Mets Forecast: OVER 89½ WINS
The bullpen was a huge priority for the Mets after the disastrous finish last season and New York will open the new ballpark with not one but two top line closers. The top four in the rotation are solid assuming Johan Santana is at full strength after off-season surgery and the Mets still feature elite talents in the lineup with David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran. Veterans Freddy Garcia, Livan Hernandez, and Tim Redding will fight for the final rotation spot and given the age and past health concerns all three may be needed at some point. The Mets have featured late season collapses to miss the playoffs the past two seasons and banking on winning this competitive division would be risky. The talent is there but this team has had trouble staying healthy and clearly has not had the right mentality down the stretch. The bullpen acquisitions should be enough to add a few wins for Mets this season and push over this number, though that might not necessarily mean a trip to the playoffs. The Mets pitching staff appears to be the strongest in this division top to bottom but adjusting to a new ballpark could be an overlooked issue.

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Phillies Forecast: UNDER 88½ WINS
The Phillies had the exact same win projection before last season and although Philadelphia went on to win the World Series they did not exactly blow by this win figure. Philadelphia should still possess one of the best lineups in the National League but pitching should be considered a concern. Kyle Kendrick has been ruled out in the rotation already and Cole Hamels does not appear like he will be ready for the start of the season. Jamie Moyer had one of the best seasons of his career last year at age 46 and the odds on a repeat performance should be steep. Brett Myers was a key part of the postseason run but he remains an unreliable question mark and Joe Blanton did not exactly light it up in his move to the NL. With health concerns with Hamels as well as Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz this team could face a much tougher year than many expect. A World Series hangover has hit several recent champions severely and the Phillies will not be immune to it. Brad Lidge also had a tremendous season last year for the Phillies and that type of consistent success without a prolonged rough patch has not been the norm in his career.

Braves Forecast: UNDER 84½ WINS
It’s hard to say what will happen with the Braves pitching staff this season but with the additions of Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, and Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami the potential is there for a very solid rotation. Jair Jurrjens had a great season last year and Tom Glavine is still in the mix to contribute. Although Atlanta missed out on opportunities to get A. J. Burnett or Jake Peavy, the Lowe signing and a recent addition of Garret Anderson could keep Atlanta competitive. Atlanta appears to still be behind the Phillies and Mets in this division but improving on 72-win disaster from last season is very possible. The Braves have been poor performers overall the last three years however and expecting this team to be significantly better than last year may be a little bit too optimistic. The lineup looks great on paper but staying healthy could be a problem and the big year from Chipper Jones may not repeat itself. With Jones winning the batting title and with Mark Teixeira in the lineup for much of the year the Braves couldn’t compete last season so this year may not be much better even if a few things do go their way. The Braves have had a strong winning spring, so that is something to get a bit excited about.

Marlins Forecast: OVER 75½ WINS
Tampa Bay was the ‘IT’ team last year and the Rays had a hot start and managed to hang on all the way to the World Series. Another Florida team looks to be in that position this year and the Marlins have finally had some good news with the stadium plans looking promising. Florida won 84 games last season and pitching will be the difference maker for the Fish as Florida has a deep roster of promising young pitching talent. If the defense can be improved even fractionally this team could be a serious playoff threat. The infield power is among the best in baseball and the Marlins system of re-loading has proven to be successful. Florida was one of the most profitable teams to back last season which likely will not be the case this year as the Marlins will not be a big surprise. Despite featuring many limitations and playing in a division with the World Series champions and a big-spending New York team the Marlins have a good shot in this division. The bullpen should be fairly strong and the lineup is filled with talent, albeit some it a bit inexperienced. There may not be many household names on this team and they will still have trouble filling the ballpark but Florida will be a team to watch this season and a year similar to last year should be in the cards with a major leap possible two years from now.

Nationals Forecast: UNDER 71½ WINS
The Nationals overachieved in 2007 but took a huge step backwards last season. Pitching and injuries in the pitching staff proved to be a huge problem and there is little reason to expect a big improvement this season. Erratic and troubled starters Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera will be relied on and two very inexperienced but promising youngsters could be in the rotation early in the season. John Lannan and Collin Balester are capable options but compared with the rest of the division the Nationals have the worst chance of having a successful rotation by a long shot. Signing Adam Dunn was not an ideal upgrade for the team but he can be a valuable part of the lineup and there is some power on this team. The outfield spots will need to be figured out and also what happens to Nick Johnson, once one of the leaders on the team. Injuries have already taken a toll on a suspect lineup as Dmitri Young, Ronnie Belliard, and Jesus Flores are all banged up and questionable for opening day. Another career year from Cristian Guzman might be needed to even have a chance at maintaining a respectable record unless the rookie pitchers really pan out.