NL Central

Today I decided to do something a little different. The NL Central is the most interesting division in all of baseball to me. It's going to be such a good race that I need to look at the top four teams at the same time. I'm surrounded by fans of those top four teams. Living in the Cincy area, Reds fans are crazy around here. I know about 5 people from Chicago who are huge on the Cubs fans. Bryan McFarland loves the Cards and Nick Clason is all for the Brewers this season. This post is going through all the teams in this division (yes even the Astros and Pirates....). This will take me through the week so look for this to be last post until Saturday when I get into the NL West.

Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have made strives to improve themselves in this division and the offense looks solid. They gave up Derrek Lee last season but have acquired Carlos Pena to take his spot. Aramis Ramirez is power. Starlin Castro is a star. Marlon Byrd is getting older but improving. The Cubs look as if they have the perfect mix of speed and power to compete in a power hungry division. The defense can be shabby at times. Soriano is still someone who can be feared both at the plate and on the paths. Tyler Colvin has a large upside but is mixed in with a veteran outfield. He should take the RF position sooner rather than later.

The pitching staff got a big addition in Matt Garza. He helped the Rays to two division titles in the last three years. To go along with Garza there is Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano who have always pitched well. Randy Wells is still young and can pitch well and Andrew Cashner is on the up. The Cubs have one of the most solid staffs in the NL. The reacquiring of Kerry Wood adds depth to the bullpen that features Sean Marshall, John Grabow, and (Notre Dame football standout) Jeff Samardzija. The closer at the end of this is Carlos Marmol who delivered 38 saves in 2010.

I see bright things for the Cubs and they will get enough production to jump two spots in this tough and rough division: 3rd in the NL Central

Lineup
1. 2B Jeff Baker
2. SS Starlin Castro
3. CF Marlon Byrd
4. 3B Aramis Ramirez
5. 1B Carlos Pena
6. LF Alfonso Soriano
7. C Geovany Soto
8. RF Kosuke Fukudome

Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds were last year's pennant winner and made the playoffs in stride. Too bad they couldn't fight hard enough and were ousted in the divisional series by the Phillies. This team looks just as good, if not better than last season, in my opinion. The MVP, Joey Votto, is back and looks for another strong year and I expect him to lead an offense who desires to win. Jay Bruce is a slugger and Brandon Phillips still has potential to be great.

The pitching staff could be greatly improved come midseason if Aroldis Chapman can make up. He has a cannon and if he can learn to control his speed he can be great. He's going to be starting at a relief role but can make it to starter with time. The starters look to be Volquez, Cueto, and Arroyo along with youngsters Homer Bailey and Travis Wood. Francisco Cordero is at the end the end of the rotation and he claimed 40 saves last season and was a huge reason for the success of the Reds.

Look for this team to really want to win and they will. In a tough division they know what it takes to win and have the skills needed to do it: 1st in the NL Central

Lineup
1. CF Drew Stubbs
2. 2B Brandon Phillips
3. 1B Joey Votto
4. RF Jay Bruce
5. 3B Scott Rolen
6. LF Jonny Gomes
7. C Ramon Hernandez
8. SS Paul Janish

Houston Astros
I'm gonna be honest. I don't know much about the Astros. The got 4th in the division last year but I don't feel like they did much to improve and if anything they've taken a step backwards while everyone is fighting for the playoffs. Carlos Lee is the main guy here and is consistently great. Pence and Bourn bring speed to the lineup while both Hall and Barmes can be solid. Beyond that, the offense is very unknown to me.

The starters are a little more solid. Wandy Rodriguez is the number one. Brett Myers and J.A. Happ, the pieces from Philadelphia in the Roy Oswalt trade, are good starters but are not great. They strive when they can be behind better starters than they. Lopez and Lyon headline the bullpen and will be key if the Astros want anything

In my opinion, digression is key: 5th in the NL Central

Lineup
1. CF Michael Bourn
2. RF Hunter Pence
3. LF Carlos Lee
4. 3B Chris Johnson
5. SS Clint Barmes
6. 1B Brett Wallace
7. 2B Bill Hall
8. C Humberto Quintero

Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are much improved since last season, at least when it comes to pitching. The offense didn't need much work with Hart, Braun, and Fielder in the middle of the order. 3 perennial All-Stars who know how to play. Not to mention Casey McGehee hit 23 homeruns last year right after that and Ricky Weeks, who is the lead-off man, had 29. Power and skill resonates from this offense and yet there is a sense of speed. Weeks, Gomez, and even Hart and Braun run the bases extremely well. The edition of Betancourt coming off arguably his best season is huge. This could possibly be Fielder's last year in Milwaukee unless he gets a reason to stay.

Next, to the pitching and I think it's obvious that the Brewers are looking playoffs because they traded for one of the best arms in the game, Zack Greinke. Unfortunately Greinke cracked a rib playing basketball and will start the year on the DL but it won't be that big of hurt, especially when you look at the rest of this staff. Yovani Gallardo, Shawn Marcum, Randy Wolf, and Chris Narveson. All they needed was a legitimate ace and the staff would take off and they get him in Greinke. If there is one slow spot with the Brewers, in my opinion it would be the bullpen. Top two relievers are up in years, LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito. Zack Braddock on the other hand is just starting. So a mix of age and inexperience in this 'pen. John Axford will be the closer after he had 24 saves last season.

On a side note, Miller Park is hands down the (2nd) best ballpark in the majors behind THE JAKE (it will always be THE JAKE). I love the slide and for the longest time in my life I wanted to be a mascot. If I didn't get in as Brutus Buckeye I was going to Milwaukee to be a sausage and slide down the coolest slide ever. What other place has a huge slide?! It also features North America's only fan-shaped convertible roof, which can open and close in less than 10 minutes. Large panes of glass allow natural grass to grow. When I saw this place in person it was like the best thing I ever saw.

With all that said, the Brewers look great, enough said: 2nd in the NL Central

Lineup
1. 2B Rickie Weeks
2. RF Corey Hart
3. LF Ryan Braun
4. 1B Prince Fielder
5. 3B Casey McGehee
6. SS Yuniesky Betancourt
7. CF Carlos Gomez
8. C Jonathon Lucroy

Pittsburgh Pirates
You know how I said I didn't really know the Houston Astros? Well the Pirates I know even less. So here this goes. They were miserable last season. 57-105 with 40 of those wins coming at home. Maybe if they played every game at PNC Park they could be sub-.500. I don't really think they need much discussion so here it is.

6th in the NL Central


Lineup
1. CF Andrew McCutchen
2. 2B Neil Walker
3. RF Garrett Jones
4. 1B Lyle Overbay
5. C Chris Snyder
6. 3B Pedro Alvarez
7. LF Jose Tabita
8. SS Ronny Cedeno
9. P Paul Maholm

St. Louis Cardinals
Everyone is always so high on the Cardinals but I'm not. I see this team going downhill quick. I have a feeling that it's going to be the last year in Missouri for Albert Pujols and then after that the team is back to rebuilding. They have a good team but I'm just not sold that they are what they once were. A lot of small time players who have been living in Pujols' shadow and with the pending contract their going to have to show that the Cardinals are a team that is worth Albert's time. Matt Holliday is solid but beyond that the team gets shaky. Lance Berkman was brought in to help that cause but how big of an impact can a one-year-contract-man truly provide. Yadier Molina has been a staple for the team but behind that there are many players sitting back for the ride. It's time for them to pick it up if they want to keep their big man around; Rasmus, Schumaker, and Freese. Ryan Theriot has never been able to settle on one team.

The pitching has taken a big hurt as the ace, Adam Wainwright, is out for the year. Christ Carpenter will not be able to return to the form he ahd a few years back and he's going to have to try hard but it's going to be tough. Jake Westbrook is next and he is nothing but a 3 man at best. Jaime Garcia is young talent but it may not be enough for this year. In closing, Rich Franklin has had 65 saves in the last two years and is primed for another good year if he can get to the mound.

The Cardinals are falling from the powerhouse that they were and I don't think that they have what was once there. I think the pieces behind Pujols and Holliday are just oo weak to carry a team like that of the other 3 teams in the division: 4th in the NL Central

Lineup
1. 2B Skip Schumaker
2. CF Cody Rasmus
3. 1B Albert Pujols
4. LF Matt Holliday
5. RF Lance Berkman
6. SS Ryan Theriot
7. C Yadier Molina
8. 3B David Freese