After a long wet, coldish winter, baseball is back and all is right with the world once again.
This season is full of hope here in Atlanta, because most of us believe the Braves will improve on last year's Wild Card record. With the addition of Dan Uggla, Freddie Freeman, a healthy Chipper Jones, plus the National Leagues 3rd best rotation, arguably the best bullpen, and new manager Fredi Gonzales, I predict the Braves will win 95 games this year.
Normally, that would win the NL East, but, with the Phillies historically good starting staff, they may win 100 games. At 95, though, they are a Wild Card lock, and could take the division. The Phillies may be without Chase Utley for the year, and Brad Lidge is injured and not worth a crap anyway. Jimmy Rollins is in decline and the Phils have outfield issues. They're going to need that pitching staff to be good, because the days when they hammer teams into submission are probably over.
As for the rest of the league, I don't really care. I have a soft spot for the Reds and would like to see them succeed again. The Mets are going to stink, and I will be thrilled to watch them lose 95 games and finish behind the Nationals, who may be good in 2012.
As we sit here today, the Braves are 1-0 and destined to finish 162-0 and complete the first unbeaten season in ML history.
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