The 2012 MLB season is upon us.

The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics opened play in Japan this morning and each team in baseball enters the year with a different set of goals and expectations.

For some, it’s World Series or bust. For others, just getting to .500 would be enough reason to throw a parade.

The Pittsburgh Pirates land squarely in the “others” category, but that doesn’t mean the Buccos won’t make the long-awaited jump from pretender to contender.

I can understand why some are hesitant to truly believe in the Pirates. After all, there are kids in college who have never seen their beloved Bucs enjoy a winning season, never mind actually play in October.

However, Pittsburgh’s chances are better than ever — or at least since the turn of the century — to compete for a playoff spot.

Sure, the Pirates are flawed and have holes in the roster. But the same can be said for every team in the NL Central.

Superstar first baseman Albert Pujols left the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals over the offseason, while starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is sidelined indefinitely.

The defending division champion Milwaukee Brewers lost slugging first baseman Prince Fielder to the Detroit Tigers and NL MVP Ryan Braun has struggled this spring after battling accusations of using performance-enhancing drugs.

The Cincinnati Reds might be the most balanced team in the division, but endured a big blow to their chances with newly acquired closer Ryan Madson going down for the season with injury.

The Chicago Cubs aren’t expected to be much of a factor this season and it would shock me if the Houston Astros didn’t end up among the bottom-five teams in all of baseball.

The Pirates aren’t favored to win the NL Central — and rightfully so — but with 19 games against each of these far-from-perfect teams, the elusive 81-win mark is within reach. The addition of a second wild-card playoff spot gives Pittsburgh even more hope for an unlikely postseason run.

Last season, the competition was better and the Bucs managed to sit atop the standings in July, ahead of the Cardinals and Brewers, who eventually squared off in the NLCS. Yes, an epic collapse soon followed, but it was an experience the Pirates can build on.

Outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata are signed long term, reassuring the players that management is legitimately trying to build a winner.

Sometimes, confidence is half the battle.

Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks weren’t supposed to win the NL West. Two seasons ago, the San Francisco Giants weren’t on anyone’s radar to win the World Series. In 2008, the previously pathetic Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant.

There is more parity in baseball than the sport is given credit for and spring is a time for hope.

Maybe this year, it’s Pittsburgh’s turn to shock the world.

Jason Orfao is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.