With the National League set to start Wednesday night with the defending-champion St. Louis Cardinals facing off against the Miami Marlins in Miami, it’s time to predict how the National League will turn out.
National League East
1. Atlanta Braves; Predicted Record: 93-69, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Atlanta traded away pitcher Derek Lowe in more of a salary dump to Cleveland and despite an injury to Tim Hudson have a good rotation with Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens at the front of it. Chipper Jones may start the season on the DL.
2. Philadelphia Phillies; Predicted Record: 91-71, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The five-time defending division-champion Phillies will start the season without infielders Ryan Howard and Chase Utley and saw Raul Ibanez leave for the Yankees. They countered by signing former Phillie Jim Thome and re-signing shortstop Jimmy Rollins, but it won’t be enough for a sixth straight title.
3. Miami Marlins; Predicted Record: 84-78, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The suddenly free-spending Marlins signed shortstop Jose Reyes, reliever Heath Bell, and starting pitcher Mark Buehrle to contracts worth a combined $191 million. Should incumbent shortstop Hanley Ramirez gracefully move to third base and regain his hitting form, the Marlins may have something. Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton is questionable to start the season with a bruised left wrist and left knee inflammation.
4. Washington Nationals; Predicted Record: 80-82, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Nationals bolstered their starting rotation with the additions of Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson and didn’t break the bank in doing so. If young pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg returns to his ace form, the NL East could challenge the AL East as the toughest division in baseball.
5. New York Mets; Predicted Record: 72-90, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Mets saw star player Jose Reyes take his talents to South Beach then traded away outfielder Angel Pagan to San Francisco for reliever Ramon Ramirez and outfielder Andres Torres. Maybe Jason Bay and David Wright will enjoy renaissance seasons with the moving in of the left field wall though.
National League Central
1. Cincinnati Reds; Predicted Record: 94-68, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Reds are all in after making several splashes in the offseason in acquiring starting pitcher, and potential ace, Mat Latos from San Diego and then signing closer Ryan Madson (who’s now injured and will miss the season). First baseman Joey Votto was just recently locked up to a 10-year contract extension worth $225 million.
2. Milwaukee Brewers; Predicted Record: 84-78, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Brewers lost first baseman Prince Fielder to free agency and tried to buffer the loss by signing former Cub Aramis Ramirez. At shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is gone and will be replaced by former Brave Alex Gonzalez.
3. St. Louis Cardinals...
3. St. Louis Cardinals; Predicted Record: 82-80, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The World Series Champions no longer have three-time MVP Albert Pujols to anchor their lineup or manager Tony LaRussa to steer the ship so a drop-off is expected. St. Louis did well in signing outfielder Carlos Beltran and re-signing mid-season rental shortstop Rafael Furcal. Former ace starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.
4. Chicago Cubs; Predicted Record: 75-87, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: New General Manager Theo Epstein has been busy putting his imprint on the long-losing Cubs letting Carlos Pena, Aramis Ramirez, and Carlos Zambrano go. He was able to add outfielder David DeJesus and pitcher Paul Maholm, while resigning popular reliever Kerry Wood. There is plenty of work to do though as this situation is much worse than when he arrived in Boston some 10 years ago.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates; Predicted Record: 70-94, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: Pittsburgh lost one of their better pitchers in Paul Maholm to free agency but signed a number of low-risk free agents including pitcher Erik Bedard, shortstop Clint Barmes, and outfielder Nate McLouth. But their trade for pitcher A.J. Burnett seemed a stretch and now he'll start the season on the DL after having surgery on his eye.
6. Houston Astros; Predicted Record: 63-99, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Astros traded away outfielders Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn at the trade deadline last summer and let Clint Barmes get away in free agency. The only semi-big acquisition was the trade for the oft-injured Jed Lowrie from Boston. The good news for Astro fans is that there are few good players remaining for them to trade.
National League West
1. Arizona Diamondbacks; Predicted Record: 90-72, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The reigning NL West champs acquired starting pitcher Trevor Cahill from Oakland for three prospects, to bolster an already stellar-rotation, but kept most of their roster intact. All four returning starting pitchers Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Joe Saunders, and Josh Collmenter all had ERAs under 4.00 last season. Shortstop Stephen Drew, who played just 86 games last season due to injury will start the season on the DL after having right ankle surgery.
2. San Francisco Giants; Predicted Record: 88-74, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Giants saw mid-season rental Carlos Beltran sign elsewhere and swapped starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez for outfielder Melky Cabrera and then acquired outfielder Angel Pagan from the Mets. San Francisco’s biggest boost though should be the return of catcher Buster Posey, who played in just 45 games.
3. Colorado Rockies; Predicted Record: 85-77, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Rockies traded away closer Huston Street to San Diego and infielder Ian Stewart to the Cubs but signed outfielder Michael Cuddyer to a three-year $31.5 million contract and acquired infielder Marco Scutaro from Boston. Recently, they’ve made headlines by putting ageless 49-year old starting pitcher Jamie Moyer in their rotation.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers; Predicted Record: 80-82, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: The Dodgers only major offseason news was the sale of the team for an incredible $2 billion to a group headed by former NBA star Magic Johnson. The team has done little to improve the roster the past two years but still has a couple of very good young players in outfielder Matt Kemp and starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
5. San Diego Padres; Predicted Record: 66-96, Key Additions/Losses/Injuries: San Diego has had an eventful offseason, although it’s unclear whether they’re rebuilding or not. The Padres lost closer Heath Bell to free agency but then traded for Huston Street to replace him. Two weeks later they dealt starting pitcher Mat Latos to the Reds receiving pitcher Edinson Volquez, infielder Yonder Alonso and two minor-league prospects. Then they traded a pair of prospects for veteran outfielder Carlos Quentin, who is out for the next four to six weeks, from the White Sox.
