In baseball there’s plenty of time for the cream to rise.

The 2018 Major League baseball begins today, on March 29, and unless you follow one of seven or eight power teams you likely won’t have much to cheer about come October.

The NCAA one-and-done tournament gives us the best chance for the favorites to fall, and still two No. 1 seeds are going to San Antonio this weekend. Baseball has a 162-game regular season, and if your team is not built to win over the long haul, forget about it. Don’t believe that “hope springs eternal” stuff.

I have followed teams that, looking back, had no chance. That’s why you can walk up on opening day and get a ticket at their ball parks. Why the weather and the smell of roasted peanuts and hot dogs may draw fans during the summer, when purists like to watch a ball game and don’t really care who wins.

But once the temperatures drop again, the grand stands and box seats don’t fill up for teams that are going nowhere. So which are the power clubs with a chance to play in October? This season may have fewer surprises than ever.

In the American League, it’s the Astros, Yankees and Indians favored to win their divisions and the Red Sox taking one of the wild card berths. At least there should be some drama over who earns that second wild card.

The defending world champion Astros had the best team last year and have gotten better this season by adding Gerrit Cole to the lights-out pitching staff. They win the AL West in another romp. The Indians also have the same ball club back and are healthier now. They are big favorites to win the AL Central again. The Yankees have the most power, adding Giancarlo Stanton, and the Red Sox have the highest payroll now that J.D. Martinez will bolster the listless lineup of 2017. The Duke-Carolina of baseball will play of 19 head-to-headers. What fun.

In the National League, things may change if Bryce Harper bolts for a $400 million contract after the season. But again the rich get richer, with the Dodgers, Nationals and Cubs winning their divisions and the Cardinals leading the wild card chase.

So consider yourself lucky if you root for one of those eight teams, and if you’re from perennial Palookaville, find a ball club with some chance to win, because over 162 games those that don’t will be out of their pennant races by Memorial Day.