NL East Discussion Thread(Marlins Preview. Marlins Opening Day Wednesday 7PM E/T ESPN)
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Cosmic_Cannon
Members Posts: 526 ✭✭✭
I know we have a couple of Marlins and Phils fans, with a Braves fan or two, so this thread can survive. lol
W/ that said, I will have team previews and predictions.
Washington Nationals:
W/ that said, I will have team previews and predictions.
Washington Nationals:
Much has been made of this exciting team, they are the popular club to be heralded as the breakout team of 2012.Acquisitions of Edwin Jackson and Gio Gonzalez, have this rotation looking deadlier than ever. However, this rotation's success begins and ends with Stephen Strausburg. Strausburg will be watched closely, as he will have a innings cap for 2012. Edwin Jackson and Gio both can be lights out or erratic at times with command issues, while Zimmerman is almost 26 and has room to go. Lannan was seen as a hot trade commodity in the spring, but may stick w/ the club, as ? will be on the back end of this rotation.
The lineup of the Nationals, has mixed blend of youth and veterans. Franchise staple Ryan Zimmerman will likely have a bounce back year, as he is now healthy, and will provide much needed power and fielding. Jason Werth is still an enigma and on the wrong side of 30, so it's not easy to say he plays close to days in Philly. It will be interesting to see if Ramos; Morse, Espinonosa, and Desmond can improve on their 2011 campaigns, or regress due to the added pressure. Even with all these factors, it will still seen secondary, to when Bryce Harper joins the club sometime in the summer. It will be ridiculous, to suggest Bryce's arrival will be anything short of grand. With his five-tool prowess; his phenomenal aura and him possibly playing center-field, the baseball world will watch Bryce and the Nationals closely this year.
In conclusion, the Nationals are a very talented team, with a high ceiling. Similar to the Marlins, they will be dependent on their ace's health, and we'll see if that pans out. I like this team going forward, unfortunately I see them just short of being a post-season team, I predict the Nationals to be a 86 win team in 2012.
The lineup of the Nationals, has mixed blend of youth and veterans. Franchise staple Ryan Zimmerman will likely have a bounce back year, as he is now healthy, and will provide much needed power and fielding. Jason Werth is still an enigma and on the wrong side of 30, so it's not easy to say he plays close to days in Philly. It will be interesting to see if Ramos; Morse, Espinonosa, and Desmond can improve on their 2011 campaigns, or regress due to the added pressure. Even with all these factors, it will still seen secondary, to when Bryce Harper joins the club sometime in the summer. It will be ridiculous, to suggest Bryce's arrival will be anything short of grand. With his five-tool prowess; his phenomenal aura and him possibly playing center-field, the baseball world will watch Bryce and the Nationals closely this year.
In conclusion, the Nationals are a very talented team, with a high ceiling. Similar to the Marlins, they will be dependent on their ace's health, and we'll see if that pans out. I like this team going forward, unfortunately I see them just short of being a post-season team, I predict the Nationals to be a 86 win team in 2012.
Comments
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Mets fan here and I am not looking forward to the season. Depending how it goes I could see them trading Wright.
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If we do trade him, it'll be in the off-season, when a team can have him for a year as opposed to a month or two.
Although, we will be rebuilding for the next 2+ years, there is a lot to watch this year. Ike will hit 25+ HR's and Duda will bash 17+, Niese will have a breakout year, and Santana and Bay will probably be trade-bait come July. Highly touted pitching prospect Matt Harvey will pitch in September. It's going to be rough for a few years, but tickets will be cheap on Stubhub for the next 2+ years bruh. lol -
You figure if they do trade Wright, they are trading away the face of the team. I do see them getting rid of Bay and possible Santana. Its going to be a long couple of seasons but have to look at the bright side.
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hope these next few years goes as slow as possible for you mets fans
86 wins FOR NATS ? ? ! -
rice n gravy wrote: »hope these next few years goes as slow as possible for you mets fans
86 wins FOR NATS ? ? !
Its going to slow for me living in Phils country. -
rice n gravy wrote: »hope these next few years goes as slow as possible for you mets fans
86 wins FOR NATS ? ? !
Better enjoy this year now, because that window is closing fast. Howard is on a steep decline, and Hamels may leave in the off-season. The Nats were a win or two short from .500 last year, and that was w/o a healthy Strausburg and Zimmerman. This is a average line-up and I expect Gio to regress this year, so that's why I don't peg them making the playoffs like most do.
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I heard howard and utley won't be ready for the start of the season
The braves got chipper (nothing new) and tim hudson out but we should be straight
All these marlins fans gonna be ? when they team ends up in 3rd place again
The nats got a good young team but they're at least a year away
I just feel sorry for mets fans
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Marlins fan up in this thang...
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Bravos, bytch.
Deal wit it.... -
allday1992 wrote: »I heard howard and utley won't be ready for the start of the season
The braves got chipper (nothing new) and tim hudson out but we should be straight
All these marlins fans gonna be ? when they team ends up in 3rd place again
The nats got a good young team but they're at least a year away
I just feel sorry for mets fans
Yeah plus every pundits seems to have them as World Series contenders come 2014 along with the Braves!!! -
let's get it. i'm really looking for 85 wins. center fielder is an issue and I'm not that big of a fan of La Rouche. Hopefully Morse can repeat last year's performance. Werth has to wake the ? up. Zimmerman has to stay healthy. Still need a major bat in the line up as well. -
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braves fan here but im not expecting much
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Damn mets at least I can get tickets on stub hub for like 20 bucks for lower level
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Braves fan
Squad bout to take back the division -
BravesComing off a devastating collapse, that was over-shadowed by the even greater train-wreck in Boston, the Braves will attempt to heal their wounds. Despite the above, the Braves are certainly a factor in one of the top divisions in all of baseball. Loaded with top pitching prospects and recent Rookie of the Year candidates, and there are an abundance of things to love about this team.
Let's start off with the Braves clear-cut strength, which is their starting pitching. Tim Hudson and Tommy Hanson will be the true 1 and 2 pitchers of this staff; while Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor will provide some punches in the latter of the rotation, and Jair Jurrgens will regress but still be an effective control pitcher. Aside from those listed above, that's barely scratching the surface of this staff, w/ top prospects Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran could sneak in the rotation.
Offensively, this team was a bit average the previous year, however there is a good deal of upside. Once heralded phenom Jason Heyward, will likely have a good 2012 campaign, after a sophomore slump in 2011. Bourn will be a pitcher's nuisance, as he will steal 40+ bases and be a great table setter for the Braves. Freeman; McCannn, and Uggla will bring extra power, and be key middle of the line-up sluggers. Obviously, there's the 1000 elephant in the room in the name of Chipper Jones. I don't expect him to play 100 games, however he'll produce and provide veteran leadership when he's on the field.
The Braves are a well balanced team, and have a great future. However, there's something lacking from this team, they don't have that "wow factor" that puts them over the top. I expect fun summer in Atlanta, but just short of having an awesome fall. The Braves are a 87 team, and we will barely miss the playoffs in 2012. -
Great preview about NL East teams, as well all of baseball, 30 Clubs In 30 Days On MLB Network does the previews everyday. Here's some of the episodes which feature the Braves; Nats, Marlins, Phils, and Mets.
http://mlbnetwork.mlb.com/network/promotions/30_in_30.jsp -
Heyward gonna have his breakout season?
You might start to hear the "b" word if he doesn't -
Heyward was hurt all year and that ? up his mechanics
If he can stay healthy he'll be back to being an all star -
Possible but I doubt it, he will have a nice .265 Avg/25 HR/.375 OBP/.490 Slg. Which are respectable numbers, but not close to the MVP caliber stats that Heyward is capable of. It's a bit off-topic, but MLB's stupidity to not market their black stars is frustrating. There are of an abundance of young black MLB stars in the game, and MLB is missing out on great revenue by not marketing these guys to us. Matt Kemp(Dodgers); Heyward, Andrew McCutchen(Pirates), Giancarlo Stanton(Marlins), David Price(Rays), Justin Upton(D-Backs), CC Sabathia(Yankees) and Curtis Granderson(Yankees) are just some of the brothers to watch.
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They tried to push heyward but everything else held him back but you right about everybody else. I think Barry Bonds still got them scared to push a black man like that
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I'm thinking John Mayberry Jr. is gonna be a problem too
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I'm still trying to figure out where the marlins got all this money from
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allday1992 wrote: »I'm still trying to figure out where the marlins got all this money from
Taxpayers lol -
allday1992 wrote: »They tried to push heyward but everything else held him back but you right about everybody else. I think Barry Bonds still got them scared to push a black man like that
He was fighting injuries too, and he was a target for pitchers since he made waves the in his rookie year. Lol Bonds had some ready to lynch him, when he was approaching Ruth's record, and Pedro Gomez covering the national ether was humor in itself. But Heyward; Upton, and McCutchen have the best shot at being HoF'ers, none of them will ? w/ Bonds. Bonds is just the GOAT.
@ Craig
Mayberry should shine, especially in that ball-park and more playing time in LF or at 1st.
