We have come down to the two final divisions in our preview series. Today we turn to the NL East with repeat participants Chris Needham of the Washington Nationals blog, Capitol Punishment and Dave Studeman of The Hardball Times . Previous division discussions can be found below. NL Central AL Central AL West NL West Sully: The two-team race seems to be a theme this year. In both Central divisions it seems that two teams have emerged. The Boston-New York duopoly of the American League East sure seems in tact. The NL West probably figures to be a three-team battle and the AL West looks a bit more unpredictable now that Kelvim Escobar will be shelved for the year. So what about the NL East?  read more »

A tradition of sorts has developed here at Baseball Analysts. Each season, two outsiders and two of our own preview the six divisions. We kick off this season with what may be the very finest division in all of baseball, the National League West. We are thrilled to have Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts joining us once again this year. In the minds of baseball blog readers, Jon is as closely associated to the Dodgers as any blogger is to any other team.

Also joining us this season is Russ Oates of Purple Row, one of the more popular Colorado Rockies blogs out there.

Sully: This division is one of the very best in baseball. San Francisco is more or less irrelevant at this point. As I heard someone say (I can't remember who), the Giants biggest problem this season is that they have 162 games to play. That leaves the other four teams and really, it's anyone's division.  read more »

In a follow-up to last year's First Half Observations, we're going to take a look at the races in each of the six divisions.

With a combined record of 149-102, the American League has beaten up the National League in interleague play once again. Not surprisingly, the AL sports the top five teams in ESPN's MLB Relative Power Index. The basic formula of the index is 25% team winning percentage, 50% opponents' average winning percentage, and 25% opponents' opponents' average winning percentage.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL East: Are the Rays for Real?  read more »

Between Mark Teixeira, David Ortiz, C.C. Sabathia, Miguel Cabrera, Jose Reyes and other underperforming fantasy superstars, who is liable to continue to stink throughout the course of the season and why? Eric Stashin, rotoprofessor.com The player I'd think is most likely to struggle the entire season would be Roy Oswalt. While he may not be in the class of players listed above, he was probably drafted as a #1 fantasy pitcher in all formats. Players like Reyes & Cabrera have already started to turn their seasons around. Ortiz is still struggling, but he's just too good to struggle the entire way. Teixeira started slowly last season as well, so it's not a complete surprise that he hasn't really gotten going yet. It's just a matter of time. Sabathia has been pathetic and shown no signs of turning around, but I have to believe that he will. Coming off a Cy Young season, there's no way he lost it all at once like this. Oswalt, meanwhile, had thrown up three stinkers before finally looking good the other night. He went 7 innings, giving up 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4 against the Phillies. It's promising, yes, but given his past few seasons, you wonder if it is just the exception instead of a return to the norm. Since 2004, his strikeouts have gone from 206 to 184 to 166 to 154, a trend that cannot make owners happy. After winning 20 games in both '04 & '05, he won just 15 in '06 and 14 in '07. His WHIP and BB/9 were both career worst at 1.33 and 2.55, respectively, in 2007. Could he turn things around and put up solid numbers the rest of the way?  read more »

After looking at the worst five fantasy outfields by average ADP, I thought looking at the Top 10 fantasy outfields would be helpful. What made it especially so was my Fantasy Writers League draft where I reached for Justin Upton with the 193rd overall pick. Based on Mock Draft Central's ADP, I took Upton 3 and a half rounds too early.

What struck me beyond how undervalued I think Justin Upton is at the 235th pick is how good the Arizona Diamondback outfield will be in 2009. Assuming Upton produces this season, just a ADP of 163 would take the D'backs' avergae ADP to 3rd overall. The question is whether Chris B Young and Eric Byrnes hold their 2008 ADP's steady. I am confident Young will, but I am not so sure on a 32-year-old Eric Byrnes. At 50th overall, fantasy gamers are saying they are much more condident.  read more »

While Mike and MVN's Edwin Van Bibber-Orr fight about whether Pujols should be a first-round pick, I thought I'd dig a little deeper into the Fantasy Bloggers League draft I took part in last night. Some more thoughts:  read more »

-- You ever just had one of those days? I benched LaRoche, facing Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez, who I started), to see him hit a home run and watch Sanchez get lit up for seven runs. I cut his ass immediately. Chris Young on the road at Philadelphia gets hammered. Okay, I should have seen that one coming. Adam LaRoche, coming off his typically putrid April, is now the hot "must add" if you need CI power.

-- If you own Jair Jurrjens, I'd keep him to the All-Star break then get ready to cut him or trade him. There's no way he's going 200 innings.

-- Every fiber of my fantasy baseball honed mind tells me that Gavin Floyd and Scott Olsen can't, won't, and shouldn't keep this up. I have to keep the faith.

-- Oakland's Santiago Casilla ever going to allow a run? He and Soria must have a bet going to see who'd be the last reliever with double digit innings per month to let someone cross home plate. Huston Street gets traded, Casilla looks like he's going to my man from Amsterdam.  read more »

Continuing on with the week that was and is . . .  read more »

BY ADAM RONIS Chad Tracy returned from the DL today and started at first base for the Diamondbacks. He went 1-for-4. He should see more of his time at third base since Mark Reynolds is hitting .225 and strikes out frequently. NL-only leaguers should consider Tracy. It might take him some time to get going. Brian McCann is bouncing back in a big way so far. He hit his ninth homer and has 32 RBIs with a .333 average to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He should have a lot of opportunities in that potent lineup. Brandon Webb dropped his second straight game today in a loss against the Braves. In the last game, he pitched very well despite the loss. This time, he didn't as he allowed 10 hits, seven runs -- four earned -- three walks and struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings. He is 9-2 with a 3.01 ERA.  read more »

-- After years of religiously following basball (albeit, mostly for fantasy purposes), I have to say that I cannot recall a team batting out of order other than in the first inning. The few times I can remember it happening, the manager posted a lineup card that was different from the card handed to the umpire).

For a major league team to actually bat out of order (which results in an automatic out) during a game is pretty remarkable. Congratulations, Dusty Baker; you accomplished something yesterday that most high school coaches know how to avoid.

-- There were, like, a million rainouts yesterday. It's probably too late in most leagues, but remember to insert your doubleheader players!

-- Dan Uggla belted two home runs yesterday. If ever there was a time to try to move him for Utley, Upton, or Phillips, this is it.  read more »