Drum roll, please! It’s that time of year again folks, a time when every team in baseball feels like they have a shot at the pennant and a time when fans everywhere are gearing up for the first pitch on opening day. It is also that time of year when I make my fearless prognostications regarding the upcoming season. Last year, I didn’t do too badly. I picked most divisional winners, except the Cardinals, but bombed out completely in picking who would play in the World Series. I figured Yankees/Mets. Shows you how much I know. With last year’s track record in mind, let’s get on to 2007. In the National League East, fans should be in for an interesting pennant chase. The Mets ran away with the division last year, even with suspect pitching. This year, the pitching is even more suspect. Pedro Martinez is on the shelf; Tom Glavine is yet another year older; and beyond that, the pickings get pretty slim. Granted, New York will score tons of runs. From top to bottom, the Mets’ lineup is loaded with talent. Still, the question is, can they score enough runs to counterbalance what looks like a very inadequate starting rotation.

The Phillies disappointed fans yet again last season. The team is talented and balanced in terms of offense and pitching. Philadelphia figures to be even stronger this season. Young phenom Ryan Howard took MVP honors in 2006 while blasting 58 homers. The rest of the lineup is loaded with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, and Aaron Rowand leading the way.

Atlanta missed the post-season for the first time in 15 years last season. There is a good chance the Braves will be playing golf again in October this season. Although Atlanta is stocked with young talent like Jeff Francouer and Brian McCann, the Braves’ pitching staff is questionable. Beyond John Smoltz, manager Bobby Cox will again spend much of the summer scratching his head, wondering just what makeshift rotation might work best. Tim Hudson, the No. 2 starter, continues to be an inconsistent enigma. One week he might look like the reincarnation of Bob Gibson. In his next start, Hudson might have trouble striking out my grandmother. Beyond Smoltz and Hudson, things look grim. Mike Hampton is still on board and still making tons of money. He is also still woefully tentative on the mound, a carry over from his days pitching in the rarified air of Coors Field. As for the bullpen, things are in disarray. The addition of Lance Cormier should help, but Bob Wickman is not the long-term solution at closer. Wickman, in fact, is not the short term solution.

The surprise team in the East might just be Florida. The Marlins, loaded with young talent, snuck up on the rest of the league in 2006 and remained in playoff contention until late September. Figure the Fish to only be better in 2007. Washington still has a long way to go.

My take on the situation is as follows: Philadelphia will win the division, followed by the Mets, and Atlanta coming in third. The Marlins might beat out the Braves, but they will have to play over their heads again.

Over in the Central Division, thing are even more hazy. This is probably the weakest division in baseball, with each team possessing glaring weaknesses. All of this may prove good news for Cubs fans.

Chicago spent more money on players over the winter than Emelda Marcos did on shoes in her entire lifetime. The question remains, however, will all of this free spending be enough to advance the Cubbies deep into the post-season.

New manager Lou Piniella, like his predecessor Dusty Baker, is currently trying to solve the riddle of what to do with his two often-injured super-star-should-have-beens. I’m talking about Mark Prior and Kelly Wood. Prior may end up the bullpen, along with Wood who is now the closer. Prior has never made is through a season without an injury and Wood is as fragile as an antique vase. Just when it looked like Wood was ready to have a solid spring, he pulled a muscle in his chest. He didn’t suffer this injury firing a fastball past a hitter. He did it by slipping when climbing out of a hot tub.

Carlos Zambrano is the ace, followed by two new additions, Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly. Zambrano is a proven commodity, but Marquis and Lilly are mediocre at best.

Offensively, the Cubs, like the Mets, should score a lot of runs.

The rest of the division is very iffy. St. Louis is older by the day, and Houston still lacks offensive punch. Further, the Astros lost Andy Pettite and may lose Roger Clemens as well. That leaves Roy Oswalt and a prayer.

Milwaukee may be the surprise entry in the Central. The Brewers have balance at the plate and on the mound. Manager Ned Yost seems to have a knack for getting the most out of young players, so don’t be surprised if the Brew Crew makes a bit of noise in 2007, maybe finishing as high as second.

The Pirates figure to be a little better, but only a little.

My prediction: Chicago wins the division by 10 games, followed by the Cardinals, the Brewers, and the Astros. Pittsburg brings up the rear.

Out west, as I mentioned in my last column, all of the teams appear to be improved. Los Angeles, with perhaps the best pitching staff in the National League, should win the West Division this season. The Dodgers are a streaky team, winning and losing games in bunches. Still, with a solid rotation and strong bullpen, Los Angeles should hold off the Padres, who I figure will come in second. These two teams fought it out down to the wire last season, with the Padres eventually winning the division. My belief is that Arizona will take third place this season. Brandon Webb is an ace starter and Randy Johnson’s return to the desert should also be of benefit. The Big Unit is not what he used to be, but he can still bring the gas when needed.

The Giants are also a streaky team, in addition to having the most aged roster in the Major Leagues. The circus following Barry Bonds’ chase of Hank Aaron’s homerun crown should be a major distraction, at least enough to drop the Giants to fourth place.

Colorado could be a surprise, however. The Rockies went with an all-out youth movement three years ago and those youngsters are now coming of age. It would not surprise me in the least for Colorado to overtake the Giants for fourth.

What about the American League. That’s for next week. Stay tuned.