Post by Commissioner Erick on Dec 31, 2020 14:54:41 GMT -5
The 2024 NL East was a two-team race with the Phillies and Nationals dominating the division. After their offseason moves, 2025 is shaping up to be more of the same. Will Atlanta be able to get its act together to challenge the two behemoths, and are the Mets developing a team that can challenge them in the near future?
1) Philadelphia Phillies
2024: 101-61, NL East Champion. Lost to Chicago Cubs 4-3 in NLCS.
Who They Were: The Phillies had another juggernaut season last year, winning over 100 games for the third consecutive season. Seth Beer bashed 62 home runs, Brian C. Miller developed into a star, and the Phillies held off the Nationals for the NL East crown. Below the surface, however, there were signs of worry. Darrick Hall hit only .197, Mickey Moniak’s average was .271, a career low for a full season, and despite Madison Bumgarner winning 18 games, the rotation felt a little wanting behind Franklyn Kilome. The team nonetheless had a terrific season until falling again to the Cubs in 7 games for the second consecutive postseason.
Offseason Review: The team moved on from Madison Bumgarner and Archie Bradley, getting younger, cheaper, and perhaps more talented in the process as they replaced the veterans with Jhoan Duran and Osiris German. Yoenis Cespedes won’t be around anymore as Wilmer Flores was obtained to be the team’s designated masher of left-handed pitching. Brian C. Miller was traded as Stud Morales should make his debut this season, making an outfield with Miller, a very crowded one.
On the Farm: Luis Morales is appropriately named “Stud” as he’s one of the brightest young talents in baseball. Just 21-years-old, it’s likely he debuts with Philadelphia as their starting Center Fielder. With Bobby Witt Jr. debuting last year, the farm won’t be as robust with its two centerpieces graduating to the majors and as a result, there isn’t as much talent in the upper minors to serve as reinforcements. Still, producing two talents that have effectively allowed the team to move on from players like Miller and arguably improving in the process is something to be proud of.
Best Case Scenario: German and Duran revitalize the pitching staff, Morales and Witt infuse energy into the club, and Milwaukee wins the NL Central.
Worst Case Scenario: Dave Simon stares down a Cubs batter in Game 7.
Key Questions: While Darrick Hall’s batted balls continue to trend over the fence, his average has trended into the dirt the last few seasons. Where will you slot him in your lineup this year with so many talented sluggers?
Your bullpen was strong in the first half last year, but struggled in the second half. What do you make of the unit this year?
2) Washington Nationals
2024: 96-66, 2nd Place NL East. Lost to San Francisco in NL Wild Card Game
Who They Were: Despite two Hall-of-Fame Outfielders, Washington was a pitching-oriented team last year. Eric Pena won the Cy Young Award after he struck out an ungodly 393 batters last year, a year after leading the league with 233. Franklin E. Perez, Joe Ross, and Peter Solomon backed him up to form an incredibly deep rotation. Mike Trout rebounded from a down 2023 to drive in 143 runs and produce 7.1 WAR. Bryce Harper had his worst season as a pro, and still put up 6.4 WAR with 52 home runs. Finally, Kyle Seager was a tremendous third best hitter with 47 homers, 115 RBIs, and an All-Star nod. There were some weak spots in the lineup though, as Luis V. Garcia had a .301 OBP, and the Catcher spot combined for -0.1 WAR. Still, Washington had the expected record of a 104-win team.
Offseason Review: The staff got deeper as Madison Bumgarner is on board as an overqualified fifth starter. Bumgarner isn’t nearly as good as he was in his prime, but should be an outstanding regular season performer who can eat innings and produce solid results. Shane Benes replaces the combination of Kolten Wong and Wily Adames at Second Base, while Bruce Maxwell should stabilize the Catcher spot.
On the Farm: It’s not a strong, nor deep system, with the best players down in the low minors. A.J Toet and Bob Beasley should be able to step in when the team moves on from Madison Bumgarner and Kyle Seager and provide competent play, but that won’t be for another year at least. Until then, Washington may need to look outside the organization for reinforcements.
Best Case Scenario: If Bryce Harper and Peter Solomon rebound from down years, the upside for this team is incredible. They can win 115 games and a championship.
Worst Case Scenario: Bryce Harper can’t put up Hall-of-Fame caliber numbers, Madison Bumgarner is subpar, and a strong top of the National League leaves Washington as a 96-win team that misses the playoffs.
Key Questions: Who will your starting First Baseman be, Matt Olson or Wil Myers?
Hunter Watson had a good power year in 2023. Will he play a role on this year’s team?
3) Atlanta Braves
2024: 82-80, 3rd Place NL East
Who They Were: It was a disappointing season for Atlanta as many of the team’s most talented players struggled, causing Atlanta to finish with a mediocre record. They were fourth in defense and fourth in ERA, resulting in the fifth best run-prevention in the league, but they didn’t hit. Shohei Otani had a .675 OPS with the bat and Bryan Martelo had a .692 OPS. The team couldn’t make up for their lack of production as many of their other players were defense-first. Tommy Edman had a .578 OPS, Ronny Mauricio had a .629 OPS, and the team cycled through a number of Third Base options before finding out Mikey Polansky could hold his own with the stick. With so many poor bats, the team finished 12th in offense and well out of the playoff picture.
Offseason Review: Zach Collins and Raul Mondesi were brought on to juice the team’s offense. Both are terrific offensive players, and Mondesi adds some speed that Atlanta could take advantage of. However, the team lost some key players. Bryan Martelo was allowed to walk in Free Agency, and surprise breakout Gator Jacobson was shipped out. Perhaps the team’s best offensive player, Wilmer Flores, was allowed to walk, while key pitchers Brandon Waddell, Tony Watson, and Joe Biagini will have to be replaced. The team has youth to replace some of the players, but while the club got younger, we’ll see if it got better.
On the Farm: It’s a very good system, though much of the talent lies in the deep minors. The club has two Top 20 prospects, but neither has produced positive WAR above A-ball. The team has some upper-minors depth though. Ken Spraglin or Yale Ziegler could contend for a rotation spot this year, and Jim Morgan could begin the year in the Braves rotation, as their starting Third Baseman, in a utility role, or in any role in Gwinnett.
Best Case Scenario: Collins and Mondesi have strong seasons and Otani bounces back. With a good staff, and good defense, Atlanta wins 88 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The new additions don’t really amount to much, and the overall offense is still subpar. The veteran defections lead to a little bit worse pitching, and the team wins 77 games.
Key Questions: How do you plan on competing with Philadelphia and Washington without their top-level talent?
Shohei Otani struggled on both sides last year. What will his role be this season?
4) New York Mets
2024: 60-102, Last Place NL East
Who They Were: The Mets had the second worst zone rating, the third worst ERA, and the third fewest runs scored, as they were disappointing in all aspects. The Mets didn’t have a single hitter bat higher than .248, didn’t have a player steal more than 10 bases, and only had one pitcher produce more than 1.7 WAR. Matt Cleveland had a good year in the rotation with a 3.27 FIP (leading to a 4.26 ERA) as a lone bright spot. J.D. Martinez and Ricardo Cespedes combined for 63 home runs, which was nice on the surface. However, their slugging was a case of empty calories as they combined to produce 1.0 WAR
Offseason Review: The Mets added a few useful pieces with Joe Biagini on to anchor their pen, Andrew Toles to man an outfield spot, and Anthony DeSclafani, Jesse Hahn, and Chris Archer to man their rotation. However, the loss of Mychal Givens cancels out the addition of Biagini, and there’s not enough talent on the roster for the additions to make much of a difference.
On the Farm: The Mets have one of the best systems in baseball, ranked #2 overall by OSA. Most of that talent is pretty close to the majors as well and should begin paying dividends next year. New York’s Luis Morales isn’t nicknamed Stud, but he might as well be as he arguably may be the better NL East Luis Morales prospect. A slugger who can defend nearly every position well, Morales should be a year away from making a mark. The Mets also boast six pitchers in the Top 100, many of them set to begin the year in Triple A. The arms still have some work to do, but the Las Vegas 51s will be a team to watch this year.
Best Case Scenario: The staff is halfway decent and the team wins 72 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is terrible, and Miami’s defense allows the Marlins to finish in fourth place.
Key Questions: You have a bastion of young arms just below the major leagues. Will any of them see major action in 2025?
What position players are on your roster that you envision as long-term fits?
5) Miami Marlins
2024: 63-99, 4th Place NL East
Who They Were: Miami built a great defensive team in 2019, as they had the highest zone rating, the highest percentage of runners thrown out, and the second fewest errors in the National League. They accomplished the feat by ignoring the offensive side of the ball as the team was historically inept. The pitching wasn’t half bad as a result of the defense, but the Marlins finished 77 runs behind the previous worst-scoring NL team in PBA history with only 496 runs. No matter the pitching and defense, it’s hard to win with an offense that punchless.
Offseason Review: Christian Arroyo was acquired and should give Miami one legitimate major league-caliber bat. The team ate some terrible players making a lot of money to take on assets though, so they may have a worse team than last year.
On the Farm: Miami has a good system, though the best players are towards the low minors. Husky Jim Robinson, a pitcher with an excellent sinker/cutter combo is in Triple-A and could debut as early as this year. It’ll take until next season at least for the rest of the cavalry to arrive.
Best Case Scenario: The team continues to be a great defense and has enough pitching to overcome the anemic lineup and only lose 99 games.
Worst Case Scenario: This lineup could result in 120 losses.
Key Questions: You targeted Joe White in a trade this offseason. What do you like about him?
Zach Wilkinson didn’t strike out anyone last year and went 1-8. He also had a 3.11 ERA. What do you make of the young lefty?
1) Philadelphia Phillies
2024: 101-61, NL East Champion. Lost to Chicago Cubs 4-3 in NLCS.
Who They Were: The Phillies had another juggernaut season last year, winning over 100 games for the third consecutive season. Seth Beer bashed 62 home runs, Brian C. Miller developed into a star, and the Phillies held off the Nationals for the NL East crown. Below the surface, however, there were signs of worry. Darrick Hall hit only .197, Mickey Moniak’s average was .271, a career low for a full season, and despite Madison Bumgarner winning 18 games, the rotation felt a little wanting behind Franklyn Kilome. The team nonetheless had a terrific season until falling again to the Cubs in 7 games for the second consecutive postseason.
Offseason Review: The team moved on from Madison Bumgarner and Archie Bradley, getting younger, cheaper, and perhaps more talented in the process as they replaced the veterans with Jhoan Duran and Osiris German. Yoenis Cespedes won’t be around anymore as Wilmer Flores was obtained to be the team’s designated masher of left-handed pitching. Brian C. Miller was traded as Stud Morales should make his debut this season, making an outfield with Miller, a very crowded one.
On the Farm: Luis Morales is appropriately named “Stud” as he’s one of the brightest young talents in baseball. Just 21-years-old, it’s likely he debuts with Philadelphia as their starting Center Fielder. With Bobby Witt Jr. debuting last year, the farm won’t be as robust with its two centerpieces graduating to the majors and as a result, there isn’t as much talent in the upper minors to serve as reinforcements. Still, producing two talents that have effectively allowed the team to move on from players like Miller and arguably improving in the process is something to be proud of.
Best Case Scenario: German and Duran revitalize the pitching staff, Morales and Witt infuse energy into the club, and Milwaukee wins the NL Central.
Worst Case Scenario: Dave Simon stares down a Cubs batter in Game 7.
Key Questions: While Darrick Hall’s batted balls continue to trend over the fence, his average has trended into the dirt the last few seasons. Where will you slot him in your lineup this year with so many talented sluggers?
Your bullpen was strong in the first half last year, but struggled in the second half. What do you make of the unit this year?
2) Washington Nationals
2024: 96-66, 2nd Place NL East. Lost to San Francisco in NL Wild Card Game
Who They Were: Despite two Hall-of-Fame Outfielders, Washington was a pitching-oriented team last year. Eric Pena won the Cy Young Award after he struck out an ungodly 393 batters last year, a year after leading the league with 233. Franklin E. Perez, Joe Ross, and Peter Solomon backed him up to form an incredibly deep rotation. Mike Trout rebounded from a down 2023 to drive in 143 runs and produce 7.1 WAR. Bryce Harper had his worst season as a pro, and still put up 6.4 WAR with 52 home runs. Finally, Kyle Seager was a tremendous third best hitter with 47 homers, 115 RBIs, and an All-Star nod. There were some weak spots in the lineup though, as Luis V. Garcia had a .301 OBP, and the Catcher spot combined for -0.1 WAR. Still, Washington had the expected record of a 104-win team.
Offseason Review: The staff got deeper as Madison Bumgarner is on board as an overqualified fifth starter. Bumgarner isn’t nearly as good as he was in his prime, but should be an outstanding regular season performer who can eat innings and produce solid results. Shane Benes replaces the combination of Kolten Wong and Wily Adames at Second Base, while Bruce Maxwell should stabilize the Catcher spot.
On the Farm: It’s not a strong, nor deep system, with the best players down in the low minors. A.J Toet and Bob Beasley should be able to step in when the team moves on from Madison Bumgarner and Kyle Seager and provide competent play, but that won’t be for another year at least. Until then, Washington may need to look outside the organization for reinforcements.
Best Case Scenario: If Bryce Harper and Peter Solomon rebound from down years, the upside for this team is incredible. They can win 115 games and a championship.
Worst Case Scenario: Bryce Harper can’t put up Hall-of-Fame caliber numbers, Madison Bumgarner is subpar, and a strong top of the National League leaves Washington as a 96-win team that misses the playoffs.
Key Questions: Who will your starting First Baseman be, Matt Olson or Wil Myers?
Hunter Watson had a good power year in 2023. Will he play a role on this year’s team?
3) Atlanta Braves
2024: 82-80, 3rd Place NL East
Who They Were: It was a disappointing season for Atlanta as many of the team’s most talented players struggled, causing Atlanta to finish with a mediocre record. They were fourth in defense and fourth in ERA, resulting in the fifth best run-prevention in the league, but they didn’t hit. Shohei Otani had a .675 OPS with the bat and Bryan Martelo had a .692 OPS. The team couldn’t make up for their lack of production as many of their other players were defense-first. Tommy Edman had a .578 OPS, Ronny Mauricio had a .629 OPS, and the team cycled through a number of Third Base options before finding out Mikey Polansky could hold his own with the stick. With so many poor bats, the team finished 12th in offense and well out of the playoff picture.
Offseason Review: Zach Collins and Raul Mondesi were brought on to juice the team’s offense. Both are terrific offensive players, and Mondesi adds some speed that Atlanta could take advantage of. However, the team lost some key players. Bryan Martelo was allowed to walk in Free Agency, and surprise breakout Gator Jacobson was shipped out. Perhaps the team’s best offensive player, Wilmer Flores, was allowed to walk, while key pitchers Brandon Waddell, Tony Watson, and Joe Biagini will have to be replaced. The team has youth to replace some of the players, but while the club got younger, we’ll see if it got better.
On the Farm: It’s a very good system, though much of the talent lies in the deep minors. The club has two Top 20 prospects, but neither has produced positive WAR above A-ball. The team has some upper-minors depth though. Ken Spraglin or Yale Ziegler could contend for a rotation spot this year, and Jim Morgan could begin the year in the Braves rotation, as their starting Third Baseman, in a utility role, or in any role in Gwinnett.
Best Case Scenario: Collins and Mondesi have strong seasons and Otani bounces back. With a good staff, and good defense, Atlanta wins 88 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The new additions don’t really amount to much, and the overall offense is still subpar. The veteran defections lead to a little bit worse pitching, and the team wins 77 games.
Key Questions: How do you plan on competing with Philadelphia and Washington without their top-level talent?
Shohei Otani struggled on both sides last year. What will his role be this season?
4) New York Mets
2024: 60-102, Last Place NL East
Who They Were: The Mets had the second worst zone rating, the third worst ERA, and the third fewest runs scored, as they were disappointing in all aspects. The Mets didn’t have a single hitter bat higher than .248, didn’t have a player steal more than 10 bases, and only had one pitcher produce more than 1.7 WAR. Matt Cleveland had a good year in the rotation with a 3.27 FIP (leading to a 4.26 ERA) as a lone bright spot. J.D. Martinez and Ricardo Cespedes combined for 63 home runs, which was nice on the surface. However, their slugging was a case of empty calories as they combined to produce 1.0 WAR
Offseason Review: The Mets added a few useful pieces with Joe Biagini on to anchor their pen, Andrew Toles to man an outfield spot, and Anthony DeSclafani, Jesse Hahn, and Chris Archer to man their rotation. However, the loss of Mychal Givens cancels out the addition of Biagini, and there’s not enough talent on the roster for the additions to make much of a difference.
On the Farm: The Mets have one of the best systems in baseball, ranked #2 overall by OSA. Most of that talent is pretty close to the majors as well and should begin paying dividends next year. New York’s Luis Morales isn’t nicknamed Stud, but he might as well be as he arguably may be the better NL East Luis Morales prospect. A slugger who can defend nearly every position well, Morales should be a year away from making a mark. The Mets also boast six pitchers in the Top 100, many of them set to begin the year in Triple A. The arms still have some work to do, but the Las Vegas 51s will be a team to watch this year.
Best Case Scenario: The staff is halfway decent and the team wins 72 games.
Worst Case Scenario: The offense is terrible, and Miami’s defense allows the Marlins to finish in fourth place.
Key Questions: You have a bastion of young arms just below the major leagues. Will any of them see major action in 2025?
What position players are on your roster that you envision as long-term fits?
5) Miami Marlins
2024: 63-99, 4th Place NL East
Who They Were: Miami built a great defensive team in 2019, as they had the highest zone rating, the highest percentage of runners thrown out, and the second fewest errors in the National League. They accomplished the feat by ignoring the offensive side of the ball as the team was historically inept. The pitching wasn’t half bad as a result of the defense, but the Marlins finished 77 runs behind the previous worst-scoring NL team in PBA history with only 496 runs. No matter the pitching and defense, it’s hard to win with an offense that punchless.
Offseason Review: Christian Arroyo was acquired and should give Miami one legitimate major league-caliber bat. The team ate some terrible players making a lot of money to take on assets though, so they may have a worse team than last year.
On the Farm: Miami has a good system, though the best players are towards the low minors. Husky Jim Robinson, a pitcher with an excellent sinker/cutter combo is in Triple-A and could debut as early as this year. It’ll take until next season at least for the rest of the cavalry to arrive.
Best Case Scenario: The team continues to be a great defense and has enough pitching to overcome the anemic lineup and only lose 99 games.
Worst Case Scenario: This lineup could result in 120 losses.
Key Questions: You targeted Joe White in a trade this offseason. What do you like about him?
Zach Wilkinson didn’t strike out anyone last year and went 1-8. He also had a 3.11 ERA. What do you make of the young lefty?
