MLB: NL East Preview

Now that the March madness picks are out, people can begin to think about things after the tournament, like the MLB National League East. The March madness odds are a snap to figure out compared to trying to decipher who will win the East in the National League. Each year the season starts and each year the question about when the Mets will fall apart comes up. This year should be no different.

Philadelphia Phillies (-150 – Favored to win division)

When a team wins the pennant and plays in a World Series but loses, questions begin to pop up as to how the team can push themselves over the hump and win the big series. The Phillies asked those questions, and the answer was pitcher Roy Halladay. The lack of depth in the Phillies’ starting rotation shined in the World Series against the Yankees. This season, with all of the power in the line up coming back, the Phillies are once again favored to represent the National League in the World Series.

Atlanta Braves (+250)

The Braves are still searching for answers at the plate and on the mound. Veteran Derek Lowe looks to help anchor a starting rotation that needs to find some answers to be successful. Jair Jurrjens has come on strong and has posted good numbers the past two season, but the Braves’ starting rotation is one injury away from falling apart.

Chipper Jones enters his 17^th season as an Atlanta Brave and delivers the leadership and power that the Braves need. This is the last season for manager Bobby Cox and while the team may want to help their skipper go out on a winning note, they may not have much beyond Jones to help them do it.

Florida Marlins (+600)

Lost in the March madness betting is the fact that the Florida Marlins have a very good and young baseball team. They have a solid pitching rotation headed by Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. The other youngsters on the mound are improving and should contribute this season.

On offense the Marlins have a cast of unknowns that produced some decent numbers in 2009 and have promise for 2010. The Marlins fell six games short of taking the division in 2009, but this year they will have to try and get past an improved Atlanta team and then leap-frog a championship team that has also improved. A tall task for a young team.

New York Mets (+600)

The Mets have a habit of starting strong and then fading away. It looks like 2010 will be no different. The only proven winner the Mets have in their starting pitching rotation is ace Johan Santana. After Santana, the sportsbook reviews do not find any pitcher with a sustained winning history. The Mets are counting on their scouting staff here to put up a winning rotation. The baseball world has seen what the Mets scouting staff has done in the past.

On the hitting side the Mets should have a roster that would make any team jealous. Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo and Carlos Beltran can all hit the baseball and create offense. If the Mets are going to win in 2010 they will need to rely on offense, and their big names need to produce regularly.

Washington Nationals (+2500)

The Washington Redskins look to have a much improved 2010 season, and that is good news for Washington Nationals fans who should be pretty sick of losing baseball games by the time the NFL pre-season starts.