The National League was about to be even more of a pitcher’s league when Ryan Braun tested positive for the Jose Canseco special. With the ensuing 50-game suspension, the Brewers were left sans Braun and Prince with Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks left to drive in the missing 231 RBI’s. Yet Braun is free to flex his muscles in jubilee. He is suited up and ready to roll, the NL has its MVP back, and the Brewers have someone who can hit a home run again.

Over the years, the NL has started to gain a reputation of being favorable for pitchers because the lack of hitters consistently through the order. The only lineups in the NL that can match up with the likes of Boston, Texas, or New York, would be the Phillies and the Brew Crew. As of now, the Phillies don’t know about Chase Utley’s brittle bones or Ryan Howard’s Achilles and the even with Braun back Milwaukee has to depend on often-injured Aramis Ramirez to fit into Fielder’s place. The New York Mets, the Houston Astros, and the San Diego Padres are so bad that their pro teams have become a show for scouts to come watch prospects play against big league competition.

I would be much less harsh on the National League, which includes the defending champion Cardinals, if the player on that team hadn’t walked away from it to an AL team.

The Pittsburgh Pirates made the middle of the season interesting for a little while before realizing as a group that they were the Pittsburgh Pirates. But adding A.J. Burnett to the top of the rotation – which is the most Pittsburgh Pirates thing they could’ve done – and with Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen maturing, the Pirates might contend for a while this year. The Reds, Dodgers, Phillies, and Braves are looking like the strongest teams moving into spring because of the star powered lineups (if healthy) and pitching depth. According to Bovada.com, the Phils are the favorites at 9/4 (+225) NL Pennant Odds with the Reds at 9/1 (+900), Dodgers 20/1 (+2000), and Braves 9/1 (+900) to win the NL pennant. The teams that everyone could really be surprised by are the Marlins who have 9/1 (+900) odds, the Pirates at 40/1 (+4000), and the defending champion Cardinals at 11/1 (+1100) odds to take the pennant home. One thing we do know about the NL, is the ERA’s will be microscopic.

Odds To Win The 2012 NL Pennant – click image to see updated odds from Bovada Sportsbook