No better overall than last year. A major league team only has to win 60% of their games to be in contention and with luck the world series. That is six out of ten games! Win six, lose four.
Now, to win 97 games the pitchers have to get credit for them all, in one fashion or another. Since even the best pitchers average about 15-16 wins (starters) and usually your #4 and #5 win on an average about 10-12 each, that would account for up to 72 wins. That leaves about 25 wins for the pen to pick up!
Do you think Smoltz, Hudson, and James can win an average of 16 games each?
Do you think quatro and cinco can win 12 each?
Do you think the pen can win 25 as a group? (saves don't count).
Also, to do the above the hitters have to bring in enough runs in 97 games to help those pitchers win 97. That means about 450-600 RBIs.
Can limpy Chipper, irregular Andruw, Thor, get their share of those?
The rest of the crew do about what they are expected to do for their pay, but it won't be enough.
We need a 20 game winner and a 130 RBI guy with 50 home runs.
Those two will cost 30 million dollars per year.
We can't get that much from trading A.Jones, Salty, and our shortstop.
The Yankees can't even do it with twice the budget.
Personnel selection, management, and possibly a little more money could do it.
I'm not sold on the genius of our General Manager and our Field Manager. Look what Milwaukee is doing!

Santana would be nice - maybe Josh Beckett or a Barry Zito.

You sure you don't need me to give somebody up - I'd let Chipper go.