2011 MLB National League Pennant Race
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Pitchers and catchers report back to work next week and the full squads will be reporting to Spring Training later this month as it is time to get ready for another season of Major League Baseball.
The following is a brief preview of each of the National League teams and their current odds to win the NL Pennant as provided by Belmont.com
Philadelphia Phillies
5/6
The Phillies did lose Jayson Werth this offseason, but the addition of pitcher Cliff Lee to go along with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels almost guarantees the city another parade down Broad Street in November if everyone remains healthy.
San Francisco Giants
15/2
The defending World Series Champions return most of the players from last season’s improbable run, so there is little reason not to believe the Giants will be right back near the top again this year. The key will be maintaining the incredible level of consistency they exhibited last season.
St. Louis Cardinals
8/1
The big question mark for the Cardinals heading into this season is the future of superstar Albert Pujols, whose contract situation is still up in the air. With him back in the fold, along with a solid starting rotation, St. Louis remains a legitimate threat to win it all.
Atlanta Braves
10/1
Longtime manager Bobby Cox is gone, but the Braves nucleus of young talent in the starting rotation should be enough to keep them competitive. The main question for this team lies in the production it receives from an aging bullpen.
Cincinnati Reds
12/1
There is little question that the Reds will be one of the best offensive clubs in the NL with last season’s roster pretty much intact, but their pitching could still stand in the way of winning a pennant.
Colorado Rockies
12/1
The keys to the Rockies success this season hinges on the arm of Ubaldo Jimenez and the bats of Carlos Gonzales and Troy Tulowitzki.
Chicago Cubs
15/1
The addition of pitcher Matt Garza and first baseman Carlos Pena should help the Cubs improve on last season’s 75-win total.
Los Angeles Dodgers
15/1
Last season was a down year all around for the Dodgers, but if players like Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Andre Eithier play to their capabilities, they will once again contend in the NL West.
Milwaukee Brewers
15/1
The addition of Zach Greinke and Shaum Marcum to the starting rotation to go along with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun’s bats make the Brewers one of the most complete teams in the NL. 
Florida Marlins
18/1
The Marlins boast a wealth of young talent led by players such as Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton, and Gabby Sanchez, but it remains to be seen whether this can translate to enough wins to remain competitive in the NL East.
New York Mets
30/1
New Mets skipper Terry Collins main task will be to try and coax more than 79 wins out of a ball club that has underperformed the past few seasons, especially at the plate.
Arizona Diamondbacks
50/1
The Diamondbacks need a strong performance from pitchers Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson to have any chance of competing in the NL West.
Houston Astros
50/1
Slow starts have doomed this team the past few seasons and with no significant offseason activity to correct this trend, it will be up to pretty much the same cast of characters to try and turn things around.
San Diego Padres
50/1
The odds are stacked against the Padres making another magical run at a division title this season, but with a roster that is pretty much intact from last year’s 90-72 record, there could be quite a bit of value in betting that they can.
Washington Nationals
50/1
The addition of Jayson Werth should help improve what was one of the lowest scoring teams in the league last season. The loss of pitching phenom Stephen Strasburgh for the year due to Tommy John surgery will put off any serious run to respectability until 2012.
Pittsburgh Pirates
200/1
The Pirates actually have a decent amount of young talent, but their first goal should be to establish some level of consistency that might prevent this team from losing over 100 games again this year.
David Schwab is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog. While not cheering for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles David can be found working on his blog. David wants to hear from you so please comment below.
