It’s March, and it is time again to start thinking about baseball. It’s a fresh season, and all fans of all teams, (ok, maybe not the Pirates) have reason to be optimistic this time around. So without further ado, it’s time for a season preview, SportsDude style. Each team will be listed in order of their projected finish, with best and worst case scenarios. First, let’s start out with…
The National League East
It’s tough to go toe-to-toe with their American League counterparts in headline buzz generated during the offseason, but in one fell swoop, the Phillies may have beaten both the Red Sox and Yankees in the hype department with their signing of Cliff Lee. However, this is a deep and talented group, and no one is going to roll over for the Phillies to win the division for the fifth year in a row.
Philadelphia Philies
Best-case scenario: With all the offseason hoopla over this vaunted pitching staff, anything less than a second World Series championship for manager Charlie Manuel and company will be considered a disappointment. That being said, Lee, Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt must dominate as expected. This team, on paper, has the best starting rotation since the Baltimore Orioles had 4 starters win 20 games in 1971. With all-stars Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins, the offense should have more than enough firepower to hold up their end of the bargain.
Worst-case scenario: The Philies wilt under the Yankeesian pressure of a championship or bust season. For all the talent and low ERAs, only Doc Halladay finished with a record more than three wins over .500 last season. Though unlikely, Lee and Halladay could have alpha dog issues that disrupt the chemistry, especially when it comes time to select the number one starter for the playoffs. Raul Ibanez begins to show his age, and Ben Francisco can’t handle replacing the popular and multi-talented Jayson Werth. Brad Lidge and the bullpen break down again, and the Phillies don’t win the division, let alone the Series. How many cars would be destroyed in Philadelphia if this happened?
Atlanta Braves
Best case scenario: This team may have the best combination of young and veteran talent in the league. Jayson Heyward proved all the hype around him was warranted last season, and should build on a promising rookie year. Atlanta also brought in slugging second baseman Dan Uggla to provide some much needed pop in the middle of the lineup. Rookie Freddie Freeman will look to be this year’s Heyward, and provide the best long-term option Atlanta’s had at first base since Fred McGriff was taking a bite out of fastballs in the ‘90’s. Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson will continue to anchor a young and talented pitching staff, and the Braves kick off the post-Bobby Cox era with yet another postseason appearance.
What could go wrong: Freeman is not the answer at first, and Heyward gets another injury that leads to a sophomore slump. Chipper Jones doesn’t return to form after tearing his ACL, killing the heart of the team, and leaving a hole at third base. Dan Uggla struggles adapting to a new team, and his suspect defense leaves Atlanta with a weak-fielding right side of the infield without the pop to make up for it. Veterans Derek Lowe, and/or Tim Hudson go down with injury, and the young staff takes a step back in their development.
Florida Marlins
Worst Case Scenario: They dust off the blueprint for the 1997 and 2003 championsip winning teams, following a young and talented roster all the way to the World Series. Josh Johnson must dominate again, and Javier Vasquez must return to his any-team-but-the-Yankees form for this to happen. Ricky Nolasco and Chris Volstad lower their ERAs (both around 4.5) and Anibal Sanchez gets a little bit luckier in his starts, as he had 3.55 ERA but only went 13-12.
Worst-case scenario: Javier Vazquez proves last season’s debacle was the result of serious loss of stuff, rather than the pressures of pitching in New York, and the rest of the young staff can’t keep it together behind Johnson. Gaby Sanchez doesn’t build on his breakthrough season, leaving a serious hole in the lineup where light-hitting Omar Infante replaced the slugga Uggla (he should market that as his nickname) at second. The young outfield can’t get the job done and this team is out of the race by June.
New York Mets
Best Case scenario: The Mets live up to their payroll, and get into the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Jason Bay fits into the Big Apple seamlessly, and continues with the production he has had thus far in his career, while a position switch for Carlos Beltran keeps him healthy and gets him back on track offensively. R.A. Dickey gets more run support for more wins (12 last season) than his 2.84 ERA deserved, Mike Pelfrey builds on an effective 2010 campaign, and Chris Young can stay healthy enough that his career 3.80 average results in more wins throughout the season.
Worst-case scenario: Carlos Beltran continues to be the most overpaid New Yorker since Carl Pavano, the pitching is in tatters, and the Mets are the most expensive last place team in baseball.
Washington Nationals
Best-case scenario: That Nats build behind what should be one of the most athletic and defensively proficient outfields in baseball. Adam LaRaroche has another 25 homer 100 RBI season to go with the consistent Ryan Zimmerman, and Jayson Werth earns his $100 million contract in the middle of the lineup. Ivan Rodriguez and Livan Hernandez turn back the clocks and continue to mentor the young and talented roster, and become the consistent staples behind another young team making a playoff run. If Bryce Harper dominates the minor leagues, maybe he makes a late-season appearance to provide the franchise with the most hype since… well, Stephen Strasburg.
Worst-case scenario: The players simply accept that 2012 is their year to compete, and potential does not measure up to production as this team is again out of the playoff hunt by May. Serious question marks in the pitching staff result in a 100-loss season in one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
Next up, the NL Central. Stay tuned…
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