NL East Division

By MIKE DIGIOVANNA

March 31, 2002 12 AM PT

ATLANTA BRAVES

Who’s new: OF Gary Sheffield, C Henry Blanco, P Darren Holmes and Albie Lopez, INF Matt Franco, 3B Vinny Castilla.

Who’s gone: OF Brian Jordan, P Odalis Perez and John Burkett, 3B Ken Caminiti, C Paul Bako.

Strengths: The Braves were 13th in the NL in scoring last season, but that should change with the addition of Sheffield, who should provide great lineup protection for Chipper Jones. The top of the rotation is outstanding, and shortstop Rafael Furcal is sound after missing half of 2001 because of a dislocated left shoulder.

Weaknesses: Starter Kevin Millwood is coming off a shoulder injury, and starter Albie Lopez is a question mark. There is little speed after Furcal. 2B Marcus Giles is not a Gold Glove candidate, and there’s not much power on the bench.

Outlook: For several weeks, it seemed all General Manager John Schuerholz did was field questions about the Mets’ winter trades. Then Schuerholz trumped the Mets by trading for Sheffield. The Braves still have better pitching than the Mets, and they should have just enough offense to win another division title.

At Dodger Stadium: Aug. 23-25.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Rafael Furcal

CF Andruw Jones

LF Chipper Jones

RF Gary Sheffield

3B Vinny Castilla

C Javy Lopez

1B Julio Franco/

Wes Helms

2B Marcus Giles

STARTING PITCHERS

Greg Maddux

Tom Glavine

Kevin Millwood

Jason Marquis

Albie Lopez

BULLPEN

John Smoltz

Mike Remlinger

Kerry Ligtenberg

Damian Moss

NEW YORK METS

Who’s new: 2B Roberto Alomar, 1B Mo Vaughn, OF Jeromy Burnitz, Roger Cedeno and Gary Matthews Jr., P Pedro Astacio, Shawn Estes, Jeff D’Amico, Mark Guthrie and David Weathers.

Who’s gone: P Kevin Appier, Glendon Rusch and Donne Wall, 3B Robin Ventura, 1B Todd Zeile, OF Benny Agbayani, Alex Escobar, Lenny Harris, Matt Lawton, Tsuyoshi Shinjo.

Strengths: The Mets pack plenty of wallop, though Vaughn (elbow) and Edgardo Alfonzo (back) must make strong comebacks from injury for the offense to click. Overall team speed is good, so New York should manufacture runs as well as slug.

Weaknesses: The rotation drops off dramatically after Al Leiter. Astacio is pitching with a shoulder tear, and D’Amico has a history of health problems. The bullpen is good, but it’s not as strong as it has been in recent years.

Outlook: With a payroll of $103 million, the Mets have high expectations, and they have the talent to win a playoff berth. But if the starting pitchers get roughed up, it will put too much of a burden on the bullpen and the offense.

At Dodger Stadium: May 13-15.

PROJECTED LINEUP

RF Roger Cedeno

2B Roberto Alomar

C Mike Piazza

1B Mo Vaughn

3B Edgardo Alfonzo

LF Jeromy Burnitz

CF Jay Payton

SS Rey Ordonez

STARTING PITCHERS

Al Leiter

Pedro Astacio

Shawn Estes

Steve Trachsel

Jeff D’Amico

BULLPEN

Armando Benitez

John Franco

David Weathers

Mark Guthrie

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Who’s new: P Terry Adams, OF Ricky Ledee, INF Dave Hollins.

Who’s gone: P Omar Daal and Chris Brock, OF Brian Hunter.

Strengths: If pitching and defense win championships, the Phillies have a good foundation. Their starting pitching looks good, though ace Robert Person isn’t in the best condition, their bullpen should be solid, and the Phillies set a team record for fewest errors in a season in 2001. Scott Rolen may be the NL’s best defensive third baseman, and CF Doug Glanville is underrated.

Weaknesses: Rolen, who turned down a $140-million contract offer this winter, and Manager Larry Bowa are barely speaking to each other, and that relationship could put a strain on the team. Rolen, a free agent after this season, probably will be booed at home, so it will be interesting to see how he responds. There isn’t much depth.

Outlook: The Phillies have a good, young nucleus and could contend as they did in 2001, but they don’t appear to have the talent to keep up with the Braves and Mets.

At Dodger Stadium: Aug. 9-11.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Jimmy Rollins

2B Marlon Anderson

3B Scott Rolen

RF Bobby Abreu

C Mike Lieberthal

1B Travis Lee

LF Pat Burrell

CF Doug Glanville

STARTING PITCHERS

Robert Person

Terry Adams

Brandon Duckworth

David Coggin

Vicente Padilla

BULLPEN

Jose Mesa

Ricky Bottalico

Turk Wendell

Rheal Cormier

FLORIDA MARLINS

Who’s new: OF Tim Raines, P Julian Tavarez.

Who’s gone: OF Jeff Abbott and John Mabry, INF Dave Berg, P Antonio Alfonseca, Matt Clement, Ricky Bones and Jesus Sanchez.

Strengths: The Marlins have one of baseball’s best young rotations, a staff of power pitchers led by right-hander Ryan Dempster. The second through seventh hitters all have the potential to hit 25 home runs. The defense up the middle, especially C Charles Johnson, is strong.

Weaknesses: Their power comes at a price; many Marlins are free swingers who lack plate discipline and strike out far too much. Middle relief is a question and defense at the corner outfield positions is weak.

Outlook: The Marlins keep waiting for a reincarnation of the 1991 Atlanta Braves, a team that got breakout years from young pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Steve Avery and Kent Mercker, and if the light went on for three or four of the young Marlin pitchers at the same time, this could be a very good team. A more likely scenario: the Marlins fail to contend and free-agent-to-be Cliff Floyd gets traded in July.

At Dodger Stadium: Aug. 20-22.

PROJECTED LINEUP

2B Luis Castillo

CF Preston Wilson

LF Cliff Floyd

RF Kevin Millar

3B Mike Lowell

1B Derrek Lee

C Charles Johnson

SS Alex Gonzalez

STARTING PITCHERS

Ryan Dempster

Brad Penny

A.J. Burnett

Josh Beckett

Julian Tavarez

BULLPEN

Braden Looper

Vladimir Nunez

Vic Darensbourg

Armando Almanza

MONTREAL EXPOS

Who’s new: 1B Andres Galarraga, P Matt Herges and Osvaldo Fernandez, 3B Chris Truby.

Who’s gone: P Mike Thurman and Guillermo Mota, INF Jeff Blum, OF Tim Raines and Mark Smith.

Strengths: Vladimir Guerrero hits for average and power and may have baseball’s best outfield throwing arm. SS Orlando Cabrera, who had 96 RBIs in 2001, and 2B Jose Vidro give the Expos an excellent double-play combination. Ace Javier Vazquez, who has a 95-mph fastball, a good cutter, slider, curve and changeup, is a potential 20-game winner.

Weaknesses: The Expos lack speed, one of the reasons they grounded into

more double plays (151) last season than any team in baseball. The bottom of the rotation is weak--health problems prevented Carl Pavano from pitching a full season in each of the last four years. They hit only .256 with runners in scoring position last season, and they lack a quality closer.

Outlook: The Expos’ farewell season in Montreal--they’ll probably be sold and moved to Northern Virginia--could be bleak.

At Dodger Stadium: May 16-19.

PROJECTED LINEUP

CF Peter Bergeron

2B Jose Vidro

RF Vladimir Guerrero

SS Orlando Cabrera

1B Lee Stevens

3B Chris Truby

LF Brad Wilkerson

C Michael Barrett

STARTING PITCHERS