In the early 1990's it was Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.  In the late 1990's it was the New York Mets  In 2003 it will be the Philadelphia Phillies who give Atlanta a run for the division.  The last time the Atlanta Braves did not win their division was 1990.  Will this be the year it ends?
For the first time in recent memory, they lost key players from their roster and were not able to replace them with equal talent.
The biggest question for Atlanta will be their long time strength, the pitching.  Gone are starters Tom Glavine, Kevin Millwood and Damian Moss.  Also gone are 7 pitchers from the bullpen, Mike Remlinger, Chris Hammond, Kerry Ligtenberg, Albie Lopez, Tim Spooneybarger, John Foster and Aaron Small.  These 10 pitchers accounted for 68 victories (48 from the 3 starters).
The new faces in Atlanta are starters Paul Byrd, Byrd was a Brave in 1997-98, (17-11, 129 SO, 3.90 ERA), Mike Hampton ( 7-15, 74, 6.15-albeit at Coors Field), Russ Ortiz ( 14-10,  137, 3.61), Shane Reynolds ( 3-6,  47, 4.86) and Roberto Hernandez ( 26 saves, 4.33 ERA).  Total wins:  41.
The staff will again be anchored by Greg Maddux  (16 6, 118, 2.62) followed by Hampton, Ortiz, Reynolds and Byrd (until Byrd returns from disabled list, Jason Marquis (8-9, 84, 5.04) and  rookie Horacio Ramirez will fill in.
The bullpen will be filled with many new faces like rookies  Jung Bong, Joe

Mike Hampton

"Hoping for a New Start in Atlanta"

Dawley and Trey Hodges and newcomers Ray King and Hernandez.  Kevin Gryboski and Darren Holmes are back from last year.  John Smoltz (55 saves, 3.25 ERA) will again be the closer.
The big question is will the new additions equal the players departed.  Hampton, Byrd, Reynolds and Ortiz have posted at least 17 wins in one or more seasons since 1998.  The key to 2003 will be if these pitchers either return to form or maintain form.  One bright spot is that you rarely see a successful pitcher come to Atlanta and falter.
The most perplexing side of Atlanta will again be on the offensive side.  On paper they appear to be lethal, but on the field, they have been lethargic the last few years.
New addition Robert Fick (.270, 17, 63) will see most of the action at first base.  Marcus Giles (.230, 8, 23) and Rafael Furcal (.275, 8, 47, 27 SB) will start at second and short.  And  Vinny

Castilla (.232, 12, 61) will man the hot corner at third.
Mark DeRosa (.297, 5, 23) will back up Giles and Furcal while the Franco brother (actually not brother in real life), Matt (.317, 6, 30) and Julio (.284, 6,

30) will back up Fick and Castilla.  Julio is the 2nd oldest active player and will turn 45 in August.
Atlanta will start the season with 3 catchers.  Javy Lopez (.233, 11, 52) will start his 10th year as Atlanta's top backstop.  He will be spelled by Johnny Estrada (.228, 8, 37 in '01, only 17 at bats in '02) and  Henry Blanco (.204, 6, 22).
The outfield is set with Chipper Jones (.327, 26, 100) in left, Andrew Jones (.264, 35, 94) in center and Gary Sheffield (.307, 25, 84) in right.  Darren Bragg (.269, 3, 15) will be the main back up in the outfield.
Atlanta ranked 8th in the NL in runs per game in '02 but took top honors in team ERA (0.97 below league average).  For Atlanta to claim their 12th straight division title, their offensive output must make up for what their pitching may lose.
The key to Atlanta's success at the plate will be Fick.  He needs to produce to take the heat off of the Jones' and Sheffield.  On the mound it will be Hampton.  If he can put his 2 horrendous years at Coors Field behind him and show just shades of his '99 campaign (22-4, 177, 2.90), that will take the pressure off of Maddux to try and carry the staff. 
Although most power rating systems rank the Braves as the #2 or #3 team in the NL, they will face one of their toughest tests in Philadelphia this year.  Atlanta fans will not settle for anything less than a division title.  Like I said last month, the NL East is the Braves to lose or the Phillies to win. 
Worst case, they may have to settle for the wild card.  Both World Series participants last year were wild card entries!