NATIONAL LEAGUE BASEBALL PREVIEW

Here’s a team-by-team look at the National League, with teams listed in order of predicted finish:

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

DODGERS

WHO’S NEW: SS--Greg Gagne, 3B--Mike Blowers, OF--Milt Thompson, P--Darren Hall, Scott Radinsky.

WHO’s GONE: SS--Jose Offerman, 3B--Tim Wallach, P--Kevin Tapani, OF--Roberto Kelly, Chris Gwynn, Mitch Webster.

STRENGTHS: They paid $1 million to overhaul the field, and for safe measure, spent another $2.6 million to acquire Gagne, who’ll look like Luis Aparachio compared to Offerman. Who knows if Hideo Nomo can pull off an encore, but the pitching staff still is the finest outside Atlanta. And, yes, they have catcher Mike Piazza, who could hit 40 homers and drive in 120 runs if he avoids injury.

WEAKNESSES: For the fourth consecutive season, there is no left-hander in the starting rotation. They are 24 games shy of breaking baseball’s all-time record of 453 consecutive games without starting a left-hander. They still don’t know what will happen in left field. Will Todd Hollandsworth prove to be an everyday left fielder? What happens to Billy Ashley? Will Roger Cedeno be given a crack at the job? The bench is young, and it’s up to Manager Tom Lasorda to secure playing time for Chad Fonville and Cedeno.

PROJECTED LINEUP: 2B--Delino DeShields, CF--Brett Butler, C--Piazza, 1B--Eric Karros, RF--Raul Mondesi, 3B--Blowers, LF--Hollandsworth, SS--Gagne. SP--Ramon Martinez, Ismael Valdes, Nomo, Pedro Astacio, Tom Candiotti. RP--Todd Worrell, Hall, Radinsky, Mark Guthrie.

OUTLOOK: The Dodgers should win 90-93 games and coast to their first back-to-back division titles since 1977-78. They could be in the World Series if they overcome Atlanta.

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SAN DIEGO PADRES

WHO’S NEW: LF--Rickey Henderson, 1B--Wally Joyner, P--Bob Tewksbury, Sean Bergman.

WHO’S GONE: IF--Bip Roberts, 1B--Eddie Williams, P--Brian Williams, OF--Mel Nieves, Phil Plantier.

STRENGTHS: They still have beautiful weather, the greatest zoo in the world, and, oh yes, the greatest hitter in the world, Tony Gwynn. They also have a major league-leading five Gold Glove winners, including three in the outfield. Their top five hitters can be as good as anyone in the league, minus the power.

WEAKNESSES: There is no power in the lineup. There’s also no one in the rotation who won more than eight games last season. Who knows how Henderson will react by becoming only the third player in the last 30 years to make his National League debut after playing at least 2,000 games in the American League.

PROJECTED LINEUP: LF--Henderson, CF--Steve Finley, RF--Gwynn, 3B--Ken Caminiti, 1B--Joyner, C--Brad Ausmus, SS--Andujar Cedeno, 2B--Jody Reed. SP--Andy Ashby, Tewksbury, Joey Hamilton, Bergman, Tim Worrell. RP--Trevor Hoffman, Fernando Valenzuela, Bryce Florie.

OUTLOOK: The Padres could be a serious contender for a wild-card spot, but they still need everything to go right to win 85 games. They also need Henderson to play like the Henderson of old, or for that matter, to simply play.

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COLORADO ROCKIES

WHO’S NEW: C--Jeff Reed.

WHO’S GONE: C--Joe Girardi, Matt Nokes; OF--Mike Kingery, P--Bryan Hickerson.

STRENGTHS: The mile-high air and offense. Dante Bichette, Larry Walker, Andres Galarraga and Vinny Castilla combined for 139 homers and 425 RBIs in a short season a year ago. Unfortunately for the Rockies, none of the four can pitch.

WEAKNESSES: The mile-high air and pitching. When Jayhawk Owens returns from a thumb injury, he will be the everyday catcher with only 57 big league games of experience. They have the worst defensive second baseman in the league in Eric Young. And Kevin Ritz, the opening-day starter, is the only pitcher in the rotation who has pitched a full season.

PROJECTED LINEUP: SS--alt Weiss, LF--Ellis Burks, RF--Bichette, CF--Walker, 1B--Galarraga, 3B--Castilla, 2B--Jason Bates, C--Jorge Brito/Reed. SP--Kevin Ritz, Marvin Freeman, Armando Reynoso, Bryan Rekar, Roger Bailey. RP--Curtis Leskanic, Bruce Ruffin, Darren Holmes.

OUTLOOK: They won the wild-card spot last season, but with Bret Saberhagen and Bill Swift on the disabled list, they could collapse quicker than Ken Berhing’s plans to move the Seahawks to Los Angeles.

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SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

WHO’S NEW: SS--Shawon Dunston, P--Osvaldo Fernandez, Jeff Juden; OF--Stan Javier, Mel Hall.

WHO’S GONE: SS--Royce Clayton, OF--Deion Sanders, C--Jeff Reed, P--Trevor Wilson, Terry Mulholland.

STRENGTHS: Great restaurants. Barry Bonds is out to win the MVP award, and if Matt Williams avoids injury, he could provide Bonds the necessary protection.

WEAKNESSES: Folks still are trying to figure out why they traded Clayton for economic reasons and then turned around and signed Fernandez ($3.6 million) and Javier ($1 million). The Giants are the laughingstock of the league for giving Fernandez so much money when he’s no better than a fifth starter. No one in the rotation won more than seven games last season and might not again this year.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Javier, 2B--Robby Thompson, LF--Bonds, 3B--Williams, 1B--Mark Carreon, RF--Glenallen Hill, SS--Shawon Dunston, C--Kirt Manwaring. SP--Mark Leiter, William VanLandingham, Allen Watson, Fernandez, Jamie Brewington. RP--Rod Beck, Mark Dewey, Juden.

OUTLOOK: They finally had their plans for a new stadium approved, but for the Giants, that will be their last bit of good news for the season.

CENTRAL DIVISION

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

WHO’S NEW: Manager Tony La Russa, P--Andy Benes, Dennis Eckersley, Todd Stottlemyre, Rick Honeycutt; OF Ron Gant, Willie McGee; 3B Gary Gaetti, SS--Royce Clayton, 2B Luis Alicea, IF Mike Gallego.

WHO’S GONE: Manager Joe Torre, OF--Bernard Gilkey, P--Tom Henke, Allen Watson, Rick DeLucia; 3B--Scott Cooper.

STRENGTHS: The Cardinals brought in new ownership and spent $44 million on free agents and $2.5 million on La Russa and his coaching staff. They also abandoned their artificial turf, and for the first time since 1969, will be playing their home games on grass.

WEAKNESSES: The difficulty of trying to learn everyone’s names. There’s hardly anyone left in Oakland after La Russa raided his former club.

PROJECTED LINEUP: RF--Brian Jordan, SS--Ozzie Smith, CF--Ray Lankford, LF--Gant, 3B--Gaetti, 1B--John Mabry, C--Tom Pagnozzi, 2B--Alicea. SP--Stottlemyre, Benes, Alan Benes,Matt Morris, Tom Urbani. RP--Eckersley, T.J. Mathews, Tony Fossas.

OUTLOOK: Cardinal fans no longer will have to drown their sorrows in beer. This team was overhauled more than any in baseball, but still is no lock to finish first in baseball’s worst division. The Cardinals still have to settle a shortstop controversy that has unnerved Clayton so much, he’ll begin the season on the bench behind Smith.

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HOUSTON ASTROS

WHO’S NEW: 3B--Sean Berry, P--Anthony Young, IF--Bill Spiers.

WHO’S GONE: 3B--Dave Magadan, OF--Milt Thompson, IF Craig Shipley, P--Dave Veres, Mike Henneman.

STRENGTHS: The Astrodome is cool in the summer. Jeff Bagwell is wearing a padded batting glove that could help prevent any further broken bones. The Astros were 67-47 with him in the lineup last season, 9-21 without him.

WEAKNESSES: Owner Drayton McLane. He’s threatening to move the team unless it draws 2.5 million fans. Fat chance. Never in its 34 years have the Astros drawn 2.5 million, and only three times have they cracked 2 million. The Astro bullpen could be devastated by the loss of John Hudek, who might sit out the season because of a torn neck muscle.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Brian Hunter, 2B--Craig Biggio, 1B--Bagwell, RF--Derek Bell, LF--Derrick May, 3B--Sean Berry, C--Rick Wilkins, SS--Orlando Miller. SP--Doug Drabek, Shane Reynolds, Mike Hampton, Greg Swindell, Daryl Kile. RP--Todd Jones, Jim Dougherty, Jeff Tabaka.

OUTLOOK: Their only chance is if Doug Drabek and Greg Swindell pitch as if their careers are on the line now that they’re in the final year of their contracts. If not, the team will be packing their bags for Northern Virginia.

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CINCINNATI REDS

WHO’S NEW: Manager Ray Knight, 3B--Chris Sabo, C--Joe Oliver, OF--Vince Coleman, Mike Kelly, Eric Davis, Curtis Goodwin.

WHO’S GONE: Manager Davey Johnson, IF--Mark Lewis, C--Benito Santiago, 2B--Mariano Duncan, P--David Wells, Mike Jackson; OF--Jerome Walton, Ron Gant, Darren Lewis.

STRENGTHS: Great barbeque. The Reds’ middle infield, led by MVP Barry Larkin, committed only 18 errors last season, the fewest in National League history. General Manager Jim Bowden is one of the best wheeler-dealers in the industry.

WEAKNESSES: Owner Marge Schott has no plans to sell the team and Knight has no plans to quit.

PROJECTED LINEUP: LF--Eric Davis/Coleman, 2B--Bret Boone, SS--Larkin, RF--Reggie Sanders, 1B--Hal Morris, CF--Kelly. 3B--Jeff Branson/Chris Sabo, C--Ed Taubensee/Oliver. SP--Pete Schourek, John Smiley, Mark Portugal, Dave Burba, Roger Salkeld. RP--Jeff Brantley, Marcus Moore, Chuck McElroy.

OUTLOOK: The Reds will greatly miss Gant, but much more important, will miss Johnson. Knight has infuriated his players this spring with his temperament and outbursts. If the Reds falter, look for Sparky Anderson to come to the rescue.

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CHICAGO CUBS

WHO’S NEW: 2B--Ryne Sandberg, 3B--Dave Magadan, P--Doug Jones, Duane Ward, Bob Patterson.

WHO’S GONE: SS--Shawon Dunston, 3B--Todd Zeile, C--Mark Parent, IF/OF--Howard Johnson, P Randy Myers, Anthony Young.

STRENGTHS: Home-field advantage, luring visiting players to Rush and Division streets where the bars are packed to 4 in the morning. The Cubs spent $30 million to retain Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa, and picked up a kid named Sandberg to play second base.

WEAKNESSES: Sandberg hasn’t played in 1 1/2 years, and the Tribune Co. prevented the Cubs from improving themselves with off-season moves.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Brian McRae, 2B--Sandberg, 1B--Grace, RF--Sosa, LF--Luis Gonzalez, 3B--Leo Gomez/Jose Hernandez, C--Scott Servais, SS--Rey Sanchez. SP--Jaime Navarro, Frank Castillo, Jim Bullinger, Kevin Foster, Steve Trachsel. RP--Jones, Mike Perez, Turk Wendell.

OUTLOOK: This may be baseball’s weakest division, but after spending a winter doing nothing, the Cubs figure to spend their summer doing the same.

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PITTSBURGH PIRATES

WHO’S NEW: 3B--Charlie Hayes, CF--Mike Kingery, C--Lance Parrish, P--Zane Smith, Danny Darwin.

WHO’S GONE: C--Don Slaught, P--Jim Gott.

STRENGTHS: Manager Jim Leyland, Manager Jim Leyland, Manager Jim Leyland. He’s the only one who prevents this club from losing 125 games each season.

WEAKNESSES: Leyland can’t hit, pitch or play defense.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Kingery, LF--Al Martin, RF--Orlando Merced, 1B--Jeff King, 3B--Hayes, SS--Jay Bell, 2B--Carlos Garcia, C--Jason Kendall. SP--Paul Wagner, Denny Neagle, John Ericks, Smith, Darwin. RP--Dan Miceli, Jason Christiansen, Dan Plesac.

OUTLOOK: The Pirates are the first National League team to go from worst to first to worst in a span of 10 years since the St. Louis Browns during the World War II. Considering that the pitching staff is so horrendous that Smith and Darwin made the rotation, it could take another world war before the Pirates are the National League’s best team again.

EAST

ATLANTA BRAVES

WHO’S NEW: OF--Jerome Walton.

WHO’S GONE: C--Charlie O’Brien, P--Kent Mercker, Alejandro Pena; OF--Mike Devereaux, Luis Polonia, Mike Kelly.

STRENGTHS: Everywhere you look. They have a .610 winning percentage the last five seasons and have had only two months since 1992 in which they played below .500. They also have Greg Maddux.

WEAKNESSES: Couldn’t Skip Caray show at least some objectivity during Brave telecasts?

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Marquis Grissom, SS--Jeff Blauser, 3B--Chipper Jones, 1B--Fred McGriff, RF--David Justice, LF--Ryan Klesko, C--Javier Lopez, 2B--Mark Lemke. SP--Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery, Jason Schmidt. RP--Mark Wohlers, Brad Clontz, Greg McMichael.

OUTLOOK: This team has it all and again is favored to win the National League pennant. Their starting rotation has missed only four starts over the last four years. The lineup hit only .250 last season and is ripe to improve with the maturity of Jones, Klesko and Lopez. The race will be over early, allowing the Braves to sit back and wait for the Dodgers.

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FLORIDA MARLINS

WHO’S NEW: IF--Craig Grebeck, OF--Devon White, Joe Orsulak; P--Kevin Brown, AL Leiter, Livan Hernandez, Alejandro Pena.

WHO’S GONE: OF--Chuck Carr, IF/OF--Jerry Browne, P--Bryan Harvey, Willie Banks, Richie Lewis.

STRENGTHS: Great salsa. The Marlins’ outfield used to be Junior Felix, Chuck Carr and converted pitcher Jeff Conine. Today, it is one of the best in baseball, consisting of vastly improved Conine, seven-time Gold Glove winner White and former batting champion Gary Sheffield. They have combined for seven Gold Gloves, six All-Star appearances, one batting title and a World Series ring. The starting rotation should be dramatically improved with the acquisitions of Brown and Leiter.

WEAKNESSES: Marlin fans lost their patience while watching the overnight success of the Colorado Rockies. Ticket sales have plummeted. They may have upgraded their pitching staff, but Brown has had only one good season in seven, and Leiter has a career 33-32 record.

PROJECTED LINEUP: 2B--Quilvio Veras, CF--White, RF--Sheffield, LF--Conine, 3B--Terry Pendleton, 1B--Greg Colbrunn, C--Charles Johnson, SS--Kurt Abbott. SP--Brown, Leiter, John Burkett, Pat Rapp, Chris Hammond. RP--Robb Nen, Yorkis Perez, David Weathers.

OUTLOOK: The Marlins must win now or General Manager Dave Dombrowki and Manager Marcel Lachemann will be looking for jobs. Owner Wayne Huizenga isn’t afraid to fire folks. Remember Don Shula?

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NEW YORK METS

WHO’S NEW: C--Brent Mayne, P--Pedro Martinez, IF/OF--Jerry Browne, OF--Bernard Gilkey, Lance Johnson.

WHO’S GONE: OF--Joe Orsulak, C--Kelly Stinnett, IF--Bill Spiers.

STRENGTHS: The Mets recognize that Shea Stadium is a dump and plan to move. The Mets are a year away from challenging the Braves, but they may be the best young team in baseball. They have three exceptional young starters in Jason Isringhausen, Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson. None of the trio is older than 23. Rookie shortstop Rey Ordonez, who defected from Cuba, already is the best defensive shortstop in the game.

WEAKNESSES: The Mets are badly in need of a power hitter and won’t go anywhere until they find one.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Johnson, SS--Ordonez, LF--Gilkey, RF--Butch Huskey, 1B--Rico Brogna, 3B--Jeff Kent, C--Todd Hundley, 2B--Edgardo Alfonzo. SP--Isringhausen, Pulsipher, Wilson, Bobby Jones, Pete Harnisch. RP--John Franco, Juan Acevedo, Dave Mlicki.

OUTLOOK: This team will be fun to watch this year, and be awfully scary to the rest of the league in 1997.

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MONTREAL EXPOS

WHO’S NEW: OF Sherman Obando, Dion James; P--Omar Daal, Joe Grahe, Rheal Cormier, Dave Veres.

WHO’S GONE: SS--Wil Cordero, OF--Tony Tarasco, 3B--Sean Berry, P--Dave Leiper, Butch Henry, Gil Heredia.

STRENGTHS: Great accent. Great French restaurants. Great outfield duo in Rondell White and Moises Alou. Great manager in Felipe Alou.

WEAKNESSES: Money, money and more money. Forced to undergo a firesale and disband their talented 1994 team, the Expos went from .649 winning percentage--tops in the major leagues--to .458 last season. It was the second-largest decline in the post World War II era.

PROJECTED LINEUP: SS--Mark Grudzielanek, 2B--Mike Lansing, CF--White, LF--Alou, 1B--David Segui, RF--Obando, C--Darrin Fletcher, 3B--Shane Andrews. SP--Pedro Martinez, Jeff Fassero, Carlos Perez, Cormier, Kirk Rueter. RP--Mel Rojas, Veres, Tim Scott.

OUTLOOK: The Expos will dump off left-handed starter Jeff Fassero and Alou this summer, and starting pitcher Pedro Martinez will want out by the fall. It’s going to be ugly.

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PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

WHO’S NEW: 3B--Todd Zeile, C--Benito Santiago, IF Mike Benjamin, OF--Lee Tinsley, Pete Incaviglia; P--Ken Ryan, Terry Mulholland, Dave Leiper.

WHO’S GONE: 3B--Charlie Hayes, IF--Kevin Elster, P--Heathcliff Slocumb, Paul Quantrill, Jeff Juden; OF Andy Van Slyke, Gary Varsho.

STRENGTHS: Delicious Philly cheese steak sandwiches.

WEAKNESSES: Everything other than the cheese steaks.

PROJECTED LINEUP: CF--Lenny Dykstra, 2B--Mickey Morandini, 1B--Gregg Jefferies, LF--Darren Daulton, RF--Mark Whiten, 3B--Zeile, C--Santiago, SS--Kevin Stocker. SP--Sid Fernandez, Mike Grace, Mulholland, Mike Williams, Rich Hunter. RP--Ryan, Ricky Bottalico, Leiper.

OUTLOOK: Dreadful. Daulton has proved this spring that he can’t play left field. The Phillies didn’t have a pitcher win 10 games last season, did not have anyone hit more than 11 homers and did not have anyone steal more than 10 bases. And they’ll be the first to tell you they have a worse team this year. Say your prays for Manager Jim Fregosi.