2014 Spring Training

 Ryan Howard.

Everything Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has done is based on his belief that the band has another good tour left in it. On top of that list is Howard, who was once one of baseball's most feared hitters. He has played 151 games the past two seasons, and has mostly been overmatched by left-handed pitching. If the Phils can get a big season from Howard, they've got a chance to contend.I Don't see it

8. Ryan Braun.

Braun has said all the right things in his renaissance tour, and the Brewers have surrounded him with a club that seems capable of getting to the postseason. What Braun must do is prove that he can still be an All-Star caliber player without performance-enhancing substances. He's just 30 years old and has plenty of time to write a different ending to his career. Is there any better way than Braun again throwing MVP numbers on the board and leading the Brewers back to October?

9. B.J. Upton.

The Braves are again deep and talented, and they can probably get to October regardless of what they get from Upton, who hit just .184 in 2013 and looked lost at the plate at times. But he has a different kind of track record. During his Tampa Bay years, the Rays played their best baseball when Upton was very good. He was the type of player capable of carrying an entire club. If that Upton re-emerges in 2014, the Braves will definitely be playing in October.They could be a major problem in east IMO

10. Wandy Rodriguez.

The Pirates said their goodbyes to A.J. Burnett, but their rotation could still be excellent, especially if the 35-year-old Rodriguez recovers from a left forearm injury that sidelined him the final four months of last season. The southpaw had a 3.47 ERA in his first 11 starts before the injury. In six seasons before 2014, he averaged 31 starts, 186 innings and a 3.66 ERA. The Bucs have other question marks, especially in their search for a right-handed bat, but Rodriguez could elevate a good rotation into an excellent one.