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:
Spoiler:
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 Wang 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.
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Cosmic_Cannon
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •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
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •- Spam
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •86 wins FOR NATS ? SHIT!
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •Its going to slow for me living in Phils country.
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •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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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •The braves got chipper (nothing new) and tim hudson out but we should be straight
All these marlins fans gonna be pissed 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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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •- Spam
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •Bravos, bytch.
Deal wit it....
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2 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether 2GOAT LOL •Yeah plus every pundits seems to have them as World Series contenders come 2014 along with the Braves!!!
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •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 fuck up. Zimmerman has to stay healthy. Still need a major bat in the line up as well.
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •Squad bout to take back the division
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •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.
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •http://mlbnetwork.mlb.com/network/promotions/30_in_30.jsp
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •You might start to hear the "b" word if he doesn't
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •If he can stay healthy he'll be back to being an all star
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1 • Wack Feelings Nosign 1Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •- Spam
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •Taxpayers lol
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0 • Wack Feelings Nosign Cosign Ether GOAT LOL •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 fuck 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.
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