NL East

In the early going to the 2011 season Terry Collins has had trouble managing the Mets bullpen because of the ineffectiveness of just about every pitcher in it. The problems started from the get go with a blown save in the second game of the year by closer Francisco Rodriguez and seems to have had a trickle down affect on everyone else.

The Mets have played just 10 games this year, but it is not too early to be concerned about some of the team’s issues.

I am giving the disclaimer in advance that we are dealing with small sample sizes at this point of the year.

It is early, but the team is currently sitting in last place in the NL East. While the Mets won’t spend the year in the cellar, there are some issues that will certainly keep them from competition for a playoff spot.

The endless string of opinions and predictions after Jayson Werth departed from Philadelphia last December were finally given some answers Tuesday night. In the first meeting between the Phillies and their former right fielder, Werth and his Washington Nationals got the upper hand and bested the first place Phils, 7-4. 

There were many empty seats at Nationals Park as the Philadelphia Phillies arrived in D.C. to begin their first series with the Washington Nationals this season.

The absence of fans wasn't due to an uninteresting matchup, but the threat of rain, even though the game did start on time.

Tonight the Phillies will square off against former teammate and fan favorite Jayson Werth. On their way back home to Philadelphia, they stop off in the nation’s capital for a three-game set against the annual basement dwellers in the National League East, who shocked the baseball world last December by inking Werth to a mammoth contract.

So far this season, the Philadelphia Phillies have been good. Great, in fact. For some people, this isn't a surprise. After all, they have some of the best starting pitchers in the league. They also have some great hitters. This was all expected. So why am I writing this article?

With a less-than-spectacular supporting cast surrounding them, these 10 players will be looked upon by their respective teams to carry the offense workload during the 2011 MLB season.

Whether its injury, age or just flat-out underproduction, any team is prone to struggle at some point in the season and that’s when they'll need their offensive stars the most.

Much has been made out of Jayson Werth's offseason departure from the Phillies after accepting a huge $126 million, 7-year deal from the Nationals. 

On Tuesday night, Werth will face his former team for the first time as the Phillies travel to D.C. for a three-game series.

Phillies: 7-2, first in NL East

Nationals: 4-5, third in NL East (three games behind Phillies)

Phillies Preview

The Braves enter their mid-week series with division rival Florida Marlins 4-6, a record that most in the baseball world would call a mild fiasco for a team that garnered such praise out of March.