Posted on Sun, Mar. 30, 2008

National League Team Capsules

EAST DIVISION

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

2007: 89-73, 1st

MANAGER: Charlie Manuel

OUTLOOK: The Phillies got a taste of the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, but were swept in the first round by Colorado. A potent offense will score plenty of runs. However, this pitching staff will need every one of those runs. If they stay healthy and pitch to their capabilities, the Phillies could go deep in the playoffs.

LINEUP

SS Jimmy Rollins

CF Shane Victorino

2B Chase Utley

1B Ryan Howard

LF Pat Burrell

3B Pedro Feliz

RF Geoff Jenkins

C Carlos Ruiz

ROTATION

RH Brett Myers

LH Cole Hamels

LH Jamie Moyer

RH Kyle Kendrick

RH Adam Eaton

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Brad Lidge

RH Tom Gordon

LH J.C. Romero

Regulars who hit more than 20 homers in `07.

NEW YORK METS

2007: 88-74, 2nd

MANAGER: Willie Randolph

OUTLOOK: The Mets are an NL favorite thanks to the trade for Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner. This team was one victory from the 2006 World Series and wants to win now. Delgado, Alou, Martinez and Hernandez have one year left on their contracts. Age and injuries are the biggest threats to a postseason run.

LINEUP

SS Jose Reyes

2B Luis Castillo

3B David Wright

CF Carlos Beltran

1B Carlos Delgado

LF Moises Alou

RF Ryan Church

C Brian Schneider

ROTATION

LH Johan Santana

RH Pedro Martinez

LH Oliver Perez

RH John Maine

RH Orlando Hernandez

KEY RELIEVERS

LH Billy Wagner

RH Aaron Heilman

LH Scott Schoeneweis

Division lead lost in final 17 games last season.

ATLANTA BRAVES

2007: 84-78, 3rd

MANAGER: Bobby Cox

OUTLOOK: The Braves were eager to improve their rotation after last year's reliance on Hudson and Smoltz. Glavine, soon to be 42, should be an improvement as the No. 3 starter. Atlanta had no trouble scoring runs last season, and if the bullpen comes through, the Braves can challenge for the division title.

LINEUP

2B Kelly Johnson

SS Yunel Escobar

3B Chipper Jones

1B Mark Teixeira

C Brian McCann

RF Jeff Francoeur

CF Mark Kotsay

LF Matt Diaz

ROTATION

RH Tim Hudson

RH John Smoltz

LH Tom Glavine

RH Jair Jurrjens

LH Mike Hampton

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Rafael Soriano

RH Peter Moylan

LH Will Ohman

Wins by Hudson and Smoltz last season.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

2007: 73-89, 4th

MANAGER: Manny Acta

OUTLOOK: There's more talent and depth, but not much in the way of significant upgrades. Dukes and Milledge could add excitement to the lineup, but the pitching staff is very similar to last season, which is good news in a strong bullpen but means there are still major questions about an injury-prone rotation.

LINEUP

SS Cristian Guzman

CF Lastings Milledge

3B Ryan Zimmerman

1B Dmitri Young

RF Austin Kearns

LF Wily Mo Pena

C Paul Lo Duca

2B Ronnie Belliard

ROTATION

RH Shawn Hill

LH Odalis Perez

RH Jason Bergmann

RH Tim Redding

LH Matt Chico

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Chad Cordero

RH Jon Rauch

LH Ray King

Players who hit 30 home runs last season.

FLORIDA MARLINS

2007: 71-91, 5th

MANAGER: Fredi Gonzalez

OUTLOOK: A new ballpark is finally on the horizon, but owner Jeffrey Loria says there will be no spending spree until the Marlins are in their new home, perhaps in 2011. Another roster purge is likely after this season, when the team's banner rookie class of 2006 becomes eligible for arbitration.

LINEUP

SS Hanley Ramirez

2B Dan Uggla

1B Mike Jacobs

LF Josh Willingham

RF Jeremy Hermida

CF Cody Ross

3B Jorge Cantu

C Mike Rabelo

ROTATION

LH Scott Olsen

LH Andrew Miller

LH Mark Hendrickson

RH Ricky Nolasco

RH Rick VandenHurk

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Kevin Gregg

LH Taylor Tankersley

RH Matt Lindstrom

201

Home runs last year, a team mark.

CENTRAL DIVISION

CHICAGO CUBS

2007: 85-77, 1st

MANAGER: Lou Piniella

OUTLOOK: While the Cubs' top three starters are solid, there are questions surrounding the final two spots. And, can this team avoid another dreadful start after rallying from 81/2 games back in June last season? Even with those uncertainties, the Cubs look like the class of this woeful division.

LINEUP

2B Ryan Theriot

LF Alfonso Soriano

1B Derrek Lee

3B Aramis Ramirez

RF Kosuke Fukudome

2B Mark DeRosa

C Geovany Soto

CF Felix Pie

ROTATION

RH Carlos Zambrano

LH Ted Lilly

RH Ryan Dempster

LH Rich Hill

RH Jason Marquis

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Kerry Wood

RH Carlos Marmol

RH Bob Howry

.300

Ryan Theriot's average in the leadoff spot last season.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

2007: 83-79, 2nd

MANAGER: Ned Yost

OUTLOOK: The Brewers made the commitment to win, not build, with its free-agent signings and the decision to move Braun to the outfield instead of letting him develop at third base. With Braun batting behind last year's NL home run leader, Fielder, the Brewers have a deep lineup.

LINEUP

2B Rickie Weeks

CF Mike Cameron

1B Prince Fielder

LF Ryan Braun

RF Corey Hart

3B Bill Hall

SS J.J. Hardy

C Jason Kendall

ROTATION

RH Ben Sheets

RH Jeff Suppan

RH Yovani Gallardo

RH Claudio Vargas

RH Dave Bush

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Eric Gagne

RH Derrick Turnbow

RH David Riske

1982

The last time Milwaukee qualified for the postseason.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

2007: 78-84, 3rd

MANAGER: Tony La Russa

OUTLOOK: This is a franchise in flux after consecutive 100-win seasons in 2004 and '05 and a World Series championship in '06. Pujols is still a slugging threat, but the biggest question is whether the patchwork rotation can win enough before Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter return.

LINEUP

RF Skip Schumaker

LF Chris Duncan

1B Albert Pujols

3B Troy Glaus

CF Rick Ankiel

C Yadier Molina

2B Adam Kennedy

SS Cesar Izturis

ROTATION

RH Adam Wainwright

RH Todd Wellemeyer

RH Brad Thompson

RH Braden Looper

RH Kyle Lohse

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Jason Isringhausen

RH Ryan Franklin

RH Russ Springer

Regulars who had more than 70 RBIs last season (Pujols, 103).

HOUSTON ASTROS

2007: 73-89, 4th

MANAGER: Cecil Cooper

OUTLOOK: Tejada was the cornerstone of an active offseason. However, behind Oswalt, the rotation remains suspect. Backe returned from Tommy John surgery last year and Williams, 41, was awful most of the spring. If the rotation is stable, this division can be had.

LINEUP

CF Michael Bourn

2B Kaz Matsui

1B Lance Berkman

LF Carlos Lee

SS Miguel Tejada

RF Hunter Pence

3B Ty Wigginton

C J.R. Towles

ROTATION

RH Roy Oswalt

LH Wandy Rodriguez

RH Brandon Backe

RH Shawn Chacon

RH Woody Williams

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Jose Valverde

RH Doug Brocail

RH Geoff Geary

Combined victories last season by the projected rotation.

CINCINNATI REDS

2007: 72-90, 5th

MANAGER: Dusty Baker

OUTLOOK: Baker was hired to pull the franchise out of its worst stretch in a half-century: seven straight losing seasons. Baker's biggest challenge will be cobbling a rotation out of a group of youngsters with little major league experience and veterans with mediocre histories.

LINEUP

CF Corey Patterson

2B Brandon Phillips

RF Ken Griffey Jr.

LF Adam Dunn

3B Edwin Encarnacion

1B Scott Hatteberg

SS Alex Gonzalez

C David Ross

ROTATION

RH Aaron Harang

RH Bronson Arroyo

RH Johnny Cueto

RH Edinson Volquez

RH Josh Fogg

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Francisco Cordero

RH David Weathers

LH Jeremy Affeldt

Saves last season that required more than an inning, second most in the NL.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

2007: 68-94, 6th

MANAGER: John Russell

OUTLOOK: Despite losing 94 games last season, the Pirates return their entire lineup. If they endure another losing season -- they haven't had a winner since 1992 -- they'll tie the 1933-48 Phillies for the major league record of 16 in a row. New management is promising a turnaround, but how soon?

LINEUP

CF Nate McLouth

SS Jack Wilson

2B Freddy Sanchez

LF Jason Bay

1B Adam LaRoche

RF Xavier Nady

C Ronny Paulino

3B Jose Bautista

ROTATION

RH Ian Snell

LH Tom Gorzelanny

LH Paul Maholm

RH Matt Morris

LH Zach Duke

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Matt Capps

LH Damaso Marte

LH John Grabow

Consecutive seasons of at least 94 losses. A fourth would be a franchise record.

WEST DIVISION

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

2007: 90-72, 1st

MANAGER: Bob Melvin

OUTLOOK: With the addition of Haren, and if Johnson stays healthy, Arizona will have one of the most formidable rotations in the game. The bullpen also looks deep, with the addition of Qualls helping to offset the departure of Valverde. The question is the offense. Arizona has to improve to defend its division title.

LINEUP

CF Chris Young

2B Orlando Hudson

1B Conor Jackson

LF Eric Byrnes

3B Mark Reynolds

C Chris Snyder

RF Justin Upton

SS Stephen Drew

ROTATION

RH Brandon Webb

LH Randy Johnson

RH Dan Haren

LH Doug Davis

RH Micah Owings

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Brandon Lyon

RH Tony Pena

RH Chad Qualls

One-run games won by Arizona last season.

COLORADO ROCKIES

2007: 90-73, 2nd, NL champion

MANAGER: Clint Hurdle

OUTLOOK: The Rockies opened up the checkbook in the offseason to secure their young nucleus, signing Tulowitzki, Hawpe, Corpas and Cook, plus locking up Holliday with a two-year contract. The team is hoping to show that last season's incredible late-season run was a sign of things to come.

LINEUP

CF Willy Taveras

SS Troy Tulowitzki

1B Todd Helton

LF Matt Holliday

3B Garrett Atkins

RF Brad Hawpe

C Yorvit Torrealba

2B Jayson Nix

ROTATION

LH Jeff Francis

RH Aaron Cook

RH Ubaldo Jimenez

LH Mark Redman

LH Franklin Morales

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Manny Corpas

LH Brian Fuentes

RH Matt Herges

Wins in '07 by the projected `08 rotation.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

2007: 89-74, 3rd

MANAGER: Bud Black

OUTLOOK: The Padres have one of the best pitching staffs in the major leagues, but the big question will be whether their popgun offense can keep them in contention again after they fell one win short of making the postseason for the third straight year. A rebound by outfielder Edmonds would be a big help.

LINEUP

RF Brian Giles

2B Tadahito Iguchi

3B Kevin Kouzmanoff

1B Adrian Gonzalez

CF Jim Edmonds

SS Khalil Greene

C Michael Barrett

LF Scott Hairston

ROTATION

RH Jake Peavy

RH Chris Young

RH Greg Maddux

LH Randy Wolf

RH Justin Germano

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Trevor Hoffman

RH Heath Bell

RH Cla Meredith

Saves last season by the reliable Hoffman.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

2007: 82-80, 4th

MANAGER: Joe Torre

OUTLOOK: The Dodgers had the NL's best record in mid-July last year and were still in contention until losing 11 of their last 14. The hiring of Torre should stabilize the clubhouse. The Yankees reached the postseason in each of Torre's 12 years, and the Dodgers appear to have a good shot to get there this season.

LINEUP

LF Juan Pierre

SS Rafael Furcal

C Russell Martin

CF Andruw Jones

2B Jeff Kent

1B James Loney

RF Matt Kemp

3B Nomar Garciaparra

ROTATION

RH Brad Penny

RH Derek Lowe

RH Chad Billingsley

RH Hiroki Kuroda

RH Esteban Loaiza

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Takashi Saito

RH Jonathan Broxton

LH Joe Beimel

129

Home runs in `07, 15th in the NL.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

2007: 71-91, 5th

MANAGER: Bruce Bochy

OUTLOOK: The players basked in the beginning of the post-Barry Bonds era, enjoying a clubhouse lacking the media crush his presence drew. A happy clubhouse is one thing, but the Giants appear more likely to be the first team to draw 3 million fans in a 100-loss season than they are to compete in the NL West.

LINEUP

LF Dave Roberts

CF Aaron Rowand

RF Randy Winn

C Bengie Molina

2B Ray Durham

3B Rich Aurilia

1B Dan Ortmeier

SS Omar Vizquel

ROTATION

LH Barry Zito

RH Matt Cain

RH Tim Lincecum

RH Kevin Correia

LH Jonathan Sanchez

KEY RELIEVERS

RH Brian Wilson

RH Tyler Walker

LH Jack Taschner

Players with 30 HRs or 100 RBIs lin '07.