2. Los Angles Dodgers: Okay, maybe we are overrating the Dodgers a bit, but the rotation looks pretty solid with the addition of Jason Schmidt and they have a versatile and left-handed packed lineup that should be able to produce enough runs.
3. St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals will be the last men standing in the divison at the end of the season because of workhorse Chris Carpenter, who should eat up innings and pick up wins for this shaky staff, and Albert Pujols, who will continue his dominance over Major League Baseball. New additions should help to revive the pitching staff.
4. Philadelphia Phillies: They look ready to dominate, but there are still some question marks. Will Freddy Garcia be able to come back from injury? A healthy Tom Gordon is a lights-out closer, but the guy has thrown a lot of innings in his career. With Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, they can definitely out-hit teams; if Brett Myers decides not to strike his wife, but rather strike out batters, they will compete for a World Series apparence.
5. Atlanta Braves: After breaking a 14-year streak of capturing the division title, the Braves appear ready to challenge the Mets with a good mix of budding stars and veterans. McCann has the potential to mirror counterpart Joe Mauer's breakout year last season, and Francoeur should bounce back from last year's sophomore slump.
6. San Diego Padres: This team has a lot of potential. The lineup does not have any true star power, but has the ability to quietly produce with the help of the Giles brothers and Adrian Gonzalez. A pitching staff led by ace Jake Peavy and veterans Greg Maddux and David Wells is very solid. If they can get the ball to Trevor Hoffman, the game will be safely secured.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks: After a couple years' hiatus, the D-Backs are now back in the playoff conversation as the young hitters mature and blossom. Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin and Chris Young will provide offense while pushing the team's average age well below the league average. While some people head to Arizona to retire, Randy Johnson and Livan Hernandez are hoping this year will bring them back to the playoff stage where they once thrived.
8. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brew Crew are very intriguing and have playoff potential this year. With pitching that is solid from first to fifth, they could surprise everyone. Ben Sheets has the potential to be as good as anyone, but he hasn't made 30 starts since 2004. The lineup is young and will have to mature quickly in order to take the NL Central.
9. Chicago Cubs: The additions of Alfonso Soriano and Ted Lilly have people on the north side optimistic. Too bad we are both White Sox fans. However, the Cubs are capable of winning the NL Central if they stay healthly and the back of the rotation steps up. Carlos Zambrano is an ace and the lineup should produce a lot more runs this year with a healthy Derek Lee and the presence of Soriano. However, it's always hard to pick the Cubs to win.
10. Houston Astros: Gone are Andy Pettite and Roger Clemens (for now), but the 'Stros still have Roy Oswalt and they added Jason Jenning and Woody Williams to the staff. Adding slugger Carlos Lee could help this team avoid the devastating offensive droughts, but the team is on the downswing, just like aging star Craig Biggio. If the Rocket returns, they could make a push at the Wild Card.
11. Florida Marlins: If they could make a run at the Wild Card last year, they should be able to this year, with a more experienced bunch. Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, and Miguel Cabrera will produce runs aplenty, and Dontrelle Willis and Anibal Sanchez will anchor the staff. Besides those five, however, this team is just too green to be around when the leaves start changing.
12. San Francisco Giants: The number 34 tells you everything you need to know about the Giants. It is the number of starts that Barry Zito, the team's new $126-million man, will need to win for the team to make the playoffs, and is also the average age of the opening day lineup.
13. Cincinnati Reds: The Reds are two or three starting pitchers away from being division winners, and, with the current asking price of a starter, that is a tall order. Nevertheless, Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo will keep the team afloat. Adam Dunn will continue to hit homeruns, but the lineup does not have the talent to overcome its shortage of starting pitching.
14. Colorado Rockies: They will be able to score runs, but only because they play in Colorado. Todd Helton is not the player he used to be, and they don't have the same lineup power they used to have. Brian Fuentes has proven he can close games, but any pitching staff that has an 18-game loser is in trouble.
15. Pittsburgh Pirates: There is reason to be optimistic about the futue in Pittsburgh, and it has nothing to do with Big Ben and the Steelers. Batting champ Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay and new acquisition Adam LaRoche form the heart of a up-and-coming offense. Unfortunately, their starting pitching is thin and their bullpen will not be able to stop the bleeding.
16. Washington Nationals: This team is a lock to lose 100 games. The lineup is amazingly weak, as is the starting lineup. The only decent aspect of the team is the bullpen, but they will be overworked and fade fast. Chad Cordero, who would save 40 games almost anywhere else, will be lucky to get 20.