Chicago Cubs: The Clear Cut Favorite in the National League Central

One doesn't need to know much about baseball to see that the Chicago Cubs are once again the favorites in the National League Central.  That said, baseball is a crazy sport and anything can happen.  Just ask the 2008 Tigers.

A lot can happen between now and October.  Here is a brief look at what we can expect from the 2009 Cubs.   

1) Chicago Cubs  92-70

Key Additions

Milton Bradley, Aaron Miles, Aaron Heilman, Joey Gathright, Luis Vizcaino, Kevin Greg and Paul Bako

Key Departures

Kerry Wood, Mark DeRosa, Jim Edmonds, Jason Marquis, Felix Pie, Henry Blanco, Bobby Howry, and Rich Hill

Pitching

When healthy, the Cubs starting staff is as good as anyone in the National League.  The only question mark is the number five spot. 

Sean Marshall, Chad Gaudin, Aaron Heilman, and Jeff Samardzija will battle it out this spring.  The left-handed Marshall appears to be the front-runner. 

The bullpen once again looks strong. Kevin Gregg And Carlos Marmol will make up the back end of the pen.  The Cubs certainly could use another left-handed arm in the pen.  At some point down the road, the Cubs will address that. 

Offense

Switch-hitting All-Star Milton Bradley will likely bat cleanup.  If Bradley stays healthy, he will prove to be a huge upgrade for the back to back NL Central Champs.  

If Bradley plays 130 games and hits .300, with 15-20 home runs, the Cubs will be in great shape come October.

The other new addition to the everyday lineup up will be either Mike Fontenot, or Aaron Miles.  The Cubs hope to get 10-15 home runs out of Fontenot.  

Miles won't win the everyday spot at second, but he will get a lot of playing time at second.  He will also see some time at shortstop backing up Theriot and Ramirez at third. 

Miles can also play the outfield.  The switch-hitting Miles will provide versatility and flexibility.  The Cubs will be in great shape if he can provide them with 350-400 at bats with a .285 average. 

A year ago he appeared in 134 games while batting .317.  If Miles duplicates that, the Cubs will be poised for a deep October run.

Outlook

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry took a lot of heat this off-season for trading Mark DeRosa and not resigning Kerry Wood. 

Hendry's goal was to make the Cubs everyday lineup more balanced.  He certainly achieved that while keeping the core of the team together. 

The Cubs should cruise in the central, and they're hoping their versatility can help them play deep into October.   

Next Up: The St Louis Cardinals. 

I'll be back later with a breakdown on the Cardinals.  The Cardinals will look to continue to catch lightning in the bottle in 2009, but they will likely battle for second with the Reds, and possibly the Brewers.  More to come later.