Pipe Dream’s resident baseball expert, Evan Drellich, lays down some predictions about the 2008 season, but in the interest of fair and balanced coverage, Sports Editor Mark Macyk offers his take where he differs with the boy wonder.

NL East: Forget what Jimmy Rollins or Carlos Beltran say — the Mets are the team to beat. Injuries, always, can change everything, and already Pedro Martinez is out four to six weeks, joining Moises Alou in the gallery. But Santana’s acquisition makes the Mets one of the league’s only mid-90-win teams.

Second opinion: With the addition of Santana all the Amazins need to win the division is a couple of corner outfielders, a catcher and a closer. For the second straight season the NL East banner will go to the Phillies, unless of course the Nationals keep up on their 162-0 pace.

NL Central: Kosuke Fukudome might actually be the real deal, but then again, Kazuo Matsui homered in his first major league game as well, and we all know how long it took him to get established. Still, his presence makes the Cubs lineup top-3 in the league, even if the tragedy that is Kerry Wood’s career might make for temporary uncertainty in the bullpen.

Second opinion: Every season everyone picks the Cubs, and every season the North Siders disappoint. This year, Cubbies misery is extending by a late-season run by the Reds.

NL West: Dan Haren’s acquisition alongside Webb gives the D-Backs two true aces, and if Micah Owings can pitch like he hits and Randy Johnson can prove he can still be serviceable, the Diamondbacks have a front four that rivals the Mets’. A lot falls on a rebound from Stephen Drew and a breakout from Justin Upton.

NL Wildcard: Sorry, Philadelphia fans living in 2007 and Atlanta fans living in the 90s, the wild card is coming out of The Queen City. The combination of youth and talent the Reds are fielding rivals the Devil Rays, and if Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Edwin Encarnacion get some mid-season help from minor league studs Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey, you could be watching The Little Red Machine That Could. Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang’s presence atop the rotation doesn’t hurt either.

Second opinion: The Wild Card is coming out of the NL East. And it will be the Mets.

AL East: In baseball, it’s never true that the previous season’s champion is always the team to beat — see the 2007 Cardinals. But Boston remains the American League’s best team, particularly with the Yankees throwing still unproven but talented pitchers out there most days of the week. Clay Bucholz will be better than Phil Hughes.

Second opinion: The Sawx will win the division, but the only thing Bucholz does better than Hughes is steal laptops.

AL Central: Detroit has a lineup reminiscent of the Yankees’ from five years ago, with Gary Sheffield to boot. Their bullpen is shaky with Zumaya injured, which might allow Cleveland to make the race interesting, but good hitting can and does win regular season games. In the postseason, Justin Verlander should have a chance to show that he is the league’s best pitcher — if he doesn’t throw the ball away a la October 2006. And D-Train can only get better.

AL West: The California Angels missed out on Miguel Cabrera but nonetheless have the division’s most solid team, a feat they seem to be accomplishing perennially, no offense to the Oakland teams of yore. Do not buy the Mariners’ hype: They actually allowed more runs (5.02) than they scored (4.90) last season en route to a second-place, 88-win finish. Erik Bedard’s good, but he alone can’t repeat that magic trick.

AL Wildcard: The Yankees missing the playoffs? With that kind of payroll? They’ll edge Cleveland, but it make take some deadline acquisitions to do so. Joba Rules, at least out of the pen.

AL MVP: A-Rod may have used steroids at one point, or may have just looked into it. Either way, he’s still a freak on the field, if not a venal narcissist off.

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander gets his due with Johan Santana in the senior circuit.

Second opinion: Fausto Carmona should keep the Indians in the Wild Card race until the end.

AL Rookie of the Year: Clay Bucholz if healthy. Yankees and Red Sox young’uns always get love from the voters.

Second opinion: Joba Chamberlain’s projected numbers 10-0, 11 saves, 15 Ks per nine innings, 1 war in Iraq ended, 2 cures for AIDS.

NL MVP: Day-vid WRIGHT! Not the league’s best player, but on the league’s best team, he’s got a chance to reach stardom that might make even Derek Jeter jealous.

NL Cy Young: The question isn’t whether Johan Santana wins the Cy Young, it’s whether he throws the Mets’ first perfect game and leads them to a World Series on the way.

Second opinion: Chase Utley. A little known fact is that the NL MVP can only go to a Philly.

NL Rookie of the Year: Flip a coin. Florida’s Andrew Miller is probably the most talented young pitcher to come out of spring training with a spot in the rotation, so he’s my bet, but the NL’s laden with young talent. Maybe one of the many A-ball players the Giants are calling major leaguers this year amasses decent numbers in an undeserved 500 at-bats and earns the award out of pity for the Barry-burdened club. Justin Upton is incredibly young.

Second opinion: Kosuke Fukudome. Not only fun to say, but fun to watch!

World Series: Mets over Tigers, six games, in a matchup that should have ended the 2006 season. Sends Shea to the wrecking ball properly. All-Star Game: NL over AL, 12-7. Sends Yankee Stadium to the wrecking ball properly.

Second opinion: Tigers sweep Diamondbacks. The D-Backs get there after Carlos Beltran forgets to run to first base after finally drawing that elusive walk in Game 7 of the NLCS.