Atlanta Braves (First Place, 2000)
As everyone who follows baseball knows, the Braves are built around their pitching staff. The Braves starting pitching has been among the best in the game since Greg Maddux came to the Braves from the Cubs in 1993. Last year Maddux finished 19-9, which for him is almost a disappointing season. Tom Glavine came in second in the Cy Young Award voting, and finished with a 21-9 record. The missing cog in their starting pitching last year was the loss of John Smoltz to injury, but all reports indicate that he should come back strong this season. The Braves starting pitching will again be top-notch.
John Rocker will occupy the role of closer again this year, a role in which he excelled at times last year. After a shaky start, Rocker returned to dominance in the second half. The rest of the Braves bullpen should be average but not spectacular.
On offense the Braves will be led by the Jones "brothers"-Andruw and Chipper. Andruw just keeps getting better as he matures. It is hard to believe that he is still only 24, but he has blossomed into a superstar early in his career. Chipper continues to play at an All-Star level, and last year he wasn't far off his MVP performance of 1999.
Around the Jones brothers the Braves have assembled a solid lineup. Rafael Furcal astounded everyone last year as he made the jump from single A to the major leagues look easy, Javy Lopez is still one of the best catchers in the NL and BJ Surhoff is a veteran performer that will help the Braves offense.
After being the team of the '90s, the Braves are heading downhill, but they are still one of the best teams in the NL. They should make the playoffs again, but the NL East title may not be theirs for the taking this year.
New York Mets (Second Place, 2000)
Last year the Mets made it to the World Series and this year they expect similar results. The Mets are in a constant battle with the Yankees for coverage in the New York media, and if they wish to compete, they must put together a championship caliber team every season.
The Mets lost more than they gained in the offseason, and it remains to be seen how they will react. They lost their number one pitcher, Mike Hampton, and while they signed two major free agent pitchers over the winter-Kevin Appier and Steve Traschel-neither of them is as good as Hampton.
The lineup is led by Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile. These four will undoubtedly be one of the best foursomes in the NL. But beyond these players, the Mets have very little offensive firepower. Rey Ordonez, who sat out last year with a wrist injury, is a black hole offensively. Outfielder Timo Perez was a late season surprise, jumpstarting the offense in the first two rounds of the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if he will be a valuable part of the Mets' offense.
Right now the brightest hope for the Mets is the constant rumors regarding Gary Sheffield. Sheffield- of the Los Angeles Dodgers- is one of the best hitters in the game, and he has reportedly requested a trade. If the Mets acquired him , it would greatly enhance their lineup. The Mets should enjoy another playoff-caliber season, but unless they make some upgrades during the season, don't expect them to return to the World Series.
Florida Marlins (Third Place, 2000)
After winning the World Series a few years ago, the Marlins gutted their payroll and the team returned to the bottom of the league. The actions that owner Wayne Huizenga took were absolutely despicable-he essentially bought a championship. The Marlins now are on the upswing, and if their young talent comes together they can be a respectable team.
The fish have a talented pitching staff built around three youngsters. Ryan Dempster had an impressive season last year, making the All-Star team and becoming the workhorse that the Marlins need at the top of their rotation. AJ Burnett, after coming back from injury in the first half of the season, pitched well in the second half of the season. Brad Penny fills out the triumvirate and should continue to improve this year.
On offense the Marlins made a major upgrade in the offseason. Charles Johnson, who was a member of the Marlins when they won the World Series, was traded the next season but has now resigned with the team as a free agent. While his once remarkable defensive skills have slipped in the last few seasons, Johnson has emerged as one of the best hitting catchers in the major leagues. Preston Wilson and Cliff Floyd led the Marlins last year at the plate, and they should still form the heart of the lineup. Floyd hit .300 with 22 home runs and 24 stolen bases last year, despite missing 41 games with injuries. Wilson came close to setting the single season record for strikeouts, but he still produced 31 homers, 121 RBI and 36 steals. If he can refine his strike zone judgment, he should see marked improvement.
Since the Marlins are built around a core of young players they should continue to improve this year. Expect them to finish slightly above .500.
Montreal Expos (Fourth Place, 2000)
Playing in Montreal, the Expos rarely draw over 10,000 fans per game, and last year they didn't even have a television contract. Still, without any support from the city, the Expos management manages to find gems all over the world. Leading the way for the Expos is Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero is just 24 years old and still seems very raw on the field, but the tools that he possesses are unreal. Last year he hit .345 with 44 homers, 123 RBI and 101 runs scored. He still has room to improve-he swings at far too many bad pitches-and when he makes those minor adjustments, he will be head and shoulders above any other player in the game.
Another young star for the Expos is Jose Vidro. Vidro was one of the Expos top prospects for the last few years, but last year he put it all together. He batted .330 with 24 home runs, very good numbers for a second baseman. Vidro and Guerrero are both signed to contracts for the next four years, and if the team can build around them, their future looks bright.
Complementing these two in the lineup will be Fernando Tatis, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals. Tatis battled injuries in the second half of last season, but when healthy he has proven to be an excellent offensive threat. Still, it doesn't appear that the Expos will make a run for the playoffs this season. It is almost inevitable that management will be forced to trade a starting player during the season, and that will take away any chance for the Expos to make the playoffs. The only hope of long-term success for the team will come if they relocate the franchise to a city that will support the team.
Philadelphia Phillies (Fifth Place, 2000)
The Phillies offense will revolve around four stars, but other than that the team has very little going for them. Scott Rolen, Mike Lieberthal, Pat Burrell andBobby Abreu are the best hitters in the lineup. Rolen, the 1997 NL Rookie of the Year, has been the best third baseman in the NL when not injured. He is the best defensively at the position, and at the plate he has excelled as well. Lieberthal had a breakout season two years ago and remained one of the best catchers in the NL last year. Pat "The Bat" Burrell was one of the most dominant hitters in the history of college baseball, and in his rookie year he continued to crush the ball. He is not a very good defensive player, but all of that will be forgotten as he develops as a hitter. The fourth star in the lineup is center fielder Abreu. Abreu continued last year to put up solid number for the Phillies, the second straight year he has done so, and he has quietly become one of the best center fielders in the league. The Phillies must build around these four, because they have very little else right now.
In deadline deals last year the Phillies dealt their top two starters-Curt Schilling and Andy Ashby-and they don't have much else on their pitching staff. The Phils have to hope that Omar Daal rebounds from his horrible 2000 season and provides some leadership. The Phillies will likely bring up the rear in the NL East again. Last year they were tied for last in the majors, but this year they should see improvements.