So the next time I write, one actual, for-reals game will be in the books.

My friend Lar is doing a predictions contest, where you can pick every team's win total, the major award winners, and the playoff results. I did that. You should do it too. Rather than rehash those predictions here, though, here are some random predictions I can look back on and laugh at later:

• Justin Upton will emerge as one of the top players in the National League. I'm thinking something like CHONE's rather optimistic projection, but with many more homers (maybe 35?).
  
• Those punchless, defense-first Red Sox will finish in the top three in the AL in runs.
  
• There will be at least one 90-game winner in every division except the AL West (someone in the much-maligned AL Central will win at least 92 -- you can probably guess which one I'd bet on). No team will win 100.
  
• Adrian Gonzalez will be in a new uniform by July 15. But it won't be the Red Sox or Yankees'.
  
• Joe Mauer will be the best player in the American League for the fourth year in the last five, but will fail to win his second MVP because his HR total will be roughly half of 2009's 28. Chase Utley will be in the NL's best three but finish out of the top 8 (and well behind his vastly inferior teammate Ryan Howard), like always.
  
• Speaking of Howard, he'll fall short of 40 homers (say, 38 or 39) for the first time since 2005.
  
• Adam Dunn will be a DH someplace by the trade deadline, thereby restoring order to the universe. Cristian Guzman will be a starting 2B someplace else.
  
• The Twins will eventually panic and make a trade for a Proven Closer. I won't be happy.
  
• Ricky Nolasco will post a lower ERA than Johan Santana.
  
• Tim Hudson will pitch more innings than Jake Peavy; Rich Harden will pitch more innings than Ben Sheets or Brandon Webb. 
  
• David Wright, David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre will each outhomer Jason Bay.