MLB Spring Training 2011: Bold NL Central Predictions
The surprise of the 2010 season was in the NL Central. Almost everyone, including myself, saw the winner of the NL Central being either the Cardinals or the Cubbies, with the Brewers finishing in third.
In the 2009 preseason, the Cubs were deemed the best team in baseball. Even though they did not live up to expectations, many people saw them as a team that would contend for the World Series title in 2010.
With all this said, the Reds were the team who won the division. They were one of the biggest surprises in the major leagues, and they may now be considered the team to beat in the division.
So will there be another surprise this year?
Are the Pirates or Astros going to be this year's Reds?
Let's take a look.
Chicago Cubs
1 of 6
Each Carlos Will Have a Big Impact, but One for Only Half the Season.
Carlos Pena is going to have a big year for the Cubs. Playing half his games at Wrigley will only help boost his home-run total. He could wind up going over the century mark in RBIs, and his average has to go up (simply because of the fact that it can't go down much more than it did last year).
The Cubbies' other Carlos will make a big impact for them as well.
Big Z will end up winning somewhere between 17 and 19 games, but I do not see him making it through the season with the team. While on the mound during the second half of the year, Zambrano was spectacular. If he starts this year anyway like he finished the last, the Cubs will start shopping him and his big contract, and I think he is someone the Yankees would be able to pay and die to have.
Cincinnati Reds
2 of 6
The Reds can Challenge ANY Team in Baseball.
This may be a stretch for some people, but the Reds can hang with and beat the likes of the Phillies, Giants or anyone else in the National League. They have such a strong lineup. With Drew Stubbs, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen all in the same lineup, they have the bats to hit with some of the best lineups in the league.
Their pitching staff is also one of the top young rotations in baseball. With the likes of Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, the underrated Bronson Arroyo and youngsters Homer Bailey, Travis Wood and Mike Leake, the Reds have some of the best pitchers under 30 in baseball.
Combine this with a bullpen that has Francisco Cordero and Aroldis Chapman, and I give the Reds a great chance in any playoff series they are a part of.
Houston Astros
3 of 6
J.A. Happ Will Be the Ace of the Staff.
This kid had all the makings to be a No. 1 starter, and this year is his chance. Being sent over in the Roy Oswalt deal, Happ has the chance to be a centerpiece of this team and someone that the Astros can build around in the future.
Even though the Astros have Wandy Rodriguez, he has been overvalued every year, and he never fails to disappoint. Happ will take over the staff, whether it is during spring training or at some point during the year, he will be the go-to pitcher on this staff. With a little help from Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence, the Astros will be able to improve on their woeful 2010 campaign, surprise some teams and play the spoiler of 2011.
.png?w=256)
Milwaukee Brewers
4 of 6
The Brewers Can Win This Division.
When push comes to shove, I think the NL Central is the most balanced division in baseball. It has three teams that could potentially win a World Series title this season. I have already talked about the Reds and will get to the Cardinals, but the Brewers have made a lot of offseason upgrades. With a few bounce-back performances, they could have one of the most dangerous teams in baseball.
One of the Brew Crew's offseason focuses was on their starting rotation, and they made great strides from their 2010 group. Headlined by former Cy Young winner Zack Grienke, the team has a proven No. 1 starter who is looking to regain his 2009 form after a down season on a putrid Kansas City squad.
To go along with Grienke, the Brewers signed Shaun Marcum, who could easily win 15 games, and they still have Yovani Gallardo and Randy Wolf to round out their starters. On the offensive side, the Crew will look for a comeback performance from Ryan Braun, and stellar seasons from their stars Rickie Weeks, Casey McGehee, Corey Hart and Prince Fielder.
This is one of the most potent lineups going into the 2011 season. Add this to John Axford, who showed the ability to be a big time closer last season, and you have a team who can contend for the division title.
Pittsburgh Pirates
5 of 6
James McDonald is the Impact Rookie of the NL Central.
McDonald will be asked to head a pitching staff that is anything but star-studded. If a team can not even win an arbitration hearing against 1-11 pitcher Ross Ohlendorf, how can they be expected to compete in the most balanced division in baseball.
McDonald can come in, have double-digit wins and be the face of the Pirates pitching staff for the foreseeable future. They are the real bottom-feeder of this division, but they have some potential for years to come.
Most of their potential is on the offensive side of the ball, and it is centered around Andrew McCutchen. He is one of the best players in the National League, and with players like Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker and Jose Tabata, the Bucks can make some noise in a few years.
Don't expect too much out of this season though.
St. Louis Cardinals
6 of 6
The Cardinals Will Not Win the Division, but Will Win the Albert Pujols Sweepstakes.
As I said, this has to be the most competitive and balanced division in baseball. Along with the Brewers and Reds, the Cardinals are a team that I would not be surprised to see make a deep run into October.
With a starting three of Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia, the Cards can match up with any other starters in baseball. They may not be as flashy as the Phillies starters, but they can compete with them.
Whenever a team has Albert Pujols, you can never count them out of anything. Although the Cardinals will fall short this year, they will win out on something much more important to their club's future—the signing of Albert Pujols. It will not happen during the season, but it will get done before he becomes a free agent.
The Cardinals want him, and he wants to be a Cardinal. They will find a happy ground between his reported request of the Cardinals giving up their future just to keep him with a deal for 10 years, worth $30 million a year, and what they are currently willing to pay.
Cardinal's fans may not have much to cheer about when the team falls short in the late season race, but they will be more than pleased when the club locks up Pujols for the rest of his career.
.png?w=480)
