NBA Semifinals Preview

Eastern Conference

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks

The Bulls know what they have in Derrick Rose and they like it. With his late game heroics in Game 3 against Indiana the Bulls know they can count on him late in close games.  Chicago will need more from Carlos Boozer who was next to being a no-show against the Pacers.  Indiana has more size to compete with Boozer than Atlanta does which should bode well for him.  Luol Deng was coming on late in the first round and should continue his upward trend.  Kyle Korver was hitting big shots at crucial times during the first round.  Chicago will be tested to see if they can prove they are the best team in the conference.

The Hawks got over the hump and beat a contender in the playoffs. Not that Orlando was going to make it to the Finals this year, but they were just two years removed from an appearance in the Finals.  Joe Johnson was better than advertised for the Hawks.  Al Horford held his own against Dwight Howard.  Josh Smith was a defensive menace during their first round series.  Jamal Crawford was a great catalyst off the bench against Orlando.  They didn't have an answer for him, but it will be more difficult against the best defensive team in Chicago.

Bulls in 6 games

2. Miami Heat vs. 3. Boston Celtics

The most intriguing matcup of the playoffs is about to get underway.  Will the result be the same as before with LeBron James and the Boston Celtics?  Boston knows exactly what to do about LeBron, but they have to deal with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh as well.  Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have gotten a lot of rest which should help.  Whether it will stop the Celtics from giving up any leads is yet to be determined.  Rajon Rondo can't have any bad games if the Celtics are to take advantage of their one strength against the Heat.

LeBron, Wade and Bosh are playing their best at the right time. Their biggest problem is still trying to win close games.  Boston knows that and figures they will be close through this series. Another problem for the Heat is who else can they count on? Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem won't be available and Miami can't expect Wade, LeBron and Bosh to be there every night against the defending conference champions.  Thankfully for the Heat, Boston is banged up too with Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal battling injuries.  Boston's depth isn't at its peak either.

Celtics in 6 games

Western Conference

2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 3. Dallas Mavericks

It was tough for the Mavericks, but with some home cooking in Game 5 they rode that momentum into Game 6 in Portland and won decisively.  It's hard to believe that this is the first time these two will meet in the playoffs.  There was some bad blood the last time they met.  That shouldn't boil over into the playoffs, but you do start to get tired of seeing the same face every other day.  Dirk Nowitzki will need to play his 'A' game in this series.  He poses a difficult matchup for the Lakers, but they also know that the Mavericks don't have many other options.  Caron Butler is ruled out for this series.  Jason Terry will have to be at his best off the bench.  Dallas has Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood to go against Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, but will it be enough?

The Lakers had a tough going with New Orleans, but their size ultimately was too much for the Hornets.  Dallas has the depth to hang with the Lakers bigs, but it will be a daunting task.  Pau Gasol should be better than he was against the Hornets.  It was a good wake up call for him going forward.  Kobe Bryant played to the Lakers strengths in the last two games against the Hornets. Lamar Odom and Ron Artest played well and even Matt Barnes and Steve Blake played a big part in the Lakers turn around against New Orleans.  Depth is always important at this time and the Lakers win in that department.

Lakers in 6 games

4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies

Believe it or not this will be a great series.  Memphis doesn't even have their best player in Rudy Gay, but Zach Randolph was phenomenal against the Spurs.  If he repeats that performance the Grizzlies will be looking at another upset.  Tony Allen was all over Manu Ginobili.  He will have to do the same against Kevin Durant, but it won't be easy.  Marc Gasol has a tougher defensive matcup in Kendrick Perkins, but he should still be a force on offense.  The key will be what Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo can do for the secondary scoring.  If they contribute often they will make it tough for the Thunder.  

Russell Westbrook has to play bigger than ever before.  He is the one player that the Grizzlies will have trouble defending in the series.  Another advantage for the Thunder is Kevin Durant.  His relentless scoring ability was no match for the high scoring Denver Nuggets who couldn't keep up with Oklahoma.  Memphis is more defensive minded and will have to hope Durant has a couple bad games.  Serge Ibaka is beginning to realize his potential as an offensive player.  That isn't good for the Grizzlies if they can stop Westbrook and Durant.  James Harden is going to be a key component off the bench.  If he can consistently score in double digits for the Thunder they will be looking at competing for the conference title.

Thunder in 6 games

NHL Stanley Cup Semifinals Preview

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals vs. 5. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Capitals had a some what easy quarterfinal against the Rangers.  Washington has had issues with complacency in the playoffs, but that looks to have been an after thought this year. Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin were great in the quarterfinals and will have to be again.  Michal Neuvirth was spectacular in net for the Capitals.  They have to believe that he can continue to be a productive force for them and their run at the Cup.

Tampa Bay an underdog against the Penguins even though Pittsburgh didn't have Crosby or Malkin.  The Lightning held their own winning the last three games of the series including Game 7 in Pittsburgh.  They outscored the Penguins 13-4 in those three games.  Steven Stamkos and Hart Trophy nominee Martin St. Louis will have to provide the scoring against their division rival in the semifinals.  Goalie Dwayne Roloson was a big reason why they stopped the Penguins and will have to be even better against Washington.

Lightning in 6 games

2. Philadelphia Flyers vs. 3. Boston Bruins

The Flyers got a wake up call against Buffalo.  Philadelphia had to win the last two games of the series to advance.  Stellar goaltending by Ryan Miller almost was the Flyers undoing.  They had goaltending issues of their own, but Brian Boucher took control and won all four games for the Flyers.  Danny Briere was their catalyst on offense and if Chris Pronger is fully healthy and active against Boston there should be a repeat of the Bruins being eliminated in the semifinals by Philadelphia.

The Bruins finally took control after being down 2-0 to their rival Montreal and won 4 of the last 5 to eliminate them.  It wasn't easy, but they have to think that Vezina Trophy nominee Tim Thomas will bounce back in net for them.  Zdeno Chara wasn't the same on defense and Milan Lucic wasn't as productive offensively.  Nathan Horton was a big reason why the Bruins advanced.  Patrice Bergeron was the setup man and will need to get through the Flyers defense to continue that trend.

Flyers in 6 games

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks vs. 5. Nashville Predators

Vancouver got a bit of a scare being up 3-0 to Chicago and having to beat them in Game 7.  The Canucks were too much for Chicago to handle, but there is some doubt as to whether goalie Roberto Luongo can rebound from a tough end to that series.  If he gets back on track Vancouver will be tough to take to another Game 7. The Sedin twins were lights out in the first three games, but hard to find the rest of the series.  Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler will need to pick up the scoring.  Kevin Bieksa was their best defensemen and best scoring threat from the blue line.
Nashville shocked many with their first playoff series win against the hottest team going into the playoffs in the Anaheim Ducks. Vezina Trophy nominee Pekka Rinne had a lot to do with the Ducks demise.  Shea Weber, Mike Fisher, Joel Ward and Jordin Tootoo each contributed at least 5 points in the six games it took to eliminate the Ducks.  If the Predators can continue that trend against the best team in the NHL this year, they will be the cinderella team of these Stanley Cup playoffs.

Canucks in 6 games

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 3. Detroit Red Wings

There was a moment where the Sharks could have had some problems against the rival Los Angeles Kings, but with that amazing comeback victory in Game 3 all was well for the San Jose.  The usual suspects, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley were productive, but it was the young guns that won it for San Jose.  Ryan Clowe, Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski each contributed at least 5 points.  Clowe and Pavelski lead the team with 4 goals apiece.  Antti Niemi can bounce back from a shaky start to the playoffs the Sharks should see themselves make a repeat appearance in the conference finals.
It seemed to be too easy for the Red Wings in the quarterfinals. Phoenix was no match for them.  Detroit really only needed Pavel Datsyuk to be on his game and boy was he.  Valtteri Filppula is beginning to have a breakout playoff stretch and goalie Jimmy Howard was stellar in all four of his starts.  The challenge will be to slow down the Sharks scorers.  Norris Trophy nominee Nicklas Lidstrom along with Brian Rafalski will be tasked with that and to keep pucks deep into San Jose's zone.  If they can do that the Red Wings will be closer to another conference title.

Red Wings in 6 games

Three's Company at Chavez Ravine

What is to become of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise? Baseball's commissioner Bud Selig (pictured in the middle) has decided to use his power and take control of the franchise from current owner Frank McCourt (pictured left).  Frank has been in the middle of a nasty and public divorce with his wife Jamie (pictured right) the last two years which has left the Dodgers as nothing more than pawn in their marital squabble.  

Now with that announcement came some surprise from Bud's move.  It doesn't happen very often that baseball's commissioner will take control of a franchise.  The last time it happened was with the Montreal Expos who were then moved to Washington D.C. and purchased by a new owner.  The surprise is that it's the Dodgers of all teams that has to be saved by baseball.  

To be an owner in baseball, it's a very hard thing if you can imagine.  Mark Cuban is called by many to be the best owner in all of sports for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.  Just look at that franchises' record before Cuban arrived and since.  He has made two attempts to purchase a major league baseball team, but was denied both times.  Those two teams were the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers.  

If baseball wants to deny a person like Mark Cuban to be apart of their club.  Then why did the McCourts get approved?  By all accounts they weren't the ideal purchaser of the Dodgers back in 2004.  They made an attempt to purchase the Boston Red Sox in 2002, but folks in Boston knew their history and financial dealings and wanted no part of it.  Bud Selig saw it differently apparently as did the rest of baseball.  They were invited unanimously into the club.  

Of course it wasn't all bad.  The renovations to Dodger Stadium are nice.  To fix up a historic ballpark is commendable no matter who does it.  Keeping Vin Scully happy is always a good thing, although I'm not sure how happy he's been the past two years.  Allowing general manager Ned Colletti to still make moves to improve the team through all the turmoil has to be acknowledged.  

Unfortunately the bad far outweighs the good here.  The McCourts are being investigated by the IRS for tax evasion.  The kind where they used team-related funds for personal use and didn't pay tax on it.  Hollywood definitely went to Jamie McCourt's head with a monthly salary of $32,012 for clothing and jewelry of all things. The key word there is "monthly" in that fact from their divorce case.  

The funniest thing was they hired some guy named Vladimir Shpunt during the 2004 season to, wait for it, transmit positive energy from Boston to the Dodgers.  Supposedly Vlad "discovered that his hands could generate much more energy than the average person's."  This according to the Los Angeles Times.  Now he might have helped in 2004 since the Dodgers did make the playoffs, but the following year they lost 91 games.  It goes to show you that you can't always count on those who claim to be the next Rasputin.  

Perhaps the worst part of their financial squandering is that another investigation showed that a member of the Dodgers front office received $400,000 a year from the Dodgers charity.  If you do the math that's one-fourth of the entire Dodgers Dream Foundation entire budget.  I'm sure that money was put right back into the organization in someway.  

Now I'm not going to put blame at the feet of the McCourts for what happened to Brian Stow on Opening Day.  There has been a problem with some stupid thugs at Dodger Stadium for a long time. I would attend more Dodgers games if for one I was a Dodgers fan and two if I felt safe.  Most of the time I didn't.  And I wasn't wearing a hat or shirt of the opposing team.  But you have to think that you would have someone hired as your head of security before Opening Day right? 

I will admit that I was a Dodgers fan when I started watching baseball.  That was the iconic team in Southern California and in all of baseball.  Once the O'Malley family began to sell the Dodgers, it was never the same.  Great players were coming through their system, but then were traded off before they reached their prime e.g, Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez, Paul Konerko.  

I would point out the awful contracts the Dodgers have dished out, but that would be too easy.  The worst part for me is what the ownership of the Fox Entertainment Group was doing to former players. Mike Scioscia was easily penciled in by many to be the newest manager of the Dodgers after the 1999 season.  However ownership and perhaps the worst general manager in all of baseball at the time Kevin Malone wanted to go in another direction.  The result was no playoff appearances until 2004 and Scioscia was hired by the crosstown rival Angels and won a World Series in 2002.

There has been a serious problem at Chavez Ravine.  The fan base is one of the best in baseball and they apparently have had enough.  Attendance is projected to be at its lowest in a decade.  A lot can be attributed to the state of the economy, but the McCourt divorce and the insane ticket prices have something to do with that to.  There are some value seats at Dodger Stadium, but the view isn't for everybody.  

I don't have a person in mind that can turn this around for the "Boys in Blue."  What I do know is that the person has to have a sense of how to run a baseball team.  Let the baseball people do their job and you make sure they can do it.  They have to know what the priorities are which include security, a balanced budget and reasonable pricing.  Bud Selig made a mistake and is trying to right that mistake.  Dodger Stadium is a great place to watch baseball and it can be again.  

2011 NBA Playoffs Preview

Eastern Conference

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 8. Indiana Pacers

I made the mistake of predicting the Chicago Bulls would finish 5th in the conference and the Milwaukee Bucks would finish ahead of them in the division.  Oops.  Regardless thanks in large part to the eventual MVP Derrick Rose the Bulls have a good chance to make some noise in the Eastern Conference.  A lot has been said about the Bulls roster, but besides Rose they need Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer to help carry the offense.  They are the best defensive team in the league this year, but Boozer and Deng have to be more helpful on offense.

The Indiana Pacers went on a roll after they fired Jim O'Brien. Frank Vogel has done a great job on an interim basis and probably will get the job full time next year.  Danny Granger has gotten a lot of help from Nick Collison and Tyler Hansbrough during the season.  Both will need to continue to produce in the playoffs as well.  Indiana has a deeper team than Chicago, but over a 7 game series I just don't see the Pacers taking it that far with the Bulls.

Bulls in 5 games

2. Miami Heat vs. 7. Philadelphia 76ers

Well, it's finally time for the Miami Heat to shine.  LeBron James and Dwayne Wade will continue to do their thing, but what can we expect from Chris Bosh?  Will we see the Chris Bosh from the first two months of the season or the one who was wanting to be more involved towards the later part?  For Miami to make some headway into the conference finals and maybe the title, they will need a productive Bosh.  The role players they have will have to shine as well.  Mike Miller, Mike Bibby just to name a few.

The 76ers would have rather played the Boston Celtics, but this is a good test for them and their future.  Andre Iguodala is turning into a good defender, but will have to be the offensive catalyst the Sixers need him to be.  Elton Brand has been around for a while now, but hasn't been in the playoffs for much of his career.  Talent wise they are overmatched, but they might be able to surprise the Heat and take two games in Philadelphia before it's all said and done.

Heat in 6 games

3. Boston Celtics vs. 6. New York Knicks

Will the Celtics have a healthy Shaquille O'Neal or a banged up one?  Does it really matter against the Knicks?  If he is able to play don't expect to see him for more than 20 minutes a game. The Celtics need to play to their strengths which is let Rajon Rondo find the open man and have Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen hit their shots.  This would be a good time for Jeff Green (who was acquired for the popular Kendrick Perkins) to shine.  He has excellent scoring ability and Boston would like him to bring that in the playoffs.

New York has its star studded lineup with Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.  What they can do with it remains to be seen.  You would think New York would probably just run the old Celtics team out of the building, but the Celtics have dealt with these teams many times before and New York is still trying to get the chemistry together since acquiring Anthony. There is plenty of scoring with the Knicks trio and Toney Douglas coming off the bench, but their defense will continue to give head coach Mike D'Antoni headaches.

Celtics in 6 games

4. Orlando Magic vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks

It's a rematch of last years awful semifinals between these two in which the Magic swept them out of the playoffs.  This time the Magic don't think it will be that easy.  Atlanta still has Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford as their go to guys, but since they acquired Kirk Hinrich they have more balance to their offense. Atlanta still has last years sixth man of the year in Jamal Crawford as another scoring option off the bench.  The Hawks seem to be better equipped to handle Orlando.

The Magic haven't been a consistent team all year long.  Dwight Howard has been their one constant both offensively and defensively.  Jameer Nelson has been good at times, but wildly turnover prone the other times.  Jason Richardson is their second best scoring option, but hasn't been that most of the season.  Hedo Turkoglu will have to play like it's 2009 for Orlando.  He hasn't been the same since leaving Orlando after that season and will have to be if the Magic are supposed to advance any further.

Magic in 6 games

Western Conference

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies

This won't be easy for the Spurs.  If they don't have a healthy Manu Ginobili for most of this series it will go down to the wire. Tony Parker has been great and even though Tim Duncan had his worst season he knows how to win during the playoffs.  San Antonio will have to count on Richard Jefferson and George Hill to ease the burden on Ginobili and Duncan.  There's a lot of mileage on their legs and Jefferson and Hill should be able to produce at high levels in this series.

Memphis isn't as deep as the Spurs.  Zach Randolph is their best scorer.  Mike Conley is an adequate point guard, but isn't a viable scoring threat.  Tony Allen and Sam Young have been great since Rudy Gay went down to injury.  They will have to be to keep the Grizzlies hopes alive.  Marc Gasol has a favorable matchup for himself.  The Spurs don't have as many big men to guard him and that bodes well for Gasol.  Whether he can take advantage of it is another question.

Spurs in 6 games

2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 7. New Orleans Hornets

It was a tumultuous ending to the season for the Lakers.  They are all healthy and should be ready to play for the playoffs now.  Kobe will do his usual thing and Pau Gasol will still be the constant scorer and rebounder.  The questions always end up being the same.  What will Ron Artest, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum bring to the Lakers this time around?  All three should be fine since this is their time to shine.  The Hornets are a little banged up, but with the Lakers having banged up egos it could get interesting.

The Hornets have a great floor leader in Chris Paul.  He will have to do almost everything for them.  Score, pass, rebound and play defense for them to make it a close series.  No one is expecting the Hornets to do much, but even without David West, they have some good players still.  Trevor Ariza knows how to play on this stage.  Carl Landry and Emeka Okafor are good rebounders and can play with the Lakers bigs as long as their not in foul trouble. Jarrett Jack was a great addition during the season and can spell Paul off the bench.  The Lakers should advance, but it's up to them how soon they want to.

Lakers in 5 games

3. Dallas Mavericks vs. 6. Portland Trail Blazers

This is not what the Mavericks wanted.  Portland has given them problems during the season and to make matters worse they have players that can match up with theirs.  Dirk Nowitzki has to play at a high level in these playoffs.  If Dallas has any title hopes they rest with Dirk.  Jason Terry has to be a productive force off the bench for the Mavericks.  They won't be able to beat Portland without his scoring.  Dallas would feel more comfortable if they had Caron Butler, but even without him they nearly clinched the second seed.

The Blazers are the most dangerous team mainly because of their acquisition of Gerald Wallace from Charlotte.  He has given them a new aggressive identity.  With Marcus Camby entrenched in the paint, Portland has become a great defensive team.  LaMarcus Aldridge has had a career year and along with Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum Portland is poised to get over the hump and out of the first round of the playoffs.

Blazers in 6

4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 5. Denver Nuggets

Oklahoma has an easier road in the West this year.  Denver has been one of the hottest teams since the All-Star break during the season, but the Thunder have perhaps the best duo in the game in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.  Both should be able to dominate at both ends for the Thunder.  Denver doesn't have anyone who can stop them both on a nightly basis.  With Kendrick Perkins defending the paint for Oklahoma now that has opened things up for Serge Ibaka.  He should have a big series against the Nuggets big men.  

Denver will have to rely heavily on two regulars, Nene and Ty Lawson.  Both were instrumental in getting Denver the 5th seed in the playoffs.  With Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari playing at high levels since the Carmelo Anthony trade the Nuggets can score with anyone.  What Denver will get out of Kenyon Martin will be a mystery, but he can be the defensive catalyst if he can prevent the Thunder from getting easy baskets in the paint.  This is perhaps the most anticipated series with a lot of high scoring games.

Thunder in 6 games

2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals vs. 8. New York Rangers

Last year the Rangers couldn't get into the playoffs on the last day of the season.  This year they were able to clinch the last playoff spot before the last game.  Thanks in large part to their goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers now have to get past the best team in the Conference to advance.  New York has some gritty players in Marc Staal, Bryan McCabe and Brandon Dubinsky.  Those three will have to be at their best to slow down the Capitals attack.  If Marian Gaborik and the return of Chris Drury can provide adequate scoring the Rangers might be able to give Washington some trouble in the quarterfinals.

Washington has to avoid another early exit.  Thankfully they have a healthy Mike Green back on the defensive side.  Alexander Semin and Alex Ovechkin are rested and ready to lead the Capitals offensive attack.  Michal Neuvirth took control of the goaltender role during the season and will be given the chance to continue that success in the playoffs.  A lot is riding on the success of the Capitals playoff run this year with all the other disappointing exits.

Capitals in 6

2. Philadelphia Flyers vs. 7. Buffalo Sabres

It's a potential trap for the Flyers.  Philadelphia has had an easy ride through most of the regular season.  They had consistent goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky.  He did have a rough patch down the stretch, but the Flyers have enough offensive weapons to help get through it.  Danny Briere, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards have to be on their game.  If Chris Pronger is out for most of this series it could be a problem for the Flyers.

Buffalo still has one of the best goalies in Ryan Miller.  This is his time to shine and don't be surprised if Miller decides to play up to his 2010 Winter Olympics stint.  Even without Derek Roy, the Sabres were doing just enough with Tim Connolly and Thomas Vanek leading the way.  The Sabres don't have the talent to match the Flyers, but they will give them a good wake up call.

Flyers in 6

3. Boston Bruins vs. 6. Montreal Canadiens

Boston has the potential Vezina trophy winner in goalie Tim Thomas and the possible Norris trophy winner in Zdeno Chara. Both have been a big part of the Bruins success and they will play big parts in this series.  Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron will have to provide consistent scoring for the Bruins against their long time rival.

The Canadiens have a new resurgent Carey Price in net for them this time around.  They don't expect him to duplicate what Jaroslav Halak did last year, but he is playing at an all time level right now. P.K. Subban has been a force for their defense.  Brian Gionta was starting to heat up towards the end of the season.  Montreal will need Michael Cammalleri to have another fantastic playoff run like last year to advance.

Bruins in 5

4. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5. Tampa Bay Lightning

Not having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will hurt the Penguins.  For right now they still have one of the best goalies in Marc-Andre Fleury.  He has been the constant contributor in the absence of Pittsburgh two best offensive weapons.  The Penguins offense will likely have to come from Alex Kovalev and Chris Kunitz.  Both have to be around the net to get good scoring chances.  Defensemen Kris Letang has been a great complement on offense and a big reason for their success on defense.

The Lightning will get a chance to show their worth against one of the best teams in hockey.  The young star Steven Stamkos will be playing on the big stage.  Thankfully he has Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier to show him how it's done.  Pavel Kubina will have to play at a high level on both sides of the ice.  Dwayne Roloson was acquired for this moment.  It's playoff time and he has a lot of experience on this stage.  What remains to be seen is if the upstart Lightning are up to the challenge.

Penguins in 6

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks vs. 8. Chicago Blackhawks

The deepest team in hockey last year happened to be the Chicago Blackhawks.  This year it's the Vancouver Canucks.  They meet again, this time in the quarterfinals.  The Canucks have the better goaltender in Roberto Luongo.  He can be exposed with the loose pucks, but he has improved on that this year.  With all their offensive fire power, Vancouver is actually more of a defensive minded team.  The Sedin twins (Daniel and Henrik) are the two driving forces.  Ryan Kesler coming off another stellar regular season is poised for a big playoff run.

Chicago has to beat the best in order to continue their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.  Corey Crawford you could argue has saved the Blackhawks with his play in net.  Whether he can do what Antti Niemi did last year is the problem.  Chicago still has Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp providing the offense.  Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are still playing the blue line as well as any.  They just seem to have lost their mojo from last year before the playoffs even started.

Canucks in 6

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 7. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings were stricken with the injury bug at the worst possible time.  Justin Williams will try to give it a go against San Jose although he won't be 100 percent healed.  Anze Kopitar is out and might be out for quite a bit of the playoffs if the Kings advance any further.  For the time being Dustin Brown has picked it up offensively.  Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson are becoming more involved than usual on offense.  Jonathan Quick has been stellar all season long in net and will have to be going forward.  The key for them is Dustin Penner.  His scoring has to increase at this time.

The Sharks had a tremendous second half surge and that was thanks in large part to goalie Antti Niemi.  He is reminding folks in the NHL of his amazing run last year for Chicago and San Jose hopes it repeats itself this year.  Patrick Marleau has been the constant goal scorer.  Youngsters Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski had fantastic finishes to the season and they look to ride that finish into the playoffs.  

Sharks in 6

3. Detroit Red Wings vs. 6. Phoenix Coyotes

Phoenix took Detroit to 7 games in last years quarterfinals matchup.  This year the Coyotes hope the outcome is a little different.  Shane Doan will have to make sure of that if Phoenix wants to advance.  Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov will have to play even better than he has for the Coyotes to beat the Red Wings.  Keith Yandle is their best defensemen.  When he's on, Phoenix is a tough team to beat.  One player who will have to get hot is Lee Stempniak.  If he is off scoring goals for them Detroit will be hard pressed to match.

Goalie Jimmy Howard was a bit of a disappointment at times, but the Red Wings success this year was thanks in part to him.  He has to be better to get them to another Stanley Cup.  Johan Franzen and Pavel Datsyuk have been fantastic all year long, but Henrik Zetterberg has had a bit of a down year.  Detroit needs him to play at an elite level again.  Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski continue to get better with age and their experience is unmatched. Both are great assets to have for the playoffs.  

Red Wings in 5

4. Anaheim Ducks vs. 5. Nashville Predators

The Ducks were looking dead in the water when goalie Jonas Hiller went down with a bout of vertigo.  They made due with what they had in Dan Ellis and Ray Emery.  Both made big strides in their games, especially Emery's who has missed over a year due to a serious hip injury.  Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan were consistent contributors and will have to be to make a deep run.  Teemu Selanne can still play at an elite level at age 40. Anaheim's defense has been spectacular thanks to Lubomir Visnovsky and the acquisition of Francois Beauchemin.  Both have changed the attitude of the defense and helped with Ellis and Emery's progression.

Nashville has one person to thank for their success this year and that's goalie Pekka Rinne.  He could very well win the Vezina trophy and he would say his job is made easier with Shea Weber and Ryan Suter playing in front of him.  Those three have been a big part of the Predators success these last two seasons.  Steve Sullivan will have to lead the way on offense.  Mike Fisher has been a nice catalyst since being acquired.  Nashville will be in a uphill battle with the Ducks, but is should be a long fought out series.

Ducks in 7

2011 MLB World Series & Awards Predicitions

MLB Awards

NL MVP - SS Troy Tulowitzki Colorado Rockies

He follows up what his teammate (Carlos Gonzalez) started last season.

AL MVP - 1B Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins

His return also brings with him a second MVP trophy.

NL Cy Young - Roy Halladay Philadelphia Phillies

Is there anyone else that can do what he does and not win the Cy Young?

AL Cy Young - Jered Weaver Los Angeles Angels

He lead all of baseball in strikeouts and will lead in wins this year.

NL Rookie of the Year - 1B Brandon Belt San Francisco Giants

His bat will be a big reason why the Giants repeat as division champs.

AL Rookie of the Year - P Kyle Drabek Toronto Blue Jays

His long awaited debut will bring 10-15 wins and the first of many trophies.

NL Manager of the Year - Bruce Bochy San Francisco Giants

Keeping the team focused will lead to another division crown for Bochy.

AL Manager of the Year - Ozzie Guillen Chicago White Sox

Some new players will get Chicago out of the tough American League and back in the postseason.

Postseason Projections

AL Division Winners - Red Sox, Twins, Angels

AL Wild Card - White Sox

NL Division Winners - Phillies, Reds, Giants

NL Wild Card - Rockies

ALCS - Red Sox vs. White Sox

NLCS - Giants vs. Phillies

World Series - Red Sox vs. Phillies

I hate to go with the crowd, but the Red Sox and Phillies seems to be the only option for me.  Boston has a deep staff and a decent bullpen.  The Phillies have their stellar rotation and a capable closer.  Boston's hitting is greatly improved with the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.  Philadelphia even without Chase Utley for half the season still can hit with the best of them. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins will have to have improved seasons for the Phillies to get back to the World Series.

The Twins, Angels and White Sox have good pitching, but their lineups are weak at certain spots.  The Reds and Rockies don't have the pitching, but can keep up with the Phillies bats.  We all know the Giants have the pitching to match Philadelphia, but can the same bats that won them a title do it again?

The other teams will fall short this year.  

The Phillies signed Cliff Lee for one reason.  To win the World Series.  The Red Sox signed Crawford and Gonzalez for one reason too.  A championship is all that matters to these teams. When you have that motivation to go along with the talent, it's hard to go against those two to win a title. The Phillies will beat the Red Sox and win their second title in four years.

National League East

* - indicates new to team
AVG - Batting Average
ERA - Earned Run Average
HR - Home Runs
RBI - Runs Batted In
SV - Saves


1. Philadelphia Phillies
They are the clear favorites to not only win the East, but the NL Pennant to.
2. Atlanta Braves
The Bobby Cox era has ended, but the winning ways should continue.
3. Florida Marlins
They made some key additions now they need a big season from Hanley.
4. New York Mets
They've reshaped the front office which will result in a lot of growing pains.
5. Washington Nationals
Signing Jayson Werth shows they want to win, but where's the pitching?


Players to Watch: P Roy Halladay, P Cliff Lee, P Roy Oswalt, P Cole Hamels Philadelphia Phillies
Not since the Baltimore Orioles rotation of Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson has a team had four starters each win at least 20 games.  That was back in 1971.  I am in no way saying that it will happen with these four in Philadelphia, but as fans we can still dream big right?  Halladay is a sure thing to get 20 wins.  He proved it last year and with another Cy Young award to his credit.  Lee can win 20 games, but I don't think that was his motivation for coming back to the Phillies.  Oswalt was stellar in his half a season with the Phillies last year.  In a full season he can easily repeat that performance.  Hamels was the future ace after their World Series title in 2008.  And that was without Halladay, Lee and Oswalt.  Now he's the best fourth starter in baseball.  The defending champion Giants still have the best overall pitching, but the Phillies have matched them on paper and figure they will meet again on the way to the World Series.


Best Acquisition: 2B Dan Uggla Atlanta Braves
Obviously Cliff Lee signing with Philadelphia was the talk of the free agency period, but the best move via trade was in Atlanta. Uggla is one of the best hitting second baseman in baseball.  Not the greatest fielder, but it isn't a great concern for the Braves. They acquired him for his bat.  It was surprising to see the Florida Marlins deal one of their best hitters to a division rival, but Florida was put in a no-win situation.  He wasn't going to sign an extension with them and they had to act.  Atlanta gets a good hitter who has tremendous power to all fields.  Atlanta was able to sign him to an extension after they acquired him.  They hope that now that he is set financially that he will continue to produce on the field.  A change of scenery might be just what Uggla needed.


New Kids on the Block: 1B Freddie Freeman & P Craig Kimbrel Atlanta Braves
Besides getting a good hitter in Uggla, the Braves have two new rookies ready to make the leap to the majors.  Freeman is good friends with last years rookie sensation Jason Heyward.  Both have stormed through the Braves minor league system and are the new faces of the franchise going forward.  Freeman is a good fielder, but his bat is what intrigues the Braves the most.  The Braves haven't had a top notch hitting first baseman since Fred McGriff in the mid 90s.  He should fit the bill going forward along with Heyward in the middle of their lineup.  Kimbrel is poised to be the future for the Braves closer position.  He will probably be in a platoon role this with Jonny Venters being the lefthanded option, but make no mistake that Kimbrel has the stuff to be the everyday closer.  The hope is that giving him a year to get comfortable won't affect his psyche, but rather help him be the full-time closer going forward.  The Braves have always had great arms come through their system and they hope it continues with Kimbrel.

Phillies Lineup

1. SS Jimmy Rollins

.243 AVG 8 HR 41 RBI

2. 3B Placido Polanco

.298 AVG 6 HR 52 RBI

3. LF Raul Ibanez

.275 AVG 16 HR 83 RBI

4. 1B Ryan Howard

.276 AVG 31 HR 108 RBI

5. RF Ben Francisco

.268 AVG 6 HR 28 RBI

6. CF Shane Victorino

.259 AVG 18 HR 69 RBI

7. C Carlos Ruiz

.302 AVG 8 HR 53 RBI

8. 2B Wilson Valdez

.258 AVG 4 HR 35 RBI

A lot is riding on the Phillies lineup with the expected success of their pitching staff this season.  Rollins doesn't have to play up to his MVP year of 2007, but the Phillies would like to see his average at or near the .300 mark this year.  Polanco was the Phillies most consistent hitter last year and that doesn't bode well for them this year.  He is a sound defender, but the Phillies will have trouble winning if Polanco doesn't continue his production. Ibanez will be tasked with trying to replace what Jayson Werth brought to the Phillies lineup.  After a career year in 2009, Ibanez fell off quite a bit last year.  He is still a good hitter, but realistically the Phillies would like to see his run production increase.  Howard has a tough task this year.  With Werth gone and Chase Utley out for at least half the season, Howard has to get off to a good start. He like Rollins doesn't have to play at a MVP level, but he has to do better than his 31 HR 108 RBI 2010 season.  Francisco is charged with replacing Werth in right field.  He is a better defender than Werth and can potentially produce at the level Werth was with the Phillies.  Victorino would be batting higher in the lineup if he was a more consistent hitter.  He is a good run producer at the bottom of the order and that's where manager Charlie Manuel feels he's at his best.  Ruiz is a good game manager and isn't too bad a hitter as well.  He is one of, if not the best clutch hitter in the Phillies lineup.  Valdez is a solid defender and will be given the first chance to play for the injured Chase Utley.  No one expects a lot from Valdez, but he could have a good year.

Bench

1B/OF Ross Gload

.281 AVG 6 HR 22 RBI

OF John Mayberry

.267 AVG 15 HR 65 RBI (AAA stats)

OF Domonic Brown

.327 AVG 20 HR 68 RBI (AA and AAA stats)

The bench is a little thin with the injury to Utley and the departure of Werth.  Gload is still a capable pinch hitter and fill in at certain spots in the lineup.  Mayberry had a good spring and earned a spot on the roster.  He could see playing time if Francisco falters early in right, but Mayberry's bat will be a plus off the bench.  Brown will miss the first part of the season, but he is the heir apparent in right field.  When he's healthy that's where he will see the majority of his playing time.  He's a potential five tool player for the Phillies future.

Rotation

1. Roy Halladay

21-11 2.44 ERA

2. Cliff Lee*

12-9 3.18 ERA

3. Roy Oswalt

13-13 2.76 ERA

4. Cole Hamels

12-11 3.06 ERA

5. Joe Blanton

9-6 4.82 ERA

There isn't any weaknesses in this rotation.  None whatsoever. Halladay coming off his second Cy Young season and first with Philadelphia in which he pitched a perfect game during the regular season and a no-hitter in his first postseason start.  Not a bad year at all.  Lee is the most consistent strike thrower in the game today. The Phillies bullpen will take comfort knowing that Halladay and Lee will go at least 7 innings for most of their starts.  Oswalt was fantastic in his two month stint with the Phillies. They hope over a full season he can continue to play up to that standard like he did so many years with Houston.  Hamels is still considered a top notch starter by many, but being the fourth starter isn't a bad thing when you follow three Cy Young contenders.  Hamels is still a workhorse and if he stays healthy they will be hard to beat if they should make the playoffs.  Blanton is a good option at the back end.  He has struggled to keep his ERA low since being acquired from Oakland, but he does go at least 6 innings almost every start for the Phillies. 

Setup

Ryan Madson

6-2 2.55 ERA

Closer

Brad Lidge

27 SV 2.96 ERA

More bad news came down for Philadelphia when it was announced that Brad Lidge was also going to start the season on the DL with the likes of Chase Utley.  On paper it's a good thing since they have such a deep rotation, but it doesn't looks so good if they need someone to close out a one run game.  Madson is capable to fill in for Lidge.  He's done it before, but the Phillies don't want to overwork him like in years past.  Their depth isn't as good in the bullpen as in other areas of the roster, but the Phillies are hoping that Lidge won't be down for long and be fully healthy for the stretch run.

Braves Lineup

1. LF Martin Prado

.307 AVG 15 HR 66 RBI

2. CF Nate McLouth

.190 AVG 6 HR 24 RBI

3. 3B Chipper Jones

.265 AVG 10 HR 46 RBI

4. C Brain McCann

.269 AVG 21 HR 77 RBI

5. RF Jason Heyward

.277 AVG 18 HR 72 RBI

6. 2B Dan Uggla*

.287 AVG 33 HR 105 RBI

7. 1B Freddie Freeman

.319 AVG 18 HR 87 RBI (AAA stats)

8. SS Alex Gonzalez

.250 AVG 23 HR 88 RBI

Atlanta would love to get another career year out of Prado.  Was the everyday second baseman until Chipper Jones went out with a knee injury.  He was moved over to third base and now this year is the starting left fielder.  The Braves have a keeper in the consistent Prado.  McLouth is still an elite fielder, but there are some concerns with his bat.  Injuries slowed him down last year, but the Braves won't have much success if McLouth isn't productive and healthy.  Amazingly Jones has fully recovered from his knee injury and Atlanta hopes that he can continue to produce at a high level.  He didn't want to go out that way and will have a chance to go on his terms.  McCann is an elite hitter and a good defensive catcher.  He has a good feel for the pitching staff and is their best hitter right now.  Heyward was off to a fast start last year, but a hand injury slowed him down during the summer.  It was hard for him to get back on track, but his talent still hasn't been reached yet and that's a scary thought.  Uggla provides much needed protection from the right side.  He's a competitor and will light a fire for the Braves in their quest to get past the Phillies. Freeman was an elite hitter in the minors and will be given a chance to show it this year in the majors.  He and Heyward are the future of the Braves lineup and they both must live up to those expectations.  Gonzalez can still field his position as good as any. Once he was acquired last year his production at the plate dropped a little, but he can still hit for power.  Deceptive for being the eighth hitter.

Bench

INF/OF Eric Hinske

.256 AVG 11 HR 51 RBI

INF/OF Brooks Conrad

.250 AVG 8 HR 33 RBI

C David Ross

.289 AVG 2 HR 28 RBI

Atlanta has a winner in Hinske.  He goes about his business knowing that at some point he will play in the game.  Either as a pinch hitter, defensive replacement or the spot start to give a regular a day off.  Conrad was given an opportunity to play and didn't disappoint for the Braves last year.  His defensive mistakes against the Giants in the playoffs will be hard to live down, but Conrad hasn't backed away from that experience.  Ross is a good backup to McCann.  Injuries are constantly creeping up, but when he plays the Braves don't lose a lot both offensively and defensively.

Rotation

1. Tim Hudson

17-9 2.83 ERA

2. Derek Lowe

16-12 4.00 ERA

3. Tommy Hanson

10-11 3.33 ERA

4. Jair Jurrjens

7-6 4.64 ERA

5. Brandon Beachy

5-1 1.73 ERA (AA and AAA stats)

Hudson had a great bounce back year.  It reminded folks of why he was considered one of the best pitchers in the game with his near unhittable splitter.  Lowe is a gamer and wasn't outmatched in most of his starts.  He got better as the season progressed and was great in the postseason for the Braves.  Hanson needs to have a bounce back year like Hudson did.  He is still considered the future ace of the staff, but he has to stop giving up the big home run. Jurrjens was roughed up last year and injuries didn't help either. He's a top of the rotation type of pitcher and the Braves will need him to compete for a playoff spot.  Beachy had a good spring and will be given the fifth spot in the rotation.  He has good stuff, but isn't considered to be higher than a third starter.  Atlanta is counting on two veterans and two young guns to get them back into the playoffs.

Setup

Jonny Venters

4-4 1.95 ERA

Closer

Craig Kimbrel

1 SV 0.44 ERA

Bill Wagner decided to retire and that leaves the Braves with a lefthanded and righthanded duo to fill the void.  Venters is the lefthanded option who will probably be given most of the opportunities at the beginning of the season.  Kimbrel will eventually be the full time closer, but the Braves want to ease him along.  Atlanta has a good future in place for the bullpen, but it might hurt them in the long run if they continue with the closer committee during the stretch run.

Marlins Lineup

1. CF Chris Coghlan

.268 AVG 5 HR 28 RBI

2. 2B Omar Infante*

.321 AVG 8 HR 47 RBI

3. SS Hanley Ramirez

.300 AVG 21 HR 76 RBI

4. RF Mike Stanton

.259 AVG 22 HR 59 RBI

5. 1B Gaby Sanchez

.273 AVG 19 HR 85 RBI

6. LF Logan Morrison

.283 AVG 2 HR 18 RBI

7. C John Buck*

.281 AVG 20 HR 66 RBI

8. 3B Wes Helms

.220 AVG 4 HR 39 RBI

A lot of shuffling, but the lineup will stay intact for the most part. Coghlan is the now playing center field and will be the leadoff hitter as well.  He suffered through a sophomore slump last year and a freak injury ended his season prematurely.  Florida needs the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year to play up to those standards.  Infante isn't expected to replace Uggla's bat, but he will provide needed versatility for the Marlins.  He was a big part of the Braves success last year and Florida hopes they can achieve the same with him this year.  Ramirez is being tasked as "the guy" for the Marlins.  The face of the franchise.  He has to start playing and acting like it more often.  He is far too talented to let it slip away. Stanton is another in a long line of players to come through their system and have instant success.  His power is unmatched and his defensive skills are starting to come around.  Sanchez was a contender for the NL Rookie of the Year award last year.  Easily was the Marlins most consistent hitter and should continue his rise with Morrison and Buck behind him.  Morrison can really hit the ball.  His defense is at a high level, but the Marlins want to see him be more agressive at the plate.  Buck had a career year at the plate.  They signed him to a three year deal with hopes that it won't be a one year wonder.  Helms will hold down the third base job until top prospect Matt Dominguez is ready.  Helms is better as a pinch hitter at this point in his career, but he should keep the job warm for Dominguez.

Bench

INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio

.261 AVG 0 HR 10 RBI

INF Greg Dobbs*

.196 AVG 5 HR 15 RBI

OF Dewayne Wise*

.250 AVG 3 HR 14 RBI

Bonifacio is their super utility player, but doesn't offer a lot of options with his bat.  His speed is good, but he has struggled since his career year in 2009.  Dobbs is another pinch hitter for the Marlins.  Not an everyday player by any means, but can play in a pinch if need be.  Wise has had trouble staying with one team for very long, but the Marlins have had players like him have good years with a one year tryout in Florida.

Rotation

1. Josh Johnson

11-6 2.30 ERA

2. Ricky Nolasco

14-9 4.51 ERA

3. Javier Vazquez*

10-10 5.32 ERA

4. Anibal Sanchez

13-12 3.55 ERA

5. Chris Volstad

12-9 4.58 ERA

With more wins and if he didn't get hurt in September, Johnson probably would've been a strong contender for the NL Cy Young award.  Florida has a legitimate ace in Johnson and it would be easy to pencil him in for the ERA title or pretty close to it.  Nolasco had a nice year and is finally living up to his potential as a top of the rotation pitcher.  Vazquez once again did not make it in New York with the Yankees and will try to get back on track in the National League.  The Marlins are banking on him to be a stable force in the middle of the rotation.  Sanchez has struggled with control and injuries for most of his career.  He still is a talented pitcher, but time is running out for him to put it all together. Volstad is getting closer to getting a higher spot in the rotation. He is still too inconsistent between starts to be given that chance, but the Marlins know they have another talented righthander in Volstad.

Setup

Clay Hensley

3-4 2.16 ERA

Closer

Leo Nunez

30 SV 3.46 ERA

They might have to find a replacement during the season if Nunez falters.  He wasn't the same as the year before.  His velocity was going down and his control was in flux.  Hensley was doing a great job setting up Nunez, but the ninth inning was turning into a problem fast.  The Marlins know what they have with these two, but they might have to find a new one if they are still in the playoff race at the trade deadline.

Mets Lineup

1. SS Jose Reyes

.282 AVG 11 HR 54 RBI

2. CF Angel Pagan

.290 AVG 11 HR 69 RBI

3. 3B David Wright

.283 AVG 29 HR 103 RBI

4. RF Carlos Beltran

.255 AVG 7 HR 27 RBI

5. LF Jason Bay

.259 AVG 6 HR 47 RBI

6. 1B Ike Davis

.264 AVG 19 HR 71 RBI

7. 2B Brad Emaus

.290 AVG 15 HR 75 RBI (AA and AAA stats)
8. C Josh Thole
.277 AVG 3 HR 17 RBI


The Mets have a lot of players that need to live up to their potential this year for them to get back into contention.  Reyes is getting back to that potential after a strong 2010 campaign.  Health is always a concern with him, but playing in the spacious confines of Citi Field will only help Reyes' production.  Pagan was put into a tough spot last year with Beltran out, but he responded well and will be the full time center fielder this year.  Wright continues to produce with an outmatched lineup around him, but if Beltran and Bay can stay healthy this year then Wright should continue to put up All-Star numbers.  Beltran started out his stint in New York as well as anyone thought he would, but injuries have started the whispers of "bust" in the Big Apple.  If he can have a relatively productive year those whispers will subside.  Bay on the other hand might be hearing it more if he has another 2010 season.  The injury bug did get to him, but he didn't adjust well to the new ballpark and his defensive skills seemed to have diminished as well.  Davis was the lone bright spot in the Mets lineup.  They've been searching for a replacement for Carlos Delgado and they believe they have in Davis.  He showed surprising power and his defensive skills could get him some votes for a Gold Glove or two. Emaus was chosen to replace the disappointing Luis Castillo at second.  Rather than go through one more year of a slumping veteran the Mets want to see what they have in Emaus.  The time is now for the youth movement to take shape.  The same goes for Thole being the new catcher.  He has shown potential for handling a pitching staff.  The Mets don't expect another Mike Piazza at the plate, but they want to see him produce at a high level.


Bench


C Ronny Paulino*
.259 AVG 4 HR 37 RBI
INF/OF Scott Hairston*
.210 AVG 10 HR 36 RBI
INF Luis Hernandez
.250 AVG 2 HR 6 RBI


Paulino is a viable backup to the youngster Thole.  He has decent pop and is a plus defender behind the plate.  Hairston is one of the best utility players in the game.  He will see the majority of his playing time in the outfield, but with the question mark at second base he could see time there also.  Hernandez is a speed option off the bench.  A good defender though he does struggle to produce at the plate.


Rotation


1. Mike Pelfrey
15-9 3.66 ERA
2. Jonathon Niese
9-10 4.20 ERA
3. R.A. Dickey
11-9 2.84 ERA
4. Chris Capuano*
4-4 3.95 ERA
5. Chris Young*
2-0 0.90 ERA


The big name missing is Johan Santana.  The Mets hope he can recover from his shoulder surgery by the All-Star break.  They don't want to rush him, but a lot will be riding on his arm for their future success.  Pelfrey finally showed the potential that everyone in the organization knew he had.  What remains to be seen is if he can handle the staff ace position until Santana can return.  Niese is a good complement to Pelfrey.  The tall lefthander has good stuff, but is prone to giving up a lot of runs during crucial points in the game.  Dickey was the best kept secret in baseball last year.  He's mastered the knuckleball and was the Mets best chance of winning a game last year.  Capuano and Young are two veterans who have struggled with injuries all their career.  Both don't have much to lose, but with the lack of depth in the minor leagues, the Mets can afford to give them a chance this year.  Young has the best stuff and Capuano is starting to become Tom Glavine like in his approach to pitching.  Both should do fine in the pitcher friendly Citi Field.


Setup


Jason Isringhausen*
0-1 2.25 ERA (2009 stats)


Closer


Francisco Rodriguez
25 SV 2.20 ERA


There was a major problem in the Mets bullpen last year.  With all the off field distractions from K-Rod, it led to their demise at the end of the season.  Rodriguez is still an elite closer, but unfortunately it appears that the bright lights are starting to get to him on and off the field.  Isringhausen isn't going to be counted on to save the bullpen, but the Mets hope that he can stabilize the innings leading up to Rodriguez.  It's a work in progress with the Mets bullpen, but they know they have a closer who can get them the win.

Nationals Lineup

1. SS Ian Desmond

.269 AVG 10 HR 65 RBI

2. RF Jayson Werth*

.296 AVG 27 HR 85 RBI

3. 3B Ryan Zimmerman

.307 AVG 25 HR 85 RBI

4. 1B Adam LaRoche*

.261 AVG 25 HR 100 RBI

5. LF Mike Morse

.289 AVG 15 HR 41 RBI

6. CF Rick Ankiel*

.232 AVG 6 HR 24 RBI

7. C Ivan Rodriguez

.266 AVG 4 HR 49 RBI

8. 2B Danny Espinosa

.268 AVG 22 HR 69 RBI (AAA stats)

Desmond is becoming everything the Nationals had hoped for as their shortstop.  He is a superb defender and he had a great year at the plate.  The hope is him and Espinosa will form a great duo up the middle.  Werth is one of the newest 100 million dollar players in baseball.  With that comes great expectations.  Fair or not the Nationals expect the same production from him as with the Phillies that last few years.  Zimmerman is the face of the franchise.  Long before Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper he has been the one constant for them.  Even without adequate protection Zimmerman has still been able to be one of the best run producers in the game. LaRoche has had trouble finding a home, but make no mistake he is a good hitter.  He won't match what Adam Dunn brought to the lineup, but he is a viable replacement.  Morse was great in a bench role last year and was an easy choice to get a starting spot this year.  He has tremendous power potential and can sometimes play first base too.  Ankiel is an okay hitter, but he will see playing time for his defense.  His pitching days are long over, but he still has a great arm for a center fielder.  Rodriguez is still able to play catcher at this stage in his career.  It's a good thing for Washington's relatively young pitching staff.  Whether he will continue to play enough to get closer to 3,000 hits is another question.  Espinosa is being handed the second baseman position going into the start of the season.  He has a lot of potential as an elite hitter.  His defense is suspect, but he has room for improvement.  

Bench

INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr.*

.244 AVG 10 HR 50 RBI

C Wilson Ramos

.258 AVG 8 HR 38 RBI

OF Roger Bernadina

.246 AVG 11 HR 47 RBI

Hairston will likely be in a platoon with Ankiel in center field.  He can play all over the field though.  Washington was fortunate to sign someone who can play multiple positions and is a pretty good base stealer also.  Ramos is pegged as the catcher of the future after being acquired from Minnesota for closer Matt Capps last season.  He should see plenty of playing time, but if Rodriguez's quest for 3,000 hits gets in the way, it could be a problem. Bernadina was okay as a starter last year.  Washington hopes a smaller role will get his confidence back.  He can still be a potentially good hitter.

Rotation

1. Livan Hernandez

10-12 3.66 ERA

2. John Lannan

8-8 4.65 ERA

3. Jason Marquis

2-9 6.60 ERA

4. Jordan Zimmerman

1-2 4.94 ERA

5. Tom Gorzelanny*

7-9 4.09 ERA

Hernandez was a stable force at the top of the rotation.  The only problem is there wasn't much else for the rest of the Nationals rotation.  He should do well and be a good role model for the youngsters trying to grab a spot.  Lannan is the teams best option for the second spot.  He doesn't have top of the rotation stuff, but he is crafty and gets outs.  Marquis was a major disappointment. Injuries shortened his season, but when he did play he was all over the place.  He should bounce back being that he has done it before.  Zimmerman is the second best starter they have.  The one problem is that they can't have Strasburg and Zimmerman together for a full season.  Hopefully Zimmerman can stay healthy and when Strasburg returns next year they form a formidable duo for the future.  Gorzelanny is a lefthander who has had trouble with the big innings.  The Pirates and Cubs were quick to deal him, but Washington thinks with their pitcher friendly ballpark he should have a better chance to succeed.

Setup

Tyler Clippard

11-8 3.07 ERA

Closer

Drew Storen

5 SV 3.58 ERA

The Nationals have a good plan set for the bullpen.  Storen should be the closer going forward.  He has the stuff and the attitude is there also.  Washington just needs to ease him in and not overwork him.  Clippard had a career year.  He was their best pitcher even when they had Matt Capps as their closer.  Clippard should continue to be the setup man to Storen going forward.