It’s finally here. The time of year for which everyone’s been waiting . Baseball. The 1997 Major League Baseball season ironically began yesterday on April Fool’s Day. Well then it must be time once again for me to save you a lot of time and trouble by telling you how the season will come out.

Yep, I’m grabbing my crystal ball and pointy hat and tossing out some predictions for the ’97 season. But unlike some other cowardly prognosticators who only give you one or two measly predictions I’m throwing out 20. So here we go.

20) Baseball will continue to go commissioner-less. Why should the owner’s do anything to limit their power? Acting commissioner-for-life Bud Selig will continue to fill in.

19) Cincinnati Reds center fielder Deion “Prime Time” Sanders will go back on his word to both the Reds and Cowboys and miss at least one football game.

18) By the all-star break, last year’s emotional hero and manager of the year, Joe Torre of the Yankees, will be in danger of being fired by Steinbrenner.

17) The Pirates will sell or trade all remaining talent, and instead decide to stage monster truck rallies. Fans in Pittsburgh fail to notice.

16) The 162 game season will draw serious fan interest for 20 games. The first 10 and the last 10.

15) The Braves, the self-appointed “team of the ’90s,” (they even put it on their ’95 World Series rings), will not win the World Series this year and will get a serious challenge for the division from the Florida Marlins.

14) The Mariners will win the AL.

13) Interleague play will show mixed success. Do you really think a Tigers/Phillies match-up will draw much excitement in August?

12) Third base, short stop, it doesn’t matter. The Cal Ripken streak will continue.

11 )Following the trend of Coors Field in Colorado and Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Wrigley Field will be renamed “Colt .45 Park.”

10) Roger Clemens will make everyone in America do a double take every time he appears in a Toronto uniform.

9) The Indians will regret the Kenny Lofton deal.

8) Conversely new Indian Dave Justice will continue to regret divorcing Halle Berry.

7) The Tigers will improve from last season’s 109 losses, but still be eliminated from the playoffs by the all-star break.

6) Alex Rodriguez will win the AL MVP. Something he should have won last season.

5) Hideki Irabu will come down from his demands to play only in America for the Yankees.

4) Fans will continue to appear at regular season games disguised as empty seats.

3) Wilton Guerrero will become the Dodger’s sixth consecutive rookie of the year.

2) For the second consecutive year, the World Series will be played.

1) The Los Angeles Dodgers finally will play up to their potential and win the World Series.

And there you go. Clip this out and stick it on your fridge.

I guarantee that by October you’ll be amazed.

Until then, play ball.

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KEVIN PETTY is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Carlisle.