2010 MLB Preview: NL East

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

All 2010 MLB Preview Content | AL East Preview | AL Central Preview | AL West Preview | NL East | NL Central | NL West

Next up is the NL East.

1. Philadelphia Phillies (2)
Much like the Yankees in the American League, it’s hard to find bad things to say about the Phillies. They’re the three-time defending NL East champions and considering they’re ready to bring back the same core of players that got them to the World Series the past two years, there’s no reason to doubt them. Oh, and they added Roy Halladay. Roy, I’m going to dominate your face for nine innings, Halladay. If Cole Hamels rebounds and J.A. Happ’s 2009 wasn’t a fluke, the Phillies won’t suffer a setback this season. In fact, the pitching doesn’t even have to be that great with the likes of Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez taking up the first six spots in the order. The problem, however, is that Hamels might not bounce back and Happ’s ’09 season may have been a fluke. There’s also that nagging Brad Lidge closer issue that could haunt this club as well. That said, odds are that the Fighting Phils will be right back at the top of the NL East again this season. They’re too good, too talented and too experienced to fold and they have a great chance to reclaim their title back from the Yankees.

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Marlins option Cameron Maybin Triple A

The Marlins optioned potential five-tool outfielder Cameron Maybin to Triple-A New Orleans.

Maybin, the Opening Day center fielder, was out of the starting lineup for the third straight day on Sunday. He came in during the ninth inning as a pinch-runner and got caught in a rundown, punctuating a difficult start to the season. His .202 average is the primary reason he’s going to the Minors.

“I’ve got some things I’ve got to go work on,” Maybin said, “and I’m going to try to get back as fast as possible.”

Maybin has said he doesn’t feel any pressure to perform because of who the Marlins traded away to get him in a six-player deal in December 2007 — franchise cornerstones Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

Instead, he noted another Tigers player, center fielder Curtis Granderson, who led the American League in strikeouts during his first full season in 2006.

“Look at what he’s doing now,” Maybin said.

Hopefully Maybin can build his confidence in the minors, because he has the potential to be the next Granderson (maybe even better) if he can work out the kinks. The Marlins have no need to rush him, although chances are he’ll be back up at some point this season.

Tigers to trade Miguel Cabrera? Not a chance.

Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski immediately shot down rumors that Detroit could trade slugger Miguel Cabrera by the end of the season.

With one of his strongest replies to any question he’s been asked in his current role as the Tigers president and general manager and chief executive officer, Dave Dombrowski on Tuesday called the repeated speculation he’s heard on ESPN that the Tigers could make Miguel Cabrera available for a trade this season “completely absurd.”

“Not only that, but it upsets me,” he said. “We have no intention whatsoever to trade him.”
Dombrowski said he’s heard such speculation more than once on ESPN.

“There’s nothing that can happen this year that would make us think about trading Miguel Cabrera,” he said. “The guy’s only 26 and might be battling for the MVP award. It’s not going to happen. We have an owner (Mike Ilitch) that would never let it happen.”

The Tigers gave up a five-tool prospect in Cameron Maybin as part of the package to acquire Cabrera from Florida, so why would they deal him this season? Like Dombrowski said, Cabrera is 26 years old and an MVP candidate – it’s not going to happen.

MLB Daily Six Pack 4/9

1. The defending champs needed that one…
Staring 0-3 in the face, the Phillies rallied from a 10-3 deficit in the seventh inning to beat the Braves 12-11 on Wednesday. Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three runs as Philly went on to score eight runs in the seventh inning. While 1-2 isn’t the start the defending champs would have liked, maybe now their offense has awaken from their slump and they can use this game as a confidence builder.

2. And I was like, Emilio!
I know, I know – it’s only one sweep of the Nationals (and at home no less). But the Marlins’ 3-0 start (they beat Washington 6-4 on Wednesday) should raise some eyebrows because this team is loaded with bright, young talent. Granted, Emilio Bonifacio isn’t going to hit .571 the rest of the way, but he gives the Fish a strong table setter at the top of the lineup and catcher John Baker has been a nice surprise so far in the two-hole. If the young starting pitching can hold up and five-tool 22-year old outfielder Cameron Maybin can grow up in a hurry, the Mets, Phillies and Braves will definitely have competition this year in NL East.

3. The Tigers might not have a good year, but Miggie will.
For all intents and purposes, it looks like the Tigers are due for another down year, although outside of Justin Verlander, the starting pitching has looked good the past two nights. But one thing that won’t hold Detroit back this year is Miguel Cabrera, who hit two dingers and drove in four runs in the Tigs’ 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Wednesday. It’s early, but Cabrera looks like he’ll be a favorite for the AL MVP all season.

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Five Deep Sleeper Teams for the ’09 MLB Season

I know this guy (I’ll stop short of calling him a friend but wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone if he called) that at the start of all the major sporting seasons will throw out his list of “sleeper teams” to watch out for.

What’s funny about this guy is that he knows if he’s wrong he’ll never be called out because hey, they were just sleeper teams anyways right? But if he’s right, well hell, he’ll look like some kind of sports sleeper team Nostradamus.

This is the same guy that’ll pick a No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 every year in the March Madness Tournament, so on the rare chance it happens he’ll have the opportunity to say that he called the upset of a lifetime. The funny thing is that he would have been wrong the previous 34 years of predicting 16’s over 1’s, but that would be beside the point.

Anyway, this piece is dedicated to him – the “Sleeper Team Guy.” For fans, there’s nothing like predicting a perennial loser (i.e. the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays) to rise from the ashes and make a postseason run no matter what sport it is. And with Opening Day right around the corner, I think it’s a perfect time to hand out some potential sleeper candidates of my own.

Below are five deep sleepers to make a postseason run this year in baseball. Most pundits assume that none of the five will finish better than third in their respective divisions, which is why I can get away with calling these teams “deep sleepers.” If any of them make the playoffs, I’ll wax poetically about it in my sleeper teams piece next year. If none even sniff a postseason berth, then in honor of “Sleeper Team Guy” don’t expect me to admit I was wrong. Yeah, that’s right – accountability is for losers.

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