divisiOn preview - NL East
Today Wayward O will give you the dope on the NL East. this is good timing because yesterday Pedro M. pitched simulated game in Mets camp. and he looked quite healthy and well-fed. This is toughest division to handicap ... and Wayward O has surprise, sort of, team returning to October action.
ATLANTA BRAVES: John Smoltz. Mike Hampton. Tom Glavine. Tim Hudson. You'd think that would be a playoff rotation. Perhaps it is, but they downgraded on offense, specifically in center field and short stop. Can Brian McCann, the young catcher, hit .300 with 30 home runs? Wayward O says yes and sees them throttling their rivals this summer with Mark Teixiera putting up huge numbers at first base.
FLORIDA MARLINS: It's gonna be a long summer down at the fish fry. They have a talented pair, Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla, manning the middle infield. And they got a lot of kids back in the trade with Detroit. But two of their promising starting pitchers are dinged up and questionable for April. It's a long way down from there barring the emergence of some phenom. Will they be worst team in majors?
NEW YORK METS: There is TV ad in New York where scantily clad woman dances around singing "Lemme lemme upgrade." Wayward O isn't sure what ad is about but it reminds him of how the 2007 Mutts reacted after collapse. They upgraded ... changing out Glavine for Johan Santana ... but they're old at first base with Carlos Delgado and in right field with Moises Alou. Is Carlos Beltran healthy enough to play full season and produce? Wayward O predicts last year's debacle will motivate team to overcome inevitable injuries and push for Wild Card.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: This might seem weird, but if Jamie Moyer manages to hang around for a couple three more years, he might start getting some HOF consideration. Can Shane Victorino, who moves from right field to center, handle his new role? Geoff Jenkins in right provides some extra pop in the lineup but the starting rotation is ... meh.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS: The Nats have cornered the market on troubled ball players by signing Dmitri Young (drugs), Elijah Dukes (women, guns) and Lastings Milledge (cuss words). Perhaps the thinking is these guys will help one another stay out of trouble. How can you not root for John Patterson? Look for deadline trades involving Wily Mo Pena and Nick Johnson as team alleviates logjams in right field and first base and tries to retool for an '09 playoff bid.
Predicted Order of Finish
Braves
Mets/Phillies *
Nationals
Marlins
* wild card contenders
ATLANTA BRAVES: John Smoltz. Mike Hampton. Tom Glavine. Tim Hudson. You'd think that would be a playoff rotation. Perhaps it is, but they downgraded on offense, specifically in center field and short stop. Can Brian McCann, the young catcher, hit .300 with 30 home runs? Wayward O says yes and sees them throttling their rivals this summer with Mark Teixiera putting up huge numbers at first base.
FLORIDA MARLINS: It's gonna be a long summer down at the fish fry. They have a talented pair, Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla, manning the middle infield. And they got a lot of kids back in the trade with Detroit. But two of their promising starting pitchers are dinged up and questionable for April. It's a long way down from there barring the emergence of some phenom. Will they be worst team in majors?
NEW YORK METS: There is TV ad in New York where scantily clad woman dances around singing "Lemme lemme upgrade." Wayward O isn't sure what ad is about but it reminds him of how the 2007 Mutts reacted after collapse. They upgraded ... changing out Glavine for Johan Santana ... but they're old at first base with Carlos Delgado and in right field with Moises Alou. Is Carlos Beltran healthy enough to play full season and produce? Wayward O predicts last year's debacle will motivate team to overcome inevitable injuries and push for Wild Card.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: This might seem weird, but if Jamie Moyer manages to hang around for a couple three more years, he might start getting some HOF consideration. Can Shane Victorino, who moves from right field to center, handle his new role? Geoff Jenkins in right provides some extra pop in the lineup but the starting rotation is ... meh.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS: The Nats have cornered the market on troubled ball players by signing Dmitri Young (drugs), Elijah Dukes (women, guns) and Lastings Milledge (cuss words). Perhaps the thinking is these guys will help one another stay out of trouble. How can you not root for John Patterson? Look for deadline trades involving Wily Mo Pena and Nick Johnson as team alleviates logjams in right field and first base and tries to retool for an '09 playoff bid.
Braves
Mets/Phillies *
Nationals
Marlins
* wild card contenders
Labels: 2008 predictiOns
posted by the wayward o at
9:09 AM
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