2008 NL Central Preview

NL Central

1. Cubs

Strengths: Power, defense, bullpen and top of the rotation. In Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, new additon Kosuke Fukudome, and youngsters Geovany Soto and Felix Pie, the Cubs have 6 guys who could all hit 20 homeruns this season. Soriano, Lee and Ramirez should all hit 30. Lee is a deserving winner of the hollow award called the Gold Glove. Ramirez is improving on defense. Before he became a hitting threat, Soto was always a threat behind the plate. He has good calling skills, and is exceptional about blocking balles in the dirt. Fukudome has an Ichiro-like canon of an arm, nailing runners at first base on more than one occasion in Japan. The bullpen is as good as any. Bobby Howry, Carlos Marmol, and Kerry Wood will hold down the end of the game with underrated Mike Wuertz providing strong middle relief. Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill are strong pitchers who should all post ERAs under 4 this season.

Weaknesses: Lineup structure, back of rotation. In no world should Ryan Theriot and Soriano be the 1-2 hitters, but that's how they will enter the season. In an ideal world, Mark DeRosa and Fukudome would be at the top. Both are exceptional at getting on base. The end of the rotation was jsut handed to Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis. Both are average on a good day. Neither will be a good bet to post respectable ERAs.

Rookie to look out for: Soto and Fukudome are both contenders for the ROY entering the season.

Overall: The Cubs will have to fight off the Brewers and Reds, but should have the divison locked up. How far they go otherwise will have to be determined.

2. Brewers

Strengths: Power power power and rotation/bullpen depth. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder will be mashing homeruns this year. Bill Hall, Corey Hart, JJ Hardy and Rickie Weeks should all hit at least 20. The rotation is rather average buth has potential. Ben Sheets will take lead of the rotation once again with reliable Jeff Suppan behind him. Youngster Manny Parra and Yovani Gallardo (once he returns from injury) should help this staff. After a massive FAIL last year, the Brewers rehauled their pen, adding Dave Riske and the once massively dominant Eric Gagne. Riske is consistant and Gagne can still get the job done, albeit giving some fans heart attacks.

Weaknesses: Bench, defense. Craig Counsell shouldn't still be playing baseball but he gets a spot on the bench. On the flip side, Gabe Kapler, who was out of baseball last year, is back and also claims a bench spot. Former top prospect for the Tigers Eric Munson gets the nod as the back up catcher, but there has to be something said about you if you are backing up Jason Kendall at this stage. Defense won't be great. Braun is a butcher wherever he is and Hall is new at the hot corner.

Rookie to look out for: Parra. Showed good numbers in 26 innings last year with the big club and has the minor league numbers to show he can contribute this season.

Overall: How the pitching holds together could decide whether they take second place or first place.

3. Reds

Strengths: Offense, defense, youth. Adam Dunn and Brandon Phillips are jsut part of an offense that has no excuse to not score runs. Phillips, Corey Patterson, and others are all established strong defenders. The team has some of the best youngsters in baseball in Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce.

Weaknesses: Manager. Dusty Baker will no doubt start the veterans, sit the young guys previously mentioned, bat the terrible OBP guy leadoff (check that one off already), and ruin his pitchers' arms.

Rookie to look out for: Votto, Bruce, and Cueto all should put solid numbers if they can make Baker forget his fetish for veterans.

Overall: They have enough to be competitive, but I can't see them overtaking the Brewers or Cubs.

4. Astros

Strengths: Power, speed, defense. Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Miguel Tejada should provide ample power. Michael Bourn and Kaz Matsui should also both steal 30 bases and Hunter Pence should kick in a few himself. Bourn, Pence, and Matsui are all good with the glove.

Weaknesses: Pitching. Rotation leaves much to be desired behind Oswalt and the bullpen is frightening, and not in a good way.

Rookie to look out for: JR Towles. He should put up good numbers for a young catcher this year while calling a solid game behing the plate.

Overall: They used to have no offense, now they have no pitching. If the pitching could compliment the offense, then they'd have a chance. Alas, it's not to be.

5. Cardinals

Strengths: Power. Albert Pujols, Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan, and Rick Ankiel should provide plenty of homers.

Weaknesses: Rest of team. The Cards wil have one of the worst middle infield tandems in baseball this season with Aaron Miles/ Adam Kennedy at second base and Cesar Izturis at SS. Izturis will also bat ninth on occasion behind the pitcher. Ugh. The rotation features former Cubs prospect Todd Wellemeyer as the number two starter. Problem is, he's not good. And he's the number two starter. The pen primarily has old guys past their prime and inexperienced young guys.

Rookie to look out for: Colby Rasmus. He should get a chance this year and should be an All-Star for years to come when he gets that chance.

Overall: The Cards have taken a hard fall from grace, winning the World series two years ago and to now becoming a heaping pile of crap. The only thing that is keeping them from last place is:

6. Pirates

Strenghs: They have that Jason Bay kid. And I heard Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, and Zach Duke are decent. And Matt Capps may find a way to get a save when the team is winning on that rare occasion.

Weaknesses: They are the freaking Pirates. The lineup instills little fear into opponents outside of Jason Bay, who may be traded in the near future. Freddy Sanchez is listed as the number 3 hitter, but he isn't even a lock for 10 homeruns. The pitching has a chance to be good, but I can't see it yet.

Rookie to look out for: Steven Pearce. He should get a shot at first base and if he does, he'll hold it until the Pirates decide to trade him.

Overall: Another year in the basement.

Other playoff picks:

NL East: Phillies

NL West: Dodgers

NL Division Series:

Cubs over Mets

Phillies over Dodgers

NL Championship Series:

Phillies over Cubs

AL Champion:

Red Sox

World Series:

Red Sox over Phillies

NL Awards:

MVP: Ryan Howard

Cy Young: Brandon Webb