If you missed part 1, check it out here… In part 1 we looked at the American League, so here we will look at the National League. We are going to look at teams are the most interesting to watch. You know you want to watch your team, but what about those three nights this year your team will be off. You have to watch SOMETHING. You don’t want to be stuck with reruns of Law and Order. I’m here to help. I am going to give a simple breakdown of each team once more to help you figure this out. We are going to fire off a quick ranking of all the NL teams against one another in watchability. To be helpful, I will group them by division, since a lot of people want to watch a rival lose almost as much as they want to watch their team win. Last, I will give out a potential reason for you personally to watch each team (well, almost) or even choose them as your favorite if you are new to baseball.
NL East
1. The Mets – Pros: You know what’s more fun than watching a good team that is well-run and professional? Watching the Mets. Look, there is a lot to like from a talent standpoint. They have spent a lot of money, and it is hard to do that and be terrible . . . but the Mets. They should have great pitching. Thor and DeGrom are two of the best pitchers in baseball. Either could easily throw a no-hitter. DeGrom had one of the greatest seasons on record . . . but the Mets. They have one of the best young sluggers in baseball in Pete Alonso. The rest of the lineup is littered with solid, overpaid, veterans like Robbie Cano, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, Jed Lowrie and Wilson Ramos. The floor for this offense should be pretty high... but the Mets. The team has a very talented relief core, which were mysteriously bad last year... many of them in their first season with… the Mets. It’s really not about how good they end up being or not, it’s about seeing how it will all unravel. Every year it is a unique and delicious (for those of us watching from a safe distance) recipe for disaster. Cons: This is a trick, because the worse they do, the more entertaining they are. So every single thing I point out that is wrong with them, like bad coaching (they signed a coach and fired him this offseason without playing a single game), clueless management, signing overpriced vets after the best year of their career, and bad pitcher management just makes them MORE watchable. This is a good team for you if you like the most poorly-acted daytime soap operas. Overall Ranking: 2
2. The Nationals – Pros: Obviously this is the defending World Series Champion. How they defend the crown is important. Some teams fall flat on their face, others start a dynasty. I’m inclined to think that last year might have been a one-off given the age of their pitchers and the timeliness of their hitting, but I would be happy to be wrong. This team saved baseball from having a champion that immediately had its entire front office fired for either misogyny or massive cheating. That would have been a huge black eye for baseball, so I, for one, will always be grateful to this team. They are running back most of the squad so this isn’t the Marlins. Playoff heroes Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are back, as is a solid rotation behind them. Combined with a strong bullpen, this team’s pitching is a strength and the big guns could throw a no hitter any night. The lineup has been weakened by the loss of Anthony Rendon whose slugging was a major factor. Young star Juan Soto is still here though; as is a nice mix of veterans like Eric Thames, Howie Kendrick, Yan Gomes, and Adam Eaton. Other young players are developing as well, such as Victor Robles and could be ready to contribute in a big way. Cons: The loss of Rendon puts a lot of pressure on Soto. It remains to be seen how he will adjust to pitchers adjusting to him. If he struggles, this lineup will struggle to put up runs. A World Series hangover could be in the offing, and a 60 game season could cause a lot of headaches. The Braves, Phillies and Mets (HA) all have a shot to unseat them, and that is just in the division. With Scherzer and Strasburg aging, you wonder how much might be left. You should watch this team if you enjoy watching the hero’s last ride. Overall Ranking: 5
3. The Phillies – Pros: This team sports some big names, but has yet to turn that into winning consistently. Right out of the gate, let’s talk about Bryce Harper. Is he talented? Yes. Does the production match the hype and talent? Not really. Is he fun? This is the big question I want to address. He is famous for his campaign to put “fun” back in baseball. Here’s the thing… I don’t think he is fun. I don’t like my fun to come through a snarled lip or a cocky walk or an angry bat flip. I don’t see the joy that exudes fun like the Latin players tend to have. I see someone who is angry and arrogant, and he uses actions he deems as fun to show others what’s up. My fun comes from watching players play with joy in their heart and having that overflow into fun actions. Sorry Bryce, I don’t see that in you. Verdict: not fun. There are other solid players here though, and whether you like him or not, seeing Bryce Harper do stuff is interesting. Cons: Beyond Aaron Nola (who himself struggled last year) the rotation is suspect, counting on veterans who are up and down. There are a lot of good hitters who had bad years last year and are capable of more like Harper, Gregorius, Hopkins and Realmuto. Mix in Jean Segura and hoping for a good season from either McCutchen or Bruce to fill out some open holes probably won’t be enough. They need to get more from their stars and they need young players to step up and fill some holes. Too much has to go right probably for this team to be a title threat, but they will be competitive. You should watch this team if your idea of fun is House from that TV show I forget the name of. Overall ranking: 9
4. The Braves – Pros: This team is neck and neck with the Phillies in watchability, but they lack the polarizing Harper to keep interest. Like the Nationals, they have a young superstar in Ronald Acuna Jr. He could have a monster season and make this ranking look foolish, but we also haven’t seen yet how pitchers will adjust to him, and how he will respond in turn. Beyond Acuna, there are solid players all over the roster that will have them challenging the Nationals, Phillies and Mets for supremacy. Cons: The problem is that none of them are really household names beyond Cole Hamels, and he is well past his prime. Players like Marcel Ozuna, Dansby Swanson, Mikes Soroka and Foltynewicz, Hamels, and Shane Greene are all fairly known quantities with good seasons on their resumes, but all of them are known to have had bad seasons as well. This team simply lacks the star power beyond Acuna to lock in a high position here. The “Chop”. You should watch this team if you like movies like Cast Away where you just watch one person the whole time. Overall Ranking: 10
5. The Marlins – Pros: This team has a boatload of young prospects from dealing away players that are irreplaceable. I guess that’s something. But even after trading a generational player like Yelich or home run champion like Stanton they have basically an above average farm system. Not the best one, just above average. Some of these young players should have an impact. Caleb Smith and Sandy Alcantara have shown flashes. Besides that, it is a team of fading vets and unproven youngsters. Just by sheer volume, they will win games, especially in such a constricted season. Cons: I know what you are thinking… the Marlins are a train wreck just like the Mets! They are train wreck, but they are nothing like the Mets. The Mets are the bumbling old rich man, like a Mr. Magoo or Mr. Burns. The Marlins are the homeless guys you see on South Beach. That is not funny or entertaining. It’s just depressing. Watching this team trade off players like Yelich, Stanton and Ozuna for basically nothing so far is sad. Watching a player like Jose Fernandez die is debilitating. Seeing them trade one stingy ownership group for another, then another is depressing. Even if they develop a star, you know they won’t keep them. They have never once kept one. Literally. You should watch this team if you enjoy watching homeless people on South Beach. Overall Ranking: 14
NL Central:
1. The Reds – Pros: This is the only division in baseball where it is possible all 5 teams could win the division. That means that this comes down to who has the most entertaining players and dynamic. The Reds have been cellar dwellers for a long time now, but watching them be good for the first time in ages will be exciting. For the most part, that is because they gutted their roster of vets years ago and never developed much of a pitching staff. That has all changed. Nick Senzel is a budding superstar, but what is really interesting is the veterans they have put together by trades, development and signings. The starting rotation is very strong with the always polarizing and entertaining Trevor Bauer, and Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, and Anthony DeSclafini. The veteran hitters are solid. Besides the budding Senzel they have Eugenio Suarez (who had the quietest monster year ever), Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, Mike Moustakas and a declining Joey Votto. This team can hit for power and average and mixed with the solid rotation, they will be right there at seasons end. Cons: Votto is pretty washed. Perhaps some down time rejuvenated him, but more likely he has just lost too much bat speed. There are some very good personalities in the mix (Gray, Bauer, Votto, and Moustakas) but truly, no superstar players. Suarez has the talent, but he isn’t a household name yet. Another year like last year and that might change though. You should watch this team if you like to see a phoenix rise from the ashes (this does not correlate with the X-men franchise in any way). Overall ranking: 3
2. Milwaukee Brewers – Pros: Last year they put it all together and were a true championship threat. Christian Yelich is the headliner here. He is a true superstar who is a Triple Crown threat. Mix in a fun attitude and he is one of the 5 most watchable players in baseball. Brandon Woodruff is the star of the rotation, but he has yet to do it for a full season. Justin Smoak, Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain, Brock Holt, Keston Hiura, and Omar Narvaez are all reliable contributors if not second level starts. You are here for Yelich though. They will need him to have a monster year again to stay in the mix in a tough division. Cons: This is still mostly a “check in for Yelich at-bats” squad. They proved when he was out last year that they can win without him (and Woodruff), but to win the division they will need him for all 60. Woodruff and Hader can pile up the Ks but no one is likely to have a no-hitter and the rest of the pitchers are not very dominant. A trade for a number one starter is necessary for this team to max out. You should watch this team if you enjoy watching Gru and his minions save the world. Overall ranking: 6
3. The Cubs: - Pros: This team is loaded with talent that is in its prime years. Javier Baez is a lot of fun to watch, with his aggressive style and no look tags that have him being a top 10 player on the watchability list. Who thought a player could make tagging awesome. Rizzo and Bryant are safe bets for 30-100 every year. The pitching staff is filled with solid veterans like Craig Kimbrel, Kyle Hendricks, Yu Darvish, John Lester, Jose Quintana, and Jeremy Jeffress. They will be competitive and they won the division last year before a quick washout in round one. This team needed a new voice in the locker room and moving on from Joe Madden and his glasses for World Series hero David Ross was probably a good idea. Cons: The Cubs have lost their mojo over the last few years. When they won the World Series with a young and dominant nucleus, it was expected to contend for the crown for the next 5 years. While there have been some playoff appearances, the magic has faded. The appeal of the lovable loser is gone too. Now they are… just a baseball team in an awesome park. The young hitters who were expected to develop into stars have not developed as expected. The best bet, Kris Bryant, has been lapped by Yelich and players like Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Jason Heyward have stagnated or even gotten worse. Ultimately, they are still likely to be right there when the playoffs are decided, but to do more than that, they have to get that hunger back that they once had. You should watch this team if you like all the times Rambo has been washed up and counted out, only to turn it around and save the day. Also, you should know that Rambo might have died at the end of the last one. Overall ranking: 7
4. The Cardinals- Pros: A team in the middle of a reload, you would expect this group to threaten the more established groups that finished above them last year. The Cardinals never tank, but this group is not at the level Cardinals fans have grown accustomed to. There are a few formerly great vets like Adam Wainright, Yadier Molina, Matt Carpenter, Andrew Miller, Matt Wieters and Paul Goldschmidt. A good season from any of them is possible, but it will probably be an outlier. There is plenty of youngish MLB level talent in guys like Alex Reyes, Carlos Martinez, Jack Flaherty, and Dakota Hudson on the pitching side with Paul DeJong, Harrison Bader, Kolton Wong (that is pushing it on young) and Tommy Edman on the hitting side. Cons: The vets are mostly washed, and a good season from any of them could happen. It would be an outlier though. The young guys are hinting at some major talent, but none of them is close to all-star level yet. The short season gives them hope though. The veterans will be fresher for the stretch run, and if a few of the young guys get hot, anything could happen. The real problem here is not obvious to the naked eye though. They had an extended run of dominance in the central, and basically all non-Cardinal’s fans would be happy to see them stink. Normally that would make them a shoo-in for a higher ranking, except they won’t be bad enough that you will see them truly suffer, and they aren’t good enough to be hated but dominant. They are stuck somewhere between the Red Sox and the Yankees in that way, which isn’t very interesting. You should watch this team if you like vanilla baseball (barely integrated, they have all of 6 minorities on the active roster). Overall ranking: 12
5. The Pirates - Pros: Unlike most of the likely cellar dwellers, this team has some talent and will be fully committed to getting wins, and that desire is going to keep them modestly interesting. Josh Bell is still here and is developing into a true slugger. Gregory Polanco can deliver a great season from time to time. Kevin Newman and Bryan Reynolds were sneaky good and are still in their prime. Adam Frazier might have something left. Cons: This ranking made me saddest of all the rankings I did. This team had some magic in them early last year with Derek Dietrich and Josh Bell as the bash brothers and a real feisty group that was happy to get into it with whomever showed up at their door. Unfortunately, Dietrich, Starling Marte and the manager behind it all Clint Hurdle were shown the door, and now this is just another long shot group. Just like the Orioles in part 1, this should be a team that is rebuilding, but they have only 5 players on the 40 man roster under 25. The pitching staff is loaded with unimpressive veterans and a few young players with limited potential. Everything will have to go right with the position players for this team to be a serious playoff contender. The real loss here is the spirit of last year’s team which caused several dust ups. Like them or hate them, they were interesting. You should watch this team if you enjoy sequels like Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, the Star Wars prequels, Speed 2 or Independence Day Resurgence. Overall ranking: 13
NL West
1. The Dodgers – Pros: The Yankees west, this is a team tailor-made to hate. The Yankees have the reputation as the bad boys of spending, but quietly they have become thriftier in recent years (although they broke the bank for Cole). The Dodgers have no such concerns. This is a team dedicated to spending whatever is necessary to end up on top. From resigning their own talent to paying whatever salaries are needed to acquire a superstar like Mookie Betts, no talented player is left behind. They are fully loaded as a result. Walker Buehler, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Trenien, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts are all capable of being top of the line in their roles. Betts, Buehler and Bellinger are all verifiable superstars given their talent and status in LA. This team will blow the doors off in runs scored. Cons: Somehow, despite being the kings of commerce, they haven’t faced the onslaught of public hatred. I think this is due to their repeated shortcomings in the post season. It is hard to hate a team that never gets the job done. Their big names don’t seem to get it done when they are needed most. This team reminds me of the A-rod Yankees so much. That team also sputtered and flamed out a ton for a team that was packed with big money stars. The problem is, the Dodgers don’t have all those titles in the bank like the Yankees did back before A-rod. So, they are massively disliked, but are they hated? Not by most fans who don’t root for the Giants. You should watch this team if you love Darth Vader, but keep forgetting he lost to a rag tag bunch of rebels. Overall ranking: 1
2. The Padres – Pros: This team is young and fun. Starting with Francisco Lindor lite, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. These guys play with all the joy and Latin flair needed, and sometimes a little more than is needed in Machado’s case. They have quietly filled in the lineup with solid pieces like Eric Hosmer, Tommy Pham, Wil Myers, Jurickson Profar, Francisco Mejia (the player who benefits most from NL DH), and Austin Hedges (a little known defensive superstar). The starting pitching is ok, but the bullpen is designed to crush teams. Kirby Yates, Drew Pomeranz, Craig Stamman, Matt Strahm, Pierce Johnson and Emilio Pagan. This is the best bullpen on paper that I have seen in recent memory. If they can get a lead, look out. We have seen what this can do for a team. The Kansas City Royals rode a similar bullpen to two World Series appearances. Cons: Some of the young talent is still a little unproven, and Manny Machado did not deliver on that contract last year. The young starting rotation lacks a veteran anchor (so did the Royals). All eyes will be on Tatis Jr though, as he is the gas this engine runs on. He was supposed to have his service time abused last year with a stint in the minors, but he was so exciting and explosive, that he ended up with the club all season. The numbers did not disappoint. If he grows like Lindor did, he could be one of the most exciting players in the game as soon as right now. Final thought… it feels like the Padres know they won’t win the division, and the entire team is based on the premise of winning the Wild Card game by parading a bunch of relievers. You should watch this team if you enjoy watching a python seduce its prey then slowly crush them to death in the last 3 innings. Overall ranking: 4
3. The Rockies: Pros: The game day lineup go BOOM. That applies to both the Rockies and the opposing team. Look, any game in Coors Field is worth watching. There will be blood spilled, and all of it from the pitchers. As you would expect, the lineup is loaded with big bats, Trevor Story, Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl, Brendan Rogers and literally anyone else with a pulse in this lineup. This group can put up numbers in away games, but you don’t need to bother with that. Because if you watch them at home, the other teams lineup also turns into a lineup of hitting superstars. I mean that literally. This team gave up more runs than it scored, which means that as good as that group is, the opposing lineup is better, regardless of who is in it. Cons: There is no pitching. None. Sure they will trot somebody out there, and then players will relieve other players and then the game will end, but no, there is no pitching. Those hitters do become less than MVPs on the road, and this also contributes to that drop off in runs. This is simple. Watch them one half of the time. You should watch this team if Two-Face isn’t a villain to you, he is a life goal. Overall ranking: 8
4. The Diamondbacks – Pros: The snakes out in the desert have quietly assembled a very dangerous group. Ketel Marte is the star of the group, who exploded for a monster season out of seemingly nowhere last season. It shouldn’t have been a surprise though, he has the pedigree of his older brother Starling Marte (also here now) who at his peak is very good. There are plenty of other rising stars to pair with him though, Eduardo Escobar, Christian Walker, Zac Gallen, Luke Weaver, Alex Young and Yoan Lopez. Add in some interesting vets like Madison Baumgarner, David Peralta, Kole Calhoun and Robbie Ray and you have a team that is better than most people realize. No, they aren’t going to challenge the Dodgers, but they might sneak into the Wild Card fight. Cons: Marte SHOULD be a superstar, but he needs to prove he can be consistent from year to year. The rest of this group lacks a dominant second banana. Their balanced capabilities should keep them in the hunt, but they lack stars and interesting personalities. We can try to project some development, but that is a fool’s errand. You should watch this team if you think brother's gotta hug (and hit homers). Overall ranking: 11
5. The Giants – Pros: The first hints of acceptance have arrived. Letting Madison Baumgarner go was the first hint this team is realizing it is bad. Buster Posey hit the eject button. The door is creaking open on what will have to be a full-bore rebuild that will likely be long, painful, and make Tigers fans breathe a sigh of relief as they are passed on the bottom. Still, they haven’t yet accepted fate (perhaps they sense that a 60 game season gives them hope) and the roster is still littered with vets hanging on trying to find one last season of relevance such as, Johnny Cueto, Brandon Belt, Billy Hamilton, Pablo Sandoval, Hunter Pence, Brandon Crawford, Evan Longoria, and Jeff Samardzija. Hey, it could happen. Cons: It can’t happen. If you recognize those names, it’s because you had decent fantasy baseball teams in the early twenty teens. Trust me, not a single one of these guys would be taken now. Surely they will refill the ranks with some promising young players. Nope. After a careful review, by the time you read this they will have 2 players under 25 on the 40 man roster. This team is doomed to be bad now and in perpetuity. Even worse, this team has shown itself to be bad at finding and developing good young players. When the Marlins have it figured out better then you, it might be time to hang up the clipboard or tablet or whatever the GM is using. You should watch this team if you think the Rolling Stones still have it and should tour for another 10 years. Overall Ranking: 15
Bonus Content:
Predictions for 60 games:
NL East:
The Nationals 36-24
The Mets 34-26
The Phillies 32-28
The Braves 32-28
The Marlins: 18-42
NL Central:
The Brewers 36-24
The Reds: 34-26
The Cubs 33-27
The Cardinals 30-30
The Pirates: 19-41
NL West
The Dodgers: 42-18
The Padres: 37-23
The Diamondbacks: 31-29
The Rockies: 21-39
The Giants: 15-45
Tie Breaker:
Reds defeat Mets (in the most shocking and heartbreaking way possible)
Wild Card:
Padres over Reds
Division Round:
Padres over Dodgers 4-3 (in the most shocking and heartbreaking way possible for Clayton Kershaw)
NL Championship
Nationals over Brewers 4-2
Padres over Nationals 4-1
World Series:
San Diego Padres over Oakland A’s 4-2
The final Ranking of Watchability with combined Leagues
1. Yankees
2. Dodgers
3. Astros
4. Mets
5. Indians
6. Angels
7. Reds
8. Padres
9. Nationals
10. Brewers
11. Blue Jays
12. Cubs
13. Rangers
14. A’s
15. Rockies
16. Rays
17. Red Sox
18. Phillies
19. Braves
20. White Sox
21. Twins
22. Diamondbacks
23. Cardinals
24. Royals
25. Mariners
26. Marlins
27. Pirates
28. Orioles
29. Giants
30. Tigers