(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

With the 2009 season just a week away, it's time to get ready for it, it's time to have expectations for our teams and all the baseball teams out there. Lets look at what the top baseball writers and our community leaders think.

We would love to know who you think is going to win; just write in a comment and vote on the poll to show who you think will be the 2009 World Series champion. But don’t forget, when it is all over we will see who has the true baseball smarts.   

David Marine-Senior Writer. Mets fan

As a Mets lifer, my heart wants to say the Mets, but because my brain is fully functioning I have to choose another team. It pains me to say this but I think this is the year the Yankees get A-Rod his first ring. I know, I know, A-Rod & championship just don't go together, but the Yanks are coming off a horrible season and they have a chip on their shoulder for the first time in a decade.

They made the moves they needed to make to improve their starting pitching, and if AJ Burnett wins 15 games this season for them he's well worth the money. A rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Joba, Wang & Petite is as good as any if they're all on their A game. Their bullpen is solid with Rivera and I think we all know their offense can score
runs.

Come July 31st, I think we'll also see them make some big moves to add another arm to their bullpen and don't be surprised if Matt Holliday is in pinstripes come August 1st. So my official pick is the Yankees, which on the bright side almost guarantees that they won't win.

Shane Howard-Senior Writer. Yankees fan

World Series will be Yankees v. Cubs with Yankees taking the series to prolong the Cubs winless streak. This is the year the Yankees go back to the top of the world.

Brett Lissenden-Columnist. Washington Nationals

My pre-season pick is the Cubs. I think they learned last postseason how quickly your playoff dreams can be squashed and they were one of the best teams in the regular season for most of the year. I think they focus their season on the playoffs and won't be as impressive in the regular season, but then really turn it on in the playoffs.

J.C. Ayvazi-Columnist. Dodgers fan

Continuing my streak that started in 1971, I am picking the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series. They've come close a handful of times and the couple of times they did win were glorious.

Manny or no Manny, young starting staff, controversy swirling around the manager—it doesn't matter. I say proudly, Los Angeles Dodgers 2009 World Champions.

Bob Warja-Senior Writer, Ranked No. one in MLB, Cubs fan

My picks for the 2009 WS: Red Sox (AL) vs. Mets (NL)

A New York World Series team from a Chicago writer/fan? Sounds blasphemous, I know, but I have set aside my personal feelings and tried to think about this objectively. First of all, I like the moves the Bronx Bombers made this offseason.

I know it sounds like an easy pick considering the money they spent, but it's been proven you can't buy championships. And with the distractions caused by the A-Rod steroid reports, I just think they will fall short again.

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