European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Stars and stripes sunday april s ports familiar foes say re matches in final four far different from last March Page 44 2007 major league baseball preview National league r i nos theme Pursuit of or record milestones and lets by Mike Fitzpatrick the associated press Barry Bonds is approaching 755 homers Craig Biggio is closing in on hits and Tom Glavine is nearing 300 victories while some of baseballs oldest stars Are set to pursue milestones this season map Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies Are gearing up to Chase Down the new York mets in the no East were the team to beat i cant put it any other Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said look at our team and what were bringing look at the improvements weve those improvements include adding Freddy Garcia and Adam Eaton to a deep Rota Tion that5 s Why right hander Brett Myers figures Philadelphia has More starting pitch ing than the mets who will be without Ace Pedro Martinez until at least mid season following shoulder surgery its competitive talk we think were Good they think there better its Myers said the mets still have Glavine who enters the sea son with 290 victories but after coming within one win of the world series last year they we rent so amuse Oby All the on sided analysis coming out of Philadelphia clubhouse the Phillies they can come out and talk As much As they Allstar third baseman David Wright said in Spring training until they prove it on the Field then its just talk As far As throwing out predictions and talking about it talk is very very nobody knows that better than Bonds who resigned with san Francisco in the of season after plenty of haggling Over his million oneyear contract now he needs 22 Home runs to break Hank Aarons career record of 755 ill drag it ill let you Guys he joked you know How i do it the anticipation the hype the talk ill let you Guys talk about no team capsules Page 46 the 42yearold slugger also is 159 hits from and 70 Bis shy of but what he wants most he maintains is his first world series ring first he and the giants with million Man Barry Zito pacing the pitching staff might have to get past their oldest rivals in the no los Angeles dodgers who added former san Francisco Ace Jason Schmidt to the rotation and brought Back no 3 hitter Nomar Garcia Parra but Greg Maddux jumped from the dodgers to the san Diego padres who have won consecutive division titles the 41yearold Biggio begins his 20th season with Houston needing 70 hits to become the 27th player to reach that achievement probably Means a ticket to Cooperstown if s not even the numbers any Biggio said its the clientele youre having your name associated with in certain categories that is Biggio and the astros have another goal As Well beating out Albert Pujols Chris Carpenter and the world series Champion St Louis cardinals for an no Central Crown Houston will get Competition from the overhauled Chicago cubs who landed free agent prize Alfonso Soriano during an off season spending spree the cubs who also acquired lefty Ted Lilly handed out nearly million in salaries and hired fiery manager Lou Piniella other players approaching milestones include Pitcher Randy Johnson Back in Arizona after two disappointing seasons with the new York Yankees he is 20 wins shy of 300 also padres closer Trevor Hoffman needs 18 saves to reach 500 a look at the no in predicted order of finish the Philadelphia Phillies acquired Pitcher Jamie Moyer 44 in their quest to track Down last years no East Champion the new York mets East new York mets after a painful loss to St Louis in game 7 of the a los last year the mets will try to take another step Forward but getting All the Way Back is difficult to do the biggest concern is an unsettled rotation new York is counting on John Maine Oliver Perez and perhaps Rookie Mike Pelfrey to provide consistent starts Glavine and or Lando Hernandez will both be 41 when the season begins still the balanced lineup is one of the leagues Best and the reliable bullpen could be the difference in edging Phil Adelphia see no on Page 47 Durant is first freshman to win top a Honor
