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Atlanta Braves | Opening Game: March 30 @ Washington, 8:05 PM ET
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Watching Tom Glavine reunite with ex-teammates John Smoltz and Chipper Jones this spring was quite heartwarming, both for the Braves and for their fans. But the Braves did not re-sign him simply for nostalgic reasons. This is a team that has every right to expect to re-enter the playoff race this season.
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| Braves Season Preview |
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Florida Marlins | Opening Game: March 31, vs. New York Mets, 4:10 PM ET
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Bring your gloves to Florida games this season because, if it's anything like it was last year, you won't only be able to catch foul balls, but also overthrows that may sail into the stands. Last year's Marlins shattered the old club record for errors, and fixing that problem is what manager Fredi Gonzalez worked hardest on this spring. This is a young team that isn't yet ready to win. But this is also the majors, and a club can at least execute the basics.
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| Marlins Season Preview |
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New York Mets | Opening Game: March 31 @ Florida, 4:10 PM ET
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Johan! Johan! Johan! Can two-time Cy Young winner Santana bring love, peace and happily-ever-after to Queens? It'll be a whole lot of fun watching him try, and credit general manager Omar Minaya for having the guts (desperation?) to make moves to keep the Mets both contenders and on the New York back pages. The looming question for the season, however, is whether this club can get past the scars from last year's choke.
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| Mets Season Preview |
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Philadelphia Phillies | Opening Game: March 31, vs. Washington, 3:05 PM,
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Slow Starts 'R Us sure would make life easier on themselves if they'd win a few games in April one of these years. The Phillies have the talent to win a second consecutive division title, but they'd be well advised to not rely on last year's blueprint, which had the New York Mets losing 12 of their final 17 while the Phils faced must-win situations every night. They met every challenge, but this year, boys, maybe you could leave something in the tank for the playoffs?
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| Phillies Season Preview |
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Washington Nationals | Opening Game: March 30, vs. Atlanta, 8:05 PM ET
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The guarantee here is that the Nationals are going to look spectacular this season. In their glistening new ballpark, that is. As for on the field ... maybe not so much, but these guys aren't as far away as you might think. There are some good young arms, some good veteran pieces to plug the dyke until some other prospects arrive. GM Jim Bowden has made a career out of taking disrespected clubs and guiding them toward overachievement, and the prediction here is that he'll do it again.
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| Nationals Season Preview |
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Chicago Cubs | Opening Game: March 31 vs. Milwaukee, 2:20 PM ET
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You're going to hear a lot about this being the 100th anniversary since the Cubs' last World Series title this summer. Question is, the Cubs being the Cubs, will they play right into it, staging one pratfall after another? Or will they play to their talent level, which could get them all the way to the World Series? Stay tuned, inquiring minds can't wait to find out. Prediction here: See you in October.
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| Cubs Season Preview |
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Cincinnati Reds | Opening Game: March 31 vs. Arizona, 2:10 PM ET
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A new look with a marquee manager at the helm in Dusty Baker. Now, if there's a new look on the mound, the Reds will be on to something. This is an intriguing team that has all the tools to be the NL's biggest surprise of '08 ... or something much less. As always, Great American Ballpark will be a boon to their hitters, with the risk of keeping their pitchers more than perplexed.
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| Reds Season Preview |
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Houston Astros | Opening Game: March 31 @ San Diego, 7:05 PM ET
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For so many years the Astros had solid hitters but not enough pitching. Then they got pitching but couldn't score if you put them in the middle of a hot nightclub on ladies' night. Now they've got an improved lineup with more speed and their rotation is the scariest thing in Houston since the Enron collapse. It's like kids attempting to balance the teeter-totter who can't figure out how to get the proper weight on each side.
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| Astros Season Preview |
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Milwaukee Brewers | Opening Game: March 31 @ Chicago cubs, 2:20 PM ET
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If nothing else, the Brewers ratcheted up expectations last summer -- both their own and those of their fans. Milwaukee stayed in contention into the last week for the first time in years, and though it was a painful end, Ned Yost's team finished above .500 for the first time since 1992. The Brewers set a franchise attendance record. This is a very likable club, and it's about time Milwaukee baseball caught some momentum.
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| Brewers Season Preview |
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Pittsburgh Pirates | Opening Game: March 31 @ Atlanta, 7:10 PM ET
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Poor Pennsylvania, cornering the market on losing streaks of decade or more. The Pirates this season are the next closest thing to a sure bet of equaling the major league mark of 16 consecutive losing seasons. The record they will tie is held by the Phillies of 1933-1948. Things have to look up one of these decades for the Pirates, don't they?
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| Pirates Season Preview |
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St. Louis Cardinals | Opening Game: March 31 vs. Colorado, 4:15 PM ET
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Majority owner Bill DeWitt and vice president Jeff Luhnow got what they wanted in running general manager Walt Jocketty out of town, clearing the way for them to mold the team the way they want to. So does that mean new GM John Mozeliak is making his own decisions? Answering to DeWitt and Luhnow? One thing will be clear in 2008: The Cardinals' prime is past, and there are hard days ahead.
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| Cardinals Season Preview |
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Arizona Diamondbacks | Opening Game: March 31, @ Cincinnati, 2:10 PM ET
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Nobody expected the Diamondbacks to win the NL West last season, so now let's see what they can do with a bull's eye on their backs. This remains an exceptionally young team that should get better and better over the next few seasons. They were reminded incessantly last season that they shouldn't be winning because of their poor run differential -- opponents outscored them for the season, for crying out loud -- but they persevered. It only gets more difficult now.
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| Diamondbacks Season Preview |
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Colorado Rockies | Opening Game: March 31 @St. Louis, 4:15 PM ET
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Even manager Clint Hurdle laughs and admits that maybe this year, the Rockies might want to find a way to get into the playoffs without having to win 21 of 22 games in a wild sprint down the stretch. What a run it was in Colorado, the most memorable stretch of baseball the Rockies have ever played. And what's best about it is that the contending should continue over the next several seasons.
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| Rockies Season Preview |
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Los Angeles Dodgers | Opening Game: March 31 vs. San Francisco, 4:10 PM ET
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Most significant thing from Day One in Vero Beach this spring was that the Dodgers have a true rock star manager. Everywhere Joe Torre went, fans followed, paying homage to the man who made himself a legend managing the Yankees. Now the most important question facing the Dodgers is: Can the Legend of Torre remain unstained once the season begins?
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| Dodgers Season Preview |
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San Diego Padres | Opening Game: March 31 vs. Houston, 7:05 PM ET
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The Padres failed to make the playoffs last season following back-to-back NL West titles for the first time in club history. On paper, this year's team doesn't match up with last year's. San Diego once again has enough pitching to stay in contention, but probably is short enough on offense to make it another frustrating season for Padres fans.
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| Padres Season Preview |
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San Francisco Giants | Opening Game: March 31 @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 4:10 PM ET
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Welcome to the post-Barry Bonds Era. Please wear your hard hats, fasten your seatbelts and keep your air sickness bags with you at all times. There's some good, young pitching here, but little else. The Giants are the only NL West team you can look at and pretty much eliminate from the division race on opening day.
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| Giants Season Preview |
| Talk Back |
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Jul 18, 2007
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March 28, 2008 2:24 pm
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Let's see how evryone looks at the NL this year. Mine are
East:
NYM - not real easily though, Philly could get them
Phil -Bats are great, field worse than Coors for runs scored
Atl- Could rise up wiht a few breaks
Fla/Wash-4th the best either could get
Central
Milw/Chi- I am not on
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Reputation:87
Level:All-Star
Since:Feb 13, 2008
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March 29, 2008 12:18 pm
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It just Irks me to the core whenever I read about predictions... REAL Baseball fans are not idiots for the most part, ( they might be annoying Jack A$$es but rarely are they idiots). Everyone knows that the BoSox, Yanks, Tigers, Angels and
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