2006 MLB Preview (NL)

 

NL Playoffs: New York, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Chicago

NL Championship: Los Angeles v. Chicago

NL Champs: Los Angeles

 

1. New York: Additions of 1B Delgado, C Paul Lo Duca and Closer Wagner are the big names attractive to New York sensibility. Certainly could have the best Lineup in NL top to bottom.

 

Best case: Solid playoff and WS chance.

Worst case: 3^rd place, underachieving and GM Omar Maniea (spelling) will be shown the door.

Questions: Pitching. #1-3 Starters are older than 34 years. Health becomes the key. Bullpen is revamped, once again.

 

2. Atlanta: 15+ seasons of dominance. Inserting young farm system guys into the mix and winning year after year in the Regular season.

 

Best Case: Playoffs once again.

Worst Case: 3^rd place and blown saves of unheard of proportions.

Questions: Without Leo Mazzone, is there a significant difference? Yep. It started with him – it will end with him.

 

3. Philadelphia: The kids are all right. 1B Howard and 2B Utley could be mainstays for the next 5 years. Pitching is shaky. Lost the premier closer in the NL. (Lidge aside.)

 

Best Case: Make New York and Atlanta sweat. finish 2^nd.

Worst Case: Finish 4^th and loath it once again.

Questions: Traded away #5 SP Robinson Tejeda for 4^th OF. What does that tell you?

 

4. Washington: Added petulant 2B/OF(now) Alfonso Soriano. Still need a new owner and new park.

 

Best Case:3^rd place – SP Patterson and Closer Cordero carry team to respectable finish

Worst Case: Dead last. No one wants to own them.

Questions: Is putting a bad fielding 2B in LF (against his wishes) going to solve the hitting problems of this team?

 

5. Florida: Clean out entire lineup save SP Dontrell Willis and 3B/OF Miguel Cabrera.

 

Best Case: Out of the cellar – young prospects OF Jeremy Hermida, SS Hanley Ramirez and Jason Vargas show why they traded or sold off all their mature talent.

Worst Case: 2 years away from moving to New Orleans/Las Vegas to finally maintain a 2 time WS title winner in 10 years.

Questions: Why don’t people like baseball in South Beach? And why is winning bad?

 

 

1. Milwaukee: Youth movement and a few solid cogs could win the NL Central.

 

Best Case: Prince Fielder hits 35 HRs. Entire team plays above their head for 162 games.

Worst Case: 4^th place. Youngsters are 2 years from competing, if they build the pitching staff right. (Mike Maddux, Greg’s bro, runs that.)

Questions: Where did St. Louis go?

 

2. Chicago: Juan Pierre adds life to the basepaths for banger-only lineup. Young SS Cedeno and LF Murton gives hope to move away from Sosa’s hopping.

 

Best Case: SPs Prior, Wood and Miller are 100% by June 1^st.  90 wins can get a wild card.

Worst Case: Every move GM Jim Hendry made was a bust. Dusty gets the axe.

Questions: Why did they forget about signing a healthy SP in the offseason?

 

3. St. Louis: Retirements, changes in personnel in BP and OF. Same PHAT Albert though.

 

Best Case: They win the division. Woopee!

Worst Case: Finally, a few pitchers and position players have ‘off’ seasons.

Questions: One trade from shoring up any deficiency.

 

4. Pittsburgh: Never get far from 75 wins. With Zach Duke and Oliver Perez (from 2004) this could be improved.

 

Best Case: They get premier SP developed and in turn attract more Free Agents.

Worst Case: They play to their payroll.

Questions: When is OF Jason Bay available? Cubs would be a nice little fit.

 

5. Houston: After being held hostage by OF Beltran in 2004, they get held up by Roger Clemens. But hey, they can sign him in May, once again.

 

Best Case: 2^nd place and a miracle wildcard.

Worst Case: No offense flowing.

Questions: If all the pieces work again, they have a #1-#2 SP to get them pretty far.

 

6. Cincinnati: Next to the Kansas City Royals, this franchise has been closest to the mostest ineptitude. (Grammar: I never read so good.)

 

Best Case: Offense, offense and more offense. 4^th Place.

Worst Case: No pitching, no pitching. See a trend?? Dead last.

Questions: It took them until spring training to trade Wily Mo Pena, why so long?

 

1. Los Angeles: Spent money at SS, 1B and 3B. Hire new GM and new Manager.

 

Best Case: NO-mar, Gagne, Furcal and Drew show up with a vengeance. 1^st place.

Worst Case: The injury bug follows Nomar and Co. straight on through 2006.

Questions: Was GM Paul DePodesta the reason they lost in 2005?

 

2. San Francisco: Bonds is Back!!! Can the season rest on one man.

 

Best Case: Hank Aaron moves over. Jason Schmidt wins 20, Lowry 15 and Morris 15.

Worst Case: Bonds plays 30 games. Schmidt is no longer a #1 SP.

Questions: Just a few too many old guys to rely on.

 

3. San Diego: Held pat but for two 90’s stars: 3BVinny Castilla and C Mike Piazza.

 

Best Case: Weak division and cavernous ballpark help pitchers win.

Worst Case: Offense struggles both home and away.

Questions: Is SP Chris Young able to dominate in a pitcher friendly ballpark?

 

4. Arizona: For a WS winner in this decade, they sure don’t look any better.

 

Best Case: They get good mileage out of lost cost FAs acquired. And win 70 games.

Worst Case: They win 60 games, and have the run of the bottom feeders.

Questions: Do they have a plan? Will see.

 

5. Colorado: The franchise that could be so much better, with pitching.

 

Best Case: SS Barmes, LF Holliday and 3B Garrett Atkins all play well.

Worst Case: They fight for the cellar again.

Questions: Could they move down 2-3 thousand feet in elevation and still be close to Denver? Guess not.