Yes.

And the first Spring Training games are today, Feb. 28, 2021.

Opening Day is scheduled for April 1. (Hopefully that will not turn into an April Fools’ Day hoax.)

Despite some concerns about less interest in baseball this year, there seemed to be good support for continuing the MillersTime Baseball Contests.

So here we go with the four contests for this year:

2021 MillersTime Baseball Contests

Contest #1:

How will the COVID-19 virus affect the 2021 MLB season? Include some Overall Predictions as well as some Specific Ones. Creativity is encouraged. I’ll choose the five best submissions and have MillersTime baseball contestants vote on the winner.

Prize: Your choice of one of these books: The 25 Best Baseball Books of All Times.

Contest #2:

Pick your favorite MLB team (or the team you know the best) and outline how they will do in the 2021 season compared to last year. Again, include both general predictions and specific ones in your submission and your reasons for those predictions.

Prize: Join me for a Nats’ game next year, or I’ll get tickets and try to join you for a regular season game of a team of your choice anywhere you choose.

Contest #3:

Fill in the Blank:

In 2021:

1. Which teams will have the most wins in the AL & NL__________________ ___________________
2. Which team will be the King of New York _______________________(Tim M.)
3. Number of hitters who will strike out more than 200 times (three did in 2018, none did that in 2019)_________________(Zach H.)
4. Who will be the Manager of the Year in either the AL or NL (name one) _________________
5. Which Al & NL teams will have the most improved record from 2020­­­­­­­­­­___________________ ___________________

True /False:

In 2021:

6.______Every team below the league average in payroll (currently $118,485,369) will miss the playoffs. (These teams currently are the Twins, Reds, Rockies, Diamondbacks, Royals, A’s, Rangers, Brewers, Tigers, Mariners, Rays, Marlins, Orioles, Pirates & Indians). (Zach H.)

7.______Dodgers & Padres will combine to win 200 or more games. (Dawn W.)

8.______There will be more HRs in 2021 on per game basis than in 2019 or 2018. (In 2019–6,776 home runs, all-time high for MLB. Broke previous record (2017) by 671 homers for an average of 1.39 homers per team game. (In 2018–5,585 home runs for an average of 1.15 homers per team game (Steve K.)

9.______No MLB Team will play all 162 games.

10.______No MLB pitcher will have an ERA below 2.00.

Prize: Join me for a Nats’ game next year, or if you’re not able to make it to DC, perhaps I can make it to where you live, and we’ll see a regular season game together.

Contest #4:

Assuming there is a World Series in 2021,

1. Name the two teams who will make it into the WS
2. Which one will win?
3. In How many games?
4. Explain in some detail what will be the biggest specific factor determining the winner?
5. Tie-Breaker: AL & NL Division winners?

Prize: One ticket to the 2022 World Series or two tickets to the 2022 All Star Game in Los Angeles.

Additional Details:

1. All winners and those whose questions were chosen for this contest get the ‘one-of-a kind,’ specially designed and updated MillersTime Baseball Winner T-Shirt.
2. Enter as many or as few of the contests as you want.
3. If you get a friend (or foe) to participate in these contests, and he or she wins and mentions your name in the submission, you’ll get a choice of receiving one the 25 best baseball books as your prize.
4. Any two-generation submission that wins will get a special prize.
5. GET YOUR PREDICTIONS IN EARLY. In case of a tie, the individual who submitted his/her prediction first will be the winner. In previous years, this has been a factor in declaring a winner.
6. Submissions should be sent to me by email: Samesty84@gmail.com

Deadline for Submissions: Opening Day, noon (EST) April 1