Looking at the Phillies' rotation

WHAT WE KNOW: Despite the expected loss of Roy Oswalt, the unit should once again enter the season as the class of the National League. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels each logged at least 216 innings while posting sub-2.80 ERAs. While Oswalt struggled with a back injury and saw his strikeouts drop off dramatically, he still finished 2011 with a 3.69 ERA while averaging six innings in 23 starts. Vance Worley will enter the spring with a spot in the rotation after going 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA in 21 starts and four relief appearances as a rookie.

WHAT TO WATCH: All eyes will be on Joe Blanton as he looks to prove that his elbow is fully recovered from 2011, when he made just eight starts before returning as a reliever at the end of the season. Blanton made a trip to renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews while attempting to find a course of treatment for the soreness he was experiencing, but he never underwent surgery and received good reports after throwing in the instructional league. Still, spring will be an important time as he builds up his arm for the rigors of a season of starting duty. Blanton's health is one of the few intriguing subplots of the spring, as Halladay, Lee and Hamels will simply go through their usual routines in preparation for what they hope is another historic season.