Of course, Major League Baseball is not the NBA, so although the Dodgers (barring some catastrophic injuries or under-performances) seem to have a strangle hold on the NL West heading into 2018, anything can happen in baseball. So, over the next few posts, we'll be breaking down each division in the National League and identifying the Giants biggest competition for those wild cards spots in-case they aren't able to dethrone LA from their pedestal atop their division.

We'll start by taking a look at the NL East, picking how we think the division will break down come October, providing each teams projected lineups and rotations as well as their primary relief pitchers. We'll also do that for the Central in the next post and finish off with a much more in-depth look at the NL West. If we have time, we'll delve a bit into the American League but I definitely want to focus on the NL to start with. So with that being said, let's jump right into it.

LF Adam Eaton (L)
SS Trea Turner (R)
RF Bryce Harper (L)
3B Anthony Rendon (R)

RF Bryce Harper

1B Ryan Zimmerman (R)

2B Daniel Murphy (L)
CF Michael Taylor (R)
C Matt Wieters (L)

Key Reserves:
UT Howie Kendrick (R)
1B Matt Adams (L)

RHP Max Scherzer
RHP Stephen Strasburg

LHP Gio Gonzalez
RHP Tanner Rourke
RHP Jeremy Hellickson

Key Relievers:

CL Sean Doolittle LHP
SU Ryan Madson RHP

In one of the weaker divisions in the league, the Nationals should cruise to a relatively easy division tittle in 2018. They have some questions in the bottom half of their lineup, but their top-5 are up there with pretty much any team in the NL, and they have essentially two aces in Scherzer and Strasburg heading their rotation. Their bullpen is probably my biggest concern with them. Sean Doolittle is a steady arm in the closers spot, but hardly a shut-down guy like a Kenley Jansen or Aroldis Chapman, and their set-up guy, Madson, is 37 years old and while he was lights out last year, he's going to run out of steam eventually. The Nats are hoping he has one more sub-2 ERA season left though, and if he does and they stay healthy, the Nats should meet expectations and run away with this division.

2nd Place, New York Mets

Lineup:
CF Juan Lagares (R)
2B Asdrubal Cabrera (S)
LF Yoenis Cespedes (R)
RF Jay Bruce (L)
3B Todd Frazier (R)
1B Adrian Gonzalez (L)\
C Travis d'Arnaud
SS Amed Rosario

Key Reserves:
IF Jose Reyes (S)
OF Michael Comforto (R) -expected back in early May

Ace Jacob deGrom

IF David Wright (R) -out at least 8 weeks

Rotation:
RHP Jacob deGrom
RHP Noah Syndergaard
RHP Matt Harvey
LHP Steven Matz
RHP Zach Wheeler/LHP Jason Vargas

Key Relievers:
CL Jeurys Familia RHP
SU Anthony Swarzak RHP
LHP Jerry Blevins

The Mets have one thing that a lot of other teams don't have and that's depth, really throughout their roster. Their pitching staff, if they're healthy from 1-5, has the potential to be the best in the game, but that's a very big if, as they haven't been the last few seasons. Their lineup has gotten much better as well, with the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Todd Frazier, two veteran bats who should help give them a formidable middle of the order. The question with them is the top of the order and whether Lagares can be a true leadoff man and whether or not Amed Rosario is ready to take over shortstop on an everyday basis. If Lagares isn't ready, then look for Michael Comforto to be inserted into the lineup as soon as he's back on the field, which is expected to be sometime in May. If Rosario can't cut it at short, then they have Reyes as the backup plan, so they have themselves some options if things don't pan out. If that rotation stays healthy though, and the batting order rounds into form, they could be a sneaky contender for a Wild Card spot come September.

3rd Place, Philadelphia Phillies

Linuep:
2B Cesar Hernandez (S)
CF Odubel Herrera (L)
1B Carlos Santana\(S)
LF Rhys Hoskins (R)
3B Maikel Franco (R)
RF Nick Williams (L)
C Jorge Alfaro (R)
SS J.P. Crawford (L)

Key Reserves:
OF Aaron Altherr (R)
C Andrew Knapp (S)

Rotation:
RHP Jake Arrieta
RHP Aaron Nola

Ace Jake Arrieta

RHP Vince Velasquez
RHP Nick Pivetta
RHP Ben Lively

Key Relievers:
CL Hector Neris RHP
SU Pat Neshek RHP
RHP Luis Garcia

After roughly a half decade of turmoil and rebuilding, the Phillies look to at least finally have a foundation to build around. The addition of Arrieta was huge, and is the reason why I have them third over the Braves and Marlins while some others believe the Braves will finish 3rd. They have some bright young power bats in that batting order as I could definitely see Hoskins being a 40-HR guy and Franco has yet to reach his full potential. They're still a year or two away I think from really being contenders, but they're one the right track and should at least be an exciting team for their fans to watch. I do like the back-end of their bullpen, and their front-2 starters but they don't have enough pitching depth after those guys to really keep up with the Mets and definitely not the Nats, but if they keep developing and can maybe add a few pieces next offseason, it wouldn't surprise me if they're in the mix as early as 2019.

4th Place, Atlanta Braves

Lineup:
RF Ender Inciarte (L)
2B Ozzie Albies (S)

1B Freddie Freeman

RF Nick Markakis (L)
1B Freddie Freeman (L)
C Tyler Flowers (R)
LF Preston Tucker (L)
SS Dansby Swanson (R)
3B Johan Carmargo (S)

Key Reserves:
OF Lane Adams (R)
C Kurt Suzuki (R)

Rotation:
RHP Julio Teheran
RHP Mike Foltynewicz
LHP Sean Newcomb
RHP Brandon McCarthy
LHP Scott Kazmir

Key Relievers:
CL Arodys Vizcaino RHP
SU Jose Ramirez RHP
LHP A.J. Minter

Much like the Phillies, the Braves are in rebuild mode and will be depending on a lot of guys who made their Major League debuts in 2017. I think the Phills have a little more talent than Atlanta heading in though. Freddie Freeman is still one of the best, most underrated first basemen in the game and I'd really like to see what he could do in a smaller yard surrounded with more proven, talented bats. Outside of Freeman and Inciarte though, the Braves have nobody who's going to keep opposing pitchers up at night prior to facing them, although they do have some guys in that lineup that could breakout in 2018. Ozzie Albies and Preston Tucker have really hit the ball well this spring and both could in in line for nice 2018 campaigns. And although their rotation is not the most intimidating on paper, they have some guys like Foltynewicz and Newcomb who could also establish themselves in 2018. As of now though, they haven't proven it yet and are at least another couple of years away from contending.

5th Place, Miami Marlins

Lineup:
LF Derek Dietrich (L)
CF Lewis Brinson (R)
2B Starlin Castro (R)
1B Justin Bour (L)
C J.T. Realmuto (R)
3B Brian Anderson (R)
RF Cameron Maybin (R)
SS Migeul Rojas (R)

Key Reserves:

Ace Jose Urena

IF Martin Prado (R) -will start year on DL
OF Magneuris Sierra (L)

Rotation:
RHP Jose Urena
RHP Dan Straily
LHP Justin Nicolino
RHP Sandy Alcantara
LHP Wei-Yin Chen

Key Relievers:
CL Brad Zieglar RHP
SU Kyle Barraclough RHP

The Marlins dealt away pretty much everyone of value this offseason, including Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, Christian Yellich and Marcel Ozuna. All of which are All-Star caliber players and one being the reigning NL MVP. Even if they kept those 4 players though, they still wouldn't have had the pitching to overtake either the Mets or Nats, but they at least would have been interesting and would have clearly been above the Phillies and Braves. Justin Bour really broke out in 2017 and look for him to grow off that, but outside of him, Castro and Realmuto, that lineup has no proven big league hitters... Perhaps my favorite player on this team is their ace Jose Urena, who should get the ball over Dan Straily in the opener despite a rough spring. As far as their pen, they have a lot of young lively arms yet will start the year with the ancient, slow tossing, side-arm slinger, Brad Zieglar lined up to close games. If he gets off to a nice start though, I'd imagine his days in Miami would be numbered as I'm sure the Marlins would like to see if Barraclough is up to the task of getting the final 3 outs of their victories.