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Rays/MLB
NL East outlook
By Times Staff Writer
Published April 2, 2006
ATLANTA BRAVES
2005: 90-72, 1st.
MANAGER: Bobby Cox.
PAYROLL: $80-million.
KEY ADDITION: SS Edgar Renteria.
KEY LOSSES: SS Rafael Furcal, RHP Mike Hampton (injured).
PROJECTED LINEUP:
2B Marcus Giles .291, 15 HR, 63 RBIs.
SS Edgar Renteria .276, 8, 70.
3B Chipper Jones .296, 21, 72.
CF Andruw Jones .273, 51, 128.
1B Adam LaRoche .259, 20, 78.
RF Jeff Francoeur .300, 14, 45.
LF Ryan Langerhans .267, 8, 42.
C Brian McCann .278, 5, 23.
ROTATION: RHP John Smoltz, RHP Tim Hudson, RHP Jorge Sosa, RHP John Thomson, LHP Horacio Ramirez.
CLOSER: RHP Chris Reitsma.
BOTTOM LINE: The Braves last season won their 14th straight division title with youth that is now a year older and more experienced. Until someone beats them, it's tough to bet against them.
NEW YORK METS
2005: 83-79, tied 3rd.
MANAGER: Willie Randolph.
PAYROLL: $105-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: 1B Carlos Delgado, LHP Billy Wagner.
KEY LOSSES: RHP Kris Benson.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS Jose Reyes .273, 7 HR, 58 RBIs.
C Paul Lo Duca .283, 6, 57.
CF Carlos Beltran .266, 16, 78.
1B Carlos Delgado .301, 33, 115.
3B David Wright .306, 27, 102.
LF Cliff Floyd .273, 34, 98.
2B Anderson Hernandez Kaz Matsui on DL
RF Xavier Nady .261, 13, 43.
ROTATION: LHP Tom Glavine, RHP Pedro Martinez, RHP Steve Trachsel, RHP Victor Zambrano, RHP Aaron Heilman.
CLOSER: LHP Billy Wagner.
BOTTOM LINE: Wagner and Delgado are huge upgrades, but for the Mets to go anywhere, Beltran must do better.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
2005: 88-74, 2nd.
MANAGER: Charlie Manuel.
PAYROLL: $92-million.
KEY ADDITION: RHP Tom Gordon, CF Aaron Rowand.
KEY LOSSES: LHP Billy Wagner, 1B Jim Thome.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS Jimmy Rollins .290, 12 HR, 54 RBIs.
CF Aaron Rowand .270, 13, 69.
RF Bobby Abreu .286, 24, 102.
LF Pat Burrell .281, 31, 117.
2B Chase Utley .291, 28, 105.
1B Ryan Howard .288, 22, 63.
C Mike Lieberthal .263, 12, 47.
3B David Bell .248, 10, 61
or Abraham Nunez .285, 5, 44.
ROTATION: RHP Jon Lieber, RHP Brett Myers, RHP Cory Lidle, RHP Ryan Madson, RHP Ryan Franklin.
CLOSER: RHP Tom Gordon.
BOTTOM LINE: The Phillies, who have not made the playoffs since 1993, will score runs but the pitching staff, beyond Lieber and Gordon, is shaky.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
2005: 81-81, 5th.
MANAGER: Frank Robinson.
PAYROLL: $60-million.
KEY ADDITION: LF Alfonso Soriano.
KEY LOSS: RHP Esteban Loaiza.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
CF Brandon Watson .175, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
or Ryan Church .287, 9, 42.
2B Jose Vidro .275, 7, 32.
RF Jose Guillen .283, 24, 76.
1B Nick Johnson .289, 15, 74.
LF Alfonso Soriano .268, 36, 104.
3B Ryan Zimmerman .397, 0, 6.
SS Royce Clayton .270, 2, 44.
C Brian Schneider .268, 10, 44.
ROTATION: RHP Livan Hernandez, RHP John Patterson, RHP Ramon Ortiz, RHP Tony Armas Jr., RHP Pedro Astacio.
CLOSER: RHP Chad Cordero.
BOTTOM LINE: Still without an owner, the team's only significant move to help a dreadful offense was to bring in the selfish and self-centerd Soriano.
FLORIDA MARLINS
2005: 83-79, tied 3rd.
MANAGER: Joe Girardi.
PAYROLL: $19-million.
KEY ADDITION: SS Hanley Ramirez.
KEY LOSSES: Too numerous to mention, but start with RHP Josh Beckett.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS Hanley Ramirez .271, 6 HR, 52 RBIs (AA).
RF Jeremy Hermida .293, 4, 11.
3B Miguel Cabrera .323, 33, 116.
1B Mike Jacobs .310, 11, 23.
LF Josh Willingham .304, 0, 4.
2B Dan Uggla .295, 21, 87 (AAA).
CF Chris Aguila .244, 0, 4.
C Miguel Olivo .217, 9, 34.
ROTATION: LHP Dontrelle Willis, RHP Brian Moehler, LHP Jason Vargas, RHP Sergio Mitre, RHP Josh Johnson.
CLOSER: RHP Joe Borowski.
BOTTOM LINE: Oh, my, gosh, this is going to be bad.
[Last modified April 2, 2006, 01:24:20]
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