I'm going to do separate posts predicting what will happen in each division in Major League Baseball this season. This first one will be about the National League East. My predictions about the rest of the National League, the American League and the playoffs will come soon after.
Alright, let's get to it. And since I am a sane human being, I'll take the Phillies to win the division. There is no bigger lock for any team to win its division than Philidelphia. The Phillies have better pitching, hitting and defense than every other team in the East. They have the lineup of an American League team, and a 1-2 punch in Halladay and Hamels that can stand up to anyone. Placido Polanco is a nice addition to one of the best infields in baseball, and can get on base, setting the table for Utley, Howard, and Ibanez. This team is primed for a run in the playoffs.
While which team might win the division isn't really in question, which team might finish second is. And with that said, I believe the Atlanta Braves will finish in that spot. With a full season of Tommy Hunter and Tim Hudson coming back to the rotation that already has Jair Jurrjens and Derek Lowe, Atlanta's staff can match up with almost any team in the National League. We've all heard about super phenom Jason Heyward, but we can't forget about Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, Yunel Escobar, and Nate McLouth. If Troy Glaus can bounce back from injury and put up decent numbers, the Braves will make an interesting push towards October.
Next in the division will be the Florida Marlins, one of the best young teams in baseball. Some people think they can make the postseason this year, but I believe they are one starting pitcher and a closer short. Hanley Ramirez is the best shortstop in baseball, Chris Coghlan is just coming off a Rookie of the Year season, and Jorge Cantu has been solid for the past two years in Florida. The offense is not the problem in Miami. Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco are two good young pitchers, but they aren't enough to take the Marlins into the playoffs. And nobody can convince me that Leo Nunez is solid enough to get at least 25 saves. Maybe next year for this club.
Fourth place will belong to every one's favorite dysfunctional mess, the New York Mets. What isn't wrong with this team? All of its players seemingly get injured at least once, it has one reliable starter in a pitchers' park, and Daniel Murphy is playing first. And if you haven't seen him play the position, to describe it in a word would be, terrible. Jason Bay is a good addition, but for a club that is in contention for anything, which the Mets are not. David Wright will not be able to carry this team very far, even with Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, whenever they start the season. Expect both Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya to be fired at some point this season.
Lastly, there are the Washington Nationals, who just flat out stink. Ryan Zimmerman is the only player currently on the Major League roster who fans can hang their hats on. Everyone knows about Stephen Strasburg, but he won't be on the team long enough to save it. The best this team can hope for is to get enough production out of its players in contract years (ex. Adam Dunn) so it will receive first round compensatory picks in the next draft.
So that's it for the National League East. Phillies, Braves, Marlins, Mets, and Nationals, in that order. Mark it down.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)