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Our picks for the 2012 baseball season

Albert Pujols could inject live into the Angels’ playoff hopes. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

The Boston Globe’s team of baseball reporters offer their picks for how the 2012 MLB season will play out. Teams listed in predicted order of finish:

PETER ABRAHAM, baseball reporter

AL East

1. Tampa Bay — Athleticism and pitching are a winning combination in the post-steroids era.

2. New York

3. Boston

4. Toronto

5. Baltimore

AL Central

1. Detroit — In a weak division, the Tigers are loaded with Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Prince Fielder.

2. Cleveland

3. Minnesota

4. Kansas City

5. Chicago

AL West

1. Los Angeles — Albert Pujols adds offensive punch to their good pitching. Just what Mike Scioscia needed.

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2. Texas

3. Seattle

4. Oakland

Wild cards: Yankees, Rangers

NL East

1. Atlanta — Last year’s goats will slip by the battered Phillies.

2. Philadelphia

3. Miami

4. Washington

5. New York

NL Central

1. Cincinnati — Joey Votto is still in this division, back, unlike Pujols and Fielder.

2. Milwaukee

3. St. Louis

4. Chicago

5. Pittsburgh

6. Houston

NL West

1. Arizona — Old-school Kirk Gibson is building a powerful team.

2. Los Angeles

3. San Francisco

4. Colorado

5. Houston

Wild cards: Phillies, Dodgers

World Series — Angels over Braves

DAN SHAUGHNESSY, Globe columnist

AL East

1. New York — Unless the Steinbrenners buy Manchester United.

2. Tampa Bay

3. Toronto

4. Boston

5. Baltimore

AL Central

1. Detroit — The cars aren’t the only Motown product getting better.

2. Kansas City

3. Minnesota

4. Chicago

5. Cleveland

AL West

1. Los Angeles — Slightly more aggressive than Boston during the winter.

2. Texas

3. Seattle

4. Oakland

Wild cards: Tampa, Texas

NL East

1. Miami — Lots of guys taking their talents to South Beach.

2. Philadelphia

3. Atlanta

4. Washington

5. New York

NL Central

1. Milwaukee — Do the Brewers allow beer in the clubhouse?

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2. St. Louis

3. Cincinnati

4. Chicago

5. Pittsburgh

6. Houston

NL West

1. San Francisco — Buster, Melk-man, Kung Fu Panda — who doesn’t love those names?

2. Los Angeles

3. Arizona

4. San Diego

5. Colorado

Wild cards — Philadelphia, St. Louis

World Series — San Francisco over Detroit

MICHAEL VEGA, baseball reporter

AL East

1. Tampa – One through five, the rotation is the best in the division, quite possibly the league.

2. New York

3. Boston

4. Toronto

5. Baltimore

AL Central

1. Detroit — Prince Fielder provides offensive punch to go with a rotation led by the flame-throwing Justin Verlander.

2. Cleveland

3. Minnesota

4. Kansas City

5. Chicago

AL West

1. Los Angeles — With the acquisitions of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, Angels are well-positioned for a run to the Series.

2. Texas

3. Oakland

4. Seattle

Wild cards – New York, Texas.

NL East

1. Philadelphia — Strong starting pitching will be complemented by a strong closer in Jonathan Papelbon.

2. Washington

3. Miami

4. Atlanta

5. New York

NL Central

1. Cincinnati — All the ingredients, with hitting (Joey Votto) and pitching (free agent Mat Latos).

2. St. Louis

3. Milwaukee

4. Pittsburgh

5. Chicago

6. Houston

NL West

1. San Francisco — In a contract year, Tim Lincecum got bigger and stronger over the winter, which bodes well for the Giants.

2. Arizona

3. Colorado

4. Los Angeles

5. San Diego

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Wild cards – St. Louis, Arizona

World Series — Angels over Phillies.

TONY MASSAROTTI, Globe columnist

AL East

1. New York — May be the last rodeo for an aging group.

2. Boston

3. Tampa Bay

4. Toronto

5. Baltimore

AL Central

1. Detroit — Cabrera-Fielder tandem is the Ramirez-Ortiz of the present day.

2. Cleveland

3. Minnesota

4. Chicago

5. Kansas City

AL West

1. Los Angeles — AL’s best starting rotation now has Pujols for run support.

2. Texas

3. Oakland

4. Seattle

Wild cards: Angels, Red Sox

NL East

1. Philadelphia — Not as imposing as they were, but still darned good.

2. Miami

3. Washington

4. Atlanta

5. New York

NL Central

1. Milwaukee — Division has deteriorated, but Brewers still the best.

2. St. Louis

3. Cincinnati

4. Chicago

5. Pittsburgh

6. Houston

NL West

1. San Francisco — If Buster Posey stays healthy, offense will be good enough.

2. Arizona

3. Los Angeles

4. Colorado

5. San Diego

Wild cards: Marlins and Diamondbacks

World Series — Angels over Phillies