"Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack, I don't care if I never get back". In 1908 Albert Von Tilzer gave us one of the most memorable songs of all time, and since then we've been coming back every season. Ladies & gentlemen, the 2024 MLB season is shortly upon us, which means sports enthusiasts and bettors are in for another 162 seasonal games, and whether this absolutely excites you, or bores the hell out of you, there's always going to be some Major League action every day of the week. One of my most memorable quotes comes from the film, "The Sandlot" -- “Remember, kid. There are heroes and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you’ll never go wrong.” This season, while either right or wrong, we all hope to finish as legends at the end of what has been an exciting and interesting off-season in the world of baseball. So, grab your foam fingers and rally caps, because whether you're a die-hard fan or just here for the hot dogs, the 2024 MLB season promises to be a wild ride filled with curveballs, home runs, and more strikeouts than a first date gone wrong.

I'm sure you've all heard of baseball's modern-day star, Shohei Ohtani, and if you haven't, I'm unsure what rock you've been hiding under. In one of the biggest deals in MLB history, the already star-studded LA Dodgers acquired Ohtani in a blockbuster deal under a contract that calls for $2 million annual salaries and $68 million deferred each year without interest to be paid in $68 million installments between 2034 and 2043. In simple terms, Shohei Ohtani became a very wealthy man, while the Dodgers still figured a way to add more depth in the off-season. If you already didn't hate the Dodgers, I'm sure anyone outside of LA does now. Fast-forward to modern moments, it turns out Shohei Ohtani may be exactly like one of us, with MLB investigating allegations of illegal gambling, theft involving Ohtani and his interpreter. The IRS confirmed Thursday that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation and though it's not certain Ohtani played a huge role in this, it's quite interesting to see how this plays out for the all-star player, and even more so if he was throwing a few parlays down himself.

Now, we all like a little action on and off the books (He-he), But it should be interesting to see how this plays out with so much attention around the Dodgers. Now that we've caught up with the drama like we're a bunch of Kardashians, Here's a little insight on the rest of the upcoming MLB season.

In the AL East, it's going to be a hard-fought battle between all teams as the season prevails, more so between the Orioles, Yankees, and Rangers. The Orioles have some amazing young talent, and though the Yankees also have a star-studded roster, we have to give the edge to Baltimore, who finished up top with 101 wins last season. Though Tampa could sneak from behind, Wander Franco will probably never see the Major League again, and with the loss of some remarkable talent, they should slowly fade somewhere into the middle of the AL East.

In the AL Central, it's not going to be pretty, but the Minnesota Twins shouldn't have much trouble finishing up at the top with how weak their competition is. After finishing nine games ahead of everyone else last year, they were the only team with a winning record, and we imagine they'll continue that trend coming into this season, with very little improvements coming from the rest of the teams. With the White Sox rebuilding, Kansas City's inconsistency, Detroit's lack of urgency, and Cleveland's decline, this should be an easy one for the Twins to win.

As for the AL West predictions, until we see the Houston Astros slow down, it's hard to not recognize how consistent they've been. Though we're all a little tired of seeing "Mattress Mac" throw down millions of dollars every year on futures, and a team caught using signs continue to prevail, it's hard to take away from their talent. The Rangers could keep this one interesting, but with Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom out for at least a few months, they'll take a strong pitching hit. Expect the Mariners to sit somewhere in the middle, making it competitive, While the Angels and the Athletics sink to the bottom.

In the National League and the NL East, The Atlanta Braves and Phillies are going to battle head-to-head all season long. Ronald Acuña Jr, Austin Riley and Matt Olson are all MVP players, and the Braves have arguably the best overall team in the MLB in terms of offense. The Philadelphia Phillies didn't really make any major moves this off-season, if at all, but that doesn't take away from the fact they're still an 85+ win team in the eyes of most.

The NL Central isn't amazing, and this will be up and down all season long. Expect the Cubs, Cardinals and Reds to trade positions all season long, and with Coach Bellinger, we'll slightly give the edge to the Cubs here. With the addition of some pitching in St. Louis this year, they should look to edge slightly upward this year. The Reds also made some improvements, making this a very close division.

Lastly, we're at the NL West. Clearly, this is the Dodgers division; they own it, and they'll finish anywhere between 95 and 105 wins. We'd expect some growing pains, but there's no denying this is the best roster in the MLB on both sides of the field. I'd like to give some credit to other teams competing here, but it's honestly just a shame what they're going to have to put up with this season. Could this be the best roster ever assembled? We'll slowly see if all the money will pay off.

If you made it this far, remember, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. This article was about as long as the MLB season will be, so remember to pace yourself, and more importantly enjoy yourself. Let's all have a great year, and more importantly, and profitable year!