Power Ranking the National League East, Post Jose Reyes Signing

Year in and year out, the NL East is one of the most competitive divisions from top to bottom in Major League Baseball.  Although sometimes overshadowed by the dominating AL East, the NL East perennially produces a formidable division champion and various wild-card contenders.

2012, in particular, will have a heightened interest due to Jose Reyes leaving the New York Mets for division foe Miami.  In addition to Reyes, the East already includes superstar hitters such as Ryan Howard, Chipper Jones, Mike Stanton and David Wright, all who look to make major impacts on their respective teams.

All-Star closers Heath Bell and Jonathan Papelbon have also joined the NL East landscape, strengthening an already dominating pitching division that features Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Josh Johnson, Johan Santana and Cole Hamels. 

With stacked rosters and Cy Young and MVP contenders, the National League East will be one of the most exciting divisions in baseball and could require all 162 games to determine a champion.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

The 2012 Phillies may have a much different look than last season, but the outcome is expected to be the same.  Even if Jimmy Rollins and Roy Oswalt leave and Ryan Howard does not make a full recovery from his Achilles injury, pitching will still carry the Phils to the NL East crown.

Now in their second year together, the staff, led by Halladay, Lee and Hamels, will set out to prove themselves not just as the best staff in the majors, but among the best rotations of all time.  The addition of former World Series champion Jonathan Papelbon will help replace the inexperienced Ryan Madson and unpredictable Brad Lidge. 

Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino are two of the premier outfielders in the National League, and John Mayberry Jr. showed flashes of impressive power and athleticism in the 2011 campaign.  If the Phils can make one more offseason move to add a powerful bat to the lineup (potentially Aramis Ramirez), expect to see Philly in the World Series.

The Verdict: The Phillies won’t reach the 102-win mark again this upcoming season, but 95 wins is a realistic possibility for a team that will rely heavily on pitching until their offense fully heals.

2. Miami Marlins

With a new name, new stadium and new players, the Miami Marlins have all the right tools to be much more competitive in 2012. 

Although unable to compete with Philadelphia’s pitching, Miami has already made major splashes this offseason by acquiring All-Star closer Heath Bell and reigning NL batting champion Jose Reyes.  Emotional manager Ozzie Guillen is also in his first year with the Marlins, hoping to be a perfect fit for transformation in South Beach.

In addition to their newly acquired superstars, the Marlins already boast a plethora of young talent, with feared power hitters such as Mike Stanton, Gabby Sanchez and Logan Morrison.  Former shortstop Hanley Ramirez is coming off the worst season of his career, but all signs suggest that Ramirez should have a bounce-back campaign in 2012 and regain his elite status. 

Miami's pitching staff will be much improved this season, with a healthy Josh Johnson returning as ace.  Along with Ricky Nolasco, who gave the Marlins 206 innings last year, Miami has two dependable starters, but definitely needs other pitchers to round out the rotation. 

The Verdict: The Marlins solidified their bullpen, rounded out their infield and got former Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson back from injury.  With a new stadium full of energized fans, this young, exciting team should finish around 90 wins and make a serious run at the Wild Card.

3.Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves suffered one of the worst collapses in baseball history in 2011, and this offseason has not done anything to restore confidence in the fans.  With no major addition to the lineup this winter, it is impossible to believe Atlanta can improve on last year's 89-win season.

The Braves are still in need of a big name to make them a contender, but they have a serviceable lineup from top to bottom. Young stars like Freddie Freeman and Jayson Heyward have the tools to be perennial All-Stars and with a speedy leadoff man like Michael Bourne, they will have plenty of RBI opportunities. 

Additionally, Dan Uggla shook off his early season struggles to lead NL second basemen in home runs, and Brian McCann is one of the best catchers in the game.

In the starting rotation, Tim Hudson has been the pitcher he used to be during his elite Oakland A's days.  Likewise, Jair Jurrjens had a career season and Tommy Hanson has no-hit stuff when he's at his best. 

However, Atlanta's biggest strength is its bullpen.  Jonny Venters is proving to be one of the most reliable setup men in baseball and Craig Kimbrel, last season's NL Rookie of the Year, set the saves record for first-year players.

The Verdict: The Braves are a strong team, but a hangover from 2011's September may linger into the 2012 season.  Atlanta will finish over .500, but will again see themselves fall just outside of the Wild Card.   

4. New York Mets

The departure of Jose Reyes has left the Mets with many uncertainties in their lineup.  In the middle infield, Ruben Tejada is a human highlight reel at shortstop, but his offense lacks the power or average to make hiim a productive everyday shortstop. 

At second base, Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner will likely platoon, but neither is likely a permanent solution at the position. 

More importantly, the Mets need a solution to replace Jose Reyes as a catalyst at the top of the order.  Angel Pagan is the likely solution due to his speed, but he has previously voiced his discomfort batting first and was plagued by injuries for a majority of last season. 

While speed will be greatly missed, the Mets hope to see much improved home run production.  The fences at Citi Field have all been moved closer to home plate, and Ike Davis and David Wright will both be healthy for the beginning of spring training.  Lucas Duda also emerged at the end of 2011 as a legitimate home run threat, and Jason Bay is due for a resurrection of power.

On the mound, the Mets have prioritized obtaining a reliable closer this winter, but that has yet to happen. 

Chris Capuano, a 200-plus inning candidate, left for the Dodgers, but Johan Santana is back after missing all of 2011.  On the farm, Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler will both make impacts on the starting rotation in the new few years, but they likely will begin 2012 in the minors.

The Verdict: The Mets are still a few years away from being a legitimate playoff contender, but for now, expect New York to finish right around .500.  It's not all bad news though, Mets fans—you still have the best knuckleballer in baseball, R.A. Dickey.

5. Washington Nationals

The Nationals are young, but their lineup is exploding with raw talent.  Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman comprise one of the best infields in baseball and have only played one season together. 

Likewise, their former No. 1 picks, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, have extremely high expectations. 

Harper, who split time between A and AA ball, hit .297 with 17 home runs in only 109 games, making him a potential 25 home run candidate.

Strasburg, who missed a majority of 2011 due to Tommy John surgery, boasts a 100-plus mile-per-hour fastball and some of the most wicked offspeed pitches of any pitcher in baseball.

There are many "if's" surrounding the Washington Nationals.  They have tremendous potential, but that does not always translate to victories.  The starting rotation could use a veteran to bolster it, and Jayson Werth has not lived up to the enormous contract he signed last offseason. 

The Verdict: Like Teddy Roosevelt in the famed "President's Race," the Nationals can't seem to get over the championship hump and earn a playoff nod.  The Nats will finish below .500, but there is a lot to be excited about in the upcoming years.