Let's take a break from watching the latest porn star revelations about that pig in the White House and think about something more pleasant.
NL East: Washington has the best team--but the Nationals have been the best team for a few years now, and have next to nothing to show for it. Bryce Harper will hit many home runs and Max Scherzer will strike out many batters, but somehow they always find a way to fail in the playoffs. And that gets old, after awhile. So, let's go with the Mets, who have superior pitching (if they can stay healthy) and an interesting collection of proven (read "old") players, and some castoffs trying to prove their former teams wrong. Whichever team finishes second should have a good shot at a Wild Card. Philadelphia and Atlanta are both works in progress, with loads of young talent, but still a couple of years away. Miami is a complete dumpster fire. Derek Jeter was a sure fire Hall of Fame player, but as an executive, right now he's in the Rookie League.
In the Central it should be the Cubs, and rather easily, too. I don't think they're going to miss Jake Arrieta too much, but if they do, that might just open the door enough for another team to sneak in. The Cardinals are always competitive--they just don't have the same level of talent as Chicago. Their best hope is a Wild Card slot. The Brewers and perhaps the Pirates could also be in the Wild Card race, with a few breaks. Milwaukee is the more likely of the two. They added two very good outfielders to an already competitive team. Pittsburgh can put a pretty strong starting 8 on the field every day, but they have to hope that a mostly untested pitching staff is ready for the big leagues. The Reds have Joey Votto and, uh, well...Cincinnati will try not to lose 120 games. We all need goals in life.
And finally, the West will be wild. The only team that definitely won't be in the chase are the Padres, and apparently they have a loaded minor league system, so, as they say, wait until next year, San Diego. In the meantime, enjoy some fresh seafood and a walk on the beach. The Dodgers could possibly repeat, but they've already had one key injury, and beyond Clayton Kershaw, L.A.'s starting pitching isn't particularly reliable. San Francisco fell apart last year, after Madison Bumgarner's injury. So they went out and got a couple of reliable, if older, bats...and Bumgarner gets hurt again. Who knows what will happen until he gets back? If the Giants haven't dug themselves a deep hole--like last year--they may be a long shot for a Wild Card. Colorado was a Wild Card last year, and could conceivably be one again. Strange things have been known to happen in that thin Denver air. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Diamondbacks look like the team to beat. Arizona puts a solid team on the field every day and if their pitching holds and they can get through the year without any major injuries, they should be the class of the West.
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