My (in)accurate MLB picks

There’s nothing like that smack sound of a wooden bat when it hits a baseball flush. It’s so pure – a pop-like noise that’s as sharp as a gunshot in terms of its reach, but as beautiful as a diamond in terms of how well received it is when it happens at a ballpark.

The sound is electric. It has power. Once it’s heard, it controls the emotions of masses of people in attendance of the game.

If you’re for the team batting, you immediately get a jolt of adrenaline as you look up to see where the baseball is headed. If you’re rooting for the opposite team, that adrenaline is more like nausea as you helplessly track the ball and hope that it winds up in a glove and turns into an out.

Luckily for baseball fans around the country, that sound will be back in full force this week as the 2015 MLB season got started this weekend and will be in full force for the next five-plus months.

Baseball has taken a head-first tumble in recent years in terms of its mainstream popularity. But Louisiana is one of the last stragglers left on the map – we love following America’s Pastime.

So with the season just under way, let’s make 10 bold predictions for what might occur throughout the next 160-plus games.

This is an annual tradition for us, and it’s the sixth-straight year we make our MLB picks in print.

Gosh, I feel old.

9 THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE 2015 MLB SEASON

1. THE CUBS WILL NOT WIN THE WORLD SERIES

HERE’S WHY: For the sixth-straight year, I did the Cubbies, much to the dismay of my Executive Editor, Ms. Shell Armstrong, who has always rooted for the loveable losers. The Cubbies are young and have talent galore all throughout their minor league system. A lot of that talent will reach the majors in the very near future, making these guys must-see TV for the whole season – win, lose or draw. But the Cubs are still a few years away. The curse will live a little bit longer. Sorry Shell, it just isn’t happening this year.

2. THE ROYALS WILL FALL FLAT

HERE’S WHY: The Kansas City Royals were the heartthrobs of the sports world for several months last fall, coming out of nowhere and advancing to the World Series. But the Royals lost a lot of key pieces from that 2014 to free agency, and I think they’re going to struggle. It’s one thing to be the hunter, but another to be the hunted. The Royals aren’t used to being hunted, and I don’t think they’ll handle that role all too well.

3. THE ASTROS WON’T BE LAUGHING STOCKS

HERE’S WHY: I love to make fun of the Astros, because they are who a lot of my friends root for. That, and they are an easy target – routinely one of the worst teams in baseball over the past half-decade. But after this last spat of ineptitude, the Astros should be a much more competitive club in 2015 – a roster that’s glittered with young, but talented players. Will they win the World Series? Heck no. But will they lose 105 games? I don’t think so.

4. THE GIANTS WILL MISS THE POSTSEASON

HERE’S WHY: The beautiful thing about baseball is that it’s the only sport where we truly have no clue who the good and bad teams are before the season begins. Sure, we can speculate that clubs like the Cardinals, Tigers and A’s will be postseason contenders, but the sport is so fickle that anything can happen. With that said, I expect the 2014 World Series Champions to miss the post season altogether, losing out to the Dodgers in the NL West.

5. MAJOR NAME WILL GET ZAPPED FOR HGH

HERE’S WHY: The sad reality remains that baseball still isn’t clean – even after all of the drug testing penalties that have been put into the sport. Players still dope, and the reason they do is because they aren’t afraid to get caught. So with that said, I’m guaranteeing that a major star within the sport will get popped for HGH during the season and will have to serve a 50-game ban. It’s happened to several players in the past, and it will happen again. The sport is dirty – always will be.

6. YANKEES MAKE STEPS, BUT STILL FALL SHORT OF PLAYOFFS

HERE’S WHY: The past few baseball seasons have been really weird, because the New York Yankees were absolutely no threat to win the World Series. Indeed, it’s been two seasons since the Bronx Bombers have reached the postseason and five years since the team won a World Series – a massive drought for the most spoiled franchise in professional sports. I think the Yanks will be better in 2015, but will still fall short of the playoffs. That roster just has too many aging parts that produce zero bang for their buck. Alex Rodriguez? In the year 2015? Give me a break.

7. DODGERS WIN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

HERE’S WHY: They are too good. They’ve been denied for too long. The Dodgers will beat the Cardinals and win the National League pennant. The other playoff teams will be the Nats, Padres and Cubbies.

8. TIGERS WIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE

HERE’S WHY: After struggling down the stretch in 2014, I just think this will be Detroit’s year. They’ll beat Seattle for the pennant, while the Red Sox, A’s and Rangers round out the postseason.

9. DODGERS WIN THE WORLD SERIES

HERE’S WHY: The best roster wins over the long haul in baseball, and the Dodgers have exactly that. After several seasons of heartbreak, it’s time they bring home the big trophy. If not, Magic Johnson might have a heart attack. That guy wants to win it so, so bad. This is his year.