Ranking Each MLB National League Team's Starting 9

As much I love the pageantry of football and the personality of basketball, there's simply nothing like Major League Baseball. It's truly our nation's pastime. What better way to kick off the 2012 season than with a rundown of the National League's top lineups?

I used information from ESPN and MLB Depth Charts to develop the lineups, and the rest is all with my own mind. In other words, reader beware.

Note also that these starting nines (eights without the pitcher) aren't necessarily the Opening Day lineups.

They are what I believe the basic roster will be throughout the year, minus random prospects being called up when (SPOILER ALERT!) teams like the New York Mets and San Diego Padres fall out of contention.

Be sure to check my mirror to this article—the AL rankings!

No. 16: Chicago Cubs

C: Geovanny Soto

1B: Bryan LaHair

2B: Darwin Barney

3B: Ian Stewart

SS: Starlin Castro

LF: Alfonso Soriano

CF: Marlon Byrd

RF: David DeJesus

The Chicago Cubs may have the best team song, but they have the worst starting nine in the National League. I expect new GM Theo Epstein to change that over the next few years.

No. 15: Houston Astros

C: Jason Castro

1B: Carlos Lee

2B: Jose Altuve

3B: Chris Johnson

SS: Jed Lowrie

LF: J.D. Martinez

CF: Jordan Schafer

RF: Brian Bogusevic

In their last year as a member of the National League Central, the Houston Astros aren't likely to fair much better than in recent years. Who is going to DH for them when they move to the American League West? I'm not sure they have eight quality hitters now, much less nine.

No. 14: San Diego Padres

C: Nick Hundley

1B: Yonder Alonso

2B: Orlando Hudson

3B: Chase Headley

SS: Jason Bartlett

LF: Carlos Quentin

CF: Cameron Maybin

RF: Will Venable

If the fact that Major League Baseball doesn't have a salary cap is supposed to benefit "big market" teams, then why pray-tell are the San Diego Padres so bad? Big, beautiful city. Oh well. Maybe next year.

No. 13: New York Mets

C: Josh Thole

1B: Ike Davis

2B: Daniel Murphy

3B: David Wright

SS: Ruben Tejada

LF: Jason Bay

CF: Andres Torres

RF: Lucas Duda

Davis was prepared to have a breakout year in 2011 before an injury ended his season. I'm probably being generous ranking the New York Mets this high, but I like him and David Wright. I also think Andres Torres is a good fit.

No. 12: Los Angeles Dodgers

C: A.J. Ellis

1B: James Loney

2B: Mark Ellis

3B: Juan Uribe

SS: Dee Gordon

LF: Juan Rivera

CF: Matt Kemp

RF: Andre Ethier

There are too many question marks in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting nine. Can Dee Gordon keep up what he did at the end of 2011 for an entire season? Is Andre Ethier going to be more consistent? Will Matt Kemp continue his growth as an elite outfielder or regress like in 2010?

No. 11: Pittsburgh Pirates

C: Rod Barajas

1B: Garrett Jones

2B: Neil Walker

3B: Pedro Alvarez

SS: Clint Barmes

LF: Alex Presley

CF: Andrew McCutchen

RF: Jose Tabata

The biggest reason the Pittsburgh Pirates are ranked on the lower side of the National League is their youth. I'm definitely a buyer of the Pirates in the future though, with players like McCutchen to lead the way and Tabata and Alvarez ready to regain their rookie forms.

No. 10: Washington Nationals

C: Wilson Ramos

1B: Adam LaRoche

2B: Danny Espinosa

3B: Ryan Zimmerman

SS: Ian Desmond

LF: Michael Morse

CF: Roger Bernardina

RF: Jayson Werth

If the Washington Nationals had a legitimate leadoff man, they'd be a serious threat in the National League East. As it stands, they have a slew of speedy players who bat .240 and hit 15 homers and others who bat .280 and hit 25 homers.

No. 9: Philadelphia Phillies

C: Carlos Ruiz

1B: Ty Wiggington

2B: Chase Utley

3B: Placido Polanco

SS: Jimmy Rollins

LF: John Mayberry, Jr.

CF: Shane Victorino

RF: Hunter Pence

It's tough to project the long-term starting lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies. Obviously, Ryan Howard figures to be a major contributor if he can get healthy, but I have serious concerns about that, as you can see. Utley and Rollins have also had injury issues early on.

No. 8: Milwaukee Brewers

C: Jonathan Lucroy

1B: Mat Gamel

2B: Rickie Weeks

3B: Aramis Ramirez

SS: Alex Gonzalez

LF: Ryan Braun

CF: Nyjer Morgan

RF: Corey Hart

The Milwaukee Brewers have four very good players in Weeks, Ramirez, Braun and Hart, but the loss of Prince Fielder to the Detroit Tigers is going to hurt more than they are letting on. I'm interested to see how Braun produces when he's off PEDs, too. (Oops, did I just say that??)

No. 7: Miami Marlins

C: John Buck

1B: Gaby Sanchez

2B: Omar Infante

3B: Hanley Ramirez

SS: Jose Reyes

LF: Logan Morrison

CF: Emilio Bonafacio

RF: Giancarlo Stanton

The newly named "Miami" Marlins are adding a new dimension to their starting lineup: being good. Yes, this is a quality group of nine capable of going as far as Ramirez's sour attitude is willing to take them, which I am wary of.

But I love that "Mike" is now "Giancarlo." That's good for 10 more homers.

No. 6: St. Louis Cardinals

C: Yadier Molina

1B: Lance Berkman

2B: Tyler Greene

3B: David Freese

SS: Rafael Furcal

LF: Matt Holliday

CF: Jon Jay

RF: Carlos Beltran

The defending World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals' chances of a repeat rest on one man—Lance Berkman. He found the fountain of youth last year and batted .301 with 31 homers. If he can have another solid season, he will help the Cardinals limit the pain of losing Albert Pujols.

No. 5: San Francisco Giants

C: Buster Posey

1B: Aubrey Huff

2B: Freddy Sanchez

3B: Pablo Sandoval

SS: Brandon Crawford

LF: Melky Cabrera

CF: Angel Pagan

RF: Nate Schierholtz

Just last year, the San Francisco Giants were one of the weaker National League lineups, but after one season, Sandoval showed he is here to say, Cabrera (re)found his swing and youngsters Crawford and Schierholtz showed the reason they were so highly touted. Add all that to the Giants' pitching...

No. 4: Arizona Diamondbacks

C: Miguel Montero

1B: Paul Goldschmidt

2B: Aaron Hill

3B: Ryan Roberts

SS: Stephen Drew

LF: Jason Kubel

CF: Chris Young

RF: Justin Upton

If you told me this time last year that the Arizona Diamondbacks would crack the top four of the 2012 National League starting lineups, I'd call you crazy. But the coming-of-age of Upton, the breakout of Montero and the signing of Kubel make the D-Backs a team to watch, especially in that thin desert air.

No. 3: Atlanta Braves

C: Brian McCann

1B: Freddie Freeman

2B: Dan Uggla

3B: Chipper Jones

SS: Tyler Pastornicky

LF: Martin Prado

CF: Michael Bourn

RF: Jason Heyward

I'm a firm believer in the sophomore slump in baseball. Therefore, I have to believe that Freeman will take a step backward, but at the same time, Heyward will take a huge step forward. The Atlanta Braves are balanced nicely with young talent and veteran know-how.

No. 2: Colorado Rockies

C: Ramon Hernandez

1B: Todd Helton

2B: Marco Scutaro

3B: Casey Blake

SS: Troy Tulowitzki

LF: Carlos Gonzalez

CF: Dexter Fowler

RF: Michael Cuddyer

The addition of Cuddyer to the Mile Hile City is going to begin paying dividends immediately for the Colorado Rockies. The National League has few truly balanced starting lineups, but the Rockies certainly have one. Tulowitzki and Gonzalez might be the two best teammates in the NL.

No. 1: Cincinnati Reds

C: Ryan Hanigan

1B: Joey Votto

2B: Brandon Phillips

3B: Scott Rolen

SS: Zach Cozart

LF: Chad Heisey

CF: Drew Stubbs

RF: Jay Bruce

The Cincinnati Reds have the National League's top starting nine. They have power in Bruce, speed in Stubbs and all around quality hitting in Votto. Phillips is an underrated second basemen, while Cozart and Heisey are ready to grow from prospects to All-Stars.

Big Red Machine 2.0.