NL East

Two outs with a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals, Drew Storen needed just one more to secure the Washington Nationals' first postseason series win in franchise history.

Then he walked Yadier Molina.

Pitching prospects will not decide the Philadelphia Phillies' fate in 2013.

If Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon do not perform as expected, the Phillies have virtually no chance to contend.

But the emergence of a young arm or three could mean the difference between just contending and a return to the playoffs.

General manager Sandy Alderson and the New York Mets have been taking a lot of flak lately for the absence of major league talent on the roster as the organization forges on with its painstaking rebuilding period.

2012 Record: 81-81

Heading into the 2013 MLB season, the New York Mets will be an intriguing team to follow. With good health and a few lucky breaks, they could be competitive throughout the summer.

Overall, this club wasn't impressive in 2012. New York finished fourth in the NL East standings (again) and drew the lowest total attendance since opening Citi Field.

It all ended tragically for the Atlanta Braves in 2012, but they're heading into 2013 knowing that they were right there with the best teams in the National League last season.

They're also heading into 2013 knowing that they're a much-improved team. The Braves aren't just a legit postseason contender. They're a legit World Series contender.

Get ready Atlanta Braves fans.

Pitchers and catchers, along with early arrivals (Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, Chris Johnson, Dan Uggla and Ramiro Pena), have reported to spring training.

The season doesn't officially begin until April 1, but spring training games offers fans an early glimpse of the 2013 squad and wets their appetites in anticipation for baseball.

For a number of years, the New York Mets have had the distinction of having one of the worst farm systems in Baseball. Between poor drafts and unwisely trading away prospects for washed-up Major Leaguers, the Mets have not had the luxury of tapping into homegrown talent.

With Michael Bourn signing with Cleveland, starting pitcher Kyle Lohse is now the biggest name on the free-agent market.

New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson poked fun at his disaster of an outfield during the offseason.