First of a Seven Part Series-NL East Preview

We are four and a half weeks away from first pitch of the new Major League Baseball and I have a lot to cover until Josh Beckett faces Joe Blanton in Japan.  This is the first of a seven part series of my MLB 2008 preview.  In the first six parts of the series I will discuss each division, break them down by team and give my predictions for the upcoming season.  The first division I will take a close look at in the NL East.  I see a tight three-team race here between the Mets, Phillies and Marlins.  Just kidding, of course the third team is the Braves.

Lets get the first two teams out of the way.  The Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals are obviously trying to build a team from the ground up.  The Marlins made a big trade this off-season, sending Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabera to the Detroit Tigers for a package of six prospects.  The Marlins are hoping these prospects help build toward the future with two of them helping this year.  Andrew Miller is slotted into the third spot in the rotation and Curtis Maybin is their starting centerfielder.  The Marlins also have some other very good young guys, beginning of course with Mr. Fantasy Baseball, Hanley Ramirez.  Dan Uggla, Jeremy Hermida and Mike Jacobs help fill out a line-up that will do their share of hitting this season.  The rotation is a work in progress with four of their five starting pitchers 27 years old or younger.  This team will struggle all year for wins but can definitely help your fantasy team.

The Nationals on the other hand are basically useless.  They don’t have much young talent, outside of Lastings Milledge and Ryan Zimmerman (who is probably considered a star by now).  There rotation is very young and very unproven.  The Nats biggest asset this year is Chad Cordero who I believe they will finally deal sometime before the deadline to a contending team looking for bullpen help, and which contending team isn’t?  I don’t expect much from this team, 65-70 wins tops.

Now, to the big three.  The Philadelphia Phillies are defending East champions after their historic comeback last September.  Have you gotten over the loss Met fans?  This team brings back basically the same squad who made the playoffs last year.  The line-up is a monster for the Nation League with three superstars, Ryan Howard (105 homers last 2 years), Chase Utley (would have won the MVP if not for injury last season) and Jimmy “J-Rol” Rollins (who won the MVP last year).  With Pat Burrell and Geoff Jenkins also in the mix this team should hit a lot of homers.  Shane Victorino is a big time spark at the top of the line-up.  He can bunt his way on, sacrifice people over and steal bases when needed.  The big question mark, as you will see it is with the big three is, can they find a third starter.  Brett Myers and Cole Hamels will be great but after those two the rotation looks like this, Kyle Kendrick (who you only know because he got pranked by Myers and the rest of the team a few weeks back, this was the funniest prank I have ever seen by the way), Jamie Moyer and Adam Eaton.  Their bullpen is solid, though they need Brad Lidge to come back and be half of what he once was.  If Kendrick can step his game up and Lidge can stay healthy and be effective this team should win the division.

After 14 straight division titles this team was allowed to have a little break.  But their fans are now getting restless.  This may be the year they get back to the top.  The Atlanta Braves made a few small moves in the off-season (brought back Tom Glavine and also signed Mark Kotsay) but their big deal was done at the deadline last season when they traded for Mark Texiera.  They also lost Andruw Jones but after the year he had, is that actually a bad thing?  Like the Phillies this team should be fine offensively with Brian McCann, Big Tex, Chipper and Jeff Francoeur in the middle of the order.  The big question again lingers with their rotation and mostly their third starter.  John Smoltz and Tim Hudson will be very good again this year, which means things, come down to Tom Glavine.  He was brought back to sure up the rotation and that’s exactly what he must do.  One person to look out for is Mike Hampton, yes that Mike Hampton.  He is healthy (for now) and if he stays that way he could become a key player for this team.  The bullpen is also a concern because Rafael Soriano has struggled to close games and everyone else seems to be a young kid.

And finally, the New York Mets.  The team with the worst collapse ever last September.  It took months to get over what happened last season and I don’t think they did until the day they traded for Johan Santana.  Johan is obviously the biggest story in Mets camp right now but he isn’t the most important.  Is there any doubt he is going to be great?  In my mind there are two big questions for the Mets to answer before we can give them the division crown.  First, will Carlos Delgado be able to rebound?  This line-up is much more potent when he is hitting around .270 with 30 homers and 100 rbi’s.  Also, the Mets have questions in their starting rotation (SURPRISE!!).  Johan will be great and I believe Pedro will be fine but then comes the haunted three starter.  I feel the Mets are better equipped then the Phillies or Braves in this department but that doesn’t mean I feel comfortable with John Maine, Oliver Perez or “El Duque”.  The bullpen should be great with Duaner Sanchez coming back this year and Billy Wagner still closing out games but let’s not just give this division away.  The Mets are much improved and may have the most talent but they are far from a sure thing.  Sorry Mets fans but no, a World Series appearance has not been gureenteed by trading for Johan.

I have now broken down the 5 teams, time for the all-mighty predictions…

Best Newcomer- Johan Santana (who else would even be in the discussion?)

Best Manager-  Bobby Cox (give the old man some credit, he is still god enough for 6 wins a year)

Most Important Player-  This was a tough one, it was between Carlos Delgado (Mets), Tom Glavine/Mike Hampton (Braves) and Kyle Kendrick (Phillies) but I am going to go with Kendrick.  I think he is the key to the Phillies repeating as division champs.

Cy Young of the Division- Cole Hamels (I know I am on a limb but picking Johan was just too easy)

MVP- Mark Texiera.  The Phillies “big 3” cancel each other out, as do David Wright and Jose Reyes for the Mets.  Hanley Ramirez might be the best player though, it’s just his team is going to stink.

Division Standings-

1. Philadelphia Phillies    (92-70)
2. New York Mets          (91-71)
3. Atlanta Braves                      (89-73)
4. Florida Marlins           (73-89)
5. Washington Nationals (69-93)

Kyle Kendrick will step-up and be a solid number 3.  The Phillies offense will bash bad pitching all year when their 4 and 5 starters are on the hill.  This division will come down to who can beat who and judging from last year the Phillies own the Mets.  The Braves will be tough in 3^rd place and give the Phillies and Mets a big-time scare but in the end it’s a repeat for the Phillies in what will be the best division race in the league and come down to the last day.  Johan is great but not quite good enough to deliver the division.  Sorry Met fans.