The Inquirer's 2012 National League team-by-team preview

Teams are listed in order of 2011 finish in each division.

2011 Final Standings

Phillies

LAST SEASON: 102-60, lost to the Cardinal in NLDS.

MANAGER: Charlie Manuel, eighth season with the Phillies.

UPS: The addition of closer Jonathan Papelbon should solidify a great trio of aces in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels.

DOWNS: Their biggest hitting stars, first baseman Ryan Howard (Achilles tendon) and second baseman Chase Utley (left knee), are out indefinitely because of their injuries.

EXPECTATIONS: It's still World Series or bust, but the Phils can't afford for their pitchers to falter.

Atlanta Braves

LAST SEASON: 89-73.

MANAGER: Fredi Gonzalez, second season with the Braves.

UPS: The NL rookie of the year, Craig Kimbrel, is back as the closer to a solid rotation and looking to repeat his 46 saves and 2.10 ERA.

DOWNS: This will be the farewell tour for third baseman Chipper Jones, retiring after a great career hat likely will result with a plaque at the Hall of Fame. Starter TimHudson will miss a month after back surgery.

EXPECTATONS: After missing the playoffs last season, the Braves will need a rebound season from rightfielder Jason Heyward and their veterans to get/stay healthy to overtake the Phillies.

Washington Nationals

LAST SEASON: 80-81.

MANAGER: Davey Johnson, first season with the Nationals, replacing Jim Riggleman.

UPS: Outfielder Bryce Harper, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, starts in the minors but may eventually break into this lineup, and former Phillie Jayson Werth has got to do better than he did last season. So far, starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg has struggled, but at least is healthy.

DOWNS: Star closer Drew Storen, who had 43 saves last year, is out with a sore right elbow, so former Phillie Brad Lidge may have to step in.

EXPECTATONS: By not upgrading the lineup significantly, the Nats are depending on the stars who flopped last year to get their act  together this season. Let's see how that turns out.

New York Mets

LAST SEASON: 77-85.

MANAGER: Terry Collins, second season with the Mets.

UPS: Lefthander Johan Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, looked good in spring training after missing last season because of shoulder surgery.

DOWNS: Where do we start? Can Ruben Tejada adequately replace Jose Reyes at shortstop? Can ham-handed Daniel Murphy make the plays at second base? Will injuries wipe out half the roster for a second straight season?

EXPECTATIONS: The Mets will just be happy to get through the season and be one more year into the rebuilding process.

Miami Marlins

LAST SEASON: 72-90.

MANAGER: Ozzie Guillen, first season with Marlins.

UPS: Newcomers Jose Reyes, at shortstop, and Heath Bell, the closer, will join ace starter Josh Johnson,  back after shoulder woes last season, in a new stadium.

DOWNS: Third baseman Hanley Ramirez is not thrilled with moving from shortstop to make room for  Reyes, and he needs to have a bounce-back year at the plate.

EXPECTATIONS: Fans are hoping that the addition of Reyes, Bell, pitcher Carlos Zambrano, and the fiery Guillen is the spark that sends the Fish to the playoffs for the first time in nine years.1

2011 Final Standings

Milwaukee Brewers

LAST SEASON: 96-66, lost to the Cardinals in the NLCS.

MANAGER: Ron Roenicke, second season with the Brewers.

UPS: NL MVP Ryan Braun got his 50-game suspension for drugs overturned, and the starting rotation, led by Zack Greinke, is one of the best in the league.

DOWNS: Braun struggled this spring, and unproven Mat Gamel has replaced Prince Fielder at first base.  The defense has also been spotty.

EXPECTATIONS: New shortstop Alex Gonzalez is expected to pick up the offense, no small task with the departure of Fielder.

St. Louis Cardinals

LAST SEASON: 90-72, won the World Series as the NL wild card.

MANAGER: Mike Matheny, first season with the Cardinals, replacing Tony La Russa.

UPS: The middle of the lineup with Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, and David Freese should supply some power and runs, and the starting rotation is impressive if it can stay healthy.

DOWNS: Slugging first baseman Albert Pujols left for the Angels, La Russa retired, and some of the stars are getting old fast.

EXPECTATIONS: Few picked the Cards to go all the way last season. And, despite the loss of their boss and big bopper, this team is still pretty good. If they get the breaks …

Cincinnati Reds

LAST SEASON: 79-83.

MANAGER: Dusty Baker, fourth season with Reds.

UPS: First baseman Joey Votto remains one of the best in the biz and got a new mega-contract for his  efforts, and second baseman Brandon Phillips is solid.

DOWNS: Former Phils closer Ryan Madson is out for the season with arm trouble, and third baseman Scott Rolen must rebound from shoulder surgery. This pitching staff is pedestrian.

EXPECTATIONS: Like the new-look Phillies, it's hard to get a read on this team. If the pitching staff overachieves, the Reds could stay in the race. If Votto falters and Rolen can't shake off his post-surgery cobwebs, a pack of aces may not salvage the year.

Pittsburgh Pirates

LAST SEASON: 72-90.

MANAGER: Clint Hurdle, second season with Pirates.

UPS: Centerfielder Andrew McCutchen is looking to build on a nice 2011, and the Bucs added veterans Rod Barajas at catcher and Erik Bedard in the roation.

DOWNS: Starter A.J. Burnett arrived from the Yankees to be the ace, then was lost until May with a broken right orbital bone near his eye. Raise your hand if you see a .290 hitter in this lineup.

EXPECTATIONS: The Pirates have had 19 consecutive losing seasons. Get set for No. 20.

Chicago Cubs

LAST SEASON: 71-91.

MANAGER: Dale Sveum, first season with the Cubs, replacing Mike Quade.

UPS: Emerging shortstop Starlin Castro hit .307 with an NL-best 207 hits last year, and Theo Epstein of Red Sox fame has taken over as head of baseball operations.

DOWNS: Journeyman Bryan LaHair hits cleanup, leftfielder Alfonso Soriano is 36 and fading, and centerfielder Marlon Byrd is one of the Cubs' best hitters.

EXPECTATIONS: Scoring runs will be No. 1 on the Cubs' to-do list, and that may not get done with these hitters. Epstein is building for a future that may never arrive.

Houston Astros

LAST SEASON: 56-106.

MANAGER: Brad Mills, third season with the Astros.

UPS: First baseman Carlos Lee can supply some much-needed power, and former Phillie Brett Myers, last year's top starter, was born to be a closer. And he will be this year.

DOWNS: With Myers in the bullpen, the starting rotation is weaker, and the offense will be hard to find if Lee is off his game.

EXPECTATIONS: Well, um, uh, the Astros will play in the American League next year. As for this year, there is always 2013.

2011 Final Standings

Arizona Diamondbacks

LAST SEASON: 94-68, lost to the Brewers in the NLDS.

MANAGER: Kirk Gibson, second season with the Diamondbacks, was NL manager of the year.

UPS: Pitchers Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer are considered top prospects on a team with a solid rotation  and steady bullpen back from last year, and rightfielder Justin Upton is coming off a 31-homer season.

DOWNS: Shortstop Stephen Drew has been slow coming back from a broken ankle.

EXPECTATIONS: As long as Upton gets some help at the plate from catcher Miguel Montero and the other run producers, the D'backs could ride their pitching again.

San Francisco Giants

LAST SEASON: 86-76.

MANAGER: Bruce Bochy, sixth season with the Giants.

UPS: Star catcher Buster Posey is back after breaking his ankle last May, and the pitching staff led by Tim Lincecum, big money Matt Cain, and closer Brian Wilson can carry a club for weeks.

DOWNS: If the hitters take another year off like last season, this pitching staff may have to carry the  Giants for months, not weeks.

EXPECTATIONS: Toss a coin on this club. They could win their second World Series in three years or wind up in the cellar.

Los Angeles Dodgers

LAST SEASON: 82-79.

MANAGER: Don Mattingly, second season with the Dodgers.

UPS: Ace Clayton Kershaw won 21 games and the Cy Young award last year, and centerfielder Matt Kemp  hit .324 and was second in NL MVP voting. NBA Hall of Famer and former Laker Magic Johnson is part of  the new ownership group.

DOWNS: The starting rotation is not deep, and the bullpen has been spotty.

EXPECTATIONS: Any team that sells for $2 billion has the potential to win the whole thing, but the Dodgers will need to overachieve.

Colorado Rockies

LAST SEASON: 73-89.

MANAGER: Jim Tracy, fourth season with the Rockies.

UPS: Former Phillie and Souderton High grad Jamie Moyer earned a spot on this deep pitching staff at 49. Leftfielder Carlos Gonzalez, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, first baseman Todd Helton, and rightfielder Michael  Cuddyer form a dangerous foursome.

DOWNS: Cuddyer was bothered late in spring training with a bruised hand after being hit with a pitch.

EXPECTATIONS: The Rockies are likely to score some runs, so the heat is on the pitchers to improve.

San Diego Padres

LAST SEASON: 71-91.

MANAGER: Bud Black, sixth season with the Padres.

UPS: Help may be on the way from starting pitcher Edinson Volquez (104 strikeouts), first baseman Yonder Alonso (.330 average in 88 at-bats), and catcher Yasmani Grandal, who were acquired in a trade  from the Reds.

DOWNS: Let's put it this way: The Padres hit .237 last year, worst in the NL. And they may not do much  better in 2012. Plus, the ownership situation is muddled.

EXPECTATIONS: Check back in 2013.

Here is a look around the National League:

Repeat performance?

No National League team has repeated as World Series champion since the Cincinnati Reds won consecutive titles in 1975 and 1976.

So the St. Louis Cardinals face a tough challenge and have to do it without the two franchise icons — Albert Pujols, now with the Los Angeles Angels, and manager Tony LaRussa, who retired.

Former catcher Mike Matheny takes over for La Russa, and the Cardinals get Adam Wainright back after  missing last year due to Tommy John surgery. Chris Carpenter, the pitcher who sent the Phillies home  from the playoffs, is out with a shoulder injury, and his date to return isn't known.

Improved division

The Phillies have won five consecutive NL East titles and will be favored for a sixth, but the competition should be much stronger.

Atlanta remains a contender despite last year's colossal collapse, while the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals appear to be vastly improved. Only the New York Mets don't appear ready to make the other NL East teams sweat very much.

Chargin' Marlins

The Marlins have a new name (now known as Miami), a new stadium, a new manager who never met a  microphone he didn't like (Ozzie Guillen) and several new players.

The Marlins were one of the most active teams in free agency, reeling in shortstop Jose Reyes, pitcher  Mark Buehrle and closer Heath Bell. The key, however, will be the return to form of Josh Johnson, who was limited to just nine starts last season due to a shoulder injury; and how well Hanley Ramirez makes the transition from shortstop to third base.

Magic in L.A.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers being bought by Magic Johnson's group for $2.1 billion, will they return to be one of the sport's preeminent teams after the disastrous ownership tenure of Frank McCourt?

The Dodgers could contend this season in the NL West, although defending champion Arizona and 2010  World Series champion San Francisco and Colorado could all make cases for winning the division.

Busting through

Giants catcher Buster Posey, one of the chief reasons for the team's 2010 World Series championship, returns after suffering a broken leg and torn ligaments in his ankle following a gruesome collision at the plate on May 25. Posey was the NL rookie of the year in 2010 and, despite being just 25, is one of the leaders in the game. On an offensively challenged team, his return to form is vital.

Farewell Chipper

Third baseman Chipper Jones, a likely future Hall of Famer, announced that this will be his last season, one that will start with him expected to be out following arthroscopic surgery to repair a tear in his left knee.

The Phillies are among many teams that won't get sentimental about his departure. In his career against the Phillies, Jones is hitting .332 with 46 home runs, 144 RBIs and a 1.042 OPS. He turns 40 on April 24 and still is a feared hitter if he can stay healthy.

— Marc Narducci