With the season underway, we are looking at each division in the MLB. This week, we preview the NL Central.
St. Louis Cardinals: After winning the Central division last season, the Cardinals made the smart move to bring back outfielder Matt Holliday. Keeping the left fielder on the team to provide a bat that will protect Albert Puljols, will be critical for the team’s success. The top of the pitching staff remains one of the best in the league, with Adam Wainwright a 19 game-winner and former Cy Young award winner Chris Carpenter.
There isn’t a player in all of baseball who is more important to the success of his team than Pujols is to the Cardinals. Cardinal fans should expect him to have a productive season in the 2010 campaign. Another thing to remember about Pujols, is that he is a very good defender, a fact that is forgotten because of his offensive prowess. It’s hard to say that just one player is the reason a team will win the division, but Albert Pujols isn’t just any player.
Chicago Cubs: The hapless Cubs finished second in the division last season, but their 83-80 record made them look like anything but a competitive team. Chicago has embodied the frustration that has plagued the team for years. First there is Alfonso Soriano, the high-paid outfielder who has failed to live up to expectations. Soriano has proven he has a mix of power and speed in the past, but has not been playing enough to show off his skills lately. Former rookie of the year, Geovany Soto, had a bad sophomore slump last year. Soto’s offensive numbers were practically cut in half from 2008 to 2009. If he keeps under producing, fans can forget about the playoffs.
As for the pitching staff, no one is more baffling than Carlos Zambrano. On one hand, he is among the top starters in the National League, but on the other hand, he has had tons of injury problems and attitude issues. Dealing with his antics is just part of being a Cubs fan. For the upcoming season, being a Cubs fan may also mean settling for second again.
Milwaukee Brewers: When people think about the Milwaukee Brewers, two players seem to come to mind — Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. These two are both incredible offensive players and are a lot of fun to watch wallop fastballs over 400 feet. The Brewers’ problems start just after these two players, with the rest of the squad. Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez are not exactly striking fear into the hearts of pitchers across baseball.
Milwaukee’s starting pitching is about as unthreatening a pitching staff could be. Their opening day starter was 24-year-old Yovani Gallardo. Last year he managed a record one game above the .500 mark. Who do they have backing him up? Randy Wolf. That’s right, Randy Wolf is a number two starter. Braun and Fielder provide a good base to build a team around, but the Brewers need a lot of pieces to move up in the division.
Cincinnati Reds: While the Brewers appear stagnant for the time being in the Central, the Cincinnati Reds look to be moving up in the division. This offseason, the Reds made a big splash signing lefty phenom Aroldis Chapman to a big contract. Like the Stephen Strasburg situation with the Nationals, the team was put in an awkward position. Do you get fans in the seats to see the incredibly talented young star-in-the-making, or do you send him down to the minors to work against some pros before throwing him out to the best in the world? Much like the Nats, Cincinnati made the right decision and sent him down.
The veteran presence of guys like third baseman Scott Rolen and shortstop Orlando Cabrera may help some of the team’s young stars. This core of young players will make the Reds the team to beat in a few seasons.
Houston Astros: The Astros are in that gray area, where the future doesn’t look bright, while the present does not look promising either. The team has only two legitimate power threats, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. Berkman has been showing that he has some health problems, which should make things go from bad to worse in Houston. Lee is a solid run producer, but to think he can single handedly carry this lineup is silly. Immensely talented Astro’s ace, Roy Oswalt, has been rotting away with the Astros for years. Not too long ago they were in the World Series and everything looked great for the team, but now it seems as if the team will never get back there.
Pittsburgh Pirates: It’s easy to get caught up in the hoopla of Cubs’ fans praying for a winning team, but Pirates fans are likely to be praying harder, as they haven’t had a winning season in a long while. The operating strategy in Pittsburgh seems to be to develop a talented player and then ship them off when it makes least sense. Top candidates to continue the tradition of getting rid of players fans grow to love are Garrett Jones, who led all rookies in home runs last season, and center fielder Andrew McCutchen, who many believe has all the tools to become a great player for a team that is not the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Prediction: Cardinals will continue to rein supreme, but keep an eye on the Reds. Cincinnati is not that far off from challenging for a playoff birth and division crown.
You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
