Twelve Bold MLB Predictions for 2012

As the new year dawns, and we are still a month plus away from pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, I wanted to throw out twelve bold predictions for the 2012 MLB season.  For accountability's sake, I will be sure to revisit these after the season.

1. The St. Louis Cardinals will be the first repeat world champions since the Yankees three-peated it in 1998-2000. 
2. Albert Pujols, however, will not be participating in the 2012 playoffs.
3. Neither will the New York Yankees.
4. Adam Dunn will lead the majors in home runs.  And then he will pull a tree out of the ground with his bare hands.
5. Last year's American League Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander will have a rough season, and will disappoint zillions of fantasy general managers.  And his actual general manager.
6. Only a year removed from Tommy John surgery, Adam Wainwright will surprise everyone by winning not only Comeback Player of the Year, but the National League Cy Young Award to boot.
7. With Pujols now out of the National League, Matt Kemp will be the first player to win the offensive triple crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 (the first national leaguer since Joe Medwick in 1937!)
8. With a highly-combustible manager, a quickly blooming controversy over the shortstop position, and numerous young, social media loving players, The Miami Marlins will provide excellent off-the-field entertainment value throughout the season.
9. The surprise team of the year will be the Kansas City Royals who will challenge for the American League Central division title.
10. Joe Mauer will stay healthy for the entire 2012, and will win the American League batting title. 
11. Ryan Howard, on the other hand, will not play a game before June.
12. With the soon advent of more interleague play, Bud Selig will finally do away with the Designated Hitter (if I keep saying it, maybe it will happen...)