Today is a day of optimism.

Unless, of course, you are an Oakland Athletics’ or Seattle Mariners’ fan — your day of optimism was March 29.

It’s Opening Day (sort of), a time when every team in Major League Baseball has a chance and every baseball fan is giddy with excitement.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of those teams with a chance. They open up at PNC Park today against the cross-state rival Philadelphia Phillies with a sense that this year may be

the year.For most teams,

the year means a World Series title. But for the Bucs, it means a winning season.Baby steps, people. Baby steps.A winning season for the Pirates isn’t crazy talk. Very few teams have a bullpen as deep as the Buccos.If Erik Bedard can stay healthy and A.J. Burnett can come back and pitch anywhere near the level the N.Y. Yankees paid him $19 million a year to pitch, the Pirates may not only have a winning season, but may contend for, gasp, a division title.I’ll give you a few minutes to let that sink in before I continue ...Here are some other fearless predictions for this season:•

The Toronto Blue Jays will make the playoffs.Thank Bud Selig for that.The commissioner spearheaded the drive to increase the playoff pool to five in each league, with two Wild Card teams meeting in a one-game playoff to move on.The Blue Jays will snag one of those two Wild Card spots — with an 84-78 record. In the one-game playoff, they will meet the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who will win 99 games.During the course of a 162-game season, the Angels will have proven to be the superior team, but will lose to the Jays 1-0 because anything can happen in one game.Thanks again, Bud, for boiling a grinding six-month season into one three-hour game.•

The Cincinnati Reds will win the National League Central.The Reds will win it almost by default. They have the best talent in a weak division.•

The Houston Astros will lose 120 games.Have you seen the ’Stros projected lineup. When Carlos Lee is by far your best player, you have problems.•

Dustin Pedroia will win the AL MVP.He was my first pick in my fantasy baseball league, so he better be the MVP.•

Joey Votto will win the NL MVP.And he won’t need performance enhancers to do it.Andrew McCutchen will finish fourth in the balloting.•

The Texas Rangers will win the World Series over the Reds.The third time is the charm for Texas.•

The Pirates will go 82-80 and finish in third place in the NL Central.It is Opening Day, after all. Optimism is in abundance.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.