For the first time in nine years, the New York Yankees can call themselves the defending champions. As the first month of the season comes to a close, teams are starting to stake out their positions within their divisions. Keep in mind that the season is only beginning so the current standings are anything but permanent fixtures. Nevertheless, here is my division-by-division forecast for the 2010 campaign:

AL East Winner: Yankees

            After making the postseason last year with a team built on timely hitting, the “Big Three” (Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte) dominated their opposition in the postseason leading the Yankees to their 27th World Series. General Manager Brian Cashman didn’t sit back this winter basking in the postseason glory; he went out and traded for All-Star center fielder Curtis Granderson. Then Cashman proceeded to re-sign former Yankees starting pitcher Javier Vazquez and designated hitter Nick Johnson. The Yankees made these moves with the intent to get younger. Although the team parted with youthful centerfield Melky Cabrera, Granderson figures to be a mainstay in New York. Though the core of the team is aging, the franchise simply has too much talent to not anticipate another postseason appearance.

AL Central Winner: Twins

            Led by AL MVP Joe Mauer, the Twins were able to capture the division last season. Despite losing All-Star closer Joe Nathan to Tommy John Surgery for the season, the Twins should simply have too much talent and too much chemistry to be overthrown by their inferior division rivals.

AL West Winner: Mariners

            The most active team throughout baseball this offseason, the Mariners managed to snag Chone Figgins from their archrival, the Los Angeles Angels (OK, OK, of Anaheim). The team later went on to acquire former Cy Young Award Winner Cliff Lee in a three-team trade. For the first time since his rookie season, Ichiro looks excited about his team’s capabilities for the season. An example of the team’s good mixture of youth and experience can be found in the outfield: Ken Griffey Jr. (the active home run leader) and Franklin Gutierez.

AL Wild Card: Red Sox

            Boston ended its 2009 campaign with a sour taste in its mouth. After being thoroughly outplayed by the Angels, the team entered the offseason with questions surrounding some veteran leaders. The success of the team in 2010 will depend on the inconsistent bat of former superstar David Ortiz. After Ortiz struggled to make contact in the first half of the season last year, he busted out of the slump and feasted on pitchers after the All-Star Break. The Red Sox need Ortiz to produce year round. Highlighting a slight roster shake-up, the team managed to sign the best free agent pitcher available: John Lackey. Though their lineup will surely miss Jason Bay’s production, Victor Martinez will look to capitalize on his chances with a potential payday coming up.

NL East Winner: Phillies

            Mets fans are certain to blame the pick out of bias but when you look at the two teams’ track records for recent seasons, it seems undeniable that the Phillies hold the cards. While the Mets have a fair share of talent, durability has always been the more mysterious question. The Phillies, on the other hand, have managed to field the healthiest team in baseball since 2007. If the Mets do stay healthy (which may finally happen), I would not be surprised to see them snag the Wild Card.

NL Central Winner: Cardinals

            Any team that sports the greatest player on the face of the earth is sure to be competitive. In addition to Albert Pujols, the Cardinals also have arguably the best 1-2 punch in the Major Leagues. Chris Carpenter has been a mainstay in the running for the Cy Young award while Adam Wainwright finished 2009 with the most wins in the league.

 NL West Winner: Rockies

            Ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez owns the best memory of the young season so far. After throwing a no-hitter in only his third start of the season, he looks to continue his string of successful starts. While no team in this division seems to stand out, the Rockies have had recent success within the division in September.

NL Wild Card: Braves

            Rookie Jason Heyward is the most highly regarded rookie to enter the Major Leagues since Alex Rodriguez. Scouts gush about the 20-year-old’s plate discipline and work ethic like tween girls over Justin Bieber. With the capability to hit 40 HR and the speed to steal 40 bases, Jason Heyward is certainly a superstar in the making. Far from a one man show, the Braves also boast one of the deepest pitching rotations in the Major Leagues.

Postseason Prediction

Division Series:

Yankees over Twins

Mariners over Red Sox

Phillies over Rockies

Cardinals over Braves

Championship Series:

Yankees over Mariners

Cardinals over Phillies

World Series:

Yankees over Phillies

AL MVP: Ichiro NL MVP: Albert Pujols AL Cy Young: CC Sabathia NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay