Mets, Phils, or Braves: NL East Preview
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With spring training in full swing, we thought it only proper to start up the major league preview machine. We start, where The Blue Workhorse feels at home and is most comfortable because we always want to feel comfortable on our first date. Plus, it never hurts that the division should be one of the most competitive in baseball with three teams in contention for the division title.
Last season, the New York Metropolitans collapsed at the end of the season allowing the Philadelphia Phillies to take their first division title since 1993. The Atlanta Braves, the former requisite 1st place team in the NL East, also appear to be back in the running after two consecutive seasons finishing in third. However, each team appears to have some weaknesses whether it is age, pitching, injury issues, or a combination of possible calamities. Then there are the up-and-eventually-coming Washington Nationals and then…the woeful Florida Marlins.
Nevertheless, some new faces (Johan Santana, Brad Lidge, Andrew Miller, Cameron Maybin), some old faces in new uniforms (Paul Lo Duca, Lastings Milledge, Ryan Church), and an old face back in an old uniform (Tom Glavine) should make this an interesting season.
Without further ado…the National League East:
(contributions by Shotgun Spratling, Derek Rang & Junior Valentine)
2008 New York Mets Outlook
2008 projection: (91-71), 1st place
Team MVP: Johan Santana (how could you not give it to him)
2008 Atlanta Braves Outlook
2008 projection: (89-73), 2nd place
Team MVP: Mark Texiera
2008 Philadelphia Phillies Outlook
2008 projection: (88-72), 3rd place
Team MVP: Chase Utley
2008 Washington Nationals Outlook
2008 projection: (80-82), 4th place
Team MVP: Nick Johnson
2008 Florida Marlins Outlook
2008 projection: (51-111), 5th place
Team MVP: Hanley Ramirez
Derek Rang
Junior Valentine
Shotgun Spratling
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| 2.5 |
March 11th, 2008 at 11:06 am
i thought it was interesting to see that the outlook for mets is rosy…i guess what happened last year (choke) will either fire up the mets or the stench of collapse could linger well into the season…i think the latter will be the case…probably still good enough offensively to barely make the playoffs but not much more than that…i luv what el duque did for my yanks back in the day but i wouldnt trust him to pick up a win for my cousin’s teeball team these days…i think the baves are the team to beat in this division…
March 11th, 2008 at 11:54 am
I don’t think the Mets would find finishing tied for second to be a rosey outlook, but what is firing the Mets up isn’t remembrance of last year’s choke job but instead the guy wearing the #57 jersey and logging around that $137 million dollars (for 6 years).
March 11th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
From personal exerience as a NYY fan, a big contract player, much less a pitcher, will not garuntee postseason success. I just see many similarities between the moves the Mets are making now and the moves the Yankees began to make at the turn of the century. Plus now that #57 has that $137million contract, how motivated is he?
March 11th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
What signing Carl Povano didn’t guarantee a couple of World Series titles for the pinstripes? As a Braves’ fan, I hope the moves don’t guarantee postseason success or regular season success for that matter. And I’m sure playing in NY will be motivation enough for the lefty.
March 27th, 2008 at 3:14 am
From farley610 on Yardbarker:
i am a phillies phan, but this year is going to be as intresting as last year. GO PHILLLIESS
September 4th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
[...] Mets, Phils, or Braves: NL East Preview (March 6, 2008) Predicting the Marlins to lose 111 games may have been a bit extreme, but we saw another year of pitchers learning in front of empty seats. Nonetheless, the Marlins came out slugging and have done so all season (currently tied for 2nd in home runs in the NL). [...]