Fantasy Baseball Preview: NL Central

Here is a fantasy baseball preview of the NL Central.

Chicago Cubs

Top Position Player: Starlin Castro is the choice here. Not only is he a highly productive player, but he does his damage in a fairly shallow position. He should hit .300 again, and if he can add to his power numbers, he’ll be a fantasy force.

Top Pitcher: Matt Garza only won 10 games with a .500 winning percentage, but he managed a 3.32 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP with 197 Ks.

Fantasy Sleeper: Ian Stewart is replacing Aramis Ramirez at third base. He was dreadful last year, but he’ll get a chance to play every day. Perhaps the change of scenery will serve him well. 

Cincinnati Reds

Top Position Player: Joey Votto is the choice, but Jay Bruce narrowed the gap last year. Votto, the 2010 MVP, should continue to put up monster numbers. He’s easily a top five fantasy first baseman, and the No. 1 choice in NL-Only leagues now that Pujols and Fielder changed sides.

Top Pitcher: Mat Latos is going from a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s park, so the jury is still out. He still managed a 3.68 ERA last year and a 3.14 ERA in 2010 away from PETCO.

Fantasy Sleeper: Shortstop Zack Cozart hit .324 in 11 games before getting injured. Prior to getting called up, he hit .310 with a .824 OPS for Triple-A Louisville. 

Houston Astros

Top Position Player: There isn’t really a clear-cut choice for the Astros. If you are looking for power and multiple-position flexibility, Carlos Lee (1B/OF) is the choice. If you want speed, Jason Bourgeois is the choice.

Top Pitcher: Wandy Rodriguez won’t get you a ton of wins, but he should get you double digits anyway. He routinely produces a sub-4.00 ERA and has a palatable WHIP.

Fantasy Sleeper: When you are as bad offensively as the Astros are, you don’t really want to invest too heavily in them. Second baseman Jose Altuve could be a late-round exception. He has the potential to hit .300 with 20+ stolen bases.

Milwaukee Brewers

Top Position Player: Ryan Braun is the clear choice now that his suspension has been overturned.  He could easily be considered the top fantasy outfielder in mixed formats and the top choice in NL-Only leagues.

Top Pitcher: Yovani Gallardo is probably the top pitcher in the division. He finished with a 17-10 record, a 3.52 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP to go along with 207 Ks. Zack Greinke is right on his heels.

Fantasy Sleeper: Looking for a late-round player who can help you in average, runs and steals? Nyjer Morgan hit .304 with 61 runs and 13 SBs in 378 at-bats. If he can get 500+ ABs, he’ll be a great value. 

Pittsburgh Pirates

Top Position Player: Andrew McCutchen is choice here. He is a bona fide No. 1 fantasy outfielder and is strong in all five offensive categories.

Top Pitcher: Joel Hanrahan is the only reliable pitching option the Pirates have. He collected 40 saves last year with a sparkling 1.83 ERA and 1.05 WHIP.

Fantasy Sleeper: Pedro Alvarez was one of the biggest busts of 2011. Given his production as a rookie, a rebound would not be unexpected. 

St. Louis Cardinals

Top Position Player: Matt Holliday is the new answer to this question now that Albert Pujols has moved on. There is a big void in the lineup, but that should not hinder Holliday’s production too dramatically.

Top Pitcher: Adam Wainwright is back, but since you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get from him, Chris Carpenter is probably the top option. Of course, he’ll be 37 in April so it’s really a toss-up.

Fantasy Sleeper: Jon Jay had a .297-56-10-37-6 in 455 at-bats. He is projected to be an everyday player so he should be able to build on those numbers.

Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Outfielder Rankings