Debido a esa calidad que está presente en esta división, haremos una visita a cada uno de los rosters de los equipos que lucharan por el banderín del Este, lo haremos desde el último al primero, y tomaremos como guía la tabla de posiciones de la campaña pasada, esto se hará con el fin de observar las fortalezas o debilidades que puedan tener estos conjuntos, y asi poder tomar algunas referencias de si volveremos a ver una lucha cerrada o si, por lo contrario, los equipos presentes habrían bajado su nivel competitivo, comenzaremos el paseo con el equipo que llego en el último lugar de la campaña del 2022.
Los Nacionales de la ciudad de Washington, ocuparon el último lugar de la tabla de la zafra pasada con un registro de 55 ganados y 107 derrotas, una campaña para el olvido, además de eso se terminaron de desmantelar, ya que salieron de Juan Soto, luego de que el jugador en cuestión rechazara un contrato de 450 millones de dólares, a Soto se le sumó Josh Bell, por ellos llegaron algunos prospectos con los que los Nacionales piensan renovar su equipo y en un futuro no muy lejano buscar puestos a la post-temporada, pero el futuro es hoy, y para este 2023 contaran con: Stephen Strasburg, será el número uno en la rotación y además la cara del equipo, al lanzador derecho lo acompañarán en las labores de abridores, Erasmo Ramírez, Hunter Harvey, Paolo Espino y Patrick Corbin, mientras que en el relevo quienes más destacan son: Carl Edwards Jr. Y Trevor Williams, a primera vista parece que el picheo de los de Washigton estará por debajo de los otros miembros de la división.
En el tema ofensivo, parece que no hay mayores inclusiones, ya que es un equipo en plena reconstrucción, Tendrán a un Keibert Ruiz, como dueño de la receptoría, al joven venezolano le acaban de hacer una extensión de contrato por diez años y más de 70 millones de dólares, Jeimer Candelario, Joey Meneses, Dominic Smith, serán las referencias ofensivas, este trío de bateadores han demostrado lo mucho que pueden batear, pero más allá de dichos jugadores, no se ve mayor poderío en este aspecto del juego, por eso creo que este 2023 para los Nacionales, será la continuación de la temporada pasada y vuelven a ser candidatos a ocupar el sótano del Este de la liga Nacional.
The start of the 2023 Major League Baseball season is just around the corner, the 30 teams continue at full speed their preparation in parallel to the World Baseball Classic. In previous publications I have analyzed the three divisions of the American League, and today it is the turn of the National League, and we will start with the difficult Eastern Division of the aforementioned league, 5 teams are already in the quarter-finals stage, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, this division is so strong, that last season 2 of the three wild cards, plus the champion, qualified 3 teams of the 5 that compose it.
Due to the quality that is present in this division, we will make a visit to each of the rosters of the teams that will fight for the Eastern pennant, we will do it from the last to the first, and we will take as a guide the standings of last season, this will be done in order to observe the strengths or weaknesses that these teams may have, and thus be able to take some references if we will see again a close fight or if, on the contrary, the teams present would have lowered their competitive level, we will start the walk with the team that came in last place in the 2022 campaign.
The Washington Nationals came in last place in the standings last season with a record of 55 wins and 107 losses, a campaign to forget, in addition to that they finished dismantling, since they left Juan Soto, after the player in question rejected a contract of 450 million dollars, Soto was joined by Josh Bell, for them came some prospects with whom the Nationals plan to renew their team and in the not too distant future seek positions to the post-season, but the future is today, and for this 2023 they will have: Stephen Strasburg, will be the number one in the rotation and also the face of the team, the right-handed pitcher will be accompanied in the work of starters, Erasmo Ramirez, Hunter Harvey, Paolo Espino and Patrick Corbin, while in relief who stand out the most are: Carl Edwards Jr. and Trevor Williams, at first glance it seems that the pitching of the Washigton will be below the other members of the division.
In the offensive theme, it seems that there are no major inclusions, since it is a team in full reconstruction, they will have a Keibert Ruiz, as owner of the catcher, the young Venezuelan has just made a contract extension for ten years and more than 70 million dollars, Jeimer Candelario, Joey Meneses, Dominic Smith, will be the offensive references, this trio of hitters have shown how much they can hit, but beyond these players, we do not see more power in this aspect of the game, so I think that this 2023 for the Nationals, will be the continuation of last season and are again candidates to occupy the basement of the East of the National League.
Mientras que la ofensiva con la incorporación del campeón bate de la liga Americana en el 2023, Luis Arráez quien les dará un bate de altos quilates, haciéndole compañía al venezolano estarán, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Garrett Cooper, Jean Segura, Joey Wendle, Jerar Encarnación, Avisaíl García y el cubano Jorge Soler, pinta bien este conjunto, ahora veremos si les alcanzara para buscar un comodín, de lo que si estoy seguro, es que tendrán una mejor campaña y que pudieran jugar sobre los 500 puntos.
Los Phillies de Philadelphia fueron el tercer comodín de la liga Nacional, y fue el conjunto sorpresa de la post-temporada, al dejar en el camino a varios equipos favoritos, los Phillies son los actuales campeones de la Nacional y subcampeones de las grandes ligas, cuentan con la misma estructura y han mejorado algunos aspectos en su picheo, deberían pelear nuevamente un cupo al comodín, para eso tendrán en su roster a peloteros de la talla de Aarón Nola, Ranger Suárez, Andrew Vásquez, Taijuan Walker y Zack Wheeler, es un quinteto abridor de calidad, que le pudieran garantizar triunfos, pero para preservar esas victorias, tendrán a José Alvarado, Seranthony Domínguez y Craig Kimbrel, todo un lujo tener a estos cerradores en episodios seguidos.
En la ofensiva destacan, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Josh Harrison, Rhys Hoskins, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber y su máxima estrella Bryce Harper, los de Philadelphia lucen con más potencia a la ofensiva y con un picheo de abridor y de cierre realmente fabuloso, sin duda deben estar compitiendo y mejorando el récord del año pasado, que fue de 87 ganados y 75 perdidos, no sé si puedan buscar un el banderín, pero si un comodín, lo tienen todo para hacerlo y más con una temporada tan larga.
It is the turn of the Miami team, the Marlins have been gradually creating their own core of players, many of them come from their farms, in 2020 they managed to be in the playoffs of the majors, for this year they expect a better performance than last season, when they finished with 69 wins and 93 losses, To look for a season with positive records they will rely on Sandy Alcantara, Johnny Cueto, Jesus Luzardo, Matt Barnes and Edward Cabrera, as the base of their pitching, despite the departure of one of their best starters, as was Pablo Lopez, I see the rotation of Miami with strength, far superior to that of the Nationals.
While the offense with the addition of the American League bat champion in 2023, Luis Arráez who will give them a high carat bat, keeping company to the Venezuelan will be, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Garrett Cooper, Jean Segura, Joey Wendle, Jerar Encarnación, Avisaíl García and Cuban Jorge Soler, this set looks good, now we will see if they will be enough to seek a wild card, what I am sure, is that they will have a better campaign and that they could play over 500 points.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the third wild card of the National League, and was the surprise team of the post-season, leaving several favorite teams on the road, the Phillies are the current National League champions and runners-up of the major leagues, they have the same structure and have improved some aspects in their pitching, they should fight again for a place in the wild card, For that they will have in their roster players like Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, Andrew Vasquez, Taijuan Walker and Zack Wheeler, it is a quality starting quintet, which could guarantee wins, but to preserve those victories, they will have Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel, a luxury to have these closers in back-to-back episodes.
On offense, they have J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Josh Harrison, Rhys Hoskins, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber and their top star Bryce Harper, Philadelphia looks with more power on offense and with a really fabulous starting and closing pitching, no doubt they should be competing and improving last year's record, which was 87 wins and 75 losses, I do not know if they can look for a pennant, but if a wild card, they have everything to do it and more with such a long season.
Vemos al picheo de los metropolitanos muy sólido, y para mí es el mejor de esta división, se puede decir que está entre los 5 mejores de todas las grandes ligas, mientras que la ofensiva tiene nombres que realmente son llamativos, Francisco Lindor, Tomás Nido, el joven receptor Francisco Álvarez, que es el prospecto número uno, cuenta con un poderoso bate y este año viene a buscar la titularidad, Pete Alonso, Eduardo Escobar, Luis Guillorme, Jeff McNeil, Mark Canha, Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo, Tommy Pham y Daniel Vogelbach, hacen de los Mets, un equipo temido por la mayoría de sus rivales, si llegan a engranar el picheo y la ofensiva, tendrán la primera opción de ser los campeones divisionales.
The New York Mets, with a record of 101 wins and 61 losses, rode the East of the National League throughout the 2023 campaign, they were the owners of the first place of the division for almost the entire campaign, they lost that place of honor in a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, that is to say in the last weekend of the regular round, This year they will have the opportunity to be the champions and owners of the divisional pennant, to achieve this goal they have an exceptional starting lineup, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Carlos Carrasco, Jose Quintana and Kodai Senga, they are the brand new starting quintet, to that we can add a robust bulpen, led by Edwin Diaz.
We see the pitching of the Metropolitanos very solid, and for me is the best in this division, you can say that is among the top 5 of all major leagues, while the offense has names that are really striking, Francisco Lindor, Tomas Nido, the young catcher Francisco Alvarez, who is the number one prospect, Pete Alonso, Eduardo Escobar, Luis Guillorme, Jeff McNeil, Mark Canha, Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo, Tommy Pham and Daniel Vogelbach, make the Mets a team feared by most of their rivals, if they can get their pitching and offense together, they will have the first option to be the divisional champions.
Se sabe que el picheo es la base del juego de pelota, pero también se necesita una buena ofensiva que se encargue de hacer las carreras necesarias para lograr dichos triunfos, para eso tendrán a un Ronald Acuña Jr. Totalmente sano, Travis d’Arnaud y Sean Murphy, como los dueños de la receptoría, Ozzie Albies, ya recuperado de la lesión de la campaña pasada, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Jordan Luplow, Eddie Rosario y al oso, Marcell Ozuna, ofensivamente hablando, también lucen formidables, creo que veremos la misma lucha entre Mets y Bravos, durante la venidera campaña, solo que este año me inclino hacia el lado de los metropolitanos, los veo un poco más completos y con ese cuerpo de abridores de lujo, por esa razón, creo que el campeón del Este, serán los Mets, Bravos comodin e igualmente los Phillies, pero para saberlo, tenemos que esperar que se jueguen los 162 juegos de la ronda regular de la MLB.
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Finally let's look at the roster of the current National League East champions, they finished with 101 wins and 61 losses, identical record to their rivals, the New York Mets, only that they managed to beat that team in the particular series and therefore won the first place, this year they are ready to start another battle for the pennant, their pitching looks good, with strong and healthy arms, such as Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Michael Soroka, Huascar Ynoa and Spencer Strider, the same pitching staff as last season, but with a year more experience, while for the closing of those games, the pitching staff of those teams is the same as last season, but with more experience: Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Michael Soroka, Huascar Ynoa and Spencer Strider, the same pitching staff as last season, but with one more year of experience, while for the closing of those games they will count with: Tyler Matzek, A.J. Minter and Cuban Raisel Iglesias, without a doubt they have the pitching to compete and transcend throughout the campaign.
It is known that pitching is the basis of the ball game, but it also needs a good offense that is responsible for making the necessary runs to achieve those victories, for that they will have a Ronald Acuña Jr. Completely healthy, Travis d'Arnaud and Sean Murphy, as the owners of the catcher, Ozzie Albies, already recovered from last season's injury, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Jordan Luplow, Eddie Rosario and the bear, Marcell Ozuna, offensively speaking, also look formidable, I think we will see the same fight between Mets and Braves, I think we will see the same fight between the Mets and Braves during the upcoming campaign, only this year I am leaning towards the Metropolitans, I see them a little more complete and with that corps of luxury starters, for that reason, I think the East champion will be the Mets, Braves wild card and also the Phillies, but to find out, we have to wait for the 162 games of the MLB regular round to be played.
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Spelling Corrections: SpellBoy