NL East Preview

I won't hold anything back - the NL East is my favorite division to watch, and favorite to talk about.  For what it's worth, I also think it's home to three of the best four teams in the NL, so the extra wild card will come from this division in my mind.

Hope you have a good weekend, lets send it out with a look at the NL East:

JQ's Preseason Picks: 
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Philadelphia Phillies 
3. Miami Marlins
4. Washington Nationals
5. New York Mets

1. Atlanta Braves

Can Jurrjens stay healthy?

I can hear the "HOMER" calls coming from a mile away, but hear me out for a second.  Besides the Phillies, its tough to argue that the Braves don't have the second best rotation in the division, with more depth than anyone.  In fact, if all the Braves' hurlers are healthy, I'd put them up against anyone in baseball.  The X-Factor for the Braves this season will be the lineup.  Jason Heyward has had a tremendous spring, and spent the entire off-season working on his swing and conditioning for a season long run.  Freddie Freeman has been one of the best in baseball this spring with his bat, Dan Uggla has been tremendous, picking up right where he left off after the All-Star break last year.  Michael Bourne has stolen more bases than anyone else in baseball over the past couple seasons.  Brian McCann is the best hitting catcher in baseball.  If you believe that Marin Prado can return to 2010 form, and that some combo or Hansen/Hudson/Jurrjens can be healthy to compliment up and comers Minor, Beachy, and Tehran/Delgado in the rotation...this is one dangerous team.  Oh, and did I mention the Braves have the best bullpen in baseball?  Add in Chipper's final season, and I'll take the chance and put the Braves #1.

2. Philadelphia Phillies 
They have the best 1-2-3 rotation in the game, no doubt about it.  I'm not sold on Joe Blanton at all, and am 50/50 on whether or not Vance Worley can have a repeat of 2011.  What concerns me the most about the Phillies is their lineup.  Ryan Howard won't be back until May at the earliest.  Chase Utley is hurt again...who knows when he'll be back.  Polanco is always an injury risk.  That leaves Hunter Pence, Dominic Brown, and....who?  I'm a firm believer that Pappelbon will be an upgrade at the close spot, but the Phils need to stay healthy for this team to be effective.

3. Miami Marlins
I think this team makes the playoffs as one of the wildcards this season - they're that good.  Pitching is the biggest concern for Ozzie's bunch, with Josh Johnson coming back from injury, and Carlos Zambrano suffering from a career-long injury between his ears.  That being said, if Johnson can bounce back, and Zambrano can find some sanity in South Beach, the Fish have a 1-5 that is among the best in the division.  I've always been a Mark Buerhle fan, and Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco can deal as well.  The Fish also boast one hell of a lineup: The artist formerly known as Mike Stanton, Gabby Sanchez, Logan Morrison, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez...wow.  I don't like the 'pen as much as some - I think Heath Bell may be nearing the end of his dominance.  It's a tough division, in some others the Fish would likely be on top, but here, I have to put them third.  

4. Washington Nationals 
Had this team signed Prince Fielder, they may have been the favorite to win the division in my mind.  That's a pretty big jump from where this team was to start the decade.  Michael Morse is a beast, and maybe this year will finally be the season he gets the respect he deserves.  Jason Werth can't be any worse than he was a year ago - I'd look for him to have a bounce-back season.  Zimmerman is locked up, and will be solid at the hot corner.  Give the kiddies (Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Drew Storen, Gio Gonzalez) another year to grow up, and this team is locked and loaded for the future.  

5. New York Mets
The biggest story for the Mets this season will be written on the trading wire.  Will they deal David Wright?  Can they find a taker for Santana?  Can they give away Jason Bay?  Bottom line...this team SUCKS.  I'd easily place them in the running with the Astros for worst club in the NL.  It's a long road to redemption for a club that was on top just a few short years ago.  But things change that quickly in the baseball world, and now the Mets will have to begin the long rebuilding process.

That's a wrap for the week friends.  I'll dig into the AL next week before the REAL opening day on April 4th.  Time for a few pops this weekend while I take in the Final Four.