National League preview

NATIONAL LEAGUE PREVIEW

WEST

OVERVIEW

1. Colorado: Middle infielders Clint Barmes and Troy Tulowitzki combined for 55 HR last season.

2. Dodgers: Could it be five playoff trips in seven years and out for McCourt?

3. Arizona: Diamondbacks finished last in ’09 without ace Brandon Webb, who opens this season on DL.

4. San Francisco: Pablo Sandoval might walk 100 times with Aubrey Huff (.694 OPS) behind him in cleanup spot.

5. San Diego: Adrian Gonzalez hit 40 HR last year, rest of Padres’ starting infield had 16.

KEY PLAYERS

Colorado: Closer Huston Street—35 of 37 in saves last year—opens on DL with sore shoulder.

Dodgers: Kemp and Ethier first 25 HR, 100 RBI Dodgers teammates since Green and Sheffield in ’01.

Arizona: Outfielder Justin Upton is a superstar in waiting, just 22, with OPS up from .647 to .816 to .899.

San Francisco: Tim Lincecum seeks to join Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux in Cy Young three-peat club.

San Diego: Little (ball) offense should provide lots of chances for closer Heath Bell (42 saves) to boost his trade value.

IT’S A FACT

Colorado: Jorge de la Rosa won 16 games last season, more than any NL pitcher except Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter.

Dodgers: Eight pitchers, including Jeff Weaver, won more games for Dodgers last year than opening day starter Vicente Padilla.

Arizona: Pitcher Ian Kennedy gets his chance after trade from Yankees, who drafted him ahead of Joba Chamberlain in ’06.

San Francisco: Barry Zito and his missing fastball struck out more batters last year than Roy Oswalt or John Lackey.

San Diego: They’ll be on the bench, but brothers Jerry (33) and Scott (30) Hairston are on same team for first time.

CENTRAL

OVERVIEW

1. St. Louis: Ryan Ludwick drove in 113 runs in ‘08, and now he gets a full season following Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday.

2. Cincinnati: First baseman Joey Votto’s .981 OPS last year ranked third in NL, behind Pujols and Fielder.

3. Milwaukee: Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder last year: 78 HR, 255 RBI; Pujols and Holliday: 71 HR, 244 RBI.

4. Chicago: Top winter acquisition Marlon Byrd, 32, who will bat fifth, had a .329 OBP last year, his first with 500 at-bats.

5. Pittsburgh: Catcher Ryan Doumit and third baseman Andy LaRoche are only returners from ‘09’s opening lineup.

6. Houston: Brandon Lyon got $15 million--most of any free-agent reliever—but Matt Lindstrom beat him out as closer.

KEY PLAYERS

St. Louis: Cardinals depending on pitcher Brad Penny, on third team in two years after four years in L.A.

Cincinnati: Summer rotation upgrades: ’08 phenom Edinson Volquez (’09 surgery) and Cuban phenom Aroldis Chapman.

Milwaukee: Randy Wolf’s $29.75 million second to John Lackey ($82.5 million) among veteran free-agent pitchers.

Chicago: Ace Carlos Zambrano’s innings pitched, starting in 2007: 222, 195, 169.

Pittsburgh: Is Garrett Jones for real? He spent a decade in minors, then hit 21 HR in 82 games last year.

Houston: Ace Roy Oswalt last season: career-low wins (eight) and career-high ERA (4.12).

IT’S A FACT

St. Louis: Cardinals haven’t won a playoff game since winning World Series in ’06.

Cincinnati: Shortstop Orlando Cabrera could play for fourth playoff team in four years.

Milwaukee: Trevor Hoffman (591) keeps holding off Mariano Rivera (526) atop all-time save list.

Chicago: Tom Gorzelanny, Cubs’ fifth starter, still bedeviled after posting 6.66 ERA in ’08.

Pittsburgh: Doug Drabek was Pirates’ top pitcher in last winning season, in ‘92; his son Kyle is Jays’ top prospect.

Houston: Mr. Consistency: Carlos Lee, from 2003 on: 31 HR/113 RBI, 31/99, 32/114, 37/116, 32/119, 28/100, 26/102.

EAST

OVERVIEW

1. Philadelphia: Brad Lidge blew 11 saves last year, Cole Hamels never found his fastball and Phillies still won NL.

2. Atlanta: Baseball’s best offensive prospect, Jason Heyward, 20, jumps from double-A into right field.

3. Florida: SS Hanley Ramirez finished second in NL MVP voting, between Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard.

4. New York: Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes will heal, but the pitching is bad even when healthy.

5. Washington: Over-under date on Stephen Strasburg’s arrival: June 1.

KEY PLAYERS

Philadelphia: Roy Halladay had more complete games (nine) than Phillies did last year.

Atlanta: In cleanup spot—and now playing first base— Troy Glaus, who last hit 30 HR in 2006.

Florida: Ricky Nolasco, who struck out 16 in final start last season, had 21 strikeouts and one walk this spring.

New York: Johan Santana’s strikeouts per nine innings: 9 first half of ‘09, 6 second half of ‘09, 6 this spring.

Washington: Ex-Angel Adam Kennedy, who played 3B for A’s last year, back at 2B for Nationals.

IT’S A FACT

Philadelphia: Last team to win three consecutive NL pennants: Stan Musial’s Cardinals (1942-44).

Atlanta: Bobby Cox, in final season, will rank fourth on all-time manager win list behind Mack, McGraw, La Russa.

Florida: Marlins’ spending on major league free agents in off-season: $0.

New York: Gary Matthews Jr., exiled from Angels, benched behind Angel Pagan, who fills in for injured Beltran.

Washington: Hanging on? Nationals are fifth team in three years for 14-time All-Star Ivan Rodriguez.