NL East spring primer: Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves

With less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, here is a primer on the rest of the National League East, starting with Miami and Atlanta. Tomorrow: New York and Washington.

Miami Marlins
2015 Record: 71-91
Additions: LHP Wei-Yin Chen, RHP Edwin Jackson, 3B Chris Johnson
Subtractions: 3B Casey McGehee, 2B Donovan Solano, RHP Henderson Alvarez

Consider this: Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez have not been in the same lineup together since May 5, 2014. No, the Marlins offseason is not exactly the headline-grabbing type, but this is a better team than a season ago if healthy. Which is a big 'if.'

Fernandez will be on an innings limit, reportedly around 180, which should be the source of season-long consternation between Marlins brass and agent Scott Boras. Miami is debating whether to limit Fernandez to six innings per game, delay the start of his season, or just let him pitch without restrictions until he hits 180. The signing of Chen provides a steadying presence behind Fernandez. Tom Koehler is decent in the middle. Jarred Cosart, the former Phillies prospect, needs to make it happen soon. David Phelps is a sleeper for a breakout season at the back of the rotation.

Stanton, meanwhile, is finally poised for a 40-homer season. If the Marlins are to be a surprise contender, they need at least 600 plate appearances from Stanton, something he has done just once in the last four years. Christian Yellich, Dee Gordon and Justin Bour are the beginnings of a solid core. But this lineup has holes, and if the Marlins are to make the postseason as a wild card, an addition at the trade deadline is probably required.

Ichiro Suzuki needs 65 hits to reach 3,000. Let's hope he becomes a full-time relief pitcher after reaching that milestone.

Atlanta Braves
2015 Record: 67-95
Additions: OF Ender Inciarte, SS Erick Aybar, C Tyler Flowers, IF Gordon Beckham, IF Kelly Johnson, IF Emilio Bonifacio, RHP Bud Norris, RHP Jim Johnson, LHP Ian Krol
Subtractions: SS Andrelton Simmons, RHP Shelby Miller, OF Cameron Maybin, C Christian Bethancourt, IF Pedro Ciriaco

Poor Freddie Freeman, the peak of his career wasted as the lone star in a punchless lineup. The Braves were dead last in slugging percentage (.359) and OPS (.674) among National League teams last season. Freeman hit a team-leading 18 homers last season. The other seven position players in Atlanta's projected opening day lineup for 2016 hit a total of 39 homers in 2015. Yikes.

So it'll be a race to the bottom, again, between the rebuilding Phillies and Braves. Gone is Shelby Miller, the Braves' best starter from a season ago. Andrelton Simmons, the defensive whiz, is among the departed as well. Atlanta stacked up on prospects like Dansby Swanson, Aaron Blair, Sean Newcomb and Touki Toussaint. Their philosophy, like the Phillies, has been to accumulate young pitchers. But that makes for a barren rotation behind ace Julio Teheran. Get used to seeing Bud Norris and Williams Perez. Old friend Kyle Kendrick is in Braves camp as a non-roster invitee, and he could crack the rotation with a good spring.

Scouts are perennially high on Inciarte, the former Phillies Rule 5 pick. He'll man center field for Atlanta. Inciarte, if you recall, made the Phillies roster on opening day in 2013 only to be designated for assignment after the season's first game. The Phillies replaced Inciarte with journeyman Ezequiel Carrera, who posted a .327 OPS in 13 memorable games. Inciarte accumulated an 8.9 WAR over the last two seasons for Arizona, which used him as an important piece to acquire Miller.