Storyline: The 2016 MLB season is here! Here are my predictions for the National League East. Written by Tomas D’Anella, Murray, Utah.
Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves (photo, blacksportsonline.com)
Atlanta Braves: Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran Prove To Be Stars On A Lackluster Team. The Braves aren’t contenders. They won’t surprise anyone with a run at the Mets or a second Wild Card spot. A team of prospects with a star in Freddie Freeman shouldn’t expect to contend. But Freeman will continue to be a star shining brightly in a dark sky that’s Atlanta. And just a little to the left you’ll see a dimmer star, Julio Teheran. An underrated pitcher, Tehran posted a Cy Young caliber-season in the eyes of the Braves themselves, posting a 4.02 ERA. Tehran easily steps into the role of ace after the team dealt Shelby Miller to the Diamondbacks. Expect Freeman and Tehran to post eerily average stats that seem to be like Babe Ruth and Cy Young, respectively, on a team that lacks major league talent.
Miami Marlins: Mattingly and Bonds Will Surprise The Nation and Finish Second In NL East. The Miami Marlins are a team full of questions. Are Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez healthy and ready to compete? Can new hitting coach, Barry Bonds, help Marcell Ozuna become a Bonds-esque player? Can the youngsters challenge for a Wild Card spot? While the Mets are virtually a shoe-in for the top spot in the NL East, second place is up for grabs. With the Braves and Phillies in rebuild mode, only the Nationals and Marlins are second place candidates.
The Marlins host one of the game’s top power hitters, Giancarlo Stanton, and one of the game’s top young pitchers, Jose Fernandez. A nice, young core compliment these two stars. There’s All-Star Dee Gordon and potential All-Stars in Wei-yin Chen, Marcell Ozuna, and Christian Yelich. With a shaky rotation–yet an young, up-and-coming lineup–the Fish may be in a spot to overtake the Nationals for second place.
Matt Harvey of the NY Mets (photo, www.newyorkmetsreport.com)
New York Mets: Rotation Of The Century Alone Will Lead Team To World Series. Even without the deadline acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes, the Met’s young rotation was ready to carry ther team to the postseason. Headlined by Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom, New York has established starters to scare NL lineups: journeyman Bartolo Colon, fireballer Noah Syndergaard, and rookie lefty, and Steven Matz. The old saying ‘the best offense is a good defense’ applies to the Mets. Even without sluggers Cespedes and Lucas Duda or rookie standout, Michael Conforto, the Mets have a starting rotation team owners dream about. That rotation, alone, can carry this team back to the World Series.
Philadelphia Phillies: Front Office Proves To Have Rule 5 Magic. The Phillies have been able to find diamonds in the rough via the Rule 5 Draft. Though not recognized immediately, the best draft pick was returned before he even started to produce. Outfielder, Ender Inciarte, was taken by the Phillies in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft. Kept out of the Opening Day lineup, the team decided to option him the following day, returning him to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2004, the Phillies selected Shane Victorino from the Dodgers. Victorino went on to lead the team to the World Series in 2009. Most recently, the Phils selected Odubel Herrera with the hopes of him becoming the player Inciarte has become. This year they selected two players, outfielder, Tyler Goeddel, and lefty reliever, Daniel Stumpf. Goedde, a former 3rd baseman from the Tampa Bay Rays, hopes to become another Odubel Herrera. Stumpf is an average lefty from the Royals. I expect one of the two to make a name for himself–just as Herrera did in 2015.
Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals (photo, footballscoop.com)
Washington Nationals: Injury Bug Hits and Hits Hard. The Nationals have a nice core of players, starring Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. But those stars are surrounded by a lineup of aging veterans. Former franchise cornerstone, Ryan Zimmerman, has battled injuries and lost his position. He’s had to try other positions in attempt to keep a spot in the lineup. Originally slotted in left field, he settled into first base. Injury-riddled Jayson Werth has been trying to get healthy, but he has been too injured to help. With injury-riddled veterans and youngsters with health problems, this team just has too many players on the DL.
Pick to win NL East: NY Mets
Pick to win Wild Card from NL East: None
Pick to win MVP from NL East: None
Pick to win Cy Young from NL East: None
