NATIONAL LEAGUE

EAST DIVISION:

1) Atlanta Braves – The Braves lost SS Dansby Swanson but this team is deep. Their pitching might be the best in the National League with both strong starters and solid bullpen. Look for a possible MVP year from Ronald Acuna.

2) New York Mets – The addition of pitcher Justin Verlander can’t hurt but losing closer Edwin Diaz in a stupid celebration during the World Baseball Classic will hurt a lot. The Mets will be solid this season and give the Braves all they want!

3) Philadelphia Phillies – The Phils made it all the way to the World Series last season and added SS Trea Turner and closer Craig Kimbrel in the o season. They will once again make a run with a good o ense and good pitching. This is one solid and tough division!

4) Miami Marlins – The sh will be a decent team in 2023. I like youngster 2B Jazz Chisholm and they are solid all around. This is maybe the best division in the National League and Miami will have their work cut out but stranger things have happened in baseball!

5) Washington Nationals – I bet you can get tickets to any Washington game this year at deep discount prices.

These guys will be lucky to win 55 games and need a help all over the diamond. It’s gonna be a long, hot, miserable summer in DC.

CENTRAL DIVISION:

1) St.Louis Cardinals – Is St.Louis the best baseball town in the USA? These guys are always in the thick of things and contending for a division crown and 2023 will be no di erent. Led by 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 3B Nolan Arenado and pitchers Adam Wainwright and Mike Mikolas the Cards are my pick to win the NL Central.

2) Milwaukee Brewers – The Brew Crew has great starting pitching with Corbin Burnes & Brandon Woodru . With big, injury-free years from Christian Yelich, Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez they could easily overtake the Cards.

3) Chicago Cubs – The Cubbies added OF Cody Bellinger, SS Dansby Swanson and 1B Eric Hosmer in the o season. They will need big years from their pitching sta to try and contend in this division. OF Seiya Suzuki will be looking for an injury-free season to prove he is worth all the hype he received last year.

4) Pittsburgh Pirates - The Pirates are young but interesting. I like 3B Ke’Bryan

The postseason eld will be expanded to 8 teams per league -- three division winners, three second-place teams and two additional teams with the next best record -and introduction of the best-of-three Wild Card Series as the opening round.

AL Finals: Toronto Blue Jays over Houston Astros

NL Finals: San Diego Padres over Atlanta Braves

WORLD SERIES: Toronto Blue Jays over San Diego Padres

Hayes, SS O’Neil Cruz and OF Jack Suwinski. The Bucs also added ex-Ray Ji-Man Choi but they are a long way from contending in this division.

5) Cincinnati Reds – The Reds do not look like a team that can contend in 2023. I do not see any way they nish with a record above .500 and the Reds might be the worst team in baseball.

WEST DIVISION:

1) San Diego Padres – It’s been a long time since the LA Dodgers have not been the pick to win this division but these Padres are for real! Their lineup reads like an All-Star game with Tatis, Soto, Machado & Bogaerts. Add in a pitching sta that includes Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Nick Martinez and Joe Musgrove (who starts the season on the IL) and you see why they are the pick!

2) Los Angeles Dodgers – I know LA still has plenty of top-notch players with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman leading the way but the injury bug has already touched this club in spring training with SS Gavin Lux out. The Dodgers will be good but I’m on the Padre bandwagon.

3) San Francisco Giants – The Giants made a few changes in the o -season and they will need all the help they can get trying to overtake the Padres and Dodgers in this division. They added OF’s Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger along with SP Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea but I just don’t think they have the horses this season.

4) Arizona Diamondbacks – The only “cool” thing I can say about the Diamondbacks is the fact that ex-Ray Evan Longoria was signed in the o season. I do like rookie Corbin Carroll a lot but I can’t see this team challenging the top two teams.

5) Colorado Rockies – The Rocks will score a few runs in the Mile High city but their pitching sta is shaky at best. Maybe with a bit of luck they could nish third in the division but I can’t see much more than that.