Team previews are listed in Gordon Edes' predicted order of finish.
* Player is injured and may not be ready for start of season.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
SS
Rafael Furcal
4
37
.295
2B
Quilvio Veras
5
37
.309
CF
Andruw Jones
36
104
.303
3B
Chipper Jones
36
111
.311
RF
Brian Jordan
17
77
.264
C
Javy Lopez *
24
89
.287
LF
B.J. Surhoff
14
68
.291
1B
Rico Brogna
2
21
.232
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Greg Maddux
19-9
3.00
LH
Tom Glavine
21-9
3.40
RH
Kevin Millwood
10-13
4.66
RH
John Burkett
10-6
4.89
RH
John Smoltz
DNP -
injured
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
LH
John Rocker
24
2.89
1. ATLANTA BRAVES Manager: Bobby Cox (12th season)
2000 finish: 95-67, first
Schedule | Team directory
A bout of tendinitis tempered the enthusiasm surrounding the return of Smoltz, whose postseason dominance was missed more than anything by the Braves. Broadcaster (and Hall of Famer) Don Sutton was called in to help Millwood during his spring funk, but if Smoltz and Millwood flash past form, the Braves will be the team to beat again in the NL as they gun for a 10th straight division championship. Odalis Perez, a 22-year-old lefty, is throwing in the 90s again after elbow surgery, and Rocker is not only a year removed from taking the New York subway, he has Kerry Ligtenberg riding shotgun again. Andruw Jones is on the brink of a monster year, and while Brogna won't flash the thunder that predecessor Andres Galarraga did, Furcal and Veras will create things at the top of the lineup.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
LF
Benny Agbayani
15
60
.289
RF
Darryl Hamilton
1
6
.276
2B
Edgardo Alfonzo
25
94
.324
C
Mike Piazza
38
113
.324
3B
Robin Ventura
24
84
.232
1B
Todd Zeile
22
79
.268
CF
Jay Payton
17
62
.291
SS
Rey Ordonez
0
9
.188
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
LH
Al Leiter
16-8
3.20
RH
Kevin Appier
15-11
4.52
RH
Rick Reed
11-5
4.11
RH
Steve Trachsel
8-15
4.80
LH
Glendon Rusch
11-11
4.01
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Armando Benitez
41
2.61
2. NEW YORK METS Manager: Bobby Valentine (sixth season)
2000 finish: 94-68, second (wild card; NL champions)
Schedule | Team directory
If the Mets don't return to the World Series, it will rank as another failing of the New York school system. At least, that's one of the reasons Mike Hampton cited when he chose allegedly superior schools in Colorado (never mind the 121 million other reasons the Rockies gave him). GM Steve Phillips scrambled to replace Hampton with two serviceable righties, Appier and Trachsel. Much of the load now falls even more on Al Leiter. Phillips has resisted calls to upgrade his no-name outfield, where Payton has All-Star potential. Piazza's bat still is most dangerous when it's one piece, regardless of what Roger Clemens might think.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
2B
Luis Castillo
2
17
.334
RF
Eric Owens
6
51
.293
LF
Cliff Floyd
22
91
.300
CF
Preston Wilson
31
121
.264
C
Charles Johnson
31
91
.304
3B
Mike Lowell
22
91
.270
1B
Derek Lee
28
70
.281
SS
Alex Gonzalez
7
42
.200
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Ryan Dempster
14-10
3.66
RH
Chuck Smith *
6-6
3.23
RH
A.J. Burnett
3-7
4.79
RH
Brad Penny
8-7
4.81
RH
Matt Clement
13-17
5.14
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Antonio Alfonseca
45
4.24
3. FLORIDA MARLINS Manager: John Boles (third season)
2000 finish: 79-82, third
Schedule | Team directory
Sox fans would have trouble recognizing the game the Marlins play. The Fish stole 168 bases last season, most in the majors and 125 more than the Sox. Now, with the return of native son Johnson, GM Dave Dombrowski has brought in one of the best at nabbing base stealers. CJ should be a quiet but commanding presence in a clubhouse full of young, talented players who actually believe they could challenge the Braves and Mets. Dempster, who turns 24 in May, is one of the best young pitchers in the game, and if Gonzalez can regain his '99 All-Star form, this could be a formidable bunch.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
CF
Peter Bergeron
5
31
.245
LF
Milton Bradley
2
15
.221
3B
Fernando Tatis
18
64
.253
RF
Vladimir Guerrero
44
123
.345
2B
Jose Vidro
24
97
.330
1B
Lee Stevens
22
75
.265
C
Michael Barrett
1
22
.214
SS
Orlando Cabrera
13
55
.237
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Javier Vasquez
11-9
4.05
RH
Carl Pavano *
8-4
3.06
RH
Tony Armas Jr.
7-9
4.36
RH
Mike Thurman
4-9
6.42
RH
Hideki Irabu
2-5
7.24
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Ugueth Urbina
8
4.05
4. MONTREAL EXPOS Manager: Felipe Alou (tenth season)
2000 finish: 67-95, fourth
Schedule | Team directory
When the Expos traded Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox, they received a 20-game winner in return. The problem is that it has taken Pavano three years to win 20, and the injury-plagued 25-year-old has elbow trouble again. A healthy Pavano would be a welcome addition to a rotation that includes another import from the Martinez trade, Armas, and Vazquez, two of the better young righthanders in the league. Guerrero is a glorious talent who has 50-homer, 150-RBI, .350 potential, but even his wonderful bat can't make everything right for a franchise that goes into every season not knowing whether it will be playing in Montreal or Mars.
LINEUP
HR
RBI
Avg.
CF
Doug Glanville
8
52
.275
SS
Jimmy Rollins
0
5
.321
RF
Bob Abreu
25
79
.316
3B
Scott Rolen
26
89
.298
LF
Pat Burrell
18
79
.260
C
Mike Lieberthal
15
71
.278
1B
Travis Lee
9
54
.235
2B
Marlon Anderson
1
15
.228
ROTATION
W-L
ERA
RH
Robert Person
9-7
3.63
LH
Omar Daal
2-9
4.69
LH
Randy Wolf
11-9
4.36
RH
Bruce Chen
7-4
3.29
RH
Amaury Telemaco
1-3
6.66
CLOSER
Svs.
ERA
RH
Ricky Bottalico
16
4.83
5. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES Manager: Larry Bowa (first season)
2000 finish: 65-97, fifth
Schedule | Team directory
The Phillies have finished under .500 13 times in the last 14 years, and seem destined to finish below sea level again. GM Ed Wade made it a priority to upgrade a bullpen that led the majors with 37 losses and blew 20 saves, but the $17 million he spent in signing former Sox lefty Rheal Cormier, flammable Mariner Jose Mesa and the equally combustible Bottalico was seen by some as an investment in Noclue.com. The rotation is no bargain, either, as new manager Bowa is banking heavily on untested performers like Wolf and Person.
A bout of tendinitis tempered the enthusiasm surrounding the return of Smoltz, whose postseason dominance was missed more than anything by the Braves. Broadcaster (and Hall of Famer) Don Sutton was called in to help Millwood during his spring funk, but if Smoltz and Millwood flash past form, the Braves will be the team to beat again in the NL as they gun for a 10th straight division championship. Odalis Perez, a 22-year-old lefty, is throwing in the 90s again after elbow surgery, and Rocker is not only a year removed from taking the New York subway, he has Kerry Ligtenberg riding shotgun again. Andruw Jones is on the brink of a monster year, and while Brogna won't flash the thunder that predecessor Andres Galarraga did, Furcal and Veras will create things at the top of the lineup.
If the Mets don't return to the World Series, it will rank as another failing of the New York school system. At least, that's one of the reasons Mike Hampton cited when he chose allegedly superior schools in Colorado (never mind the 121 million other reasons the Rockies gave him). GM Steve Phillips scrambled to replace Hampton with two serviceable righties, Appier and Trachsel. Much of the load now falls even more on Al Leiter. Phillips has resisted calls to upgrade his no-name outfield, where Payton has All-Star potential. Piazza's bat still is most dangerous when it's one piece, regardless of what Roger Clemens might think.
Sox fans would have trouble recognizing the game the Marlins play. The Fish stole 168 bases last season, most in the majors and 125 more than the Sox. Now, with the return of native son Johnson, GM Dave Dombrowski has brought in one of the best at nabbing base stealers. CJ should be a quiet but commanding presence in a clubhouse full of young, talented players who actually believe they could challenge the Braves and Mets. Dempster, who turns 24 in May, is one of the best young pitchers in the game, and if Gonzalez can regain his '99 All-Star form, this could be a formidable bunch.
When the Expos traded Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox, they received a 20-game winner in return. The problem is that it has taken Pavano three years to win 20, and the injury-plagued 25-year-old has elbow trouble again. A healthy Pavano would be a welcome addition to a rotation that includes another import from the Martinez trade, Armas, and Vazquez, two of the better young righthanders in the league. Guerrero is a glorious talent who has 50-homer, 150-RBI, .350 potential, but even his wonderful bat can't make everything right for a franchise that goes into every season not knowing whether it will be playing in Montreal or Mars.
The Phillies have finished under .500 13 times in the last 14 years, and seem destined to finish below sea level again. GM Ed Wade made it a priority to upgrade a bullpen that led the majors with 37 losses and blew 20 saves, but the $17 million he spent in signing former Sox lefty Rheal Cormier, flammable Mariner Jose Mesa and the equally combustible Bottalico was seen by some as an investment in Noclue.com. The rotation is no bargain, either, as new manager Bowa is banking heavily on untested performers like Wolf and Person.