With the start of the Baseball season mere hours away (thank god) it is time to conclude the first annual Bloop hit Baseball preview extravaganas with a look at the NL.
NL East
Atlanta Braves: The Atlanta braves are a lot like Liverpool of the eighties the dominant team in their division but like Liverpool it’s being a long team since they have competed for the division title. The former Beast of the east have retooled their rotation with the additions of Javier Vasquez and Derek Lowe and placed on emphasis on defence an acknowledgement from gm frank wren that the Atlanta offsets is not going to scare anybody. While it does contain Chipper Jones and the finest young catcher in the Game Brian McCann the braves will have to manufacture runs, another year in the doldrums awaits the Braves.
Florida Marlins: The most exciting collection of young quality talent in the game led by superstar in the making Hanley Ramirez and the umber exciting Cameron maybin in centre field who adds a versatile to the marlins line up from last year with his base stealing threat to add lighting to the thunder of Dan Uggla and co. The top three starters in Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson and Chris Volstead all had big springs and look set for big season. But the marlins tendicIes to kick around the ball like a soccer team and question marks in the bullpen and back end of rotation may mean that this season is all about getting their youthful squadron experience for years to come.
New York Mets: New stadium, New Bullpen same old mets?Mets fans hope not a team plagued by bullpen issues last season and sectional meltdowns for the last two Mets gm Omar mina went out and seemingly remedy the problem by bringing in Closer K-Rod Ned juju. Puts to turn the last years biggest weakness into the teams strength no longer will manger jerry Manuel be playing a game of Russian roulette when ever he makes the phone call to the bullpen. Manuel in many ways was like MacGyver last year trying to get outs form a collection ineffective parts. The Mets will have no problems scoring runs with the quartet of face of the franchise David Wright, Speedster Jose Reyes and Beltran and Delgado and a rotation headed by Johan Santana makes the Mets a very strong team. A team that if they have a lead going into the 8th inning could mean it’s all over for opposing teams. And with the site of past failures blowing up when they tore down sheaf this meets team gets a clean slate to work with.
Philadelphia Phillies: They reigning and defending World Champion Phillies come back with largely the same team. They upgraded both offensively and defensibly in left field by replacing Pat the Bat with Rail Ibanez who hits for better average and plays better defence and who also drove in a 100 runs playing for a terrible Mariners team last year. A titanic battle between them and the Mets for the division title this season in the best rivalry in the sport and am saying that as a Red Six fan.
Nationals: The Highlight for the Nets this season is if they draft college phenol Stephen Strasburg otherwise nets fans can look forward to another last place finssh.A poorly constructed squad and a waste of Ryan Zimmerman’s talents. Battle between themselves, Padres and Oriels for the worst team in baseball crown
Division winners: The Mets
NL Central
Chicago Cubs: Make it a hundred and one years for the long suffering cub fans and Could we thought we had it bad with Ireland not winning a Grand Slam for sixty one years. The cubs have the deepest and most talented rotation in the NL and maybe the best top three stators in the game health depending in Dempster Zambraono and Harden. Add in a potent line-up that now has added balance with the addition of the definition of mercurial outfielder the volatile Milton Bradley the Cubs look set to run away with a third division title in a row. Whether that translates into October success is hard to say it’s hard for cub players to play for a hundred and one season of failure and a weak bullpen could hamper their drought busting dreams.
Reds: My sleeper team the reds have built their club on pitching, speed defence all key components in winning baseball games. a good rotation boasting good young power arms in volquez and cueto,a line-up including the second and fourth placed rookie of the years Jay Bruce and Joey Votto and a decent bullpen makes the reds a serious threat to the cubs, maybe the lack of power could hinder the reds but defiantly a club on the right track.
Houston Astros; The Stros had a terrible spring where the strength of last year’s club the hitting looked surprisingly anemic.The key to the team is the bullpen but no use in having a good bullpen if you can’t score runs but then again spring training doesn’t really count and if berkman, Lee, Tejada and Pence can have good season the Astros could be good but a rotation with too many holes after Roy Oswalt means the Astro can at best hope for .500
Brewers: Just a brutal offseason for the brewers they lost their top two starters in sheets and CC and you just have to feel that the brewers missed their opportunity and the window has closed on this team for the foreseeable future. A rebuilding year for the Brew Crew
Pirates; they suck and will most likely make history with a record setting 17th losing season in a row.Atleast Pittsburgh fans have the Steelers
Cardinals: you can never count out a team that Has the Brain Of Tony Larussa and the out of this world talents Of the reigning NL mvp Albert pujols.Cardinal fans have fingers crossed that Chris Carpenter can return to his dominant self after injury plagued season have recently derailed him and in rookie flame thrower Jason Motte the Cardinals look to have a lights out closer but you get the feeling The Cards need every bit of larussa baseball knowledge to cobble together a competitive team.
Division winners: Cubs
NL West
Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks are load with what scouts say is young talent but when do the likes of Connor Jackson, Justin Upton and Stephen Drew show that they are more than just hype if they do combined with a solid rotation lead by All star pitchers Dan Haren and Brandon Webb the D’Backs could push the Dodgers all the way again this year. Bullpen a concern though.
Rockies: The loss of Matt Holiday will hurt the Rockies put their offense looks explosive still with the promise of a resurgent Todd Helton and power in Gareth Atkins the Rockies should score a lot of runs they will be hoping that Ubaldo Jimenez can continue his progression in to a quality starter however serious questions about the bullpen remain with the loss Brian Fuentes to the Angels and question marks about the final three spots in the rotation.
Los Angeles Dodgers Manny is back in Hollywood and will of course be the main source of offense and frustration about his off filed behaviour just how long the LA Manny honeymoon continues to last will be an interesting sub plot. The likes of Kemp and Loney and Either as support players helps the dodgers as does the best middle infield defence in the game in the form of Frucal and Hudson. Decent pitching but the loss of Derek Lowe should hurt relying on a breakout season from talented lefty Clayton Kershaw.
Padres: They should be terrible. A team that most likely will be blown up at some point during the season. Main question for padres fans this season what package of players does the team receive in return for Jake Peavy.
Giants: Giants another sleeper team if you ask me, A Very strong rotation with Lights out Tim Linceum and crafty vet Randy Johnson. Offense should improve from last year with a full season of Pablo Sandoval but they didn’t really improve the biggest weakness on the team and in my opiIOon should have made a more serious run for Manny who could be the deciding factor in the Division Race
Division Winner: The Manny Dodgers
Wildcard: The Phillies
NL Champion: the Dodgers
World SeriesTChampion; the Yankees (the Bastards)
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