The baseball season is underway and there's no better time to take a look at the National League. First up, the NL East:
Few people picked the Phillies to win the 2008 World Series, but looking at their roster, it should not have been much of a surprise. The Phillies boasted a great core of talent with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. They also have their pitching staff returning, who include young star Cole Hamels, veteran Brett Myers and the ageless wonder that is Jamie Moyer
Last season everything seemed to go right for the Phillies. They got a brilliant season out of closer Brad Lidge who did not blow a single save in 41 opportunities. Shane Victorino became a household name and a fan favorite amongst the Philadelphia faithful after having a great season. The lineup got even better this offseason with the addition of Raul Ibanez who is replacing long-time Phillies player, Pat Burrell. If the Phillies core group of players remains healthy they can be a threat to go deep in October again.
The Mets have one of the most talent-packed teams in all of baseball. The left side of their infield is stellar with Jose Reyes and David Wright. Carlos Beltran, who is one of the best centerfielders in baseball, anchors their outfield. The fact that the Mets have been left out of the playoff picture is puzzling. The last few seasons, the Mets have had a hard time finishing the season strong. This offseason, they may have found a way to get over the hump.
The Mets signed two great relievers in JJ Putz and Francisco Rodriguez, who effectively make each game a seven-inning contest. Johan Santana is still one of the game's best starters and an undeniable ace. The questions come after Santana. The Mets re-signed Oliver Perez who is inconsistent but at times great. John Maine and Mike Pelfrey also need to step up to help the Mets win. The Mets also bolstered their lineup (and hurt their defense) with the signing of Gary Sheffield. The Mets' offseason acquisitions should propel them to the top of the NL East.
The Florida Marlins have a knack for developing talented players. The team is also great at getting rid of them. This year the leaders of this team can be found in its middle infielders Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez. While he is just 26, Ramirez is the leader of this team and has managed to establish himself as one of the best players in the game. The Marlins are sending out the immensely talented Cameron Maybin to play center field.
The young pitching staff will be lead by Ricky Nolasco who was able to win 15 games for the Marlins last season. Despite the team's youth and a schedule packed with talented NL East teams like the Mets and Phillies, they managed to finish last season above the .500 mark and will likely hover close, but likely below that mark this upcoming season as the division has improved more than they have.
The Atlanta Braves finished with a disappointing record of 72-90 last season and this offseason sought out a solution. They came up with Derek Lowe. Lowe, who is fit for a second spot in the rotation, is the staff's ace. Lowe will not be a cure for what ails the Braves but it was a move they needed to make.
The success of the Braves, on the offensive end, comes down to another consistent year from Chipper Jones and a return to form from Jeff Francoeur. Brian McCann, the Braves' power hitting catcher also has to continue to hit the ball out of Turner Field. The days of the Braves and Mets battling for the top spot in the division are over for the moment, but may return in the future with young stars like McCann and starter Jair Jurrjens, who won 13 games in '08 at just 22 years old.
Last - and unfortunately least - we come to our Washington Nationals. Last season the Nats were the owners of baseball's worst record. This offseason they looked to land the big free agent to help turn around their fortunes and got Adam Dunn instead. Dunn will give the Nationals 40 home runs and 100 RBI's, which will probably translate to a few more wins but nothing to shoot them up in the standings.
The Nationals are banking a lot on their young players developing into future stars. Their outfield is full of players like Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes who have been marked as top prospects in the past. Whether they will deliver as they have been expected to remains to be seen. The rotation is also very young. There is no one over the age of 30 in their starting five. The Nats added Orioles' cast-off Daniel Cabrera to the mix who throws hard but has trouble finding the strike zone. Hopefully, the Nats will develop talent the same ways the Rays have managed to. Unfortunately, that means we have to suffer through some losing seasons.
NL East Champion: New York Mets
Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies
You can reach this staff writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
