The NL is going to be a bitch next year

[Arizona_Sting]

Cubs are absolutely stacked. Have to be WS favorites at this point.
Dbacks just loaded up their rotation to with Goldy/Pollock/Peralta and a great defense.
Mets still have an unreal rotation, we'll see what moves they make to improve their offense.
Dodgers still have a good team… and they aren't done. I expect them to get Cueto.
Giants have a deep lineup and now Bum-Shark on the top of the rotation and also aren't done adding yet.
Nats still have lots of talent, can't count them out.
Pirates are well balanced and should be a strong team again.
Marlins will get Jose Fernandez & Giancarlo Staton+ Dee Gordon together at the same time healthy finally.
Cardinals will still add an arm and bat presumably and you know they'll find a way to win cuz Cardinals.

Not gonna be easy to make the playoffs next year.

 

[Bolts]

It'll be a dog fight, the NLW and NLC are gonna be especially tough where 3 teams could win the division/make the postseason. I just hope the Padres don't lose 100 games .

 

[Arizona_Sting]

It'll be a dog fight, the NLW and NLC are gonna be especially tough where 3 teams could win the division/make the postseason. I just hope the Padres don't lose 100 games .

I'm confused with what SD's plan is. They still have a nice rotation, but are they rebuilding or trying to make moves to make them contenders? I've heard conflicting reports.

 

[Bolts]

I'm confused with what SD's plan is. They still have a nice rotation, but are they rebuilding or trying to make moves to make them contenders? I've heard conflicting reports.

I think they've said that they plan to contend, but all the Padres have done this offseason is trade players to either shed salary, add prospects, or both. Seems like Preller is trying to build the farm system back up after he ripped it up to try and contend in 2015, he'll probably move a catcher and SP sometime this offseason for more prospects. Hopefully he realizes that it's very unlikely they'd contend in 2016 and he keeps focusing on the farm/shedding money instead of signing somebody to a big contract.

 

[Clayton]

Only a couple of teams are even set but the Cubs are basically like the Nationals from last year and the Cardinals from the year before. The Cubs are absolutely going to be the hyped favorite.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Only a couple of teams are even set but the Cubs are basically like the Nationals from last year and the Cardinals from the year before. The Cubs are absolutely going to be the hyped favorite.

Yeah, I think they're even more complete than those two teams were even with the hype they got. This is top to bottom one of the best teams I've ever seen on paper. They deserve every bit of hype they get.

 

[The Derski]

I don't really see Lackey and Heyward making the Cubs that much better, the hype is going to be there all season because it's Chicago and it's the Cubs and they were close last season but would anyone be surprised if they end up being the Nationals? Cubs are going to be the ESPN game of the week almost every week. Count on it. I'll be rooting for them to an extent.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

I don't really see Lackey and Heyward making the Cubs that much better, the hype is going to be there all season because it's Chicago and it's the Cubs and they were close last season but would anyone be surprised if they end up being the Nationals? Cubs are going to be the ESPN game of the week almost every week. Count on it. I'll be rooting for them to an extent.

Zobrist too. Lackey is a perfect #3 starter behind their two big guns in Arrieta-Lester.

Bryant & Rizzo are both stars and Schwarber-Heyward-Zobrist-Russell-Baez-Montero, etc. all around them gives them probably the best lineup in baseball.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I don't really see Lackey and Heyward making the Cubs that much better, the hype is going to be there all season because it's Chicago and it's the Cubs and they were close last season but would anyone be surprised if they end up being the Nationals? Cubs are going to be the ESPN game of the week almost every week. Count on it. I'll be rooting for them to an extent.

Nah great team. Lackey shits on the garbage they had in the PS after Lester. Heyward is a perfect complement to their power lineup and he greatly improves the D. Zobrist is going to help any team.

And they were already good.

 

[SFGRTB]

I see 6 teams blatantly trying to lose, 8 teams who have a great shot at the playoffs, and the Marlins.

Jokes aside, the Rockies, Padres, Reds, Brewers, Braves and Phillies are going full rebuild and should all be pretty bad. The remaining 9 teams all look pretty good, some definitely more than other. Right now, the Cubs and D-Backs are probably the favorites, but there's still a lot of offseason. Mets are in the discussion too, I like their offseason so far.

 

[Mondo Jay]

Seems like teams in the NL have been extremely active in the off season compared to the AL.

Caveat: I am an NL fan, so I probably am paying much more attention to what is happening in my preferred league.

Pretty cool in general how much has happened in the Hot Stove League up to this point. There is a lot of time left to go before Spring Training too. Gotta love baseball!

 

[Gooch1034]

...and I thought this last season had a lot of bitching about the 1 game WC playoff format? Next yr should be way worse.

 

[molsaniceman]

dont we hear this every year

Padres ain't fuckin' around | SportsHoopla Sports Forums

 

[navamind]

Cubs probably won't improve much (if at all) over their 97 wins, but I think they overachieved last year (their pythag was 90-72).

 

[GeekSportsFan]

Cubs are absolutely stacked. Have to be WS favorites at this point.
Dbacks just loaded up their rotation to with Goldy/Pollock/Peralta and a great defense.
Mets still have an unreal rotation, we'll see what moves they make to improve their offense.
Dodgers still have a good team… and they aren't done. I expect them to get Cueto.
Giants have a deep lineup and now Bum-Shark on the top of the rotation and also aren't done adding yet.
Nats still have lots of talent, can't count them out.
Pirates are well balanced and should be a strong team again.
Marlins will get Jose Fernandez & Giancarlo Staton+ Dee Gordon together at the same time healthy finally.
Cardinals will still add an arm and bat presumably and you know they'll find a way to win cuz Cardinals.

Not gonna be easy to make the playoffs next year.

Kind of wonder if a sleeper might surprise folks.

 

[Clayton]

It really is only like 9 teams competing for 5 spots. Supercompetitive but not super deep. playoffs will likely be decided by injuries.

 

[tducey]

I agree, Cubs look very dangerous and the Diamondbacks do so as well. Going to be very interesting to watch next year.

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

I will not hold my breath with our new look Diamondbacks! I will always be a true DB

 

[Arizona_Sting]

dont we hear this every year

Padres ain't fuckin' around | SportsHoopla Sports Forums

If you're comparing the Padres to the Dbacks that's just lazy. I get that it's the common trend to do because they're in the NL West and had monster off seasons consecutively, but the makeups of the teams are SOOO much different. AZ has a better core in place than SD did before the made those moves.

 

[Bolts]

If you're comparing the Padres to the Dbacks that's just lazy. I get that it's the common trend to do because they're in the NL West and had monster off seasons consecutively, but the makeups of the teams are SOOO much different. AZ has a better core in place than SD did before the made those moves.

They also didn't destroy an area of strength they had in 2015(offense and/or defense) in order to fill the area of weakness(pitching) like the Padres did with their defense in order to improve the lineup(that was still flawed). It's TBD if they will make the postseason or be better than they were in 2015, but the DBacks are in a better position than the Padres were after their big offseason.