NL East Preview

With the MLB beginning its new season within the next week, we dive into a preview of the upcoming year. We start with the NL East.

Favorite: Washington Nationals
The Nationals had the best record in the majors last season with 98 wins. They enter 2013 as the favorite to win the NL East. It is hard to bet against the Nationals when they did not lose any of their key starters. Kurt Suzuki was brought in to be the man behind the plate. They also added Denard Span to their outfield, which is a strong unit with a healthy Jayson Werth and Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper. The Nationals almost lost their first basemen but were able to retain Adam LaRoche. The Nationals also added Dan Haren to their rotation, joining Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, and Gio Gonzalez. A big storyline for this season will be whether or not Strasburg is on an innings limit. Last season, Strasburg was shut down before the post season and the Nationals lost in the NLDS to St. Louis. Strasburg's arm is still a concern due to his enormous potential. Strasburg threw 100 more innings in 2012 than in 2011. This year's goal is 200 innings (plus 30 more in playoffs) meaning that he could throw anywhere from 40-50 more innings in 2013 than 2012. Given his age, it would not be a surprise to see the Nationals limit Strasburg again. Expect the Nationals to be near the top of the National League with their strong bullpen (and new closer Rafael Soriano) and to be a threat in the postseason. Shutting down Strasburg, though, could cost them a shot at a title (again).

Top Contender: Atlanta Braves
The Braves spent the offseason dealing. They boosted their outfield with the additions of both Justin and BJ Upton to join Jason Heyward (and an underrated pick up of Reed Johnson as well). This outfield meshes together nicely with a ton of young talent on the team, like Andrelton Simmons and Freddie Freeman. Pitching-wise, their bullpen is weaker than Washington's. However, they have a more complete rotation with Tim Hudson, Mike Minor, Paul Maholm, Mike Minor, and Julio Teheran. Like their lineup, it is a great mix of veterans and young talent. Plus, Craig Kimbrel is arguably the best closer in the game sitting in their bullpen. The Braves could challenge the Nationals for the division crown, but both teams should be in wild card hunt should they miss out on the division title.

Muddled Middle: Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a dissapointing season in 2012, but they were able to play solid baseball in the second half of the year. Philadelphia brought in Michael Young to play 3B and bring veteran leadership to the club. This team will need a big season from their young outfield, especially Domonic Brown, who is having an incredible spring in his return from injury. Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, and Cliff Lee remain at the top of a solid rotation. Jonathan Papelbon returns as the closer. The Phillies are a quality club and good bounce back seasons from Ryan Howard and Chase Utley could lead the Phillies to exceed expectations. However, this team is on the outside looking in as the season begins.

Headed in the Wrong Direction: New York Mets
It looks like Mets fans will be in for a long season. The lone bright spot on the roster is David Wright, who can only take this team so far. Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, and the rest of the supporting cast will probably not be enough for the Mets to be a contender. This team is clearly in rebuilding mode, especially after trading away Cy Young Winner R.A. Dickey to Toronto. This team could be competitive, but no one expects this team to make a playoff push. The Mets appear to be a couple of years away from being on level with Atlanta and Washington.

Simply, Just a Mess: Miami Marlins
Last offseason the Marlins went on a huge spending spree to fill their new stadium in Miami. The fans were excited and they became a trendy team around the country. The Marlins have Giancarlo Stanton, one of the best young players in the game, to anchor their lineup. Veterans Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco signed with Miami this offeason. However, this team went on a complete fire-sale, dumping salary to the Blue Jays by trading Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, John Buck (later a part of the Dickey trade) and Emilio Bonifacio. This team is easily the worst team in the National League as the season begins and have a long way to go to compete in this division.