.  They've got some good starters coming off the DL, at some point: Mulder, Carpenter, Clement.  If they can hang in there til those guys are ready, watch out!  I still like the Cubs though and the Dodgers for the Wildcard. 

Those are the most glaring reasons that I'm an ####, and predictions can seem so foolish.  Go M's, 14-23 might seem like a mountain of adversity, but that's the way we like it!