NATIONAL LEAGUE PREVIEW

WEST

HOT TOPIC

Bonds: Going, going ... gone?

Barry Bonds, of course. You expected maybe Steve Finley, and his quest to play for all five teams in the NL West?

Bonds needs 22 home runs to pass Hank Aaron’s all-time record. Bonds hit 26 last year, even while limiting himself to 130 games, so he’ll get his record, basking in his unpopularity all the while. Commissioner Bud Selig says he isn’t sure he’ll show up to witness the milestone home run, and God forbid Bonds breaks the record on the road, where he could be greeted with asterisks and syringes.

The more pressing question could be this: Does Bonds finish the season in San Francisco? The Giants figure to be awful, and they would have milked him for all he is worth if he breaks the record by July, when the All-Star game hits San Francisco. Hey, Barry, how about a last chance at winning a World Series? Can the Giants convince him to accept a July 31 deadline trade to the Tigers?

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IMPACT PLAYERS

It’s a Young man’s game in this division

Randy Johnson has won the Cy Young Award five times, Greg Maddux four times and Brandon Webb and Barry Zito once each. Jake Peavy led Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and Jason Schmidt is a three-time All-Star. But Chris Young, hidden behind Peavy, Maddux and David Wells in the San Diego rotation, could be the most dominant pitcher in the division.

In his second full season in the major leagues, Young took one no-hitter into the ninth inning, another into the eighth and a third into the sixth last year. He was the toughest pitcher to hit in the majors, holding opponents to a .206 average. And he wasn’t a creation of pitcher-friendly Petco Park, because he went 6-0 with a league-low 2.41 ERA on the road.

Another Chris Young enters his rookie season as the Diamondbacks’ starting center fielder, one year after Arizona acquired him from the White Sox. Young posted on-base percentages above .360 and slugging percentages above .500 in each of his last three minor league seasons, and a comparable performance in the majors could vault him toward the top of the

Diamondbacks’ lineup later this season, triggering the offense ahead of fellow young stars Stephen Drew, Conor Jackson, Chad Tracy and Carlos Quentin.

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1. Arizona (76-86)

J.D. Drew flees Dodgers, and kid brother Stephen leads Arizona kiddie corps that beats them.

2. San Diego (88-74)

Padres starting pitchers led the league with 4.10 ERA last year. Here comes Greg Maddux -- with his 4.20 ERA last year.

3. Dodgers (88-74)

Check the radar gun at the home opener: $47-million pitching ace Jason Schmidt struggled to top 85 mph this spring.

4. Colorado (76-86)

Coors Field effect? Garrett Atkins, Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe combined last season for 43 homers in Denver, 42 away.

5. San Francisco (76-85)

Starting pitchers under 30: Barry Zito, Matt Cain, Noah Lowry. Everyday players under 30: None.

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CENTRAL

HOT TOPIC

Cubs apparently think money can buy happiness

How could the Cubs spend $300 million without fixing their weaknesses?

They finished last in the NL in on-base percentage. They finished next to last in scoring runs, in giving up runs and in starters’ ERA.

So they spent $136 million on Alfonso Soriano, who will hit home runs and steal bases but also get caught stealing too much and walk too little. They spent $13 million on second baseman Mark DeRosa, coming off a career year at age 32.

They spent $40 million on Ted Lilly, who gives up too many fly balls to prosper in Wrigley Field. They spent $21 million on Jason Marquis, who led the league in losses, runs allowed and home runs allowed. They spent $2 million on Kerry Wood, just in case.

They spent $75 million on third baseman Aramis Ramirez -- a wise investment, but he was already there. They spent $3 million on outfielder Cliff Floyd, a designated hitter at this point of his career. And they spent $10 million on Manager Lou Piniella, who will have to explain daily why this mess wasn’t all Dusty Baker’s fault.

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IMPACT PLAYER

Maybe you will hear of him now

The Brewers can’t afford to spend tens of millions on one player to cover up the mistake of signing another one, so they take their best guess and keep their fingers crossed. They invested $42 million in Jeff Suppan and $39 million in Ben Sheets, pitchers with certified track records.

They just spent $24 million on Bill Hall, the richest contract for a position player in club history. The commitment appears curious, because Hall was not eligible for free agency until 2009 and did not emerge as an everyday player until last season.

But he was one of five players to hit 35 home runs and 35 doubles, and you might have heard of the other four: Alfonso Soriano ($136 million), Carlos Beltran ($119 million), Carlos Lee ($100 million) and Aramis Ramirez ($75 million).

If Hall turns out to be a one-year wonder, the Brewers could be sunk. If he puts up big numbers again, hitting behind Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder, the Brewers could ride his bat into October.

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1. Milwaukee (75-87)

Ben Sheets’ September line, after comeback from shoulder injury: four walks, 45 strike- outs, with opponents batting .226.

2. St. Louis (83-78)

Your Los Angeles Angels of St. Louis: David Eckstein, Adam Kennedy, Jim Edmonds, Scott Spiezio and the Molinas’ baby brother.

3. Houston (82-80)

Carlos Lee will slug away, but Adam Everett, Brad Ausmus and the pitcher’s spot give opponents too many easy innings.

4. Chicago (66-96)

Drew fewest walks and issued most walks in the league last season; Alfonso Soriano won’t help fix either problem.

5. Cincinnati (80-82)

We love Russell Martin, but look here: Dodgers castoff David Ross hit 21 homers last season, more than anyone on the Dodgers.

6. Pittsburgh (67-95)

The outfield for the Pirates’ last winning season, in 1992: Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke, Cecil Espy.

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EAST

IMPACT PLAYER

Willis could go two ways

Dontrelle Willis gets all the attention, and rightfully so. He’s the one with the wide smile and the outrageous leg kick, and one of the two holdovers from the Marlins’ 2003 World Series championship team. But he might have been the least effective of the Florida starters last season. The other four were rookies, and Anibal Sanchez, Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen and Ricky Nolasco all outdid Willis in walks and hits per innings pitched. And because Larry Beinfest is the best general manager in baseball at trading for fine young pitching, the Marlins have more arms on the way.

So Willis could be an impact player two ways: If he reverts to his Cy Young runner-up form of 2005, he could lead a pitching-fueled playoff drive. Or, if the Marlins get their new ballpark approved this summer, they could trade Willis -- and his $6.45-million salary -- for prospects who will work cheap until the new park opens in three or four years.

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HOT TOPIC

Braves go out and get some relief

The Braves’ incredible run of 14 consecutive division championships ended with a thud last season, not for lack of offense. The Jones boys led the way, but Chipper and Andruw had support from the Georgia boys, Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur, and the Braves scored the most runs of any team in the NL East.

The pitching? Not so good -- frankly embarrassing, really, for a team that built its excellence upon a foundation of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.

Can the Braves rebound into October with a revamped pitching staff? The Braves blew 29 saves last year, the most in the league, so General Manager John Schuerholz blew out his bullpen. He started last summer, in fact, trading for veteran closer Bob Wickman. He added closer-quality setup men over the winter, acquiring hard-throwing Rafael Soriano from the Mariners for starter Horacio Ramirez and left-hander Mike Gonzalez from the Pirates for first baseman Adam La Roche, who hit 32 home runs last season. America might be tired of watching the Braves in October, but consider this: Atlanta won its lone World Series with Mark Wohlers, Greg McMichael, Brad Clontz and Alejandro Pena in relief.

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1. Atlanta (79-83)

Not the Mets, not the Cardinals, and certainly not the Dodgers: The Braves hit most homers in league last season.

2. New York (97-65)

Thin rotation could tire bullpen: Mets threw more relief innings last season than every team but Nationals, Cubs and Royals.

3. Philadelphia (85-77)

Dodgers got nothing for outfielder Shane Victorino, who could bat between Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley in loaded Phillies lineup.

4. Florida (78-84)

Dodgers also got nothing for Alejandro De Aza, the rookie who won Marlins’ center field job.

5. Washington (71-91)

By rebuilding in majors and minors at same time, Nationals could threaten record 120 losses, set by expansion Mets of ’62.