National League East: Pitching Aces Aren't Scarce Here

     We all know that the American League East is probably the most dominant and competitive division in all of Major League Baseball.  But this season, a lot of focus will be on the National League East.  With the Florida Marlins moving to Miami, and signing many big market names the spotlight has been on them. Lets factor in the starting rotation of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Washington Nationals assembling a one-two punch of their own with Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez, and we just might not have a lopsided division leader in the NL East.

     The season concluded with the Phillies on top of their division, followed by the Atlanta Braves.  Finishing in third was the Nationals.  The bottom two spots were filled by the New York Mets and the Florida Marlins.  I have a strong feeling that this league has the potential of becoming similar battlefield to the American League.  Starting pitching is the key to success.  With an ace pitcher at the helm, you can feel relieved going into a game against a less competitive team.  So let's take a look at the projected aces of the National League East, and see which team has the best shot at playing in the playoffs, remembering that their is now two wildcard teams.
     The aces of the National League East are Roy Halladay, Tim Hudson, Gio Gonzalez, Johan Santana, and Mark Buehrle.  All of these pitchers have Cy Young type stuff, but they need the help of their team's at bats, and I feel like not all of them will get that help night after night.

• Roy Halladay: Last year he was a phenomenon.  Halladay went 19-6 with 2.35 ERA.  He struck out a career high 220 batters.  Simply put, Halladay was the man. 
• Tim Hudson: Hudson posted a 3.22 ERA in 215 innings pitched.  He led the Braves with a 16-10 record.  
• Gio Gonzalez: In Oakland, Gonzalez was sought out by many teams.  At 25 years old, he has the potential to blow up and save a Washington franchise.  He posted a 3.12 ERA and struck out 197 batters, but he also walked 91.  
• Johan Santana: Santana is coming back to the Mets after missing all of last season with an injured shoulder.  In 2010, he had a 2.98 ERA in 199 innings.  It will be interesting to see if Santana can return to his ace form.
• Mark Buehrle:  The free agent signed with the Miami Marlins after spending his 12 year career with the Chicago White Sox. The 32 year old managed to go 13-9 last year, and had a 3.59 ERA. He is not a strike out pitcher, so I wonder what will see see in the Miami ballpark.

The National League is shaping up and taking form. In fact, it almost looks like the American League in comparison to starting aces.  I understand that baseball is a team sport, but depending on how many times these guys get the ball, and if their performance is up to par, fans might get a race.  Each of these pitchers can be 15-20 win guys.  Will Philadelphia break 100 wins again? Can Atlanta muster up the runs to support their pitching? Will Washington finally show the world that they are a force to be reckoned with? Will the Mets be able to restore their franchise? Will Miami live up to the hype (we've heard that one before)? Pitchers and catchers report in a month.