The Major League Baseball season gets underway on April 4. But before all the fireworks, the seventh-inning stretches, the awe-strucking homers, the captivating steals, hustle plays, and pitching performances commence, we preview all 30 teams by division. Lastly, we look at the National League East.
Atlanta Braves
Record: 89-73 (2nd in NL East)
Missed Postseason
When they fell to the Phillies 4-3 on the final day of the 2011 season, it was a bitter pill to swallow for Braves fans. The loss, along with the Cardinals' demolition of the Astros 8-0, allowed the Cardinals to win the Wildcard and forced the Braves to an earlier than expected vacation. The Braves have a lot of questions to answer. Are they well-equipped to be in the post-season, or ill-equipped for another early vacation?
Chipper Jones announced that the season will be his last, and the Braves hope that a healthy Chipper will be a huge plus for the team's offense. Jones will only hope that he'll exit with a bang rather than a whimper, if his knees will hold up. The Braves also hope that bounce-back seasons by Jason Heyward and Brian McCann will be keys to their playoff chances. Dan Uggla, Freddie Freeman, Martin Prado and Michael Bourn will be the other main offensive weapons for the Braves.
Jair Jurrjens became a breakout star in 2011, leading the NL in wins at one point. Jurrjens, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson and Brandon Beachy will lead the Braves rotation, while setup man and closer tandem of Jonny Venters and NL ROY Craig Kimbrel will lead the Braves bullpen. The Braves only hope that their pitching staff will be healthy and sharp in hopes of returning to the playoffs.
Miami Marlins
Record: 72-90 (5th in NL East)
Missed Postseason
New season, new ballpark, new identity, new attitude. Exactly what the Miami Marlins are looking for. They decided that spending less won't help them win games and fill stadiums. Instead, an aggressive pursuit of highly touted free agents assured the Marlins that things will be a lot more different this season and beyond.
The offense was reloaded with the addition of NL batting champion Jose Reyes, who had been a standout for the Mets the past few seasons. Along with holdovers Hanley Ramirez, Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison, they form a 1-2-3 punch in the Marlins lineup. It remains to be seen whether Reyes will be a good fit for new manager Ozzie Guillen in the lineup.
The Marlins' pitching remains a question mark, despite adding starter Mark Buerhle and closer Heath Bell. Josh Johnson's health remains a concern, after missing much of 2011 with an injury. Newly-added Carlos Zambrano's outbursts led to his expulsion in Chicago, but Ozzie Guillen hopes a new scenery will benefit the pitcher. However, will it bring a positive or a negative result? Among incumbent pitchers, only Ricky Nolasco shone bright last season. The Marlins are a few pieces away from contending, so fans can only hope that the rebuilding process goes right.
New York Mets
Record: 77-85 (4th in NL East)
Missed Postseason
The Mets are starting over. It's been a common theme since they last made the postseason in 2006, and there have been many negative episodes along the way, most recent of which is the Bernie Madoff scandal. The Mets only hope that the future is bright, and that any negatives will be forgotten.
With the departure of Jose Reyes, David Wright, Jason Bay, and Ike Davis will assume the offensive load. Davis looks to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2011, after recovering from an ankle surgery. The Mets also have a young core of Josh Thole, Justin Turner, and Lucas Duda, who hope to capitalize on additional at bats. The Mets also added Andres Torres who hopes to rebound from a so-so 2011.
Among the Mets starters, Dillon Gee performed well in the absence of ace Johan Santana. The Mets only hope that Gee, who will slide down to No. 2, will avoid a sophomore slump. Other possible starters include Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and R.A. Dickey, with the probable closers include Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch. The Mets only hope that Santana's health will be key if their rebuilding process were to head in the right direction.
Washington Nationals
Record: 80-81 (3rd in NL East)
Missed Postseason
The future appears bright in D.C. The Nats boast two up and coming superstars hoping to make an impact in the future. With that in mind, the Nats are poised to crash the postseason party with a team that is mixed with veterans and young talent looking to become contenders in the AL East.
With a little more seasoning in the minors, Bryce Harper is a future star in waiting. Perhaps AAA will help him hone his skills to start the season, but by mid-season Harper will be all prepared to help the Nats contend. The future isn't just entrusted to Harper, they had rising stars Steve Lombardozzi and Chris Marrero, who hope to mesh well with veterans such as Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, and Michael Morse.
Stephen Strasburg is finally healthy after missing most of 2011 due to Tommy John surgery. And Davey Johnson wasted little time in naming Strasburg as his opening day starter, as his breakout 2010 remains fresh in the fans' mind. Aside from Strasburg, Chien-Ming Wang, Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson will be the other starters. The closer's role remains in Drew Storen's hands, and he'll be backed up by Brad Lidge in a setup role. The Nats hope that a healthy, developing roster will pay dividends as they continue to rise above the NL echelon.
Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 102-60 (NL East Champions)
Lost 3-2 to the Cardinals in the Division Series
The sight of Ryan Howard limping on the grass in pain after the Phillies lost in Game 5 of the NLDS was still in the minds of Phillies fans. After all the Phillies had a trend that's going in opposite directions: increasing regular season wins, but slumping postseason performances. If not for the Cardinals' intervention, the Phillies would've been the one who beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series. But now it's a new season and the Phillies had no choice but to move on.
Ryan Howard remains on the mend after rupturing his Achilles in the NLDS, so for now the Phillies' first base will be rotated among veterans Ty Wigginton and Jim Thome. Howard had a largely successful 2011, but the question is, can Howard be the same player that he was prior to the injury? The core of the Phillies lineup remain basically unchanged, with Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley leading the way. Hunter Pence became a key offensive weapon for the Phillies upon his arrival midseason, and now hopes he can keep that up for a full season. While the Phillies offense will be as potent as ever, it is their pitching that is leading the way.
The Phillies not only have four aces in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, but their bullpen got stronger with the addition of an elite closer in Jonathan Papelbon. And with a future star pitcher in Vance Worley, the Phillies now have five good starters to lead the way, plus a closer who has over 200 saves in his career. Papelbon should be a huge upgrade for Ryan Madson, while Antonio Bastardo will now take over the setup role vacated by Brad Lidge. The Phillies' road to the World Series will depend on the health and performance of the pitching staff, which will be crucial as they look to rebound from a dismal postseason performance.
