IN PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

NL EAST

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

2007: 89-73, first place.

Manager: Charlie Manuel (fourth season).

Projected Lineup: SS Jimmy Rollins (.296, 30 HRs, 94 RBIs, 20 triples, 41 SBs), CF Shane Victorino (.281, 12, 46, 37 SB), 2B Chase Utley (.332, 22, 103), 1B Ryan Howard (.268, 47, 136), LF Pat Burrell (.256, 30, 97), 3B Pedro Feliz (.253, 20, 72 with San Francisco), RF Geoff Jenkins (.255, 21, 64 with Milwaukee) and Jayson Werth (.298, 8, 49), C Carlos Ruiz (.259, 6, 54).

Rotation: RH Brett Myers (5-7, 4.33 ERA, 21 saves), LH Cole Hamels (15-5, 3.39), LH Jamie Moyer (14-12, 5.01), RH Kyle Kendrick (10-4, 3.87), RH Adam Eaton 10-10, 6.29) or RH Chad Durbin (8-7, 4.72 with Detroit).

Closer: RH Brad Lidge (5-3, 3.36, 19/27 saves with Houston).

Hot Spot: Bullpen. If Lidge can't return quickly from the knee surgery that put him on the disabled list to start the season or if he doesn't regain the form he once had with the Astros, the decision to move Myers back into the rotation after he was successful as a closer could backfire.

NEW YORK METS

2007: 88-74, second place.

Manager: Willie Randolph (fourth season).

Projected Lineup: SS Jose Reyes (.280, 12 HRs, 57 RBIs, 119 runs, 12 triples, major league-best 78 SBs), 2B Luis Castillo (.301, 1, 38, 19 SBs in 135 games with Twins and Mets), 3B David Wright (.325, 30, 107, 42 doubles, 113 runs, .416 OBP, 34/39 SBs, 21 errors), CF Carlos Beltran (.276, 33, 112, 23/25 SBs), 1B Carlos Delgado (.258, 24, 87, 118 Ks), LF Moises Alou (.341, 13, 49, 30-game hitting streak, .392 OBP in 87 games; expected to miss at least most of April following surgery for hernia), RF Ryan Church (.272, 15, 70, 43 doubles in 470 at-bats with Washington), C Brian Schneider (.235, 6, 54 in 129 games with Washington).

Rotation: LH Johan Santana (15-13, 3.33 ERA, 235 Ks, 52 BBs, 219 IP, AL-high 33 homers allowed with Minnesota), RH Pedro Martinez (3-1, 2.57 in 5 late-season starts following shoulder surgery), LH Oliver Perez (15-10, 3.56), RH John Maine (15-10, 3.91), RH Orlando Hernandez (9-5, 3.72) or RH Mike Pelfrey (3-8, 5.57).

Closer: LH Billy Wagner (2-2, 2.63, 34/39 saves, 80 Ks, 22 BBs in 68 1-3 IP).

Hot Spot: The corner outfielders. The 41-year-old Alou is productive when he plays, but he's injury prone and will begin the season on the disabled list. Church batted only .229 with one home run against left-handers last year. He seems to be OK after a frightening collision in spring training left him with a concussion.

ATLANTA BRAVES

2007: 84-78, third place.

Manager: Bobby Cox (19th season of current tenure, 23nd with Braves overall).

Projected Lineup: 2B Kelly Johnson (.276, 16 HRs, 68 RBIs, 9 SBs), SS Yunel Escobar (.326, 5, 28), 3B Chipper Jones (.337, 29, 102, .425 OBP), 1B Mark Teixeira (.306, 30, 105 with Texas and Atlanta), C Brian McCann (.270, 18, 92), RF Jeff Francoeur (.293, 19, 105, 129 Ks), CF Mark Kotsay (.214, 1, 20 with Oakand), LF Matt Diaz (.338, 12, 45).

Rotation: RH Tim Hudson (16-10, 3.33 ERA), RH John Smoltz (14-8, 3.11, 197 Ks in 205 2-3 IP), LH Tom Glavine (13-8, 4.45 with Mets), RH Jair Jurrjins (3-1, 4.70 with Detroit), LH Mike Hampton (did not pitch in 2006 or 2007) or LH Chuck James (11-10, 4.24).

Closer: RH Rafael Soriano (3-3, 3.00, 9/12 saves).

Hot Spot: Center field. Kotsay has some big shoes to fill in center after 10-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones signed with the Dodgers.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

2007: 73-89, fourth place.

Manager: Manny Acta (second season).

Projected Lineup: SS Cristian Guzman (.328, 2 HRs, 14 RBIs, .380 OBP in 174 ABs), CF Lastings Milledge (.272, 7, 29 in 184 ABs for Mets), 3B Ryan Zimmerman (.266, 24, 91, 43 doubles), 1B Nick Johnson (.290, 23, 77, 46 doubles, 110 walks in 2006) or Dmitri Young (.320, 13, 74), RF Austin Kearns (.266, 16, 74), LF Wily Mo Pena (.253, 13, 39 for Red Sox and Nationals), C Paul Lo Duca (.272, 9, 54 for Mets), 2B Ronnie Belliard (.290, 11, 58).

Rotation: RH Shawn Hill (4-5, 3.42 ERA), LH Odalis Perez (8-11, 5.57 for Royals), RH Jason Bergmann (6-6, 4.45), RH Tim Redding (3-6, 3.64), LH Matt Chico (7-9, 4.63).

Closer: RH Chad Cordero (3-3, 3.36, 37/46 saves).

Hot Spot: OF Elijah Dukes has tons of talent — and tons of baggage, including arrests and suspensions. The Nationals have built a cocoon around him, and he probably will be in left field on opening day because Pena is expected to miss the first two weeks of the season with a torn muscle in his side.

FLORIDA MARLINS

2007: 71-91, fifth place.

Manager: Fredi Gonzalez (second season).

Projected Lineup: SS Hanley Ramirez (.332, 29 HRs, 81 RBIs, 51 SBs), 2B Dan Uggla (.245, 31, 88), 1B Mike Jacobs (.265, 17, 54), LF Josh Willingham (.265, 21, 89), RF Jeremy Hermida (.296, 18, 63), CF Cody Ross (.335, 12, 39 in 66 games), 3B Jorge Cantu (.252, 1, 13 in 52 games and 115 ABs with Cincinnati and Tampa Bay), C Mike Rabelo (.256, 1, 18 in 51 games and 168 ABs with Detroit).

Rotation: LH Scott Olsen (10-15, 5.81 ERA), LH Andrew Miller (5-5, 5.63 with Detroit), LH Mark Hendrickson (4-8, 5.21 with Dodgers), RH Ricky Nolasco (1-2, 5.48 in 5 games), RH Rick VandenHurk (4-6, 6.83).

Closer: RH Kevin Gregg (0-5, 3.54, 32/36 saves).

Hot Spot: The rotation could be even worse than last year, when Florida's starters had a 5.58 ERA, highest in the major leagues. The wave of injuries that plagued the starters last year continued in spring training, sidelining Olsen and RHP Sergio Mitre.

NL CENTRAL

CHICAGO CUBS

2007: 85-77, first place.

Manager: Lou Piniella (second season).

Projected Lineup: SS Ryan Theriot (.266, 3 HRs, 45 RBIs), LF Alfonso Soriano (.299, 33, 70), 1B Derrek Lee (.317, 22, 82), 3B Aramis Ramirez (.310, 26, 101), RF Kosuke Fukudome (.294, 13, 48 with Chunichi Dragons in Japan; limited to 81 games because of right elbow injury), 2B Mark DeRosa (.293, 10, 72), C Geovany Soto (.389, 3, 8 in 18 games), CF Felix Pie (.215, 2, 20 in 177 ABs).

Rotation: RH Carlos Zambrano (18-13, 3.95 ERA), LH Ted Lilly (15-8, 3.83), RH Ryan Dempster (2-7, 4.73, 28/31 saves), LH Rich Hill (11-8, 3.92), RH Jason Marquis (12-9, 4.60).

Closer: RH Kerry Wood (1-1, 3.33 in 22 appearances).

Hot Spots: Center field and the bullpen. Pie needs to show he can get on base more than occasionally. Wood needs to stay healthy in the closer role. Piniella thinks the workload won't be quite as strenuous as it is in a setup role.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

2007: 83-79, second place.

Manager: Ned Yost (sixth season).

Projected Lineup: 2B Rickie Weeks (.235, 16 HRs, 36 RBIs, 87 runs, 25 SBs in 118 games), CF Mike Cameron (.242, 21, 78, suspended for first 25 games in '08), 1B Prince Fielder (.288, franchise-record 50 HRs, 119 RBIs), LF Ryan Braun (NL Rookie of the Year, .324, 34, 97, 26 errors in 113 games at 3B), RF Corey Hart (.295, 24, 81), 3B Bill Hall (.254, 14, 63), SS J.J. Hardy (.277, 26, 80), C Jason Kendall (will bat ninth, behind pitcher, .242, 3, 41 with Athletics and Cubs).

Rotation: RH Ben Sheets (12-5, 3.84 ERA in 24 starts), RH Jeff Suppan (12-12, 4.62, team-high 206 2-3 IP), RH Yovani Gallardo (9-5, 3.67 in 20 games), LH Manny Parra (10-4, 2.45 in 17 starts at two minor league levels, pitched perfect game in Triple-A), RH Dave Bush (12-10, 5.12 in 33 games, including 31 starts) or RH Carlos Villanueva (8-5, 3.94 in 59 games, including 6 starts).

Closer: RH Eric Gagne (4-2, 3.81, 16 saves with Texas and Boston).

Hot Spot: The starting lineup was all but set from the beginning of camp, but the big change is in the bullpen where Gagne takes over for All-Star closer Francisco Cordero, who bolted via free agency.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

2007: 78-84, third place.

Manager: Tony La Russa (13th season).

Projected Lineup: RF Skip Schumaker (.333, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs in 177 ABs) or Brian Barton (.314, 9, 59, 28 HBP, 20 SB in Double-A), LF Chris Duncan (.259, 21, 70), 1B Albert Pujols (.327, 32, 103, 99 BB, 99 runs), 3B Troy Glaus (.262, 20, 62 with Toronto), CF Rick Ankiel (.285, 11, 39 in 172 ABs), C Yadier Molina (.275, 6, 40), 2B Adam Kennedy (.219, 3, 18), SS Cesar Izturis (.258, 0, 16 with Cubs and Pirates).

Rotation: RH Adam Wainwright (14-12, 3.70 ERA), RH Todd Wellemeyer (3-2, 3.11), RH Brad Thompson (8-6, 4.73 in 44 games, including 17 starts), RH Braden Looper (12-12, 4.94), RH Kyle Lohse (9-12, 4.62 with Reds and Phillies).

Closer: RH Jason Isringhausen (4-0, 2.48, 32/34 saves).

Hot Spot: Finding a reliable leadoff hitter would be a plus. There's no clear candidate, and Schumaker, Barton and Kennedy all might get a shot.

HOUSTON ASTROS

2007: 73-89, fourth place.

Manager: Cecil Cooper (first full season).

Projected Lineup: CF Michael Bourn (.277, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 18 SBs in 119 ABs with Philadelphia), 2B Kaz Matsui (.288, 4, 37, 32 SBs in 104 games with Colorado), 1B Lance Berkman (.278, 34, 102), LF Carlos Lee (.303, 32, 119), SS Miguel Tejada (.296, 18, 81 with Baltimore), RF Hunter Pence (.322, 17, 69), 3B Ty Wigginton (.278, 22, 67, 33 2Bs with Tampa Bay and Houston), C J.R. Towles (.375, 1, 12 in 14 games).

Rotation: RH Roy Oswalt (14-7, 3.18 ERA), LH Wandy Rodriguez (9-13, 4.58), RH Brandon Backe (3-1, 3.77), RH Shawn Chacon (5-4, 3.94 in 60 relief appearances and 4 starts for Pittsburgh), RH Woody Williams (8-15, 5.27) or RH Chris Sampson (7-8, 4.59).

Closer: RH Jose Valverde (1-4, 2.66, major league-best 47/54 saves with Arizona).

Hot Spot: Behind Oswalt, the rotation remains suspect. Backe returned from Tommy John surgery last year. Rodriguez has been inconsistent in the past, and the 41-year-old Williams was awful most of the spring.

CINCINNATI REDS

2007: 72-90, fifth place.

Manager: Dusty Baker (first season).

Projected Lineup: CF Norris Hopper (.329, 0 HRs, 14 RBIs, 14 SBs) or Corey Patterson (.269, 8, 45, 37 SB) or Ryan Freel (.245, 3, 16, 15 SB), 2B Brandon Phillips (.288, 30, 94, 32 SB), RF Ken Griffey Jr. (.277, 30, 93), LF Adam Dunn (.264, 40, 106), 3B Edwin Encarnacion (.289, 16, 76), 1B Scott Hatteberg (.310, 10, 47), SS Alex Gonzalez (.272, 16, 55) or Jeff Keppinger (.332, 5, 32), C David Ross (.203, 17, 39).

Rotation: RH Aaron Harang (16-6, 3.73 ERA, 218 Ks in 231 2-3 IP), RH Bronson Arroyo (9-15, 4.23), RH Johnny Cueto (12-9, 3.07 for three Reds farm teams), RH Edinson Volquez (2-1, 4.50 for Texas), RH Josh Fogg (10-9, 4.94 for Colorado).

Closer: RH Francisco Cordero (0-4, 2.98, 44/51 saves for Milwaukee).

Hot Spot: The rotation. Beyond Harang and Arroyo, there's nobody with a track record of success as a starter. Left-handed reliever Bill Bray missed much of spring training with a sore shoulder and might not be ready for opening day.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

2007: 68-94, sixth place.

Manager: John Russell (first season).

Projected Lineup: CF Nate McLouth (.258, 13 HRs, 38 RBIs, 77 Ks in 329 ABs), SS Jack Wilson (.296, 12, 56), 2B Freddy Sanchez (.304, 11, 81, hit all his HRs after June 7), LF Jason Bay (.247, 21, 84, 141 Ks), 1B Adam LaRoche (.272, 21, 88, hit .328 in last 77 games), RF Xavier Nady (.278, 20, 72, only 3 HRs vs. LHP), C Ronny Paulino (.263, 11, 55, hit .407 vs. LHP), 3B Jose Bautista (.254, 15, 63).

Rotation: RH Ian Snell (9-12, 3.76 ERA, only 2 wins in final 15 starts), LH Tom Gorzelanny (14-10, 3.88, 0-3 in final 5 starts), LH Paul Maholm (10-15, 5.02, 5-0 with four days' rest), RH Matt Morris (10-11, 4.89 with Giants and Pirates, including 3-4, 6.10 in 11 starts with Pittsburgh), LH Zach Duke (3-8, 5.53, 161 hits allowed in 107 1-3 IP).

Closer: RH Matt Capps (4-7, 2.28, 18/21 saves, allowed runs in only 3 of last 36 games).

Hot Spot: Catcher. Paulino had a major falloff offensively during his second season (.310 in 2006 to .268) and lapsed defensively. He's being pushed by Ryan Doumit, who has power but can't stay healthy, missing more than half of each of the last two seasons.

NL WEST

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

2007: 90-72, first place.

Manager: Bob Melvin (fourth season).

Projected Lineup: CF Chris Young (.237, 32 HRs, 68 RBIs, 85 runs, 29 doubles, 27 SBs), 2B Orlando Hudson (.294, 10, 63, 70 BBs, 28 doubles), 1B Conor Jackson (.284, 15, 60, 29 doubles), LF Eric Byrnes (.286, 21, 83, 30 doubles, 50 SBs), 3B Mark Reynolds (.279, 17, 62, 129 Ks), C Chris Snyder (.252, 20, 47), RF Justin Upton (.221, 2, 11), SS Stephen Drew (.238, 12, 60, 28 doubles).

Rotation: RH Brandon Webb (18-10, 3.01 ERA, 194 Ks), LH Randy Johnson (4-3, 3.81), RH Dan Haren (15-9, 3.07, 192 Ks with Oakland), LH Doug Davis (13-12, 4.25), RH Micah Owings (8-8, 4.30).

Closer: RH Brandon Lyon (6-4, 2.68, 2 saves).

Hot Spot: The batter's box. Arizona became the first team since the 1906 Chicago White Sox to have a league's best record and worst batting average. The Diamondbacks won 32 one-run games, and know they can't count on that happening again.

COLORADO ROCKIES

2007: 90-73, second place, wild card, NL champions.

Manager: Clint Hurdle (seventh season).

Projected Lineup: CF Willy Taveras (.320, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs, 33 SBs), SS Troy Tulowitzki (.291, 24, 99), 1B Todd Helton (.320, 17, 91, 42 doubles), LF Matt Holliday (.340, 36, 137, 50 doubles), 3B Garrett Atkins (.301, 25, 111), RF Brad Hawpe (.291, 29, 116), C Yorvit Torrealba (.255, 8, 47), 2B Jayson Nix (.292, 11, 58 at Triple-A Colorado Springs).

Rotation: LH Jeff Francis (17-9, 4.22 ERA), RH Aaron Cook (8-7, 4.12), RH Ubaldo Jimenez (4-4, 4.28), LH Mark Redman (2-0, 3.20 in 5 games with Colorado; 0-4, 11.63 in 6 games with Atlanta), LH Franklin Morales (3-2, 3.43).

Closer: RH Manny Corpas (4-2, 2.08, 19/22 saves).

Hot Spot: Second base. Nix came into camp needing to show some pop at the plate to go with his defensive prowess to win the job, and he rose above his four challengers.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

2007: 89-74, third place.

Manager: Bud Black (second season).

Projected Lineup: RF Brian Giles (.271, 13 HRs, 51 RBIs, 64 BBs), 2B Tadahito Iguchi (.267, 9, 43 with White Sox and Phillies), 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff (.275, 18, 74), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.282, 30, 100), CF Jim Edmonds (.252, 12, 53 with St. Louis), SS Khalil Greene (.254, 27, 97), C Michael Barrett (.244, 9, 41 with Cubs and Padres) and Josh Bard (.285, 5, 51), LF Scott Hairston (.243, 11, 36 with Diamondbacks and Padres).

Rotation: RH Jake Peavy (19-6, 2.54 ERA, 240 Ks, won Cy Young Award), RH Chris Young (9-8, 3.12), RH Greg Maddux (14-11, 4.14), LH Randy Wolf (9-6, 4.73 with Dodgers), RH Justin Germano (7-10, 4.46).

Closer: RH Trevor Hoffman (4-5, 2.98, 42/49 saves).

Hot Spots: Center field. The Padres let Cameron leave as a free agent, then traded for Edmonds. He was limited by injuries last year with St. Louis, then strained his right calf in a spring training game with the Padres.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

2007: 82-80, fourth place.

Manager: Joe Torre (first season).

Projected Lineup: LF Juan Pierre (.293, 0 HRs, 41 RBIs, 64 steals), SS Rafael Furcal (.270, 6, 47), C Russell Martin (.293, 19, 87), CF Andruw Jones (.222, 26, 94 with Atlanta), 2B Jeff Kent (.302, 20, 79), 1B James Loney (.331, 15, 67 in 96 games), RF Matt Kemp (.342, 10, 42 in 98 games), 3B Nomar Garciaparra (.283, 7, 59 in 121 games) or Tony Abreu (.271, 2, 17 in 59 games).

Rotation: RH Brad Penny (16-4, 3.03 ERA, staff-high 208 IP), RH Derek Lowe (12-14, 3.88, staff-high 147 Ks), RH Chad Billingsley (12-5, 3.31), RH Hiroki Kuroda (12-8, 3.56 in Japan), RH Esteban Loaiza (1-0, 1.84 in 2 games with Oakland; 1-4, 8.34 in 5 games with Dodgers) or RH Chan Ho Park (0-1, 15.75 in 1 game with Mets).

Closer: RH Takashi Saito (2-1, 1.40, 39/43 saves).

Hot Spot: Third base. Garciaparra (broken right hand) and Andy LaRoche (torn ligament in right thumb) entered spring training in a competition for the third base job, but both were injured March 7. LaRoche is out until at least the middle of May. Garciaparra is likely to miss opening day.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

2007: 71-91, fifth place.

Manager: Bruce Bochy (second season).

Projected Lineup: LF Dave Roberts (.260, 2 HRs, 23 RBIs, 31 SBs), CF Aaron Rowand (.309, 27, 89, 45 2Bs), RF Randy Winn (.300, 14, 65, 42 2Bs), C Bengie Molina (.276, 19, 81), 2B Ray Durham (.218, 11, 71), 3B Rich Aurilia (.252, 5, 33), 1B Dan Ortmeier (.287, 6, 16), SS Omar Vizquel (.246, 4, 51) or Brian Bocock (.243, 5, 57, 41 SBs in Class-A).

Rotation: LH Barry Zito (11-13, 4.53 ERA), RH Matt Cain (7-16, 3.65, 163 Ks), RH Tim Lincecum (7-5, 4.00, 150 Ks in 146 1-3 IPs), RH Kevin Correia (4-7, 3.45), LH Jonathan Sanchez (1-5, 5.88) or LH Noah Lowry (14-8, 3.92).

Closer: RH Brian Wilson (1-2, 2.28, 6/7 saves).

Hot Spot: Zito was a big bust in his first year of a $126 million, seven-year contract, posting his worst career ERA despite pitching in the easier NL.