2011 MLB Preview: The 'Key' Player for Each National League Central Team

Next up in our “Key” player series is the “Key” player for each National League Central team. There are six teams in this division, so let’s not waste any time and get right to it.

Cincinnati Reds: Scott Rolen

Rolen doesn’t fit my normal “Key” player profile, because he had a pretty good year in 2010. He finished with a .285/.358/.497 slash line with 20 HRs and 34 doubles. He also manged to play in 133 games, which is pretty good for him.

However, Rolen only managed to hit three of those HRs in the second half, and he saw his OPS dip from .909 in the first half to .774 in the second half. He also managed to play in only 54 games in the second half.

If the Reds are going to repeat as Central Division champions, I believe Rolen is going to need to duplicate his 2010 season in 2011.

Just as a FYI, Rolen hasn’t had back-to-back healthy seasons (seasons of 130 games played or more) since 2003-2004 when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals: David Freese

When I look at the Cardinals’ offense, I see a very top-heavy group. They have Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and Colby Rasmus (I think he will break out this year), but after those three, they have a bunch of question marks.

Perhaps the biggest question mark of all is Freese. The kid has a ton of talent, but off-the-field issues and injuries have really slowed him down.

Due to injuries, Freese only managed to play in 70 games last year for the Redbirds. When he does get on the field, the guy can hit. He hit .296 with a .765 OPS in those 70 games.

A healthy Freese will give the Cardinals’ offense some much-needed depth and make them a much more dangerous ballclub.

Milwaukee Brewers: John Axford

I was very torn with this one, but Axford is a really important piece of the Brewers’ puzzle in 2011.

Axford, once released by the New York Yankees, burst onto the scene last year in Milwaukee and turned in one of the better rookie seasons in baseball.

Axford had a 2.48 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and averaged 11.8 K/9 in 58 innings. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t even on the Brewers’ Opening Day roster.

Now comes the hard part—doing it all over again. Anyone can come out of nowhere and have one good season, but the true test is coming back the following season and matching.

Now that the pressure is on Axford to anchor the bullpen, let’s see how he does.

Despite the injuries to their starting rotation (Zach Greinke’s ribs and Shaun Marcum‘s shoulder), I think they will be fine, but if Axford can’t hold down the fort in the Brewers’ bullpen, then all bets might be off.

Chicago Cubs: Carlos Zambrano

I don’t think the Cubs have much of a chance of competing for a playoff spot in 2011.

But if they are going to make any run at a postseason berth, then they are going to need Zambrano to pitch for a full season like he did in the second half of the 2010 season.

Raise your hand if you knew Zambrano went 8-0 with a 1.58 ERA in 74 innings in the second half last season?

I think because of what happened with Zambrano and his temper tantrums last season, people wrote him off.

But the reality is, the guy can pitch. I don’t think it’s fluke that the guy has a career 3.50 ERA.

If the Cubs are doing to do anything in 2011, Zambrano is going to need to have his head on straight for the entire season.

Houston Astros: Brett Wallace

Wallace has gone from the Cardinals to the A’s to the Blue Jays to the Astros. He’s been passed around more times than Paris Hilton.

Now that Wallace has found a home in Houston, it will be up to him to stay there for the long run. The Astros don’t have many prospects, so it’s important that the few ones they do have pan out.

Wallace hit only .222/.296/.319 with two HRs in 51 games for the Astros in 2010. Even his much-heralded knowledge of the strike zone failed him with the Astros. Wallace only mustered eight walks in 159 plate appearances.

The 24-year-old has been raking this spring to the tune of a .358/.382/.585 slash line in 53 ABs.

He’ll need to continue his hot hitting into the regular season in order to give Astros fans hope for the future.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Alvarez

Like the Astros, the Pirates don’t have many top prospects, so the ones they do have need to work out. Alvarez is one of the guys the Pirates desperately need to work out.

Literally.

After belting 16 HR’s in 386 plate appearances in his rookie season last year, Alvarez showed up to camp this year 15 pounds overweight.

I am going to go out on a limb and say having a guy playing a position that is dependent on footwork and quickness, lugging around 15 extra pounds is probably not a good thing.

Alvarez has slumped this spring, hitting just .240 with no HR’s in 50 ABs. If the Pirates are going to turn things around anytime soon, Alvarez is going to be a big part of that and his development this season will be key.

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